The three princes immediately turned and gave chase, their powerful tails propelling them through the water at incredible speeds.
Yet, no matter how hard they swam, they couldn't close the distance.
The giant axe, as if imbued with a life of its own, only accelerated, growing farther and farther away.
Incidents like this happened multiple times a day, and each time, a deep sense of frustration and helplessness welled up in their hearts as they were forced to watch helplessly.
Just as the axe was about to impact the island's protective bubble, a cold, calm voice cut through the water.
"Slash."
With that single command, Ron who's standing on the deck of the ship, formed a sword with two of his fingers.
A dazzling, silver sword light swiftly took shape at his fingertips.
At first, the beam was only a few inches long, but in the next moment, it expanded and lengthened at an impossible, exaggerated rate, stretching like the brightest galaxy in the night sky.
Ten meters, fifty meters, a hundred, two hundred, four hundred meters!
In the blink of an eye, the radiant sword slash had swept past the massive axe.
Amidst a silent flash of cold light, the supposedly indestructible giant axe was effortlessly split in two, the cut surface as smooth and perfect as a mirror.
The two halves drifted harmlessly past the ship on either side, their momentum gone, before sinking slowly into the crushing depths below.
The sight left everyone present utterly stunned.
A collective, sharp gasp filled the air.
The three princes were dumbfounded, their mouths agape.
Even the veteran commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates were completely shocked, their minds struggling to comprehend what they had just witnessed.
Standing on the deck, Ron gazed sharply at the spot where the axe had been, a faint, satisfied smile curling at the corners of his lips.
The strike had not only been a perfect test of his fused Sky-Slicing and Size-Shifting techniques, but it had also dealt with the potential threat of Vander Decken IX, a minor matter he had almost forgotten about in the recent chaos.
He then turned his gaze to the three still-stunned princes.
"The Captain is resting," he said, his voice returning to its usual calm demeanor.
"So, can we go in now?"
"HUUUHHH???" The three brothers froze for a few seconds before snapping back to reality, nodding vigorously.
"Yes, yes, yes! Right away!" Fukaboshi quickly pointed the way, while his brothers sprang into action, shouting for the gates to be opened.
On the ship, the crew finally found their voices, crowding around Ron with expressions of pure, unadulterated awe.
"That was so cool!" Ace exclaimed, his eyes wide with reverence.
"Ron, what was that move?! You split that thing with just two fingers! How did you make the Sword slash so long?!"
Jozu was even more stunned as he stepped forward to inspect Ron's fingers up close, as if searching for some hidden mechanism.
"Incredible..." he muttered. "I want to learn that too!"
He then gestured wildly toward the open sea.
"From now on, if we run into anyone trying to escape, we'll let them run 399 meters first—because Ron's 'Sky-splitting sword' can reach 400 meters!"
"Vice-Captain Ron, did you eat a Devil Fruit too? That move was awesome!"
"Right, I almost forgot! Ron-sama is the world's youngest and greatest Great Swordsman!"
Amidst their exclamations, the ship passed through the entrance, and they arrived inside Fish-Man Island.
Sunlight filtered down from above as if through the surface of the water, illuminating a breathtaking underwater paradise.
Vibrant coral reefs grew like forests, and countless schools of colorful fish and curious sea creatures weaved through the magical landscape.
As everyone was immersed in the awe-inspiring sight, Ron finally spoke with an amused smile on his face.
"You're all exaggerating. When did I become a devil fruit user? That was just a special kind of Sword Slash."
******
Meanwhile, the pirate ship had already docked steadily at the grand pier of Fish-Man Island.
A lavish red carpet stretched from the gangplank all the way to the gates of Neptune's palace, flanked by royal guards in shimmering armor and musicians ready to play a welcoming melody.
The very air was thick with a mixture of tense anxiety and hopeful anticipation.
King Neptune stood at the forefront, anxiously gazing at the large ship, his eyes filled with a desperate hope.
Finally, as the figures on the deck came into view, his heart settled slightly.
His gaze remained fixed on the last to appear—the vice-captain, Ron.
Only after confirming that the young man had safely stepped onto land did the old king finally let out a quiet sigh of relief.
As Ron and the commanders approached, Neptune turned to his three sons with an urgent whisper.
"Are you certain? Is this Ron really as strong as you say?"
Fukaboshi, the eldest, was the first to answer, his voice calm but his eyes still holding the trace of lingering astonishment.
"Father, everything we saw was true. Especially that sword strike..." He paused, the unbelievable memory replaying in his mind.
"From hundreds of meters away, a single, casual slash cleanly severed that giant axe flying towards the palacec."
His brothers nodded emphatically, their expressions just as awestruck as him.
Hearing his sons' accounts, Neptune's expression gradually relaxed.
Taking a deep breath, he steadied his nerves and prepared to greet them.
Just as he was about to step forward, a bone-chilling, grating laugh suddenly echoed from behind him.
"MAMAMAMAMA! I didn't expect to wake up from my nap and see that annoying old man's flag so soon." Big Mom's voice dripped with mockery and provocation, cutting through the ceremonial atmosphere like an icy gale.
"What?!" Neptune's pupils constricted.
He turned around and was horrified to find Big Mom and her crew approaching them, their direction precisely towards the Whitebeard Pirates.
His heart sank.
He absolutely could not let these two forces clash here.
At that moment, Ron and the others finished disembarking and finally the towering, magnificent figure of Whitebeard appeared at the rear of the group.
As for Big Mom's presence, he chose to ignore her completely, as if she were merely an insignificant piece of the scenery.
"Gurararara! Neptune, my old friend!" Whitebeard laughed heartily, his booming voice full of genuine warmth.
"Aren't you happy to see me? Why the long face?"
"Old friend! It really is you!" Neptune exclaimed, his face breaking into a wide, joyful smile as he rushed forward.
"Of course it's me," Whitebeard replied jovially. "Blame these brats for drinking me under the table. It was a good nap though. Woke up just in time to arrive."
As Neptune looked closer, he suddenly noticed his old friend's healthy complexion and steady, powerful gait.
The frail, IV-dependent figure from his last visit was gone.
"My friend... your health... you've recovered?" he asked in astonishment.
"Yep, all thanks to Ron here," Whitebeard grinned. "Completely recovered. Got another forty or fifty years in me!"
Neptune's eyes brimmed with mirth and wonder, but before he could speak, Big Mom grew impatient.
"Oi, oi, Newgate!" She snapped, her eyes glinting coldly.
"I heard you agreed to my terms?"
Whitebeard smiled faintly but didn't address her.
Instead, he turned to Ron and said with an air of complete, utter nonchalance.
"That old hag is being noisy. Don't ruin my good mood. Take it up with our captain here—he's the one calling the shots now."
Ron: "???"
The rest of the crew: "..."
Upon hearing this, Ron was utterly bewildered.
Since when did I become the captain?!
The entire crew collectively shot a look of fond, exasperated disdain at their father.
Ever since his health had improved, he had become even more indifferent to the crew's miscellaneous affairs.
With Ron around, all responsibilities now fell squarely on his shoulders.
Watching this scene, Marco couldn't help but smirk to himself, a feeling of immense gratitude for Ron's arrival washing over him.
Now, free of such burdens, he had more time to focus on his own training.
For Marco, who had always yearned to better himself, this was nothing short of a perfect opportunity.
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