The atmosphere seemed to freeze.
The somewhat ingratiating smile on Shiki's face instantly stiffened, like a flower assaulted by a sudden winter chill.
He groaned inwardly, as if countless fine needles were piercing deep into his core.
'As expected. Nothing good in this world comes without a price. There's no such thing as a free lunch!'
He quickly bowed slightly, his tone cautious.
"Ron, about the money... that's manageable, of course. But… could you perhaps lower the price a little? As you know, over the years, I've spared no expense training those subordinates and creating my beasts. The cost for each one flows like a never-ending stream. My funds are really just a bit tight right now..."
At this point, Shiki's voice unconsciously carried a tinge of bitterness.
This was a large group, and the combined cost was simply astronomical.
He desperately hoped Ron would give him a discount.
But Ron merely raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth curling up as he looked at Shiki with a faint, enigmatic smile.
"Oh? Then tell me, how much can you pay?"
This simple question made Shiki's heart tighten instantly.
His brow furrowed, his mind racing.
Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind, like a ray of light breaking through the darkness.
"Ron, I almost forgot about this guy!"
As he spoke, he raised his hand and gave a forceful wave.
In the distance, Foxy—bound up tightly like a holiday ham and unable to move—flew over like a cannonball, landing heavily in front of the two.
Foxy's mouth was stuffed with rags, his face bruised and swollen.
He struggled to lift his head, his eyes filled with terror and pleading.
Shiki pointed at him and said urgently, "Ron, this guy is remarkable! He's Silver Fox Foxy, the Slow-Slow Fruit user. Just think, his ability can slow an object's movement speed by thirty times! In battle, such a power would undoubtedly be a great asset—a rare combat strength!"
Ron slightly lowered his head, his gaze falling upon Foxy, a trace of genuine surprise appearing on his face.
"Silver Fox Foxy? This guy actually ended up in your hands."
Seeing Ron's interest, Shiki nodded vigorously, like he was pounding garlic.
"That's right, it's him! Ron, could we... sell this guy to you, too? Would it cover part of the debt?" He looked at Ron with hopeful eyes.
However, Ron furrowed his brows, feigning hesitation as he pondered for a moment before slowly saying.
"Well... although Foxy's ability is decent, his value isn't nearly enough to offset that much money."
Upon hearing this, Shiki's heart sank.
He knew that if he couldn't offer something more substantial, Ron wouldn't budge.
At this critical moment, Shiki gritted his teeth and threw out his final bargaining chip.
"Ron, actually... beneath the islands I just gathered, I've discovered a Seastone vein!"
"A Seastone vein?!" Ron's face finally showed a hint of genuine shock.
He was well aware of the preciousness of Seastone—a mineral that could suppress Devil Fruit users was one of the rarest and most strategic resources in the world.
Seeing Ron's reaction, Shiki felt emboldened and quickly pressed his advantage.
"That's right! Although the reserves aren't huge, it's still worth quite a bit. What do you think... could this cover part of the fee?"
Ron pretended to ponder deeply.
After a long moment, he slowly sighed, putting on an almost pained expression as he said.
"Alright. Seeing as you're so sincere... and since your subordinates will be working for the Eternal Kingdom in the future, I'll give you a discounted price."
Shiki was overjoyed, nearly jumping with excitement.
He hurriedly stepped closer and eagerly asked, "Ron, how much for each one?"
Ron said calmly, "...The matter of the blood is waived. 1,5 billion Belly per fruit. You understand what this price represents."
"Hiss..." Shiki drew a sharp, whistling breath, feeling both shocked and absolutely delighted.
1,5 billion Berries for a Logia Devil Fruit? The public price was 3 billion, and that was with the customer providing their own blood.
Ron was undoubtedly giving him an enormous, face-saving deal.
This would allow him to show off extravagantly in front of his underlings once again!
Shiki's voice trembled with excitement as he quickly said.
"Ron, no need to say more. Thank you!"
As he spoke, he solemnly bowed deeply to Ron, his eyes filled with gratitude.
Ron merely waved his hand lightly, his tone still as calm as water.
"Go ahead. Make proper arrangements for your subordinates. Remember, I want to see those piers completed in half a month."
"Yes! Don't worry, Ron, I'll go make the arrangements right away!" Shiki nodded heavily, then turned and strode away, his heart soaring as he flew straight toward his pirate ship docked by the island's edge.
His crew must have been waiting anxiously.
Watching Shiki's retreating figure, a faint smile curled at the corner of Ron's lips.
'He's completely under control now. And this..' he thought, glancing at the bound Foxy and the bucket of Blueno's blood.
'...was a very, very profitable day.'
Ron slowly withdrew his gaze from the distance and settled it on Nami and Robin, who were standing nearby.
The two had been waiting in tense silence, with Nami whispering anxiously to Robin.
However, when Ron's gaze swept over them, Nami immediately sensed that invisible pressure and fell silent, looking up at him.
Ron's gaze finally fixed on Robin, his deep eyes seeming to see through everything.
"Nico Robin, the so-called Devil Child... You don't look like a devil at all."
Robin was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting Ron to suddenly say such words to her.
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