After Ron confirmed his choice, Katakuri stepped forward without the slightest hesitation.
Izo stood quietly to the side, steadily holding the large bucket, its metallic surface glinting coldly in the faint light.
Katakuri walked up to Izo, stopped, and calmly looked at the bucket before him, showing no trace of fear or hesitation.
He slowly extended his right hand, his long and powerful fingers tracing an elegant arc in the air before lightly resting on the rim of the bucket.
Then, he raised his right hand, turning his wrist over.
His pale skin stood out starkly under the dim light.
Gritting his teeth slightly, a flash of resolve crossed his eyes as he used his sharp fingernail to make a light cut on his skin.
The nail was as sharp as a blade, instantly breaking the skin.
Blood, like crimson pearls, slowly welled up from the wound, trickling down his arm and dripping into the bucket.
Drop by drop, the blood fell with a soft drip-drip sound, unusually clear in the silent environment, like a countdown to life slipping away.
Soon, the blood filled more than half the bucket, the deep red liquid sloshing inside and emitting a strong metallic scent.
Katakuri's expression remained as calm as still water, without a ripple, as if bleeding was as routine and mundane to him as any daily task.
He didn't even furrow his brow, his eyes still reflecting that same firmness and composure.
When he felt the blood was sufficient, he slowly withdrew his wrist.
Miraculously, under his control, the wound quickly stopped bleeding, as if the injury that had just been bleeding had never existed.
Then, he lifted his head and looked steadily at Ron.
Seeing this, Ron waved his hand lightly.
"That's enough."
At that moment, Perospero, standing further back, clapped his hands.
At his signal, a group of uniformly dressed subordinates filed out in an orderly manner from behind.
They steadily carried several massive chests in their hands, each appearing extremely heavy.
When the subordinates reached a suitable position, they gently placed the chests neatly before Ron.
Every chest landed with a dull, solid thud.
Perospero stepped forward with confident and elegant strides, reaching out to slowly open one of the chests.
As the lid lifted, neatly stacked piles of Belly banknotes were revealed before everyone's eyes.
The crisp, fresh bills emitted a faint scent of ink.
Perospero gave a slight bow.
"Please count it, Vice-Captain Ron. This is 70 billion Belly, not a single bill short."
Ron stood quietly, his gaze fixed intently on the mountain of Belly before him, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
He hadn't expected the Big Mom Pirates to act so swiftly.
After all, 70 billion Belly was no small sum—it was a colossal fortune that could drive countless people to madness.
Even for one of the Yonko, Big Mom, this was an enormous amount of money.
Yet, they had managed to prepare it in such a short time, clearly having made preparations in advance.
Big Mom was thoroughly pleased with Ron's astonished expression.
She burst into loud, booming laughter, her voice brimming with authority:
"MAMAMAMAMA, Ron, are you surprised by how fast we moved? Let me tell you the truth—I had this money ready long before coming here! I just didn't expect you to have Sengoku's blood, which made me change my plans on the spot."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"Originally, I intended to use this money to exchange for stronger Devil Fruit abilities for my children. After all, their strength still needs improvement."
"But since you have Sengoku's blood here, of course, my plans had to change. It doesn't matter if my children have to wait a little longer to upgrade their abilities—I can't miss this opportunity!"
Hearing this, Ron fully understood Big Mom's intentions.
So, her original plan was to purchase a large number of Devil Fruit abilities from him to enhance her children's strength.
However, upon learning that Ron possessed Sengoku's blood, she immediately changed her mind, deciding to use all the money to make herself a Three-Devil Fruit User!
One had to admit, Big Mom's boldness and ambition were truly astonishing.
Not only did she decisively abandon her original plan, but she also concentrated all her resources on herself, clearly aiming for even greater power.
Such decisiveness was befitting of one of the Yonko.
Ron smiled faintly, a note of admiration in his tone.
"As expected of one of the Yonko. Truly impressive resolve."
Big Mom waved a hand dismissively, her voice brimming with confidence.
"It's just 70 billion Belly. If it makes me stronger, what does a little money matter? Ron, don't underestimate my determination!"
Ron nodded and said nothing more.
He turned to look at the chests filled with Belly, silently calculating the details of this transaction in his mind.
Seventy billion Belly was indeed a massive sum, but for him, it was merely part of the development funds for the Eternal Kingdom.
More importantly, through this transaction, he had not only gained Big Mom's trust but also obtained Katakuri's blood, which was undoubtedly a tremendous harvest for him.
Meanwhile, Katakuri stood nearby, his gaze profound as he watched Ron.
Though outwardly calm, inwardly he felt some suspicion about Ron's intentions.
He couldn't understand why Ron had chosen his blood over someone else's Devil Fruit ability.
Could it be that Ron's target wasn't the Mochi Mochi Fruit, but something else?
At this thought, Katakuri's brow furrowed slightly, but he said nothing more.
As a core member of the Big Mom Pirates, he had long grown accustomed to following orders.
Whatever Ron's purpose might be, he would act according to Big Mom's instructions.
Perospero stood to the side with a smug smile on his face.
He was clearly very satisfied with the outcome of this transaction, as being able to produce seventy billion Belly in one go was enough to prove the financial strength of the Big Mom Pirates.
He looked at Ron, his tone carrying a hint of teasing.
"Vice Captain Ron, this transaction is a grand gesture from our Big Mom Pirates. You'd better cherish it."
Ron smiled faintly, his tone indifferent.
"Don't worry, I have always kept my word. Since I've accepted your money, I will naturally complete the transaction as agreed."