From a distance, Ron nodded in satisfaction. "It seems my two new bodyguards will soon be put to good use."
Afterward, Ron brushed his right hand over the remaining Devil Fruits.
They instantly vanished, stored away in his Space Ring, leaving only one Magma-Magma Fruit behind.
"When Marco returns, this Magma Fruit will be his," Ron murmured to himself, his fingertips lingering on the fruit's hot surface for a moment.
"But to be safe, I'll need to make another one. Two are needed for a hundred percent success rate."
To enchant Marco with Akainu's ability was precisely why Whitebeard had personally taken action to obtain the Admiral's blood.
Ron frowned slightly.
Creating these few Enchanted Fruits had nearly exhausted all the resources he had accumulated over the past days.
Despite ramping up gold mining efforts, production capacity remained limited.
"Funds are running low."
He rubbed his temples, his gaze involuntarily drifting toward the distant sea.
The fleet led by Shiki had yet to return from selling the Seastone vein in Dressrosa.
However, given the current scarcity of Seastone in the market, it should fetch a considerable sum.
As he pondered, the sound of light footsteps approached.
Patrick Redfield had appeared before him at some point, his crimson cloak swaying gently in the wind, standing out strikingly against the laboratory walls.
"Ron, I need to leave for a while," Redfield said calmly.
Ron looked up at him, not responding immediately, merely gazing quietly at the other man.
He knew Redfield's temperament.
"There are old scores that must be settled," Redfield said, his slender fingers lightly stroking the hilt of his umbrella sword.
His tone carried a trace of unwavering resolve. "But I promise you, once everything is done, I will return."
He gave a slight nod, as if making a solemn vow. "Even without a contract binding me, I, Redfield, would never break my word."
The air fell into a brief silence.
Only the shadows of the Eternal Kingdom's floating islands drifting slowly through the clouds marked the passage of time.
Ron suddenly chuckled softly. "Come back soon."
Whitebeard's booming laughter suddenly rang out from mid-air. "Gurararara! Old man, don't keep me waiting too long!"
A flash of lightning crackled, and Whitebeard's figure appeared not far away, electricity dancing across his shoulders.
"When you return, we'll have a proper fight!"
The corners of Redfield's lips lifted slightly.
Without another word, he simply nodded, then turned and walked away.
His silhouette, cast in the glow of the sunset, appeared exceptionally solitary, yet it radiated a resolute determination.
Soon, he vanished beyond the horizon.
...
Dressrosa Harbor
The setting sun dyed the sea golden, its shimmering surface looking as if it were strewn with shattered jewels.
Shiki stood at the ship's bow, his golden hair flowing wildly.
Behind him, workers under Doflamingo's command were busily carrying chests of treasure onto the deck, the clinking of metal echoing incessantly.
"One Trillion Belly!"
Shiki laughed heartily as he raised the ledger in his hand, its pages fluttering noisily in the salty sea breeze.
"We've really struck it rich this time!"
Jozu was also grinning so widely his eyes were nearly invisible. "That's fantastic! I never expected we'd make so much money from this!"
"Indeed. But compared to all this, I'm more worried about Luffy's safety," Ace said.
He stood to the side, his brow furrowed with worry, his eyes filled with concern for his younger brother.
Though the wealth was exhilarating, Luffy's safety was what truly mattered to him.
"Why overthink it? Ron is definitely fine, and Luffy will be alright too," Marco reassured Ace with a smile, his voice brimming with confidence.
Afterward, Marco waved farewell to the executives of the Donquixote Family.
Though their collaboration this time had been brief, the gains were substantial.
As the fleet set sail for the return journey, the lights of Dressrosa flickered on.
From afar, they looked like scattered stars dotting the dark sea.
....
Two days later.
The Eternal Kingdom, Level Five Trading Island.
Sunlight bathed the trading island, where lush green grasslands swayed gently in the breeze.
Rumble, rumble—
A massive ship, flying through the air, slowly entered the territory of the Eternal Kingdom.
Its enormous hull traced an elegant arc across the sky, defying gravity thanks to the Floating-Floating Fruit.
Ron, Bullet, and Crocodile, along with Enel, Vista, and others, stood in the middle of the green meadow, their black robes fluttering softly in the wind.
Over the past two days, many people had arrived in the Eternal Kingdom for trade, all of whom had been accommodated in different areas, just like Gecko Moria.
Additionally, today was the day the fleet was returning, and everyone had come to greet them.
Watching the massive ship drift slowly overhead, the group couldn't help but smile.
As Shiki guided the ship to a steady landing, Ace, Jozu, and the others eagerly leaped down from the deck.
"Ron, I've missed you so much!" Jozu stepped forward and gave Ron a bear hug.
Ace and the others also smiled as they approached. "Ron, we've successfully completed the mission. The Seastone vein has been sold."
"The process went quite smoothly. That Doflamingo guy is a clever man," Marco said with a laugh, a hint of relief in his eyes.
Just then, Shiki descended from mid-air, floating down to stand before Ron.
"Kid," Shiki grinned, "we sold it for a total of One Trillion Belly. It's all in these boxes. Any shortfall was made up with treasures—more than enough, rest assured."
Ron nodded slightly, smiling. "You've done very well!"
With this one trillion Belly, many plans could finally be set in motion.
Beside them, Bullet shouted in disbelief, "H... how much?!!!"
His voice carried genuine shock.
"One Trillion Belly!!!!" Shiki's voice echoed through the air, savoring the number.
Nearby, Crocodile felt his scalp tingle.
He was a man of business; he had thought the haul might be ten billion, perhaps even a hundred billion if they were lucky.
But he never expected it to be one trillion!
His eyes widened, unable to believe his ears.
'That kind of money could buy countries.'
"You've got to be kidding me!" Bullet's voice trembled slightly, his mind blank, completely stunned by the figure.
Everyone gathered around, staring at the endless boxes of treasure.
"Eh? You little brat, you're here too?" Shiki's gaze finally fell on Bullet, his tone carrying a hint of teasing recognition.
It seemed the two legends of Impel Down had crossed paths before.
"Hmph! Old man, you're really something," Bullet scoffed, recovering his composure.
His tone held a mix of admiration and mockery.
"Choosing to cut off your own legs just to escape prison... you're absolutely crazy!"
He knew Shiki had severed his own legs to escape Impel Down years ago—such ruthlessness was truly astonishing, even to the Demon Heir.
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