"Alright." Ron nodded slightly, a hint of warmth in his gaze.
He spoke slowly, "I remember you mentioned some time ago that you wanted your subordinates to become Devil Fruit ability users as well."
Huh?
Shiki's previously dim eyes suddenly lit up, brimming with wild excitement.
He was inwardly astonished that Ron actually remembered a passing comment, which made him admire the young man even more.
"Besides the Space Ring, I'll give you five Devil Fruits. Logia, Paramecia, or Zoan—you choose. Let me know once you've decided."
"This… this is just…"
The usually arrogant and unruly Golden Lion was so overwhelmed he could barely speak.
His lips trembled slightly, his hands unconsciously clenched into fists, and his eyes shone with a fervent light.
In that light, there was surprise, emotion, and above all, an indescribable shock at this unexpected windfall.
'Touched! I'm actually touched!'
Shiki's heart churned like turbulent waves, a mix of emotions swirling within.
For a moment, he could hardly believe it was real, as if he were in a beautiful dream.
In his long memory as a pirate legend, no one had ever been so generous or trusting toward him without an ulterior motive.
This Ron kid is just too good!
Yet, amid this wave of gratitude, a twinge of conflict and unease welled up in Shiki's heart.
'If Ron treats me this well, how can I ever leave in the future?'
At this thought, Shiki gritted his teeth inwardly, silently cursing.
'Damn you Ron! He's trapping me with kindness!'
Seeing Shiki too excited to speak, Ron chuckled softly and patted his shoulder, silently reassuring him.
Then, he turned to face Marco, who had been waiting patiently.
Marco stood there, his gaze firmly fixed on Ron, his eyes filled with trust.
"Marco-san, the captain told me about your request regarding the Magma Fruit, but we'll need to wait a few more days," Ron said calmly.
Marco smiled and nodded heartily, replying without a hint of affectation.
"Ron, I'll leave the matter to you then."
His smile radiated nothing but the most genuine emotion.
"Don't worry." Ron's brief response carried the weight of a thousand pounds, instantly dispelling any worries in Marco's heart.
After that, Ron slowly turned around, his gaze calm yet resolute as he looked at everyone present.
All eyes were now uniformly fixed on him—Shiki, Ace, Marco, Jozu, Bullet, Crocodile, Enel, and Izo.
Any one of them was a renowned figure on the high seas.
Yet now, the threads of fate had intertwined, gathering them here as the core of the Eternal Kingdom.
"Everyone, it's fate that we've gathered here," Ron's voice echoed in their ears. "In the coming days, I will devote myself entirely to the experiments. As for the safety and development of the Eternal Kingdom, I leave that in your hands."
"Don't worry, Kid. With me here, I'd like to see who'd be foolish enough to cause trouble," Bullet declared boldly, brimming with confidence
As long as he was around, no one could stir up chaos.
"Yeah, Ron... but could my Haki be change first? I'm thinking of accompanying Ace to Whole Cake Island," Jozu said, looking at Ron with hopeful eyes.
He rubbed his large hands together, a simple, honest smile spreading across his diamond-hard face.
Ace also watched Ron with eager anticipation, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Of course, the order doesn't matter. Besides, I haven't tried making the Haki Fruit yet, so we can start with that," Ron replied with a smile and a nod.
Jozu scratched his head somewhat sheepishly.
"Thank you, Ron."
"Thank you, Ron!" Ace was equally grateful, already eager to enchant his Flame-Flame Fruit and discover just how much his strength would grow.
...
Time flowed quietly by.
Three days later, Morning.
The lingering glow of the rising sun cast a golden-red hue over the floating islands of the Eternal Kingdom.
Amid this tranquil and serene atmosphere, the silence of the central laboratory was suddenly shattered.
In an instant, a dazzling golden pillar of light shot straight into the sky, dyeing the clouds above a brilliant gold.
Inside the laboratory, the atmosphere was tense and thrilling.
The Haki Fruit, suspended in mid-air, had finally taken perfect form.
The fruit resembled a masterpiece of art. Its entire body was a deep purplish-black, like the void of space or the hardest Armament Haki, exuding an irresistible charm.
The surface was crystal clear, like jelly, with a mysterious purple radiance occasionally flowing across it as if life pulsed slowly within.
Each flicker of light was accompanied by a subtle energy fluctuation.
The entire fruit emitted a faint oppressive aura, causing even the surrounding air to warp slightly.
Yet, just as these phenomena reached their peak, they vanished abruptly like a receding tide.
All the radiance, energy fluctuations, and air distortions completely retracted into the fruit.
The once-dazzling fruit now appeared calm and restrained, as if nothing had happened.
Ron stood at the center of the laboratory, a trace of barely concealed excitement in his eyes.
He slowly reached out, carefully taking the suspended fruit.
His fingers lightly touched the jelly-like surface, and in that instant, a wondrous sensation spread throughout his body.
The texture was cool, soft, and surprisingly light, as if holding a solidified mist.
Even more marvelous was the aura the fruit emitted, making one instinctively want to draw closer—an indescribable allure of pure power.
"Is this... the Haki Fruit?" Ron murmured softly.
Outside the laboratory, the vast experimental field was already bustling with a dense crowd.
Bullet stood quietly among them, arms crossed.
His bronze muscles gleamed with a metallic sheen, every line clearly defined.
Shiki stood nearby, constantly rubbing the Space Ring he had acquired the previous afternoon.
The ring spun back and forth between his fingers, shimmering with a mysterious light.
His fondness for this ring had reached an extreme; his expression suggested he had obtained the world's most precious treasure.
Crocodile leaned against the wall, a cigar in his mouth—though unlit at the moment—his gaze fixed intently on Ron's laboratory door.
As the doors opened, his eyes widened in shock.
"R-really... he succeeded?!"
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