In an instant, dozens of figures leaped out from the lower islands.
All were members of the Whitebeard Pirates' fleet, swiftly arriving at the grand staircase leading to the top floor of the Main Island.
The entrance was heavily guarded by the Shandia tribe, and only Division Commanders and Ron's personal inner circle were permitted entry.
However, technically, both groups had now become Divine Kingdom officials!
But the rule remained: only High-Ranking Divine Kingdom officials could ascend to the top floor lab area.
Everyone else was strictly forbidden.
The low rank pirates shook their heads and sighed, knowing full well what they were missing out on.
But they could only stand in place, craning their necks upward, hoping to catch a glimpse of something.
That golden light that had excited all the executives of the Divine Kingdom must be something earth-shattering!
Everyone maintained a tacit silence, afraid of disturbing the creation ceremony on the top floor—but the excitement in their eyes was almost tangible.
When the first ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds, the golden pillar of light suddenly contracted and condensed, forming a massive phantom of a Devil Fruit in the sky before quickly dissipating.
On the top-floor platform, all the executives of the Divine Kingdom had gathered.
When Jozu and Douglas Bullet's gazes met mid-air, it was as if sparks of electricity flashed between them.
"Hey, Fusion Guy."
Jozu deliberately cracked his diamond knuckles, his entire body radiating a dazzling, rainbow glow under the morning sun.
"Once I become a dual-top-tier Haki user..." He provocatively lifted his chin. "Dare to have another fight? I guarantee you won't even be able to touch the hem of my clothes!"
"..."
Upon hearing this, Bullet's eyes widened abruptly, his facial muscles twitching uncontrollably.
He stared fixedly at Jozu.
This guy was a genuine Three-Devil Fruit User—the absolute defense of the Diamond-Diamond Fruit, the destructive power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, and the speed of the Glint-Glint Fruit.
Top-tier Armament Haki coupled with the soon-to-be-acquired Whitebeard-level Observation Haki... This combination seemed tailor-made to perfectly counter him!
'What kind of fight would that even be?!'
'I'm not fighting that walking cheat code!'
"Hmph!" Bullet squeezed out a cold snort through gritted teeth, turning abruptly.
The muscles on his broad back heaved violently, clearly suppressing his rage.
As a guy who had once challenged Pirate King Roger, this feeling of absolute frustration was a first for him.
He'd never lack opponents from now on, but at this rate, when would he ever get to challenge all those standing ahead of him if they kept getting system upgrades?!
"Hmph! Trading your future for temporary power? I despise it!"
Jozu grinned. "Despise it? Or just can't afford it?"
"..."
Watching Bullet's embarrassment, Marco covered his mouth and snickered.
"The Demon Heir actually chickened out?"
"What do you know!" Bullet suddenly roared, punching and shattering a nearby stone pillar. "That bastard is a mobile fortress now!"
Amid the flying debris, he added through clenched teeth, "Three Devil Fruits plus dual Emperor-level Haki... What kind of monsters is Ron creating?!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Vista's rose petals literally formed the word "COWARD" in the air, nearly sending Bullet into a blind rage.
Whitebeard, seated in the main position, shook his head while drinking from his massive gourd.
"Gurararara! Bullet, want me to teach you a move or two?"
"Really?!" Bullet's eyes lit up.
"Just become my son first!"
"...GET LOST!"
Just as the atmosphere relaxed, the golden light began to slowly recede.
Everyone quieted down, their burning gazes fixed on the laboratory door.
Jozu's diamond body leaned forward slightly, and even Bullet unconsciously held his breath.
They knew a creation that would alter the world's power balance was about to emerge.
HISS...
The heavy laboratory door slid open silently, revealing Ron's figure looking particularly sharp in the morning light.
Behind him, the three female executives—Nami, Conis, and Whitey Bay—stepped out slowly, each holding an exquisite tray inlaid with Seastone and gemstones.
On the trays lay sixteen pitch-black, fruit-like objects.
Their surfaces swirled with purple-black Haki patterns, completely different from normal Devil Fruit swirls.
Merely looking at them made one's skin prickle with pressure.
"Ron, this is..."
Marco was so agitated he didn't know what to do with his hands and feet.
Ron crossed his arms over his chest. "Top-tier Armament Haki Fruits."
His voice wasn't loud, yet it made everyone hold their breath.
"Eat it, and you'll immediately obtain Emperor-level Armament Haki—specifically, a direct copy of the Captain's Haki."
The sixteen Division Commanders simultaneously gasped in astonishment.
Having followed Pops for many years, they understood all too well what this meant.
A realm countless powerful individuals could never reach in their entire lives, no matter how hard they trained, was now right before their eyes!
"Except for Jozu and Ace..." Ron's gaze swept over Jozu's body, which had already undergone 'Haki Replacement' previously.
"...the other Commanders shall each receive one."
Jozu looked utterly bewildered, gazing pitifully at Ron.
With a faint smile, Ron casually tossed a different-colored fruit toward him.
"Here. This is the Captain's Observation Haki replacement fruit."
"HAHAHA! I knew it!"
Jozu exclaimed excitedly, about to rush forward and give Ron a massive, bone-crushing hug, but Ron deftly sidestepped the gesture.
The platform instantly erupted into chaos!
Everyone went wild, unable to contain their excitement.
Some even unleashed bursts of Blast Breath into the sky in an attempt to calm their surging emotions!
"Captain Ron, you're absolutely amazing! I love you!"
"Hahaha, what kind of man says 'I love you'? Take it back, let me say it!"
"Lord Ron! Captain Ron! No matter how many titles you have, you'll always be a God in our hearts!"
"With Pops' top-tier Armament Haki, what does that lousy Dark-Dark Fruit even matter?!"
"Hahaha! Teach's fruit can pull you in and nullify Devil Fruit powers, but he still has to take the physical hit! Who could possibly break through Pops' Armament Haki?!"
"This is incredible! Let me have one quickly!"
Soon, those tantalizing fruits were systematically distributed among the Commanders.
Each Commander, upon receiving their share of the fruit, wore expressions of varying degrees of absolute awe before carefully examining their prize.
Meanwhile, only Douglas Bullet and Shiki remained standing dumbfounded in place.
Their eyes involuntarily drifted toward the spot where the fruits had been distributed, their gazes betraying a barely concealed longing.
The alluring, oppressive aura of the Haki Fruits seemed to linger in the air, incessantly teasing their hearts.
Bullet's mouth hung slightly agape as he unconsciously smacked his lips, his throat seemingly constricted by something, his eyes gleaming with desire.
Shiki was no different.
His gaze was fixed intently on the now-empty trays, his lips pursed unconsciously, and his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.
He was clearly deeply captivated by the shortcut to absolute power.
Yet, both men struggled fiercely to suppress their inner impulses.
Bullet, in particular, wore an exceptionally stern expression, his brows tightly furrowed as he waged an intense internal battle against the temptation rising from the depths of his heart.
He knew all too well that some things, no matter how enticing, could conceal immense risks—just like the fruits that now stirred their greed.
Bullet had already uncovered the secrets of the Haki Fruit through various channels and his own observations of Jozu.
In his mind, every piece of information about the Haki Fruit had been meticulously analyzed and scrutinized.
This thing was nothing short of a deadly poison to a conqueror's ambition!
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