"Listen, kid."
Kaido's voice was hoarse, like sand and stone grinding together, carrying the roughness of someone who had weathered countless hardships.
His blood-red dragon eyes burned like flames as they stared straight at Ron, as though he wanted to see through Ron's very soul.
"I can't die yet."
His words were simple and direct.
On his thick arms, veins bulged like coiling dragons, revealing the struggle of a man forcing down his former arrogance.
"Consider this life… something I owe you."
Kaido continued, each word seeming to drain all the strength from his body.
There was a trace of helplessness in his eyes, but even more firmness and resolve.
The sea breeze suddenly stopped, as if even the ocean itself had been shaken by this scene.
Everyone held their breath, their gazes focused on Kaido and Ron.
The entire battlefield sank into deathly silence.
This once-unrivaled governor-general of the Beasts actually lowered his head slightly.
That proud head was now bowed, as if yielding to fate, yet also as if paying respect to something he cherished.
His teeth ground together as he fought the final battle within his heart.
"After I rescue King… this life… will be yours to deal with!"
Kaido's voice echoed through the silence.
Every word struck the hearts of those present like a heavy hammer.
Ron's pupils suddenly contracted, and the glass bottle in his hand almost slipped free.
He stared in disbelief at the once-unruly monster before him, complex emotions surging in his heart.
For the sake of saving his brother, Kaido was actually willing to set aside the dignity of an Emperor!
This emotional transformation deeply shocked Ron.
Behind his lenses, a trace of respect flashed through his eyes. He could not help sighing inwardly.
This guy… truly was a man of iron bones.
In this world filled with disputes over profit and struggles for power, such pure emotion seemed so precious and rare.
"Gurararara…"
Whitebeard suddenly laughed boldly, breaking the silence of the battlefield.
His laughter carried admiration for Kaido's decision.
"You brat…"
He casually thrust Murakumogiri back into the ground, producing a dull thud.
His broad hand patted Ron on the shoulder, and his eyes shone with relief.
"Captain Ron, this matter is yours to decide."
Whitebeard's voice was loud and firm, filled with trust in Ron.
"You are now the ruler of the Eternal Divine Kingdom. There's no need to care about anyone else's opinion."
Marco immediately stepped forward. His eyes were filled with determination and loyalty.
"Ron, we will always support your decision!"
"That's right!"
Jozu's fist slammed heavily against his chest with a muffled thud.
"Whatever you say, that's what we'll do!"
Vista also chimed in from the side.
"The captain of our Eternal Divine Kingdom should have exactly this kind of bearing and dignity."
Ron nodded slightly.
His gaze was calm and deep. In that instant, he had already seen through everything.
He walked slowly toward Kaido, each step carrying an invisible pressure.
The sea breeze blew against his white robes, making the hem flutter in the wind.
Amid the smoke-filled battlefield, his figure stood out sharply, like a king who controlled fate itself.
"The Beasts Pirates have already been destroyed."
Ron's voice was as calm as a deep lake, without the slightest ripple.
Yet those seemingly calm words struck Kaido's heart like a heavy hammer, causing his dragon eyes to contract suddenly.
A trace of regret, almost impossible to notice, flashed through them.
Ron raised his head slightly and looked firmly at Kaido before continuing.
"If you want to live now, you have only two choices."
After saying that, he slowly raised one long finger.
Under the sunlight, that finger seemed to carry an indescribable majesty.
"First, sign a contract with the Eternal Divine Kingdom and become one of our blades."
His voice was steady and powerful. Every word clearly entered Kaido's ears.
Then he paused slightly and added,
"Of course, with dignity. My Divine Kingdom has no hobby of trampling on other people's dignity at will."
When he said this, Ron's eyes revealed sincerity and firmness, as though he was explaining the noble principles of the Eternal Divine Kingdom to Kaido.
Immediately after, Ron raised a second finger. His movements were unhurried, yet he controlled the rhythm of the entire situation.
"Second, continue your resistance."
His gaze slowly swept over Kaido's battered body.
There was no pity in his eyes.
Kaido's body was covered in wounds, blood constantly seeping from those fierce gashes, staining his once-majestic form crimson.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared at the corner of Ron's mouth. Hidden within that smile was certainty toward the situation.
"As long as you can escape from Captain Whitebeard, the Eternal Divine Kingdom will give up hunting you down."
Hearing this, the corner of Kaido's mouth twitched uncontrollably.
His face, already twisted by anger and unwillingness, became even more fierce.
The dragon-scale tattoos on his body flickered with each breath.
He lowered his head and looked at his mangled wounds, bitterness rising in his heart.
Forget escaping from Whitebeard.
If he took even one more slash right now, he might be left on this battlefield forever.
"I choose the first."
Kaido nearly forced the words out through gritted teeth.
His blood-red dragon eyes were filled with unwillingness, yet he had no other choice.
The veins on his thick arms bulged. They looked like angry worms squirming beneath his skin.
Even so, in the end, he did not raise the kanabo that had accompanied him through so many battles.
That kanabo now lay quietly to the side, as though it too could feel its master's humiliation and helplessness.
Ron seemed to have expected this. A faint trace of relief flashed through his eyes.
A glow suddenly flashed in his hand, and a leaf radiating strange green light appeared in his palm.
The leaf was emerald green, like the purest gemstone, giving off a mesmerizing radiance.
Golden light flowed through its veins.
It seemed alive, pulsing within the leaf like agile threads weaving through it.
"This is a leaf from the Contract Tree."
Ron's voice suddenly became solemn as he held up the mysterious leaf.
"Its binding force cannot be shaken even by the strongest Conqueror's Haki. It is a certain characteristic of a Devil Fruit."
Ron's eyes were filled with reverence and confidence.
He knew very well the powerful force contained within this leaf.
The leaf slowly spun in Ron's palm, releasing a gentle halo.
That halo was like a thin veil, softly covering everything around it and giving off a mysterious and solemn feeling.
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