Kaido could not help narrowing his eyes.
He could sense the mysterious power contained within that leaf—irresistible and impossible to defy.
"So…"
Ron looked directly into Kaido's eyes, his tone suddenly sharpening.
His gaze seemed capable of piercing straight through Kaido's soul.
"After signing the contract, you'd better not dream of using Haki to destroy it. Otherwise… you bear the consequences."
Ron's voice echoed across the silent battlefield.
The surrounding air seemed to freeze.
Everyone held their breath.
Even Whitebeard stroked his chin with interest, his deep gaze fixed on the scene, revealing curiosity and anticipation toward how the situation would unfold.
The light from the leaf grew brighter and brighter, reflecting an emerald glow across both Kaido and Ron's faces.
Under that strange radiance, their figures appeared especially mysterious and solemn.
"Wororororo!"
Kaido split his mouth into a grin, the smile like lightning tearing through the night sky, revealing a rebellious and arrogant sneer.
"A real man never goes back on his word!"
In his dragon-like eyes, an extremely dangerous light flickered.
"I, Kaido, have roamed the seas for decades. I've never been some faithless rat who breaks his promises!"
His words struck the surrounding air like heavy hammers.
Ron nodded slightly, then his tone suddenly became unusually serious.
"There is one final thing I need to remind you of."
"The contract must be signed completely of your own free will. Even the slightest reluctance will cause the ritual to fail."
Kaido looked extremely impatient upon hearing this.
He suddenly shook his thick, wild braid, stirring a faint current of air.
"Enough nonsense! Since I already agreed, I won't go back on it. If we're signing, hurry up!"
There was urgency and irritation in his voice, as though every extra moment of delay was torture to him.
The corner of Ron's mouth slowly curved into a meaningful, unreadable smile.
He slowly extended his palm.
The emerald leaf that had been lying quietly in his hand suddenly seemed to be infused with a mysterious force, releasing a dazzling golden light as bright as the sun.
Under everyone's wide-eyed, astonished gazes, the leaf seemed to gain a life of its own and gradually stretched and transformed.
Every vein of the leaf unfolded and twisted within the light, until it impossibly turned into a contract scroll glowing with gilded radiance, along with an exquisite feather pen.
As Ron wrote with smooth and elegant movements, lines of sacred-looking text appeared one after another on the paper, as though they had been given life.
The words flickered with a faint glow.
After writing the final line, Ron signed his name with a flourish.
In an instant, that name condensed on the contract into the solemn and mysterious emblem of the Eternal Divine Kingdom.
"If there are no objections, please sign."
Ron gently turned the contract toward Kaido, his eyes carrying both expectation and certainty.
Kaido narrowed his dragon eyes slightly.
A trace of hesitation flashed through them, but it was quickly replaced by his usual decisiveness.
His rough, massive hand slowly took the seemingly light golden pen.
However, the instant his fingers touched it, the entire pen suddenly became as heavy as iron, as though an immense weight were pressing down on his hand.
But Kaido merely snorted coldly, his voice filled with disdain and stubbornness.
Without hesitation, he signed his name on the contract.
When the final stroke fell, the entire contract seemed to activate, instantly transforming into countless golden points of light.
Those points of light were like dazzling stars.
Half of them howled into Kaido's forehead, while the other half quickly flew into Ron's.
"The contract is established."
Ron closed his eyes slightly, carefully sensing the subtle yet powerful connection forming within him.
A very satisfied expression appeared on his face.
Kaido stood silently, but within him, stormy waves surged.
He could clearly feel that deep within his soul, an unbreakable shackle had appeared.
It seemed forged from an invisible yet incomparably powerful force, binding him tightly.
It made him understand that from this moment onward, every action he took would be restricted by certain rules.
He instinctively clenched his fist, veins bulging on his thick arm.
"Fate really does make fools of people!"
He murmured in a low voice, his tone carrying a trace of bitterness and melancholy.
He thought back to the days when he had roamed freely across the seas, relying on his overwhelming strength and unyielding will to build a fearsome reputation.
Yet now, he had no choice but to face this sudden change.
The contents of the contract were very simple, but each clause struck Kaido's heart like a heavy hammer.
First, nothing Kaido does may go against the interests of the Eternal Divine Kingdom.
Behind that simple statement was an endless weight.
It meant that from now on, he could no longer act purely according to his own wishes.
Every decision and every action would have to place the interests of the Eternal Divine Kingdom first. It was a restriction from a higher level, making him frown slightly.
Second, Kaido is no longer the governor-general of the Beasts Pirates, but a blade of the Eternal Divine Kingdom.
At the second clause, a complicated light flashed in Kaido's eyes.
The Beasts Pirates were the force he had built with his own hands, filled with countless efforts and emotions.
Now, he had to sever that bond and become a blade of the Eternal Divine Kingdom instead.
This change in identity left his heart filled with mixed feelings.
Third…
Kaido felt the burning sensation coming from his forehead.
A strange power was surging there—the power of the contract leaving a deep mark within his soul.
A complicated emotion flashed in his eyes.
There was worry toward an unknown fate, and helplessness over the loss of freedom.
But soon, he returned to his rebellious expression.
He raised his head, his gaze firm as he looked ahead. Even in such a situation, he would not submit easily.
"Hmph. Simple and clear!"
His voice was loud and powerful, carrying an unyielding stubbornness.
He moved his body slightly, and his bones gave a series of crisp cracks.
What was surprising was that the severe wounds on his body were actually healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The miraculous sight of flesh regenerating displayed his powerful recovery ability.
"So… can I go rescue King now?"
He asked urgently, his eyes revealing concern and attachment for his companion.
Ron and Whitebeard exchanged a meaningful glance.
That look contained many things that were hard to put into words.
They nodded lightly, as though confirming an important decision.
"Of course. However…"