Although Kuro had been slain by Roya, Kaya's parents and Usopp were already lying in pools of blood.
Kaya collapsed to the ground, tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks.
After dealing with Kuro, Roya swiftly moved to Kaya's side. "Trust me, everything will be alright!" he said.
With those words, Roya activated "Fivefold Phantom," causing the Phantoms to disperse and swiftly move toward the warship.
He needed medical supplies—items essential for treating wounds.
Combined with Roya's current pinnacle medical skills, as long as there was still a breath left, he was confident he could save them!
Kaya watched Roya before her.
She saw him swiftly stop her parents' bleeding and bandage their wounds in one fluid motion.
Along with various other techniques and methods Kaya couldn't comprehend.
Then, her parents slowly opened their eyes.
Roya motioned for Kaya to come over and tend to her parents first.
Next, Roya moved to Usopp's side.
It had to be said—Usopp's injuries were several times more severe than Kaya's parents'.
Yet despite this, Usopp still had a faint heartbeat.
All thanks to his extraordinary willpower!
Truly befitting of Usopp in dire straits—such incredible resilience!
"Usopp, your future lies on the open seas!" Roya declared.
As he spoke, the Phantoms reappeared.
Under Roya's control, they worked with precise coordination.
Leveraging his supreme medical skills, Roya pulled Usopp back from the brink of death.
After settling them in bed to rest and recover, Kaya approached Roya.
She suddenly recalled a story Usopp had once told—where a "prince" appeared at the end, turning the tide and saving everyone.
Now, in Kaya's eyes, Roya was that very "prince" from the tale.
It was because of Roya that her parents had been saved from peril.
Usopp had also regained consciousness—once they recovered, everything would return to normal.
And all of this was made possible by the medical prowess of the man before her.
Overcome with emotion, Kaya instinctively threw herself into Roya's arms.
As a young girl, she had been utterly terrified earlier.
Now, she could no longer hold back her feelings.
She sobbed in Roya's embrace, crying for what felt like an eternity.
Only when her eyes grew swollen did she finally stop.
After talking for a while, Kaya suddenly looked at Roya earnestly and said, "Roya, I want to study medicine. I want to become as skilled as you! I never want to feel helpless again, watching my loved ones... So, Roya, can I become your apprentice?!"
Her eyes shone with hope, silently pleading for Roya to grant this small wish.
Hearing her request, Roya simply replied, "Make sure your parents take the prescriptions I wrote for them on time. It's good for their health—long-term use can even extend their lifespan."
"Yes, I understand," Kaya murmured.
Roya didn't answer whether he would take her as his apprentice.
At his non-response, Kaya lowered her head in disappointment.Roya stood up from his chair, slowly walked to the door, then turned to Kaya and said, "Kaya, once their injuries have mostly healed, just contact me directly with the Den Den Mushi. I'll send someone to pick you up!"
Hearing Roya's words, Kaya excitedly jumped up from her chair.
She rushed to Roya's side and asked eagerly, "Really?"
"A gentleman's word is as good as his bond."
"Roya, thank you! I truly wouldn't know what to do without you! You're the light of my future."
With that, Kaya stood on her tiptoes and gently pressed a kiss to Roya's lips.
——
After making this promise with Kaya, Roya left the room.
He saw Jango still waiting for him outside.
"Oh? I thought you would have run away by now."
Jango gave a bitter smile. If he had run, that would truly have been the end for him.
"White Dove Admiral, I've decided. I'm going to turn myself in, then after atoning for my sins, I'll join the Marines."
"Oh? And your reason?"
"Because I've realized that meaningless killing is nothing but sin!"
"Suit yourself."
With that, Roya left Syrup Village, steering his warship toward the nearest Marine base.
He was going to pick up Kalifa for the return trip.
Of course, Roya left behind a Phantom.
Only after confirming they had truly surrendered did the Phantom dissipate.
Even so, this left Roya feeling slightly dizzy.
After all, the distance between his main body and the Phantom was extremely far.
While he'd confirmed that Phantoms might not have distance limitations, the further apart they were, the more his stamina drained exponentially.
It could easily lead to exhaustion.
Still, this was a valuable discovery that deepened Roya's understanding of the Illusion-Illusion Fruit.
After picking up Kalifa at the Marine base, the two set sail for Marineford.
This trip had been remarkably fruitful for Roya.
Not only had his reputation spread far and wide, but he'd also acquired Noah's Ark and peak medical skills.
After all, the most important things on the high seas were ships and medical knowledge.
Ships for sailing the seas, and medicine to ensure proper treatment when injured.
Without timely medical care, wounds could easily become infected and fatal.
Countless people died this way at sea every year.
Just as Roya and Kalifa were chatting happily, the Den Den Mushi rang again.
Kalifa's demeanor instantly transformed into that of an ice-cold beauty.
She moved to answer the call, initially intending to hang up immediately.
But when she saw the Den Den Mushi had taken on the appearance of Fleet Admiral Sengoku, she grew serious and answered promptly.
"Fleet Admiral, this is Kalifa."
"Kalifa, notify Roya immediately. He must prepare for combat and head to the Ronaldo Sea. Zefa has sent a distress signal!"
"Understood, Fleet Admiral."
Kalifa responded crisply.
But internally, she was shocked.
What kind of enemy could force the legendary Zefa to send a distress signal?
However, Kalifa didn't waste time.
She immediately approached Roya and relayed the message.Roya didn't hesitate either, immediately controlling the Phantom as it swiftly sailed toward the Ronatalon Sea.
Roya knew exactly who Zefa's opponent was.
A dim-witted fool with nothing but muscles and no brains.
Yet rumored to possess strength comparable to Whitebeard in his prime!
For some reason, Roya felt an inexplicable sense of unease at this moment...