The bun-haired little girl tilted her head suspiciously, her voice soft and tender. "Ron-nii, who are you going to electrocute?"
Ron was silent for two seconds, as if considering his wording. Then he slowly said, "I'm going to electrocute your other Ron-nii."
"Huh...?"
The bun-haired little girl blinked, as if a string of question marks had appeared above her head. What did that even mean? She was about to ask more when she suddenly realized that the person who had been standing in front of her had vanished.
She stood where she was, stunned, and looked around. There was no sign of Ron anywhere. All that remained was the group of people still kneeling around her.
Of course... they were just as confused!
"So amazing," the bun-haired little girl murmured. There was no doubt in her eyes, only admiration that had been stirred awake. "Ron-nii is so amazing... He was right here a second ago, and then he disappeared!"
She stopped worrying about what "another Ron-nii" meant and happily skipped away on her own.
Somewhere along the street, inside a deep alley.
Ron had just pulled out a Den Den Mushi, but before he could dial, the one in his hand began to ring.
"What a coincidence..."
Ron picked it up. "I was just about to look for you, Linlin."
"What's the matter?" Linlin asked. After a few seconds of hesitation, she continued, "Come over here. I found the children. Everything went smoothly. So smoothly that I think this is a trap."
"Fine. But before I come over, lend me Zeus. I need electricity," Ron said, leaning against the alley wall.
Linlin did not ask what he wanted it for. She was silent for a moment, then answered, "Give me the location. I'll have it go over. Once you're done, you can ride it here."
Ron gave her a rough location. He had just hung up the Den Den Mushi and had not yet tucked it back into his clothes when a cool voice pressed in from behind him and fell directly into his ears.
"Ron, Mu has been waiting here for you for quite some time."
Ron's back tightened violently, as if a needle had slid along his spine.
He turned almost on instinct. As his gaze moved, it had already swept over every possible angle around him. Then he saw that person.
A tall, slender woman leaned in the shadows at the end of the alley, as if she had been standing there for a long time, blended together with the darkness in the corner.
She had long, fluffy light-blue hair. A white cloth band was wrapped tightly over her mouth and nose, leaving only a pair of calm, deep eyes exposed.
She wore a black high-collared uniform, its double rows of buttons fastened meticulously. Epaulettes decorated her shoulders, white ruffled cloth lined the collar, and long white satin ribbons wound around her arms. A skirt completed the outfit, giving her an efficient and heroic appearance.
Imu!
When that thought fell in Ron's mind, it carried a small but clear 'Damn it.'
Sure enough, teaming up with Linlin never led to anything good. First, insanity. Now, the person he least wanted to meet.
"Goodbye!"
Ron did not hesitate in the slightest. The moment the thought flashed through his mind, golden chakra covered his entire body, and he transformed into the golden Nine-Tailed Fox, ready to sprint away.
But very soon, all those images flashed through Gunshigu's mind.
Yes. That was the future picture seen by her Observation Haki.
"There is no need to be nervous. Mu did not come here to fight you," Gunshigu spoke first, mainly because she feared Ron would simply run. With this body, she could not catch him. If that happened, all her planning during this period would become meaningless.
Ron paused. To be fair, he truly did not sense any hostility.
In that case, he could see what trick Imu wanted to play.
Of course, he kept a wary eye open. If anything went wrong, he would run first and think later.
Then Ron locked his gaze on that figure and asked in a voice that was neither high nor low, "You said... you've been waiting here for me for a long time?"
The other side did not deny it. She only nodded slightly, then naturally took half a step forward.
Ron watched her move and naturally took half a step back.
She stopped, looked at that half-step, and did not continue approaching. "Correct. Everything that happened here was arranged by Mu to make you come."
"You're that sure I would come?" Ron's tone carried a trace of probing.
Gunshigu shook her head lightly, her gaze calm as water. "A probability. Not certainty. But the result... is good."
Ron fell silent for an instant, then gave a light laugh. "That's interesting. Given our positions, if you say you don't want to fight, then what do you want?"
Gunshigu did not answer directly. She turned slightly and leaned her back against the rough alley wall. "Mu already knows that you are not of this world. The place you came from does not exist under this sky or upon this sea."
"This land is ruled by Mu. If you wish, Mu can grant you a paradise beyond disturbance."
Ron was not surprised that Imu could guess he came from a very distant world. After all, as the "king of the world," how could Imu not know how many kings and trump cards were in his own deck?
Ron did not answer right away. He looked at the eyes exposed above the cloth band and suddenly smiled. "Are you trying to recruit me?"
"Only offering the courtesy appropriate to the ruler of this world." Gunshigu's tone did not fluctuate at all. "During the time you remain in this world, Mu will not stop you from doing what you wish."
"Then..." The corner of Ron's mouth rose slightly, his voice neither high nor low. "What if I say I intend to assist the Davy Clan in overthrowing your rule?"
In that instant, it felt as though a layer of air had been sucked out of the alley.
Even the dust in the cracks along the wall seemed to stop floating.
Ron could clearly sense hostility spilling out from her body.
Ron sneered inwardly. 'So you do care... Pretty words, anything is fine. I mention it casually and you turn hostile on the spot.'
But there was no anger on Gunshigu's face. She only looked quietly at Ron for several seconds before her voice fell again. "Are the Davy Clan truly worth such a wager from you, Ron?"
Without waiting for Ron to answer, Gunshigu added calmly, "If you change your mind, Mu will not reject you a second time."
The alley was quiet for a while. Ron looked at her without speaking, but he did not run either.