A long while later.
Inside the Saber of Xebec.
The important figures of the Kuja Pirates and the Rocks Pirates had gathered in one room. They seemed to be discussing something major. From time to time, arguments slipped through the crack of the door, mixed with the sound of someone slapping the table.
Outside the room, Kaido and Ron, as apprentices, had no chance to speak. They could only stay bored on the deck.
"Didn't you say you weren't interested?" Kaido turned his head and looked at Ron, who sat cross-legged on the ship's railing. At the moment, Ron was propping his head on one hand and staring blankly at the sea, his eyes unfocused.
Ron glanced at Kaido from the corner of his eye and sighed softly. He had wanted to continue his second sleep, but the commotion inside was too loud. After enough noise, he completely lost the mood to sleep.
"What are they talking about in there?" Ron asked lazily.
Kaido fell silent for a moment, as if organizing his words, then explained, "Seems like they're planning to steal the Heavenly Tribute."
"Heavenly Tribute?" Ron murmured, his mind turning quickly.
The Kuja Pirates came to the Rocks Pirates for cooperation just to steal Heavenly Tribute?
With the morals of this crowd of monsters in the Rocks Pirates, shouldn't the Roger Pirates be a better choice?
They were all pirates, but at least that side followed some rules...
Was there some hidden situation here?
Thinking of this, Ron suddenly became interested, and the sleepiness in his eyes faded a little.
"Hey, Kaido, go gather more information," Ron said.
Kaido looked at him suspiciously. "Why? We're just apprentices. We can't change their decision. What's the difference whether we ask or not? Once they decide, we'll naturally know."
"Do you still want a Devil Fruit with the power to destroy heaven and earth?" Ron asked back.
Kaido froze and hesitated for a few seconds. "What do you mean?"
Ron calmly analyzed the situation for Kaido from the beginning. For example, the route carrying the Heavenly Tribute might hide an even bigger secret. The World Government often transported Devil Fruits together with the Heavenly Tribute. In any case, Kaido was stunned as he listened. In the end, his face showed sudden realization.
The Apprentice Alliance had gained an intelligence specialist, perfectly making up for his own weakness.
"Hey, Ron." Kaido suddenly spoke with a serious expression.
Ron looked at him, feeling a little guilty. Had this guy realized he was being tricked into gathering information?
"Forget it. I'll say it after I finish gathering information." Kaido finished speaking and turned toward the cabin.
"Hoo..." Ron exhaled lightly. Although the current Kaido already had enough battle experience, he was still lacking when it came to "society's lessons."
Not long after Kaido left, a gentle voice drifted into Ron's ears.
"The sea scenery during the day is beautiful, isn't it?"
Facing the unfamiliar voice, Ron looked back briefly. It was Shakky. Then he naturally turned back, his gaze falling to the sea again.
Wasn't she supposed to be planning the theft of the Heavenly Tribute? Had they already finished?
As for whether the sea was beautiful... Ron could not say. From beginning to end, he had been thinking. Now that he actually looked at the scenery in front of him, it was just endless blue. He could not call it beautiful or not.
"What's so beautiful or not about a broken sea?"
'Eh? Such a plain reaction.'
Shakky was clearly a little surprised. With her looks, no matter where she went, she caused a commotion. Even if not everyone lost composure, they would at least look twice.
But this young man's reaction was too calm.
Had he not seen her clearly?
Unwilling to accept it, Shakky curled her lips and naturally walked to Ron's side. She rested both hands on the ship's railing, tilted her head, and smiled faintly. "Are you new? I haven't seen you before."
Ron switched to propping his head with the other hand and turned his head to look at her. His tone carried lazy distance. "Do you... need something? Even if you do, I can't solve it. You should go find Rocks or someone else."
Shakky froze, blinked, and suddenly laughed. While laughing, she waved her hand to reassure him. "I don't need to trouble you with anything. It's just that the people inside aren't behaving, so I came out on my own."
"Oh." Ron replied and looked into the distance again. Right now, he only hoped Kaido could gather some explosive information, especially that the World Government was not transporting Heavenly Tribute but Devil Fruits.
After all, for his system to obtain "rewards," it had to use Devil Fruits as material.
And Devil Fruits consumed this way would reappear somewhere in this world, cycling endlessly.
"You know," Shakky said with a playful tone, her eyes smiling as they stared at Ron's side profile, "when men usually see me, they at least take a few extra looks."
Ron suddenly turned his head and looked at Shakky. At that moment, his expression finally gained a faint smile.
"Uh." Shakky was slightly surprised. Since they started talking, this was the biggest change in Ron's expression.
"Do you have a Devil Fruit?" Ron asked directly.
"Uh." Shakky pretended to think, tapping her chin with a fingertip before shaking her head. "No."
Ron's smile receded like the tide. He turned back again and looked at the vast sea.
"..." Shakky was completely speechless. So that smile just now had been to fish for benefits?
The moment he heard there was no fruit, he could not even be bothered to be perfunctory?
"Hey, Ron!"
Suddenly, Kaido, who had gone to gather information, rushed out of the cabin. His face carried an expression of "something huge happened," and his eyes were full of excitement.
But when he saw Shakky standing beside Ron, his expression instantly froze.
Then his steps slowed more and more until he stopped completely.
Shakky reacted first. She smiled faintly and raised a hand to greet him. "Hi, Kaido-san. You've matured a little since we last met."
Hearing that, Kaido's cheeks immediately turned red. His eyes drifted around, not daring to look straight at Shakky. "N-not really. I'm the same as before."
Ron silently walked over and fiercely complained in his heart, 'Kaido... you're about to be hooked like a fish.'
He wrapped an arm around Kaido's shoulders and dragged him away without hesitation, asking as they walked, "You looked excited. Did you find some explosive information?"
"Bye-bye."
Shakky spoke again behind them.
Kaido forced his head to turn back like a puppet pulled by strings and answered, "S-see you next time."
"Hey, hey, hey. Can you stop acting lovestruck? I'm asking you something." Ron helplessly tightened his grip.
"I'm not. I'm just being polite."
"What the hell? We're pirates, Kaido. Next time we meet, we might be enemies!"
"Forget that," Kaido finally withdrew his gaze. The blush on his face had not completely faded, but his eyes had regained their excitement. "I'm telling you, this operation is definitely going to be exciting."
"Tell me in detail."