Not long later, on the sea.
Ron, transformed into the nine-tailed fox demon, carried Whitebeard and soon caught up with Kaido and the others.
"Hey, hey, hey... you finally came back!"
Stussy stood on the secondary boat's deck, patting her chest with one hand and letting out a long breath of relief.
"If you had been any later, that bastard Kaido would've attacked me."
Whitebeard clicked his tongue and leaned against the ship's railing, sweeping Stussy with an expressionless glance.
Fighting over treasure was the Rocks Pirates' usual style. He had never participated, nor did he interfere.
"Stussy, you know this. I never involve myself in treasure distribution. So... whether I came back or not, I wouldn't take a side."
Stussy pouted, her shoulders drooping slightly as she pretended to look wronged at Whitebeard.
She even deliberately squeezed a little moisture into her eyes. Her tone carried just the right amount of grievance. "Hey, Newgate, in your heart, am I really such a greedy woman?"
Whitebeard looked at her in shock, his mouth opening slightly. "Aren't you?"
"Boohoo... saying that really hurts me." Stussy clutched her chest and sighed in an overly delicate, tea-flavored manner, drawing out her soft voice.
Ron did not join Whitebeard and Stussy's conversation. Instead, with a deliberately dissatisfied tone, he turned to Kaido.
"Bastard Kaido, are we still the Apprentice Alliance or not? You actually left me behind and ran first?"
Of course, he only wanted to curse a little.
As a transmigrator, did he not understand Kaido? Forget running first. If Ron got a legendary Devil Fruit, Kaido would probably hit him with a kanabo without hesitation and snatch it away. Reference: in the original, Kaido hit Linlin with a club to seize a fruit.
"Hm?"
Kaido, who had not cared at first, could not sit still after hearing Ron shout. He immediately raised his voice by a pitch. "Bastard Ron, are you questioning our bond?"
What the hell? We have a bond?
"Then tell me why you didn't wait for me. Let me say this first... I hate apologies after the fact the most."
"Spare me." Stussy raised her hand from the side. "Because we left first, this kid Kaido almost attacked me! If I hadn't explained the reason, you two would be fishing me out of the sea right now."
After Stussy's explanation, Kaido's back suddenly straightened. He raised his chin, glanced sideways at Ron, and mockingly imitated his tone.
"I also... hate apologies after the fact the most."
Ron blinked and froze. He was honestly surprised. He had not expected Kaido to nearly attack Stussy over this matter.
It seemed there were many things one could not judge with "prejudice." Only after seeing and experiencing them personally could one draw conclusions.
A smile rose on Ron's face. He cheerfully walked over, threw an arm around Kaido's shoulders, and shook him hard.
"I knew it. The bond of our Apprentice Alliance is unbreakable. How could it fail such a small test?"
"Tch." Kaido turned his head away, chin raised even higher, and snorted. "Who was the one slandering me just now?"
"Hey, Stussy." Ron turned his head toward Stussy and shouted, "Don't do things that harm unity next time!"
Stussy was amused by Ron and could not help laughing with a "pfft." She supported herself on the railing with one hand, her shoulders shaking from laughter. Listen to this. Just listen. The Rocks Pirates even had "unity" now?
However, Stussy did not pour cold water on these two "interesting" young people. She smiled and raised a hand in an OK gesture, then nodded firmly.
"Fine, fine. I'm the one who harmed your unity. I apologize."
"I hate apologies after the fact the most..." Whitebeard mentioned with interest, his tone indifferent, but the corner of his mouth slightly lifted.
Stussy glanced at Whitebeard speechlessly and rolled her eyes. "Hey, Newgate, do you want to die? You're going crazy with them too?"
Whitebeard did not answer.
He only leaned against the railing, shifting his gaze from Stussy to Ron and Kaido. He watched the two young men throw arms around each other's shoulders, refusing to lose in words while neither let go.
From these two, he felt something... difficult to describe.
A scene like this... truly made one yearn for it.
Whitebeard's eyes flickered slightly, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
-------------------------------------
Inside the ship, in the hall.
"Name."
"Lucia Annika!"
The pink-haired woman stood before Ron with her hands folded properly in front of her and her back straight.
"What is your relationship with Shakky?"
Annika's eyes brightened slightly, as if she remembered something warm. "Many years ago, I helped her. Gradually, we started keeping in contact. She's very kind and a very reliable senior. She always told me to escape and go outside to broaden my horizons..."
Before she finished, Ron waved a hand. "You're going off topic."
Annika smiled softly. She lifted a hand to brush aside the pink hair falling over her face, revealing a smooth forehead and a pair of clear eyes.
"Sorry... But, Mr. Ron, thank you very much for saving me."
"Miss Annika, I regret to inform you that you weren't rescued. You've been kidnapped by another group of villains."
Annika blinked her large eyes, tilted her head, and asked seriously, "I... I've been kidnapped by Mr. Ron?"
"Yes." Ron smiled kindly. "You'd better hope your friendship can withstand the test, Miss Annika."
If her relationship with Shakky was this good, trading her for one Devil Fruit was not too much, right? No, even two would not be too much.
A trace of disappointment appeared on Annika's face. The light in her beautiful eyes dimmed a little. After two seconds of silence, she softly asked another question.
"Then... will I be killed after the ransom?"
"Of course." Ron nodded solemnly, his tone carrying deliberate intimidation. "If Shakky doesn't give me what I want, I'll throw you into the middle of the sea to feed the sharks."
Annika was not afraid. She thought seriously for a moment, then asked, "Then... before throwing me in, can you let me get very drunk? That way it won't hurt."
Ron frowned slightly, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Of course not. What, are you buying vegetables here? Bargaining with me?"
"Hey, hey, hey, Ron..."
Stussy's weak voice came from the distance.
She lay on a nearby table, one hand propping up her head while the other tapped the tabletop now and then.
"Can you let her cook first? We're starving to death."
Ron turned to glance at her, then looked back at Annika.
"Mm. After thinking carefully, if you do a good job with the task assigned to you, I'll consider letting you get very drunk."
Annika's eyes lit up again. She bowed deeply to Ron, her pink hair sliding from her shoulders like a soft waterfall.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Ron."
Ron smiled. Listen to that. She was even thanking him.