"Whew…"
Ronan let out a long breath, feeling the newly surged, overflowing power coursing through his body. Strength, speed, physique—everything had reached 13 points.
The all-around improvement made him feel as if he'd been elevated to an entirely new level.
"Thank you for your contribution."
Ronan looked at Buchi, who was swaying on his feet, covered in blood yet still trying to attack. A trace of a martial artist's pity flickered in his eyes.
"As repayment, I'll give you a clean end."
Ronan stepped back half a pace, leveling his spear.
"Centerline Thrust · Death-Piercing Strike!"
Psh!
A cold flash of light.
The spear tip shot forward like a falling meteor, instantly piercing through Buchi's thick neck and precisely severing his spinal nerves.
Buchi's massive body stiffened violently. The blood-red glow in his eyes faded at once, replaced by lifeless gray.
Ronan flicked his wrist and pulled the iron spear free.
Boom!
Buchi collapsed heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Silence fell over the battlefield.
Only the sea breeze brushed past the spear tip, producing a faint, mournful hum.
Carrying the blood-dripping iron spear, Ronan stepped over shattered stones and corpses, walking straight toward the only one left at the foot of the slope—Jango.
With every step, the killing intent radiating from him grew denser.
In Jango's eyes, Ronan no longer looked human at all, but like an Asura demon crawling out of hell.
"D-don't come any closer!"
Jango's legs went weak as he stumbled backward until his back hit the cold rock wall.
He screamed incoherently, "Y-you can't kill me! If you kill me, Captain Kuro won't let you off! He's 'Kuro of a Hundred Plans,' a genius!"
Ronan didn't slow his steps, a mocking smile curling at his lips.
"That so-called Captain Kuro of yours is probably already tied up like a dumpling, waiting for the Marines to pick him up."
"What?!" Jango froze as if struck by lightning.
In desperation, he yanked out his sharp boomerang, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes.
"Look at this… one, two—"
He tried to hypnotize Ronan in his final moment.
"Boring."
Ronan snorted coldly.
This kind of low-level hypnosis was nothing more than a child's parlor trick in front of someone who had already awakened Observation Haki.
Besides, a hypnotist who relied entirely on external tools and had pitiful combat ability held no value as a "sparring partner" to Ronan now.
Nine million Beli in bounty, yet utterly worthless.
"Get lost."
Ronan didn't even look at the boomerang. He casually flicked his spear upward.
Clang!
The boomerang was instantly knocked away, spinning as it embedded itself into a nearby rock.
In the next instant, Ronan flashed forward and slammed a brutal kick into Jango's stomach!
Bang!
Jango folded like a shrimp, his eyes bulging as he dropped to his knees clutching his gut, bile pouring from his mouth.
Ronan looked down at him, drove the iron spear into the ground with a heavy thud, and said coldly,
"Don't make me waste time. Find a rope and tie yourself up."
…
Thus, the Black Cat Pirates were completely wiped out.
When Ronan and the others escorted the dejected Jango and the remaining captured pirates back to Syrup Village, the late-morning sunlight bathed the dirt road at the village entrance, stretching their shadows long across the ground.
"We won! We won!"
The three kids who had been watching from afar—Pepper, Onion, and Carrot—burst into the village, shouting the news of victory at the top of their lungs.
In no time, the entire village erupted.
When the villagers learned that these seemingly young outsiders had defeated the terrifying Black Cat Pirates, they flooded toward the entrance.
"So this is Ronan, the one who beat the Black Cat Pirates? What a fine young man!"
"And that swordsman with three swords—he looks fierce!"
"That straw-hat kid is amazing too!"
The villagers surrounded Ronan, Luffy, and Zoro, showering them with praise, some even bringing freshly picked fruit and home-brewed liquor.
On the edge of the crowd, Usopp was having the highlight moment of his life.
Though he'd mostly been terrified and playing support during the fight, that didn't stop him from doing a bit of "artistic processing" in front of the villagers.
"Ahem! Back then, the situation was extremely dire!"
Standing atop a wooden crate, nose held high, Usopp gestured wildly.
"That monster named Buchi was eight meters tall! Incredibly strong! One punch and he shattered a mountain!"
"But would Captain Usopp be afraid? I pulled back my slingshot, aimed at his weak point, and shouted, 'Special Move: Gunpowder Star!'"
"Wow! Captain Usopp is amazing!" The children stared at him with stars in their eyes.
Even the villagers who usually scoffed at Usopp's tall tales listened with smiles on their faces.
Because this time, they knew—this long-nosed braggart really had risked his life to protect the village.
Watching the scene, Ronan slung the heavy iron spear onto his back, a faint smile appearing on his face.
…
Syrup Village, afternoon.
The smoke of battle had dissipated. The sea breeze carried away the stench of blood, replaced by the aroma of food and the joy of survival.
Inside Kaya's luxurious mansion, Ronan and the others were treated to the highest level of hospitality.
On the long dining table, exquisite silverware gleamed in the candlelight. Golden, crispy roast turkey, juicy steaks, freshly picked fruit…
After a fierce battle, there was nothing more satisfying to Ronan than a full meal.
Once they had eaten their fill, the lazy afternoon sunlight spilled across the courtyard.
Miss Kaya, dressed in a pale yellow gown and looking far healthier than before, stepped forward.
She looked at her four benefactors—Luffy devouring food with gusto, Zoro polishing his swords, the youthful and beautiful Nami, and Ronan, always wearing a gentle smile yet unfathomably deep—and gratitude filled her eyes.
"Everyone," Kaya said softly but firmly,
"to thank you for saving this village, and to thank you for saving my life as well…"
"I've prepared a gift for all of you. It's only a small token of my appreciation—please accept it."
At the word "gift," Ronan's heart trembled slightly.
Knowing the story, he understood exactly what this gift meant.
It wasn't just a ship.
It was the Straw Hat Pirates' very first companion—the one that carried countless laughs and tears.
The one that, at Enies Lobby, used its very last strength to say, 'I'm sorry… I wanted to keep adventuring with you forever.'
The Going Merry.
An eternal ache in the hearts of all One Piece fans.
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