"Objections? Anyone who objects would have to be crazy!"
The entire crew erupted with excitement.
To them, Ron becoming Vice Captain was nothing but good news.
After all, with Ron holding such a position, their chances of receiving Enchanted Devil Fruits in the future had become far more realistic.
The dream of possessing multiple Devil Fruit abilities no longer seemed impossible.
"Vice Captain Ron is amazing!"
"Vice Captain Ron, when’s our turn? I want a second Devil Fruit too!"
"Don’t forget us!"
"Yeah! We want one as well!"
Ron himself was still somewhat stunned.
He had never expected Whitebeard to suddenly appoint him as Vice Captain.
The promotion had arrived completely without warning.
Originally, his plan had been simple.
Stay with the Whitebeard Pirates.
Continue researching Devil Fruit enchantments.
Complete the missions assigned by the system.
That was all.
Yet somehow...
He had become the Whitebeard Pirates’ Vice Captain.
Looking at the excited expressions surrounding him, a warm feeling spread through his chest.
However, the questions being thrown at him were difficult to answer.
Too many variables were involved.
So Ron simply looked toward Whitebeard.
The meaning was obvious.
Help.
Whitebeard immediately understood.
"Gurararara!"
"You little brats only care about getting extra Devil Fruit powers."
The noisy crowd instantly quieted.
Whitebeard continued.
"I know every one of you wants this ability."
"And that’s perfectly normal."
"But there are too many people."
"So naturally there has to be an order."
"The Division Commanders will receive priority."
"After that come crew members who have made outstanding contributions."
"Then everyone else."
He paused briefly.
"And stop acting so impatient."
"Eventually, every one of you will have the opportunity to gain a second Devil Fruit ability."
A grin appeared on his face.
"Maybe even a third."
The crowd exploded once more.
Three Devil Fruits?!
Just imagining it made countless pirates feel their blood boiling with excitement.
Whitebeard raised a hand for silence.
"But remember this."
"Vice Captain Ron needs proper rest."
"If any of you idiots wear him out with endless requests..."
His smile became dangerous.
"I’ll personally deal with you."
This warning wasn’t unnecessary.
Whitebeard knew his sons too well.
Without setting boundaries now, they’d absolutely overwhelm Ron.
After settling the crowd down, Whitebeard turned toward him.
The sternness in his voice disappeared immediately.
"Ron, my boy."
"Anything you want to add?"
"Go ahead."
Ron thought for a moment before nodding.
"There are a few things."
The crowd immediately became even more attentive.
This directly affected their future.
Not a single person wanted to miss a word.
Ron raised one finger.
"First."
"Devil Fruit Enchantment Technology isn’t free."
"Every attempt costs one billion Berries ."
Then a second finger.
"Second."
"The success rate isn’t guaranteed."
"Failure is always possible."
"And you should prepare yourselves mentally for that."
A third finger followed.
"Third."
"If possible, prepare three Enchanted Devil Fruits before attempting the process."
"Based on current observations, consuming three consecutively appears to significantly improve the chances of success."
After speaking, Ron stepped back and nodded toward Whitebeard.
That was everything.
Whitebeard looked around at the crew.
"You all heard him."
"If there are no objections, we’ll follow Ron’s rules from now on."
Nobody objected.
Sure, one billion Berries was an enormous amount of money.
But they were pirates.
People who gambled their lives every day.
Compared to the possibility of obtaining a second—or even third—Devil Fruit power, one billion Berries didn’t seem so impossible anymore.
There were countless pirate crews roaming the seas.
Rob a few.
If that wasn’t enough, rob more.
The future being painted before them was simply too tempting.
Before long, someone proposed holding a celebration.
Whitebeard happened to be in an exceptionally good mood.
Naturally, he agreed immediately.
"Sons!"
His booming voice echoed across the island.
"Tonight, we’re throwing a banquet!"
"We’ll celebrate Vice Captain Ron!"
"We’ll celebrate the Whitebeard Pirates!"
He raised his massive arm.
"This era belongs to the Whitebeard Pirates!"
Then he pointed toward Ron.
"And even more than that—"
"It belongs to Ron!"
"WOOOOOO!!!"
"RON!"
"RON!"
"RON!"
"RON!"
"RON!"
The entire island erupted into cheers.
Soon afterward, bonfires were lit everywhere.
Smoke drifted gently into the sky.
The warm glow of the flames illuminated smiling faces throughout Jaya.
The celebration had officially begun.
Without question, Ron became the center of attention during the banquet.
Everywhere he went, people showered him with praise.
Admiration.
Gratitude.
Respect.
The pirates genuinely seemed happy.
Many didn’t limit themselves to words either.
They actively sought ways to get on good terms with the most important person on the island.
As the night deepened, the atmosphere only became more lively.
Music filled the air.
The cheerful rhythms spread through the crowd.
Soon everyone was singing and dancing.
Laughter echoed from every direction.
To Ron’s surprise, several beautiful women eventually joined the festivities.
They wore elegant outfits and exquisite makeup.
Some danced gracefully.
Others moved with captivating charm.
The entire scene became even more energetic.
"No wonder entertainment districts have always been popular throughout history."
Ron raised his glass.
"Who could possibly dislike this?"
As he enjoyed the banquet, a pair of beautiful sisters eagerly competed for the opportunity to refill his drink.
The following morning.
Ron slowly opened his eyes beneath a warm blanket.
The moment he woke up, he felt unusually energetic.
"So this is Automatic Training?"
Every single day, regardless of whether he exercised or not, his body would receive the equivalent benefits of a full day of dedicated training.
He lightly clenched a fist.
The movements of his muscles felt remarkably clear.
Then he threw a punch.
Whoosh!
The difference was immediately obvious.
Both the speed and strength far exceeded what he possessed previously.
His growth rate was astonishing.
"This is a bit ridiculous..."
Ron muttered.
But after some thought, the reason became clear.
Everything was based on his original Earthling physique.
Compared to the naturally monstrous bodies found in the world of One Piece, the gap was enormous.
Rapid growth during the early stages was perfectly reasonable.
"It really feels good to be healthy."
Ron examined his hands with excitement.
At that moment, a gentle voice sounded nearby.
"Ron~, you’re awake already?"
"Would you like us to help you prepare for the day?"
Only then did Ron return to reality.
The pair of sisters who had accompanied him throughout the previous night’s festivities sat nearby with sweet smiles.
Ron glanced at them and grinned.
"Today is a rest day."
"I woke up too early."
"Let’s go back to sleep."
Meanwhile...
While Ron enjoyed a peaceful morning, Whitebeard’s side was considerably livelier.
A meeting of the Division Commanders had already begun.
The topic was naturally the future direction of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Whitebeard sat at the center of the gathering.
A gigantic barrel of alcohol rested beside him.
"Gurararara!"
"Brats!"
He laughed loudly.
"Do you want my power?"
The commanders froze.
Whitebeard tilted his head back.
Gulp!
Gulp!
Gulp!
Several enormous barrels of alcohol disappeared one after another.
"Ahhh!"
"Refreshing!"
Ever since illness had begun ravaging his body, he hadn’t been able to drink freely like this.
Without Ron’s appearance, he might have forgotten what unrestricted enjoyment felt like.
The commanders exchanged stunned looks.
"Captain’s power?"
"What does he mean by that?"
Then a shocking possibility emerged in everyone’s minds.
Could it be—
Whitebeard intended to enchant the Tremor-Tremor Fruit itself and distribute copies among them?
The room instantly filled with gasps.
The collective intake of breath was so loud that Whitebeard almost felt suffocated.
"You little brats..."
Whitebeard laughed while shaking his head.
"If Ron hadn’t revealed Teach’s intentions..."
"I would’ve never known that bastard’s ultimate target was my power."
"Hmph!"
"He schemed for decades."
"Imagine his expression if he discovered that the power he desired more than anything..."
Whitebeard’s grin widened.
"...had already been copied and handed out across the entire Whitebeard Pirates."
The image alone made him burst into laughter.
"Gurararara!"
The more he thought about it, the funnier it became.
Then he shook his head once more.
"That brat Ron..."
"He’s truly ruthless."
"Gurararara!"