Whitebeard’s brief statement—
"I trust Ron."
—left a deep impression on Ron.
After all, there was no reason for Whitebeard to believe that Ron was lying.
Moreover, because Thatch had once saved Ron’s life, Whitebeard naturally regarded him with far more trust than he would an ordinary stranger.
Just then, Vista stepped forward with a somewhat troubled look on his face.
"Pops, we’re running short on funds."
"Even after gathering everything we have, there’s only enough for two attempts."
Whitebeard furrowed his brows.
"Only two billion Berries remains?"
"That’s right."
Vista sighed and nodded.
"You know how our crew operates, Pops. We only collect protection fees when absolutely necessary."
Ron immediately added another point.
"One more thing."
"Devil Fruit enhancement isn’t guaranteed to succeed every time."
"Failure is always a possibility."
No one found that surprising.
If anything, a perfect success rate would have sounded ridiculous.
After all, the ability to grant someone an extra Devil Fruit power was already unbelievable enough.
"Don’t worry about the money, Ron."
Vista smiled confidently.
"You just focus on the enhancements."
"We’ll handle the funding."
"Exactly!"
Marco nodded immediately.
"If there’s even a chance of restoring Pops’ health, we’ll find however much money is needed!"
Even Ace emptied every last coin from his pockets and pushed it toward Ron.
"Ron."
"I’m counting on you."
Looking around at everyone gathered there, Ron couldn’t stop himself from smiling.
A sense of warmth spread through him.
There were no schemes.
No hidden motives.
No betrayals.
Everyone sincerely cared about one another.
The trust they shared was genuine.
This was exactly the kind of crew he wanted to belong to.
"I’ll do my best."
"And besides..."
A grin appeared on his face.
"I doubt Pops’ luck is that terrible."
Naturally, he kept the truth about the first enhancement’s guaranteed success to himself.
There was no need to reveal it.
Doing so would only invite unnecessary complications.
Keeping it secret was the better option.
Besides—
There was another reason he wanted to stay with the Whitebeard Pirates.
According to the system, after ten successful enhancements, a brand-new technology would be unlocked.
He had no idea what it would be.
But considering it came from the system, it was unlikely to disappoint.
Several days later—
The sea sparkled beneath a brilliant sky.
Seagulls glided across the waves, carried by the ocean breeze.
Everything felt calm and peaceful.
On the deck of the Moby Dick, Ron relaxed comfortably beneath the sunlight.
Beside him sat a small table loaded with fruit, snacks, and premium liquor.
Ever since the crew learned that he might possess a way to heal Whitebeard, their treatment of him had become increasingly attentive.
In fact—
A little too attentive.
It almost felt as though they were worried he might shatter if someone spoke too loudly.
Whatever he asked for, they tried their best to provide.
If he requested the moon itself, they would probably start discussing how to bring it down.
To be honest, Ron found it somewhat embarrassing.
He had repeatedly told them there was no need to treat him so differently.
No one listened.
Since he refused to make demands, they simply showed their appreciation in their own way.
Eventually, he stopped trying to persuade them otherwise.
If it made them happy, then so be it.
"Ron!"
"Ron! Get over here!"
A loud shout interrupted his thoughts.
Jozu stood near the ship’s railing, excitedly pointing toward the horizon.
"We’re almost there!"
"That’s Jaya ahead!"
"We finally arrived!"
Already?
Ron rose to his feet and walked over.
Taking the telescope from Jozu, he looked into the distance.
Sure enough—
An island silhouette had appeared on the horizon.
Viewed from above, Jaya resembled a giant circular biscuit with a huge chunk missing from one side.
"That’s the place."
Ron smiled.
"Jaya."
"We’re finally here," Marco said as he dropped down from above.
His gaze shifted toward the island.
"Over the past few days we’ve gathered a decent amount of money."
"But we’re still lacking enough funds for three enhancement attempts."
"Once we get on the island, we should be able to cover the remaining amount."
Then he turned toward Ron.
Even now, he still found the entire plan difficult to fully accept.
"Ron."
"Are we really going to establish our base here?"
"That’s right."
Ron nodded.
"A research facility needs a stable environment."
"Trying to perform experiments on a ship that’s constantly moving is too dangerous."
"If something unexpected happens, the consequences could be severe."
Ace walked over and agreed.
"I think that’s the right choice."
"Better safe than sorry."
Ever since Ron had revealed the information about Teach and prevented him from rushing headlong into danger, Ace’s opinion of him had improved dramatically.
Combined with the fact that Thatch had connected them both, Ace trusted him considerably.
Ron looked toward Jaya.
A faint smile formed on his face.
According to the original storyline—
This island would eventually become the place where Blackbeard and Luffy crossed paths.
The only question now was whether his arrival had altered fate.
If events still followed the original timeline...
Then things were about to become very interesting.
Just imagining Teach’s expression when faced with a healthy Whitebeard wielding multiple powers made Ron want to laugh.
That reaction would be absolutely priceless.
"We’ll be based here for quite some time."
Ron looked around at the crew.
"Once we’ve built up enough strength..."
"We’ll take over the seas."
The pirates immediately erupted into cheers.
"Yeah!"
"Let’s conquer the seas!"
"Long live the Whitebeard Pirates!"
The entire ship exploded with excitement.
Jaya
Jaya occupied an extremely advantageous position.
Crystal-clear waters surrounded the island.
Its weather remained pleasant throughout the year, and the land itself was rich in resources.
Because of these advantages, Jaya had become one of the most important stopover points for ships sailing through the region.
Merchant ships.
Pirate vessels.
Wanderers.
Travelers.
All of them passed through here.
Its harbor was perpetually packed with ships of every type imaginable.
As more pirates began gathering on the island over the years, numerous industries emerged specifically to serve them.
Food supplies.
Fresh water.
Ship maintenance.
Bars.
Casinos.
Entertainment venues.
Almost anything a pirate desired could be found somewhere on Jaya.
As commerce expanded, increasing numbers of merchants settled there.
Business opportunities grew.
Prosperity followed.
Unfortunately, wherever pirates gathered, violence inevitably came with them.
In a world ruled by strength, disputes were often resolved through fists, blades, and gunfire.
As a result, fights occurred regularly throughout the island.
Sometimes innocent civilians became victims as well.
Even so—
To those chasing freedom, wealth, and adventure, Jaya remained a paradise of opportunity.
Every year, countless pirates continued to flock there.
Today, however—
The usually unruly pirates throughout the harbor were unusually quiet.
The reason was simple.
One of the greatest forces on the seas had arrived.
One of the Four Emperors.
The Whitebeard Pirates.
"What’s going on?"
"Why is an Emperor’s crew here instead of the New World?"
"Keep your voice down!"
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
"That’s Whitebeard!"
"Who is that young man?"
"I’ve never seen him before."
"He’s talking to Whitebeard like they’re equals."
"His position is strange too."
"Yeah..."
"Look where he’s standing."
"He’s even ahead of Marco."
"That’s ridiculous."
"At first glance you’d think he was the vice-captain!"
Whispers rapidly spread through the harbor.
Countless curious eyes settled upon Ron.
Everyone was trying to figure out exactly who he was.