A long time later.
Inside the Xebec’s Sword.
Key figures from the Kuja Pirates and the Rocks Pirates were gathered together, seemingly discussing some major matter.
Occasional sounds of arguing and the banging of tables leaked through the cracks in the door.
Outside the ship, as apprentices, neither Kaido nor Ron had the opportunity to participate in the discussion.
They could only linger on the deck, bored out of their minds.
“Didn’t you say you weren’t interested?” Kaido turned his head to look at Ron, who was sitting cross-legged on the ship’s railing.
Ron was currently propping his head up with one hand, staring blankly at the sea, his eyes empty.
Ron glanced at Kaido out of the corner of his eye and sighed softly.
He had wanted to go back to sleep, but the commotion inside was too loud.
One thing led to another, and he was now completely wide awake.
“What are they talking about in there?” Ron asked in a lazy tone.
Asked this, Kaido fell silent for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts, before explaining, “It seems they’re plotting a plan to seize the ‘Heavenly Tribute.'”
“The Heavenly Tribute?” Ron murmured, his mind racing.
To seize the Heavenly Tribute, the Kuja Pirates came to seek cooperation from the Rocks Pirates?
Given the notorious reputation of the monsters in the Rocks Pirates, wouldn’t it be more appropriate to go to the Roger Pirates?
Even though they were all pirates, at least that side followed some semblance of rules…
Could there be some hidden motive behind this?
At this thought, Ron suddenly grew interested, and the weariness in his eyes faded slightly.
“Hey, Kaido, go and scout for more information,” Ron said.
Kaido looked at him suspiciously.
“Why?
We’re just apprentices; we can’t change their decisions.
What difference does it make if we scout or not?
Once they’ve decided, we’ll find out anyway.”
“Do you still want a ‘world-destroying’ Devil Fruit?” Ron countered.
Kaido froze, hesitating for a few seconds.
“What do you mean?”
Ron unhurriedly analyzed the situation for Kaido, suggesting that the transport route of the Heavenly Tribute might hide even bigger secrets, and that the World Government often shipped Devil Fruits along with the Heavenly Tribute.
Kaido listened, completely stunned, and finally wore an expression of sudden realization.
The Apprentice Alliance had gained an intellectual lead, perfectly making up for his own shortcoming in that area.
“Hey, Ron,” Kaido said suddenly, his tone serious.
Ron looked at him, feeling a bit guilty.
Did this guy realize he was being played into gathering intelligence?
“Never mind, I’ll talk to you after I get the info,” Kaido said, turning and heading inside the ship.
“Phew…” Ron exhaled softly.
Although the current Kaido was already experienced in battle, he still lacked a bit of polish when it came to “lessons in the ways of the world.”
Shortly after Kaido left, a gentle voice drifted into Ron’s ears.
“The view of the ocean during the day is beautiful, isn’t it?”
Faced with this unfamiliar voice, Ron looked back.
It was Shakky.
He then naturally turned back, his gaze returning to the surface of the sea.
Wasn’t she supposed to be inside plotting the seizure of the “Heavenly Tribute”?
Had they finished already?
As for whether the ocean view was beautiful…
Ron couldn’t say.
He had been lost in thought the whole time.
Looking at the scenery now, it was just an endless expanse of blue—nothing particularly beautiful about it.
“It’s just a damn ocean.
What’s so beautiful about it?”
Eh?
Such a flat reaction.
Shakky was clearly a bit surprised.
Given her beauty, she usually caused a stir wherever she went.
Even if not everyone lost their composure, they would at least take a few extra looks.
But this young man’s reaction was far too calm.
Had he not seen her clearly?
Shakky curled her lips, unwilling to give up.
She walked naturally over to Ron’s side, rested her hands on the railing, and tilted her head with a faint smile on her face.
“Are you new here?
I haven’t seen you before.”
Ron shifted the hand propping up his head and also turned his head to look at her, his tone carrying a lazy detachment.
“Do you…
need something?
Well, even if you do, I can’t solve it.
You’ll have to talk to Rocks, or someone else.”
Shakky froze for a moment, blinked, and then suddenly burst out laughing.
She waved her hand to reassure Ron.
“I don’t have anything to trouble you with.
It’s just that those guys inside aren’t very well-behaved, so I decided to come out on my own.”
“Oh,” Ron replied, looking back into the distance.
He was now full of hope that Kaido would dig up some explosive news—specifically that the World Government wasn’t transporting “Heavenly Tribute,” but “Devil Fruits.”
After all, for his system to obtain “rewards,” it required Devil Fruits as materials.
And the consumed Devil Fruits would eventually reappear somewhere else in the world, an endless cycle.
“You know,” Shakky said with a playful tone, her eyes fixed on Ron’s profile with a half-smile, “usually, when men see me, they at least take a second look.”
Ron suddenly turned his head to look at Shakky.
At this moment, a slight smile finally appeared on his face.
“Uh.” Shakky was slightly surprised.
From the beginning until now, this was the biggest change she had seen in Ron’s expression.
“Do you have any Devil Fruits?” Ron asked bluntly.
“Uh.” Shakky feigned deep thought, tapping her chin with her finger, and then shook her head.
“No.”
Ron’s smile receded like the tide.
He turned back again to face the vast, desolate sea.
“…” Shakky was completely speechless.
So that smile just now was only to see if he could get something out of her?
As soon as he heard there were no fruits, he didn’t even bother to stay polite?
“Hey, Ron!”
Suddenly, Kaido, who had been scouting for news, rushed out of the cabin.
He had a “this is huge” expression on his face, his eyes shining with excitement.
However, when he saw Shakky standing next to Ron, the expression on his face instantly froze.
His pace slowed down until he came to a complete stop.
Shakky was the first to react, wearing a faint smile as she reached out to greet Kaido.
“Hi, Kaido-san.
You’ve grown a bit more mature since the last time we met.”
Hearing this, Kaido’s cheeks immediately turned bright red.
His eyes darted around, not daring to look directly at Shakky.
“Not…
not really.
I’m still the same.”
Ron walked over silently, roasting him inwardly: Kaido…
you’re getting hooked line and sinker by her.
He threw an arm around Kaido’s shoulder and decisively dragged him toward the other side, asking as they walked, “You look pretty excited.
Did you find out some explosive news?”
“Bye-bye~”
Shakky spoke up again from behind them.
Kaido forced his head around like a puppet on a string and called back, “See…
see you next time.”
“Hey, hey, hey, can you stop being such a simp?
I’m asking you a question,” Ron said, helplessly increasing the pressure of his grip.
“I’m not.
I was just being polite.”
“What the hell?
We’re pirates, Kaido.
Next time we meet, we might be enemies!”
“Forget about that,” Kaido finally withdrew his gaze.
The flush on his face hadn’t completely faded, but the excitement in his eyes had returned.
“Let me tell you, this mission is definitely going to be thrilling.”
“Tell me the details.”