I’ve become a general, but the system has just awakened?

After traveling through pirates for twenty years, I, Ron, have finally relied on my foresight and my own strength to rise from an unknown small sailor to the admiral of the headquarters!

Just as I was about to pick up my teacup and start planning my leisurely retirement life——

Ding! The late version of the strongest naval system is officially activated!

???

System, are you awake?

But I’m already a general!

Looking at the novice task in front of me, which required me to massage the marshal’s legs and provide “newbie encouragement” to the Four Emperors’ cadres, Ron fell into deep thought.

Should I complain about this ridiculously late system first, or uninstall it first?

I’ve become a general, but the system has just awakened?
The first chapter starts with the Four Emperors’ assistants, and the system adds to the chaos!
In the new world, there is an unnamed deserted island called “Isla Rota”.
Not long ago, this was the front line where the pirate group under “Hundred Beasts” Kaido and “BIGMOM” Charlotte Linlin were fighting fiercely for resources. Now it is just a mess.
Charred earth and fallen trees.
The air was filled with gunpowder, blood, and a faint sweet smell – that was the remnant of the devil fruit abilities of some members of the Charlotte family.
At this moment, in the center of the battlefield, two figures were confronting each other from a distance. The invisible pressure made the surrounding naval soldiers dare not even breathe.
On one side, there was a woman with an unusually tall stature, amazingly long legs, and holding a spiral-shaped long sword.
One of the “Three Dessert Generals” of the BIGMOM Pirates, “Juice Minister” Charlotte Smoothie!
The bounty is 932 million berries, a true monster!
But her face looked very bad at this moment, not only because of the huge consumption of the conflict with the Beasts Pirates not long ago, but also because of the sudden appearance of the navy in front of her.
Yes.
On the other side stood an admiral wearing a cloak of “justice”.
He looked unusually young, with short black hair that was neatly groomed. His face was handsome but with a sense of aloofness that seemed as if he didn’t care about anything.
Compared to the aggressive Smoothie next to him, he even seemed a little… lazy?
Admiral of the Navy Headquarters, “Ink Sword” Ron.
This is one of the two generals promoted by the World Government through the World Conscription after the War of Marineford.
As famous as the monster codenamed “Fujitora”.
But compared to Yixiao’s deeply rooted “benevolence and righteousness”, Ron’s presence seems to be lower.
His style of doing things is even more unpredictable, and only those who truly face him can feel the soul-freezing terrifying edge beneath his calm appearance.
“call……”
Ron let out a breath, not because he was nervous, but simply because he felt a little bored.
As a glorious time traveler, Ron’s life goal is actually very simple.
On the premise of ensuring safety, find a place to relax, eat and wait for death, and enjoy the different life in this bizarre world.
To this end, he relied on the foresight of a time traveler, his own fairly good talent in swordsmanship, and a bit of hard work.
In the navy, he was extremely cautious and tried hard to avoid high-risk events, only seeking a safe promotion, and would retire after getting a position like branch base chief.
Who would have thought that fate likes to play jokes.
The more he tried to keep a low profile, the more trouble he got into.
The more he wanted to slack off, the more credit he got.
He was unexpectedly pushed to the position of admiral of the navy after a series of “accidents” that even he found outrageous!
General!
The Navy’s highest combat power!
It sounds impressive.
But for Ron, this means endless overtime, endless troubles, and the extremely high risk of facing the Four Emperors, the Revolutionary Army, and even more fights between gods in the future!
His retirement plan…seems to have gone completely wrong.
At this moment, he was ordered to deal with the post-war affairs of the island and to “clean up” the remaining pirate forces.
As luck would have it, he ran into Charlotte Smoothie who was also there to clean up the mess.
“Admiral ‘Mojian’…”
Smoothie’s eyes were solemn, and he clenched the spiral sword in his hand: “What are you doing here? The ownership of this island is not your navy’s turn to intervene!”
Ron raised his eyelids and asked calmly, as if he was asking about the weather today:
“The navy does not need to report to the pirates where they enforce the law. Charlotte Smoothie, either leave now, or… I’ll take you away.”
There is unquestionable strength in the calm tone.
The invisible domineering aura spread like ripples, causing the weaker navy soldiers around and several minions brought by Smoothie to foam at the mouth and faint.
Smoothie’s expression changed again. The opponent’s domineering color… was so strong!
Moreover, the sword intent contained in the domineering aura made her feel a dull pain in her skin.
“Humph! You want me to leave? Well, let’s see if you have the ability to do so!”
After all, Smoothie was a veteran general. He roared, kicked his long legs, and rushed towards Ron with his huge body with a terrifying sense of oppression.
The spiral sword in his hand was wrapped in a strong aura of armed color, as if it was going to cut through the space!
Ron frowned slightly.
trouble.
It is not difficult to win the battle, but it is still very difficult to capture a general alive or completely defeat him.
Besides, the noise was too loud and might cause other troubles.
Could you… well, just show off a little bit of your strength and scare her away?
Just as Ron was thinking about how to solve the problem with the least effort so that he could go back and take a nap as soon as possible –
【bite–!】
An extremely clear and abrupt mechanical prompt sound, which seemed to sound directly from the depths of his soul, made Ron freeze completely.
[It has been detected that the host has reached the activation conditions (Admiral of the Navy Headquarters), the strongest navy system (late version) is officially activated! ][Binding to the host’s soul… Binding successful! 】
【Newbie mission released! 】
Ron: “…???”
The expression on his face froze instantly, and a huge wave of emotion rose in his heart!
system?!
Oh my god! Oh my god!
After more than 20 years, he rose from an unknown small sailor to a navy admiral.
During this period, he experienced countless life-and-death crises, countless near-death experiences, countless times he called out to the golden finger in his heart but received no response…
As a result, when I became a general, already at the top of the world’s combat power, and theoretically no longer needed this thing…
System, you just came? ! ! !
And it’s a “late version”? !
You’re not a little late!
You have missed the entire novice period, development period, and growth period, and directly landed on the eve of the final BOSS battle!
Also, what’s up with this crappy name?
“The strongest naval system (late version)”?
Are you afraid that others don’t know that you are a late and useless system? !
Ron’s heart was roaring wildly, but the expression on his face was almost perfectly managed, and he still looked calm and composed.
After all, there is a general on the other side who is eyeing them covetously.
At this moment, the system’s task panel clearly emerged in his mind:
[Newbie Task: When you first meet your opponent, please give him some “friendly” encouragement! ][Task Description: Please give encouragement to the enemy in front of you (Charlotte Smoothie), express your recognition of her potential with words, and encourage her to keep working hard. ][Task time limit: 5 seconds][Task Reward: Newbie Gift Pack x1][Failure penalty: Randomly deprive the host of a non-core skill (such as cooking, fishing, quick folding of quilts, etc.) for one day.]Ron: “…”
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ActivityRegister as a Filo member and get 200 points![Register Now]Chapter 2 What Coin System! (Old Version)
Ron looked at the mission description.
He looked at Smoothie, who had rushed to him with a ferocious look on his face, ready to chop him and the island into pieces, and the corner of his eye could not help but twitch.
Encouragement for newbies?
To a Four Emperor general with a bounty of over 900 million?
On the battlefield that is about to begin?
And also express recognition of its potential?
Encourage her to keep trying?
System, has your brain been eaten by a sea king? !
And what the hell is this failure penalty?
Deprive of cooking skills? Quickly fold the quilt?
It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but what if the skill of “drinking afternoon tea elegantly” is taken away?
This would be a fatal blow to his future retirement life!
The most important thing is… the time limit is only 5 seconds!
Smoothie’s sword was already very close, and the sharp sword energy even cut his cheek painfully!
No time to think about it!
In a flash, Ron maintained the majesty of a general, his body did not even move, but his gaze calmly met Smoothie’s eyes full of murderous intent.
At the moment before Smoothie’s sword was about to touch his body, Ron spoke.
His voice was not loud, but it reached Smoothie’s ears clearly, even drowning out the whistling sound of the sword tearing through the air:
“As my opponent…”
Smoothie was stunned and subconsciously slowed down his movements.
This guy, what else does he want to say when he is about to die?
Last words?
There seemed to be a glimmer of… approval in Ron’s eyes?
“You… have great potential.”
Smoothie: “???”
Her huge body paused for a tiny moment because of this sudden and inexplicable comment.
potential?
What the hell is he talking about?
Is this some new form of insult?
Ron ignored the other party’s astonishment and continued in a calm tone that seemed to contain some deep meaning:
“keep it up.”
The moment the words fell was exactly the fifth second!
[Ding! Novice mission completed! Reward: Novice gift pack x1, has been distributed to the system space, please check it. ]The system’s prompt sounded in his mind, and Ron secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
However, Smoothie was completely confused.
Potential? Effort?
Is this guy…teaching me?
A marine admiral, on the battlefield, said to a senior officer of the Four Emperors, “You have great potential, keep working hard”?
What is this?
Taunt? Mental attack?
Or… is he really that strong that he doesn’t take me seriously at all, and even has the leisure to “encourage” me like a senior instructing a junior? !
No matter which possibility it was, it made Smoothie feel unprecedented… depressed and angry!
But more importantly, this sudden and completely illogical conversation caused her momentum and attack rhythm, which had been concentrated to the peak, to have an irreparable flaw!
In a duel between masters, victory or defeat often depends on this fine line!
This is the moment Ron has been waiting for!
He is not the kind of villain who likes to complain. What he just said was purely to deal with the system task.
Now that the mission is accomplished, there is no need to waste time.
“Clang!”
A blade light as black as ink appeared out of nowhere, and arrived first!
That was the sound of Ron’s sword “Yonagi” being unsheathed.
It was so fast that no one could even see the movement of him drawing the sword.
The blade did not strike Smoothie herself, but accurately slashed at the spine of her spiral sword that was wrapped in armed color domineering!
clang!!!
The sound of metal clashing was deafening!
Smoothie only felt an overwhelming force coming from the sword.
It is also mixed with an extremely condensed armed color domineering aura that seems to be able to freeze the soul, and an even more terrifying sharp sword intent that seems to be able to cut through even space!
“Woo!”
She groaned, and felt her palms shaking violently, and her arms going numb.
The power even spread through her body through the sword, causing her blood to surge.
The huge body was actually knocked back dozens of meters by the knife, and his feet plowed two deep grooves on the ground before he could barely stabilize his body!
Just one knife!
She was forced back without even a head-on collision!
Smoothie looked at Ron in horror, but he was still standing there, as if he had never moved.
Only the pitch-black long sword had been grasped in his hand at some point, with the tip of the sword pointing diagonally at the ground, without a trace of worldly air.
This is the strength of the Admiral of the Navy Headquarters, “Ink Sword” Ron? !
Ron gently made a knife flower and put “Ye Nagi” back into the sheath. His movements were smooth and flowing, as if he was just doing a trivial thing.
He was calculating quickly in his mind:
Well, the strength was well controlled, just enough to scare her without really hurting her seriously, so that she wouldn’t have to fight hard or try to shake people off. It was perfect.
As for the “Newbie Gift Pack”, he scanned the system space with his mind.
An ordinary-looking pixel-style gift package icon lies there quietly.
[Newbie Gift Pack: Open to get random system initial resources. Do you want to open it now? ]“no.”
Ron muttered to himself.
Just kidding, I don’t have time to study this right now.
He raised his head, his eyes fell on the doubtful Smoothie again, his tone still calm: “Do you want to continue?”
Smoothie’s face turned pale and blue as he felt the numbness in his arm and the unfathomable strength of the other party.
She knew that she was no match for this man.
Moreover, the inexplicable “encouragement” just now made her feel extremely uncomfortable, and her will to fight was mostly gone.
“Humph! ‘Ink Sword’ Ron… you’re lucky this time!”
Smoothie gritted his teeth, said a few polite words, turned around without hesitation, and left the island as quickly as possible with his remaining men.
Watching Smoothie’s receding back, the surrounding navy soldiers burst into cheers of surviving the disaster, and looked at Ron with eyes full of awe and admiration.
As expected, he is General Ron!
Facing the Four Emperors, he forced them back with just a casual sword strike while chatting and laughing!
The sentence just now, “Keep working hard”, is simply a contempt and declaration from the strong to the weak!
So domineering!
Only Ron himself, while enjoying the admiring looks of his subordinates, felt no emotion in his heart, and even felt like hitting someone.
What the hell is so domineering!
I was forced by the system, okay? !
He looked up at the sky at a forty-five degree angle with a melancholy look in his eyes.
Being a general is troublesome enough, and now there comes a crappy system that is overdue for more than 20 years…
My retirement life…I’m afraid it’s completely hopeless!
He felt that his future life would be a hundred times more “exciting” than he had expected.
Ron sighed deeply.
It’s so troublesome.
Feilu novel, Fei will make you look good!
Turn on lazy reading mode
Chapter 3: A Trickster Mission! (Old Version)
Smoothie’s fleeing figure disappeared at the end of the sea level.
The remaining naval soldiers on Isla Rota Island finally relaxed and burst into thunderous cheers.
“Long live General Ron!”
“Too strong! He’s BIGMOM’s star general! He was forced to retreat with just one strike!”
“‘Keep working hard’… this sentence is so cool! It’s full of the calmness and contempt of a strong man!”
The soldiers’ eyes looking at Ron had changed from awe to fanatical worship.
In their view, this young general not only has unfathomable strength, but also the way he forces back powerful enemies is so unique and full of unfathomable “style”.
Ron listened to the cheers in his ears, and the corners of his mouth twitched unconsciously.
Calm?
Contempt?
I was forced to recite the lines by the system, okay!
Can you guys not have such thick navy filters?
He waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to be quiet, and his tone was still unmotivated:
“Okay, mission accomplished. The medics will treat the wounded, and the rest of you will take inventory of the battlefield, recover usable supplies, and prepare to return.”
“Yes! General Ron!”
The soldiers responded in unison and took action immediately, with their efficiency much higher than before.
Who would dare to slack off when being watched by their idol?
Ron turned and walked towards a relatively intact temporary command tent.
He needed some private space to deal with that damn… “Newbie Gift Pack”.
After entering the tent and being cut off from the sight and sound of the outside world, Ron silently said in his heart: “System, open the novice gift pack.”
[Ding! The newbie gift pack is opening…]A pixelated gift bag icon spun and shattered in Ron’s mind, bursting out a little…
Hmm, a pretty shabby glow.
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the following items:][1. Skill: Quick access to system interface (Spirit shortcut key Lv.1)][Description: Allows the host to call up or hide the system interface more quickly and covertly through specific mental instructions, reducing the risk of being detected. Improving proficiency can shorten response time.][2. Consumables: One-time absolute obedience to instructions (Target: Non-intelligent creatures below level C)][Description: A simple command that cannot be disobeyed can be issued to a creature that meets the conditions, and the duration does not exceed 1 hour. It disappears after use.]【3. System points: 10 points】
[Description: Can be exchanged for items in the system mall (not opened). Friendly reminder: The points in this system are extremely precious, please use them with caution.]He looked at these three “rewards” and was speechless for a moment.
The first skill was quite practical. After all, what he feared most now was that the system would be discovered by others.
But Lv.1?
It sounds very unreliable.
The second consumable…absolutely obey orders?
Are the subjects still limited to non-intelligent creatures below level C?
What’s the use of this thing?
Is it used to order seagulls not to poop while he is basking in the sun?
Or order a sea hare to help him move the files from the left side of the desk to the right side?
It’s so useless that it’s outrageous!
As for the third one… 10 system points?
Still “extremely precious”?
Ron seriously suspected that this system had opened a sweatshop next to the CPU to exploit the value of its employees?
The novice gift package only gives 10 points, and also a “friendly reminder”?
He felt like he was being driven mad by this broken system.
All in all, this gift package for beginners highlights the concepts of “stinginess” and “something is better than nothing”.
“System, are you sure you didn’t embezzle my reward?” Ron couldn’t help but complain in his heart.
[Ding! This system adheres to the principle of fairness and justice. All rewards are issued according to the rules. There is absolutely no possibility of corruption. Please correct your mentality, actively complete the tasks, and work hard to build a better navy (and earn more points)! ]The system replied in a serious mechanical voice, causing Ron to roll his eyes.
And build a better navy?
Forget it, I just want to retire!
At this moment, hurried footsteps were heard outside the tent, and a naval signalman ran in nervously: “Report to Admiral Ron! Navy Headquarters, urgent communication from the Marshal!”
Here it comes.
Ron understood.
He caused such a big commotion, and it involved high-ranking officials of the Four Emperors, it is impossible for the headquarters not to react.
Moreover, the person named is the marshal…so he is most likely the iron-blooded tough guy, “Akainu” Sakaski.
Ron straightened his collar, which was not messy at all, walked to the special Den Den Mushi that was ringing “Bulu Bulu” non-stop in the center of the tent, and picked up the receiver.
The appearance of the Den Den Mushi changed rapidly, imitating Sakaski’s face, which had hard lines, was covered with scars, and seemed to be always erupting with anger.
“Ron!”
Den Den Mushi imitated Sakaski’s low and oppressive voice: “What’s going on with Isla Rota?!”
Ron held the microphone a little further away to avoid being shocked by the other party’s “magma voice”.
He answered in his usual steady, lazy tone:
“Report to the Marshal, the mission has been completed and the island is under our control. During this time, we encountered the BIGMOM Pirates’ star Charlotte Smoothie and some of her subordinates, and a brief conflict occurred.”
Sakaski on Den Den Mushi’s side frowned. “A brief conflict? What was the result? Where’s Charlotte Smoothie? Was she captured? Or…”
“She retreated.”
Ron was brief and to the point.
“Retreat?!”
Sakaski’s voice suddenly rose, and the expression imitated by Den Den Mushi became more angry: “Why just retreat?! Facing the senior cadres of the Four Emperors, you actually let her escape easily? Ron! Where is your justice?!”
Here it comes, the familiar question of “thorough justice”.
Ron felt nothing in his heart, and even felt like yawning.
He had already prepared his speech:
“Marshal, Smoothie is not alone, and he is determined to fight.
“If we force her to stay, a full-scale conflict will inevitably break out. Not only will our side suffer unnecessary casualties, but if the battle is dragged on, it is very likely to attract other forces of the BIGMOM Pirates or even BIGMOM himself.”
“Considering the limited strategic value of Isla Rota itself and in order to avoid further escalation of the situation, I think it is a safer option to force the other side to retreat and prioritize the control of the island.”
After a pause, Ron added, with his unique style: “Besides, Marshal, it is very troublesome to chase a general who is determined to escape. It will seriously delay my time to go back for afternoon tea.”
Chapter 4 I, the general, give people a basic lesson? (Old version)
Sakaski on the other side of Den Den Mushi was obviously choked, and his simulated face was distorted a little, as if he was trying hard to suppress his erupting anger.
Of course he knew what Ron said made sense.
In a battle between generals and star generals, once one side is determined to escape, it will be difficult to stop them completely unless the strength gap is huge or a tight net is laid in advance.
But Ron’s “trouble-afraid” attitude really made him angry.
After a few seconds of silence, Sakaski finally said through his teeth: “… Humph! Let’s not talk about this for now! Finish the mission immediately and return to Marinford! I have a new mission for you!”
“learn.”
Ron responded, his tone flat.
“Bulu Bulu…”
The Den Den Mushi hung up and returned to its original state.
Ron put down the phone and breathed a sigh of relief.
Dealing with Sakaski is more tiring than fighting him.
However, he hadn’t finished breathing a sigh of relief yet –
That damn system prompt sound rang in his mind again!
[New main quest has been released! ][Task Name: Navy Discipline and Cultivation][Task Description: As a naval admiral, it is basic to be familiar with and recite the naval rules and regulations. Please read the “Navy Standard Operational Procedures (Post-War Regional Security)” manual aloud on the main deck of the warship, facing the sea, on the way back to Marinford, for a duration of no less than three hours.][Task Reward: System Points x5; Skill: Speech Endurance +1][Failure penalty: The host will lose the sense of taste for sweets in the next 24 hours.]He slowly raised his head and looked through the gap in the tent at the clear sky, the blue sea, and his busy subordinates outside.
On…the main deck of a warship?
Facing the sea?
Read aloud?
That long, boring Navy Standard Operating Procedure that is so boring that it can make sea kings fall asleep?
It’s going to last another three hours?!
Ron’s expression control finally showed a crack.
He, the admiral of the Navy Headquarters, “Ink Sword” Ron, a future retirement life enthusiast.
Do I have to stand on the deck and read the rules and regulations to the sea for three hours like a new soldier?
The scene was so beautiful that he couldn’t even imagine it!
If his subordinates saw this, where would his dignity as a general be?
If this gets back to headquarters, won’t Kizaru make him laugh to death? !
And this reward!
5 points?!
Sending away beggars?!
What the hell is that “Speech Endurance +1”?
Does he need this thing?
Is he going to run for the World Government or to do stand-up comedy in Dressrosa?!
The most intolerable thing is the penalty for failure!
Losing your sweet tooth for 24 hours?!
Sweets! They were one of the few comforts in his boring career as a general!
It is an indispensable and important part of his future retirement life!
The system is trying to shake his foundation!
“System…” Ron growled in his heart, gritting his teeth, “You did this on purpose, didn’t you? You definitely did this on purpose!”
[Ding! This system aims to improve the host’s comprehensive quality in all aspects, making him a truly qualified navy model with all-round development in morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics and labor. Please take every task seriously and don’t disappoint the system’s expectations. ]All-round development in morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics and labor! I just want to retire!!!
Ron took a deep breath and suppressed the urge to pull the system out and beat it up.
Forget it, when you are under someone’s roof, you have to bow your head…it’s because the system has the handle on me.
It’s just studying for three hours…
Bear it!
He walked out of the tent, facing the sea breeze, his face regained its calm expression, but in the depths of his eyes, there seemed to be something called “resentment” quietly gathering.
“Attention everyone!” Ron’s voice spread throughout the temporary camp, “Prepare to board the ship and return immediately!”
“yes!”
The naval soldiers quickly gathered and boarded the warships docked on the shore.
Ron was the last one to go up to the deck. Looking at the huge warship that was about to set sail and the endless blue sea ahead, he had only one thought in his mind:
This damn system is definitely sent by God to prevent me from retiring!
It seems that his road to becoming a general will become more “colorful” from today.
The naval warships braved the wind and waves, advancing steadily towards Marinford.
Three hours later.
Ron stood at the bow, the sea breeze blowing his “Justice” cloak, which symbolized the highest fighting power, making a rustling sound.
He had just finished the three-hour “reading the rules” task, which was like a public execution. He had preserved his taste for sweets and gained…
Just 5 points and the useless “Speech Endurance +1”.
Total points: 18 points.
It is still a long way from being able to redeem the astronomically priced “Perfect Retirement Sea View Room (Trial Version)” in the redemption mall.
Ron sighed deeply, feeling exhausted.
He was a great admiral of the navy, but he was controlled by a broken system that was twenty years late.
However, life clearly did not intend to give him a break.
That familiar and annoying reminder tone sounded again on time.
【New daily tasks have been released! 】
[Task name: Be a role model, with the foundation as the basis][Task Description: Strong strength comes from a solid foundation. Please find a group of newly assigned navy recruits on this ship and personally demonstrate to them the three core starting moves in the “Navy Basic Swordsmanship Manual”: “Straight Thrust”, “Horizontal Slash”, and “Block”.][Task requirements: The movements must be! Absolutely! Strictly! Follow the manual illustrations and standards. No personal skills, sword intentions, or domineering fluctuations are allowed! Standard training wooden swords must be used! The teaching time must be no less than 30 minutes (including Q&A).][Task Reward: System Points x5; Title Fragment: “Be a Model Teacher” (1/3)][Failure penalty: In the next 24 hours, every time the host draws the sword, the sword “Yonagi” will automatically emit a clear and pleasant cuckoo sound (the volume can cover a radius of 50 meters). ]The corners of his eyes twitched violently, and he almost couldn’t control the urge to draw his sword and split the warship in half.
Teach the new recruits personally?
Demonstrate the most basic starting move?
Still need a wooden sword?
The most outrageous thing is that the actions must be copied exactly as shown in the manual, without any optimization or personal style?
Not even a trace of sword intent and domineering aura?
This is even more torturous than reading the rules just now!
Chapter 5 is over! The Admiral himself teaches the Navy’s Basic Swordsmanship Manual! (Old version)
You know, Ron’s swordsmanship has already reached perfection and he has created his own style.
The movements in the basic manual seemed to him to be full of loopholes and ridiculously stiff.
Now he is asked to imitate those “wrong” demonstrations meticulously?
Do you still have to suppress the sword intent that is integrated into your bones and the domineering aura that naturally exudes from you?
This is more painful than asking him to fight with the Four Emperors’ high-ranking officials!
Not to mention the penalty for failure!
Cuckoo call?!
He is “Mojian” Ron, the top swordsman who will be famous all over the world in the future. When he draws his sword, there is the background sound of “Cuckoo Cuckoo”?
If this gets out, how will he survive in the underworld? !
I’m afraid that Hawkeye Mihawk will laugh his head off!
Red-haired Shanks can use this as a joke to make him laugh for the rest of his life!
“System, I seriously suspect that you are targeting me, and I have evidence.”
Ron gritted his teeth and said in his heart.
[Ding! This system is designed to help the host consolidate the foundation, cultivate patience, and become a more comprehensive naval commander. Please face the challenge actively! ]Be positive you big head ghost!
Ron resisted the urge to flip the table, and maintained that unfathomable expression on his face.
He turned around and walked towards the cabin, ready to carry out this damn task.
He found Vice Admiral Onigumo who was in charge of the ship’s training.
“Vice Admiral Ghost Spider, please gather a group of new recruits who have just joined the ship and assemble at the training ground,” Ron ordered in a flat tone.
Although Ghost Spider was somewhat puzzled as to why the general suddenly wanted to personally summon the new recruits, he immediately stood at attention and saluted:
“Yes! General Ron! I’ll arrange it right away!”
Soon, twenty or so recruits, wearing brand new navy uniforms and with green and nervous looks on their faces, were brought to the open-air training ground of the warship.
They stood straight, not daring to even breathe, their eyes secretly glancing at the legendary figure standing in the center of the venue – the admiral of the Navy Headquarters, “Ink Sword” Ron!
Oh my god!
They could actually see the general alive!
Moreover, General Ron looks so young!
So handsome!
But…it’s also so cold!
That look seemed to be able to freeze one’s soul!
The recruits were so nervous that their palms were sweating. They didn’t know what the big shot’s intention was in suddenly summoning them, the rookies.
Are they going to spot check the training results?
Or is there some secret mission?
Ron looked at the group of recruits in front of him who were trembling like quails. He felt nothing in his heart and even wanted to sigh.
He picked up a standard training wooden sword from the weapon rack next to him and weighed it.
It’s light and has no texture.
Using this thing is simply an insult to the “Yonagi” in his hand.
But there is no way, the mission requires it.
“From today on, you are part of the Navy.”
Ron spoke, his voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard by every recruit: “The navy’s duty is to uphold justice and protect civilians, and strong strength is the foundation of fulfilling its duties. The foundation of the foundation is…”
He paused, resisting the urge to say “my own swordsmanship”, and continued stiffly: “…Navy Basic Swordsmanship Manual.”
New recruits: “???”
manual?
The general will personally explain the manual?
Did they hear it wrong?
Ron ignored the dull expressions of the recruits, took a deep breath, and assumed the standard ready posture for “straight thrust” in the manual.
In his opinion, this posture was unstable and full of flaws, and it was simply a way to seek death.
But he had to do it exactly.
He could even feel that every muscle in his body was protesting, instinctively trying to adjust to a smoother, more efficient, and more lethal state.
He must use his strong willpower to suppress this instinct!
This is more tiring than controlling your outward display of domineering power!
“Look, this is a ‘straight stab’.”
Ron slowly thrust the wooden sword in his hand forward, as if in slow motion.
The speed is not fast, and the angles are as standard as textbook illustrations, without any frills.
However, even though he tried his best to suppress it, the sword realm that was deeply rooted in his bones and the terrifying strength that had killed countless powerful enemies still inevitably leaked out a trace of… aura.
Buzz——
The air seemed to vibrate slightly.
The recruits standing in the front row felt an indescribable sense of sharpness coming towards them!
It seemed as if in the next second, that ordinary wooden sword would pierce their hearts!
Their faces turned pale in an instant, their legs went weak, and they almost collapsed on the spot!
“Huh?” Ron immediately noticed something was wrong and frowned slightly.
He had clearly restrained his strength and sword intent to the extreme, so why was there still an impact?
Is this what they call the aura of a big boss that cannot be hidden?
He calmly retracted the wooden sword, and the vague pressure disappeared in an instant.
“Concentrate.”
Ron said calmly: “The most important thing about basic movements is the standard. Watch it again.”
He demonstrated the “straight stab” again.
This time, he controlled his breath more carefully, striving to be truly “ordinary”.
The recruits finally came to their senses, and were deeply shocked as they watched the general’s standard yet somewhat “clumsy” movements.
What happened just now…was it an illusion?
Or was it that the general was just a little bit more serious to produce such a terrifying effect?
Next is the “horizontal cut”.
Ron swung the wooden sword, drawing a standard horizontal trajectory.
The movements are still rigid and follow the instructions in the manual completely.
At this time, a brave recruit, perhaps because of nervousness or because he was really watching very seriously, couldn’t help but raise his hand and whispered:
“Report… Report to the General! The manual says that when slashing horizontally, the wrist should be pressed down a little bit more…”
brush!
Everyone’s eyes were focused on the new recruit, including Ron.
The recruit was so frightened that he trembled all over and almost bit his tongue. He wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
He actually dared to question the general’s actions? !
He is dead!
Ron looked at the recruit who was about to cry, then looked down at the wooden sword and posture in his hand.
He knew that his wrist position was optimal for the most efficient way of exerting force.
But the illustrator in the manual obviously didn’t know anything about swordsmanship, and the way he drew it did indeed pull the wrist down a little.
This is an idiot manual! It misleads students!
Despite this.
But Ron nodded and said in a flat voice, “You’re right. I was negligent.”
Then, he actually adjusted his posture, pressing his wrist down a little bit, making it more “in line” with the diagram in the manual, but also more… awkward.
New recruit: “!!!”
Other recruits: “!!!”
Vice Admiral Ghost Spider who was watching: “???”
The general…actually admitted that he was “negligent”?
And it was pointed out by a new recruit?
And it really changed?!
Is there something wrong with this world?!
Chapter 6 Justice? I’m tired of hearing about it (old version)
Ron ignored the strange atmosphere around him and continued to demonstrate the “blocking” action.
This time, he concentrated on controlling himself, trying to perfectly replicate the “rigidity” in the manual, without revealing the slightest bit of abnormality.
The presentation is over and the next step is the question and answer session.
The recruits looked at the general who had a straight face, demonstrated basic movements himself, and even admitted his own “negligence.”
The previous feeling of fear dissipated a lot, and was replaced by an indescribable sense of… familiarity?
They gathered their courage and started asking all sorts of questions.
“General, when thrusting, how should I coordinate my breathing?”
“General, should the force of a horizontal slash be applied from the waist or the arm?”
“General, when blocking, what is the most appropriate angle for the wooden sword?”
“General, is your cape custom-made? So handsome!”
Ron patiently answered the questions one by one using the most concise, basic language that was most in line with the spirit of the “Navy Basic Swordsmanship Manual”.
As for the last question, he simply ignored it.
Thirty minutes seemed as long as a century.
When the system prompted that the task was completed, Ron put away the wooden sword almost immediately.
[Ding! Daily task “Be a role model, basics first” completed! ][Task Reward: System Points x5; Title Fragment: “Model Teacher” (1/3) has been issued. ][Current total points: 23 points.]“Okay, today’s teaching ends here, dismissed.”
Ron said this, without even looking at the recruits who wanted to continue asking questions, and turned away, with a barely perceptible hint of… panic in his back?
He needed to go back to his room immediately, eat some dessert, and soothe his severely damaged soul.
Vice Admiral Ghost Spider looked at Ron’s departing back.
He looked at the new recruits who were still eager to get more and whose eyes were shining, and fell into deep thought.
This General Ron… is becoming increasingly difficult to understand.
Personally teach the new recruits the basics of swordsmanship?
Still so… approachable?
Could this be the legendary “the simplest way of life, returning to nature”?
Is this a way to hone itself, or to send a signal to the Navy that it values ​​basics?
It must be like this!
General Ron is so terrifying!
On the training ground, the recruits were also discussing excitedly.
“I’m so lucky! I can get personal guidance from General Ron!”
“Yeah! The general is amazing! He even does such basic moves so perfectly!”
“And the Admiral is so patient! He even admitted that he was negligent!”
“I’ve decided! From now on, I must follow General Ron’s example and lay a solid foundation!”
If Ron heard these words, he would probably spit out blood.
He just wants to retire and doesn’t want to be a role model!
The warship continued to sail, getting closer and closer to Marinford, but Ron’s mood became heavier.
What kind of “new mission” has that old guy Akainu prepared for him?
I hope… there won’t be any more conflicts with system tasks.
He really couldn’t bear it anymore.
The huge naval warship slowly entered the iconic crescent-shaped port of Marinford.
What came into view was the Naval Headquarters fortress that had been severely damaged in the Battle of Marineford, but had now been basically restored and was even more majestic and larger than before.
Familiar buildings, familiar cries of seagulls, and the lingering aura of absolute justice in the air.
Ron stood at the side of the ship, looking at the city that once symbolized world order.
Now, in his view, the fortress was more like a huge trouble-making center. He felt nothing at all and even wanted to turn back.
Back.
He returned to the vortex of power struggle and to the “home” that was taking him further and further away from his retirement dream.
“General Ron, the marshal has ordered you to go to his office immediately upon your arrival,” the adjutant reminded respectfully.
“knew.”
Ron nodded and walked down the gangway.
Familiar roads, familiar eyes.
The naval soldiers he met along the way, regardless of their rank, all gave him the most standard military salute with awe in their eyes.
After all, the admiral is the pinnacle that all naval soldiers look up to.
But Ron did not feel any sense of honor. He only felt that these gazes were like invisible shackles, binding him tightly to a position where he did not want to be at all.
The Marshal’s Office is located on the highest floor of the fortress, symbolizing the highest power of the navy.
The entrance was heavily guarded and the atmosphere was as heavy as solidified magma.
Ron pushed open the heavy oak door, and a scorching breath hit him in the face.
The light in the office was dim, and there was only a pile of documents on the desk.
A tall and burly figure wearing a marshal’s cloak was standing with his back to the door, looking out the window at the sea.
Even if it’s just a back view, the iron will that seems to burn everything to ashes is enough to suffocate anyone with a weak will.
Admiral of the Navy, “Akainu” Sakaski.
“Are you back, Ron?” Sakaski said without turning back. His voice was low and hoarse, like hot lava flowing.
“Yes, Marshal.”
Ron walked up to his desk, his tone calm and even.
Sakaski turned around slowly. There was no expression on his scarred, hard-lined face. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle, as if they could see through people’s hearts.
“I have already heard a detailed report on the Isla Rota incident. Forcing Charlotte Smoothie to retreat… Humph, although I don’t agree with your approach, the result is still within an acceptable range.”
“You are over-praised, Marshal.”
Ron responded indifferently.
He knew that this was just the calm before the storm.
Sure enough, Sakaski changed the subject and his tone became more severe:
“But! Ron, as an admiral of the navy, you represent the face of the navy and absolute justice! When facing evil pirates, especially the Four Emperors, you should completely annihilate them with thunderous means! Your hesitation and so-called ‘prudence’ will only encourage the pirates’ arrogance!”
There’s this theory of “radical justice” again.
Ron’s ears were almost callused from listening to this.
Brother, do you think that generals are cabbages and can be annihilated just like that?
Don’t you need to consider the consequences?
The fighting would cause too much noise, and if the island was destroyed, who would repair it?
Who will pay for the medical expenses if a subordinate is injured?
Killing the star general pissed off BIGMOM. If she goes crazy and rushes over, who will stop her?
Aren’t we the generals responsible for cleaning up the mess?
Can you be more realistic?
Of course, these complaints can only be thought about in your mind.
On the surface, Ron still looked unmoved: “I will keep the Marshal’s teachings in mind.”
Chapter 7: Rainbow-colored Armament Haki? (Old Version)
Sakaski stared at Ron for a few seconds.
It seemed as if she was trying to find even a hint of approval or perfunctory response from his expressionless face.
But in the end I gave up.
He knew the temperament of this young general. His strength was beyond doubt, but his temperament was… too lazy and lacked fighting spirit!
“That’s all.”
Sakaski seemed too lazy to dwell on this any longer. He picked up a document with a gold-stamped cover from the table and threw it in front of Ron:
“Let’s get down to business. There is an extremely important mission here that must be assigned to you to carry out.”
Ron picked up the document and felt a sense of foreboding.
Gilded cover?
This specification…
He opened the file and read only the first line before his eyelids twitched violently.
[Mission: Escort the Celestial Dragon Saint Charlos and his entourage to a designated location outside the Holy Land of Marijoa for a “short vacation”, ensure their safety throughout the journey, and meet all their “reasonable” needs.]Escort… the Celestial Dragons? !
Is he still the idiot among idiots, the idiot among idiots, the Saint of Charlos who was once punched away by Luffy in the Sabaody Archipelago? !
Ron felt his blood pressure was skyrocketing!
As a time traveler, he knows very well what kind of people the Celestial Dragons are!
Those who claim to be descendants of “God” regard ordinary people as ants. They are arrogant, domineering, stupid and ignorant. They are simply walking world-class trouble-makers!
Escort them?
And do we still need to meet their “reasonable” needs?
Are there words like “reasonable” in the Dragons’ dictionary?!
Their demands are usually things like “capture that civilian and make him a slave”, “buy this island for me and use it as an amusement park”, “I don’t like that person, kill him” and so on!
How can this be an escort mission?
This is clearly like being a high-level nanny and thug, and you have to be ready to clean up the mess for those idiots at all times. If you are not careful, you may cause an international dispute or be hated!
The risk and disgustingness of this mission is even higher than fighting the Four Emperors alone!
“Marshal, this mission…” Ron tried to struggle, “This is a serious matter. Should it be handled by the CP organization or…”
“Shut up!”
Sakaski interrupted him rudely, his tone firm: “This is an order directly issued by the Five Elders, and you are responsible for the roll call! Saint Charlos heard of your name ‘Ink Sword’ from somewhere, and was very interested in your style, and specifically asked you to escort!”
interested?
Interested at all!
I’m afraid some bastard is plotting against me behind my back!
He was almost certain that someone was trying to push him into the fire!
As for who it is…a power struggle within the Celestial Dragons?
Or is it the guy in the World Government who dislikes him?
“Your mission is to ensure that Saint Charlos is safe and sound and completes this ‘vacation’ in a ‘happy mood’.”
Sakaski’s tone left no room for doubt: “If anything goes wrong during this period, especially if it involves the safety of the Celestial Dragons, you know the consequences!”
Ron certainly knew the consequences.
If the Celestial Dragons lost even a hair, he, the general in charge of escorting them, would definitely be in trouble. At the very least, he would be dismissed and investigated, or at worst, he might be sent directly to Impel Down.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, his eyes had returned to calm.
“…Yes, Marshal, I promise to complete the mission.”
What else can I do?
He had no choice but to accept the orders of the Five Elders and the pressure from the Marshal.
‘Retirement plan…completely bankrupt…’
Ron wailed inwardly.
However, just when he felt that his life had hit rock bottom——
That system notification sound, like a death warrant, rang again!
【Special mission triggered! 】
[Mission name: “Surprise” from the general][Mission Background: About to escort the distinguished world noble Saint Charlos, a proper greeting gift is an important part of showing the sincerity of the navy and personal cultivation.][Task requirements: Before departure, please make a welcome gift that reflects the “wisdom and life of the common people” and that will make Saint Charlos feel “novel” and “willing to accept”. The gift must not use any precious materials and the cost must not exceed 1,000 Baileys.][Task Tip: The Tianlong people are used to luxury, perhaps simple handicrafts can impress them more? (The system does not guarantee the effectiveness of the tip)][Task Reward: System Points x15; Skill: Handcrafting (Elementary)][Failure penalty: In the next week, every time the host uses Armament Haki, the color of the Haki will randomly change to rainbow color.]Ron: “…………”
He stood there, as if struck by an invisible lightning bolt, burnt on the outside and tender on the inside.
Make it yourself?
Common people’s wisdom and breath of life?
Make Saint Charles feel novel and happy to accept it?
Costs less than 1000 Baileys?!
This… this is a mission of hellish difficulty!
What kind of “common people’s wisdom” can a fool like Saint Charles understand except slavery, privilege, and oppression of others?
The only gifts he would be “happy to accept” would probably be a living slave or a mountain of gold, right? !
How about making a gift that will make him feel “novel” at a cost of no more than 1,000 Baileys?
This is more difficult than asking him to fight Kaido alone now!
And this is the penalty for failure!
Rainbow-colored Armament Haki? !
Ron imagined himself covered in colorful, glittering domineering aura and fighting against the enemy…
The scene was so beautiful, it was like a public execution PLUS!
I’m afraid his nickname “Mojian” will have to be changed to “Rainbow General” Ron!
This is a hundred times more deadly than the cuckoo’s call!
He could even feel Sakaski’s puzzled gaze, as if wondering why he suddenly froze in place with a slightly blue face.
“Any other questions, General Ron?” Sakaski asked with a frown.
“…No, no more, Marshal.”
Ron squeezed out a few words with difficulty, and at the same time raised countless middle fingers to the system in his heart.
“System! Just wait for me! When I retire, the first thing I will do is to tear you apart and sell you as scrap metal!”
[Ding! The host’s negative emotions are detected. The system kindly reminds you: Maintaining an optimistic attitude will help complete the task and can effectively prevent problems such as hair loss caused by excessive stress. ]roll!!!
Ron resisted the urge to curse, picked up the hot task document, and saluted: “If you have no other instructions, I will take my leave and start preparing for the mission immediately.”
“Go, and remember, there is no room for error!” Sakaski waved his hand.
Ron turned around and left the Marshal’s office as fast as he could, as if lava was chasing him.
He now faces a double dilemma:
One is how to protect that idiot Tianlong while minimizing the trouble and avoiding getting into trouble.
The other is how to use a budget of no more than 1,000 Baileys to create a “commoner’s gift” that can “surprise” that idiot Saint Charles and not make him lose his temper on the spot.
At the same time, keep the normal color of your armed color domineering…
On his way back to his office, Ron felt the future was dark.
His road to retirement is becoming more and more bumpy and more and more… outrageous.
Chapter 8: A tiger in trouble is bullied by a dog, and a general falls into trouble and plays in the mud (old version)
Ron returned to his office in the Admiralty Fortress.
It is different from Akainu’s office which is full of documents and oppressive.
Ron’s office looked unusually simple, even… empty.
There was a desk, a chair, a filing cabinet, a standard map on the wall, and little else.
No medals of honor, no captured weapons.
There are not even any potted plants – they are too troublesome to take care of.
This is a perfect reflection of the owner’s character.
Afraid of trouble, pursuing minimalism, and having no sense of belonging to this “job” in the Navy.
He threw the gold-embossed escort mission document on the table.
Then he slammed himself into a chair with a tired groan.
It’s not physical tiredness, but mental tiredness, the feeling of powerlessness after being repeatedly pressed to the ground and rubbed by the sand wall system.
Escorting the Celestial Dragon Saint Charlos…
Make a “common gift” by yourself that costs no more than 1,000 Baileys and that will surprise that idiot and make him “happy to accept”…
If you fail, you have to parade around with rainbow-colored arrogance…
Any one of these three things is enough to set Ron’s retirement plan back ten years!
Now they were all thrown at him.
He even thought seriously for half a second. Which one was more unbearable, accepting the punishment from the rainbow-colored tyrant or trying to please Saint Charlos?
The conclusion is: it’s all unbearable!
But the former is embarrassing enough to send shame upon one’s grandma, while the latter is disgusting enough to send one’s grandma’s grandma.
Weighing the two options…he decided to keep his normal domineering color.
At least, “Mo Jian” cannot lose his dignity, this is his last stubbornness as a top powerhouse.
So, here comes the question.
What gift should I make?
Ron began brainstorming, or rather, complaining.
A necklace made of shells?
No, it’s too sissy, and it can’t fit on Charles’ fat pig neck. The cost is low.
Carve a small animal out of wood?
No, he is a great general, “Ink Sword” Ron, going to learn wood carving?
What will it look like if it gets out?
And no matter what kind of sculpture it is, will Charlos be able to be “surprised”? Will he carve a stupid look like his father?
I’m afraid he would be shot on the spot.
Knit a straw hat?
Come on, he doesn’t want to touch Luffy’s exclusive item.
Make a kite?
With Charles’ intelligence, it would be strange if he could put it away. He would most likely tear it to pieces.
Ron became more and more annoyed the more he thought about it, and paced back and forth in the office.
He glanced out the window and saw several marines in charge of cleaning were using a… well, very primitive tool to clean the stains on high places –
A long pole with a strip of cloth tied to the top.
Primitive…common people’s wisdom…
Ron had a flash of inspiration!
He remembered that before he traveled through time, he seemed to have played with something as a child.
Also, on some remote islands in this world, he had seen local children chasing and playing with similar toys.
That thing is simple to make, low cost, and full of “popular” flavor.
For the celestial dragons who live a life of luxury and whose toys are made of gold and diamonds, this is definitely a “novelty”!
And, most importantly, it has a certain…interactivity?
Maybe I can get that idiot’s attention for a short while?
That’s it—a slingshot!
Yes, just make a slingshot!
Ron made up his mind.
Although asking the admiral of the navy to make a slingshot personally and give it to the Celestial Dragons was absurd in itself, it was the least bad option he could find among the limited options.
Just do it!
The main reason is that I am afraid that the system will cause some trouble again.
He first needs materials: a suitable Y-shaped branch, some stretchy rubber bands, and a small piece of sturdy leather or cloth to make a leather bag.
“Someone come.”
Ron called out to the office door.
A guard immediately pushed the door open and saluted, “General, what can I do for you?”
Ron looked at the serious guard in front of him and considered his words, trying to make his request sound less… weird.
“Go… help me find one that’s about this long,” Ron gestured.
“A hard, neatly shaped Y-shaped branch, and some… uh, discarded elastic strips or sturdy rubber bands, and a small piece of… durable old leather or thick canvas.”
guard:”???”
There was an obvious expression of confusion on his face, as if he was wondering if he had heard it wrong.
What does the general want these things for?
A branch? A rubber band? A scrap of leather?
Could it be some new interrogation tool or part of a secret weapon?
“Any questions?”
Seeing that the guard didn’t move, Ron asked in a calm tone, but there was a subtle hint of “I’ll chop you down if you ask again” in his eyes.
“No! No problem! I’ll do it right away!”
The guard was startled, saluted quickly, turned around and ran out, still wildly guessing the general’s intentions in his heart.
Soon, the guards came back with a pile of “garbage”.
A branch that looks fairly sturdy.
A few black tapes from an unknown age that were found in a corner of a material warehouse.
There was also a piece of canvas cut from a discarded military backpack.
The total cost… estimated to be no more than 50 Baileys.
Ron waved the guards to leave, closed the office door, looked at the pile of simple materials on the table, and sighed deeply again.
Think about him, “Mojian” Ron, who wields a famous sword of the supreme level and kills the villains who are feared by the sea, but now he has to be here… fiddling with these things.
It is true that a tiger in dire straits is bullied by a dog, and a great general in trouble is playing in the mud.
He picked up the Y-shaped branch and took out a… well, a knife for opening letters from the drawer.
Then, the Admiral of the Marine Headquarters, one of the world’s top fighters, began his first, and what he hoped would be his last, handicraft class in his life.
“hiss–“
After a while, Ron couldn’t help but take a breath.
He looked down at his index finger and saw a faint red mark on it.
He was actually cut by a letter opener? !
Although his skin was not even broken, it was a huge humiliation for someone with his physical strength and control!
As expected, everyone has their own expertise. After being used to using a sword to kill people, I am a little uncomfortable with this kind of delicate carpentry work.
[Ding! The host is detected to be doing handcrafting. The skill “Handcrafting (Basic)” has been temporarily activated (task reward advance trial version), proficiency +1. ]The system prompt sounded, and Ron felt that his hand holding the knife seemed to be a little steadier, and the movement of cutting wood became smoother.
“Well, you are still useful.”
Ron snorted inwardly and continued to work hard.
Chapter 9: Celestial Dragon, Charlos (Old Version)
Time passes by every second.
Ron relied on his admiral-level concentration and his pitiful elementary manual skills.
Coupled with his precise control of strength and angle, finally, a…
The prototype of a slingshot appeared in his hands.
To be honest, this slingshot is made… quite crudely.
The branches were cut with uneven shapes, the tape was tied crookedly, and the edges of the canvas bag were not cut evenly.
The overall look is full of primitive, simple, and…cheap atmosphere.
But, it is indeed a slingshot.
Moreover, Ron tried to pull it and found that it was quite elastic and had a stable structure.
[Ding! It is detected that the host has completed the handmade product “Simple Slingshot”. Mission evaluation is in progress…]【Evaluation Item 1: Made by hand. Agree.】
【Evaluation Item 2: Reflecting “the wisdom and life atmosphere of the common people”. Compliant.】
【Evaluation Item 3: Cost not exceeding 1,000 Baileys. Compliant (estimated cost is approximately 45 Baileys).】
[Evaluation Item 4: Possibility of making the target (Charlos Saint) feel “novel”. Agree.][Evaluation Item 5: Possibility of making the target (Charlos Saint) “willing to accept”. Conformity (its playability and destructiveness may conform to the target’s interests).]【Comprehensive assessment: Mission accomplished! 】
[Task Reward: System Points x15; Skill: Handcrafting (Elementary) has been issued. ][Current total points: 38 points.][The penalty for failure has been lifted.]call–
Ron breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as if he had just fought a tough battle.
The crisis of Rainbow Haki was finally resolved.
He looked at the slingshot in his hand, which was the result of his hard work and cost less than 50 Baileys, with a complicated expression.
This thing…can it really work?
That idiot Charlos wouldn’t throw it directly into his face or use it to shoot passing civilians, right?
The latter seems very likely…
No matter what, the system has determined that the task is completed.
As for what stupid things Charlos will do after getting this thing…
We’ll talk about it when the time comes. If the enemy comes, we will fight him with our soldiers; if the water comes, we will block it with earth. At worst, we can use physical persuasion.
Ron found an ordinary paper box and put the slingshot and a few smooth pebbles in it.
This “big gift” is ready.
Now, he just needs to adjust his mindset to welcome the upcoming “distinguished guest”.
When Ron thought about having to live with a creature like Saint Charlos for a while, he felt a dull ache in his stomach.
This general is really…
It’s meaningless.
He looked out the window again. The little flame of “retirement” in his heart, although repeatedly ravaged by reality, was still burning tenaciously.
After completing this mission, I must find a way…
Please take a long vacation!
Yes, that’s it!
…
Pier 1, Marinford.
This is the highest-standard port of the Navy Headquarters, usually only used to receive the highest-level officials of the World Government or to carry out the most confidential missions.
At this moment, the place was cleared of all outsiders.
There was only a team of elite naval soldiers and their general, “Mojian” Ron, who had an expressionless face and seemed indifferent to everything around him, standing quietly.
The sun was shining and seagulls were flying, but Ron’s mood was like the deepest trench in the New World, dark, cold, and bottomless.
He is waiting.
Waiting for the “distinguished guest” who will bring him endless troubles and may even completely ruin his dream of retirement.
Celestial Dragon, Saint Charlos.
Next to him was the adjutant in charge of this escort mission.
An experienced major general from the headquarters, who could not hide his nervousness at the moment, looked at Ron cautiously and seemed to be hesitant to speak.
He really didn’t understand why such a thankless and difficult task as escorting the Celestial Dragons would fall on the head of their admiral who was known for being “afraid of trouble”.
Moreover, looking at the admiral’s expression… it’s even uglier than the last time when the Four Emperors’ fleet raided.
Ron ignored the adjutant’s gaze, he just calculated silently in his mind.
Walking from the office to the dock, he complained about the system about 864 times, thought of 32 ways to make Charlos “accidentally disappear” without being tracked down, and cursed the mastermind who made things difficult for him for the one hundred and eighth time.
At this moment, a huge black spot appeared on the sea in the distance and approached rapidly.
It was an extremely luxurious, gold-plated giant ship with an exaggerated celestial dragon head on its bow – the exclusive vehicle of the celestial dragons.
Ron had a blank expression on his face, but the knuckles of his hand holding the hilt of the knife were slightly white.
The huge ship docked and lowered the extremely luxurious gangway.
The first to come down were a group of slaves wearing protective clothing, helmets, and with empty eyes.
They crawled on the ground, using their bodies to form a “human carpet” that stretched from the gangway to Ron’s front.
Then, a fat man wearing a bubble helmet, with a bloated figure, dressed in ridiculous aristocratic clothes, holding a lollipop in his mouth and an idiotic smile on his face, staggered down.
Every step he took was on the slave’s back, as if it was a matter of course.
It was Saint Charlos.
His little eyes, looking through the helmet, were full of contempt and ignorance for everything in the world.
Glancing at the navy soldiers standing ready for battle, it was like looking at a bunch of moving garbage.
“Ah~ Is this Marinford? The air is so bad! It’s much worse than Marijoa! The smell of small fish is too strong!”
Charlos complained in his shrill, unpleasant voice and threw the empty snack bag on the ground.
The navy soldiers nearby dared not speak out and could only endure it.
Ron took a deep breath, suppressing the nausea and the urge to strike with a sword.
He took a step forward and said calmly, “Saint Charlos, by order of the Five Elders, I, Admiral Ron of the Navy Headquarters, will be responsible for your entire escort on this trip. Welcome to Marinford.”
Charlos tilted his head and looked at Ron through the bubble helmet, as if he was looking at a novelty product.
“Oh? Are you the ‘Ink Sword’ Ron?”
He pointed his fat finger at Ron:
“You don’t look that good, you’re skinny and not as strong as my slaves! They say you’re powerful? Can you beat CP0? Can you beat my father?”
He felt a vein throbbing on his forehead.
Resisting the urge to draw his sword, he replied in a flat voice: “My duty is to ensure your safety.”
“Humph! I don’t think you’d dare to be unsafe!”
Charlos proudly puffed out his non-existent chest and said, “I heard that you are very low-key when I came out to play this time. That’s great. I like low-key servants! Unlike those CP0s, who are all hypocritical!”
servant?!
Ron’s eyes suddenly turned cold for a moment, so fast that no one noticed.
Chapter 10 The “pleasant” journey begins (old version)
Just as Ron was thinking about whether he should just chop down the sand-walled dragon in front of him.
Then he directly rebelled against the damn Five Elders and the World Government.
The system’s voice sounded again at an inopportune time!
[Temporary emotional stability task: Faced with provocation, keep smiling! ][Task requirements: Please smile at Saint Charlos for at least 3 seconds, and he must not be able to detect any negative emotions.][Task Reward: System Points x1; Title: “Ninja Turtle” (1/10)][Failure penalty: The host will randomly learn a useless animal call (for example: a groundhog scream).]Smile?!
To him?!
Will it last another 3 seconds?!
Do you want to avoid being detected by negative emotions? !
This is even harder than making the slingshot just now!
And what about these crappy rewards and punishments!
1 point?! The title of “Ninja Turtle”?! If you fail, you have to imitate the sound of a groundhog?!
System, do you think my life isn’t outrageous enough? !
But… the scream of a groundhog… He couldn’t imagine himself making that kind of sound…
Endure! Must endure!
Ron slowly and with great difficulty mobilized the almost stiff muscles on his face.
He tried to recall the smiles of those hypocritical politicians he had seen before, and tried to imitate one…
Well, at least it looks like a “gentle” expression.
So, under the astonished gaze of Saint Charlos and all the surrounding navy.
The “Mo Jian” general, who was always known for his cold expression, slowly opened his mouth to reveal a row of neat and white teeth.
This smile…how can I put it…
It was extremely stiff and unnatural, and because it was so different from his usual image, it even seemed a little… scary.
It was like an ice sculpture suddenly trying to imitate a human smile.
Saint Charlos was startled by this sudden and strange smile.
I subconsciously took a half step back and almost dropped the snacks in my hand:
“You…what are you doing?! Your smile is so disgusting! Don’t laugh!”
[Ding! Temporary emotional stabilization mission completed! The host successfully maintained a smile for more than 3 seconds, and the target did not directly judge it as a negative emotion (judged as ‘disgusted’, the mission was barely passed). Reward: System points x1; Title: “Ninja Turtle” (1/10) has been issued. Failure penalty has been lifted. ][Current total points: 39 points.]Ron immediately put away his disastrous smile and returned to his expressionless look.
He complained madly in his heart:
“Disgusting?! Is it easy for me to not imitate the sound of a groundhog?! This is a broken system!”
In any case, the crisis was temporarily resolved.
Now, it’s time to move on to the next, more important step – gift giving.
Ron took the extremely ordinary paper box from the adjutant behind him.
This box formed a sharp contrast with the surrounding magnificent celestial dragon vehicles and Charlos’s jewel-filled attire. It seemed out of place and even a little shabby.
“Saint Charlos, it’s our first meeting, so I’m not showing any respect.”
Ron handed over the box, his tone still calm: “A small welcome gift, I hope it can add a little fun to your upcoming journey.”
Charlos looked at the broken box suspiciously, then looked at Ron, his eyes full of contempt:
“A gift? Just this broken box? What’s in it? Rubbish? All my toys are made of gold! Bordered with diamonds!”
He didn’t even bother to reach out for it.
Ron had expected this reaction.
He opened the box, revealing a crudely made slingshot and a few smooth pebbles.
“This is…” Charlos was stunned for a moment, obviously he had never seen such a “primitive” thing.
“This thing is called a slingshot.”
Ron began his sales pitch: “It’s a little gadget that’s popular in the countryside. Although it’s made of simple materials, it’s fun in its own way.”
He picked up the slingshot, picked up a stone, and put the stone into his leather bag with standard movements.
Then he pulled the rubber band and aimed it at a seagull circling above the sea in the distance.
“Its use is…”
Ron’s eyes flashed with a barely detectable cold light and evil interest: “It can be used to… drive away some annoying little creatures.”
whoosh——!
He loosened his fingers and the stone shot out like an arrow!
The speed is amazing, and the angle is incredible!
“Chi——!”
The unfortunate seagull in the distance let out a shrill scream, as if hit by an invisible hammer. It flapped its wings and fell into the sea, causing a small splash of water.
The whole process is lightning fast and extremely precise!
The surrounding naval soldiers were stunned.
General…shooting birds with a slingshot?
And you can hit so accurately?!
Is this also a kind of practice? !
Saint Charles was also stunned.
His eyes were wide open and his mouth was slightly open as he looked at the splashes on the sea in the distance. He then looked at the ordinary-looking slingshot in Ron’s hand. For the first time, his eyes showed an extremely strong interest!
“This! This thing! Can it shoot birds?!”
He pointed at the slingshot, his voice becoming sharper with excitement.
“Yes.”
Ron nodded expressionlessly: “Not only can it be used to shoot birds, in theory, as long as the target is of the right size, it can be used…”
He paused deliberately.
“Hit! Hit anything?!”
Charlos’ eyes lit up even brighter. He snatched the slingshot and the remaining stones from Ron’s hand and shouted excitedly:
“Great! This is fun! Much more fun than toys made of gold! Quick! Find me something to hit! Those nasty pigeons! And that slave mopping the floor over there! His butt looks perfect for a hit! Hahahaha!”
He held the slingshot and clumsily imitated Ron’s actions.
He began to gesture around randomly, scaring the nearby slaves and marines so much that they quickly dodged.
Looking at Charlos’s stupid look, Ron felt nothing inside and even wanted to laugh.
[Ding! Special mission “Surprise from the General” is completed perfectly! The target (Saint Charlos) shows great interest in the gift and is happy to accept it. Mission completion: S. Additional reward: System points +5. ][Current total points: 44 points.]“Oh, as expected, this kind of low taste is most suitable for such an idiot.”
Ron sneered in his heart.
“Well, Saint Charlos, it’s time for us to board the ship and set off.”
Ron warned, he didn’t want this idiot to start causing trouble here.
“Okay, okay! Let’s go! This Saint is going to the sea to hunt seagulls! Hunt sea kings! Hahahaha!”
Charlos turned around happily with his new toy in his hand and walked towards the naval warship that Ron and his men had prepared, forgetting even to step on the human carpet made up of his slaves.
Ron looked at his back, then looked at the battleship that was about to set sail carrying him and this huge trouble, and felt that the future journey… was destined to be not peaceful.
At least, the crisis of Rainbow Haki has been resolved.
Hopefully, this “great gift” slingshot won’t cause him any more trouble.
He waved his hand, signaling the troops to line up and board the ship.
The “pleasant” journey of escorting the Celestial Dragons has officially begun.
Chapter 11: A great general teaching slingshots? (Old version)
The Navy’s special-class battleship “Glory of Justice” sails steadily on the blue waves of the Grand Line.
This battleship is one of the navy’s newest models.
It has powerful firepower, amazing defense, and extremely luxurious internal facilities. It is specially used to receive the highest-level VIPs or perform S-level missions.
At this moment, this warship that represents the majesty of the navy was shrouded in an… extremely discordant sound.
“Whoosh—bang!”
“oops!”
“My hat!”
“Ah! My coffee!”
On the spacious and luxurious open-air deck, Saint Charles was holding the “great gift” given to him by Ron –
I had a lot of fun playing with that crudely made slingshot.
He clumsily held the pebbles between his fat fingers and fired indiscriminately at anything moving or immovable on the deck.
The poor sailors became his primary targets.
Although Charlos’s accuracy was terrible.
But his shooting frequency is so high that there are always a few “stray bullets” that will hit the unlucky guys.
Some soldiers were hit on the buttocks by stones, and they grimaced in pain but dared not make a sound.
Some soldiers’ military caps, which had just been put on, were accurately shot off and fell into the sea.
Even an orderly who was serving coffee to Ron had his tray hit by a stone, spilling the scalding coffee all over the floor.
There was chaos and complaints on the deck.
However, due to the other party’s identity as a celestial dragon, everyone could only endure it and dare not speak out.
The soldiers in charge of the escort had to force themselves to smile and occasionally praise Saint Charlos with words like “Saint Charlos has a good aim” and “Saint Charlos is a real marksman” in order to please this moody “guest”.
Ron sat on a lounge chair at the edge of the deck, wearing sunglasses and holding a cup of…redelivered coffee.
He seemed to be basking in the sun leisurely, but in fact he was highly focused, always paying attention to Charlos’s movements, and…
The system prompt that may pop up in your mind at any time.
He chose to ignore Charlos’s antics for the time being.
As long as this idiot didn’t kill anyone, didn’t sink the ship, and didn’t try to attack sea kings with a slingshot, Ron didn’t care.
There is no way, because the task requires to make Charlos “happy”?
This idiot’s pleasure is built on the pain of others.
‘Be patient, Ron. Be patient so you can have a better retirement.’
He silently prepared himself mentally.
“Once we reach our destination and send this plague away, everything will be over… I guess.”
However, trouble is something that always likes to come to you when you think you can relax a little.
“Hey! Who is that? Yes, it’s you! The one with black hair!”
Charlos got tired of shooting at fixed targets and started looking for new fun.
His little eyes rolled around and stared at… Ron.
Ron took off his sunglasses, his eyes calm and unperturbed: “Saint Charlos, what can I do for you?”
“I saw you hit the seagull so accurately just now, you must be very good at this, right?”
Charlos raised his slingshot and said in a commanding tone: “Quick! Teach me how to shoot more accurately! I want to hit the fastest bird in the sky!”
Teach you?
Teach you how to shoot a slingshot?
Have I, a great admiral of the navy, fallen to the point of teaching an idiot Celestial Dragon how to use a slingshot?
But the situation is stronger than people, people are under the eaves…
Sure enough, the system arrived late.
[Side quest triggered! ][Task name: Slingshot Master’s Quick Tutorial][Task Description: Satisfy Saint Charlos’s thirst for knowledge and teach him at least three methods or techniques to improve the accuracy of slingshot shooting. Must be simple and easy to understand, suitable for students with no basic skills.][Task requirements: You must remain patient during the teaching process and must not show any impatience or contempt. ][Task Reward: System Points x3; Skill Proficiency: “Basic Shooting Theory” +10][Failure penalty: The host can only eat the extremely strange-tasting “nutritional paste” (system special edition) for the next three meals.]Ron looked at the punishment for failure and the corners of his mouth twitched again.
Nutritional cream? System-specific version?
That doesn’t sound like a good thing!
I’m afraid it’s made of sea king excrement? !
For the sake of my own stomach, I endured it!
Ron stood up, walked in front of Charlos, and forced a “nuclear-kind” smile that was uglier than crying. This smile scared Charlos again.
“Saint Charlos, if you want to improve your accuracy, it’s actually very simple.”
Ron began his “teaching” by using the simplest and most straightforward language possible: “First, the posture.”
He picked up the slingshot from Charlos’s hand and made a standard bow holding posture.
“Stand steady, keep your center of gravity low, and keep your bow arm straight, but don’t lock it completely, keep a little flexibility.”
Charlos imitated him, adjusting his posture awkwardly, his fat body twisting this way and that like a tumbler.
“Second, it’s aiming.”
Ron continued, “A slingshot doesn’t have a sight, so you need to rely on your sense of touch. You can try to use the thumb joint of your bow-holding hand, or the top of the bow arm, as a reference point. Remember the principle of ‘three points in one line’ – your eyes, the reference point, and the target should all be in a straight line as much as possible.”
“Three points in one line? How complicated!”
Charlos frowned, obviously not understanding.
Ron patiently slowed down his speech, explained it again, and even helped him adjust his sight angle.
“Finally, and most importantly.”
Ron picked up a stone, put it in his leather bag, and slowly opened it:
“It’s the timing and stability of releasing the bow. After you have fully drawn the bow, do not hesitate, adjust your breathing, and when you feel you have aimed, release your hand decisively and steadily. Remember, your wrist cannot shake.”
As he spoke, he demonstrated it again.
This time, he did not aim at any living creature, but at a piece of wood floating on the sea in the distance.
Whoosh——bang!
The stone hit the center of the wooden board accurately, causing it to roll several times.
Charlos’ eyes lit up and he clapped his hands repeatedly:
“Wow! That’s amazing! It’s so simple! I’ve learned it!”
You learned nothing!
Ron complained in his heart, but still had that stiff smile on his face: “You are gifted and you can understand it at once.”
Chapter 12: Take a Little Responsibility (Old Version)
[Ding! The side quest “Slingshot Master’s Quick Tutorial” is completed! The host successfully taught three techniques and maintained (superficial) patience. Reward: System Points x3; Skill Proficiency: “Basic Shooting Theory” +10 has been issued. Failure penalty has been lifted. ][Current total points: 47 points.]Phew, I got another 3 points.
Ron felt like he was playing an extremely boring and low-paying scoring game.
After Charlos got the “true teachings”, he immediately couldn’t wait to put them into practice.
He picked up the slingshot and the stone, and imitated Ron, aiming…
Well, this time he was aiming at a naval flag hanging on the mast.
“Look at how powerful this Saint is!”
He yelled and suddenly let go!
The stone flew out in a strange arc… perfectly avoiding the flag and flying towards… Ron!
Ron: “!”
How quickly did he react?
He tilted his head slightly almost subconsciously, and a stone flew past his ear and hit the cabin wall behind him with a dull sound.
That was a close call!
I was almost shot in the head by this idiot!
Although with his physique, he would not be injured even if he was hit, but this was definitely a great humiliation!
However, before he could react, something even more troublesome happened.
The bouncing stone did not stop, but bounced at a sharp angle towards…
The coffee cup that Ron had just placed on the small table next to the recliner!
Snap!
A crisp sound!
The coffee cup with the Navy logo printed on it, which Ron had used for several years and which he personally liked very much, was broken by this innocent stone…
Broken!
Coffee splattered everywhere, and fragments were scattered all over the floor.
The deck fell silent in an instant.
Everyone’s eyes were focused on the pile of cup fragments, and then they looked at their General Ron in horror.
It’s over!
Barbie is cute!
Everyone knows that although General Ron usually looks lazy and afraid of trouble, he has a few little quirks, or bottom lines.
One of them is that he hates being interrupted when drinking coffee, and…
Destroyed his few personal belongings!
Because he was too lazy to buy a new one!
And now, Saint Charlos, the distinguished Celestial Dragon, not only disturbed the admiral’s leisure time, but also broke the admiral’s beloved coffee cup with his own hands!
This… this is simply like discoing in a minefield, dancing in the crater of a volcano!
Saint Charles obviously realized that he was in trouble.
He looked at the pile of debris, then at Ron’s face which suddenly darkened. Even through his sunglasses he could feel the chill.
He was so scared that he dropped the slingshot in his hand and stammered:
“No…it wasn’t me! It broke by itself! Yes! It’s because the cup is of poor quality!”
The navy soldiers around were almost crying.
Can you come up with a better reason?
This is too obvious of a blame game!
Ron slowly stood up, walked step by step to the pile of debris, and looked down.
The temperature on the deck seemed to drop by more than ten degrees. Everyone felt an invisible, cold pressure looming over them, making it difficult to even breathe.
They could even hear the sound of their own hearts beating wildly.
General… is he going to lose his temper?
What will he do?
Throw Saint Charlos directly into the sea?
Or… draw the sword?
This is a celestial dragon!
If the general really takes action… the consequences will be unimaginable!
Just when the atmosphere was extremely tense and it seemed as if a shocking conflict would break out in the next second——
Ron slowly raised his head and looked at Saint Charlos, who was trembling with fear on his face.
On his face, unexpectedly…
He showed that extremely stiff and weird “smile” again.
“Saint Charlos,” his voice was eerily calm, without any emotion, “You… are right.”
Saint Charles: “Huh?”
The surrounding navy: “Huh?!”
Ron continued in that calm tone: “
Indeed… the quality of the cups is not good. It seems that the logistics department of the navy needs to be rectified.”
He bent down, carefully picked up the largest piece, and held it in the palm of his hand, as if he was admiring a work of art.
“But if something is damaged, you always have to take a little responsibility… right?”
His eyes turned to the slingshot that Saint Charlos had dropped on the ground.
“Just punish you… You are not allowed to play this again today. We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”
After saying that, he threw the fragments into the trash can next to him, turned around, and walked towards the cabin without looking back.
“Today’s tea time is over. I don’t want to hear any more…discordant sounds on the deck before I come back.”
His figure disappeared behind the hatch, leaving a group of stunned, sweaty sailors on the deck.
And Saint Charlos, who hadn’t fully reacted yet and was just a little unhappy because his toys were confiscated.
After a long while, a soldier finally said in a trembling voice: “What just happened?”
“General… just… let it go?”
“So scary… The general’s smile just now… I feel it is scarier than him drawing his sword…”
“Yeah… why does that phrase ‘take a little responsibility’ sound so creepy to me?”
Only Ron’s adjutant looked at Ron’s departing back, then looked at the debris in the trash can and the slingshot on the ground, seemingly thinking about something.
He knew that this general was not someone who would swallow his anger.
Today’s matter…I’m afraid it won’t end so easily.
At this moment, Ron returned to his room, and the smile on his face instantly disappeared, replaced by a cold look.
He walked to the window and looked at the blue sea outside with deep eyes.
“Charlos… you’d better pray that you don’t touch my bottom line again before reaching your destination, otherwise… I don’t mind letting you experience what a real ‘surprise’ is.”
His fingers tapped lightly on the windowsill, as if he was calculating something.
That damn system doesn’t seem to have issued any tasks or penalties regarding “the cup being broken”.
Does this mean… the system assumes that this level of “minor trouble” can be handled by himself?
This is an interesting discovery.
The corners of Ron’s mouth curled up into a truly cold arc.
Chapter 13: All-round “Care” (Old Version)
As night falls, the sea surface is dyed a deep ink color, with only the stars and the lights on the warships illuminating the waves.
The hustle and bustle of the day seemed to have died down temporarily, but the atmosphere on the “Glory of Justice” was still tense.
Saint Charles had his beloved slingshot confiscated.
Like a giant baby whose candy was taken away, he threw a tantrum in his own luxury suite.
The sound of things being smashed, sharp complaints, and scolding of slaves could be faintly heard outside, making the marines on guard feel very nervous.
And at the other end of the battleship.
In Ron’s private room, however, the scene was completely different.
The room was brightly lit, and Ron sat leisurely on the sofa, holding a book in his hand…
Well, I borrowed the “Illustrated Guide to Common Fish on the Grand Route (Children’s Edition)” from the ship’s library.
He looked with great interest and seemed to be very interested in the colorful and childish pictures of fish.
Of course, he was actually researching which fish was more convenient for making sashimi in preparation for his sea fishing life after retirement.
As for the coffee cup that got smashed during the day?
He had chosen to forget—at least on the surface.
However, forgetting some things does not mean not pursuing them.
“Knock knock knock,” there was a knock on the door.
“Come in,” Ron said without looking up.
The person who came in was the ship’s chef, an experienced naval chef with superb cooking skills, but at this moment he was sweating and pale.
“General…General Ron.”
The chef’s voice was trembling: “Saint Charlos’s dinner… has been prepared according to your instructions.”
“Oh?” Ron put down the illustrated book, raised his head, and looked calmly, “Did you do as I said?”
“Yes! Yes! Exactly!”
The chef nodded and bowed quickly:
“The main course is top-quality sea king fillet, cooked strictly according to ancient methods, seasoned only with sea salt and thyme, and cooked to medium rare, no more, no less! The accompanying soup is deep-sea fish bone broth that has been simmered over low heat for twelve hours, with all impurities and excess fat filtered out! The dessert is… a simple baked apple, with no sugar, no cream, and only a little cinnamon powder…”
As he reported, he secretly observed Ron’s expression out of the corner of his eye.
He was afraid that he might do something wrong and anger this moody general.
What happened on the deck during the day had spread throughout the ship.
Everyone knows that General Ron’s beloved coffee cup was broken by the Celestial Dragons.
Instead of getting angry, the general confiscated the opponent’s toy in an unusually “calm” manner.
This unreasonable calmness made everyone feel creepy.
Now, the general personally asked about the dinner of the Celestial Dragons and proposed such a…
“Simple” requirements.
The chef almost wondered if he was preparing the last meal for the prisoners in Impel Down!
After listening to the report, Ron nodded with satisfaction:
“Very good. Remember, Saint Charlos is a distinguished person. His diet must be healthy, natural, and pure. There cannot be any ‘modern’ or ‘fancy’ additions. We must strictly follow the most traditional and authentic cooking standards of our navy. This is the highest responsibility for the health of our distinguished guests.”
Chef: “…”
Although his heart was roaring:
Health! Do creatures like the Celestial Dragons care about health?
Don’t you know what they usually eat?
This top-notch fillet is cooked without butter and black pepper sauce, which is such a waste!
And the fish soup is so light that you can see your reflection in it!
Baked apples without sugar? Can that be delicious?!
This is not responsibility at all, this is torture, right?!
But he could only say repeatedly: “Yes! Yes! I understand! I will strictly follow the highest standards!”
“Go ahead.”
Ron waved.
The chef fled from the room as if he had been pardoned.
Ron looked at his departing back, a barely perceptible smile forming at the corner of his mouth.
That’s right, he wanted to use this method to carry out a little “reasonable” revenge.
The Tianlong people are accustomed to eating delicacies from mountains and seas, and are used to all kinds of seasonings that stimulate the taste buds and luxurious cooking methods.
If they are suddenly asked to eat something that pursues “original taste”, “health” and “tradition”, it will definitely make them feel uncomfortable and even difficult to swallow.
But you can’t fault it!
Because this completely meets the standards of “healthy eating” and can even be called “for the sake of your health.”
Sometimes, there is no need to use knives or guns to disgust people.
Sure enough, not long after, an even more violent roar was heard from Saint Charles’ suite:
“What the hell is this?! How come the fillet steak has no taste at all?! It’s so hard!”
“Is this soup the water from washing the pot?! It’s as clear as urine!”
“Baked apple?! I want a cake covered with chocolate sauce and cream! Not this sour, tooth-breaking apple!”
“Chef! Call the chef over here! I’m going to shoot him!”
However, the chef had already received Ron’s “instructions” and hid in the kitchen, saying that he was “preparing a healthy breakfast for tomorrow” and dared not show up.
The Marine responsible for delivering the message could only reply timidly.
He said that this was ordered by General Ron himself, “for your health,” and that it was in full compliance with the “highest health dietary standards for the world’s aristocrats.”
Charlos was so angry that he almost tore down the room.
But in the end, he did not dare to attack Ron, the admiral whose strength was unfathomable and even his father was afraid of him.
He could only vent his anger on the slaves and the furnishings in the room, and finally he sulked on his stomach.
Ron turned a deaf ear to this and continued to look at his fish encyclopedia leisurely.
This is just the first step.
Over the next few days, Saint Charlos’s “discomfort” experience continued to escalate.
The air conditioner in his room would always “accidentally” be adjusted to an awkward temperature that made him feel either slightly cold or slightly hot.
Every time the technician in charge of maintenance came to check, he said, “Everything is normal, maybe you are sensitive to temperature.”
Whenever he wanted to take a nap, there would always be a seagull “happen” to land near the window, making a monotonous and persistent cry.
The guards “tried” to drive them away, but the seagulls always “happened” to fly back.
He wanted to watch a singing and dancing show to relieve his boredom, but was told that the members of the accompanying singing and dancing troupe had “unfortunately” become seasick and were resting.
Only naval military music performances that are “wholesome to the body and mind” can be provided.
The majestic and exciting music made Charles feel dizzy.
He wanted to eat some rare fruits, but the answer he got was always “I’m very sorry, the reserves have just run out, and we have urgently contacted for supplies, but it may take a few days”…
Chapter 14 Again? Late-night academic discussion! (Old version)
All kinds of “misfortunes” and “coincidences”.
They all hit Saint Charlos’s “uncomfortable points” precisely.
Taken individually, these things are not a big deal.
There are even “reasonable” explanations that are completely in line with the navy’s rules and regulations and the principle of “considering our guests.”
But when all these factors were combined together, it made this pampered and arrogant Tianlong man feel uncomfortable all over. Nothing he did went his way, and he became more and more irritable, but he had no place to vent.
It’s not like he didn’t suspect that Ron was behind this, but he couldn’t find any evidence at all!
Ron appeared in front of him on time every day, with a calm expression and a “respectful” attitude, and he always responded to his “reasonable” requests.
We used various “rules and regulations” and “objective restrictions” to counter his unreasonable behavior.
Charlos felt like he had punched cotton, with no place to put his strength, and felt extremely frustrated.
And Ron, in this subtle revenge, found a little…
pleasure?
Looking at Charlos’s frustrated and angry look seemed to make people feel more comfortable than fighting directly.
And, most importantly, the system remained silent throughout the process and did not issue any related punishment tasks!
This confirmed Ron’s guess:
As long as he didn’t violate the mission directly, the system seemed to allow him to deal with some personal grudges or…
Have some fun.
This is such a pleasant surprise.
That night, Ron stood by the side of the ship, feeling the sea breeze, and was in a rare good mood.
Although the mission of escorting the Celestial Dragons is still disgusting, it is always good to be able to “give back” a little.
“It seems that compared with the power of the admiral level, the system is not omnipotent.”
Ron whispered to himself, with a meaningful smile on his face: “As long as I master the rules… maybe this journey won’t be so boring.”
He even began to look forward to what tricks Charlos would come up with tomorrow.
How can he “reasonably” make the other person feel “uncomfortable”?
As for retirement… well, although the road is tortuous, it doesn’t seem completely hopeless?
At least, he now feels more motivated to “deal with” the troubles at hand.
Just then—
The system’s voice sounded again at an inopportune time.
[The host’s mood index has been detected to fluctuate greatly (happy?), which meets the conditions for triggering a random task. ]【Random tasks released! 】
[Task name: Late-night academic discussion][Mission Description: The ocean of knowledge is vast and boundless. Please go to the bridge and have an in-depth academic discussion with the navigator on duty on “The nonlinear impact of the abnormal magnetic field phenomenon on the pointer stability of the Grand Route” for no less than one hour. ][Task requirements: Professional terminology must be used, the discussion must be in-depth, and at least one innovative (or innovative-sounding) point of view must be put forward. ][Task Reward: System Points x8; Skill: “Navigation Theory” +20][Failure penalty: When the host wakes up tomorrow, his hairstyle will automatically become an afro for 24 hours.]The smile on Ron’s face froze instantly.
He slowly, slowly turned his head and looked towards the brightly lit bridge.
Late at night… academic discussion… with the navigator… discussing the nonlinear effects of some damn pointer?!
Need more depth?!
Innovative ideas are also needed?!
How could he, a time traveler who specializes in swordsmanship and domineering, understand these things? !
And the failure penalty!
Afro?!
He, “Mojian” Ron, has an afro? !
“System…” Ron gritted his teeth, and the voice squeezed out from between his teeth, “Me! @#￥%*!!!”
It seems that his “happy” time is always so short.
The night is dark and the sea breeze is cool.
Ron stood outside the heavy soundproof door of the bridge and took a deep breath, trying to calm his irritable mood.
He had just greeted the system and its developer’s family in one hundred and eight different languages ​​in his mind, but the reality was still cruel—
Or he could have a “profound” discussion with the navigator that he himself couldn’t understand.
Or I’ll have to face Saint Charles tomorrow with an afro that could serve as a nest for seagulls.
Weighing the pros and cons of two evils…he decided to choose the former.
At least, the embarrassment only happened in front of the navigator, so there is still room for redemption.
He pushed the door open and walked in.
The bridge is the core command center of the entire warship. At this moment, there are only a few personnel on duty busy at their respective posts.
Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows is the deep night sky and the boundless sea. Various precision instruments are flashing faint lights, and the air is filled with a tense and professional atmosphere.
When they saw Ron come in, everyone immediately stopped what they were doing and stood up to salute.
“general!”
“Good evening.”
Ron nodded, his eyes swept across the room, finally landing on the young navigator in front of the main console who was wearing glasses and looked a bit bookish.
This navigator is one of the best sailors in the Navy Headquarters.
Proficient in various navigation techniques and meteorological knowledge, he is known as the “moving living sea chart”.
“Major Dawson,” Ron walked to the main console and tried to make his tone sound more natural, “Are you still busy so late?”
The young navigator called Dawson was obviously a little flattered and stood up straight immediately:
“Report to the General! It’s my duty! We are monitoring the magnetic field and ocean current changes in the sea ahead to ensure the safety of the route!”
“very good.”
Ron nodded, and then, under the puzzled gazes of Dawson and the other staff on duty, he asked casually:
“Speaking of which, I’ve recently been very interested in the anomaly in the magnetic field of the Grand Line, especially… um, its… nonlinear effect on the stability of the recording pointer. Does Major Dawson have any unique insights?”
Dawson: “???”
He was stunned, his eyes widened behind his glasses, and he wondered if he had heard it wrong.
General Ron?
“Ink Sword” Ron?
This top warrior, known for his powerful strength, cold personality, and seemingly indifferent to everything except fighting, actually…
Running to the bridge in the middle of the night to discuss with him, a navigator, the “non-linear effect of magnetic field anomalies on pointer stability”? !
Isn’t this style of painting a bit too wrong? !
Could it be… this is some kind of advanced test?
Or is it hinting at something?
The other staff on duty nearby also pricked up their ears, their eyes filled with curiosity and awe.
Worthy of being a general!
Even the issues of concern are so… professional and profound!
Dawson took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
No matter what the general’s intention is, he must respond with his best professionalism!
Chapter 15: The General is truly unfathomable (Old Version)
“Report to the general!”
Dawson adjusted his glasses and his tone became extremely serious:
“This question is indeed an important topic in the navigation of the Grand Route! Due to the complexity and variability of the geomagnetic field of the Grand Route, as well as the special magnetic field interference carried by various islands themselves, the deflection of the recording pointer often presents a highly nonlinear characteristic! This poses a huge challenge to the precise planning of the route!”
He began to talk non-stop.
From the basic principles of the geomagnetic field to the particularity of the Grand Route.
Then there is the specific model of the impact of various abnormal magnetic fields on the pointer readings, and even several obscure mathematical formulas and physical laws are cited.
Ron stood aside, listening expressionlessly.
His eyes were deep and he nodded occasionally, as if he was listening very attentively and understood very well.
In fact, his heart is:
“What the hell? Nonlinear features? What model? Is this guy talking nonsense?”
‘What does that formula he just mentioned mean? I seem to have seen it somewhere… Oh, now I remember, it was in the last additional question of my college entrance examination physics paper. I didn’t understand it at the time…’
‘System, are you sure this is navigation and not quantum physics?’
But he can’t show his weakness!
The task requirement is to “discuss in depth”!
It also needs to have “depth”!
So, when Dawson was talking about a paragraph, he paused for a moment to drink some water.
Ron immediately seized the opportunity and, in an unfathomable tone, threw out the first “innovative idea” that came to his mind.
Of course, this viewpoint was just searched in the system with 2 points…
“Well, Major Dawson’s analysis makes sense.”
Ron said slowly:
“However, I have been thinking about a question. Traditional analysis models are mostly based on classical electromagnetic field theory. But could the anomaly of the Grand Line involve something deeper… For example, some kind of… ‘wrinkle’ or ‘disturbance’ in space itself? This disturbance may be the root cause of the chaos and nonlinearity in the pointer readings?”
Dawson: “!!!”
His hand holding the water cup froze in mid-air, his eyes widened even wider than before, and his mouth slightly opened, as if he had heard some earth-shattering theory!
Space wrinkles?!
Space disturbance? !
This… this is completely beyond the scope of traditional navigation!
This is simply… the most cutting-edge conjecture in physics, even with a hint of metaphysics!
Hearing this theory from the admiral’s mouth is even more shocking than hearing him say that he is going to retire tomorrow!
Could it be that… the general’s strength lies not only in his combat ability, but also in his wisdom that goes beyond ordinary people’s imagination and can see into the essence of the world? !
The staff on duty nearby also took a deep breath, and the look they gave Ron had changed from awe to… looking up to God!
Ron looked at their shocked expressions, his heart was calm and he even wanted to laugh.
‘Yes, it’s just nonsense. How about it? Does it sound cool? Very innovative?’
Thanks to the system’s crappy but occasionally useful database.
Although it cost 2 points, it’s okay as long as it can scare people.
Dawson’s face turned red with excitement. He put down the water cup and said very quickly:
“General! Your point of view… is really… really inspiring! Although there is currently no theory or observation that can directly prove the impact of space disturbances on the magnetic field pointer, this undoubtedly provides us with a new, higher-dimensional perspective for understanding the abnormal phenomena of the Grand Line! If… if we can establish a relevant mathematical model…”
He was in a state of feverish academic excitement.
I began to write and draw quickly on the virtual screen, trying to visualize Ron’s “groundbreaking” idea.
Ron looked at his obsessed look and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Very good, the first topic was handled and it seems to be very effective.
Next, just occasionally insert a few words that sound profound but are actually ambiguous.
If we guide this “nerd” navigator to conduct “in-depth discussions” on his own, he should be able to last for an hour.
Therefore, in the following time, an extremely strange scene appeared on the bridge:
Major Dawson, a young navigation genius, faces the air, the screen, and various data charts.
Sometimes he explained excitedly, sometimes he frowned in thought, and sometimes he wrote furiously.
It seems as if a great scientific challenge is underway.
And Admiral Ron of the Navy Headquarters stood quietly by like an unfathomable mentor.
Nod from time to time, or say something like “Well, this direction is worth thinking about”, “Perhaps we can consider introducing the probability cloud model”, “Behind the phenomenon, there is often a simpler essence”.
Leading Dawson’s thinking in a more “profound” and “innovative” direction.
The staff on duty nearby felt like they were listening to a sermon by a god.
Although I didn’t understand anything at all, I felt that my soul was sublimated.
Ron plays the role of “mentor”.
While silently calculating the time in my mind, I also had to be distracted and be on guard against whether the system would cause any more trouble.
“Fifty minutes…Ten minutes left…”
“This guy is really good at talking, isn’t he? I can’t keep making up stories anymore…”
“System, if you give me a C rating again for this mission, I will never let you go!”
Finally, when Ron felt that his brain cells were about to burn out, the one-hour countdown ended.
[Ding! Random task “Late-night academic discussion” completed! ][Task Evaluation: A (The host successfully guided the target to conduct in-depth discussions and put forward at least one innovative point of view. Although this point of view is very likely to be wrong, it successfully stimulated the target’s academic enthusiasm.)][Task Reward: System Points x8; Skill: “Navigation Theory” +20 has been issued. ][Current total points: 55 points.]Ron felt relieved, as if he had just fought Kaido for three hundred rounds.
The afro crisis is finally resolved!
And the rating is actually A?
It seems that the nonsense method is quite effective.
He interrupted Major Dawson who was still in an excited state and said, “Okay, Major Dawson, let’s stop here for today’s discussion. Many of your ideas are very interesting. Keep working hard.”
After saying this, he did not stay any longer and turned to leave the bridge.
This left Dawson, who had a look of unsatisfied satisfaction on his face, as if his Ren and Du meridians had been opened, and a group of staff on duty with even more admiring eyes.
“General…you are truly unfathomable…”
Dawson muttered.
Looking at the formulas and conjectures on the screen that he himself could hardly understand, he felt like he had touched the door to a new world.
Chapter 16 Kizaru’s Information (Old Version)
And here.
Ron returned to his room feeling exhausted.
All he wanted now was to lie down and fall into a deep sleep.
What Celestial Dragons, what system tasks, go to hell!
However, just as he was about to pounce on the soft big bed——
His own Den Den Mushi suddenly started to ring “Bulu Bulu”.
Moreover, that unique cry and the simulated obscene expression… is it Kizaru? !
Ron’s eyelids twitched violently.
Why is this perverted old fellow calling me so late at night?
It must be something bad!
He hesitated for a moment, but finally picked up the microphone.
“Hey, Ron-san, why are you still awake so late~?” Den Den Mushi immediately imitated Kizaru’s annoying, drawn-out tone.
Ron said expressionlessly, “What’s up?”
“Oh, it’s nothing serious,” Kizaru’s voice sounded lazy:
“I heard that you accepted the mission to escort that troublesome Saint Charlos? You’ve worked so hard. I just happened to have some interesting information about that ‘distinguished guest’. I wonder if you’re interested?”
This guy Kizaru never comes to the temple without a reason.
The “little information” he mentioned is most likely not simple.
Moreover, he specifically mentioned Charlos…
“Say,” Ron said simply.
Kizaru chuckled twice, his tone still slow, but the content made Ron’s heart sink suddenly:
“Nothing much. It’s just that my men accidentally discovered that there seems to be a small group of… um, very bold guys who have set their sights on Saint Charles’s ‘vacation’ itinerary and seem to want to…”
“Some big news~? I’m not sure who it is. Maybe it’s the Revolutionary Army? Or maybe it’s some pirates who are dissatisfied with the Celestial Dragons? Or…some other little bugs in the dark? Who knows~”
“Place? Time? Scale?” Ron’s voice turned cold in an instant.
“Oh my, I’m not sure about this. Information is always vague.”
Kizaru laughed: “But according to their speed, it will probably be… just a few days, right?”
“As for the location, it’s probably near the resort island with nice scenery that you’re going to stop at next. As for the scale, it shouldn’t be too small, right? After all, the opponent is a Celestial Dragon, don’t you think so, Ron-san?”
Ron was silent.
He knew that although Kizaru’s words seemed vague, they actually revealed enough information.
Someone is going to attack Saint Charlos.
Just in the last few days.
The location is likely to be near your next destination and it’s not small!
This is definitely not a “little trouble”!
This is a fatal incident!
If anything happens to Saint Charlos while he is escorting him, let alone retiring, he will probably be immediately held accountable by the Five Elders and forced to defect!
And what was Kizaru’s purpose in telling him this information in this way at this time?
Just a reminder?
Or do you want to see him laugh? Or… do you have other intentions?
“Thank you for the reminder, Admiral Kizaru,” Ron finally said in a calm tone.
“Oh, you’re welcome. We’re all colleagues, so it’s only natural for us to help each other,” Kizaru said with a grin.
“Then I won’t disturb your rest. I wish you a pleasant journey~ Bulu Bulu…”
Den Den Mushi hung up and everything returned to calm.
Ron put down the phone, his face so gloomy that it looked like water was about to drip out of it.
Just after solving a “hair-exploding crisis”, a real “head-losing crisis” immediately comes!
This world, this system, and those guys hiding in the dark…
Can’t he just be allowed to retire peacefully? !
It seems that the next journey is the beginning of the real test.
He needed to come up with a response plan immediately.
This time, it’s not as simple as playing with slingshots or late-night discussions.
It’s true…there’s going to be blood.
Kizaru’s phone call was like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, which stirred up huge waves in Ron’s heart, but he quickly suppressed them.
The more critical the moment, the more you need to stay calm.
This is the valuable experience he gained from struggling on the brink of life and death for many years.
An attack on the Celestial Dragons? A large one? Near the next stop?
Ron walked to the huge nautical chart and fixed his eyes on the next stop on their scheduled route.
A resort island called “Shampola”.
The island is famous for its unique colorful coral reefs and luxurious resorts, and is a favorite leisure destination for many wealthy businessmen and aristocrats.
The security force is relatively strong, but it is not invulnerable to a truly premeditated attacker.
Who could it be?
Revolutionary Army?
It’s quite possible.
They have always regarded the Celestial Dragons as their biggest enemy. Assassinating or kidnapping them would undoubtedly create a huge sensation and undermine the prestige of the World Government.
Pirate?
It’s possible.
It is not impossible that some daring pirate groups or those who have personal grudges against the Celestial Dragons would take risks for fame or revenge.
Dark forces?
For example, some organizations in the underground world, or… some factions within the world government?
This is even more complicated and involves a higher level of game play.
That guy Kizaru was being ambiguous on purpose, obviously not wanting to get involved.
In other words, he is just watching the fire from the other side of the river, and may even want to take this opportunity to achieve some of his own goals.
But no matter who the enemy is, the target is clear – Saint Charlos.
And Ron’s mission is to ensure the safety of this idiot.
This is simply the most frustrating task in the world!
He wished the attackers would kidnap Charlos immediately. As long as his life was not harmed, he could even pretend that he didn’t see it…
Of course, this is just thought.
If Charlos was really kidnapped or injured, he, as the guard general, would definitely be the first person responsible.
“Trouble…” Ron cursed under his breath.
He began to think quickly about countermeasures.
Increase vigilance?
This is a must.
However, relying solely on passive defense will likely put you on the defensive when facing an enemy that is well prepared.
Change the route? Avoid Shampoo Island?
no.
The itinerary of the Celestial Dragons had been planned long ago, and any temporary changes needed to be reported to the Five Elders for approval. By then, the plan would be delayed and it would be easier to alert the enemy.
Take the initiative? Find the attacker and strike first?
This is an idea, but the enemy is hiding in the dark, in the vast ocean, how can we find him?
Moreover, once the fight starts, the noise will be too loud and that idiot Charlos will definitely be frightened and may even be affected.
Ron tapped his fingers on the chart, his eyes flickering.
Maybe… we can change our thinking.
Since the enemy is coming, let them come.
Instead of waiting passively, it is better to… proactively set a “trap”, or in other words, “fish”.
He needed a bait, an opportunity for the enemy to jump out.
At the same time, he also needs to ensure the safety of the “bait” itself, Saint Charlos, during the “fishing” process.
This requires careful planning and absolute control of the situation.
Chapter 17 Impressive Artistic Shock (Old Version)
Ron began to pace the room, his mind racing, one plan after another emerging and being rejected.
At this moment, the system’s voice came again uninvited.
[The host is detected to be facing a potential crisis and is trying to formulate a response strategy. Triggering auxiliary function: “Tactical deduction (primary)”. 】
[Function description: Consume system points to conduct preliminary feasibility analysis, risk assessment and success rate prediction for specific tactical targets. The deduction results are for reference only.][Do you want to enable the “tactical deduction” function? The points consumed for a single deduction are: 10 points. ]Ron paused.
Tactical deduction? This function sounds…like it might be useful?
Although it hurts to spend 10 points, it seems worth it if it can improve the success rate of dealing with crises.
“Enable,” Ron said silently in his mind.
【Please set the simulation goals and core strategies. 】
Ron pondered for a moment and formed a preliminary plan framework in his mind:
“Goal of the game: Under the premise of ensuring the absolute safety of Saint Charlos, lure and annihilate/expel potential attackers targeting him. Core strategy: Use Saint Charlos’s public activities on Shampola Island as bait, deploy defense and counterattack forces in advance, lure the enemy deep into our territory, and capture them all in one fell swoop.”
[Received the order, started tactical deduction…][Deduction in progress…]【The deduction is complete.】
[Deduction results:][Strategic feasibility: medium.][Risk Assessment: High. Main Risk Points: 1. As a bait, the uncontrollable factors of Saint Charlos are extremely high, and his foolish behavior may cause the plan to fail or put him in danger. 2. The enemy’s strength, scale, and attack method are unknown, and may exceed expectations, resulting in a breakthrough in defense. 3. The island environment is complex, and there may be unknown third-party forces involved. ][Success rate prediction (for reference only): 45%-60%][Optimization suggestions: 1. Enhance control over the bait (Charlos Saint) to limit its range of activities and suicidal behavior. 2. Conduct more detailed intelligence collection in advance to clarify the enemy’s identity and strength. 3. Prepare multiple emergency plans to deal with different emergencies. ]Ron looked at the deduction results with a frown on his face.
The highest success rate is only 60%?
Is the risk still so high?
This system is really unreliable!
However, those optimization suggestions do make some sense.
Strengthen control over Charlos?
This might be even harder than defeating the Four Emperors.
That idiot won’t listen.
Unless…some special means are used?
Intelligence gathering?
That old fox Kizaru will definitely not reveal more.
Although the navy’s intelligence system is huge, it is not easy to find hidden enemies like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Contingency plan?
This can be prepared.
Ron fell into deep thought again.
It seems that this “fishing” plan needs more careful design.
The system notification sound came again, and Ron felt like he was about to develop PTSD from this sound.
[It is detected that the host is troubled by the “bait control power”. Triggering a random side quest. 】
[Task name: General’s “warm” reminder][Task Description: In order to ensure the smooth progress of the important mission, it is necessary to let the “key person” fully understand the importance of cooperation. Please find a suitable opportunity to show Saint Charlos the “serious consequences” of not obeying orders in an “appropriate” and “impressive” way. ][Task requirements: Do not cause direct physical harm to the victim, but must achieve a sufficient deterrent effect. The method must have a certain “artistic quality.”][Task Reward: System Points x10; Title Fragment: “Master of Control” (1/5)][Failure penalty: The host will automatically walk with the same hands and feet for the next 48 hours.]He looked at the task description and the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but twitch again.
A “warm” reminder?
“Appropriate” and “impressive”?
Is there also a need for “artistic quality”?
Is it still necessary to achieve a “deterrent” effect?
System, are you sure this is a mission and not teaching me how to intimidate the Celestial Dragons? !
But… this mission came at the right time.
If this mission can be completed and Charlos’ behavior can be slightly “restrained”, it will undoubtedly be beneficial to the subsequent “fishing” plan.
As for the penalty for failure…walking with the same hands and feet?
The scene was too beautiful to be imagined. It had to succeed!
So, what “artistic” method can be used to deter that fool?
Ron’s gaze once again fell on the deep sea outside the window.
Got it.
…
The next morning.
The “Glory of Justice” was not far from Shampora Island, and could even see the island’s unique colorful outline.
The Charlos Bible has a night of “healthy eating” and various “discomforts”.
My mental state is quite bad now, with two big dark circles under my eyes and a face full of bad temper.
As soon as he was dressed by the slaves, he clamored to go to the deck to play with his slingshot.
However, as he walked out of the room cursing and prepared to go to the deck.
But he found that General Ron was “coincidentally” standing on his path, seemingly… admiring the sea view?
“Get out of the way! Don’t block my way!”
Charlos scolded impatiently.
Ron turned around slowly, his face still expressionless, but his eyes seemed deeper and colder than usual.
“Good morning, Saint Charlos.”
He said in a calm tone: “Before you start today’s entertainment, I want to show you something interesting.”
“Interesting thing? What is it? Gold? Or new slaves?” Charlos asked disdainfully.
Ron didn’t answer, but raised his hand and pointed to the sea not far away.
Suddenly, on the seemingly calm sea…
Without any warning, a huge column of water shot up into the sky!
Immediately afterwards, a giant sea king with a body as big as a small island and an extremely ferocious appearance let out a deafening roar and broke out of the water!
The terrifying pressure caused the entire warship to shake slightly even from a distance!
Where had Saint Charlos seen such a scene?
He was so frightened that his soul left his body. He screamed and collapsed to the ground, and even his bubble helmet was almost tilted!
“Sea… Sea King! Such a huge Sea King! Quick! Kill it! Protect me!”
He roared incoherently.
The surrounding naval soldiers were also on high alert, although they knew that Admiral Ron was here and would not be in any danger.
But when faced with such a huge sea king, I still feel fear instinctively.
However, Ron still stood there, not even bothering to draw his sword.
He just watched quietly at the huge monster roaring and raging on the sea.
Then, he slowly raised one hand, spread his five fingers, and pointed it at the sea king.
Chapter 18: General’s “Warm” Tips (Old Version)
Under the gaze of everyone.
There is no earth-shaking outburst of momentum, no gorgeous light and shadow effects.
There was only an invisible terrifying force that seemed to be able to freeze the soul, spreading like a tide.
The next second, a breathtaking scene happened!
That huge, ferocious giant sea king.
It was as if an invisible hand had grabbed his throat, and the roar stopped abruptly!
Its huge body began to tremble violently, and its eyes were filled with extreme fear!
Then, in front of everyone’s horrified gaze, the sea king’s body…
It began to disintegrate at a speed visible to the naked eye!
It was not cut off or shattered, but like a sand sculpture, it disintegrated and dissipated inch by inch starting from the edge!
It turned into countless tiny, gleaming particles and merged into the air and sea water!
The whole process was silent, yet full of unspeakable weirdness and horror!
In less than ten seconds, the giant sea king just disappeared… out of thin air!
As if it had never existed!
There were only slight ripples on the sea, and…dead silence.
Saint Charles, who was lying on the ground, was completely stunned.
His mouth was open, his eyes were dull, and he even forgot to scream.
Ron slowly put down his hand, turned his head and looked at Charlos.
There was still no expression on his face, but the coldness in his eyes was enough to make anyone feel like they were falling into an ice cellar.
“Saint Charlos,” he said in a calm voice that seemed to carry some kind of magic, “the sea is very dangerous.”
“Sometimes, some seemingly insignificant little troubles, or… disobedient behavior, may attract… a ‘big guy’ like the one just now.”
“Although I am your bodyguard, my energy… is also limited.”
“So, for the next few days, especially when you are on the island, for your own safety, please…make sure to stay within my sight, and don’t do anything…that might cause ‘misunderstanding’.”
“You… understand what I mean?”
Saint Charles looked at Ron’s cold eyes and recalled the horrific scene of the sea king disappearing out of thin air just now.
His body began to shake violently and uncontrollably.
Then he nodded frantically, like a chick pecking at rice, and couldn’t even speak.
[Ding! The side quest “The General’s ‘warm’ reminder” is completed! ][Task evaluation: S (The deterrent effect is extremely significant, the method has a high degree of “artistic” and visual impact, and fully demonstrates the host’s “control” potential.)][Task Reward: System Points x10; Title Fragment: “Master of Control” (1/5) has been issued. ][Current total points: 65 points.]Ron looked at Charles’ frightened expression and nodded with satisfaction.
Very good, it seems that this “warm” reminder is quite effective.
In this way, at least in the following “fishing” process, this biggest unstable factor should be able to be a little more stable.
As for the move just now… it was developed by combining his own understanding of Armament Haki and Sword Intent…
Well, a little trick for “cleaning up the trash fish”.
The effect is outstanding and looks very intimidating, making it very suitable for “artistically” intimidating some blind guys.
“Okay, Saint Charlos, stand up.”
Ron stretched out his hand and motioned him to stand up: “Get ready, we will arrive at Shampola Island soon. I hope you can spend a ‘safe’ and ‘happy’ holiday there.”
He deliberately emphasized the words “safe” and “pleasant”.
How could Charlos dare not listen at this time?
He crawled to his feet and looked at Ron with eyes filled with deep fear.
Ron looked at his cowardly appearance, feeling nothing in his heart.
Okay, the bait problem is solved temporarily.
The next step is to set up the fishing nets and wait for those ignorant fish to take the bait.
Shampoo Island…I hope you can bring me a little “surprise”.
His gaze once again turned to the colorful island that was getting closer and closer, and his eyes became sharp.
The calm before the storm is about to be broken.
The “Glory of Justice” slowly docked at the exclusive berth reserved for the world’s nobles on Shampola Island.
Unlike the grim atmosphere of Marinford, this island is full of colorful coral reefs, huge bubbles rising, and… a luxurious and noisy atmosphere.
At the dock, a team of local naval branch officials and representatives of the World Government were already waiting there.
They were dressed in neat uniforms, with humble and slightly nervous smiles on their faces, ready to welcome the arrival of the Celestial Dragons.
Ron was the first to walk down the gangway. His pure white cloak of justice stood out in the sunlight unique to Shampoo Island.
The cold temperament is out of tune with the cheerful atmosphere around.
His eyes quickly scanned the surrounding environment and the greeting personnel.
The powerful observation Haki instantly covered the entire port area like an invisible radar, detecting any suspicious aura or abnormality.
For now… no obvious threats have been detected.
But this does not mean safety. A true hunter often knows how to hide himself.
Following closely behind, Saint Charlos also came down surrounded by a group of slaves.
After the shock of the sea kings “disappearing out of thin air” yesterday and Ron’s “warm” reminder, he was obviously much more honest.
Although his face still had the arrogance unique to the Celestial Dragons, there was a hint of fear deep in his eyes that was difficult to conceal.
Especially when looking at Ron.
For the first time, he did not even immediately make comments or make irresponsible remarks about the surrounding environment and the welcoming staff.
He just followed closely a few steps behind Ron, as if that was the safest area.
“Welcome Saint Charlos! Welcome General Ron!”
The local branch commander, a slightly plump, smart-looking lieutenant general, hurried forward and saluted.
Ron nodded slightly, his eyes as sharp as a hawk: “Have all the security measures here been arranged?”
“Yes! Don’t worry, General!”
The lieutenant general quickly replied: “From the pier to the top resort hotel where you are staying, three lines of defense have been deployed along the way, and all suspicious persons have been cleared in advance! The inside of the hotel is jointly managed by the elite of our branch and the CP department to ensure that nothing goes wrong!”
“Football-proof?”
Ron’s lips curled up into a barely perceptible sneer: “There is no such thing as ‘nothing is infallible’ on the sea.”
His eyes swept over the seemingly tight defense lines and spirited soldiers, but he was not optimistic.
These routine security measures may be sufficient to deal with ordinary pirates or minor troubles.
But if it is true as Kizaru hinted, that the people coming are cadres of the Revolutionary Army or some powerful pirate group, this defense will probably be useless.
The real line of defense lies not in these soldiers, but in himself.
Chapter 19: General in Flowered Shirt! (Old Version)
On the warship, Ron continued his speech.
“According to the original plan, take Saint Charlos to the hotel.”
Ron ordered, glancing at Charlos out of the corner of his eye: “Remember what I said yesterday.”
When Charlos saw him, he immediately shuddered with fear and nodded quickly:
“Got it! I’ll stay in this room! I won’t go anywhere!”
Very good, at least the biggest source of trouble has been stabilized for the time being.
Under strict escort, the group boarded a specially made bubble car and headed to the most luxurious resort hotel on the island.
Along the way, Ron seemed to be resting with his eyes closed.
In fact, his observation Haki has always maintained the largest coverage and the highest precision of detection, analyzing the breath, emotions, and even heartbeat of every person passing by him.
This level of consumption is unimaginable for ordinary masters.
But for Ron, who has already reached the pinnacle of dominance, although there are burdens, they are still within the tolerable range.
However, just as the convoy was about to arrive at the hotel, the surrounding environment became more complicated and the flow of people became slightly denser.
The damn system notification sound rang again when he was concentrating!
【Scene mission triggered! 】
[Task name: The art of blending into the environment][Mission Background: As a top guard (and potential fisherman), perfect camouflage and adaptability to the environment are essential. The current environment (Shampola Island Resort) is full of a relaxed, pleasant, and even somewhat exaggerated atmosphere, which is seriously inconsistent with the host’s usual style. ][Task requirements: Please change into a casual outfit that matches the local “holiday” style (must include at least one floral shirt element) and wear a pair of “fashionable” sunglasses within two hours after arriving at the hotel. At the same time, when in public areas, show a “friendly” and “sunny” smile to at least three different strangers (non-navy or government personnel) and have a brief (no less than three sentences) “pleasant” conversation. ][Mission Reward: Armament Haki Micro-Control Proficiency +1%; Title Fragment: “Variety Star Lord” (1/4)][Failure penalty: For the next three days, the host’s speech will be slowed down (speech speed reduced by 50%).]He almost couldn’t help but punch the bubble car under him to pieces!
Change into casual clothes?
A floral shirt?! And fashionable sunglasses?!
Still need to show a “sunny” smile to strangers?!
And have a “pleasant” conversation?!
This… this is even harder than asking him to drink with Kaido!
When did “Mojian” Ron ever wear a floral shirt?!
In his wardrobe, apart from the navy uniform, there are only casual clothes in black, white and gray!
He usually doesn’t even bother to smile, so now he wants to smile so “sunny” at strangers?
Still want to have a “pleasant” chat?
What to talk about? Is it about how nice the weather is today or when One Piece will end?!
Is the system trying to force him onto the path of becoming a comedian? !
And that reward!
Armament Haki Micro-Control Proficiency +1%? !
This reward… to be honest, it smells really good!
For a master of Ron’s level.
It is already very difficult to increase the total amount of domineering aura, but there is still room for improvement in the fine control and use of domineering aura.
The micro-control of Armament Haki involves more precise coverage, more efficient energy utilization, and even some more special application techniques.
For example, the move he used to make the Sea Kings “dissipate” involved extremely high levels of micro-control.
Increase proficiency by 1%, although it may not seem like much.
But for top masters, it may mean a significant improvement in combat effectiveness!
hateful!
The system is giving a slap in the face and then giving a sweet date!
Using this task that he least wants to do to give him a reward that he really wants!
As for the penalty for failure… speaking has a slow motion effect?
Then when he communicates with others in the future, won’t he have the “lazy” attribute?
It makes me suffocate just thinking about it!
After weighing the pros and cons, Ron gritted his teeth.
For domineering proficiency!
In order not to become a monster who speaks half a beat slowly!
Isn’t it just flowery shirts and awkward smiles and chats?!
He endured it!
An hour later.
Next to the open-air swimming pool at the top resort hotel on Shampoo Island.
The appearance of a figure instantly attracted the attention of everyone around.
Whether they are tourists playing and joking, or plainclothes navy officers secretly on guard.
That’s a man wearing…
Well, a man wearing an extremely brightly colored floral shirt printed with giant coconut trees and flamingos, a pair of beach shorts, and a pair of exaggerated frog-eye glasses that almost covered half of his face.
This man has an upright figure and a good temperament…
It was supposed to be grim.
But paired with this extremely incongruous outfit that seemed to have been bought from a third-rate tourist souvenir shop, it created an indescribable and extremely weird sense of funny.
It was Ron who was forced to change his clothes!
He now felt like a walking joke.
He could even feel the curiosity, surprise, and even suppressed laughter from the tourists around him.
The subordinates in the dark probably dropped their jaws in shock.
“System, I will remember you!”
Ron silently made a note of it in the system.
But he still had to complete the second half of the task – awkward laughing and chatting.
He took a deep breath and scanned the edge of the swimming pool, looking for a suitable “target”.
Soon, he locked onto a middle-aged fat businessman who looked friendly and was reading a newspaper in a recliner.
Ron walked over with a somewhat stiff step, trying to put on a…
He thought his smile was very “sunny”.
“Hey, friend!” Ron greeted in a deliberately rising tone that even he himself found unfamiliar.
The fat businessman was startled by the sudden greeting. He looked up and saw Ron’s outfit and weird smile. He was stunned for a moment before he responded hesitantly, “Ah… hello?”
“It’s a nice day today, isn’t it?”
Ron continued to chat awkwardly, trying to make his smile look more “sincere”: “The sun is shining, and the sea breeze is very comfortable. It’s a great day for a vacation!”
Fat businessman: “…Yes, yes.”
“Are you here on vacation too?”
Ron resisted the urge to turn around and leave, and continued to make small talk: “This place looks quite lively.”
“Well, I came here with my family.”
The fat businessman subconsciously moved to the side, as if he wanted to stay away from this “weird guy”: “It’s quite lively…”
Chapter 20: You guys must have come to the wrong place (old version)
[Ding! Completed a pleasant conversation with the first stranger (no less than three sentences)! Target reaction: confused, alert. Overall evaluation: barely passable. ]Finally, the system prompt sounded.
Ron received the hint and immediately put away his smile, nodding stiffly at the fat businessman, as if he had been pardoned.
He turned and left, leaving the fat businessman looking puzzled.
“Phew… the first one is done, two more to go!”
Ron felt his social energy being rapidly depleted.
He used the same method to find a beautiful blonde woman taking a selfie and a young father teaching his child to swim, and forced them to laugh and have awkward conversations.
The blonde beauty’s reaction was: she was terrified and thought she had encountered a pervert, and she almost called the police.
The young father’s reaction was: he responded politely but distantly, then quickly took the child away.
[Ding! Completed a pleasant conversation with the second and third strangers! Target reaction: panic, alienation. Overall evaluation: not satisfactory.][Scene mission “The Art of Blending into the Environment” completed! ][Task evaluation: C (Although the host tried hard, the camouflage effect and social performance need to be improved. He failed to truly blend into the environment and instead attracted more attention. Considering the huge contrast of the host himself, he barely passed.)][Task Reward: Armament Haki Micro-Control Proficiency +1%; Title Fragment: “Hundred-Change Star Lord” (1/4) has been issued. ]Ron looked at the C comment and almost tore off his floral shirt on the spot.
So after all the sacrifices I made, including the flowery shirt, awkward smiles and awkward conversation, I only got a C?!
And it attracted even more attention?!
System, are you kidding me?!
But anyway, the reward was obtained.
Ron could clearly feel that his control over the Armament Haki seemed to have become even more refined.
Although this improvement is small, it is of great significance to someone at his level.
“Well, for your mastery of Haki, I will forgive you this time…”
Ron snorted inwardly.
He was just about to find a deserted corner to change back into his clothes, when suddenly, his observation Haki caught a glimpse of…
Extremely weak, but definitely abnormal murderous aura!
Directions… from the top floor of the hotel!
The Presidential Suite is located near Charlos Saint!
The enemy… is coming!
Ron’s eyes instantly became cold and sharp, no longer showing the funny look he had just shown.
The aura around him suddenly changed, and the terrifying pressure from a navy admiral could not be completely concealed even through the floral shirt!
His figure flashed, and he disappeared from the spot as if he had teleported, leaving behind only a faint afterimage and the astonished gazes of the surrounding tourists.
It’s not time to go fishing yet, but it seems…
Are there any small fish that have taken the bait early?
It’s just right. I’ll use you to try out my Armament Haki which has increased my proficiency by 1%. See how effective it is!
The corridor outside the presidential suite at the top resort hotel on Shampoo Island.
The security here is as strong as a fortress.
On the surface, there were elite soldiers in naval uniforms standing guard every three steps and every five steps.
Secretly, there are CP department agents hiding in every corner, monitoring every movement.
In theory, not even a fly can fly in.
However, at this moment.
This seemingly unbreakable line of defense actually had a fatal loophole.
Several naval soldiers who were originally in charge of guarding fell to the ground silently and lost consciousness.
Their weapons were intact and there were no scars on their bodies, as if they had suddenly fallen asleep.
Immediately afterwards, several ghostly shadows appeared, taking advantage of blind spots and some special stealth techniques.
As if blending into the shadows, he quickly crossed the corridor and headed straight for the door of the presidential suite!
Their movements were swift, precise, and silent, clearly those of well-trained professionals.
The target is clear, it is the world’s most noble and fragile “treasure” in the room – Saint Charles!
Just as the leading black shadow was about to touch the door handle and was about to use a special tool to unlock it——
A bone-chilling chill, like a strong gale from the Netherworld, swept through the entire corridor without any warning!
All the movements of the black shadows suddenly froze!
They felt as if their blood was about to freeze and their souls were trembling uncontrollably!
It is a fear of absolute power that comes from the instinct of life!
Then, a lazy, mocking voice sounded directly in their ears:
“Ladies and gentlemen, have we come to the wrong place? It’s not tea time in the presidential suite yet.”
The dark shadows looked up in horror!
I saw a man standing at the end of the corridor.
A man wearing an extremely flashy floral shirt and beach pants, with a pair of exaggerated frog-eye glasses on his face.
It was Ron who had just teleported over from the swimming pool!
He put his hands in his trouser pockets, tilted his head, and looked at these uninvited guests with the eyes of examining his prey.
Funny outfit though.
But the cold, sharp aura emanating from him, like a divine weapon unsheathed, made all the dark shadows feel their scalps tingling!
“Marine… Admiral?! ‘Ink Sword’ Ron?!”
The leading black shadow screamed, his voice filled with incredible horror.
The information is wrong!
The information they got was that Ron should be “enjoying his vacation” by the swimming pool downstairs at the moment, so how could he appear here so soon? !
Also, what’s with the way he’s dressed?!
This is totally inconsistent with the image of the cold iceberg in the legend!
“Oh? It seems that my disguise is quite successful. You can hardly recognize me?”
Ron’s mouth curled up in a cold arc, and his eyes behind the frog-eye glasses were as sharp as a knife:
“Since you know who I am, you should also know… the consequences of interrupting my ‘vacation’, right?”
Before he finished speaking, Ron’s figure disappeared from the spot like a ghost!
The next second, he appeared in front of the dark shadow closest to him!
The black shadow didn’t even have time to react before he felt an irresistible force strangling his neck!
Immediately afterwards, his body was thrown against the wall like a broken sack!
boom!
The solid wall broke and dented like tofu!
The black shadow didn’t even have time to scream before blood spurted out of his mouth and he fainted!
All this happened in a flash!
Almost as fast as possible!
Chapter 21: The Magical Effect of 1% Improvement (Old Version)
“Get started!”
The leading black shadow reacted extremely quickly, and immediately realized that they had hit a wall. He made a prompt decision and issued an attack order!
At the same time, he suddenly pulled out a special dagger that was flashing with cold light from his arms and stabbed it towards Ron’s throat!
It seemed that the dagger was filled with some deadly poison!
The other several black shadows also launched attacks at the same time!
They either drew out their guns, or drew out their weapons, or performed some strange physical skills, attacking Ron from all directions!
They cooperated well with each other, and it was obvious that they were elite soldiers who had experienced countless life-and-death battles!
However, facing this siege like a storm, Ron just…
He stretched out a finger.
His slender, bony finger gently tapped the tip of the poisoned dagger that the leading black shadow was stabbing at.
bite!
There was a crisp sound so slight that it was almost inaudible.
The leading black shadow only felt a terrifying force like a landslide or tsunami, which instantly spread throughout his body along the dagger!
That power not only contained extreme sharpness, but also carried a kind of… tyranny that could crush everything!
The special dagger in his hand was like fragile glass, shattering into pieces starting from the tip of the blade!
Turned into countless metal powders!
Immediately afterwards, the bones of his entire arm made a teeth-grinding cracking sound!
The powerful impact force directly knocked him backwards, hit the ceiling hard, and then fell heavily to the ground, his life or death was unknown!
At the same time, the attacks of several other black shadows were also approaching!
Bullets, blades, fists and feet, with fierce murderous intent, blocked all of Ron’s space to dodge!
But Ron didn’t even look at them.
He just casually raised his other hand with his fingers slightly spread.
A layer of extremely condensed Armament Haki that was almost imperceptible to the naked eye covered his palm like flowing water.
Then, he waved it forward casually as if shooing away a fly.
Buzz——!
The air seemed to be sucked out in an instant, making a dull humming sound!
The bullets shot at him, the moment they came into contact with the invisible energy in front of his palm, were like hitting an indestructible barrier. They deformed and twisted, and then fell powerlessly to the ground!
The blades that were slashing towards him were like sinking into a sticky quagmire. Their speed suddenly slowed down, and they were finally bounced away by a flexible yet irresistible force!
The fists and feet that attacked him were like hitting extremely hard steel. The attackers groaned in pain, their hand and foot bones broke, and they flew backwards!
Just a moment!
All the attacks were easily resolved by Ron in an almost casual way!
Not even his fancy shirt had a wrinkle!
This is the effect of increasing the proficiency of micro-control of Armament Haki by 1%!
It may seem like a tiny improvement, but in actual combat, it can allow his defense and force-releasing skills to reach a whole new level!
More precise, more efficient, more… as you wish!
In the corridor, only Ron was left standing. The attackers were lying on the ground, either dead or maimed, completely unable to fight.
The whole process takes no more than five seconds.
It was clean and neat, and one could even say that there was no suspense at all.
Ron pushed the sunglasses on his face and looked at the “results of battle” on the ground, seeming to be a little unsatisfied.
“Too weak… not even a warm-up.”
He commented in his mind.
“It seems that these are just small fish and shrimp that came to explore the way or cause trouble in advance. The real big fish… have not been caught yet.”
He walked up to the leading black shadow who still had a breath of life, squatted down, and took off the mask on the other’s face, revealing a featureless face distorted by severe pain.
“Who sent you?” Ron asked in a cold voice.
The man clenched his teeth, a trace of determination flashed in his eyes, as if he wanted to commit suicide.
Ron sneered, and with lightning speed, he pointed out several key acupuncture points on him, making it impossible for him to even bite his tongue to commit suicide.
“Don’t be in a hurry to die.”
Ron’s voice was like a devil’s whisper:
“I have many ways to make your life worse than death. For example… have you heard of ‘rainbow-colored Haki’? I can make your Haki… well, if you have it… become colorful and last for a month. Wherever you go, you will be like a moving neon sign. How about that? Isn’t it very ‘artistic’?”
When that person heard the “rainbow domineering power”, his body trembled violently, and for the first time, a fear stronger than death appeared in his eyes!
Although he didn’t know what it was exactly, just listening to Ron’s description with a sense of evil was enough to make him shudder!
[Ding! The host is detected to be using the “verbal deterrence” technique, skill proficiency +1. ]“Tell me, who is it?” Ron emphasized.
The man finally couldn’t bear the psychological pressure anymore, his lips trembled, and he was about to say something –
puff!
A tiny blowpipe filled with poison came from nowhere and hit the man’s temple accurately!
The man’s eyes suddenly widened, and then he lost all his spirit and died completely.
“Oh?” Ron looked up suddenly, and his sharp eyes swept to the other end of the corridor like lightning!
His observation Haki had already locked onto the attacker hiding in the ventilation duct!
“Want to silence me? It’s too late!”
Ron snorted coldly and disappeared again!
The next second, he appeared under the vent at the end of the corridor!
He was too lazy to even dismantle the vent. He just raised his hand and casually flicked his finger at the seemingly empty pipe above!
call out!
An extremely condensed, almost invisible finger wind shot into the pipe like a bullet!
Phew!
There was a faint muffled sound from the pipe, as well as the sound of something heavy falling.
Ron didn’t go up to check, he knew that the people inside were dead.
Not only did his finger wind penetrate the opponent’s vital points, but the domineering power and sword intent contained in it also directly shattered the opponent’s internal organs and vitality.
The troublesome tail was also cleaned up.
Ron clapped his hands, as if he had just done something insignificant.
He glanced at the corpses and unconscious people lying on the ground, then looked at the hole in the wall that he had smashed, and frowned slightly.
The noise was still a little too loud.
However, this is also a good opportunity to give some people a little “reminder”.
He turned and walked towards the door of the presidential suite.
He could clearly sense that Saint Charles behind the door and the CP agent who was responsible for protecting him were both in extreme tension and fear at this moment.
Chapter 22 The general personally interrogates! (Old version)
“Knock, knock, knock.”
Ron knocked gently on the door.
There was a flurry of noise from inside, and then a long while passed.
The door was cautiously opened a crack, revealing the highly alert face of a CP agent.
When he saw clearly that it was Ron standing outside the door and noticed the tragic scene in the corridor, his pupils suddenly contracted!
“General Ron!”
“Open the door.”
Ron said in a flat tone.
The door was fully opened.
Ron walked in and saw Saint Charles, who was huddled in the corner of the sofa, covering his head with a quilt and shivering.
“Saint Charlos.”
Ron’s voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard in every corner of the room: “There are a few stupid bugs outside. I have already cleaned them up.”
Charlos threw back the quilt.
When I saw Ron was safe and sound and heard him say “cleaned it up”, I was stunned at first.
Then, as if grabbing a life-saving straw, he rolled over and crawled over, hugged Ron’s thighs, and cried loudly:
“Wuwuwu! Ron! Help! There’s an assassin! It’s so scary! I almost died! You must protect me!”
Ron resisted the urge to kick him away, and looked down at the idiot with cold eyes.
“I said, stay within my sight and don’t do anything that could cause misunderstanding.”
His voice was like the cold wind from the polar regions: “Now, do you still think… I was joking yesterday?”
Charlos stopped crying when he was swept by his cold gaze, and his body shook even more violently, shaking his head frantically.
Ron nodded with satisfaction: “It seems that you have a deeper understanding of the word ‘safety’.”
He turned to look at the CP agents who also looked pale:
“Deal with the things outside and strengthen the security. No one is allowed to leave this room until I come back, including him.”
He pointed at Charlos, who was still shaking.
“Yes! General!”
The CP agents quickly stood at attention and responded. They looked at Ron with unprecedented awe and… fear.
The strength and methods of this general are truly terrifying!
Ron didn’t stay any longer and turned to leave the presidential suite.
He needs to deal with the “little trouble” outside, and by the way…
See if you can pry some information about the “big fish” from the mouths of those “small fish” that are not yet dead.
As for that floral shirt and sunglasses… he had wanted to change them a long time ago!
It seems that his “holiday disguise” has come to an end.
Real “fishing” time, perhaps…
It came earlier than he expected.
In the basement of the hotel, there is a temporarily converted and heavily guarded interrogation room.
The air was oppressive and cold. There was only a dim incandescent lamp hanging in the middle of the ceiling, emitting a faint light, reflecting the mottled marks on the wall.
Ron sat behind the interrogation table, having changed back into his usual black casual clothes.
That funny floral shirt and frog-eye glasses are long gone.
In his hand, he was playing with a… well, an ordinary scalpel found in the tool box in the interrogation room. His movements were casual, but there was a frightening aura of danger.
Across the table, someone was tied tightly to a special chair.
They were the shadowy figures who had been knocked unconscious or severely injured by Ron in the corridor attack but luckily survived.
After emergency treatment, they have regained consciousness, but the severe physical pain and mental fear have made their faces pale and their eyes dull.
Standing next to him were several senior interrogation experts sent by the Navy Headquarters.
They looked at Ron with awe and… a hint of confusion.
Generally speaking, for things like interrogation, having professionals like them is enough.
The fact that General Ron was in charge personally was already putting them under a lot of pressure, not to mention that the general seemed to be planning to… do it himself?
“Name? Identity? The mastermind behind this?”
Ron placed the tip of the scalpel against the table, leaving a shallow mark, his voice cold and without a trace of emotion.
The black shadow being interrogated moved his lips as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he turned his head to the side, looking as if he would rather die than surrender.
Ron sneered, “You’re still tough?”
He stood up, walked up to the man and looked down at him.
The powerful observation Haki enveloped the opponent like a substance, instantly penetrating into the depths of his consciousness!
The man only felt a sharp pain in his brain, as if countless steel needles were stirring inside!
All kinds of horrifying illusions began to appear before my eyes, and the deepest fear in my heart was infinitely magnified!
His body began to tremble violently, and cold sweat instantly soaked his clothes!
“I told you I have many ways to get people to talk.”
Ron’s voice was like the devil’s whisper, clearly reaching his ears:
“For example, I can let you live forever in the nightmare of being swallowed by a sea king. How about that? Or… try the feeling of having your own bones piercing your skin inch by inch?”
This is not an empty threat.
With Ron’s control over his domineering and mental strength, he is fully capable of doing all these, and even more cruel things.
The man finally broke down!
He doesn’t want to die, and he doesn’t want to live a life worse than death!
“I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you! Please! I’ll tell you!”
He burst into tears and begged incoherently.
The interrogation experts nearby were all stunned.
They hadn’t even started using any torture instruments, or even applying regular psychological pressure, and the prisoner just… collapsed?!
What methods did this General Ron use? !
That’s too scary!
Ron gestured, and the interrogation experts immediately stepped forward and began recording the confession.
In the next hour, Ron used similar methods, both soft and hard, and quickly pried open the mouths of the remaining few survivors.
The information he got basically confirmed his guess, and made him frown even more.
These attackers were not from the same organization.
Some of them were indeed radical members of the revolutionary army.
They hate the Celestial Dragons and try to create chaos by assassinating Saint Charlos in order to shake the ruling foundation of the World Government.
Their plan was relatively simple and direct, which was to take advantage of the complex terrain and population flow of Shampola Island to launch a forced raid.
Today’s attack in the corridor was an exploratory action on their part.
As for the other part, their identities are even more bizarre.
They seem to belong to a mysterious organization hidden in the dark, their actions are more covert and their methods are more ruthless.
It seems that they have more than just murderous intentions towards Saint Charlos.
The interrogation vaguely revealed that they seemed to want to get some “thing” or “information” from Saint Charlos.
These minions couldn’t explain exactly what it was.
Chapter 23: Risk simulation, tactical deduction! (Old version)
The radical faction of the revolutionary army… a mysterious organization…
The two clues are intertwined, making the already complicated situation even more confusing.
Are these two groups aware of each other’s existence?
Is it a cooperative relationship? Or is it mutual exploitation?
Or simply a competitor?
What is the goal of that mysterious organization?
Just Charlos?
Or is Charlos just a trigger and their real target is someone else?
Or… something on this ship?
Questions swirled in Ron’s mind.
He waved his hand and asked the interrogation experts to take these prisoners who had lost their value away and deal with them, while he sat back in his chair and fell into deep thought.
It seems that the information given by that old fox Kizaru is still reserved.
He may have known about the existence of the mysterious organization, but deliberately did not make it clear.
“Trouble…” Ron whispered again.
The current situation is that the enemy is in the dark and I am in the light.
There are at least two forces with ulterior motives on the island, both targeting Saint Charlos.
And he not only had to protect this idiot, but also had to catch as many flies and rats as possible and get rid of them once and for all.
The original “fishing” plan needs to be adjusted.
We can’t just passively wait for the enemy to take the bait, maybe…
Can you proactively release some “bait” to make the water more muddy?
The system notification sounded as if it was on time.
[It is detected that the host has obtained important intelligence and is facing a more complicated situation. The main mission phased objectives have been updated! ][Main Mission (Escort Saint Charlos) Phase 2: Undercurrent][Goal description: Under the premise of ensuring the safety of Saint Charlos, find out the true identity and main purpose of at least one hidden force targeting him. ][Mission deadline: before leaving Shampola Island.][Task Reward: Permanently increase the range of Observation Haki by 2%; System Points x50; Random Skill Treasure Box x1][Failure penalty: The host will be given the permanent title “Trouble Attractor” (Passive effect: The probability of encountering unexpected events increases by 20%). ]Ron looked at the newly refreshed task and narrowed his eyes slightly.
Find out the identity and purpose of the hidden forces?
And it needs to be completed before leaving the island?
This task is not easy!
The mysterious organization was obviously very cautious, and even the assassins they sent out did not know the core information.
Digging deeper is not easy.
But… this reward!
Permanently increase the range of Observation Haki by 2%? !
This is simply… a blessing from heaven!
For Ron, Observation Haki is one of his most important means of reconnaissance, early warning and combat assistance.
The increase in range means that he can monitor a wider area, detect threats earlier, and even gain a greater information advantage in battle!
This is more practical than simply increasing the total amount of domineering power or micro-control proficiency!
There are still 50 points!
This was the money he had saved by completing so many crappy tasks!
And… a random skill chest?
This thing sounds interesting, I wonder what it can produce.
As for the failure penalty… “Trouble Attractor”?!
This is a curse tailor-made for him, right? !
He’s already in enough trouble now, and if the probability increases by 20%? Then he won’t be able to retire for the rest of his life!
This task must be completed!
Ron’s eyes became firm.
For the improvement of observation Haki, for the 50 points and the unknown skill treasure chest.
In order to avoid becoming a walking “trouble maker”, he must uncover the mysterious organization hiding in the dark!
So, how do we start?
Go check directly?
The efficiency is too low and it is easy to alert the enemy.
Maybe… we can make use of another group of people?
The Revolutionary Army…
Ron tapped his fingers on the tabletop as a bolder and more adventurous plan began to take shape in his mind.
What if… let the revolutionary army and that mysterious organization fight each other first?
When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits.
He just needs to observe quietly from the side, collect clues, and then intervene at the right time, perhaps he can achieve twice the result with half the effort?
Of course, there are also great risks involved. How to guide?
How to control the situation?
How to ensure the safety of Charlos?
This requires extremely delicate operation.
[Ding! Detected that the host is conceiving a high-risk plan. Triggering auxiliary function: “Risk Simulation (Primary)”. ][Function description: Consume system points to simulate the risks of key nodes of specific high-risk action plans and give avoidance suggestions. Single simulation consumes points: 15 points.]A new feature?
Risk simulation?
Sounds a bit more concrete than a tactical game.
Ron hesitated.
15 points, not cheap.
But if you can increase the success rate of your plan and reduce the risk…
“Simulation.” He decided to give it a try.
【Please set the simulation plan and key risk nodes. 】
Ron went over his “fight between the snipe and the clam” plan in his mind and set several key nodes.
For example, “How to ‘inadvertently’ reveal the existence of a mysterious organization and some clues to the revolutionary army”, “How to protect Charlos during a conflict between the two sides”, “How to collect intelligence in chaos”, etc.
[Received instructions, started risk simulation…][Simulating…]【Simulation completed.】
【Simulation results:】
[Risk Node 1 (Information Disclosure): Direct or indirect disclosure of information carries a high risk of exposure. Recommendation: Use a third party or an unexpected event as a medium for information transmission.][Risk Node 2 (Bait Safety): Once a conflict breaks out, Saint Charlos will easily become the target of attack or involvement by both sides. Suggestion: Set up multiple substitutes or safe houses, and arrange absolutely reliable defense forces around them (for example: the host himself or a confidant with sufficient strength). ][Risk Node 3 (Intelligence Collection): It is difficult to distinguish true and false intelligence in the chaos, and it is easy to be misled. Suggestion: Lock down key target persons in advance and use special means (such as: advanced observation monitoring, special props) for fixed-point monitoring. ][Comprehensive risk assessment: extremely high. Success rate prediction (for reference only): 30%-50%][System suggestion: This plan is too risky and has many variables. Please proceed with caution. Perhaps…seeking external assistance is a better option?]Ron looked at the simulation results and frowned even deeper.
Chapter 24: The Straw Hat Crew! (Old Version)
No, the success rate is lower?
Is the risk still “extremely high”?
The system even suggests seeking external assistance?
Who should we seek help from? The Navy Headquarters?
The old stubborn Akainu hopes that something bad will happen to him.
CP0?
Those guys themselves are not trustworthy.
Kizaru?
That old fox can only watch the show.
It seems that this time… I really can only rely on myself.
However, the system’s risk warnings and avoidance suggestions are still valuable.
Using a third party to pass information? Setting up a stand-in? Fixed-point monitoring?
These can all be incorporated into the plan.
Ron stood up, a dangerous gleam in his eyes.
Since there’s no way to avoid the trouble, then… take the initiative to stir up this muddy water!
He needs to find someone.
Someone who should theoretically be on the island and could be helpful to his plans.
“Someone come,” Ron called to the door.
A guard pushed the door open and said, “General!”
“Help me check,” Ron said calmly, “Are the Straw Hat Luffy crew also on Shampola Island now?”
The guard was stunned for a moment, then immediately reacted: “Yes! I’ll check it out right away!”
Ron looked at the guard’s departing back, a playful smile forming on his lips.
Straw Hat Luffy…the son of the leader of the Revolutionary Army…a natural troublemaker…
Perhaps, you can be the perfect “third party” in my plan?
Let’s make things a little more interesting.
His “vacation” seemed to be heading in a more eventful and… more suicidal direction.
Shampola Island, a lawless area.
Unlike those areas filled with luxurious shops and resorts, this place seems chaotic and noisy.
Pirates, bounty hunters, and information dealers in various strange costumes mixed in, and the air was filled with the smell of alcohol, sweat, and danger.
This is a corner where the sun rarely reaches, and it is also a hotbed for sin and opportunity.
A figure was walking through this chaotic area as if leisurely strolling in a garden.
It was Ron, who had changed into a more inconspicuous black casual suit.
The reason why he appeared here was because the guard’s report just now confirmed his guess – Straw Hat Luffy and his crew were indeed on Shampola Island!
Moreover, according to reports from the Navy’s spies stationed on the island.
They seemed to have just come into contact with “Pluto” Rayleigh, and were currently moving around near the lawless zone, apparently waiting for the ship’s coating to be completed.
It’s like giving me a pillow when I feel sleepy.
The purpose of Ron’s trip was not to arrest Luffy and his crew.
Although in theory, as the admiral of the navy, he had this responsibility.
But firstly, his main task now is to protect Charlos and find out the hidden enemies, and he has no time to create unnecessary trouble.
Secondly, he also had a somewhat complicated attitude towards Luffy, the “chosen one”, and did not want to have a head-on conflict with him too early.
The most important thing is that he needs Luffy, or rather, he needs to make use of Luffy’s existence.
To stir up the muddy waters of Shampola Island and create opportunities for his “fight between the snipe and the clam” plan!
Of course, he couldn’t just go up to him and say, “Hey, Straw Hat Boy, I need you to help me attract some firepower and create some trouble.”
That would be too stupid.
What he needed was a… “chance encounter”.
An “encounter” that seemed reasonable and could achieve his goal.
Ron activated his Observation Haki and carefully sifted through the complex aura around him as if he was looking for a specific fish in a pond.
Soon, he caught a few familiar and particularly “conspicuous” auras – full of vitality, freedom, and…
An indescribable feeling of “protagonist halo”.
Found it.
He adjusted his direction and walked slowly towards the place where those auras converged.
Meanwhile, at an open-air bar in the lawless zone.
Luffy was arguing with Zoro and Sanji excitedly, spitting everywhere.
Usopp and Chopper echoed loudly on the side.
Nami looked at the bill with a headache, calculating the little Bailey they had left.
Robin sat aside, drinking his coffee elegantly with a thoughtful smile on his face.
Franky and Brook were… well, each attracting the attention of passers-by in a strange way.
Typical daily life of the Straw Hat Pirates.
At this moment, Luffy seemed to suddenly sense something.
He suddenly stopped arguing, sniffed hard, and then his eyes lit up and pointed in a certain direction of the street:
“There’s something delicious! Meat! Lots and lots of meat!”
Having said that, he didn’t care about his companions’ reactions and rushed out like a cannonball.
“Hey! Luffy! Wait!” Sanji shouted hurriedly, but it was too late.
“That idiot captain…” Zoro pressed the hilt of the knife helplessly, preparing to follow.
“Really?! Running around again!” Nami stomped her feet in anger.
The Straw Hat Pirates are once again caught up in the chaos of chasing their own captain.
And the direction they were chasing was exactly… the direction where Ron was.
Ron sensed the breath rushing towards him like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey, and a barely perceptible curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.
He deliberately slowed down his pace and stopped in front of a stall selling kebabs.
Pretend to be interested in the sizzling and fragrant barbecue.
The next second, a figure wearing a straw hat rushed to the stall like a whirlwind, pointing at the largest skewer of barbecue with shining eyes:
“Boss! This! This! And this! I want them all!”
It’s Luffy.
The stall owner was startled by him, and before he could say anything, Luffy had already reached out to take the barbecue impatiently.
However, his hand was gently held down by another hand in mid-air.
The hand looked white and slender, and its movements were not fast, but they carried an unquestionable power.
Luffy was stunned and looked up.
He saw a man in black casual clothes with a somewhat cold temperament standing next to him, with no expression on his face.
“Hey! What are you doing? This is the meat I like!” Luffy shouted in dissatisfaction.
Ron looked at the straw hat boy in front of him who looked exactly like the one in his memory. He was calm and said in a calm tone:
“Everything has to have a first come first served order, right? I seem to have noticed this string first.”
He is telling the truth.
He did arrive at the stall before Luffy, even though he didn’t really want to buy anything.
Luffy heard this and then noticed that Ron had indeed arrived before him.
He scratched his head, but his desire for meat obviously overcame his rational thoughts: “But I’m hungry! Meat! I want to eat meat!”
As he said this, he actually tried to push Ron’s hand away with brute force.
Chapter 25: Fishing Plan, Start (Old Version)
Just at this moment.
Zoro, Sanji and others also caught up.
“Luffy! You’re running around again!”
Nami ran over angrily and was about to teach Luffy a lesson.
But when he saw Ron standing next to him and the somewhat tense atmosphere between the two of them, he was stunned.
“Um?”
Zoro also noticed Ron. His one eye narrowed slightly and his hand subconsciously tightened the hilt of the knife.
He smelled an extremely dangerous aura from Ron!
This person is very strong! Very strong!
Sanji habitually began to look at Ron’s clothes and temperament, and curled his lips, as if he thought the other party had no taste.
“Hey! Who are you? Let Luffy go!”
Usopp hid behind Zoro and shouted bravely.
Ron ignored the others and just looked at Luffy with a calm look in his eyes, but the force holding his wrist did not relax at all.
Luffy felt as if his wrist was clamped by an iron clamp. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t break free!
He was a little surprised that this man in front of him, who didn’t look very strong, was so strong?
“Let go! I want to eat meat!”
Luffy puffed up his cheeks and started to get a little angry.
Ron looked at him and laughed inwardly.
The time is almost right.
He slowly loosened his hand, and then, in front of everyone’s surprised gaze, he took out his wallet from his pocket and said to the stall owner, “Boss, I want all this barbecue.”
The stall owner was stunned for a moment, then he was overjoyed: “Okay! Wait a moment, sir!”
Luffy was stunned: “Hey! You…”
Without waiting for him to finish, Ron handed the handful of barbecue in his hand directly to Luffy.
“Here, please eat.”
Ron’s tone was calm, as if he had just done something insignificant.
Luffy: “Huh?”
The rest of the Straw Hat Pirates: “Huh?!”
Isn’t this a quick reversal?!
We were arguing just now, and now you’re treating me to meat?!
Luffy looked at the delicious barbecue in front of him, then looked at Ron. Although he didn’t understand the situation, it was always good to have meat to eat!
He immediately smiled, took the barbecue, and ate it happily: “Oh! Thank you! You are such a good person!”
Ron watched him wolfing down his food, his face still expressionless, but he was thinking: ‘A nice guy card, get it.’
“Luffy! How can you just eat food given by a stranger!” Nami said anxiously.
“Well, Nami-san, this gentleman doesn’t look like a bad person.”
Sanji lit a cigarette and looked at Ron, as if trying to find some flaws in him.
Zoro remained alert, his hand not leaving the hilt of the sword.
He always felt that the man in front of him was not simple.
Robin looked at Ron with interest, a playful smile on his face, and seemed to be very interested in this “chance encounter”.
Ron ignored the different reactions of the Straw Hat Pirates, turned his gaze to Luffy again, and asked casually, “You…are the Straw Hat Luffy Pirates, right? There’s been a lot of noise lately.”
Luffy gnawed his meat while answering vaguely, “Yes! I am the man who will become the Pirate King!”
“Pirate King?”
Ron repeated in a low voice, and it was hard to tell whether his tone was praise or ridicule: “You have great ambitions, but Shampola Island has been in turmoil recently. You’d better be careful here.”
“Not peaceful?” Nami immediately became alert, “What do you mean?”
Ron shrugged: “Nothing, just… just my personal feeling.”
He paused, his eyes swept across the Straw Hat Pirates, and finally landed on Luffy: “Perhaps, some troubles will come to us on their own.”
When he said this, his tone was flat, but there was a subtle hint of guidance and suggestion in the depths of his eyes.
He was trying to… plant a seed of suspicion and vigilance in the Straw Hat Pirates.
Zoro’s eyes narrowed: “Who are you?”
Ron smiled and didn’t answer. He just said to Luffy: “The meat is finished, and I should go. I hope… we will have a chance to meet again.”
After saying that, he turned around and walked slowly towards the other end of the street. He soon blended into the crowd and disappeared.
The Straw Hat Pirates were left staring at each other in bewilderment.
“That person just now… was so strange,” Chopper whispered.
“Yeah, it feels so strong! Stronger than the navy I met before!” Usopp was still frightened.
“What did he mean by his last sentence? Is there going to be trouble?” Nami frowned, feeling uneasy.
Sanji blew out a smoke ring and said, “Humph, you are just playing tricks on me.”
Zoro said in a deep voice: “Whoever he is, he may be right. There is indeed an unsettling atmosphere on this island.”
Robin smiled and added, “Besides, he seems to… know us very well.”
Luffy had already forgotten the previous conversation. He touched his round belly with a satisfied look on his face:
“The meat is so delicious! The guy who treated us is such a nice guy!”
Only Robin looked in the direction where Ron disappeared, deep in thought.
That man… the hint of aura he just let out, and the last meaningful words…
What exactly does he want to do?
Ron, who was away from the Straw Hat Pirates, had a smile on his face that showed he had accomplished his plan.
Very good, the “encounter” was completed and the “reminder” was also delivered.
Given the Straw Hat Pirates’ tendency to cause trouble, and given Zoro and Robin’s alertness, they will definitely be more aware of what’s going on on the island.
Next, all you need to do is add more fuel to the fire.
Let the Revolutionary Army and that mysterious organization shift their attention… a little bit to the Straw Hat Pirates.
After all, what could attract more hatred and attention than the name “Straw Hat Luffy”?
A perfect “third-party spoiler” and “smoke bomb” is in place.
Now, he just needs to go back to the hotel and “protect” Charlos while…
Just wait for the show to begin.
As for the system?
[Ding! The first non-hostile interaction with a key plot character (Monkey D. Luffy) occurred, slightly affecting the world line. Reward: System Points x10. ][Current total points: 75 points.]Um?
Can you get points by interacting with Luffy?
This is an unexpected gain.
It seems that occasionally “interfering” with the plot is not necessarily a bad thing?
Ron rubbed his chin and felt better.
The “Fishing” plan was officially launched.
Chapter 26 Ancient Rune Tablet! (Old Version)
For the next two days, Shampola Island was still peaceful and prosperous.
The luxurious resorts are crowded with tourists, and the lawless areas are still chaotic and noisy.
However, beneath this calm appearance, an invisible undercurrent is quietly surging and becoming more and more turbulent.
Ron sits in the presidential suite area on the top floor of the hotel and rarely leaves the room.
He spent most of his time in his room, either reading or resting with his eyes closed.
Under his “warm reminders” and constant “uncomfortable” experiences, Charlos became unusually “well-behaved”.
Although they still complain about the bad food, uncomfortable air conditioning and boring entertainment.
But he never dared to run out of the room at will again, let alone give Ron instructions.
He spent most of his time in his room, raging at his slaves, or…
Holding his “great gift” of a slingshot, he performed “shooting practice” at the walls and furniture.
This “calmness” made the CP agents and naval soldiers responsible for close protection breathe a sigh of relief.
But only Ron knew that this was just the brief calm before the storm.
His “bait” has been put out.
Through some “special” intelligence channels.
For example, a low-level member of a mysterious organization whom he “accidentally” let go was “coincidentally” intercepted by the revolutionary army while escaping.
Or, an intelligence dealer in an illegal area “accidentally” obtained a vague intelligence about “the Straw Hat Pirates making a big move on Shampoo Island” and sold it at a high price.
Anyway, here’s the news about the Straw Hat Pirates on the island.
And some seemingly plausible clues pointing to “a certain mysterious organization is also plotting something bad.”
It began to spread quietly among the various forces on the island.
The Revolutionary Army is naturally extremely sensitive to the name “Straw Hat Luffy”.
Coupled with the failure of the previous exploratory attack and some vague information obtained about “another force”.
They have become more cautious and more curious.
They began to investigate secretly, trying to find out the true purpose of the Straw Hat Pirates and the origin of that mysterious organization.
And the mysterious organization hiding in the dark seemed surprised and wary of the appearance of the Straw Hat Pirates.
Their original target was only Charlos, but now there is suddenly an extremely unstable “variable”.
This forced them to re-evaluate their plans and devote some of their attention to monitoring the movements of the Straw Hat Pirates.
For a moment, Ron successfully stirred up the water on Shampola Island.
The various forces were suspicious of each other, testing each other, undercurrents surged, and a delicate balance was formed.
No one dared to act rashly, for fear that the mantis would stalk the cicada while the oriole was behind.
And Ron, like a patient fisherman, waited quietly.
He was waiting for an opportunity, an opportunity that would break this balance and force the “big fish” hidden under the water to surface.
At the same time, he was also using this time to collect as much information as possible about the mysterious organization.
Although the progress was slow, through repeated analysis of the confessions of previous prisoners and continuous monitoring with his Observation Haki, he gradually pieced together some fragmentary clues.
This organization seems to have a long history and is extremely secretive. Its members are spread all over the world and may even have infiltrated the World Government and the Navy.
Their target seems to be not just the Celestial Dragons, but more like they are looking for some…ancient relics or lost technology?
Charlos may have become a target simply because of his special identity or something he was carrying.
“Ancient relics? Lost technology?”
Ron stroked his chin, a gleam in his eyes: “Could it be related to…historical texts or ancient weapons?”
If that was the case, then the water was deeper than he had imagined.
This is not just about assassinating the Celestial Dragons, but involves the most core secrets of the world.
Just as Ron was thinking –
The system’s voice once again interrupted his thoughts. But this time, it didn’t seem to be a task prompt?
[Intelligence assistance module activated! ][It is detected that the host is analyzing key clues, which meets the intelligence trigger conditions. 】
[Intelligence source: System database (comprehensive analysis of public and non-public information from around the world). ][Intelligence level: B level (not fully confirmed, for reference only). ][Intelligence content: According to cross-checking of multiple information sources, there have been many incidents related to the theft of “ancient rune tablets” or abnormal energy fluctuations in the New World recently. The locations of these incidents partially overlap with the activity tracks of members of the suspected “mysterious organization”. There are signs that the organization may be collecting “ancient rune tablets” scattered around the world, and its purpose is unknown. ]Ancient Rune Tablet?!
Ron’s heart moved!
This was the first time he had received such “active” and pointed intelligence from the system!
Although it is only level B and unconfirmed, it is undoubtedly an extremely important clue!
Could this so-called “ancient rune tablet” be a kind of historical text?
Or, are they other important items related to historical texts or ancient weapons?
If the mysterious organization’s goal is to collect these tablets, then Saint Charlos…
Could it be that he was carrying a slate?
Or, does he know the whereabouts of a certain stone tablet?
This would seem to explain why the group’s goal was not just to kill him, but to get something from him.
“System, is there any more detailed information about the ‘Ancient Rune Slate’?” Ron immediately asked in his mind.
[Ding! Insufficient permissions. To obtain higher-level intelligence, you need to upgrade the system level or complete a specific high-difficulty task.]Tsk, there are indeed some limitations.
However, this B-level intelligence is valuable enough.
It at least provided Ron with a direction for investigation and gave him a clearer understanding of the outline of the mysterious organization.
Just as Ron was about to think further about how to use this clue——
Chapter 27: Dry Bone Island, Stealth! (Old Version)
The familiar mission prompt sound followed closely.
[Emergency mission triggered! ][Task name: “Unexpected” discovery][Mission Background: Chaotic situations are often accompanied by unexpected “opportunities”. Intelligence shows (source: abnormal signals from shipborne radar and naval patrol team eyewitness reports) that an unidentified submarine with strange movements appeared near an uninhabited island off the coast of Shampola Island. The submarine has similar technical features to those used by the mysterious organization that attacked the hotel before.][Mission Objective: Please go to the area to conduct reconnaissance in person, confirm the identity of the submarine, and try to obtain direct evidence related to the “Ancient Rune Slab” or the purpose of the organization (such as: documents, items, prisoners’ confessions, etc.) without alerting other forces on the island (especially the Revolutionary Army and the Straw Hat Pirates). ][Task time limit: within 12 hours. ][Task Reward: Observation Haki Accuracy +1%; System Points x80; Skill: “Stealth (Mastery)” Experience Card x1][Failure penalty: The host will randomly forget an important sword technique for one week.]Ron looked at this new task and his eyes instantly became sharp!
Unknown submarine?
Similar technical features?
Maybe it has something to do with slate?
This is like giving you a pillow when you feel sleepy PLUS!
He was worried that he had no breakthrough to investigate the mysterious organization, but now the clues came to him!
And it happened at the critical period of his “fishing” plan!
Could the appearance of this submarine be the tail of the “big fish”?
The rewards for this mission are also quite generous!
Observation Haki accuracy +1%!
This has a more direct impact on combat and reconnaissance details than increasing range!
Moreover, you have to know how terrifying his own domineering attainments are. Even if you look at the entire ocean, he is one of the top ones!
On this basis, even if it is only 1%, it is an incredibly huge improvement!
Plus, 80 points!
There is also a “Stealth (Mastery)” experience card?
This thing sounds perfect for this secret reconnaissance mission!
As for the penalty for failure… randomly forgetting an important sword move for a week?
This punishment is not light!
For a swordsman, even the slightest hesitation and unfamiliarity in battle can be fatal!
This mission has both risks and opportunities, and… we must go!
“Prepare the boat immediately and get ready to go to sea.”
Ron acted decisively and gave an order to the air beside him.
“General, your safety…”
The adjutant’s hesitant voice came from the communicator.
According to regulations, as the main guard, Ron should not leave Saint Charlos easily.
“Charlos’ safety is temporarily in your hands.”
Ron’s tone left no room for doubt: “Activate the highest level of defense plan. Before I come back, even if a fly flies in, I have to find out its entire ancestry!”
He paused and added:
“Tell the people at CP0 that if they don’t want to be angered by the Five Elders because of something happening to the Celestial Dragons, they’d better be on their guard. If anything goes wrong, I’ll come back and… talk to them in person.”
The cold tone made the adjutant on the other end of the communicator shudder, and he quickly responded:
“Yes! I promise to complete the task!”
Ron said no more, turned around and strode out of the room.
He needs to reach the target sea area as soon as possible.
We must not let that submarine escape!
As for the “fishing” plan on the island…
Perhaps, his “short departure” this time will become a better “bait”.
Let those hidden fish surface more boldly?
Variables often mean opportunities.
Ron’s figure quickly disappeared into the depths of the hotel, leaving behind only a cold murderous intent, foreshadowing that a real storm was about to brew quietly off the coast of Shampola Island.
His “holiday” life seemed to be starting to become truly “exciting”.
The night is as dark as ink and the waves are roaring.
A small, high-speed naval assault boat that has been specially modified to minimize sonar and radar detection signals is sailing silently on the rough sea like a ghost.
Ron stood alone at the bow, the sea breeze blowing his black windbreaker.
His eyes were as sharp as an eagle’s, staring at the dark sea ahead.
According to the last signal captured by the Navy radar.
The strange unidentified submarine disappeared near the uninhabited desert island ahead called “Dry Bone Island”.
The island gets its name from its rugged rocks and complex underwater caves, making it a perfect place to hide a submarine.
“System, use the ‘Stealth (Mastery)’ experience card,” Ron said silently in his mind.
[Ding! “Stealth (Mastery)” experience card has been used. Effect duration: 3 hours.][Effect Description: During the duration of the experience card, the host will temporarily gain mastery-level stealth skills, including perfect breath convergence, elimination of footsteps, environmental integration, and greatly improved anti-reconnaissance capabilities. ]A wonderful feeling instantly enveloped Ron’s whole body.
He could clearly feel that his breathing became longer and more subtle, his heartbeat became slower, and his whole body seemed to merge with the surrounding darkness and sea breeze.
The aura that was originally difficult to completely restrain because of his status as a top-level powerful person was now perfectly suppressed, like a stubborn stone sinking into the deep sea, without revealing a single bit.
“Interesting.”
Ron felt this new state, and the corners of his mouth curled up.
Although it was only a temporary experience, this feeling of perfect stealth was indeed very suitable for the next action.
The assault boat stopped in the sea some distance away from Dry Bone Island.
Ron didn’t hesitate at all. He jumped into the cold sea silently like a civet cat and swam quickly towards the island.
His mastery of stealth skills allowed even his movements underwater to cause almost no ripples.
Soon, he landed on the Dry Bone Island quietly.
The island is rocky and has sparse vegetation. The only sounds are the waves hitting the rocks and the occasional strange bird calls. It seems particularly desolate and eerie.
Ron moved quickly across the rugged island like a real ghost.
His observation Haki was like the most sophisticated radar, carefully scanning every inch of land on the island and the surrounding waters.
Finally, deep in a hidden bay blocked by huge reefs, he found the target!
A medium-sized submarine that is completely black, has a unique shape and is full of technology is quietly anchored underwater!
The submarine’s hull seemed to have some special coating that could absorb sonar detection and was extremely close in color to the surrounding rocks. If Ron’s observation Haki was not strong enough, it would be almost impossible to detect it!
The submarine’s hatch was closed, but Ron could sense that there were at least a dozen living beings inside.
The aura strength of some of them is not weak, roughly equivalent to the level of a major general or an ordinary vice admiral of the Navy Headquarters.
There were no particularly top-notch experts, which made him feel a little relieved.
It seems that this submarine may just be a small base of that mysterious organization, or a branch responsible for transportation and communication.
His goal was to gain intelligence, not to alert the enemy.
So, sneaking in is the best option.
Chapter 28: Dog System! Are you trying to kill me? (Old version)
Ron took a closer look at the submarine’s surroundings.
And the possible defensive measures outside the submarine that he can sense, such as underwater sensors, infrared detection, etc.
Relying on the anti-reconnaissance ability brought by “Stealth (Mastery)”, he quickly found several weak points in the defense.
He dived into the water again and approached the submarine silently like a swimming fish.
Avoiding the detection range of those sensors, he clung to the smooth and cold hull of the submarine like a gecko, looking for a passage to enter.
Soon, he found a small hatch on the bottom of the submarine that seemed to be used for sewage discharge or underwater operations.
The defenses in such places are usually relatively weak.
Ron concentrated his mind and condensed a trace of extremely pure Armament Haki at his fingertips, like the sharpest drill, silently destroying the electronic lock and physical lock structure of the hatch.
The entire process did not produce any sound and did not cause any energy fluctuations.
The hatch was opened silently a crack.
Ron slipped in like a slippery loach, then gently closed the hatch and returned to its original state.
The light inside the submarine was dim, with only the emergency lights emitting a faint glow.
The air was filled with a strange smell mixed with motor oil, sweat and some special energy.
The passage is narrow and filled with various complex pipelines and instruments.
Ron used his stealth skills to the extreme, like a ghost walking in the shadows, carefully avoiding possible surveillance cameras and patrol officers along the way.
His observation Haki spread out like tentacles, exploring the internal structure and personnel distribution of the submarine.
He found that the submarine had a very high level of technology.
Many of the devices are beyond the Navy’s existing technological capabilities, further demonstrating the mystery and power of the organization behind it.
His goal was to find areas where intelligence might be stored, such as a command room, a database, or the room of an important person.
Soon, he locked onto a room on the middle floor of the submarine that was relatively heavily guarded.
Judging from the faint energy fluctuations leaking out of the door, it seems that some important instruments or items are stored inside.
Ron quietly dealt with the guard at the door just like before, and then opened the door using the same method.
The interior of the room is not big, like a small laboratory or data room.
In the center stood a strange device emitting a faint blue light, surrounded by various complex instruments and circuits.
Metal boxes and data storage devices were placed on shelves along the walls.
Ron’s eyes were immediately drawn to the strange device.
He could feel that the energy fluctuations emitted by the device seemed to have some secret connection with the description of the “ancient rune slab” he had previously learned from the system intelligence!
Could it be that… this device is used to read or activate the stone tablet?
He approached cautiously, sensing carefully with his observation Haki.
He discovered that in the central groove of the device, it seemed that…
Something was once placed there, but now it is empty!
The slate was shifted?
Or has the submarine’s mission just been completed and the slate been sent away?
He turned his gaze to the metal boxes and data storage devices along the wall.
These things may very well contain key information!
He walked forward and picked up a most inconspicuous-looking metal box.
The box was locked, but it was of no use to Ron.
He used his domineering power to easily destroy the lock and open the box.
There is no confidential document inside, but a piece of…
Palm-sized, made of neither gold nor stone, with a surface covered with tadpole-like twisted shapes emitting faint light… a fragment of stone? !
Although it was just a fragment, Ron could clearly feel that it contained an extremely ancient, obscure and powerful power!
It has the same origin as the energy fluctuations emitted by the previous device!
This is definitely the fragment of the “Ancient Rune Tablet”!
Found it!
Direct evidence!
Ron was delighted and carefully put the fragment away.
He quickly checked several other boxes and data storage devices.
Some were empty, while others contained technical drawings or encrypted data that he could not understand and needed to be taken back to be deciphered by professionals.
Just when he was about to leave the room and search somewhere else –
A shrill alarm suddenly sounded inside the submarine!
The red warning light is flashing wildly!
“Alert! Alert! Intruder spotted! Intruder spotted!”
“Block all passages! Activate the highest level of defense!”
“The intruders are in the middle-level data room! Surround them immediately!”
The cold mechanical synthesized sound resounded throughout the submarine!
Discovered?!
Ron’s heart trembled!
What’s going on?
He thought that his infiltration process was flawless. Could it be that he had triggered some hidden alarm when he took the stone fragment just now?
Or… is this a trap in itself? !
He didn’t have time to think about it, and immediately pushed his observation Haki to the extreme!
Countless chaotic footsteps and the sounds of weapons being loaded were pouring towards this room from all directions!
The enemy reacted extremely quickly and the encirclement was forming rapidly!
At the same time, he felt an extremely dangerous energy fluctuation rapidly condensing in a core area of ​​the submarine!
That’s… a weapon system?!
They were planning to destroy the entire room?!
“Damn it!”
Ron cursed, knowing he couldn’t stay any longer!
We must break through immediately!
His eyes instantly became cold and sharp, and the terrifying aura belonging to the admiral of the navy was no longer suppressed, and it burst out like an awakened prehistoric beast!
Since our stealth has been discovered, then…get out!
He flashed and rushed out of the room like an arrow, facing the enemies who were swarming in!
A killing feast in a narrow space is about to begin!
At the same time, the system prompt sounded again in his mind, but this time, it carried a hint of urgency and…unusual meaning?
[Ding! Warning! High-intensity energy weapon lock detected! Space interference force field activated detected! ][Warning! The submarine’s self-destruct program has been activated! Estimated detonation time: 3 minutes! ]【Emergency mission released! 】
[Mission Name: Escape within a limited time][Mission Objective: Before the submarine self-destructs, successfully escape with key intelligence (slate fragments), and destroy the submarine’s power core to prevent it from causing further damage! ][Task Reward: Observation Haki Accuracy +2%; System Points x100; Skill: “Energy Perception (Passive)”][Failure penalty: The host will be trapped in the core of the explosion and experience a… well, a very “gorgeous” ending. (System reminder: Do not try)]Ron looked at this sudden urgent task and the punishment for failure which could be described as a “death threat”, and the corners of his mouth twitched fiercely.
Self-destruct program?!
Destroy the power core?!
Dog system, are you trying to kill me?!
Chapter 29: Unstoppable! (Old version)
The alarm sounded shrill and piercing, the red light flickered unsteadily, and in the narrow submarine passage, the air seemed to solidify and was filled with the breath of death!
Countless soldiers wearing black combat uniforms and holding various high-tech weapons rushed towards Ron from all directions like a tide, trying to drown him!
Energy beams, physical bullets, high-voltage power grids, and even some special sonic weapons that can interfere with domineering power, are interwoven into a deadly firepower network!
However, faced with this terrifying firepower that was enough to instantly destroy an elite naval squadron.
There was no trace of nervousness or panic on Ron’s face.
There was only coldness, and a hint of… anger at being in trouble.
“It’s really… a real worry.”
He whispered, and his eyes suddenly became extremely sharp!
The next second, he moved!
I didn’t use teleportation because high-speed movement would be restricted in such a narrow passage full of obstacles.
He just took a step, and with every step, the entire submarine seemed to tremble slightly!
An indescribable, tangible and terrifying aura erupted with him as the center!
Domineering and overlord-like power!
It is not the kind of deterrence that clears a large area, but a domineering impact that is exquisitely controlled, condensed into a beam, and directly strikes the opponent’s will like a battering ram!
The dozen or so soldiers who were hit first felt as if their brains were hit hard by an invisible hammer.
Everything went dark before his eyes, he lost consciousness instantly, and collapsed to the ground like a piece of cut wheat!
Although the soldiers following closely behind did not fall unconscious directly, they were also strongly shocked.
His movements became sluggish, his eyes became distracted, and a huge gap immediately appeared in the originally airtight encirclement!
“Now!”
Ron passed through the fallen enemies like a ghost, and he had an extra sword in his hand…
Well, this is a sturdy-looking metal instrument stand that I “borrowed” from the laboratory just now.
He wielded this makeshift “weapon” with great vigor, although his moves were simple and direct.
There are no fancy sword skills, but every strike contains terrifying power and extremely accurate judgment!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Every time the metal bracket was swung, it was accompanied by the dull sound of bones breaking and the sound of a human body falling heavily to the ground!
The high-tech armor on those soldiers was as fragile as paper in front of his blunt blows infused with Armament Haki!
Energy beam coming?
He shook his wrist, and the metal bracket became like a flexible shield, accurately blocking or deflecting the beam, and even bouncing it back to cause secondary damage!
Physical bullets coming?
He was too lazy to even block it. His body covered with Armament Haki was the most solid barrier. Bullets could not even leave a white mark on it!
Under the high-voltage power grid?
He snorted coldly, and his armed color domineering aura was slightly released. The moment the electric current touched his body, it was neutralized and dissipated!
Special sonic weapons?
He frowned. The harsh sound did make him feel a little uncomfortable, but his strong mental strength and observation Haki were enough to resist this level of interference!
He was like a humanoid Gundam driving a Musou, rushing around in this narrow passage!
Wherever he passed, enemies fell one after another, and fragments and parts of various weapons and equipment were scattered all over the ground!
No one can stop him from moving forward, even for a second!
His target was very clear – the power core of the submarine!
According to the system’s emergency mission prompt, he not only had to escape, but also had to destroy the power core before the submarine self-destructed.
This is both to prevent the submarine from causing greater damage and to… well, complete one more mission objective and get more rewards.
[Ding! It is detected that the host is in a high-intensity battle, and the Armament Haki micro-control proficiency +0.05%. ][Ding! It is detected that the host is resisting a special sound wave attack, and the mental toughness is slightly improved. ][Ding! The host is detected to be using blunt weapons to fight. The skill “Blunt Weapon Mastery (Beginner)” has been unlocked. ]While clearing out the miscellaneous soldiers, he used his Observation Haki to quickly scan the internal structure of the submarine and quickly locked the location of the power core – in the isolation cabin at the bottom of the submarine.
Time is running out!
There are less than two minutes left before the self-destruction countdown!
Ron no longer wanted to fight, he exerted force with his feet and his speed increased suddenly!
Like a butterfly flying among flowers, he forced his way through the dense firepower and crowds, leaving a mess behind!
Soon, he arrived at the entrance to the elevator leading to the lowest level.
However, the entrance had been urgently blocked and the heavy alloy gate was tightly closed.
“Huh, do you think you can stop me like this?”
Ron sneered, and the metal bracket in his hand began to bend because it could not withstand his terrifying power.
He threw it away and then clenched his fist.
The inky black Armament Haki, like boiling asphalt, quickly covered his entire right arm!
The domineering aura was so highly concentrated that it even distorted the surrounding light!
No fancy moves, just a simple punch!
He slammed hard at the half-meter thick alloy gate!
“break!”
Boom——!!!
A deafening bang!
The entire submarine shook violently!
The special alloy gate that was strong enough to withstand deep-sea high pressure and conventional torpedo attacks was hit head-on by Ron’s punch infused with top-level armed color domineering, as if it was hit by a battering ram. It sank, twisted, and deformed directly inwards!
Finally it shattered!
Countless metal fragments shot into the passage!
Ron didn’t even look at the fragments and rushed straight in through the big hole!
The isolation cabin where the power core is located is right in front of us!
This seemed to be the last defense area of ​​the submarine. The remaining guard forces and automatic defense turrets were concentrated here, launching a final crazy attack on Ron who rushed in!
But all this is in vain in the face of absolute strength!
Ron was too lazy to even use his Armament Haki and directly activated his Observation Haki’s “Foresee the Future”!
His body was like weightless catkins.
Shuttled at high speed in the dense firepower network, every dodge was perfect, every advance was just right, as if strolling in the garden, yet as fast as lightning!
All the attacks fell into the air!
And he was like the god of death. Every time he made a move, an enemy would fall!
In just a dozen seconds, all the guards in the isolation cabin were cleared out by him!
Finally, he arrived in front of the huge and complex power core device!
This is a huge sphere full of unknown technology, with its surface covered with complex energy pipelines and runes flashing dangerous light.
It is emitting increasingly unstable energy fluctuations. Obviously, the self-destruction program has entered the final stage!
Countdown: 30 seconds!
Ron didn’t have time to study the principles of the device, he just needed to… destroy it!
Chapter 30 Mysterious Slate! (Old Version)
Just as Ron was about to take action.
[Ding! System prompt: Directly destroying the power core may cause a violent explosion and strong energy radiation. Please operate with caution. It is recommended to first destroy its energy supply nodes or stabilization devices. ]“You’re saying it now?!”
Ron cursed inwardly, but immediately used his Observation Haki to carefully scan the complex device.
Soon, he found several key nodes where the energy flow was the most intensive and the structure was relatively fragile!
Here it is!
He took a deep breath and covered both hands with pitch-black armed color domineering!
This time, the domineering aura is no longer a violent impact, but condensed at the fingertips like the most precise carving knife!
“Armament Haki: Penetration!”
His hands moved as fast as lightning, pointing at those key points with incredible precision!
Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!
A few slight sounds, like cloth tearing, were heard!
The energy shields and alloy shells covering those nodes dimmed and shattered in an instant, as if pierced by an invisible force!
The internal energy pipelines and core components are exposed!
Then, Ron turned his hands into palms and pushed forward suddenly!
“Armament Haki: Shock!”
An invisible, high-frequency oscillating force penetrated through the broken gaps and directly acted on the inside of the power core!
Buzz——!!!
The power core suddenly made a sharp buzzing sound!
The entire sphere began to tremble violently!
The light flickering on the surface began to flicker wildly!
There were crackling sounds from inside as energy circuits short-circuited and components shattered!
Finally, with a dull bang, the power core completely stopped working!
All lights went out and the energy fluctuations fell silent!
The self-destruct program… was forcibly terminated!
[Ding! Urgent mission “Escape within a limited time” objective 2: Destroy the power core, completed! ]Ron breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally got it done.
Now, there is only one last goal left – to escape from this submarine that is about to become an iron coffin!
He turned around and prepared to go back the same way he came in and leave through the hatch he had entered before.
However, at this moment, his observation Haki suddenly caught a…
An extremely faint breath of life that definitely does not belong to the submarine’s personnel?!
This aura is hidden in a secret compartment behind the power core device!
Moreover, the feeling this breath gave him…
Very strange, full of antiquity and vicissitudes, yet containing some kind of indescribable “information”?
Could it be… ?
Ron’s heart moved, and he immediately went behind the power core and found the secret compartment that was almost integrated with the wall.
He once again used his domineering power to break the lock of the secret compartment, and when he opened it, he saw—
There was no gold, silver, or treasure inside, no weapons or equipment, only one…
A carefully wrapped object of special material, about half a meter square…
Complete, engraved with dense, glittering ancient characters…
slate?!
Ron’s eyes were fixed on the square stone slab lying quietly in the secret compartment.
Full slate!
Not fragments, but a whole piece!
The material of the slate is neither gold nor stone. It feels cold to the touch, but it also has a faint warm texture.
The surface is covered with an extremely thin layer of special transparent film, which seems to be designed to isolate energy or protect the stone slab.
Through the film, you can see that the stone slab is densely engraved with ancient characters that are the same origin as the previous fragment and are twisted like tadpoles.
These words flicker with a faint, breath-like blue light, as if containing some rhythm of life, and are full of mystery and antiquity.
Just by looking at the slate, Ron could feel a huge and obscure torrent of information that seemed to want to flow into his mind, but was blocked by some force.
The moment his observation Haki touched the stone slab, it even produced a…slight tingling sensation?
It seems that this stone slab itself has some kind of mental defense or anti-reconnaissance capabilities!
“This is definitely not an ordinary historical text!”
Ron immediately made a judgment in his mind.
Although he had not seen many pieces of historical text in person, he had learned about them through internal navy information.
The words of the historical text are fixed, do not glow, and do not emit such strange and powerful energy fluctuations.
This stone slab… is more like an… energy core?
Or some kind of medium that records special powers?
What is its relationship with that mysterious organization?
They went to great lengths to hide it here for research?
transportation?
Or… activate it?
Countless questions suddenly flooded Ron’s mind.
But now is obviously not the time to study this.
Although the submarine has temporarily stopped self-destruction, its internal structure has been severely damaged and it may collapse completely at any time due to sea water pressure or other reasons.
He must take this slate away as soon as possible!
Ron carefully took the slate out of the secret compartment.
It feels much heavier than it looks, and the impact of the flood of information is even stronger.
He could even feel that the domineering energy in his body was being slightly disturbed.
“What a troublesome thing…”
Ron frowned, wrapped the slate with the special film again, and then…
He looked around but couldn’t find a suitable container, so he could only temporarily… well, wrap it up in the lining of his windbreaker and hold it in his arms.
[Ding! Urgent mission “Escape within a limited time” goal 1: Escape successfully with key intelligence (slate fragments/complete slate), achieved! ][Task Reward: Observation Haki Accuracy +2%; System Points x100; Skill: “Energy Perception (Passive)” has been issued! ][Current total points: 165 points.][Skill “Energy Perception (Passive)” has been activated: The host can more keenly perceive various energy fluctuations in the surrounding environment, including but not limited to domineering, devil fruit abilities, special item energy, etc. ]The system notification sounded, and the generous reward arrived, which made Ron feel a little better.
Especially this “Energy Perception” passive skill.
It is of great help to him in detecting hidden enemies, analyzing opponent’s abilities, and even finding special items like stone tablets!
These 100 points and 2% accuracy of his observation Haki also made him feel that the previous adventure was worth it!
Chapter 31: Rewards are in hand! Diverting trouble to others? (Old version)
Okay, mission accomplished, reward in hand, time to go!
Ron held the slate, turned around and prepared to go back the same way he came in, leaving through the bottom hatch he had entered before.
However, just as he took two steps——
Boom!!!
There came an even more violent shaking!
The submarine’s steel hull let out a teeth-grinding groan!
A large amount of sea water began to rush in frantically from the cracks in the gates and channels that he had just destroyed!
Oops!
The submarine’s structure can’t hold up!
It’s going to completely disintegrate!
What made Ron’s face change even more was that his observation Haki sensed…
Outside the submarine, there are several powerful auras approaching rapidly!
Not the Navy!
Not those small fry from before!
These breaths…
Some are filled with revolutionary flames, others are full of lawless wildness!
The Revolutionary Army and… Pirates?!
How come they are here?!
Could it be… a coincidence?
Or… were they also attracted here? !
Ron understood immediately.
It was probably the alarm and fighting noises inside the submarine just now, as well as the energy fluctuations caused by his final destruction of the power core, that alarmed other forces operating or monitoring in the nearby waters!
What you fear will come true!
The current situation is that the submarine is about to sink, and there are at least two groups of powerful “reinforcements” on the way!
He was holding a hot potato and his situation was quite bad!
We must kill them immediately!
Before they completely surround it!
Ron’s eyes fixed, and without hesitation, he held the stone slab and rushed towards the upper deck like a cannonball!
He chose a passage that was relatively less damaged but closest to the sea!
Seawater continued to pour in along the way, the submarine’s tilt angle became larger and larger, and all kinds of debris and corpses floated and collided with the shaking.
Ron was like a dragon shuttling through the raging waves, moving at an extremely fast speed, with the armed color domineering covering his entire body, and he could directly knock away all obstacles!
Finally, just before the submarine was completely swallowed by the sea/
He rushed out from the breach in the command tower on top of the submarine like a torpedo and returned to the cold sea surface!
Crash!
He broke through the water, floated on the surface, and took a deep breath of the fresh salty air.
However, before he could even catch his breath, he found himself…surrounded!
Not far away, several ships of different shapes were approaching from different directions, vaguely surrounding him in the middle!
On one side, the flag of the revolutionary army was flying on the sail!
There were several strong figures standing on the deck, led by a man wearing goggles and with half of his face made of machinery.
Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army, “the world’s most vicious criminal”, Sabo!
And several legion commanders around him, such as Crow, Bello Beti, etc.
On the other side, there is a…
Hmm, this pirate ship with a bow that looks a bit familiar?
On the deck stood a group of strangely dressed, noisy fellows…
It’s the Straw Hat Pirates?!
Why are they here too?!
Ron looked at these two unexpected “reinforcements” and felt his head begin to ache.
This is really…lively.
“Oh? Isn’t that the nice guy who invited us to eat meat?”
Luffy stood on the bow of the Sunny and immediately recognized Ron floating on the sea. He asked curiously, “Why is he swimming here?”
“Idiot! He must have come out of that iron lump that just sank!”
Nami said unhappily, her eyes full of vigilance: “There is indeed something wrong with him!”
Zoro’s hand had already grasped the hilt of the Wado Ichimonji, and he stared at Ron sharply:
“This guy… is really strong. The movement underwater just now must be related to him.”
Sanji frowned and said, “What is that thing he’s holding in his arms?”
On the other side, on the revolutionary army’s ship.
Sabo looked at Ron who suddenly appeared, with a hint of surprise and solemnity in his eyes:
“Admiral ‘Mojian’ Ron? Why is he here? The submarine just now…”
The crow beside him whispered:
“Chief of Staff, according to our previous intelligence, this submarine belongs to a mysterious organization called ‘Ark’, which has been carrying out certain activities in secret. The admiral of the navy appeared here and destroyed their submarine… I’m afraid things are not simple.”
Bello Beti was holding a megaphone, seemingly ready to give an inspiring speech.
There are three forces: the admirals of the navy, the cadres of the revolutionary army, and the Straw Hat Pirates.
In this sea area that has just experienced a fierce underwater battle, a sunken submarine and a mysterious stone slab unexpectedly gathered together!
The atmosphere suddenly became subtle and tense.
Everyone’s eyes, either curiously, vigilantly, or solemnly, were focused on the admiral who was holding an unidentified object on the sea.
Ron felt the gazes coming from all directions and thought quickly in his mind.
Break in by force?
With his strength, it is not difficult to break out of the siege.
But if he does this, the stone tablet in his arms will definitely be exposed. Then the Revolutionary Army and the Straw Hat Pirates will definitely not give up, and things will become more complicated.
Explain? To whom?
Revolutionary Army? Straw Hat Pirates?
Will they believe it?
It seems… that we have to use some other method.
Ron glanced back and forth between Sabo and Luffy, and suddenly a thought popped up in his mind…
A bolder idea, one that is more likely to backfire.
Maybe… I can divert the trouble away?
He slowly raised his head, met the gaze of Sabo and Luffy, and…that unfathomable, cold smile appeared on his face again.
“Wow, what a coincidence, guys.”
His voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard on the two ships: “The Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army, the future Pirate King… and me, the unlucky admiral of the navy, actually met here.”
He paused and deliberately said in a suggestive tone: “It seems that everyone is attracted by something… ‘interesting’?”
His eyes swept meaningfully over the stone slab wrapped in a windbreaker in his arms.
An even more chaotic “drama” seems to be about to begin.
Chapter 32: Three-way confrontation! (Old version)
Ron’s words were like a drop of cold water thrown into a boiling oil pan, instantly igniting the already tense and delicate atmosphere at the scene!
“Something interesting?”
Sabo’s eyes narrowed, and his sharp gaze shot towards the object wrapped in the windbreaker in Ron’s arms.
Combining the previous intelligence and Ron’s deliberate attitude at the moment, he was almost certain.
The things hidden in there are definitely related to the mysterious organization “Ark” and may even be the purpose of their trip!
“Hey! Good man! What’s that in your arms? Is it meat?”
Luffy didn’t understand the deeper meaning of this at all. He still looked carefree, and his focus was always on eating.
“Idiot! How can that be meat!”
Nami held her forehead with her hand, feeling desperate about her captain’s lack of nerve.
But she also keenly realized that what Ron had in his arms and what he had just said were definitely not simple!
Especially since the Revolutionary Army Chief of Staff Sabo was also present, the matter must be very serious!
“Admiral of the Navy…Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army…Straw Hat Boy…”
Zoro gripped the hilt of the sword tightly, and his fighting spirit began to rise.
He could feel that both Ron and Sabo were extremely powerful opponents!
This kind of scene made the warlike gene in his body begin to stir.
“Oh wow, what an incredible scene.”
Although Brooke was just a bag of bones, he could still feel the invisible pressure: “My heart is about to jump out…even though I don’t have a heart!”
Robin’s eyes became deeper, and she stared at the thing in Ron’s arms.
Her intuition told her that the things hidden inside might be…
It’s related to the “history” she has been pursuing!
The atmosphere at the scene became tense because of Ron’s words!
This is exactly the effect Ron wants!
He wants to divert the trouble away!
We need to make this hot slab of stone a target to attract fire.
Allow him to escape temporarily, observe the reactions of all parties, and complete the system’s damn “find out identity and purpose” task!
Of course, it was impossible to just throw the slate away. That would be too deliberate, and he couldn’t bear to do it…
Well, the main reason is that I can’t bear to give up the Observation Haki accuracy +2% and 100 points.
He needs to use a more “smart” approach.
Ron looked at Sabo and Luffy, still with that unfathomable cold smile on his face: “It seems that both of you are very interested in this thing?”
He deliberately exposed a corner of the stone slab in his arms, allowing the dark blue surface engraved with ancient characters to flash in the eyes of Sabo and Robin!
“That is…?!”
Robin’s pupils suddenly shrank!
Although it was only a moment, the unique words and smell made her almost certain.
That must be something that has the same origin as the main historical text, or perhaps even older and more important!
Sabo’s eyes also became sharper!
really!
This admiral obtained something extremely important from the submarine of that mysterious organization!
And judging from his expression, he doesn’t seem to intend to hand it over to the World Government?
“Admiral, what you hold in your hand does not belong to you, nor to the World Government!”
Sabo said in a deep voice, with an unquestionable determination in his tone: “Hand it over!”
The Revolutionary Army’s position is clear: anything that could threaten the world or be used by the World Government to consolidate its rule must be in their own hands, or…
destroy!
“Hand it over?”
Ron sneered, as if he had heard a huge joke: “Why? Because you are the chief of staff of the revolutionary army? Or because…”
He turned his gaze to Luffy, with a hint of teasing: “…Based on a single word from the future Pirate King?”
Luffy was still confused: “Huh? Why do you have to hand it over? Isn’t it meat?”
“Luffy!”
Nami quickly grabbed him and explained in a low voice: “That thing must be very important! It is related to the secrets of the world! It can’t fall into the hands of the navy!”
“oh……”
Luffy nodded as if he understood, then shouted to Ron:
“Hey! Good man! Although you treated me to meat, that thing seems very important! You should hand it over!”
“Did you see that? Chief of Staff Sabo?” Ron spread his hands. “Even the future Pirate King said so. It seems that this thing is indeed very coveted.”
His tone was relaxed, as if he was talking about an insignificant matter, but the coldness and sharpness in his eyes had not diminished in the slightest.
“but……”
He changed the subject and his tone became playful: “I risked my life to snatch this thing from an evil organization that was trying to harm the world. If I give it to you so easily… wouldn’t it be embarrassing for me?”
“Evil organization?” Sabo keenly grasped the key words, “Do you know their origins?”
“Know a little bit.”
Ron shrugged. “A mysterious organization called ‘Ark’ seems to be very interested in collecting some…ancient ‘stones’. As for their purpose… maybe to revive an ancient weapon? Or to unlock the secret of the blank hundred years? Who knows.”
He deliberately made the information vague and mixed in some speculations that were difficult to distinguish between true and false.
The purpose is to further muddy the waters and make the Revolutionary Army and the Straw Hat Pirates even more fearful and curious.
When Robin heard the words “blank one hundred years” and “ancient weapons”, his eyes instantly became extremely sharp!
Sabo’s expression became more serious.
“ark”……
Collecting ancient stones…
A hundred years of blank…
Ancient weapons…
These key words put together made him immediately realize that the seriousness of the matter was far beyond his imagination!
This admiral knew much more than he thought!
Moreover, he doesn’t seem to intend to inform the World Government of this information?
“Now that you know this, you should understand the importance of this stone slab!”
Sabo said in a deep voice: “It must not fall into the hands of any ambitious person! Handing it over to our revolutionary army is the safest choice!”
“Leave it to you?”
Ron raised his eyebrows: “And then let you use it to overthrow the world government? It seems… not very safe, right? After all, who knows if you will become the next ‘Tianlongren’ after you succeed?”
“you!”
Sabo’s face darkened at Ron’s heart-piercing words, but he knew that now was not the time to argue about this.
Chapter 33: Fight! Fight! (Old version)
Just when the atmosphere became a little tense.
“Hey! Stop making noise!”
Luffy suddenly shouted, interrupting their conversation:
“What on earth is that stone? It sounds very powerful! If so, I want one too!”
Straw Hat Pirates: “…”
Revolutionary Army: “…”
Everyone was choked by Luffy’s simple and crude logic.
But… think about it carefully.
Judging from Luffy’s way of thinking, it seems… there’s nothing wrong with it?
Ron looked at Luffy’s matter-of-fact look and suddenly a brilliant idea popped up in his mind!
Since this slate is a hot potato, everyone wants it, but no one wants the other to get it…
Why not…
“All right.”
Ron suddenly sighed, with a helpless expression on his face that said, “I really can’t do anything about you guys.”
“Since the future Pirate King has said so…it seems reasonable to let you keep this stone for the time being.”
Sabo: “What?!”
Robin: “!!!”
Nami: “Huh?! Really?!”
Luffy’s eyes lit up: “Really? That’s great! Thank you, my good man!”
Ron changed the subject again, with a fox-like smile on his face: “This thing is too important and too dangerous. If I give it directly to either of you, the other party will definitely not agree, and maybe even a fight will break out. That would be bad.”
He paused, and said something that no one expected:
“So, I decided… to put it in a ‘neutral’ place for the time being, and whoever has the ability can take it.”
As he said that, he suddenly threw the wrapped stone slab in his arms towards the desolate “Bone Island” in the distance!
His throw seemed casual, but in fact it contained extremely exquisite strength and armed color domineering!
The stone slab cut through the sky like a meteor and landed precisely on a pile of rocks in the center of Dry Bone Island!
“boom!”
With a dull thud, the stone slab fell to the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust!
After doing all this, Ron clapped his hands, with a nonchalant expression on his face, as if he was leaving after the job was done.
“Okay, I’ve thrown the hot potato away.”
He said to the stunned Sabo and the Straw Hat Pirates, “Next, who gets this slate depends on your abilities.”
“As for me…”
He stretched lazily and said, “I am just an unlucky admiral of the navy. I have to go back to protect that stupid Celestial Dragon. I will not accompany you any more.”
After he finished speaking, the sea water under his feet swayed slightly, and the whole person seemed to be standing on invisible steps.
He displayed the “Moon Step” from the Six Navy Styles and walked “leisurely” away from the battlefield step by step!
He even turned around and waved at Sabo and Luffy, with a smile on his face as if he had succeeded in a mischief:
“Have fun…!”
Sabo, Luffy and their respective crews were left looking at the Bone Island full of unknowns and the mysterious stone slab of great importance on the island, looking at each other with different expressions.
A battle for the mysterious stone tablet seems to…
On the verge of happening!
Ron, the instigator, silently praised himself for his cleverness.
[Ding! It is detected that the host has successfully shifted the focus of the conflict and triggered a conflict among multiple forces, which is in line with the core concept of the title “Master of Control”. Title fragment: “Master of Control” (2/5) has been issued. ][Ding! Main quest phase 2: Undercurrents. Current progress: Part of the purpose of the “Ark” organization (collecting ancient rune tablets) has been initially explored, but its true identity and deeper purpose are still unknown. The mission is not completed, please continue to work hard. ]“Tsk, isn’t it finished yet? It seems that just knowing that they need to collect stones is not enough…”
Ron curled his lips.
“But once they start fighting, more clues will be revealed, right?”
As he walked away “leisurely” with the Moon Step, he used his Observation Haki to pay attention to the movements behind him, with a smile of watching a good show on his lips.
This “holiday” is becoming more and more interesting.
certainly.
Ron didn’t actually go far.
He used the Moon Step to draw an elegant arc in the air, seemingly leaving in a carefree manner.
In fact, he went to a hidden location far enough away but with a panoramic view of the Dry Bone Island and the nearby sea area.
The tip of a huge reef floating on the sea, partially obscured by sea fog.
He restrained his breath and spread out his observation Haki like a spider web.
Just like a director hiding behind the scenes, he is ready to watch with great interest the “drama” choreographed by him.
Sure enough, not long after he left, the tranquility of the sea near Dry Bone Island was completely broken.
The first to act were the Straw Hat Pirates.
“Go! Go get that stone!”
Luffy waved his hand, excited as if he had discovered a new continent, and wanted to rush to the Bone Island first without considering any danger.
“Wait! Luffy!”
Nami quickly grabbed him and said anxiously, “The situation is unclear! There must be danger on that island! And the people of the Revolutionary Army…”
Before she could finish her words, she saw that the revolutionary army’s ships had already started moving.
Sabo is not as impulsive as Luffy.
He first sent out several subordinates who were good at reconnaissance. Using their flying ability or special stealth skills, they quietly moved towards the Dry Bone Island to investigate the situation.
At the same time, he also ordered the ships to remain alert, with their guns pointed at the Sunny, obviously to guard against the Straw Hat Pirates.
“Damn it! They want that stone too!” Luffy became even more anxious when he saw this.
“It seems that a fight is inevitable.”
Robin watched the Revolutionary Army’s actions with a calm look in her eyes, as if she had anticipated this situation:
“That slab of stone… contains extraordinary power. It must not fall into the hands of others.”
There was a barely perceptible hint of determination in her words.
“Hmph! Who cares who he is! If you want to steal something, ask my knife first!” Zoro grinned, full of fighting spirit.
“I will protect the beautiful lady!” Sanji assumed the posture of a knight, but his eyes unconsciously glanced in the direction of Belo Betty on the Revolutionary Army ship.
So, after a brief discussion, the Straw Hat Pirates split into two groups.
Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, the three strongest fighters, boarded the small assault boat modified by Franky and rushed towards the Bone Island like an arrow, preparing to land by force and seize the stone slabs.
Nami, Usopp, Chopper, Robin, Franky, and Brook stayed on the Sunny to pick up and…
Confrontation with the revolutionary army.
“Oh? A fight broke out?”
Ron sat on the rocks, crossing his legs.
Looking at the two ships on the sea below shouting and threatening each other, as well as the two groups of people rushing towards the Dry Bone Island, a smile of watching the fun appeared on his face.
This is exactly the effect he wants!
Let both groups focus on the stone slab and each other.
Let’s ignore him as the “culprit” for now.
Also ignore the “Ark” organization that may still be hiding in the dark.
Chapter 34: “Friendly” “Assistance” (Old Version)
Soon, the roar of battle was heard on the Dry Bone Island!
The Revolutionary Army’s reconnaissance team apparently encountered something… “something” on the island.
Ron’s observation Haki sensed that there seemed to be some traps left on the island that were set by the “Ark” organization when they evacuated.
There might even be some leftover, modified combat creatures or autonomous weapons!
Immediately afterwards, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji also landed forcefully and had a fierce collision with those traps and combat creatures!
Rubber fists, sharp slashes, and swift kicks created clouds of smoke and explosions on the island!
“It’s so full of energy…”
Ron looked at the battle scene on the island that was at the level of demolition and couldn’t help but sigh.
It’s great to be young, you’re so energetic when fighting.
However, his focus was not just on the battle on the island.
His observation Haki was more about monitoring the wider sea area around him, and…
Underwater!
He is searching.
Find the backer of the “Ark” organization who might still exist, or…
They sent people to recover the slate.
[Ding! The host is detected to be searching the enemy with large-scale, high-precision observation Haki. The skill “Energy Perception (Passive)” takes effect, increasing the search efficiency by 5% and reducing the Haki consumption by 3%. ]oh?
This new skill has this effect?
Not bad, not bad.
Ron was delighted and started to “scan” even harder.
The battle on Bone Island became more and more intense, with Luffy’s iconic “rubber rubber” shouts and Zoro’s slashing sounds heard continuously.
On the sea, the Sunny and the revolutionary army’s ships were still in a tense standoff.
Although no actual shooting took place, the atmosphere was quite solemn.
Everything seemed to be going in the direction Ron had expected.
However, just when Ron thought it was time to close the net and see if he could gain some benefit from this chaos –
His observation Haki suddenly caught a…
It was an extremely unexpected signal, but it also cheered him up!
Not from underwater, nor from the surface!
But from…
Sky!
A figure with extremely fast speed and obscure aura, but definitely belonging to a strong man, was swooping down silently towards the direction of Dry Bone Island from above the extremely high clouds!
This aura…seems familiar?
Ron concentrated his attention and quickly recognized the other party’s identity!
It was him?!
Vice Admiral of the Marine Headquarters, “White Hunter” Smoker?!
How come he is here?!
And judging from the direction he came from and the covert way he moved, it was obvious that he was not just passing by by chance!
Could it be that… the Navy Headquarters has also noticed something?
Or, that old fellow Akainu didn’t trust him at all, and sent someone else to monitor him or… to steal the credit? !
Ron’s brows furrowed instantly.
The appearance of Smoker was completely unexpected and added a huge variable to his plan!
Although Smoker is not as strong as him, he is also a tough character.
Moreover, he has a stubborn personality and sticks to his guns. Once you are targeted by him, you will definitely be in big trouble!
More importantly, if he reports the situation here to the headquarters…
Then Ron’s faction of letting the Straw Hats go without permission, luring the Revolutionary Army, and even possibly hiding the mysterious stone tablet would most likely be exposed!
no!
We must not let Smoker interfere!
We must not let him pass the message back!
A cold light flashed in Ron’s eyes, and he made a decision instantly.
He had to stop him before Smoker got involved!
And, make him “temporarily” unable to report to his superiors!
He glanced at the battlefield below where fierce fighting and confrontation were still taking place, and then looked at the white figure in the sky that was getting closer and closer.
A bolder and more “unethical” plan once again took shape in his mind.
Since Smoker came to me on his own initiative…
Let him become part of this “big show”?
A perfect…scapegoat?
The corners of Ron’s mouth once again curled up into a cold and playful smile.
He jumped off the reef and dived into the water silently like a hunting cheetah, swimming quickly towards the other side of the Bone Island where Smoker was about to land.
At the same time, the system’s voice sounded in his mind at the right time, as if it knew that he was going to do something bad.
[Ding! An unexpected strong enemy (Smoker) has been detected, which may interfere with the host’s plans and tasks. Triggering a special response task! ][Task name: “Friendly” “Assistance”][Task Description: In order to maintain the “internal harmony” of the Navy (and avoid unnecessary trouble), please prevent Vice Admiral Smoker from intervening in the current incident in an “appropriate” and “unsuspicious” way, and ensure that he cannot effectively contact the Navy Headquarters for at least the next 24 hours. ][Mission requirements: 1. Do not cause permanent damage to Smoker. 2. The action must be secret and cannot be detected by the Revolutionary Army or the Straw Hat Pirates. 3. Create the illusion that Smoker was “accidentally” missing or “died in the line of duty (false)”.][Task Reward: Observation Haki “Disguise/Misleading” Skill Proficiency +5%; System Points x60; Item: “Universal Jammer (One-time)”][Failure penalty: The host’s reputation within the navy will be greatly reduced, and may be directly investigated by the marshal. ]Ron almost laughed out loud when he saw the task.
“Friendly” “assistance”?
Prevent intervention?
Do you want to create the illusion of loss of contact?
System, you are telling me to knock Smoker out and throw him on some deserted island, right?!
But… the reward for this mission is very good!
The “disguise/misleading” technique of Observation Haki!
This is an advanced application!
Being able to improve his proficiency in this skill will be of great help to him in hiding his strength and misleading his enemies in the future!
60 points is not a small amount!
There is also a “universal jammer”?
It sounds like it can block communications like Den Den Mushi!
It was tailor-made for his next “cheating” plan!
As for the penalty for failure…
Well, this is indeed a bit serious.
It seems that this time, the trap for Smoker must be clean and efficient, without leaving any traces.
“Brother Smoker,” Ron said silently in his heart as he dived underwater at high speed:
“Don’t blame me. Blame it on your bad luck for having to join in on this fun. For the sake of my retirement plan… I have no choice but to put you in this difficult position.”
A “friendly” and “assistance” operation against naval colleagues is about to begin.
Smoker, who was far away, knew nothing about this and remained highly alert.
Quietly landing on the Dry Bone Island filled with unknown dangers…
Chapter 35 It’s simply the devil! (Old version)
Dry Bone Island, a remote coast far away from the main battlefield.
The white smoke quietly condensed like a ghost and turned into a human shape.
It was the Vice Admiral of the Marine Headquarters, “White Hunter” Smoker, who used his elemental powers to land silently.
He looked around, his brows furrowed.
The violent battle waves coming from the center of the island and the two ships vaguely confronting each other on the sea raised his doubts and vigilance to the extreme.
One belongs to the Revolutionary Army, and the other one… isn’t that the Straw Hat Boy’s ship? !
“Straw Hat Luffy… the Revolutionary Army… and that unusually powerful energy wave just now… what on earth happened here?”
Smoker whispered to himself.
He came here under secret orders from Admiral Akainu to investigate the abnormal energy signals in the waters near Shampola Island.
The marshal seemed not completely confident about Ron’s escort mission this time.
In other words, he was more interested in the signal coming from the submarine, so he sent his trusted subordinate to investigate secretly.
He originally planned to sneak into the island first, find out the situation, and then decide whether to intervene and how to report.
But now it seems that the situation is more complicated and chaotic than he expected!
The Straw Hats and the Revolutionary Army are mixed together, along with an unknown force, and…
That terrifying power that suddenly erupted and quickly disappeared was suspected to belong to Ron!
There is definitely a big problem here!
Just as Smoker was about to go deeper into the island and investigate closer to the center of the battle—
He suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck!
An extreme sense of crisis that made even this nature-type ability user feel terrified instantly enveloped his entire body!
not good!
Smoker reacted extremely quickly, almost instinctively transforming into an element and turning into smoke to escape!
However, a hand, a hand that looked ordinary but contained a terrifying power that could confine space, appeared at the back of his neck as if it had teleported, and gently…
Pinch him!
It was not physical contact, but there was a thin layer of smoke between them!
But that force acted directly on his body.
It also contains extremely pure Armament Haki that is specifically designed to restrain users with natural abilities!
Smoker’s elementalization is actually…
Being interrupted?!
He couldn’t even emit a wisp of smoke!
The whole person seemed to have his acupuncture points pressed, and he was frozen in place, unable to move!
How is that possible? !
A huge wave rose in Smoker’s heart!
Who is it? !
Can approach without you noticing!
Can he break his elementalization so easily? !
This kind of strength…
He tried to turn his head with difficulty and extremely slowly, trying to get a clear look at the face of the attacker behind him.
Then, he saw…
A face that he didn’t expect, but seemed reasonable.
“Hey, Vice Admiral Smoker,” Ron’s voice came from behind him with a hint of teasing:
“Long time no see. What a coincidence, you are here too… on ‘vacation’?”
Ron was standing behind Smoker at this moment, with his signature, expressionless, cold smile on his face.
The hand that was gripping the back of Smoker’s neck was covered with a thin, almost invisible layer of Armament Haki.
It was this layer of domineering power that accurately locked onto Smoker’s body and suppressed his elemental ability.
This is another application of his improved micro-control ability of Armament Haki.
Carry out “targeted strikes” silently and specifically restrain the natural system.
“R…Ron?! You?!”
Smoker was shocked and angry: “What do you want to do?! Let me go!”
He tried to struggle and mobilize the strength in his body.
But Ron exerted a little force with his fingers, and an even more terrifying force came, making him feel that his cervical vertebrae were about to break!
“Shhh-keep it down.”
Ron put another finger to his lips and made a silent gesture: “We don’t want to be discovered by those little guys who are ‘playing’ on the island, right?”
His eyes swept across the fierce battlefield in the distance, with a meaningful look.
Smoker instantly understood what Ron meant!
This guy…
Not only does he know the situation on the island, he even…
It is possible that he was the one who caused all this? !
He wants to stop himself from intervening?!
Even… murder to silence the witness?!
“Ron! What on earth do you want to do?! As an admiral of the navy, you are actually working with pirates and the revolutionary army…”
Smoker demanded sharply.
“What did I do with them?”
Ron interrupted him, speaking innocently, “I was just passing by and saw that it was very lively here, so I dealt with a few ignorant bugs. As for why they were fighting, maybe it was because of some ‘interesting’ stone? Who knows.”
His words were flawless and cleared himself of all charges.
Of course Smoker didn’t believe it, but he was now under someone’s control and couldn’t resist at all.
“What do you want?” Smoker asked through gritted teeth.
He knew that with Ron’s strength, it would be easy to kill him.
“Not very good.”
Ron smiled, and that smile seemed full of malice to Smoker:
“I just feel that Vice Admiral Smoker has been running around for justice in the navy lately, and it’s really hard.”
“So, I want to… ‘kindly’ help you take a vacation.”
“Holiday?” Smoker was stunned.
“Yes, take a vacation.”
Ron nodded. “Let’s find an uninhabited island with beautiful scenery and no one to disturb us. Have a good rest… um, for a day? How about that? When the vacation is over, I promise to personally take you back to Marinford.”
Smoker: “…”
He finally understood what Ron wanted to do!
This guy wanted to knock himself out and throw himself onto a deserted island, and then let himself go back after the “good show” here is over!
In this way, I can’t report to my superiors, nor can I interfere in the affairs here!
Shameless!
mean!
Smoker was so angry that he was shaking all over, but there was nothing he could do.
“Of course,” Ron added, as if he saw through his thoughts.
“In order to let you have a peaceful vacation, I will keep your Den Den Mushi for you temporarily. By the way, I will also help you create a false impression of… um, ‘accidental loss of contact’ or ‘heroic injury’, so that the headquarters will not worry. What do you think?”
He shook the “universal jammer” in his hand that he had just received as a system reward.
This thing can not only block signals, but also simulate various communication failures and even…
A dying distress signal.
Smoker looked at the “kind” smile on Ron’s face.
I just felt a chill running from the soles of my feet straight up to the top of my head!
This guy… is simply a devil!
Chapter 36: Chaotic Battle! (Old Version)
[Ding! Special Response Mission “Friendly Assistance” Key Step: Successfully controlled the target (Smoker), preliminary achievement.]Ron stopped talking nonsense.
He knew that the longer the night, the more trouble he would have.
He exerted force with his fingers again, and an even more refined domineering aura accompanied by a special vibration frequency instantly invaded Smoker’s body!
Smoker only felt a black screen before his eyes, and his consciousness receded like the tide, and he completely lost consciousness.
“Done.”
Ron caught the limp Smoker and lifted him up like a chicken.
He looked around to make sure no one noticed what was happening.
Then, he took out the “universal jammer” from his arms and operated it on Smoker’s special Den Den Mushi a few times.
The simulation sent out an intermittent distress signal mixed with the sounds of fierce fighting and Smoker’s “roar”, and finally the signal was interrupted and returned to silence.
As a result, the information received by the Navy Headquarters was:
While tracking down the abnormal signal, Lieutenant General Smoker encountered a powerful enemy and unfortunately lost contact after a fierce battle.
The perfect “alibi” and “reason for loss of contact”.
After doing all this, Ron carried the unconscious Smoker.
He took a step and performed the Moon Step again, heading away from the Dry Bone Island.
I found the nearest deserted island with no one around and flew there.
He found a hidden cave, threw Smoker in, and blocked the entrance with a few large rocks.
“Well, Smoker brother, enjoy your ‘vacation’.”
Ron clapped his hands and smiled with satisfaction:
“I’ll come back to pick you up in 24 hours. I hope you can give me a little ‘surprise’ by then?”
[Ding! Special response mission “‘Friendly’ ‘Assistance'” completed! ][Mission Evaluation: S (The host achieved all mission objectives in an extremely efficient and secretive manner, and successfully created a perfect illusion, fully demonstrating his talent for “deceiving others”… no, “controlling the situation”)][Task Reward: Observation Haki “Disguise/Misleading” Skill Proficiency +5%; System Points x60; Item: “Universal Jammer (One-time)” has been issued. ][Current total points: 125 points.]Ron was in a good mood after solving a big problem and getting a generous reward.
Now, he can go back with peace of mind… and continue watching the show.
Without Smoker as a troublemaker, the battle on Dry Bone Island would have been more “pure” and “fierce”, right?
He performed the Moon Step once again, and like a meteor in the dark night, he returned silently to the reef where he had watched the battle.
The show has just reached its climax.
He wanted to see the Revolutionary Army and the Straw Hat Boy.
And how far will the “Ark” organization hidden in the dark play this drama to?
And…who will eventually get the stone slab he threw out?
Dry Bone Island.
The battle has entered a white-hot stage.
Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, the three main forces of the Straw Hat Pirates, demonstrated amazing destructive power.
The traps and modified creatures left on the island by the “Ark” organization were no match for them.
Whether it’s Luffy’s rubber fist that’s like a cannonball, or Zoro’s three-sword slash that’s powerful enough to cut through steel.
Or Sanji’s lightning-fast and powerful Devil’s Wind Kick, which cleared away all obstacles like a whirlwind.
They were like three sharp arrows, piercing the center of the island.
The location of the mysterious stone slab!
The Revolutionary Army, led by Sabo himself and assisted by several legion commanders, also demonstrated strong strength.
Sabo’s Dragon Claw Fist, combined with the power of the Flame-Flame Fruit, is incredibly powerful.
The combination of flames and armed color domineering forms an indestructible attack.
The crows transformed into countless pitch-black crows, conducting large-scale reconnaissance and harassment.
Bello Betty constantly uses the power of her Encouragement Fruit to boost the morale and combat effectiveness of her own men.
Their target is also the slate, but compared to the Straw Hat Pirates, they are more reckless.
The Revolutionary Army’s actions were more organized and planned. While clearing obstacles, they tried to reach the location of the stone slab before the Straw Hat Pirates.
So, inevitably, the two groups met in the central area of ​​the island!
“Stop! Straw Hat Boy! That stone slab is not something you can touch!” A cadre of the Revolutionary Army shouted sternly, trying to stop Luffy from moving forward.
“Stop talking nonsense! Whoever gets it first gets it!” Luffy didn’t listen at all and directly fired a “rubber bazooka”!
“Looking for death!” The revolutionary army cadre was not a weakling either, and he immediately went forward to meet him!
The battle broke out instantly!
Zoro faced off against a master of the Revolutionary Army who was also using weapons. There were flashes of swords and the clash of metal!
Sanji was fighting with another member of the Revolutionary Army who was good at physical skills, with his legs flying and his energy surging!
Sabo looked at the melee in front of him with a frown on his face.
He didn’t want to come into conflict with the Straw Hat Pirates, after all, Luffy was his important brother.
But the matter is of great importance, and the mysterious stone tablet must not fall into the hands of unidentified pirates!
“Luffy!” Sabo shouted in a deep voice, “Stop! Listen to me! That slab of stone is dangerous!”
“Sabo?!” Luffy was stunned when he saw Sabo, and then he shouted excitedly:
“Why are you here too? Great! Let’s go get that stone together!”
Sabo: “…”
“No! Luffy!” Sabo said seriously, “That stone slab is related to the secrets of the world, and it must be handled by our Revolutionary Army!”
“Why? We can protect the world if we get it!” Luffy retorted in confusion.
The conversation between the two brothers was not on the same channel at all.
While they were arguing, others were not idle.
Zoro and Sanji were already fighting hard with their respective opponents.
Other members of the Revolutionary Army also tried to bypass the Straw Hat Pirates and seize the stone slab first.
Nami and Usopp provided remote support (trouble) on the Sunny using weather sticks and various strange ammunition.
The entire Dry Bone Island has completely turned into a chaotic battlefield!
Chapter 37: Dog System, Are You Kidding Me?! (Old Version)
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a lively fight.”
On the distant reef, Ron was leisurely chewing an apple that he had gotten from somewhere, while watching the melee on the island with great interest.
He is just a spectator who watches the show without fear of the stage being too high.
His observation Haki was like the highest-definition live broadcast camera, clearly capturing every detail of the battle on the island.
It has to be said that both the Straw Hat Pirates and the Revolutionary Army are quite powerful.
Especially Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Sabo.
The combat capability he demonstrated is already approaching the threshold of a general.
However, Ron’s focus was not just on this “lively” battle itself.
He is observing.
Observe the revolutionary army’s fighting style, personnel configuration, and how much they value that slate.
Watch the Straw Hat Pirates show their potential, coordination, and…
The subtle change in Nico Robin’s expression when she saw the slate.
More importantly, he was observing…
Will the third party, the “Ark” organization, which may still be hiding in the dark, take advantage of the chaos to make a move?
However, what surprised him was a little bit.
The battle has been going on for quite some time, and apart from the Straw Hat Army and the Revolutionary Army, there are no signs of any other forces intervening on the island.
Could it be that… the “Ark” organization really gave up like this?
Or, were all the people they sent wiped out in the previous submarine?
Ron frowned, feeling that things seemed a little… too calm?
This was inconsistent with the caution and ruthlessness shown by the mysterious organization before.
unless……
Ron’s gaze once again turned to the stone slab lying quietly among the rubble.
His “Energy Perception” passive skill allows him to feel the strange and powerful energy fluctuations emitted by the stone slab more clearly than others.
This fluctuation…
It seems that as the fighting on the island intensifies and more people approach it, it becomes…
More active? More unstable?
It’s like…
Something that is being awakened?
A bold guess flashed through Ron’s mind in an instant!
Could it be that…
This stone slab itself is a trap? !
Or, it is not just a stone that records information, but more like a… locator?
Or some kind of energy beacon?
Or even… a “bait” that can attract a certain existence? !
The “Ark” organization deliberately left the stone tablet here, even at the cost of sacrificing a submarine and some members, just for the purpose of…
Attract other forces, and then…
Then what?
Catch them all in one swoop?
But no weapons of mass destruction or ambushes were found on the island.
Is it for… “screening”?
Screen out those who are qualified to access the stone tablets or who can interpret the information on the stone tablets?
For example… Nico Robin?
The more Ron thought about it, the more he felt that this was very likely!
The target of that mysterious organization may not have been Saint Charlos or the stone tablet itself from the beginning, but…
Someone who can decipher the secrets of the slate!
This would explain why their previous actions were so strange, and why they are not taking any action now –
They are waiting!
Waiting for that “destined person” to take the initiative to touch the slate!
And now, the person on the island who is most qualified and most likely to react to this slate is undoubtedly…
Nico Robin!
Although Robin is still on the Sunny and has not landed on the island, as Luffy and the others get closer and closer to the stone slab, the energy fluctuations of the stone slab are getting stronger and stronger…
Robin can’t be allowed to touch that slate!
At least, not before finding out the true purpose of that organization!
Ron’s expression suddenly became serious.
He couldn’t continue watching the show!
It must be stopped immediately!
However, just as he was about to intervene—
Something strange happened suddenly!
Boom boom boom——!!!
The entire Dry Bone Island began to shake violently without any warning!
It seems as if some huge monster is awakening deep underground!
In the center of the island, the pile of rocks where the mysterious stone slab was located suddenly burst into an extremely dazzling and extremely terrifying blue light!
The light shot straight into the sky, even dyeing the clouds in the sky with a strange color!
An indescribable terrifying pressure, as if coming from the ancient times, instantly enveloped the entire sea!
Whether it is Luffy, Zoro, Sabo and others who are fighting fiercely.
Nami, Robin, Belo Betty and others are still confronting each other on the sea.
Even Ron, who was watching the battle from a distance, felt a palpitation under this pressure!
It seems as if the soul is trembling!
“This…what is this?!” Nami looked at the blue beam of light rising into the sky in horror.
“So…so scary!” Chopper was so scared that he hid behind Franky.
Zoro and Sanji also stopped fighting and looked at the center of the light column with serious expressions.
Sabo and the cadres of the Revolutionary Army were facing a formidable enemy!
Only Luffy, although he also felt the pressure, his focus was still different: “Wow! So bright! Like fireworks!”
And when Nico Robin felt the pressure, especially when she saw the clearer ancient runes vaguely emerging in the blue light column, her face turned pale instantly!
Her body even began to tremble slightly uncontrollably!
“No… Impossible! This kind of power… Could it be…”
There was a hint of incredible fear in her voice.
Ron, who was on the reef in the distance, also looked extremely ugly!
His “energy perception” skill was frantically alerting him at this moment!
He could clearly feel that the stone slab…
No, it should be said that the entire Bone Island is turning into a huge energy vortex!
An extremely terrifying, extremely ancient force full of destructive aura is being awakened!
This is not a locator or bait at all!
This is an activated…super bomb?!
Or worse?!
“Damn it! This is too much!”
Ron cursed inwardly and no longer cared about hiding. He rushed towards the Dry Bone Island like lightning!
He must stop this immediately!
Otherwise, not to mention the Straw Hats and the Revolutionary Army, even he himself might be caught up in this sudden and unexpected disaster!
At the same time, the system’s prompt sound, with unprecedented urgency and warning, rang wildly in his mind!
[Warning! Warning! An unknown high-dimensional energy source has been detected and has been activated! Energy level: ? ? ? (far exceeding the current upper limit that can be analyzed)][Warning! Spatial stability has dropped dramatically! Abnormal disturbances in space-time coordinates! ][Emergency S-level mission released! ][Mission Name: Suppression! Legacy out of Control!][Mission Objective: Stop the unknown energy source from completely erupting at all costs! Stabilize the space-time in this area! Keep the disaster to a minimum! ][Task rewards: ??? (determined by task completion and contribution); temporary increase in system permissions; unlocking ??? function.][Failure penalty: ? ? ? (Unpredictable, may cause the world line to collapse.)]Ron’s scalp went numb when he saw this outrageous S-level mission and the horrific penalty for failure!
World line collapse?!
Dog System, are you kidding me?!
What the hell is this broken rock?!
Chapter 38: Ink Sword! (Old Version)
Above the Bone Island, the blue beam of light was like a giant pillar connecting heaven and earth, emitting suffocating pressure and destructive energy fluctuations.
The entire island was shaking violently, the ground was cracking, and rocks were collapsing, as if it would completely disintegrate in the next second!
The chaotic battlefield has long ceased.
Both the Straw Hat Pirates and the Revolutionary Army were looking at the center of the light column in shock.
That mysterious stone slab floating in the air, spinning wildly and releasing terrifying energy!
They could clearly feel that a force that could wipe out all of them in an instant was brewing!
“This…what the hell is this?!”
Usopp was so scared that tears and snot came out.
“The energy reaction… is still growing! If it continues like this… the whole island will be blown away!”
Franky’s electronic eyes flashed wildly as he analyzed the data, his tone filled with horror.
“Retreat quickly! Everyone evacuate immediately!” Sabo made a quick decision and shouted loudly to the members of the Revolutionary Army.
He also realized the seriousness of the situation. This was no longer something they could control!
However, just as they were preparing to evacuate.
An invisible, quagmire-like space-confining force suddenly enveloped the entire area!
It was as if there was an invisible big net that bound everyone firmly in place!
“I can’t…move!” Chopper was horrified to find that his body had become extremely heavy, and it was extremely difficult to even lift his hooves!
“Damn it! The space is locked?!”
Zoro tried to draw his sword, but found that even the action of drawing the sword became extremely slow and sluggish!
“Is this… some special Devil Fruit ability? Or is it the power of the slate itself?!”
Robin’s face was pale, trying to analyze.
Sabo also felt the powerful restraining force. He tried to break free by transforming into an element, but found that the flow of flames became extremely difficult!
An atmosphere of despair began to spread.
Faced with this unimaginable, almost catastrophic force, they, who were considered strong in the new world, seemed so small and powerless!
At this critical moment——
A black figure, like a lightning that cuts through the darkness, rushes towards the center of the light column against the terrifying torrent of energy!
It’s Ron!
“That’s… the good man who treated us?!” Luffy widened his eyes.
“General Ron?! What is he going to do?!” Sabo was also shocked and confused.
Ron was seen floating in the air, facing the slab of stone that was spinning wildly and releasing world-destroying energy!
His black casual clothes fluttered in the violent energy storm, but there was no fear on his face, only one kind of…
Unprecedented solemnity!
“Really… you’ve caused me a lot of trouble!”
Ron whispered to himself, his eyes became sharp as a knife!
He knew that now was not the time to hide his strength!
If he can’t stop this stone slab, not only will the mission fail and the world line collapse, he himself will be finished too!
Let’s do it!
“ha–!”
Ron suddenly let out a low roar!
No more reservations!
The domineering aura in his body, as vast as the ocean, gushed out like a volcanic eruption!
The inky black armament domineering instantly covered his entire body like flowing armor!
Different from the previous restrained and exquisite micro-control, this time, it is the ultimate concentration!
Extremely strong!
The domineering aura was so strong that it seemed to be dripping with ink, emitting a heart-pounding aura of heaviness and destruction!
At the same time, his observation Haki was also raised to the extreme!
The ability to “predict the future” has been pushed to its limit.
The raging energy turbulence around him, the twisted space trajectories, and even every pulsation of the energy core inside the stone slab were all clearly reflected in his mind!
What was even more shocking was that an invisible and terrifying will that seemed to transcend heaven and earth emanated from him!
That was not simply the intimidation of a domineering aura, but a deeper kind of “momentum” that seemed to be able to make all things submit and even make the space tremble!
Under the influence of this “trend”.
The space confinement force around them, which was originally like a quagmire, actually began to loosen!
The Straw Hat Pirates and the Revolutionary Army who were trapped in the distance felt the pressure on them suddenly relieved!
Although it is still difficult to move, at least I have regained some mobility!
“Wow… so awesome!”
Luffy looked at the devil-like figure in the air, with stars in his eyes: “His aura…is becoming so terrifying!”
“Is this…is this the true strength of the Admiral of the Navy?!”
Sabo felt the pressure that almost suffocated him, and his heart was filled with shock!
He knew that Ron was strong, but he didn’t expect him to be this strong!
This power is much stronger than the admirals he knew!
“This is… ‘Ink Sword’ Ron…”
Robin muttered to himself, his eyes complicated.
Ron ignored the exclamations below.
All his attention was focused on the out-of-control stone slab in front of him!
He could feel that the energy core inside the slate was accelerating at an extremely dangerous rate and was about to reach a critical point!
It must be interrupted immediately!
But attacking the slab itself directly?
The risk is too great!
Who knows if it will cause a more violent explosion?
The core must be found!
Destroy its source of energy!
Relying on the passive skill of “Energy Perception” and the ultimate observation Haki, Ron’s eyes penetrated the dazzling blue light.
It accurately locked onto an extremely tiny “point” inside the stone slab, which was emitting the most core energy fluctuations!
That’s it!
However, that point is protected by layers of extremely powerful energy barriers and space force fields!
It is extremely difficult to break through these defenses and hit the core directly!
Unless… use that trick!
Ron took a deep breath and slowly raised his right hand.
He did not clench his fist, nor did he put his fingers together like a knife, but… opened his palm.
The pitch-black armed color domineering, as if it had life, rapidly flowed, compressed, and condensed in his palm!
It’s not about forming weapons or armor, but…
Twist! Shape!
Gradually, a sword composed entirely of the highest density of Armament Haki, emitting an extremely sharp and destructive aura…
The outline of a pitch-black “sword” appeared in his palm!
This is not a real sword, but a sword he created by combining his own sword will, Conqueror Haki, and his ultimate understanding of Armament Haki…
A form of “destruction” that goes beyond the concept of “slashing” itself!
This is one of his hidden tricks!
This is the true origin of his name “Mo Jian”!
It is his reliance that enables him to stand at the top of the world’s combat power!
Chapter 39: Too Versailles! (Old version)
“I really don’t want to use it in a place like this…”
Ron sighed softly, then his eyes became fierce!
“Heroic Blade – Annihilation!”
He suddenly thrust the invisible “Sword of Annihilation” in his hand, which was made of pure domineering power, towards the core of the stone slab!
There is no earth-shaking sound, no gorgeous and dazzling light effects!
There is only a black “crack” that is so fine that it is almost invisible.
Just like cutting tofu, it tore through space silently, ignoring the layers of energy barriers and space force fields, with incomparable precision…
Hit the most core energy point inside the stone slab!
Time seemed to stand still at this moment.
The dazzling blue light froze in an instant, as if the pause button had been pressed!
The madly spinning stone slab suddenly stopped!
The terrifying pressure that enveloped the heaven and earth receded like the tide!
The invisible force that imprisoned the space disappeared into thin air!
The next second——
An extremely subtle yet clear shattering sound came from inside the stone slab!
Immediately afterwards, the mysterious stone slab that exuded an aura of doom seemed to have lost all support, and its light quickly dimmed.
The ancient characters on the surface also stopped flickering and turned into a piece of…
An ordinary stone that looks ordinary and even has a few cracks?
It fell helplessly from mid-air.
Ron was quick-witted and grabbed it before it fell into the chaotic energy turbulence below.
It feels cold and heavy.
The huge flood of information and energy fluctuations from before have completely disappeared.
Only an extremely weak trace of energy remained, like a candle in the wind.
“nailed it?”
Ron looked at the “plain” slate in his hand with some disbelief.
Is that it?
He was even prepared to withstand a big explosion.
[Ding! Emergency S-level mission “Suppress! Out-of-control legacy!” Completed! ][Mission Evaluation: S+ (The host used strength and skills far beyond expectations to accurately destroy the energy core in a very short time, successfully preventing catastrophic consequences and recovering key items. The performance is perfect!)][Task Rewards: Determined based on contribution, rewards are as follows:][1. Observation Haki “Predict the Future” proficiency +10%! ][2. Armament Haki “Internal Destruction” skill proficiency +15%! ][3. Overlord Haki “Will Shock” skill proficiency +5%! ]【4. System points x500! 】
[5. Temporary enhancement of system authority (lasting 24 hours): one A-level intelligence query or one high-risk simulation can be performed for free.][6. Unlock special function: “Item Identification (Basic)”! ]Ron’s eyes widened as he looked at this series of luxurious rewards!
The proficiency of three domineering advanced application skills has been greatly improved? !
This is even more precious than directly increasing the level of domineering power!
500 points?!
He had worked so hard for so long to save up just over a hundred points!
There are also temporary system privilege upgrades and new authentication features? !
This time… I really made a lot of money!
Sure enough, high risk brings high rewards!
Although the process was a bit thrilling and I almost got myself into trouble, the result… was quite satisfactory!
He carefully put away the stone slab, feeling the three kinds of domineering energy in his body become more integrated and can be used freely, and he was in a good mood.
However, before he could be happy for too long, the exclamations and vigilant gazes from below brought him back to reality.
Although the crisis has been resolved,…
The trouble seemed to have just begun.
In order to save the situation, he almost exposed all his secrets!
Now, whether it is the Revolutionary Army or the Straw Hat Pirates, the way they look at him is completely different from before.
Shock, fear, vigilance, curiosity…
And, an even stronger desire for the slate in his hand!
Ron looked at the two groups of people below who were eyeing him eagerly, and felt his head starting to hurt again.
How to…
How about ending this drama?
Above the Dry Bone Island, the out-of-control stone slab was forcibly suppressed by Ron.
The devastating pressure disappeared, leaving behind only a devastated island and a group of people with lingering fears and different expressions.
Ron slowly descended from mid-air and stood steadily on a relatively flat reef.
He carefully put away the dull stone slab, then raised his head and met the complicated gazes from the two groups of people below.
The atmosphere was a little stagnant for a moment.
The destructive power that Ron just displayed was too shocking!
Especially the last move, “domineering blade” that seems to cut through space.
It even made top masters like Sabo and Zoro feel a little nervous!
They now deeply understand.
Why is it that this man who looks a bit lazy and even a little funny (flowered shirt) can be ranked as the most powerful admiral in the navy!
His strength has exceeded their previous imagination!
“Hey! Good guy! You are awesome!”
The one who broke the silence was still the most nervous Luffy.
He looked at Ron, his eyes sparkling with excitement, completely unaware of the danger and the positions of both parties: “What was that move just now? So cool! Like a laser! Whoosh!”
He also made a strange gesture.
“Luffy! Don’t be stupid!”
Nami quickly covered his mouth and looked at Ron nervously: “Are you okay?”
Although they were on different sides, it was Ron who saved all of them just now.
Ron glanced at her and said calmly, “You won’t die.”
He turned his gaze to the Revolutionary Army, where Sabo was looking at him solemnly.
“General Ron.”
Sabo spoke in a deep voice, with a hint of vigilance and… a subtle inquiry in his tone:
“What on earth was that stone slab just now? Why did it suddenly go out of control?”
This is the question that everyone present wants to know.
Of course, Ron couldn’t tell the whole truth.
His eyes rolled and a plan came to his mind.
“How should I know?”
He spread his hands, with an expression that said “I am innocent too”:
“I just sensed an abnormal energy fluctuation here, so I came to check the situation, and happened to see you guys fighting fiercely here.”
“Then.”
He pointed to the location where the beam of light had just burst out:
“That piece of broken rock that appeared out of nowhere suddenly went crazy. It looked like it was going to explode, and I was afraid that it would affect innocent people, so I just… held it down.”
He said this lightly, as if the devastating crisis just now was just a small trouble he solved easily.
Robin: “…”
Others: “…”
Just…pressed it?!
You call that thing that was like a natural disaster and nearly wiped out everyone a “broken stone”? !
And it’s “handy”?!
This Versailles realm is simply beyond the sky!
Chapter 40: Aftermath is also an art (old version)
Ron ignored everyone’s silence and continued to speak “innocently”:
“As for what that stone is… perhaps you, the Revolutionary Army, or this Miss Historian, know more than me?”
He looked at Sabo and Robin meaningfully.
Sabo frowned. Ron was obviously avoiding the main point and even trying to turn the tables.
Of course, he would not reveal the intelligence held by the revolutionary army on such an occasion.
Robin shook his head slightly, his face still pale:
“I have never seen a similar tablet in any document. Although its text is the same as the historical text, the power it contains is completely different.”
There was a hint of fear and deep confusion in her tone.
“Oh? Really?”
Ron pretended to be surprised: “That’s really strange. It seems that this thing is more mysterious than we thought.”
He successfully diverted the subject.
It shifted everyone’s attention from “why was he here” and “what did he do” to “what is the slate itself”.
“Okay,” Ron clapped his hands, as if the matter had come to an end:
“Now that the crisis has been resolved, I should go back and report. As for this place…”
He looked around at the devastated island and the two opposing groups of people, and a playful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth:
“Are you going to continue fighting? Or are you going to go home? This has nothing to do with me.”
“etc!”
Sabo immediately shouted, “That slab of stone! What are you going to do with it?!”
This is the key issue!
Although the slate has been suppressed temporarily, who knows if it will get out of control again?
Moreover, the secrets and powers it contains must not be let go easily!
“I?”
Ron pointed at himself and said as a matter of course:
“Of course I took it back to the Navy Headquarters and handed it over to professionals for research and analysis. After all, I am a member of the Navy. If I find such dangerous items, I have to hand them over to the country, right?”
This sounds reasonable and impeccable.
But how could Sabo and Robin believe it? !
With the strength and attitude Ron just showed, would he obediently hand over a treasure of this level to the World Government?
You’re kidding!
He definitely wants to embezzle it!
“No!” Sabo flatly refused, “This slate is too dangerous! We can’t give it to the World Government! They will only use it for evil!”
“Oh?” Ron raised his eyebrows. “Then give it to your revolutionary army? Can you guarantee that you will use it to maintain world peace?”
“We…” Sabo was speechless for a moment.
Although the revolutionary army’s ultimate goal is good, it is inevitable that some drastic measures will be used in the process, and he cannot guarantee it 100%.
“Then why don’t you just give it to us?”
Luffy chimed in again, “Let’s hide it! No one can find it!”
Hide?
With your trouble-making personality, the whole world will know that you are in control in less than three days!
Seeing that they were about to get into another argument, Ron sighed and put on a “what a hassle” expression.
“Okay, okay, stop arguing.”
He said: “Since everyone is worried, let’s do this…”
He once again made a decision that surprised everyone.
“I will not take this slate away for now.”
Sabo and Robin were both stunned.
“I’ll just leave it… here.”
Ron pointed to the bone island that was about to fall apart and said, “I’ll come back to get it after I finish the things I’m doing. Of course…”
He looked around, his eyes becoming cold and full of warning: “If it disappears before I come back… or someone takes it away in advance…”
“Then, whether it’s the Revolutionary Army or the Straw Hat Pirates, I will personally come and… ‘pay a visit’.”
“Then we can have a good ‘chat’ about the ownership of this stone tablet.”
His tone was calm, but the threat contained in it made everyone present shudder!
A visit from the admiral?
That would absolutely be a catastrophic disaster!
This is simply a naked threat!
But he just left the slate here, giving them a chance for “fair competition”!
This conspiracy is really well played!
Sabo’s expression changed constantly. He knew that Ron was forcing them to make a choice.
Or, while Ron is away, grab the slate at all costs and bear the wrath of the admiral.
Or, give up temporarily and wait for Ron to come back before making plans.
Or… supervise each other and make sure no one takes it away?
On the Straw Hat Pirates’ side, Nami and Usopp were so frightened that their faces turned pale, and they kept waving their hands to show that they would definitely not move.
Although Zoro and Sanji are belligerent, they also know the consequences of confronting a marine admiral head-on.
Robin fell into deep thought, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.
Only Luffy was still confused: “Why not take it now? It’s too dangerous to leave it here?”
Ron looked at everyone’s reactions and laughed inwardly.
Of course, he couldn’t really leave the slate here. This was just a delaying tactic and a further test.
He needs time to deal with things on Charlos’ side and to further investigate the “Ark” organization.
Or even… contact someone who might be able to help.
Leaving the stone slab here and letting the Revolutionary Army and the Straw Hat Army restrain each other is the best option at the moment.
First of all, you can get rid of trouble temporarily.
Secondly, we can also see what actions these two groups will take next, and by the way… observe whether the “Ark” organization will really appear.
[Ding! It is detected that the host has successfully used the art of language and psychological games to resolve the current crisis and create favorable conditions for the main task. The proficiency of the “Disguise/Misleading” skill of Observation Haki +3%. ]Can this also increase proficiency?
good.
“Okay, that’s enough of what I’m saying.”
Ron did not stop: “Everyone… take care of yourselves.”
After saying that, he performed the Moon Step again, and this time he really flew towards Shampola Island at an extremely fast speed, disappearing into the sky in the blink of an eye.
Left on the Bone Island, the Revolutionary Army and the Straw Hat Pirates stared at each other in an awkward and solemn atmosphere.
“Mr. Sabo, what should we do now?” a revolutionary army cadre asked in a low voice.
Sabo looked at the pile of rocks where the slab was, then looked at the Straw Hat Pirates who were staring at him eagerly, and said in a deep voice:
“Hold still for now, send someone to closely monitor this place, and don’t let anyone get close to the stone slab! At the same time, report the situation here to Mr. Long immediately!”
On the other side, Nami also said to Luffy nervously: “Luffy! Let’s go! It’s too dangerous here! That admiral is too scary!”
“But…stones…” Luffy was still a little reluctant.
“We’ll talk about the stone later!” Nami pulled him towards the Sunny, “Let’s get out of here first!”
Zoro and Sanji also nodded. They knew that now was not the time to show off.
The two groups of people, with their own thoughts and fears, began to slowly evacuate this Dry Bone Island which was full of variables.
A battle for the slate directed by Ron seems…
In an extremely strange way, the curtain temporarily came to an end?
The real fisherman was now on his way back to Shampola Island, thinking about his next plan in his mind.
He needed to use the 24-hour system privilege escalation as soon as possible to retrieve some more core intelligence.
At the same time, he also needed to “welcome” Vice Admiral Smoker who was thrown on a deserted island by him.
After all, it was agreed that I would send him back “personally”.
As for the stone slab that was temporarily left on Dry Bone Island…
Ron’s lips curled up into a mysterious smile.
Would he really leave it there?
Maybe.
Maybe… not necessarily.
After all, “aftercare” is also an art, isn’t it?
Chapter 41 Just wait for me! (Old version)
An unnamed deserted island dozens of miles away from the Dry Bone Island.
The sea breeze blows, bringing with it a salty and humid smell and the monotonous sound of waves.
At the entrance of a cave covered by huge rocks, several stones blocking the door were suddenly shaken open by an invisible force, revealing the dim cave inside.
Ron’s figure appeared at the entrance of the cave like a ghost.
He glanced at Smoker, who was still unconscious, covered in dust and grass, and looked rather disheveled, and a playful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
Nearly twenty-four hours had passed since he had left Smoker here.
The “vacation” of this “white hunter” should also come to an end.
Ron walked forward and checked on Smoker’s condition.
Well, his breathing is steady, there are no external injuries, he is just in a deep coma, and he may be a little dehydrated and hungry.
It seems that he was very measured in his actions.
“Wake up, Lieutenant General Smoker.”
Ron patted Smoker’s cheek, and a domineering aura containing a special vibration frequency was quietly injected into him.
“Well……”
Smoker groaned in pain, his eyelids trembled a few times, and he slowly opened his eyes.
What came into view first was the dim cave ceiling, and then…
It was Ron’s face with that “nuclear good” smile.
“R…Ron?!”
Smoker’s consciousness suddenly became clear, and memories came flooding back like a tide!
He sat up suddenly and tried to transform into an element, but found that his body was still a little stiff and weak.
More importantly, a faint but extremely precise armament domineering aura seemed to still remain in his body, suppressing the ability of his fruit!
“What did you do to me?!” Smoker growled in shock and anger.
“nothing.”
Ron shrugged his shoulders and said in a relaxed tone: “I just helped you ‘relax’ your nerves. By the way… I let you have a good sleep. Look, your dark circles are gone and you look good.”
I look good, you bastard!
I almost thought I was going to die in this damn place!
He struggled to stand up, stretched his still stiff body, and glared at Ron:
“You bastard! What on earth do you want to do?! What’s going on over at Dry Bone Island?!”
What he was most concerned about was the abnormal situation over there.
“Bone Island?”
Ron pretended to be surprised: “Oh, you mean the island that caused a little trouble? Don’t worry, I have already dealt with it. They are just some small minions that are not a big deal. I solved them easily.”
He said it lightly, without mentioning the slate, the revolutionary army, and the straw hats at all.
“Solved it easily?”
Of course Smoker didn’t believe it. He had personally experienced the horrific energy fluctuations. “What on earth happened? Where are the Straw Hat Boys and the Revolutionary Army?!”
“Straw Hat? Revolutionary Army?” Ron blinked, looking “confused”:
“Really? I didn’t see them. Maybe they had already left when I got there? After all, I was mainly there to deal with the abnormal energy source, so I didn’t pay much attention to anything else.”
What he said was half true and half false.
Coupled with the illusion of “communication interruption” that he had simulated before, Smoker found it difficult to judge the truth for a while.
Did Ron really just go deal with the energy source, knock himself out and leave him here so he wouldn’t get in the way?
Although this behavior is still despicable, it seems…
Can this be explained?
Smoker looked at Ron suspiciously, trying to find a flaw in his face.
But Ron’s expressionless face and the occasional “innocent” expression make him look like a natural actor, and it is impossible to see through him.
“Well, Admiral Smoker, your ‘vacation’ is over.”
Ron patted his shoulder and said, “I promised to take you back personally. Come on, my boat is waiting outside.”
Although Smoker was full of doubts, he was now in a situation where he was at the mercy of others and could only follow Ron temporarily.
He decided that after returning, he must immediately report to the Marshal everything that happened here and let the Marshal make the decision!
The two walked out of the cave one after the other.
The glaring sunlight made Smoker squint subconsciously.
He saw that there was indeed a small naval speedboat docked on the beach.
“Oh, right,” Ron seemed to suddenly remember something, took out Smoker’s dedicated Den Den Mushi from his pocket and handed it over:
“Your Den Den Mushi seems to have some problems. I helped you fix it. It should be working now.”
Smoker took the Den Den Mushi and checked it, and found that it could indeed be used normally, but…
He always felt that the way this Den Den Mushi looked at him was a little… resentful?
It’s an illusion, it must be an illusion.
How could Den Den Mushi have such a look?
Without giving it much thought, Smoker immediately began trying to contact headquarters to report the situation.
However, the telephone kept ringing for a long time but could not be connected!
The screen shows a prompt of “signal interference”!
“What’s going on?!” Smoker asked anxiously.
Ron came over to take a look, with a “surprised” expression on his face:
“That’s weird. It worked fine when I tried it just now. Maybe… the magnetic field in the sea around here is special? It should be fine once we get farther away.”
Special ass!
It’s definitely you who did this!
He was now 100% sure that Ron did it on purpose!
This guy had no intention of letting me contact the headquarters immediately!
But Ron didn’t give him any more chances and dragged him directly onto the speedboat.
“Let’s go, we have to hurry back to protect Saint Charlos. I hope that idiot doesn’t cause me any new trouble.”
Ron started the speedboat and complained casually.
The speedboat rushed towards Shampola Island like an arrow.
Smoker sat on the boat, looking at Ron’s calm profile, his heart filled with frustration and helplessness.
He felt like a monkey being fooled, even though he knew there was something wrong with the other party.
But he couldn’t get any evidence and was played around by the other party!
This feeling is even worse than being defeated directly!
“Ron…”
Smoker gnashed his teeth and whispered, “Just wait…”
Ron seemed not to hear it. He just concentrated on driving the boat, but a barely perceptible smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
Done.
Smoker’s trouble has been temporarily solved.
Moreover, after this experience of “losing contact”, even if he reports back, his credibility will be discounted.
Even if Akainu suspected him, he couldn’t do anything to him without solid evidence.
Now, he has more important things to do.
That is…
Take advantage of the 24-hour system privilege upgrade to query A-level intelligence!
Chapter 42 Restarting the World? (Old Version)
On the way back to Shampola Island, Ron was driving the speedboat while giving instructions to the system in his mind:
“System, use temporary authority to query A-level intelligence. Target: The true identity and core purpose of the mysterious organization ‘Ark’, as well as its specific connection with the ‘Ancient Rune Slab’.”
[Ding! Received instruction, using the upgraded permissions to access and parse a higher-level database…][A-level intelligence query… Please wait…]Ron’s heartbeat quickened slightly.
A-level intelligence!
This is the highest level of intelligence the system can currently provide!
Hopefully I can bring him something truly valuable!
A few minutes later.
[Ding! A-level intelligence query completed! ][Intelligence level: A (highly credible after cross-verification from multiple sources and advanced logical deduction). ]【Information content:】
[1. Speculation on the identity of the organization: The “Ark” organization is very likely to have a direct or indirect connection with the “Moon City Birka” (Birka), which is said to have created ancient weapons and disappeared in the long river of history. Its members may include descendants of the Birka people, scholars who have mastered some ancient technology, and ambitious people who are attracted by their technology or ideas. ][2. Core Purpose Speculation: The core purpose of the “Ark” organization is not simply to rule the world or overthrow the government, but to “restart” or “purify” the world. They believe that the current world is already corrupt and needs to be thoroughly “formatted” with the help of the ultimate power of ancient times (possibly related to ancient weapons or the power of stone tablets) in order to establish a “new era” that conforms to their philosophy.]【3. Related to the slate: The “Ancient Rune Slate” is not a historical text, but a key or controller left by the Bilka civilization, used to record and guide a certain “cosmic-level” energy. Different slates correspond to different energy nodes or functions. The “Ark” organization is collecting these slates, trying to reactivate and control this ultimate power that is enough to “restart the world.” Saint Charlos may be carrying the “starter” or “coordinate information” of a key slate, so he became a target. The slate on the Bone Island is out of control, which is likely to be a trap or test deliberately set by the “Ark” organization, with the purpose of screening out those who can withstand or interpret the power of the slate (such as Nico Robin), or… attracting more powerful beings (such as you, the host) to intervene to accelerate their plan? 】
Ron’s pupils suddenly contracted when he looked at this A-level information!
The Moon City Birka?!
Enelu’s hometown?!
Restart the world?! Purify?! Format?!
Cosmic energy?! Key?! Controller?!
This… this amount of information is too much, right? !
He originally thought that this only involved ancient weapons or the secrets of a blank hundred years.
I didn’t expect that it would involve something as outrageous as lunar civilization and “restarting the world”? !
No wonder that organization is so mysterious and powerful!
Their goal is not worldly power at all, but a higher-dimensional, almost divine plan!
This also explains why the stone slab went out of control and why the system issued an S-level emergency mission!
The power contained in that thing is probably enough to destroy the world!
Ron felt a chill on his back.
He originally just wanted to use this incident to complete the system task and have some fun at the same time, but he didn’t expect to step into such a big pit!
The Ark Organization…
The descendants of Bilka…
Restart the world…
These keywords made Ron feel that he was caught in a vortex that was far bigger and more dangerous than he had imagined.
His retirement plan…seems…
Another big step further?
However, crisis also means opportunity.
This A-level intelligence not only answered many of his previous doubts, but also pointed out the direction for his next actions.
At least, he now knew the general identity and purpose of the enemy.
Next, it’s time to stop them.
After all, if the world was “formatted”, how could he retire and enjoy life?
It seems that this “unlucky” admiral can no longer stay out of the matter.
The speedboat cut through the waves and sped towards Shampola Island.
A storm surrounding ancient secrets and the fate of the world has just begun.
When Ron drove the speedboat back to Shampola Island, it was already bright.
He handed over Smoker, who was still in the “signal interference” state and looked aggrieved, to the navy soldiers who came to pick him up, and ordered them seriously:
“Lieutenant General Smoker was bravely wounded while tracking down the enemy. He needs to rest. Arrange the highest standard of medical care immediately. In addition, no one is allowed to visit him until he is ‘fully recovered’. He is also forbidden to communicate with the outside world. Do you understand?”
The soldiers in charge of the response looked at their general’s pale face and slightly dull eyes.
Feeling the unquestionable majesty of General Ron again, how could I dare not disobey?
Quickly stand at attention and salute:
Smoker was still struggling to say something, but Ron gave him a “kind” look, and he immediately chose to shut up wisely.
A good man never suffers a loss in front of him.
When I recover, I will contact the Marshal and see how you explain it!
After dealing with this “little trouble” Smoker, Ron turned around and returned to the hotel.
As he walked, he sorted out the chaotic information and next plans in his mind.
The goal of the “Ark” organization is to restart the world, and the stone tablet is the key.
The incident on Dry Bone Island was most likely a test or trap they had deliberately set up.
So, where are they now?
Are you still active on the island?
What are their next plans?
These issues need to be clarified as soon as possible.
He first contacted his subordinates who were responsible for monitoring the island.
“Reporting to the Admiral, after you left, the Revolutionary Army and the Straw Hat Pirates near the Bone Island have evacuated one after another after a period of confrontation, and no suspicious personnel or ships have been found approaching or landing on the island.”
“Evacuated?”
Give up so soon?
Or did they also realize the danger or have other plans?
“Strengthen monitoring of Shampola Island and the surrounding waters, especially the movements of the Revolutionary Army and the Straw Hat Pirates. Report any abnormalities immediately.”
Ron ordered.
He had a hunch that these two groups would never give up their search for clues about the stone slab easily.
After hanging up the phone, Ron returned to the presidential suite area on the top floor of the hotel.
The atmosphere here is still tense and the guards are stricter than before.
“General! You’re back!”
The CP agent captain in charge here was visibly relieved when he saw Ron.
During the time when the general was away, they were under great pressure, fearing that something might go wrong.
“How’s it going?” Ron asked.
“Everything is fine, General.”
The CP agent captain reported: “Saint Charlos has been staying in his room and has not gone out. Although there has been some commotion on the island due to the previous energy fluctuations, it is under our control and has not caused large-scale chaos. We have not found any suspicious people trying to approach here.”
Ron nodded and walked straight to Saint Charlos’s room.
He needed to confirm the status of this “bait”, and by the way…
See if we can get some more information about the slate out of him.
Although the hope is slim, we have to try.
Chapter 43: Dog System, Please Explain It! (Old Version)
I knocked on the door and saw a mess inside.
All kinds of luxurious decorations were broken and food residues were thrown everywhere.
Saint Charles was slumped on the sofa with a dull look in his eyes, as if he had not fully recovered from yesterday’s shock. He was still holding the slingshot tightly in his arms.
Seeing Ron come in, he shuddered like a frightened rabbit and almost rolled off the sofa.
“You…you’re back?” Charlos’ voice trembled.
“Um.”
Ron responded expressionlessly, his eyes scanning him like a scanner: “It seems that you are having a good ‘rest’ here?”
“No! Not at all!”
Charlos immediately complained with a sad face: “The food is terrible! The sleep is uncomfortable! There is nothing fun to do! I want to go home! Now! Right now!”
“We’ll talk about going home after the ‘vacation’ is over.”
Ron interrupted him, walked up to him, and looked down at him:
“Let me ask you, before you came to Shampola Island, or when you left Marijoa, did you carry anything…special or ancient? For example…a stone? Or a strange box?”
He is testing.
Test Charlos to see if he knew that he might be carrying an “activator” or “coordinate information” related to the stone tablet.
Charlos was stunned for a moment, tilted his head, and tried to recall. A blank expression appeared on his fat face:
“Special things? Ancient things? No… I bring the most fashionable and expensive treasures! What’s so interesting about those antiques?”
He seemed to have no idea that he might be carrying a “treasure”.
Looking at his stupid look, Ron was basically certain that this guy was most likely kept in the dark.
Or, the so-called “activator” or “coordinate information” is an item on his body that he himself does not know about.
Or, it might have been “taken” by one of his elders or someone with ulterior motives in a way he was unaware of.
The clue was lost again.
Ron was a little disappointed, but not surprised.
It was unrealistic to expect to get any valuable information out of this idiot.
“Since there isn’t one, forget it.”
Ron stopped asking questions and warned in a cold tone: “Remember, stay here and don’t go anywhere until I say you can leave, otherwise…”
He didn’t finish, but that cold look said it all.
Charlos was so scared that he nodded repeatedly: “Got it! I will never run around!”
After dealing with Charlos, Ron returned to his room.
He needs to digest the information brought by the A-level intelligence and re-plan his next step.
The goal of the “Ark” organization is to restart the world, and the slate is the key.
The activation of the slate on Dry Bone Island is likely a screening mechanism to find those who can withstand or interpret the power of the slate.
Then, the people from “Ark” are probably already eyeing…
Nico Robin?
If this is true, the Straw Hat Pirates are in a very dangerous situation now!
Ron frowned.
Although he used the straw hat to muddy the waters, he didn’t want Robin to really fall into the hands of “Ark”.
Firstly, Robin is one of the few characters in the plot that he has some liking for (mainly because of her face and figure).
Secondly, if “Ark” really deciphered the secret of the stone tablet through Robin and activated the power that was enough to “restart the world”, it would be a disaster for him.
It seems that he needs to…
Give the Straw Hat Pirates a little “reminder”?
Or, protect it in secret?
But this would get him into deeper trouble.
The admiral of the navy secretly protects the pirates?
If this gets out…
Just as Ron was struggling –
The system’s voice sounded again, and this time it seemed particularly… excited?
【Emergency notice! Emergency notice! 】
[It is detected that the host’s personal charm (?) has reached the critical value, and successfully attracted a “special” visitor! ][Visitor’s identity: The world’s most noble, beautiful, and powerful woman (self-proclaimed) – Pirate Queen, Boya Hancock! ]【Visitor location: Right outside your door! 】
[System suggestion: Please tidy up your appearance immediately, show your most charming (?) side, and welcome this distinguished guest who may bring huge changes (or huge troubles)! ]Ron: “???!!!”
He suddenly stood up from his chair with an expression of disbelief!
Hancock?!
The Pirate Empress?! One of the Seven Warlords?!
The legendary woman who was so beautiful that she could be forgiven for anything?
How did she find herself here?! Or come to find him?!
Are you sure about the system?!
When did I become so charming?!
And attracted the Empress?!
Ron subconsciously glanced at himself in the mirror.
Well, black clothes and black pants, expressionless face, cold eyes…
Does this have anything to do with the word “charming”? !
Could it be… because she saw me wearing a floral shirt before? !
Impossible!
Or… System, are you playing tricks on me again?!
Just as Ron was shocked and confused, there was a knock on the door.
At the same time, his observation Haki was also clearly sensed.
There was indeed a woman standing outside the door…she had a strong and proud aura, and a hint of…hmm? Expectation and shyness???!
It really is Hancock!
Ron felt that his worldview had been severely impacted!
Why did the empress come to see him? !
Could it be… because of Luffy? !
What does she think is her relationship with Luffy?
Or… is there another purpose?
For example…are you also interested in Slate or the “Ark” organization?
Whatever the reason, the arrival of this uninvited guest made the already complicated situation even more…unpredictable.
Ron took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
He straightened his collar, which was not messy at all, then walked to the door and opened it.
Standing outside the door was indeed the peerless and stunning Pirate Queen, Boya Hancock!
She still looked arrogant and cold, but deep in her eyes, there seemed to be a barely perceptible hint of… nervousness and… anticipation?
When she saw that it was Ron himself who opened the door, her cheeks actually… a barely noticeable blush appeared? !
“You…” Hancock opened her red lips and was about to say something, but as if she suddenly thought of something, she raised her chin abruptly, put on her signature extremely contemptuous posture, tilted her head back, and looked down at Ron with the corner of her eyes.
“Humph! I… I’m just passing by! I didn’t come here to see you on purpose!”
He looked at the empress in front of him who was forcing herself to be arrogant and even had her ears a little red, and felt the corners of his mouth twitching wildly.
What is going on?!
Dog system!
Come out and explain it to me!!!
Chapter 44: The Empress’s Misunderstanding is Big! (Old Version)
Ron looked at the Pirate Queen in front of him, whose cheeks were flushed and eyes were evasive, but who insisted on putting on an arrogant and contemptuous attitude, and he felt that his brain was a little frozen.
This script is wrong!
Based on his understanding of the plot, shouldn’t Hancock only have a soft spot for Luffy’s rubber head and ignore or even extremely hate other men?
Even if the plot has become somewhat unrecognizable because of his time travel.
But…she is like this now…what’s going on? !
Could it be that… even the Empress can’t resist my damn charm that has nowhere to go? !
Ron touched his face subconsciously.
Well, he is indeed very handsome, and his temperament is cool enough, which conforms to the aesthetic taste of some women…
But this is Hancock!
The woman who will be forgiven for anything she does because she is so beautiful!
Her vision shouldn’t be so…ordinary, right?
[Ding! System prompt: According to database analysis and current scenario deduction, the probability that the target character (Boya Hancock) has special feelings (?) for the host is about 12.7%. The higher probability (about 78.3%) is that his abnormal behavior is due to some misunderstanding or special reasons. Another 9% probability is… a random event that the system cannot understand. ]12.7%?
Dog system are you serious?
And what the hell is that 9% random event? !
It seems that it is mostly a misunderstanding.
Ron breathed a sigh of relief, but also became more alert.
It is impossible that Hancock came to visit at this time just because she was “passing by”.
She must have some purpose.
“It turned out to be the ‘Empress’ Hancock.”
Ron’s face regained its calm expression, and he said calmly, “I wonder what brings you here, Shichibukai? This is the navy’s territory, and… I’m on a special mission, so I’m afraid it’s not convenient for me to entertain you.”
He deliberately pointed out the other party’s identity and his own situation, trying to test and…persuade him to back off.
Hancock seemed a little… aggrieved when she heard Ron’s distant tone?
But she still maintained her proud attitude, and said with her signature backward-looking contemptuous angle: “Humph! Who, who asked you to entertain?! I just… just heard that the damn idiot Tianlong is here with you, so I came over… to confirm whether he has caused you any trouble!”
She paused, the blush on her cheeks seemed to deepen a little, and her voice became a little lower:
“After all… you have ‘helped’ Luffy before… I… I cannot let you be implicated because of him…”
Ron: “???”
Helped Luffy?!
When did he ever help Luffy?!
He just treated Luffy to a barbecue when they “encountered” each other by chance in order to complete the mission!
Can this be considered “help”?!
And she knew about it?!
etc!
He suddenly understood!
The problem lies in “helping Luffy”!
For Hancock, Luffy is a unique existence in her heart.
Anyone who shows kindness to Luffy or helps Luffy may be automatically labeled as “friendly” or even “worthy of being won over” in her eyes!
And he, Ron, the admiral of the Marine Headquarters, is a person who theoretically should be irreconcilable with Luffy.
He even “condescended” to invite Luffy to eat barbecue, and said some “meaningful” words before parting…
To Hancock, this was simply…
An unimaginable show of goodwill!
She might even interpret it as…
Some form of “secret help”?!
In addition, he had shown his powerful strength on Dry Bone Island, which even frightened her, and at this moment, he had a cold and indifferent temperament that was not moved by the powerful…
All these factors combined together made Hancock’s perception of him extremely subtle, and even completely wrong…
“Positive” reviews?
Maybe even a hint of…
A good impression of someone because of “love for the person and his dog”?!
“What the hell! This is a huge misunderstanding!”
Ron wailed in his heart.
He just wants to retire peacefully, but doesn’t want to have anything to do with the empress!
This woman is no less troublesome than the Celestial Dragons!
But on the surface, he remained calm.
Even…he thought that this “misunderstanding” might be able to be taken advantage of?
After all, he needs help now, or in other words, he needs more sources of information and troublemakers.
As one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea and the Queen of Amazon Lily, Hancock’s intelligence network and power should not be underestimated.
More importantly, she has a strong dislike for the Celestial Dragons and is not completely loyal to the World Government.
If we could drag her into this and let her deal with the “Ark” organization…
There was a gleam in Ron’s eyes.
“So that’s how it is.”
Ron pretended to be enlightened, and his tone softened a little: “Thank you for your concern, Empress, but don’t worry, a mere Charlos can’t do anything to me. As for Luffy…”
He paused deliberately, and then said in a low voice as if he was sharing a secret: “Some things are beyond our control, but I will try my best to help if I can.”
His ambiguous and suggestive words, to Hancock’s ears, simply confirmed her previous guess!
Between this admiral and Luffy…
There is some kind of unknown “tacit understanding”!
He’s even helping Luffy in secret!
A warm feeling suddenly surged in Hancock’s heart, and the look she gave Ron became softer.
She even felt that the cold face of the man in front of her didn’t seem so annoying anymore?
“Hmph! Guess you still have some conscience!”
Hancock forced herself to maintain her tsundere attitude: “As long as that idiot didn’t cause you any trouble, that’s good! Then… I’ll leave first!”
She seemed a little afraid to look Ron in the eye again, and turned around and wanted to leave.
“Wait,” Ron suddenly called her.
Hancock’s body stiffened, and she turned back nervously: “Anything else?”
“Your Majesty,” Ron’s expression became serious, and his tone was also solemn:
“Since you are here because you are worried about Luffy, then there is something I think…maybe I need to remind you.”
“Reminder?” Hancock looked at him puzzled.
“Do you know a mysterious organization called ‘Ark’?” Ron asked slowly.
When Hancock heard the name, his expression changed slightly:
“‘Ark’? I’ve heard a little bit about it. It seems to be a secretive organization that is very interested in ancient relics. What’s going on?”
It seems that the intelligence network of the Seven Warlords of the Sea is indeed extraordinary.
“This organization has recently targeted Saint Charlos.”
Ron said: “Moreover, their target seems to be more than just the Celestial Dragons.”
He would tell us what he had learned previously from Class A intelligence and interrogation.
Information such as that the “Ark” organization may be related to the Birka civilization, that it is collecting “ancient rune tablets” and that its purpose is to “restart the world” was selectively and half-truthfully revealed to Hancock.
He emphasized that the Ark organization seemed to be looking for someone who could interpret the power of the stone tablet.
If this power gets out of control, the consequences will be disastrous.
The more Hancock listened, the more serious her expression became.
Although she is proud, she is not stupid.
The information revealed by Ron made her immediately realize the seriousness of the matter!
Restart the world? Cosmic energy?
This is beyond the scope of ordinary pirates or the Revolutionary Army!
Chapter 45 The Mastermind ~ (Old Version)
“you mean……”
Hancock looked at Ron and said, “That ‘Ark’ organization might be harmful to… Luffy and the others?”
She immediately thought of the existence of Nico Robin!
Robin is the only person in the world who can interpret the original text of history!
If those tablets had the same origin as the historical text…
“I didn’t say that.”
Ron shrugged. “I’m just providing some information that I ‘happen’ to know. As for whether they will harm the Straw Hat Boy, who knows? After all, the Straw Hat Boy is very good at attracting trouble.”
He once again passed the blame to Luffy.
Hancock fell into deep thought.
She knew Ron wouldn’t tell her this for no reason.
This admiral, although he has a different stance, seems…
Really “care” about Luffy’s safety to some extent?
Moreover, if the “Ark” organization is really so dangerous, she must not sit idly by!
Not only for Luffy, but also for the safety of Amazon Lily!
If the world is really “restarted”, what will happen to her country and people?
“I see.”
Hancock took a deep breath, and her eyes regained the sharpness and determination that an empress should have: “Thank you for your reminder, Admiral.”
Her tone was no longer as deliberately arrogant as before, but instead had a more equal and solemn tone.
“I will send someone to investigate this ‘Ark’ organization.”
Hancock said: “If they really dare to target Luffy…I will never let them go!”
A powerful domineering aura unconsciously emanated from her!
Ron felt the domineering aura and nodded secretly in his heart.
Great, fish… one more.
And it is a big fish with strong strength and intelligence capabilities!
“That’s best.”
Ron nodded, with a “relieved” expression on his face: “It seems that we can still reach…’consensus’ on some things.”
Hancock glanced at Ron with a complicated look in her eyes, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she snorted coldly: “Hmph! Don’t get me wrong! I’m only doing this for Luffy! It has nothing to do with you!”
After saying this, she did not stay, turned around, and left quickly with her unique arrogant steps.
But that back figure, seems… not as straight as when he came?
Ron watched her leaving back, and only breathed a sigh of relief when her breath completely disappeared beyond the range of his observation Haki.
Finally… I managed to trick this young lady away.
Although the process was a bit outrageous, the result was pretty good.
He successfully passed part of the big trouble of “Ark” to Hancock.
Next, he can sit on the mountain and watch the fight between the Revolutionary Army, the Straw Hat Army, and the Empress, and the mysterious “Ark” organization.
As for himself, he can continue to hide behind the scenes, collect intelligence, complete the mission, and by the way…
Protect that idiot Charlos.
[Ding! It is detected that the host has successfully misled a key plot character (Boya Hancock) and indirectly prompted him to participate in the current events, which has a further impact on the world line. Rewards: Title fragment: “The Mastermind” (1/3); System points x30. ][Current total points: 155 points.]“The mastermind”?
This title… is really appropriate.
Ron smiled to himself.
But, it’s enough to get the points.
He closed the door and felt a lot more relaxed.
Although there are still many troubles, but at least…
There are a few more free “thugs” and “informers”.
His road to retirement seemed to have… a glimmer of hope?
It’s an illusion, absolutely an illusion.
Now, he can continue to study the book “Analysis of Common Seabird Migration Routes along the Great Route” with peace of mind.
After all, understanding the habits of seabirds will be very helpful for future sea fishing (fishing) life.
After Ron successfully “tricked” Empress Hancock into the water, the situation on Shampola Island entered a more bizarre “calm”.
On the surface, everything seemed to be back to normal.
Saint Charles was still under “house arrest” on the top floor of the hotel. Apart from complaining and practicing his slingshot on the furniture every day, he didn’t cause any major trouble.
The Straw Hat Pirates seemed to have behaved themselves a lot better and had not made any public appearances. They might be digesting the previous intelligence or preparing for the next action.
The revolutionary army seemed to have disappeared, lurking in the dark, and no one knew what they were planning.
However, Ron knew that this was just the last calm before the storm.
His observation Haki is like a tireless radar, monitoring the entire island at all times.
He could clearly sense that the undercurrent hidden beneath the calm surface of the water was more turbulent and more complex than before.
The spies of the Revolutionary Army, the members of the Straw Hat Pirates, and… the Nine Snakes Pirates who later joined the battle.
They are all operating in secret, testing each other, and collecting information about the “Ark” organization and the mysterious stone slab.
What’s even more interesting is that Ron also sensed several extremely obscure strange auras that definitely did not belong to any of the above parties, lurking in the shadows of the island like poisonous snakes.
They acted extremely cautiously and had almost no contact with anyone. They just observed silently and collected information.
There is no doubt that these people are members of the “Ark” organization!
They didn’t leave!
And it seems that some secret plan is being carried out!
Ron didn’t alert the enemy.
Wait for the right time and wait for them to expose themselves.
At the same time, he was also using this time to continue digesting the information brought by the A-level intelligence and thinking about how to solve this big trouble once and for all.
[Ding! System prompt: The host is currently in the center of a multi-party struggle, and the potential risk is extremely high. It is recommended to complete the second phase of the main task as soon as possible (find out the identity and purpose of the Ark Organization) and get out of the current place of trouble. ]The system gave a rare suggestion that sounded reliable.
Ron also knew that staying on Shampoo Island was not a long-term solution.
The water here is too deep and there are too many variables.
Besides, Charlos’ “vacation” is almost over.
According to the original plan, they were supposed to set off back to Marijoa tomorrow.
He must sort out the clues of the “Ark” organization before leaving, or at least complete the damn task of the system, get the reward, and avoid the punishment of the “trouble attractor”.
So, how can we force the people in the “Ark” to show up?
Go directly to them?
The risk is too great and you might expose yourself.
Continue to use the Straw Hats or the Revolutionary Army?
There may be an effect, but there are too many uncontrollable factors.
Chapter 46 Ark, Ritual! (Old Version)
Ron was thinking, his eyes unconsciously fell in the direction of the room where Charlos was.
perhaps……
Can we do something more with this “bait”?
Just then, his own Den Den Mushi rang.
It was a call from the subordinate in charge of monitoring the port.
“Report to the Admiral! We have discovered that the Straw Hat Pirates’ ship, the ‘Sunny’, has been coated and appears to be ready to set sail at any time!”
Ready to go?
Ron raised his eyebrows.
This is a good opportunity.
The Straw Hat Pirates are about to leave. Whether it is the Revolutionary Army or the “Ark” organization, if they still want to get something from them, they must take action before they leave!
This may be the chance to break the deadlock!
“Keep a close eye on the movements of the Sunny and report any abnormalities immediately.”
Ron ordered, “Also, notify everyone that we are also preparing to set off. We will leave on time tomorrow morning and return to Mary Geoise.”
The news spread quickly.
The news that the admiral was about to escort the Celestial Dragons away from Shampora Island was like a stone thrown into a lake, causing ripples again.
All the forces that were still hesitating and restraining each other felt the urgency of time.
Nightfall.
The nightlife on Shampoo Island is still bustling, but in some unknown corners, the atmosphere has become unusually solemn.
In a hidden stronghold, several figures wearing black cloaks and with cold auras were sitting together.
“The target is leaving tomorrow, and we don’t have much time.”
One of them said hoarsely, “We must take action before they leave and get the ‘key’ or… the ‘container’!”
“But Admiral ‘Ink Sword’ Ron is right next to us, and the Revolutionary Army and the Straw Hat Pirates are watching in secret. It would be too risky to take forceful action,” another person said worriedly.
“Huh, risk? For the great plan of the Ark, what is this little risk?”
The person who spoke first snorted coldly: “Besides, we are not without a chance. According to observation, Ron seems to care more about the safety of the Celestial Dragon, and has an ambiguous attitude towards the Straw Hat Pirates. Perhaps, we can take advantage of this…”
“Create chaos! Draw everyone’s attention to the Straw Hat Pirates or the Revolutionary Army! Then, we’ll take advantage of the chaos… and seize what we need!”
There was a mad light flashing in the man’s eyes: “If necessary… I will sacrifice some pawns, or even… cause a bigger riot, at any cost!”
“I understand. For the advent of a new era!”
Several people reached a consensus, and a cold murderous intent began to spread.
At the same time, the secret contact point of the revolutionary army.
Sabo also received the news that Ron was about to leave.
“Are you leaving early tomorrow morning?”
Sabo frowned, “Time is too tight. We still don’t have enough information about the ‘Ark’ organization and the stone tablet. Also, Ron’s attitude is strange…”
“Chief of Staff, are we going to stop them from leaving?”
The crow asked, “Or, take the slate while they’re gone?”
Sabo shook his head and said, “No. Ron is too strong. It’s almost impossible to succeed by force. On the contrary, it will expose us. Besides, I always feel that things are not that simple. I’m afraid that the ‘Ark’ organization… will not give up easily.”
He pondered for a moment and gave the order:
“Keep monitoring! Pay special attention to the movements of the Straw Hat Pirates and the Ark organization! If the Ark’s people take action, we can decide whether to intervene depending on the situation. Remember, our first goal is to stop the Ark’s conspiracy and protect the safety of the people, and then the slate.”
On board the Sonny.
“What?! We’re leaving tomorrow?!” Luffy exclaimed in surprise, “We haven’t even got the stone yet!”
“Idiot! You don’t even care about the stones right now!”
Nami slapped him and said, “That admiral is so powerful, and the Revolutionary Army and that mysterious organization are eyeing us covetously. We’ll be lucky if we can get away safely!”
“But…” Luffy wanted to say something.
“No buts!” Nami said firmly, “Listen carefully! Tomorrow morning, we will set sail for Fishman Island! No one is allowed to cause any trouble!”
“Nami is right.” Robin also spoke, her face still a little solemn:
“Shampola Island is too dangerous now. We should not stay here for long. As for the matter about the stone slab and that organization… we can investigate it later when we have the chance.”
Although she was curious and worried about the slate, she knew that now was not the time to act impulsively.
Zoro and Sanji agreed. Although they were not afraid of fighting, they knew their priorities.
The Straw Hat Pirates finally decided to… run away.
On the top floor of the hotel, Ron “heard” the decisions and movements of all parties through his observation Haki, and a smile of understanding appeared on the corner of his mouth.
Great, everyone’s moving.
The “Ark” organization wants to take advantage of the chaos. Its target is unclear, but it is likely related to the “key” or “container”.
The revolutionary army chose to remain in place, wait and see, and prepare to stalk the cicada.
The Straw Hat Pirates decided to protect themselves and leave as soon as possible.
This game of chess…seems to be getting more and more interesting.
However, the “Ark” organization wants to create chaos and attract attention?
Ron’s eyes turned slightly cold.
I can’t let you succeed so easily.
After all, I am leaving tomorrow too, and it would be bad if the commotion on the island got too serious and delayed my trip.
It seems that before leaving, it is necessary to… add some more “ingredients” to them?
[Ding! The final conflict is detected to be about to break out, which meets the opportunity to complete the second stage goal of the main task. Release the final prompt! ][Tip: According to intelligence analysis, the core goal of the “Ark” organization may not be to seize directly, but to conduct some kind of “marking” or “activation” ceremony, and the location may be near the “World Tree Adam” on Shampola Island. Please pay close attention! ]Near the World Tree Adam?
“Marking” or “Activation” Ceremony?
Ron’s pupils shrank!
The system’s prompt this time is very critical!
It seems that the goal of the “Ark” organization is even more bizarre than he imagined!
So……
Ron stood up and moved his wrists, with the joints making a slight crackling sound.
It’s time to… meet these cunning rats.
By the way, it’s time to put a perfect end to this short (but not relaxing at all) “holiday”.
He opened the door and walked out.
Shampola Island is destined not to be peaceful tonight.
The storm is coming.
Chapter 47: For the Ark! For the New Era! (Old Version)
Shampola Island at night is less noisy than during the day, but more hidden dangers.
The roots of the giant mangrove “Adam” are entwined on the earth like a dragon, and its huge crown casts mottled shadows in the moonlight, providing an excellent cover for certain secret operations.
Ron’s figure, like a wisp of smoke blending into the night, silently shuttled through the complex area formed by the roots of the Adam tree.
He did not alarm anyone, neither the naval patrols in the open nor the spies from various forces lurking in the dark.
With his ultimate Observation Haki activated and supplemented by the stealth skills he had “experienced” and learned from the system, he was now like a real ghost, silently approaching the target area indicated by the system.
The closer you get to the trunk of the World Tree Adam, the quieter the surrounding environment becomes. The air is filled with a strange, herbal fragrance, and…
A faint, unnatural fluctuation of energy.
This energy fluctuation is very weak and extremely obscure.
If Ron did not have the passive skill of “energy perception” and his observation Haki had not been improved to the level of “predicting the future”, it would be almost impossible to detect it.
“Sure enough, there is something fishy going on here…”
Ron’s eyes turned slightly cold and he moved a little faster.
Soon, he came to a relatively open clearing in the forest, shaded by dense mangrove leaves.
In the center of the clearing, a thick aerial root of the World Tree Adam penetrated into the ground like a pillar supporting the sky.
And around this air root, he saw a scene that made his pupils shrink!
Seven or eight figures wearing black cloaks and silver masks on their faces were surrounding the aerial roots, performing some strange ritual!
On the ground of the open space, there is a huge and complex magic circle that flashes with a faint blue light?
No, more like some kind of…energy circuit diagram?
Countless strange runes flowed in the circuit, emitting waves of disturbing energy.
The center of the loop is facing the thick aerial root.
The men in black stood at several key points of the circuit, making strange hand seals with their hands and muttering to themselves, as if they were chanting some ancient spells or instructions.
As they chanted, the light of the entire energy circuit diagram became brighter and brighter!
An invisible force seemed to be guided out from the circuit and slowly injected into Adam’s air root!
On the surface of the aerial roots, the originally natural wood grain began to show faint blue runes similar to those on the stone slabs!
These runes spread slowly like living things, as if they wanted to leave some permanent “mark” on the tree roots!
“Mark? Activate? Or… absorb energy?”
Ron hid in the dark, observing with sharp eyes.
He could clearly feel that as the ceremony progressed, the life energy inside the Adam’s Qi Root seemed to be slowly being “assimilated” or “contaminated” by some force!
At the same time, a more obscure and more dangerous spatial fluctuation began to brew in the center of the ceremony!
This is definitely not a good thing!
The World Tree Adam is one of the key existences that constitutes Shampola Island and even supports Maryjoa!
If its roots were tampered with, who knows what disastrous consequences would result? !
Moreover, seeing that the ceremony was about to be completed, Ron knew that he could not wait any longer!
But just rush out and fight?
It may make the other party desperate and lead to more uncontrollable consequences.
Moreover, he also wanted to take the opportunity to capture someone alive and ask for more information about the “Ark” organization and the stone slab.
The only option is to use a more “artistic” approach.
Ron took a deep breath and concentrated the pure Armament Haki and Observation Haki at his fingertips.
He did not use a big move like “霸气化刀”, but compressed his strength to the extreme, like the most precise sniper bullet.
His target was not the men in black who were performing the ceremony, but…
The core node of the energy circuit diagram on the ground!
It is also the key hub for injecting energy into aerial roots!
Ron growled in his heart and his fingertips moved slightly!
A highly concentrated and domineering shock wave that is so subtle that it is almost impossible to capture with the naked eye.
It was like crossing the barrier of space and hitting the core node of the energy circuit diagram silently and accurately!
The energy circuit diagram, which was in a high-speed operation state, was like a calm lake into which a stone was thrown, and it suddenly began to fluctuate violently!
The light at the core node flickered wildly, and then suddenly dimmed!
The energy flow of the entire circuit was instantly interrupted and became chaotic!
The men in black who were chanting were caught off guard, as if they were attacked by an invisible force. They all groaned and blood flowed from their mouths!
The ceremony was forcibly interrupted!
“Who is it?!”
“The ritual has been disrupted!”
“Enemy attack!!”
The men in black were shocked and angry. They immediately interrupted their hand seals, drew their weapons, and looked around vigilantly!
They had no idea where the attack was coming from!
Just as they were wondering, a black figure flashed from the shadows like a ghost and rushed into their midst in an instant at a speed faster than lightning!
He was like a tiger entering a flock of sheep, his movements were clean and neat, he didn’t even draw his sword!
He just swung his fists and feet casually, and each blow landed accurately on the vital parts of those men in black!
The Armament Haki containing the “internal destruction” technique directly penetrated their defenses and shattered their bones and internal organs!
Although those men in black were strong, they had no power to fight back against Ron, the general who was fighting with all his strength!
Like a paper doll, it was knocked to the ground with overwhelming force!
In just a few seconds, except for the masked man who seemed to be the strongest and had the fastest reaction and was still barely holding on, the rest of the people had all lost their combat effectiveness and their lives or deaths were unknown!
“You…you are ‘Ink Sword’ Ron?!”
The masked man who was leading the group looked at Ron, who looked like a demon, and his voice trembled violently with fear!
He couldn’t understand why the admiral would appear here at this time and in this way? !
They thought their actions were extremely secretive!
“It seems that my reputation is quite good.”
Ron approached step by step with a cold smile on his face: “So, can you tell me what kind of ‘artistic creation’ you are doing here secretly? It doesn’t look like… you are going to pray for the World Tree.”
“Don’t even think about getting any information from me!”
A trace of madness and determination flashed in the masked man’s eyes: “For the Ark! For the new era!”
He suddenly pulled out a…
Something like a signal transmitter or remote control, just press it!
Chapter 48: Severe Backlash! (Old Version)
Ron’s eyes narrowed!
What does this guy want to do? Detonate the bomb? Or notify his accomplices?
We can’t let him succeed!
Ron’s figure flashed, and he appeared in front of the masked man as if teleporting, and his hand grabbed the device as fast as lightning!
However, the masked man was faster!
In other words, his purpose was not to press the button at all!
I saw a strange smile on his face, and the device in his hand suddenly burst out with an extremely strong and distorted space wave!
The dazzling light instantly engulfed the masked man’s body!
The next second, the light disappeared, and the masked man…
Disappeared out of thin air?!
All that was left was the device that had turned into scrap metal and a residual space energy!
“Space teleportation?!” Ron’s pupils shrank!
This “Ark” organization actually possesses such advanced technology? !
No wonder they are so secretive!
But… where did they teleport to?
Just as Ron was puzzled, he suddenly felt that the energy circuit diagram that he had just interrupted, and the Adam’s air root that was injected with abnormal energy, actually…
There was another unusual movement!
It’s not a restart of the ritual, but…
A more violent and chaotic energy runaway!
It seems that due to the forced interruption of the ceremony and the interference of space transmission just now, the energy has lost control!
Boom boom——!!!
The dark blue runes on the surface of Adam’s aerial roots suddenly burst out with dazzling light!
A destructive energy storm, centered on the air root, spread wildly in all directions!
Wherever it passed, the ground cracked!
The trees turned to dust!
The space was twisting and wailing violently!
“Damn it! This is too much!” Ron’s face changed drastically!
He didn’t expect that stopping the ritual would actually cause energy to run wild!
Although this force is not as terrifying as when the stone slab went out of control before, it is enough to raze the area to the ground!
It may even spread to other places on the island!
He is now closest to the center of the energy explosion and has no time to evacuate!
We must fight hard!
And try to control the energy as much as possible!
Ron took a deep breath and pushed his Armament Haki to the extreme!
The dark domineering aura enveloped his entire body like a materialized barrier!
At the same time, he pushed his hands forward!
“Armament Haki: Absolute Barrier!”
A huge translucent black barrier composed of the highest density of armed color domineering instantly unfolded in front of him!
Trying to resist the spreading energy storm!
boom–!!!
The destructive torrent of energy slammed heavily into the black barrier!
There was a deafening noise!
Ron only felt an unimaginable and terrifying impact force coming. Even with his admiral-level strength, his blood was boiling and his arms were numb!
Even tiny cracks appeared on the black barrier!
This energy… is so strong!
And it is full of corrosiveness and chaos!
He gritted his teeth and tried his best to maintain the barrier!
He knew that once the barrier was broken, he might be able to hold on, but the Shampola Island behind him…
It will definitely be a heavy blow!
[Ding! The host is detected to be suffering from a high-intensity, unknown energy shock! Triggering the emergency response mechanism! ][System energy reserves are insufficient… Trying to connect… to an unknown energy source…][Warning! Unstable connection! High risk of energy backlash! ][Do you want to… forcefully absorb and transform some of the scattered energy to strengthen yourself and stabilize the space? ! (Success rate:???, consequence of failure:???)]Ron looked at the sudden options full of question marks and warnings on the system panel and almost vomited blood!
Forced absorption? !
Conversion?!
System, are you crazy?!
This is an unknown energy that even you cannot analyze!
If it absorbs it, won’t it explode on the spot? !
But… looking at the crumbling domineering barrier, feeling the increasingly violent energy torrent, he seemed…
No other choice?!
The destructive energy storm was like a violent tsunami, impacting Ron’s “absolute barrier” with wave after wave!
On the pitch-black domineering barrier, cracks spread like a spider web, and it groaned as if it could not bear the heavy burden!
Ron gritted his teeth and pushed his Armament Haki to the limit he had never reached in his life!
He could even feel the bones of his arms trembling slightly, and the domineering energy in his body was consumed like a flood bursting through a dam!
But he knew that he wouldn’t be able to hold out for long just by resisting!
This energy is too weird and too violent!
It is not just a physical impact, but also carries a strange power that can erode domineering power and distort space!
We must find another way!
His eyes once again fell on the option on the system panel that was full of risks and unknowns.
The success rate is unknown, and the consequences of failure are unknown!
This is simply a gamble!
If you win the bet, you may be able to resolve the crisis or even get unexpected benefits.
Lost the bet…
Maybe it will really be annihilated directly as the system prompts!
Under normal circumstances, given Ron’s fear of trouble and his desire for safety, he would never choose such a high-risk operation.
But now… he doesn’t seem to have much choice!
The barrier is about to break!
Once the energy gets completely out of control, not only will he be in danger, but the entire Shampola Island and even the sea areas farther away may suffer a catastrophic disaster!
By then, let alone retirement, the world might even be over!
“Damn it! Let’s fight!”
There was a flash of madness and determination in Ron’s eyes!
Although he has always wanted to survive and retire peacefully since he traveled through time, he is not completely without the spirit of adventure in his bones!
Otherwise, he would never have reached the level of a navy admiral!
“System! Suck it!” Ron roared in his heart!
[Ding! Received host’s command! Trying to connect to unknown energy source… Warning! Energy level too high! Extremely unstable connection! Beginning to forcibly absorb the scattered energy… Conversion program started… Energy attribute analysis in progress… Unknown space fragments found… Residual mental imprints found… Found… Warning! System core overloaded! Low energy conversion efficiency! Risk of backlash increases sharply! ]A series of rapid system prompt sounds rang wildly in Ron’s mind!
At the same time, a torrent of energy far more terrifying and chaotic than a direct impact, like a flood breaking through a dam, madly rushed into his body through some unknown connection!
“Ahhh!”
Ron felt as if his body was about to burst in an instant!
Countless completely different and conflicting energy attributes were wreaking havoc in his body!
Cold, hot, sharp, corrosive… and that strange power that can distort space and interfere with the mind!
Countless fine bloodstains appeared on the surface of his skin!
Blood began to flow out from all seven orifices!
Consciousness seemed to be torn into countless pieces!
Is this energy backlash? !
It’s too exaggerated!
Even a physique of his level could hardly bear it!
Chapter 49: A blessing in disguise, domineering evolution! (Old version)
[Warning! The host’s body is on the verge of collapse! Vital signs are rapidly declining! Activate emergency protection program… Try to guide the energy flow… Failed! Try to build a temporary energy circuit… Failed! Try…]The system’s prompt sound also became intermittent, as if it itself had suffered a huge impact!
Is it really… the end of the game?
Just when Ron felt that his consciousness was about to completely sink and his body was about to be completely torn apart by the violent energy –
Mutation regeneration!
The three kinds of Haki that had long been cultivated to the extreme in his body – Armament Haki, Observation Haki, and Conqueror Haki, seemed to sense the host’s crisis, and unexpectedly…
Run autonomously!
It was not controlled in the way Ron usually did, but in a more ancient and more original way, spontaneously forming a…
A strange three-color cycle!
The armed color domineering is like the strongest dam, forcibly suppressing and wrapping up the violent energy!
The Observation Haki is like the most sensitive tentacle, quickly analyzing and distinguishing the chaotic energy properties, looking for the rules and usable parts!
The domineering aura is like the flame in a furnace. With its powerful willpower, it forcibly tempers and fuses the relatively “gentle” energies that have been analyzed!
The three kinds of domineering power, at this critical moment of life and death, actually worked together perfectly in an unprecedented way!
A temporary but extremely stable “energy converter” was formed!
[Ding! Unknown mutation of host’s domineering aura detected! Re-evaluating… Found synergistic effect of domineering aura! Energy conversion efficiency improved! Backlash risk reduced! Optimizing energy guidance route…]The system’s voice became clear again, even with a hint of…
Unbelievable surprise?
Ron also felt the changes in his body!
The pain that almost tore him apart was rapidly easing!
Although it was still uncomfortable, it was within his tolerance range!
What surprised him even more was that the violent energy was slowly and firmly absorbed and transformed by the three kinds of domineering aura.
A stream of extremely pure and strange energy, even with a hint of… “space” and “spiritual” attributes, began to merge into his own domineering aura!
His Armament Haki became more condensed and tougher.
There seems to be a hint of “isolation” and “annihilation”!
His observation Haki became even sharper and broader, and his perception range and accuracy were increased again.
Even the perception of space fluctuations and spiritual power has become clearer!
His domineering aura did not increase significantly in total amount.
But the willpower contained therein is purer and more penetrating, as if it can directly shake the opponent’s soul!
This… this is…
A blessing in disguise?!
Ron couldn’t believe it!
In the process of absorbing and transforming this dangerous energy, he actually gained all three types of domineering power…
Some kind of “evolution”?!
[Ding! Congratulations to the host! You have realized the true meaning of domineering synergy in a life-and-death crisis! The three types of domineering have undergone attribute transformation! ][Armament Haki gains features: Space separation (elementary), annihilation power (weak)][Observation Haki gains characteristics: spatial perception (primary), mental penetration (weak)][Hao Wang Haki obtains the characteristic: Soul Shock (Basic)][Due to the transformation of domineering power, the host’s overall strength assessment has been greatly improved! 】
The system’s confirmation prompt made Ron completely relieved, and at the same time he was filled with ecstasy!
Worth it!
This adventure was totally worth it!
With these new domineering traits, his strength will definitely be taken to a new level!
Not to mention ordinary generals, he has the confidence even if he faces Roger head-on!
As the efficiency of the transformation of his domineering energy became higher and higher, the violent energy storm in the outside world began to gradually weaken.
The cracks on the “absolute barrier” that Ron was maintaining with all his strength no longer expanded, and even began to slowly repair itself!
Finally, when the last bit of leaked energy was absorbed by him or offset by the barrier, peace finally returned to the sky above Dry Bone Island.
All that was left was a huge, bottomless pit and the surrounding area was in a mess, as if it had been plowed by a meteorite.
Ron slowly dispersed the armed color barrier and exhaled a long breath of foul air with a faint smell of burning.
He looked down at himself. His clothes were torn and there was still blood on his skin. He looked quite disheveled.
But his eyes were brighter and deeper than ever before!
He could feel that his perception of the world seemed to have changed.
The space is no longer a void background, but is filled with folds and ripples.
Spirit is no longer a vague concept, but a force that can be captured and touched.
This feeling… is amazing.
“Is this… a higher level of power?” Ron muttered to himself.
[Ding! Remind the host, although the crisis has been temporarily resolved, the energy burst may have attracted the attention of certain beings. At the same time, the host’s body is still in a weak period after the energy overload, please evacuate as soon as possible and recuperate. ]The system prompt brought Ron back to reality.
That’s right, we can’t stay here for long! The noise we made just now was too loud, who knows what kind of monster it will attract!
And he did feel a little weak now. His domineering aura was over-consumed, and his body needed time to adapt to the new power.
He took a last look at the huge hole and the ships on the sea in the distance that seemed to have not yet fully reacted.
Without any hesitation, he immediately performed the Moon Step and flew towards Shampola Island at the fastest speed!
He needed to return to the hotel immediately, finish the final work, and then…
Take that idiot Charlos away from this troubled place as soon as possible!
As for the mess left on Dry Bone Island…
Whoever wants to care can care about it!
Anyway, I have completed the task, got the reward, and I am leaving!
His road to retirement…
Well, although it seems like I’ve taken another big turn, it’s always a good thing to have improved strength!
At least I’ll be more confident when I slack off in the future!
Ron’s figure quickly disappeared into the night sky, leaving behind only the scarred island and a group of “audiences” who were completely shocked by the scene just now.
It will probably take them a long time to digest everything they saw tonight.
The instigator of all this was already humming a little tune, thinking about how to use his newly acquired domineering characteristics to better… fish in the sea.
Chapter 50: End of the Event (Old Version)
When Ron returned to the top resort hotel on Shampoo Island as quietly as a ghost, the sky was already turning pale.
The mess on his body had already been cleaned up and he was wearing a brand new navy uniform.
Apart from his slightly pale face, there was no sign of having experienced a shocking battle.
He first found the CP agent captain who was in charge of security.
Seeing Ron appear safe and sound, the captain of the special agent was obviously relieved and hurried forward to report:
“Everything has been normal since you left! Saint Charlos… well, apart from a few complaints, he has been very well behaved. No abnormalities have been found on the island.”
Ron nodded, not surprised by the result.
There was such a big commotion over on the Dry Bone Island, the aftermath of the energy explosion must have affected this side as well, probably scaring those guys lurking in the dark so much that they dare not act rashly.
“Notify them to leave as planned in one hour and return to Marijoa.”
Then Ron went back to his room.
He did not rest immediately, but instead used the temporarily enhanced permissions of the system to conduct a free A-level intelligence query.
Query objective: About the specific deployment of the “Ark” organization on Shampola Island and the next action plan.
[Ding! A-level intelligence query in progress…]【Query completed.】
[Intelligence content: The “Ark” organization’s action team on Shampola Island suffered heavy losses in the failed ritual and energy runaway incident last night. The remaining members have received an emergency evacuation order and are currently evacuating the Shampola Islands quickly through secret channels. Its original “marking” or “activation” plan for Charlos Saint has been shelved indefinitely. In the short term, the organization will no longer have large-scale operations in the waters near Shampola Island. ]Ron looked at the information and raised his brows slightly.
It seems that the energy outburst last night really scared them so much that they even abandoned their nest and ran away.
This also means that, at least on the way back to Mary Geoise, the direct threat from the “Ark” organization has been temporarily lifted.
That’s good news.
As for that so-called “marking” or “activation” ceremony…
Even though it was interrupted by him, the roots of the Adam tree were injected with abnormal energy after all. Would there be any long-term hidden dangers?
[Ding! System prompt: According to the analysis of residual energy, the ritual was not completely successful. The root of the Adam tree was less “contaminated”. Its powerful self-healing ability will completely remove it after a period of time. However, this incident may have alerted the World Tree itself or other unknown beings. ]Well, it seems that we don’t have to worry about Shampola Island suddenly exploding for the time being.
As for whether it will cause other troubles…
That’s not something he needs to consider now.
Having solved his two biggest problems, Ron felt a lot more relaxed.
He could finally relax a little and prepare to…return home.
One hour later.
The “Glory of Justice” set sail again and slowly sailed away from the port of Shampola Island.
Saint Charles was “invited” onto the ship. Perhaps because he had not yet completely recovered from the shock of last night, he seemed unusually quiet.
He was even a little listless. He just held his slingshot and hid in the room, not daring to come out.
Ron stood on the deck, looking at the gradually receding Shampola Island, with mixed feelings in his heart.
This “vacation” trip is really…
It was full of twists and turns, and it was thrilling. Although the process was full of various tricky tasks and emergencies, the rewards were also huge.
Not only did his strength improve substantially, he also gained a lot of system points and skills, and unexpectedly disrupted the plans of the “Ark” organization, and by the way, he also tricked Smoker…
Overall, it seems…
Not too bad?
It seems that the “leisurely vacation” and “stable retirement” he wanted are still a long way away.
The return voyage was smooth and peaceful.
Perhaps the commotion on Dry Bone Island was too loud and frightened all forces.
Maybe the “Ark” organization really evacuated.
Perhaps the Revolutionary Army and the Straw Hat Pirates each have their own plans, so they have temporarily stopped fighting.
All in all, we didn’t encounter any more trouble along the way.
Ron was also happy to be free, and spent most of his time in his room, either studying his newly acquired domineering characteristics and skills, or…
Continue reading his seabird illustrations.
Occasionally, he would use the “Energy Perception” skill to scan Charlos.
He discovered that the idiot did not have any abnormal energy fluctuations and did not carry any suspicious items.
It seems that the goal of the “Ark” organization may really have nothing to do with him, but the identity of the “Dragon Man” he represents, or…
Is he just a more convenient “bait” to attract the attention of all parties?
I am afraid that these questions can only be answered when we have a chance to conduct an in-depth investigation into the “Ark” organization in the future.
A few days later, the “Glory of Justice” successfully arrived at the holy land of Marijoa.
After “handing over” the plague-like Charlos to the CP0 official who came to greet him.
Ron felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders, and he felt a lot more relaxed.
Of course, routine reporting is essential.
He was taken directly to the “Room of Power” of the Five Elders.
Facing these five people who nominally hold the highest power in the world government, Ron remained calm.
He reported the speech he had prepared long ago, half-truthfully and half-falsely.
Regarding the abnormal energy fluctuations on Shampola Island and the incident on Dry Bone Island, he attributed it to an unknown “terrorist organization” that tried to use ancient ruins to create chaos.
He “happened” to track down there, had a fierce battle with the enemy, and finally succeeded in stopping the opponent’s conspiracy and destroying the energy source.
As for the slate? What slate? I have never seen it.
Regarding the appearance of the Revolutionary Army and the Straw Hats, he said it was just an “accidental” encounter.
There was no large-scale conflict between the two sides. After he dealt with the “terrorist organization”, they left on their own.
Regarding Smoker’s “loss of contact”, he said that he encountered an accident and communication was interrupted while pursuing the remnants of the “terrorist organization”.
He only found it later and “rescued” it.
Anyway, Smoker is still “resting” and there is no way to verify it.
His report was well-reasoned and logical, backed by his status as a navy admiral and his strength, and…
CP0 probably doesn’t dare to report Charlos’s ugly behavior and certain details in full.
Although the Five Elders may have doubts, they cannot find any obvious faults.
After all, the result is good.
The Celestial Dragons returned safely, the potential huge crisis was resolved, and the “terrorist organization” was hit at the same time, right?
Chapter 51: Marshal’s Questioning and the Art of “Taking the Blame” (Old Version)
Navy Headquarters, Admiral’s Office.
Although the incident has ended, the inquiries that are due will still come.
At this time, in the office.
Akainu Sakaski sat behind his desk like a volcano about to erupt, his face so gloomy that water seemed to drip out of it.
His sharp eyes, like red-hot irons, stared at Ron as he walked into the office, as if they wanted to burn through him.
Ron thought to himself that something was wrong, but he still maintained a calm expression on his face.
“Marshal, are you looking for me?” He walked to the desk and asked in a flat tone.
“Ron!” Sakaski slammed the table, making a deafening noise!
The documents on the table were all jumping up because of the shock!
“Explain it to me! What happened on the Shampola Islands and the Dry Bone Island?!”
His voice echoed in the office like thunder, full of undisguised anger and questioning.
It seems that Akainu has received some news…that he doesn’t want to hear.
Did Smoker leak the news?
It’s unlikely. He specifically told me about it when he left.
So… the commotion over at Dry Bone Island was so loud that it’s impossible that the Navy’s intelligence system didn’t notice it at all?
Or, was it CP0 that revealed some “details” to Akainu that the Five Elders didn’t want him to know?
Both are possible.
But in any case, a perfect explanation is needed now.
“Marshal, I have already reported the details of this mission to the Five Elders.”
Ron replied calmly, “Mainly, near the Dry Bone Island, we encountered a mysterious organization that tried to use the energy of ancient relics to create chaos…”
“That’s enough!”
Akainu interrupted him rudely: “Don’t try to fool me with the tricks you use to fool the Five Elders! I’m asking for details! The truth!”
He stood up suddenly, his tall body carrying a terrifying sense of oppression, walked in front of Ron, and growled almost face to face:
“Why would the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army, Sabo, be there?! Why are the Straw Hat Pirates there too?! Why is Smoker seriously injured and out of contact?! And what about that destructive energy explosion?! Don’t tell me this is all just a coincidence!”
Akainu’s saliva was almost spraying on Ron’s face, and the hot breath was like magma.
Faced with such direct, almost trial-like questioning from his immediate superior, Ron remained calm.
He even took a step back and looked at Akainu with a look of disgust as if to say, “You saliva is spitting on me.”
“Marshal, please calm down.”
Ron said slowly: “Everything you said did happen. But the course of events may be a little different from what you imagined.”
He began his performance.
“The appearance of the Revolutionary Army and the Straw Hats is indeed a ‘coincidence’.”
He emphasized: “When I tracked down that mysterious organization and arrived at Dry Bone Island, they had already clashed there. It seemed that they were fighting over something, but I don’t know what it was.”
“As for Vice Admiral Smoker…”
Ron showed just the right amount of “regret” and “self-blame” on his face:
“It was my fault for commanding. I was fully focused on chasing the leader of the mysterious organization at the time and failed to notice that Lieutenant General Smoker had been ambushed. By the time I eliminated the enemy and found him, he had already been… seriously injured and the communication was cut off. This was my dereliction of duty.”
He put the blame on his own improper command, but distanced himself from the suspicion of active attack.
“And that burst of energy…”
Ron blinked his eyes with an innocent expression:
“It was the last resort of that mysterious organization. After being cornered by me, they detonated the core energy of that ancient relic. The power was extremely terrifying. I tried my best to suppress it and avoid a greater disaster.”
What he said was 70% true and 30% false. It connected all the events together and seemed to make sense logically.
Akainu stared into Ron’s eyes, as if trying to find any signs of lying.
But Ron’s eyes were frank (disguised) and his expression was sincere (disguised), plus his own strength and his usual “fear of trouble” style, made it difficult for Akainu to judge the truth for a while.
There was a brief silence in the office, the only sound being Akainu’s heavy breathing.
[Ding! The host is detected to be engaging in a difficult defense and psychological game, and trying to shift the responsibility. The proficiency of the Observation Haki “Disguise/Misleading” skill is increased by 2%. ]It seems that I need to practice the skill of “passing the buck” more in the future.
Ron thought to himself.
“snort!”
Finally, Akainu snorted coldly, as if he temporarily accepted Ron’s words, but he obviously did not completely believe it.
“What is the origin of that so-called ‘mysterious organization’? Did you capture any of them alive?”
“I’m sorry, Marshal.”
Ron shook his head. “They were extremely ruthless. They all chose to commit suicide or were silenced by their accomplices at the end of the battle. I only got some fragmentary information. I speculated that they might be an organization called ‘Ark’. They seemed to be very interested in ancient relics. I have compiled the relevant information into a report and prepared to submit it to the intelligence department.”
Akainu was silent again, his eyes flickering.
“‘ark’……”
Akainu muttered in a low voice, as if he had memorized the name in his heart: “I will let the intelligence department investigate this matter thoroughly! The report you submit had better be more detailed for me! Don’t leave anything out!”
Ron responded immediately.
“besides!”
Akainu changed the subject and his tone became stern again: “Straw Hat Boy and the Revolutionary Army! Since they appeared in your mission area, why didn’t you arrest them together?! Especially Straw Hat Luffy, he is the grandson of old man Garp and a major threat to the World Government! How could you let them go so easily?!”
Here it comes, this is one of the key points that Akainu wants to ask the most, right?
“Marshal, the situation was very complicated.”
Ron explained with an embarrassed look:
“I was fully focused on dealing with the self-destruction attack of that mysterious organization and had no time to spare. Moreover, although the Straw Hats and the Revolutionary Army were present, they did not directly clash with me. In fact, to a certain extent…”
“Yes, it has attracted the attention of some enemies. If I forcefully attack them, it will likely lead to a three-way melee, causing the situation to get completely out of control, and may even cause the energy source to explode completely.”
“In contrast, I think it is more important to prioritize addressing the biggest threats and ensuring the safety of the Holy Land and nearby islands…”
After hearing this, Akainu still looked unhappy, but he couldn’t seem to find a good reason to refute.
In that chaotic situation, prioritizing the biggest threat does sound like a “reasonable” choice.
“Humph! Another excuse!”
Akainu finally growled in dissatisfaction:
“Ron! I’m warning you! Don’t think that as an admiral you can ignore the discipline and justice of the navy! Next time, if I find you showing mercy to the pirates and the revolutionary army again…”
“I understand.”
Ron lowered his head slightly, avoiding his gaze.
“Let’s go!”
Akainu seemed too lazy to talk nonsense with him and waved his hand impatiently:
“Submit the detailed report as soon as possible! And stay in Marinford honestly! Before I find out everything, you are not allowed to take any missions outside!”
Is this… a disguised form of house arrest?
Ron’s heart moved, but his face showed an expression of happy acceptance: “Yes, Marshal! I obey your command!”
Very good!
I was worried that I couldn’t find a reason to slack off!
House arrest is good!
House arrest is great!
Staying in Marinford, drinking tea, reading newspapers, and studying domineering every day, isn’t this the (quasi) retirement life he has always dreamed of? !
Akainu felt even more unhappy when he saw Ron’s “obedient” look, but the words had already been spoken and it was difficult to take them back, so he could only snort coldly and ignore him.
Ron immediately turned around and left the Marshal’s office as quickly as possible, fearing that Akainu would go back on his word.
Walking out of the office and feeling the “free” air outside, Ron was in a good mood.
Even though he was scolded by Akainu and was even grounded, he managed to get through this trouble.
Moreover, I got a “vacation” unexpectedly!
It’s double happiness!
As for whether Akainu will continue investigating?
Let him check it out!
Anyway, he has denied himself everything he could and passed on all the blame he could.
Even if they found some clues, without solid evidence, they could do nothing to him, a naval admiral.
Now, he can finally…
He began to enjoy his long-awaited, “peaceful” life of slacking off!
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully responding to the marshal’s questioning and resolving the potential crisis. Rewards: Title fragment: “Master of Blame-shifting” (1/3); System points x20. ][Current total points: 145 points.]Ron looked at the system prompt and smiled even more.
Even the system recognizes my skill of “passing the buck”? Not bad, not bad.
His steps became lighter as he walked towards his office.
The sun is shining and the breeze is not dry.
The days of slacking off…here I come!