Sabo took a deep breath, looking down at the fruit emitting a dangerous, sulfurous aura in his hand.
He knew exactly what this decision meant.
"For the ideal..."
Sabo murmured to himself, then abruptly took a large bite of the fruit.
CRUNCH.
"Ugh—!"
An indescribable stench instantly filled his mouth—the taste was like rotten magma mixed with sulfur and burning rubber, nearly making him vomit on the spot.
But he suppressed the nausea and forced himself to swallow the entire fruit, skin and all.
In that instant, Sabo's body began to tremble violently.
His skin started glowing with an unnatural crimson light, as if magma was flowing through his veins instead of blood.
An unprecedented power surged within him, making him unable to resist throwing his head back and roaring at the sky!
"AHHH—!!!"
BOOM!
Scorching magma erupted from his palms, transforming into a roaring fire dragon in the air.
The surrounding temperature rose sharply, the air itself distorting from the intense heat.
The stone floor beneath him melted into slag instantly.
Sabo's eyes turned into molten gold-red, his entire being radiating suffocating pressure.
Douglas Bullet nodded with satisfaction.
"Not bad. Not bad at all..."
He turned and left, his large cloak flapping behind him as he walked away from the heat without looking back.
"I look forward to our next meeting, Revolutionary Brat. Hopefully, you can entertain me more then."
With Bullet's departure, the oppressive atmosphere that had enveloped the arena finally dissipated.
The Revolutionary Army members collectively breathed sighs of relief, gathering around Sabo.
"How do you feel?" Koala asked worriedly, not daring to get too close due to the terrifyingly high temperature still radiating from Sabo.
Sabo slowly raised his hand, watching the thick, viscous magma flow between his fingers.
He revealed a complex smile.
"Very powerful... but also... very dangerous."
He could sense the destructive impulse within the element—the sheer desire to burn everything to ash.
It was a far more volatile power than he expected.
Dragon's profound gaze rested on Sabo as he said solemnly, "Power itself has no good or evil—what matters is the one who wields it." He patted Sabo's shoulder, ignoring the heat.
"I believe you can control this power. The conviction of the wind will guide our path."
Sabo nodded gravely, slowly retracting the magma back into his body until his skin returned to normal.
He knew that from this moment on, the Revolutionary Army's struggle against the world would enter an entirely new phase.
And he would shoulder even greater responsibilities.
...
The Highest Level of the Eternal Divine Kingdom.
In the circular hall, Ron was leaning back in a leather chair by the floor-to-ceiling window, his slender fingers intermittently tapping the armrest.
Outside the window, the Sea of Clouds churned like an ocean, the rising sun casting a golden glow throughout the room.
TAP. TAP. TAP.
The sound of orderly military boots suddenly broke the silence.
Ron chuckled without turning his head.
"What an unexpected guest, Vice Admiral Strawberry." His voice carried a hint of mockery. "Bringing so many people to tour my laboratory? I usually charge admission."
Ten fully armed Marine Captains fanned out in formation, each holding specially crafted Seastone weapons.
Strawberry's signature towering head cast eerie shadows under the light as he adjusted his round-framed glasses, the lenses reflecting cold light.
"Whitebeard Pirates' Vice-Captain, Ron." Strawberry's voice was mechanically monotonous. "You are suspected of conducting illegal Devil Fruit experiments, developing prohibited weapons, and conspiring against the World Government."
"Enough, enough."
Ron waved his hand impatiently and finally turned around.
"What I'm more interested in is—" He couldn't be bothered to listen to the charges; frankly, what was the point of saying all this now?
"How did you find this place? My coordinates are masked."
Strawberry's lips curled into a cold smile.
"Did you think you were the only genius scientist?" He lightly tapped his temple with a finger. "We have the world's smartest mind—Dr. Vegapunk."
Ron's pupils contracted slightly.
This answer was both unexpected and yet made perfect sense.
His laboratory on Skypiea had remained hidden for years, but now that he'd moved to the Eternal Divine Kingdom...
He smiled self-deprecatingly. "It seems I underestimated the World Government."
In that split second, Strawberry suddenly launched into action!
His figure moved so fast it left afterimages, already brandishing specially made Seastone handcuffs.
"Attack!"
The ten captains moved with perfect coordination—some blocking doors and windows, others cutting off escape routes, while three directly threw weighted Seastone nets.
They understood all too well that when facing an enemy of this caliber, every second of delay meant mortal danger!
The target was the World's Youngest Great Swordsman and a suspected Devil Fruit user.
"Tch, in such a hurry?"
WHOOSH.
Ron's figure vanished from his spot like a ghost, the Seastone nets catching only empty air.
His voice came from the ceiling. "Are you worried about Captain Whitebeard suddenly appearing?"
Strawberry's face changed dramatically—he hadn't seen how his opponent moved at all!
But military orders were absolute.
Without hesitation, he drew his twin swords, Armament Haki instantly wrapping around the blades.
"All units, defensive positions! Watch the ceiling!"
Ron landed gracefully on the massive crystal chandelier, the hem of his white lab coat fluttering gently in the air currents.
Looking down at the tense Marines, he curled his lips into a meaningful smile.
"Don't worry, Captain Whitebeard won't be coming..."
Suddenly, the laboratory's lighting eerily dimmed.
"Because dealing with you..." Ron's voice turned piercingly cold. "I alone am enough."
SHING!
The silver ring on his left ring finger suddenly erupted with dazzling white light, and a pristine white longsword materialized in his hand.
The blade was as pure and flawless as mutton-fat jade, yet the edge shimmered with a faint, elusive cold gleam.
The entire sword seemed forged from condensed moonlight, radiating an aura both chilling and noble.
"This blade is named Hakugetsu. It is a National Treasure of the Ryugu Kingdom, a gift from Princess Shirahoshi herself."
Ron gently stroked the blade, his fingertips tracing the edge and producing a clear, resonant hum.
"It has yet to taste blood... You should feel honored."
Strawberry's pupils contracted sharply.
As a master swordsman, he instantly sensed the terrifying power contained within this famous blade.
But his duty as a soldier made him raise his swords without hesitation.
"Mystifying tricks! All units, ATTACK!"
The ten Marine Captains surged forward simultaneously, their Seastone weapons glinting dangerously.
Yet at the moment they lunged, Ron's White Moon suddenly became coated in purplish-black Armament Haki—Supreme Grade Haki!
The originally jade-white blade transformed into transparent purple crystal, refracting dreamlike halos in the dim light.
Breathtakingly beautiful, yet bone-chillingly dangerous.
"Moonlight Style: Drunken Balustrade Descent!"
Ron's figure vanished from his original position like a ghost.
In the next second, three purple blade lights bloomed in the laboratory like crescent moons, tracing perfect arcs through the Marines.
CLANG!
Strawberry barely blocked the first blade light with his dual swords, but his blades were instantly covered in fine cracks from the impact.
Before he could even register shock, the second blade light pierced through his Haki defense, leaving a bone-deep wound on his chest.
BAM!
The force sent the Vice Admiral flying backward, smashing through his own subordinates!
"How... how is this possible!"
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