"Why not?! My abilities should be useful to you, right?"
Bonney looked confused and protested, "It's not because I eat too much, is it?"
"Bonney," Robin glanced at her calmly, "Do you think we're pirates?"
Bonney froze for a moment at the question. "Aren't you?"
"We're not," Conis replied with a smile. "If you're looking for strong companions to sail as pirates, then I'm afraid we can't let you aboard."
"Not pirates... but you're so strong..."
Bonney stared blankly at Ron, Conis, and Robin, her mind struggling to process this revelation.
"The life of a traveler is different from that of a pirate. It's not full of grand battles but mostly calm and peaceful moments. We'll be wandering the South Blue for quite some time. You can join us for a while to experience it. If you can adapt to this kind of life, then I'll welcome you aboard as the fifth member of our crew."
Ron's tone was steady as he looked at Bonney.
Bonney considered this seriously for a moment before nodding to him. "Alright."
"The fifth member… but aren't there only three of us?" Conis asked curiously. "Who's the fourth?"
Ron took a sip of his drink and replied, "We also have a vice-captain, though they're not with us at the moment."
Hearing this for the first time, both Robin and Conis exchanged surprised and curious glances.
Meanwhile, on the White Soil Island of Baltigo…
In the open training grounds within the city...
Young Sabo's hands, coated with Armament Haki, formed into dragon-like claws as he grabbed at a sharp, incoming slash.
The force of the slash pushed him back more than ten meters, his feet skidding across the ground. With a powerful grip, he crushed the fine yet resilient sword energy.
"Fish-Man Karate: Grass Tile True Fist!"
With a crisp shout, a young girl, leaped into the air. She raised her fist and delivered a powerful strike aimed at the slender figure in the center of the training ground.
A shockwave blasted through the air, rippling outward as it targeted the figure.
Wielding a blade, Kuina, her long blue ponytail flowing behind her, did not even glance at the attack. She swung the Wado Ichimonji in her right hand in a horizontal arc. The surging sword energy coalesced into a blue dragon that instantly shattered the shockwave before continuing its charge toward Koala.
Koala quickly dodged out of the way.
At the same time, Sabo stepped forward, his figure flashing with incredible speed as he lunged toward Kuina. His fierce Dragon Claw technique, enhanced by whirling air currents and Armament Haki, aimed straight for her face.
Kuina's calm and sharp gaze swept over him.
With a slight shift of her body, she elegantly dodged the ferocious attack. In the same instant, she used the still-sheathed long blade in her left hand to deliver an upward strike, landing squarely on Sabo's chin.
The blow to his chin momentarily disoriented Sabo, causing him to stagger and fall to the side.
Koala ran over immediately. After checking on Sabo's condition, she puffed up her cheeks and glared at Kuina. "Kuina! You knocked him out again!"
Kuina, exuding an even sharper and purer aura, calmly sheathed the Wado Ichimonji and glanced at Koala. "In battle, you must show no mercy, regardless of your opponent. That is the greatest respect you can offer them. It's something someone once told me."
"That someone... is it the guy you keep mentioning? The one named Ron?" Koala couldn't help but ask.
"An impressive fight," a voice remarked, its tone difficult to distinguish as male or female.
Kuina and Koala turned their heads to see Ivankov approaching from where he had been watching the battle from a distance.
"Sabo has gotten even stronger since the last time I was here. He's even mastered Armament Haki now. Koala, you'll need to work harder to catch up."
Ivankov walked over to Kuina, his gaze filled with admiration.
"Kuina, you've already reached the level of a True swordmaster. That's truly remarkable. Next, you'll need to focus on mastering Haki."
Kuina nodded lightly in acknowledgment.
"Oh, by the way, Kuina," Ivankov began, "while I was out, I came across some news about that boy, Ron."
The moment Ivankov mentioned Ron, Kuina's usually calm and composed eyes widened in an instant. Her face lit up with a rare expression of joy and excitement, something Koala had almost never seen before.
"Ron... where is he now?" Kuina asked intently, fixing her gaze on Ivankov.
Koala also looked at Ivankov, curious about the boy Kuina often mentioned. What kind of person was this Ron who could make Kuina care so much about him?
Kuina had once said that she had never won a single match against Ron. That had to be a joke, right? After all, Kuina was so strong...
"According to our investigation, Ron left the Marines about a year ago. Since then, he's passed through the Florian Triangle and the Kingdom of Arabasta. Both Gecko Moria and Crocodile, two of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, suffered major losses at his hands."
As Ivankov recounted the story, his tone was filled with undisguised shock and amazement.
"It's truly incredible. That boy, who once seemed even younger than you, has grown to such a level..."
"Two of the Seven Warlords of the Sea suffered major defeats at his hands..."
Koala's jaw dropped, her face full of disbelief.
So, this Ron that Kuina often spoke of was actually that powerful?!
"It's been four years... Ron has already grown so much stronger," Kuina murmured softly to herself. "I need to work even harder."
She looked up at Ivankov. "Ivankov, do you know where he is now?"
Ivankov shook his head. "Some say he's been seen in the Grand Line, others in the East Blue. Recently, there have been rumors about him in the South Blue. It's hard to pinpoint his exact location, and his movements remain a mystery."
Hearing this, Kuina's lips curved into a faint smile, her eyes sparkling with delight.
"Always so unpredictable... that really is just like him."
"Are you planning to go look for him?" Ivankov asked.
Kuina shook her head. "Not yet. The time isn't right."
"Ivankov, thank you for telling me all this."
With that, Kuina expressed her gratitude and left.
After she was gone, Koala couldn't help but turn to Ivankov.
"Is that Ron really that strong?"
Ivankov nodded seriously. "He's incredibly strong! He managed to severely injure Crocodile, the Sand Crocodile. If it came down to a fight, I might not even be able to beat him."
"Even you, Ivankov..."
Koala was utterly shocked.
According to Kuina, Ron was apparently a year younger than her... This was just insane.
Was that guy some kind of monster?