As dawn broke, the fierce battle within Rainbase came to an end, marking Baroque Works' victory. After tonight, Baroque Works would command the entire underground world of the Alabasta Kingdom.
Of course, all of this hinged on whether Crocodile, Mr. 0 of Baroque Works, could claw his way back from the brink of death…
Ron introduced Nico Robin to Conis.
"This is the historian, Nico Robin, our new crewmate."
"Hello, Robin. I'm Conis, from Sky Island," Conis said with a smile, her cloud fox perched on her shoulder as she extended her hand to Robin.
Robin took her hand in a firm handshake.
With the introductions complete, Ron retrieved a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit from his system space and handed it to Conis.
Conis accepted the fruit, its skin marked with intricate spiral patterns, and stared at it with wide eyes. "So, this is… a Devil Fruit."
"This is the Paramecia Iron-Iron Fruit. Eating it will grant you the ability to control iron, but the cost is that you'll lose the ability to swim," Ron's voice echoed in her ear.
"The choice of whether to eat it is yours alone."
Robin, wearing her signature cowboy hat, stood aside without interfering.
Conis gazed at the Devil Fruit for a long moment, determination sparking in her eyes. This rare fruit had been procured by Ron specifically for her.
She wanted to meet those expectations!
She wanted to grow stronger, to be someone who could aid him, rather than just a decorative figure aboard the ship, always under his protection.
Being a true comrade meant more than that; it was what their adventure demanded!
With unwavering resolve, Conis opened her mouth and bit into the fruit.
The taste was indescribably vile, spreading through her mouth like a bitter poison. Conis fought the urge to retch and forced herself to swallow.
One bite was all that was needed for the Devil Fruit to take effect.
As the remainder of the fruit in her hand dissolved into nothingness, Conis closed her eyes. Her blonde braid loosened, golden hair flowing freely and dancing around her like tendrils of light.
The cloud fox on her shoulder scrambled away in alarm, hiding behind Ron's legs with a series of nervous yips.
Under the watchful eyes of Ron and Nico Robin, strands of silvery liquid steel began to emerge from the air around Conis, weaving and writhing as if alive.
The metallic tools and objects within the room resonated, almost as if they were celebrating the arrival of their queen.
When Conis's golden hair settled, falling gracefully down to her waist, she opened her eyes, a fleeting black glint within them as she took in her newfound power.
She stretched her right hand forward.
Instantly, every Iron item in the room liquefied!
Even the air seemed to shimmer with traces of liquid Iron, converging above her palm, twisting and expanding as it gathered into a solid mass.
Ron stood nearby, arms crossed, a smile playing on his lips.
Robin's eyes reflected a hint of shock.
This was the power to control Iron!
While the true potential of a Devil Fruit was largely dependent on the skill and creativity of its user, there were still distinctions in the inherent strength of Paramecia fruits.
Some, like the Gravity Fruit, Tremor-Tremor Fruit, and Float-Float Fruit, were among the most powerful, with abilities that defied natural laws. These were considered top-tier, even rivaling Logia types in sheer power.
Others, like the Gold-Gold Fruit or Magnet-Magnet Fruit, which manipulated materials or energy, were classified as second-tier.
Abilities like the Rubber-Rubber Fruit, Dice-Dice Fruit, or String-String Fruit, which had unique properties and combat capabilities, fell into the third tier.
Then there were fruits like Robin's Flower-Flower Fruit or the Light-Light Fruit, classified as fourth-tier, which had more limited combat effectiveness and leaned toward support roles.
The Iron-Iron Fruit that Conis had just consumed was considered second-tier. In terms of raw power, it far surpassed the Flower-Flower Fruit.
After Conis consumed the Devil Fruit and familiarized herself with its powers, the three set out from Rainbase and began their journey to the capital of Alabasta—Alubarna.
After leaving Rainbase, Ron instructed the two women to head to the capital, Alubarna, while he stayed behind to search the nearby desert.
He intended to find the ruins where, in the original story, Luffy and Zoro had fallen. Besides the Poneglyph that recorded the history of Pluton in the Tomb of Kings of Alabasta, another one lay hidden in that mysterious underground chasm.
Ron sped across the desert sands, and by noon, he finally found the large stone buried amidst the shifting sands.
Standing beneath the stone, Ron activated his Transparent World ability and easily located the hidden entrance to the underground quicksand tunnel.
He stepped into the entrance without hesitation.
After descending dozens of meters, he landed heavily on solid ground. The impact shattered the stones beneath his feet, causing a tremor that sent sand cascading from above.
"It's here, just as I thought."
A smile spread across Ron's face as he looked at the Poneglyph in front of him, half-submerged in the ground.
Once the system absorbed the Poneglyph into its space, Ron used Moonwalk to propel himself out of the mysterious chasm and sped toward Alubarna.
By the time the sun began to set, Ron met up with Robin and Conis at their prearranged spot outside the city.
Together, the three of them entered the capital of Alabasta.
Inside a tavern, the trio sat around a table, eating and resting while discussing their next steps.
"I'm going to infiltrate the palace to retrieve the Poneglyph," Ron said as he bit into a steak. "Conis, Robin, you two will wait outside for me."
Robin, sitting with a glass of juice in front of her, looked surprised.
"You're planning to steal the Poneglyph? How do you intend to move such a massive stone out of the palace?" she asked.
Ron didn't lift his head from his meal as he replied, "Have you forgotten my abilities?"
Robin's eyes widened in realization.
If it was that particular power, it would indeed be possible.
Ron thought for a moment, then reached into the air and pulled out a large sack, placing it on the table. He said to the two women sitting across from him, "There are tens of millions of Berries in here. Use it to buy clothing, supplies, and anything else you need. Robin, if you can find a supplier, pick up some extra gunpowder as well."
Robin nodded in agreement.
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