Princess Vivi looked at him and asked.
"No, this is our first meeting."
"Are you the one who knocked out the guards outside and took the stone from the funeral hall? Are you a bad person?"
Vivi looked up at Ron, standing on the wall.
"Whether I'm a bad person, that's for you to decide."
Ron smiled and looked down at Vivi, who was riding the Karoo. "As for the stone, yes, I did take it."
"Then you're a thief, a bad person!"
Vivi puffed up her cheeks and shouted at him.
"That stone belongs to our family! Why did you take it? Hurry up and give it back, or I'll have my father send troops to capture you!"
The Karoo beneath her trembled in fear.
If it could speak, it would tell Vivi to stop talking. Why not just run away quickly?
Although it wasn't sure they could escape...
Hearing Vivi's innocent words, Ron chuckled. "Your father won't be able to do anything to me."
"That's nonsense! The king is very powerful!"
Vivi was about to argue when Ron, dressed in a black windbreaker, interrupted her.
"Since you've seen me tonight, let me give you a few pieces of advice, considering that I took the stone."
"First, don't trust Crocodile."
"Why?" Vivi asked, confused. "He's a hero of our country."
"Don't ask me why, you'll find out later."
Vivi was about to say something else, but Ron turned away.
"Second, if this country is ever in danger, you can tell Crocodile that I took the stone."
"Third, if you ever meet a person named Luffy, tell him I'll be waiting for him in the New World."
After saying these words, he stepped forward, and his figure vanished instantly from Vivi and the Karoo's sight.
Vivi was left confused and full of questions.
"Crocodile is a bad person? The country is going to be in danger? And... who is Luffy?"
Her biggest question was: who was that mysterious person?
Ron returned to the agreed-upon location, where Conis had already bought all the food, alcohol, and clothing.
However, Robin, who was responsible for buying the gunpowder, hadn't returned yet.
After a short while, several carriages from the Baroque Works arrived.
People started unloading boxes of gunpowder from the carts.
"Vice President, is this enough?"
"Yes, this is good. You all can go back now."
After the group left, Robin, wearing a white fur coat and a cowboy hat, approached the two.
"It looks like my cover hasn't been blown yet. This is all the gunpowder Baroque Works has collected from the underground forces in the capital, thirteen boxes in total."
Ron nodded, then took a few steps forward and stretched his hand out to the boxes of gunpowder.
"System, scan and store."
Though it was the system that stored the items in the system's space, from Robin and Conis's perspective, the gunpowder slowly sank into thin air as Ron activated his ability.
After he used the same method to store the mountain of food, clothing, and alcohol, Robin couldn't help but marvel.
"Your ability is so convenient."
"What kind of Devil Fruit power is this? Is it related to space?"
Conis was also curious.
Looking at the curious gazes of the two women, Ron thought for a moment before deciding to tell the truth.
"Actually, this is not a Devil Fruit ability. I haven't eaten a Devil Fruit."
Robin and Conis were taken aback.
"Not... a Devil Fruit ability? Then does that mean you can touch sea water?"
Robin was astonished.
Having never eaten a Devil Fruit, yet possessing a unique ability that ordinary people didn't—she had never heard of such a thing.
"Captain, was this ability something you were born with?"
Conis asked curiously.
Ron shook his head. "No."
"This ability... it's related to a special object I call a Treasured Artifact."
"Treasured Artifact...?"
Robin murmured, her curiosity piqued.
Ron took a step forward, and the surrounding air seemed to ripple, like water disturbed by a stone, forming a void that looked like a portal to another space.
"This Treasured Artifact is called the Gate of Babylon. It can open a passage to a void space that holds inanimate objects."
Ron raised his hand, and from the watery surface of the void, the hilt of the Raikiri sword slowly emerged. With Robin and Conis watching, he grasped it and strapped it to his waist, the strange aura around him gradually dissipating.
"That's my secret," Ron said calmly.
Both Robin and Conis slowly came to their senses, and at those words, both felt a subtle shift within. (Is he finally starting to trust us as real allies?)
But before either of them could contemplate further, Ron's next words shattered the momentary emotion that had stirred in their hearts.
"Of course, my secrets aren't limited to just this one."
Robin and Conis stared at Ron, momentarily stunned.
There's more than one secret...? Does he have an even bigger one?
Who... exactly is our captain?
Under the attentive gaze of Nico Robin and Conis, Ron crossed his arms and spoke in a serious tone.
"The reason I'm telling you this now is so that, no matter what I do in the future, you won't be too shocked."
"Now, with everything said, let's go. We'll rest for the night, and set off early tomorrow."
"Ron, wait... about the Poneglyph..." Robin called out as Ron was about to enter the house.
Ron waved a hand without turning around. "Don't worry, I've already got it. We'll look at it when we're on the ship. Get some rest tonight."
Robin let out a quiet sigh of relief.
The next morning, at dawn.
The three of them left the capital of Arabasta and made their way toward Green City, the place they had originally come from.
On the road, Nico Robin and Conis's relationship gradually deepened. Robin, just like Ron, offered her advice on Conis's Devil Fruit powers and their development.
Over the course of the next several days in the desert, Conis successfully developed two new techniques.
Iron Wings and Blade Dance.
While Conis had wings on her back, they were purely decorative, unable to move or allow her to fly. However, by controlling metal, she could form a pair of Iron wings on her back. By manipulating the Iron, she could fly and even use the wings to shoot sharp iron fragments downward, as if unleashing a torrential storm of blades, with considerable power.
This technique allowed Conis to control steel to form several shifting blades that surrounded her. She could control these blades with her thoughts, combining offense and defense. It could be used for close combat, or even for mid- to short-range attacks.
Right now, she could only control three blades, each about the size of a palm, akin to small daggers. The speed of these blades was about the same as that of a lead bullet. But as she continued to develop her Devil Fruit powers, the number, size, and speed of the blades would undoubtedly improve.
After passing through Green City, it didn't take long before they spotted The Traveler anchored along the inland coast.
"That's our ship," Ron pointed to the vessel, smiling at Robin.
"Not a bad ship," Robin said as she gazed at the ship with admiration.
Conis, who had completely changed her appearance, now with her golden hair flowing to her waist and wrapped in a white robe, looked at the Traveler and felt a deep sense of relief. During their time in the desert, her biggest worry had been the condition of the ship.
Thank goodness it's still intact.
As the three of them approached the ship, ripples spread across the water, and several small figures shot out from the surface, blocking their path.
It was the Kung Fu Dugongs they had encountered earlier.
The leader of the Kung Fu Dugongs, upon spotting Ron, immediately recognized him. Its small eyes gleamed with excitement and joy, and it wagged its tail furiously, rushing to Ron's feet, rubbing its face against his leg with all its might.
"Hmm-uh-hmm... (Master, you're finally back!)"
Robin looked at the Kung Fu Dugong clinging to Ron's leg and turned to Conis for an explanation.
Conis smiled and quickly explained the whole story.
After hearing it, Robin couldn't help but chuckle softly as she looked at Ron's back.
He really took in a Kung Fu Dugong as his disciple and is going to take it out to sea with him. What an unpredictable guy...
Ron patted the Kung Fu Dugong on the head.
"Not bad. You completed the task I gave you when I was away. Alright, from today on, you're my disciple. If you're willing, you can come aboard my ship and sail with me."
"Hmm-uh-hmm!! (Great! I'm willing!)"
The Kung Fu Dugong was so excited, its tail was wagging so fast it was like a blur.
"Don't get too happy. If you slack off in your martial training, I'll expel you from my school."
"Hmm-uh-hmm... (I won't slack off!!)"
"Good. From today on, your name will be Enzo."
The Kung Fu Dugong looked up at Ron with shining eyes full of admiration, clearly pleased with its new name.
Watching as Ron and the Kung Fu Dugong communicated fluently in their respective languages, heading toward the ship, Robin and Conis exchanged a look and smiled, before following after them.
The sails of the Traveler were raised, and the ship slowly turned, departing the island.
-------------------------
Advance Chapters: .com / ElvenKing20