Everyone's eyes turned toward Ron's back at the same time.
He stood on top of the Dragon's head, his white cape snapping sharply in the wind.
The blowing fabric seemed to mix with the powerful energy rolling off his body.
His shadow looked incredibly tall and strong in the sunlight, showing off his true power as a leader!
"Honestly..." Vista suddenly let out a light chuckle. "We really should thank Ron. But when did he awaken his Conqueror's Haki?"
"No idea!"
"Ron has always been this mysterious, and this strong!"
The other division commanders nodded in agreement.
They all knew deep down that if Ron had not handled this with such a firm but kind hand, the Land of Wano might have never escaped its endless nightmare—waiting for some hidden child from a prophecy while continuing to suffer.
Whitey Bay had quietly joined the group without anyone noticing, holding a cup of fresh coffee.
She gently smelled the rich coffee, took a sip, and closed her eyes happily.
"If you ask me, joining the Eternal Divine Kingdom might actually be the best thing for the Land of Wano."
She looked toward the distant island, a hint of hope in her eyes. "At least the people will not have to go hungry anymore."
The commanders shared smiles, looking completely relieved and at peace.
They stared at the approaching coastline of Wano, feeling real hope for the country's future for the very first time.
At this moment, even though Ron had his back to everyone, the corners of his mouth lifted into a smile.
His sharp senses allowed him to hear exactly what the captains were thinking—which was exactly what he wanted.
What had just happened not only proved his power but also respected the feelings of Whitebeard's former crew.
Most importantly, it locked down a massive, highly important base for the Eternal Divine Kingdom.
The Land of Wano had a population of at least one million people!
Looking at the island now right in front of them, Ron's stare was like a man looking over his very own backyard.
...
Meanwhile, in the waters of Totto Land, a giant, beautiful castle stood right in the center of Whole Cake Island.
The castle walls were built from massive, sweet-smelling candy bricks that shined with rainbow colors in the sunlight.
Inside the castle, the fancy decorations were almost blinding.
Crystal lights hung from the high ceiling, casting a bright glow that lit up every inch of the floor.
Big Mom, sat heavily on her giant throne, surrounded by a terrifying, crushing energy.
Since the crazy breakout at the underwater prison of Impel Down, all of Whole Cake Island seemed covered in a creepy fog, yet not a single piece of news had leaked to the outside world.
"MAMA~ MAMA~" Big Mom's crazy laughter echoed through the hall.
She lowered her head slightly, staring down at the new members kneeling in front of her throne.
The first to catch the eye was Emporio Ivankov from the Revolutionary Army.
Drops of cold sweat covered his giant face, and his wig looked messy under the bright lights.
His eyes showed a mix of stress and worry.
Having seen Big Mom's terrifying power up close, he was completely frozen in fear.
Next was Inazuma, whose body shook slightly.
His eyes flashed with complicated feelings—fear of what would happen next, mixed with a hidden trace of anger.
Then there was the former Impel Down head jailer, Shiryu.
The cigar in his mouth bounced as his lips trembled. His eyes showed deep hatred, but mostly, they showed clear, undeniable fear.
Finally, the stare landed on the "World Destroyer" Byrnndi World, who had nearly died down on Level 6 of Impel Down.
World slowly lifted his head, his once-proud eyes now completely dull.
He gently touched his aching chest, remembering his fight against Big Mom, and a wave of pure helplessness washed over him.
These people, who used to be massive threats in their own right, now had no choice but to bow down to Big Mom's unbeatable power.
"You disobedient brats~" Big Mom's voice suddenly dropped low and dangerous.
In a flash, Conqueror's Haki exploded through the hall like an invisible storm, sweeping into every corner.
The heavy energy made it hard for the new members to breathe, feeling like a giant mountain was pressing right down on their shoulders.
"Now do you understand who the true ruler is?" Big Mom's voice echoed loudly, hanging heavy in the air.
Sweat rolled down Ivankov's huge face.
He clearly remembered how Shiryu, swinging his famous sword Raiu, had launched a full-power slash right at Big Mom.
That strike carried everything Shiryu had learned in his life as a swordsman.
The blade shined with a freezing cold light, moving with totally unstoppable speed.
Yet when the sharp edge hit Big Mom's skin, it just made a tiny ripple—it did not even leave a white scratch.
With that kind of terrifying, iron-balloon defense, what was the point of fighting back?
Fighting meant death, while bowing down offered a chance to live.
Shiryu bit down hard on his cigar, his eyes full of anger.
He could not accept the fact that his decades of sword training were completely useless against Big Mom.
He clearly remembered how, after he stubbornly threw dozens of slashes in a row, Big Mom had just thrown a lazy, casual punch.
That normal-looking fist held world-breaking power.
Where her punch traveled, the air crushed together into an invisible wall, making a loud, screaming sound.
Shiryu felt like he had been hit by a speeding Sea Train.
He was sent flying hundreds of meters, crashing through over a dozen solid candy walls before hitting the ground hard.
Byrnndi World had met the exact same fate.
Now, he sadly rubbed his sore chest, his heart full of bitterness.
Once known as the "World Destroyer" who scared the whole World Government, his power could easily wipe out entire cities.
Yet against Big Mom's near-perfect defense, his huge destructive force was about as useless as a child's toy.
"Join my pirate crew~" Big Mom's voice suddenly turned happy again, acting as if her earlier threats had never happened.
Her face broke into a bright smile that hid an ocean of dark danger.
"You will get everything you want~ wealth, status, power~"
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