He gently pushed away the handkerchief Kin'emon quietly handed him.
At that moment, he was no longer the child hiding behind adults.
He had to face the waves of the new era as a Shogun.
The Nine Red Scabbards reacted the most intensely.
Izo smashed one of the castle tower's lanterns with a bang.
Denjiro laughed and cried like a child, the scar on his face wrinkling together, while even the usually steady Kawamatsu could not help bursting into song.
The Arataki Gang's thugs joined in with wild cheering, only for Kikunojo to smack them all into the pond with a single fan strike.
Cheers swept across the entire country like a tsunami.
The news that the isolation order had been lifted had already spread to every corner, but only now did people truly dare believe it was real.
Merchants rubbed their hands eagerly as they counted their goods. Samurai wiped down swords that had not been used for a long time.
Even the most conservative people could no longer hide their excitement.
A closed nation would never grow.
After experiencing Kaido's rule, everyone understood that truth deeply.
But Ron's gaze moved past the celebrating crowd and looked toward the distant ground.
There, a massive existence buried by time still slept in silence.
The Ancient Weapon, Pluton.
Opening Wano's borders was not only for trade.
It was also to obtain Pluton!
Robin gazed into the distance.
"You intend to awaken it?"
"That's right."
Hearing this, Robin was shaken to the core. She had clearly not expected Ron to truly intend to awaken Pluton.
A smile rose at the corner of Ron's mouth.
Opening the country was only the first step.
...
The next day.
In the southern region stood a towering gatehouse that seemed to pierce the clouds, overlooking the land like a giant.
Ron stood tall at the highest point of that gatehouse, almost as if he had merged with the heavens and the earth.
The biting sea wind roared like a fierce beast, whipping his ink-black cloak until it snapped sharply in the air. The edges of the cloak rolled violently in the wind, like leaping flames.
His movements were steady and powerful as he slowly raised an exquisite Visual Transponder Snail.
The Transponder Snail flashed with a strange light in his palm, as though carrying some tremendous mission.
His eyes were deep and firm, and within his pupils flowed an unquestionable authority, like the brightest stars in the deep night sky, making people afraid to look directly at him.
"Listen, all pirates of the sea."
Ron's voice was low and resounding, spreading clearly to every corner of the world through the Transponder Snail.
Everyone who heard that voice seemed to feel an invisible pressure descend upon them, and they could not help holding their breath.
"From this day forward, the title of Four Emperors no longer includes the name 'Red-Haired' Shanks!"
Those words were like a heavy bomb dropped onto a calm sea, instantly raising stormy waves.
In the wide plaza below, the crowd that had been lively moments ago immediately erupted into an uproar.
People whispered and shouted among themselves, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.
Among the noisy crowd, a rookie pirate who had only recently joined a crew trembled uncontrollably and dropped the wine cup in his hand.
The cup shattered against the ground with a sharp crack, spilling liquor everywhere.
His eyes widened as he stammered, "R-Red Hair has been… kicked out of the Four Emperors?! How is that possible…"
"That man who does not even have a Devil Fruit," Ron raised his head slightly and let out a mocking laugh.
The sound became especially piercing as it passed through the broadcast snails, like a sharp knife cutting through the calm in people's hearts.
"His status is held together by favors and personal connections. Does someone like that deserve to be called an Emperor of the Sea?"
His words were full of disdain and contempt, each one striking people's hearts like a heavy hammer.
Suddenly, Ron's eyes widened in anger.
His hands clenched hard, and the sturdy railing shattered instantly beneath his immense strength. Stone fragments fell like rain, producing crisp sounds as they hit the ground.
He declared loudly,
"The current Four Emperors have only three names—Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom!"
...
The New World.
The sea, which had been relatively calm moments before, suddenly changed.
Wave after wave seemed to be driven by some invisible power, instantly becoming incredibly violent.
Like a pack of maddened beasts, they carried mountain-toppling momentum and smashed with thunderous force against the sturdy yet somehow fragile hull of the Red Force.
Each impact made the entire ship shake violently, producing chilling creaks, as if it might be swallowed by the raging waves at any moment.
On the deck, the supplies that had been carefully arranged for a grand banquet had completely lost their order.
Delicate tableware lay scattered everywhere, and colorful bottles of fine wine had spilled across the deck, mixing with seawater into a scene of total chaos.
The food that had once given off tempting aromas was scattered everywhere as well, swaying with the rhythm of the waves.
But the cheerful atmosphere that had filled the air not long ago had now frozen completely, as though struck by frost.
Everyone's face was grave and uneasy.
A massive crisis was descending in silence.
"Interesting. Boss, you've been kicked out of the Four Emperors."
Benn Beckman's voice rang out in the tense, oppressive atmosphere, carrying a trace of mockery and teasing.
The cigarette between his long fingers had been giving off a thin trail of smoke, but now he snapped it in half with his bare hand.
Burning sparks fell onto the back of his hand. The heat must have stung badly, yet he did not seem to notice at all, his eyes still focused and cold.
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
A cold gleam flickered in his deep gaze like a blade in the winter night, carrying an aura that made people shiver.
At that moment, he looked like a lone wolf disturbed from rest, his entire body radiating danger.
In the surrounding air, invisible Haki seemed to begin stirring quietly, as though unseen hands were agitating the space.
Even the ropes on the high mast suddenly tightened on their own under that powerful pressure, releasing faint yet distinct humming sounds, as though speaking of the storm about to arrive.
"Hahaha! This is exciting. That guy Ron is really interesting. He's got guts!"
Lucky Roux's rough laughter broke the brief silence.
The smoked meat leg he usually loved most had slipped from his hand and fallen onto the deck. Its rich grease quickly seeped into the cracks between the wooden planks, leaving behind a dark stain.
This fat man, who was always laughing and gave off a simple, cheerful impression, had for the first time wiped every trace of smile from his face.
The muscles on his round face twitched faintly, revealing the anger and unwillingness deep inside him.