The legendary man stood before him with a warm yet resolute gaze, gently draping the captain's cloak—the symbol of honor and responsibility—over his shoulders.
In that moment, warmth spread from Jozu's shoulders throughout his entire body. It was more than physical warmth; it was comfort and encouragement that reached deep into his heart.
The cloak seemed almost magical, giving him the courage and strength to face every challenge that awaited him.
Then Ron's sincere smile and encouraging words surfaced clearly in his memory.
Ron had looked at him with complete trust and expectation before solemnly saying,
"You deserve to shine even brighter."
That smile had been like the warm spring sun, driving away the shadows in Jozu's heart and convincing him that his potential had no limits.
'No… I can't fall yet!'
At the edge of life and death, he forced the words through clenched teeth. His voice was faint, yet filled with absolute determination.
His eyes snapped open, and a brilliance unlike anything before erupted from his pupils, like twin flames igniting the air around him.
"I promised I'd become… the strongest shield there is!"
His roar echoed through the empty space, carrying his unyielding will and determination to keep that promise.
That fierce obsession surged through his crumbling body like a raging tide.
And at that instant, a miracle occurred.
His diamond body, which had been on the verge of collapse, suddenly erupted with radiance as brilliant as the sun, making everything around him appear dim by comparison.
The power of the Twinkle-Twinkle Fruit surged wildly through him in a way it never had before, like a mighty river carrying limitless strength.
Every diamond prism within his body began to evolve, rearrange, and ascend on its own under that overwhelming energy.
They intertwined and fused, forming an entirely new and far more perfect structure.
"This is…"
Jozu's body trembled faintly as he felt the unfamiliar power coursing through him. Shock and joy unlike anything he had ever known filled his heart.
His thoughts raced as he tried to understand the secret behind the transformation.
"So that's it… The true nature of the Twinkle-Twinkle Fruit is…"
It felt as though he had touched a higher realm and finally understood the true source of his power.
He slowly straightened his body, standing as firm and proud as a pine tree. His gaze was steady and filled with confidence.
The destructive pillar continued pouring mercilessly over him, but now everything had changed.
His diamond body no longer cracked easily under its force. Instead, it grew more brilliant with every passing second.
Countless microscopic prisms automatically formed across his surface, arranging themselves in perfect order to create a flawless optical matrix.
The matrix acted like a mysterious shield, cleverly refracting and dispersing the destructive energy, allowing him to stand firm beneath the raging attack.
"Refraction: Infinite Corridor!"
With Jozu's roar, the awakened power of the Twinkle-Twinkle Fruit erupted at full strength.
A brilliant rainbow tore through the dark sky and spread in every direction, displaying overwhelming power.
The straight pillar filled with destruction suddenly began to bend around him, almost as if it had gained a will of its own.
Its path curved like a flowing ribbon, drawing strange arcs through the air.
Then the beam began refracting in remarkable ways. Countless rays crossed and wove through one another in a silent dance before finally forming an endlessly repeating loop, like an exquisitely constructed vortex.
A perfect optical prison gradually took shape, surrounding Jozu completely.
Even more astonishing was the transformation occurring within that seemingly sealed world of light.
The immense energy carried by the beam was being broken down in an unbelievable process.
Countless tiny, intricate prisms appeared, greedily devouring the energy like starving beasts.
Whenever a ray struck one of them, it was precisely split into countless fragments before being efficiently absorbed.
As more and more energy poured into them, a strange glow flickered within the prisms, as though a mysterious form of alchemy was taking place and slowly converting everything they had consumed.
When the dazzling radiance finally faded, Jozu remained standing proudly where he had been, like an immortal god.
His body was formed from pure, flawless diamond, and liquid light now seemed to flow across its surface.
That radiance moved along every line and facet like a gentle stream, giving him an enchanting and sacred presence.
Each carefully shaped surface acted like a tiny mirror, reflecting the surrounding light into brilliant splendor and shining with an awe-inspiring divinity.
Jozu raised one arm slightly.
His fingertips trembled, and the destructive energy he had just absorbed danced above them like obedient spirits, ready to follow his every command.
"Thanks for the meal."
Jozu raised his head and flashed a dazzling smile toward the distant sky, his expression completely calm and confident.
"I'll gladly accept such a precious gift!"
High above, Uranus seemed to become completely enraged.
The previously calm clouds churned violently, as though an invisible force were stirring the heavens.
In an instant, three dark-red pillars of light gathered within them, each thicker and fiercer than the one before.
They descended like spears of judgment from the depths of hell, carrying endless fury and authority as they stabbed straight toward Jozu with overwhelming force.
The power contained within this attack was terrifying beyond measure.
Wherever the pillars passed, space began collapsing and twisting under the unbearable pressure, releasing chilling roars.
The once-stable structure of time and space shattered beneath that force, looking as if it might completely disintegrate at any moment.
"Again?"
The corner of Jozu's mouth lifted into a confident smile, without the slightest fear in his eyes.
"Looks like the lesson I gave you earlier wasn't painful enough."
He made no attempt to dodge the incoming attack and remained firmly where he stood.
At that moment, golden patterns suddenly lit up across his diamond body.
Like burning flames, they rapidly spread along the outline of his enormous frame, radiating a mysterious brilliance that seemed to contain limitless strength.
Then the three savage dark-red pillars struck him head-on.