Kaya's Gift

"Phew..."

Ronan let out a long breath, feeling the surging new power within him. His strength, speed, and physique had all reached 13 points!

The all-around improvement made him feel as though his entire being had been elevated.

"Thank you for your efforts."

Ronan looked at Buchi before him, who was swaying on his feet and covered in blood yet still trying to attack. A trace of a warrior's pity flashed through his eyes.

"As repayment, I'll give you a quick death."

Ronan took half a step back and held his spear level.

"Middle Spear Style: Life-Taking Stab!"

"Pfft!"

A cold flash streaked through the air.

The spear tip shot forth like a meteor chasing the moon, instantly piercing Buchi's thick neck and precisely severing his spinal nerves.

Buchi's massive body suddenly stiffened. The blood-red glow in his eyes rapidly faded, replaced by lifeless gray.

With a flick of his wrist, Ronan pulled out the iron spear.

"Boom!"

Buchi crashed heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The entire scene fell silent.

Only the sea breeze passed over the spear tip, producing a faint, mournful whistle.

Carrying the dripping iron spear, Ronan stepped over the rubble and corpses scattered across the ground and walked, step by step, toward Jango, the only one left at the bottom of the slope.

With every step, the killing intent around him grew denser.

To Jango, Ronan no longer looked human. He was clearly a Shura evil ghost crawling out of hell!

"D-Don't... don't come any closer!"

Jango's legs went weak with terror. He kept backing away until his back hit the cold rock wall.

He shrieked incoherently, "Y-You can't kill me! If you kill me, Captain Kuro won't let you off! He's Kuro of the Hundred Schemes, a genius beyond compare!"

Ronan did not stop walking. A mocking smile curved at the corner of his mouth. "That so-called Captain Kuro of yours has probably already been tied up like a dumpling, waiting for the Marines to take him away."

"What?!" Jango looked as if he had been struck by lightning.

In his despair, he suddenly pulled out the sharp chakram from his clothes. A trace of hope flashed through his eyes. "Look at this... one, two..."

He tried to hypnotize Ronan at the very last moment.

"Boring."

Ronan snorted coldly.

Such crude hypnosis was laughable before someone like him, who had already awakened Observation Haki.

Besides, this hypnotist only knew how to rely on external tools, while his own combat ability was pitifully weak. He held no value as a sparring partner for Ronan now.

He had a bounty of nine million, yet he was completely useless.

"Get lost!"

Ronan did not even glance at the chakram as he casually flicked his iron spear upward.

"Clang!"

The chakram was instantly knocked away, spinning as it embedded itself in the nearby rock.

Then Ronan flashed forward and appeared in front of Jango, ruthlessly kicking him in the stomach!

"Bang!"

Jango curled up like a giant shrimp, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. Clutching his stomach, he dropped to his knees and vomited bile.

Ronan looked down at him, planted the iron spear heavily into the ground, and said coldly:

"Don't make me waste time. Find yourself a rope and tie yourself up."

With that, the Black Cat Pirates were completely wiped out.

When Ronan's Group escorted the dejected Jango and the remaining pirate prisoners back to Syrup Village, the morning sunlight happened to spill over the dirt road at the village entrance, stretching their shadows long and far.

"We won! We won!"

The three children who had been watching from afar—Green Pepper Head, Onion Head, and Radish Head—charged excitedly into the village, loudly announcing the victory.

Before long, the entire village was in an uproar.

Upon learning that these seemingly young outsiders had defeated the terrifying Black Cat Pirates, the villagers rushed to the entrance.

"So this is Ronan, the one who defeated the Black Cat Pirates? What a fine-looking young man!"

"And that swordsman carrying Three Swords looks so fierce!"

"That young man in the Straw Hat is amazing too!"

The villagers surrounded Ronan, Luffy, and Zoro, lavishing them with praise. Some even brought freshly picked fruit and homemade wine.

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the crowd, Usopp welcomed the highlight of his life.

Although he had spent most of the battle terrified and providing support, that did not stop him from doing a little "artistic embellishment" in front of the villagers.

"Ahem! The situation back then was incredibly dangerous!"

Usopp stood atop a wooden crate, his nose tilted high as he gestured wildly.

"That monster called Buchi was eight meters tall! He had endless strength! One punch could collapse a mountain!"

"But would Captain Usopp be afraid? I drew my slingshot, aimed at his weakness, and shouted, 'Sure-Kill: Gunpowder Star!'..."

"Wow! Captain Usopp is amazing!" The children's eyes sparkled with admiration.

Even the villagers who usually scoffed at Usopp's bragging listened with smiles on their faces.

Because they knew that this long-nosed kid who loved to boast had truly risked his life to protect the village this time.

Ronan watched the scene, slinging the heavy iron spear across his back as a faint smile appeared on his face.

Syrup Village, afternoon.

The gunpowder smoke of battle had dissipated, and the sea breeze had scattered the bloody scent, replacing it with the aroma of food and the joy of survival.

Inside Kaya's luxurious villa, Ronan's Group received the highest level of hospitality.

On the long dining table, exquisite silverware gleamed under the candlelight. There was golden, crispy roast turkey, juicy steaks, freshly picked fruit...

For Ronan, who had just gone through a fierce battle, nothing was more blissful than filling his stomach.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, the afternoon sunlight lazily spilled across the courtyard.

Miss Kaya, dressed in a pale yellow gown and looking much rosier, walked over.

She looked at her four benefactors—Luffy, who was devouring food; Zoro, who was wiping down his swords; the youthful and beautiful Nami; and Ronan, who always wore a gentle smile yet seemed unfathomable. Her eyes were filled with gratitude.

"Everyone," Kaya said, her voice gentle yet resolute.

"To thank you for saving this village, and to thank you for saving my life..."

"I have prepared a gift for each of you. It is only a small token of my appreciation, but please, you must accept it."

At the word "gift," Ronan's heart trembled slightly.

Being familiar with the story, he naturally knew what this gift meant.

It was not merely a ship. It was the Straw Hat Pirates' first companion, the vessel that carried countless laughs and tears.

In the end, at Enies Lobby, it used the last of its strength to say, "I'm sorry. I wanted to keep taking you on adventures forever"—the Merry.

It was the everlasting regret in the hearts of all pirate fans.