It's Time for a Confession

"That's the story," Sairona concluded.

"So Rono has given birth before too?" Mo crossed his arms and pondered. Axia clearly let out a sigh of relief and said softly to Rono, "Mr. Rono, could I hold him?" Axia looked at Rono expectantly. Rono glanced at Mo beside him, who was clearly ready to punch him flying again if he said no, and smiled. "Of course." He handed Little Treant Gelu over. Gelu showed no aversion to Axia and let her hold him.

"Hmm~ So it really is about looks?" Rono seemed to understand something. He gave Sairona a sympathetic look. Ah, there's nothing you can do when you're ugly.

Sairona drew his pistol and fired expressionlessly. Bang! Rono's head exploded. Seeing this, Gelu struggled out of Axia's arms and leaped toward Sairona's face. Sairona nimbly dodged Gelu's pounce, then—smack!—fell flat on his face. Axia silently withdrew her hand and watched Gelu beat Sairona mercilessly. By the time Sairona's eyes were seeing stars and his face had swollen like a Smurf's, Rono had grown a new head. He picked up Gelu, turned him around, and set him on his shoulder. Gelu wrapped his arms around Rono's neck and threatened Sairona with a loud, "Waaaahhhhh!" "Sairona, how many times have I told you? Stop blowing my head off! You're making my brilliant brain stupid!"

Axia silently stretched out her hand. Just as Sairona had gotten to his feet, a sudden unidentified flying object smashed into his face. "Ah—" His fragile nasal bone snapped. But that wasn't all. Sairona fell backward, and the sharp stone Rono had been impaled on was right behind his head. Sairona closed his eyes. With his memory, he remembered exactly where that sharp stone was. Sairona thought, Can I do fifteen? Uh, no, wrong line again. I'm doomed. That was Sairona's only thought.

Nearly five seconds passed before Sairona opened one eye a crack. It was still the same sky, still just as blue. Ah~ I'm not dead!

"How long are you planning to lie there? Did you wet yourself?" Rono taunted him at Level 3. Axia puffed out her cheeks and canceled her ability. Mo, the spectator, had watched every one of Axia's movements and now wore a kindly smile. His girl had found someone she liked, and he was satisfied with his future son-in-law. For Mo, who was over forty, that was more than enough.

Sairona climbed to his feet and gave Axia a deep look. Axia activated Annoy Your Poker Face, matching it against Sairona's expressionless zombie face. Sairona only had to think for a moment to realize that Axia had activated her Devil Fruit Ability, but he couldn't say anything. You blew the head off the person she loves, okay? How dare you speak?

"All right, it's getting late. We should be going too. The family head asked me to tell you that the Research Department has developed a new Two-masted sailing ship. It's very fast—hmm~ probably about three times faster than an ordinary warship." Mo compared the two and announced a shocking result. What did three times the speed mean? Think of a 400-speed Hecarim using E and kicking someone—it wouldn't hurt much without equipment. But if that Hecarim reached 1,200 speed, one kick would leave the victim dead or crippled.

The Gongdongtalio Family agreed to Rono's plan to establish a pirate crew, treating it as nothing more than him playing around. Rono also lived up to his title of Shichibukai. Every few days, he would shout for Sairona—with Gelu added afterward—and go to Alabasta. Whenever he saw a Pirate Ship, he would Annoy Your Poker Face it. Over the past two years, pirates had come to call this route through Alabasta the Death Route. Rono had also earned a nickname: Red Devil. Sairona's nickname was Sniper King. Both were incredibly impressive titles.

Ever since Rono became a Shichibukai, Spandam had people purchase Dancing Powder in Alabasta and resell it at a high price to other drought-stricken countries. By "high price," he meant fifty times the original price. Dancing Powder had always been controlled by the Alabastan royal family. If not for Rono's status as a Shichibukai and the fact that Alabasta was currently embroiled in civil unrest, Spandam would never have been able to buy it. Spandam knew how to conduct himself, depositing twenty percent of the profits into Rono and Sairona's accounts every month. Along with the twenty percent monthly dividends from Baroque Works, which the Gongdongtalio Family had people reorganize and take back under control, Rono declared: I don't care whether the people I befriend have money. In any case, they don't have more money than me.

Ahem, that was getting off topic. After Mo finished speaking, he called for Axia to leave. "You'll have plenty of chances to visit in the future. Stop looking back every three steps." Axia blushed shyly and pouted, "Uncle Mo, how can you say that?"

"Hahaha, we're leaving." Mo waved goodbye. Axia glanced at Rono once more before following Mo.

"We'll see you off," Sairona said after putting away his pistol. He even gave Rono a push, but unfortunately, Rono didn't budge. Still, after being pushed, Rono started walking and followed them.

At the dock, Axia and Mo stood on the deck. Mo put on the suit his aide handed him and said, "All right, there's no need to see us off."

"All right, then. Come by whenever you have time." Sairona smiled. "Rono, aren't you going to say something?"

Rono let out an "Ah," then inhaled deeply. "Axia, I like you! Will you be my girlfriend?"

"..." Sairona stood there in stunned confusion. I only asked you to say a few words of farewell! What are you doing with this sudden confession? Don't you know girls are shy? If she actually agrees, I'll livestream myself eating... Forget it, I'll just livestream myself eating a meal.

Rono's voice was so loud that half of Enies Lobby could hear him. Under the gazes of countless Marines, Axia's face instantly turned red—easily over a hundred degrees, practically smoking. Then she collapsed. If your head reached a hundred degrees, you could eat it. Assuming you had the appetite.

"Hahahahaha—" Mo burst out laughing, thoroughly delighted. Although he had no idea what had gotten into Rono, getting this idiot with his painfully low intelligence and emotional awareness to confess to Axia made Mo want to say only one thing: "Heh." "Rono, boy, I'll answer on Axia's behalf. She agrees!"

If Rono was still this foolish two years from now, Mo was even prepared to propose to him on Axia's behalf. What? He refused? Then Mo would knock him out, drug him, and throw him into bed, providing the full service. What? He wanted to shirk responsibility? Mo declared that Rono could go feed the fish.

"Phew~" Sairona wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead. Damn, good thing I didn't show off, or I'd have had to livestream myself eating shit. Come to think of it, ability users all said Devil Fruits tasted as awful as shit. How did they know what shit tasted like? Forget it. He didn't want to think about it. He'd get himself killed.

The sailboat gradually disappeared, and Rono withdrew his gaze.

"Phew—" Rono let out a long breath, then turned to Sairona with a smile. "Thank goodness you encouraged me. Otherwise, I'd still be single!" Still be single... be single... single...

Sairona looked at Rono calmly. "I didn't encourage you. I only told you to say goodbye and say a few casual words."

"What? Really? Ahhh, Sairona, you've broken my heart." Rono made an Σ(oAo||) face.

"Gelu Gelu," said Gelu.