You Weren't Rescued-You Were Kidnapped Again

Before long, out at sea.

Ron, transformed into a Nine-Tailed Fox Demon, quickly caught up to Kaido and the others with Whitebeard in tow.

"Hey, hey, hey... You're finally back!"

Stussy stood on the deck of the secondary ship, patting her chest with one hand as she let out a long sigh of relief.

"If you'd been any later, that bastard Kaido would've made a move on me."

Whitebeard clicked his tongue and leaned against the railing, giving Stussy a blank look.

Fighting over treasure was the Rocks Pirates' usual style. He had never taken part in it, nor had he ever interfered.

"Stussy, you know I never involve myself in matters of treasure distribution. So... whether I came back or not, I wouldn't take sides."

Stussy pursed her lips, her shoulders drooping slightly as she put on an aggrieved expression for Whitebeard.

She even deliberately forced a little moisture into her eyes, her tone carrying just the right amount of resentment. "Hey, Newgate, is that really the kind of money-grubbing woman you think I am?"

Whitebeard stared at her in shock, his mouth opening slightly. "Isn't... that exactly what you are?"

"Woohoohoo... That really hurts my feelings." Stussy clutched her chest and lamented in an overly coquettish tone, dragging out every word softly.

Ron did not join Whitebeard and Stussy's conversation. Instead, with deliberate dissatisfaction in his voice, he said to Kaido, "You bastard Kaido, are we still the Intern Alliance or not? You actually left me behind and ran off first?"

Of course, he just wanted to curse him out.

As a transmigrator, how could he not understand Kaido? Forget running off first—if Ron got a legendary Devil Fruit, Kaido would not hesitate to club him and snatch it away. [Refer to the original: Kaido clubbed Linlin and stole the Devil Fruit.]

"Hm?"

Kaido had not cared much at first, but after hearing Ron shout that, he could no longer sit still. He immediately raised his voice. "Bastard Ron, are you questioning our bond?"

What the hell? We have a bond?

"Then tell me, why didn't you wait for me? Let me make this clear first... I hate it most when people apologize after the fact."

"Give me a break~" Stussy raised a hand from the side. "Kaido nearly made a move on me over leaving first! If I hadn't explained the reason, you'd both be fishing me out of the sea right now."

Following Stussy's explanation, Kaido suddenly straightened his back. He lifted his chin and glanced sideways at Ron, mockingly imitating his tone. "I also... hate it most when people apologize after the fact."

Ron blinked, momentarily stunned. He was rather surprised that Kaido had nearly attacked Stussy over this.

It seemed many things could not be judged with prejudice. Only by seeing them firsthand and experiencing them personally could one draw a conclusion.

A smile spread across Ron's face. Grinning, he walked over, threw an arm around Kaido's shoulders, and gave him a hard shake. "That's what I'm talking about! The bond of our Intern Alliance is unbreakable. How could it possibly fail a test like this?"

"Tch." Kaido turned his head away, lifting his chin even higher as he snorted. "Who was slandering me just now?"

"Hey, Stussy." Ron turned toward Stussy and called out, "Don't do things that hurt our unity next time!"

Stussy was amused by Ron's words and could not help snorting with laughter. One hand braced against the railing, her shoulders shook as she laughed. Listen to that, listen to that—there was even such a thing as "unity" in the Rocks Pirates?

Still, Stussy did not pour cold water on these two "interesting" youngsters. Smiling, she raised a hand and made an OK gesture, then nodded firmly. "Alright, it was me hurting your unity. I apologize to you two."

"I hate it most when people apologize after the fact..." Whitebeard chimed in with interest, his tone flat, though the corner of his mouth curled slightly.

Stussy glanced at Whitebeard speechlessly and rolled her eyes. "Hey, Newgate, are you looking to die? You're going crazy with them too?"

Whitebeard did not respond.

He merely leaned against the railing, his gaze shifting from Stussy to Ron and Kaido, watching the two young men with their arms around each other's shoulders, refusing to spare each other with their words yet unwilling to let go.

From those two, he sensed something... something he could not quite put into words.

A scene like this... truly made one yearn for it.

Whitebeard's gaze flickered slightly, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

Inside the ship, in the hall.

"Name."

"Lucia Annika!"

The pink-haired woman stood before him, her hands properly folded in front of her, her back ramrod straight.

"What is your relationship with Shakky?"

Annika's eyes brightened slightly, as though she had remembered something warm. "Many years ago, I once helped her, and gradually we kept in touch. She's a very good person, a very reliable senior. She always told me to escape and go outside to see more of the world..."

Before she could finish, Ron waved his hand. "You're getting off topic."

Annika smiled softly and brushed aside the loose pink hair before her face, revealing her smooth forehead and clear eyes. "Sorry... But Mr. Ron, thank you very much for saving me."

"Miss Annika, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you weren't rescued. You were kidnapped by another group of villains."

Annika blinked her large eyes, tilted her head, and asked seriously, "I... I was kidnapped by Mr. Ron?"

"Yes." Ron smiled kindly. "You'd better hope your friendship can stand the test, Miss Annika."

She had such a good relationship with Shakky? Asking for one Devil Fruit in exchange would not be excessive, right? No, even two would not be excessive.

A trace of disappointment appeared on Annika's face, and the light in her beautiful eyes dimmed slightly. After two seconds of silence, she softly asked, "Then... will you tear up the hostage?"

"Of course." Ron nodded solemnly, his tone deliberately threatening. "If Shakky doesn't give me what I want, I'll throw you into the middle of the sea to feed the sharks."

Yet Annika was not afraid. She only thought seriously for a moment before asking, "Then... before you throw me in, can you let me get completely drunk? That way it won't hurt."

Ron frowned slightly, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Of course not. What is this, a marketplace? You're haggling."

"Hey, hey, hey, Ron~~"

Stussy's listless voice drifted over from the distance.

She lay sprawled over a nearby table, propping up her head with one hand while the other tapped lazily against the tabletop. "Can you let her go cook first? We're starving to death."

Ron glanced at her from the side, then turned back to Annika.

"Hm, after thinking it over carefully, if you do the work I give you well, I'll consider letting you get completely drunk."

Annika's eyes lit up again. She bowed deeply to Ron, her long pink hair sliding down from her shoulders like a soft waterfall.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Ron."

Ron smiled. Listen to that—she was even thanking him.