Fallen

"Uh? I can't? What a pity."

When Kaido said this, he deliberately drew out the last word, wearing an expression that said, "What a shame, what a shame."

Yet the smile he could not suppress at the corners of his mouth and the obvious relief in his eyes practically had the words "thank goodness I can't" written across his forehead.

Just as the saying went: you fear your brother will suffer, but you also fear your brother will buy a luxury car.

Ron watched Kaido's expression and frowned slightly. This brat... wasn't even going to pretend?

Weren't they comrades who had fought side by side, at least? What kind of partner breathed a sigh of relief because his companion's ability was imperfect?

"Fine... I spoil you, don't I, Kaido?"

As his words fell, an even denser golden Nine-Tails chakra surged through the connected arm and into Kaido's body like boiling magma.

Kaido's body jolted violently. The pale red chakra cloak instantly swelled, wrapping around his entire body like a blazing flame.

Ron's chakra arm slowly retracted, returning to the enormous body of the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon.

"Don't disappoint me, Kaido. Otherwise, you won't get any next time."

"Ron, you're a real bro."

Kaido was so moved he nearly wept. His grip around his spiked club tightened slightly before he faced Rayleigh head-on.

"I'm going to fight... ten of you."

"Hmph~~~" Rayleigh chuckled softly at his posture. "You're young, but you've got quite the mouth on you."

"Take this!"

Kaido shouted, pulling his spiked club back before violently swinging it forward.

Rayleigh stuck to his previous strategy. Not wanting the conflict to escalate further, he did not counterattack and merely raised an arm to block.

Then—

"Thud!"

A dull boom erupted across the area. A massive impact burst from the point where the spiked club struck Rayleigh's arm, and Rayleigh's pupils abruptly contracted.

His entire body was sent flying by Kaido's blow.

"Oh-ho?"

Kaido froze for a moment. Even he had not expected that, going all out, he would swing such an impressive blow.

He looked down at his hand, then at Rayleigh flying backward. The smile on his face simply would not go away.

"Rayleigh, you bastard!" Kaido shouted as he charged after him with his spiked club. "Take this!"

Rayleigh frowned slightly. He had not expected Ron's Devil Fruit to possess such a rare ability, one that could actually transfer power to someone else.

"That's truly impressive." Rayleigh did not hold back his praise. Then, looking at the charging Kaido, he spoke with a serious expression. "Hey, brat from the Rocks Pirates, I'm getting serious now."

"Idiot, who cares? Do whatever you want." Kaido snapped impatiently.

The battlefield was split into two fronts: Whitebeard against Roger, and Kaido against Rayleigh.

As for Ron, he was completely free now.

Looking at the already-condensed Super Tailed Beast Bomb, Ron considered whether to give it to Roger and Rayleigh.

But... if he mishandled it, he might also catch Kaido and Whitebeard in the blast.

Remembering how Whitebeard had complained during the raid on the Heavenly Tribute, asking whether Ron had wanted to kill him too, Ron could not help but sigh softly.

"Let's wait a little longer," Ron murmured, deciding not to fire it for now.

Just then, he inadvertently lowered his head.

On the ground, a figure was slowly wriggling.

Ochoku!!!!

Ron was stunned at first, then a trace of heartfelt amazement flashed through his eyes.

"You're really tenacious. You didn't die even after all that."

Then, at Ron's command, the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon slowly lowered its enormous fox head to the ground.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk," Ron clicked his tongue softly, as though examining an interesting little toy.

Ochoku broke out in cold sweat. With great difficulty, he turned over, leaned against the rubble, and looked up at the golden giant fox that blotted out the sky.

He spoke in a trembling voice. "Ron... I'm already like this... are you still going to finish me off?"

Ron sneered a few times. "You know, Ochoku. I gave you a chance before. You just didn't cherish it."

"I've already told you everything you wanted to know. What more do you want from me?"

"Enough." Ron's voice was neither warm nor cold as he continued, "Then I'll give you another chance."

Ochoku immediately let out a sigh of relief. He lowered his eyes, and a fleeting viciousness flashed within them. He swore that one day, he would make Ron more miserable and more desperate than he was now.

"I'll remember your kindness," Ochoku said in a deep voice. Then he turned over and propped himself up with both hands, starting to crawl forward again.

Ron did not respond.

Nor did he stop moving.

A chakra arm extended from the right side of the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon and dug an unimaginably huge pit into the ground. Then the arm reached out again, grabbed Ochoku by the waist as he crawled, and lifted him into the air.

Ochoku's body stiffened in midair. Looking down at the bottomless pit, the little color that had just returned to his face drained away instantly.

"Y-you... what are you doing, Ron? You said it! You said you'd give me another chance!"

"Of course." Ron spoke unhurriedly. "On the condition that you don't die next."

The chakra arm released him.

Ochoku fell into the pit, accompanied by a brief, shrill scream.

Then, with a thought from Ron, the already-condensed Tailed Beast Bomb was lifted above the pit by another chakra arm, aimed at the figure at the bottom still struggling to climb out.

"No, Ron, you can't—"

"BOOM!!!"

A heaven-shaking explosion swallowed Ochoku's final scream completely.

Flames shot into the sky as thick smoke billowed upward, forming a dark gray mushroom cloud that lingered in the air.

When the smoke and dust finally began to clear, the location of the pit had become a massive depression.

The bottom was scorched black, with nothing left behind. Ochoku, known as the "Pirate Patriarch," had been reduced to ashes.

A short while later, in a stretch of sea not far from Ron's island.

The surface of the sea heaved restlessly from the aftermath of the battle.

On the deck of the Saber of Xebec, the members of the Rocks Pirates had gathered together, standing in a row along the rail.

Everyone's gaze was fixed in the same direction.

"What's going on?" Marlon stared toward the island and slowly said, "A battle broke out at our rendezvous point? Did those Marines catch up to us?"

"Mama mama mama,"

Linlin suddenly laughed. "We just finished a pointless operation. If the Marines really caught up, we might as well run. Newgate can get out himself anyway and meet up with us afterward."

"Hahaha," Gan Sui laughed along. "What Linlin said may not be very kind, but I like it!"

"Everyone, relax."

A deep voice came from above the sails.

Streusen lowered his telescope and continued, "It's not the Marines. It's Roger and his crew."

"Roger?"

Everyone revealed surprised expressions.

Why was that guy always haunting them? Didn't he have anything better to do? Why was he always following others around?

But after their surprise, most of their eyes soon gleamed.

Because the same thought occurred to all of them at once: the Roger Pirates were all fighting on the island, so where was their ship?

And the treasure aboard it?

With such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, if they did not take advantage of the chaos, could they still call themselves pirates?

"Jihihihi,"

Golden Lion was the quickest to act. His body shot into the air, his feet leaving the deck as he hovered in midair. Looking down at the companions who had not yet reacted, he flashed a smug grin.

"See you later, everyone. I'll go scout the way for you first."

"Tch."

Linlin snorted as she watched Golden Lion's figure, her tone carrying a hint of disdain. "It's not like you're the only one who can fly. What are you so proud of, Shiki?"

Silver Axe said, "Linlin, take me with you. You know the deal—if we find it, I'll help you deal with Shiki. We'll split the treasure evenly."