When it came to Ron, Nami's voice suddenly grew hesitant, her expression turning unnatural as she struggled to find the right words.
Robin, noticing this, took over the conversation, her tone calm but tinged with gravity.
"This is what happened..."
"After we were scattered by Blackbeard, we went to Water 7, hoping to find someone to rescue you. But we were accidentally exposed and ended up being hunted by CP9. They wanted to capture me."
"The situation was extremely dangerous. To save me and Usopp, Nami had no choice but to seek Ron's help. The price was... Nami traded her freedom for the rest of her life in exchange for saving us and the rest of the Straw Hat crew."
She paused briefly before continuing, "Now, the Straw Hat Pirates no longer exist. Nami is no longer a member of the Straw Hat crew. She will follow Ron and work for him."
Zoro and Sanji's expressions instantly darkened.
Though Robin's description was understated, they could easily imagine how perilous the situation must have been.
If Ron hadn't intervened, Nami and Robin might have already met a tragic fate, and they themselves might never have escaped this prison.
"Damn it..." Zoro clenched his fists, his eyes filled with self-blame and anger.
They held no hatred toward Ron—only hatred for themselves, for being so weak!
Sanji also lowered his head, his voice low and raspy.
"Thank you... thank you for saving them."
His tone carried a hint of frustration, but more than anything, it was filled with gratitude toward Ron.
Ron waved his hand dismissively, his tone indifferent.
"No need to thank me. It was just a transaction. Clear terms and mutual benefit."
Just then, Bullett finally stopped what he was doing.
He wiped his mouth and gave Ron a thumbs-up, his eyes blazing with fervent fighting spirit.
"You're quite interesting, kid!"
"Bold enough to break into the Impel Down alone to rescue someone—seems like you're no weakling."
"My goal is to challenge the strong and become the greatest powerhouse on the seas! If there's a chance, let's have a proper fight!"
Ron waved his hand dismissively, his tone calm.
"I'm no powerhouse. Helping my people to rescue someone from the Impel Down was just a coincidence."
His words carried a hint of humility, as if it truly were all due to luck.
Yet, the moment his words faded, the entire Underwater Great Prison suddenly shook violently!
BOOM!
Deafening roars echoed from all directions, as if the entire seabed were trembling.
The prison cell walls began to crack, stones and dust rained down from the ceiling, and the ground swayed violently, seemingly on the verge of collapse.
The floor beneath their feet groaned under the strain, as if it might give way at any moment.
"What's happening?!" Nami exclaimed, her face instantly turning pale.
She tightly gripped Ron's arm, trying to steady herself.
Ron furrowed his brow, quickly scanning their surroundings before decisively saying.
"We need to get out of here now! If we don't, the whole prison might collapse, and none of us can escape!"
Hearing this, everyone immediately quickened their pace, sprinting toward the prison exit.
Bullett laughed excitedly as he ran: "Hahaha! Now this is interesting! After all these years, I finally have a chance to stretch my limbs!"
"What exactly is going on?" Zoro asked while running, his tone tinged with confusion and wariness.
Ron explained as he ran, "The Big Mom Pirates are attacking Impel Down from outside. Their target might be to rescue someone important or simply to destroy this place. In any case, Impel Down is in chaos right now."
Ron gave a brief explanation—he couldn't reveal everything.
"The Big Mom Pirates?!" Sanji frowned upon hearing this, "Big Mom, one of the Yonko? Why would she suddenly attack Impel Down?"
Ron shook his head: "I'm not sure of the specifics, but this is an opportunity for us. Amid the chaos, we can escape more easily."
When Bullett heard "Big Mom Pirates," a gleam of excitement flashed in his eyes.
"Perfect! After all these years, there's finally someone worth fighting! And to think Linlin actually became a Yonko? Interesting!"
Ignoring Bullett's excitement, Ron suddenly stopped and turned to him.
"Bullett, do you know where Bryndy World and Patrick Redfield are imprisoned?"
Bullett paused briefly, then revealed a meaningful smile.
"The 'World Destroyer'?" And the 'Lone Red,' Patrick Redfield? Why are you looking for them?"
Ron's gaze deepened, his tone carrying a hint of calculation.
"Same reason as you."
These two were also Ron's targets in coming here—otherwise, why would he go to such lengths, even enabling Big Mom to become a Three-Devil Fruit User for nothing?
Among the two, Redfield particularly caught his attention.
Although he currently didn't possess a Devil Fruit ability, he would inevitably acquire one eventually.
As long as he was released and his actions weren't interfered with, he would eventually find that extraordinary Devil Fruit.
Moreover, his Observation Haki was exceptionally powerful, even capable of reading the opponent's inner thoughts—essentially, it was like a mind-reading!
Upon hearing this, Bullett's eyes flickered with surprise, then he burst into loud laughter.
"Interesting! You really are something, kid! Alright, I'll take you there!"
After saying this, Bullett turned and ran toward the depths of the prison.
Though somewhat puzzled, the others quickly followed behind him.
As he ran, Ron explained.
"Bryndy World's ability is the 'Moa Moa no Mi,' which can multiply the attributes of any object—such as speed, volume, and strength. It should be of help to us."
Nami and Robin exchanged glances, their eyes filled with shock.
They hadn't expected Ron's ambition to be so grand—not only did he intend to rescue Zoro and Sanji, but he also aimed to recruit these legendary figures.
Soon, Bullett led the group to a secluded cell.
The cell appeared quite ordinary, even somewhat dilapidated, with iron bars on the door covered in rust.
However, as Ron approached, he sensed a faint, almost imperceptible pressure.
"This is the place," Bullett pointed at the cell, a hint of mockery in his tone. "But you'd better be careful. This guy is no pushover."
Ron nodded, slowly pushed open the cell door, and when he stepped inside, he found it empty.
The cell contained only a worn-out bed and a table, on which a dim oil lamp flickered as if it might go out at any moment.
"No one here?" Nami asked in confusion, her gaze sweeping across the cell.
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