The midday sun was dazzlingly bright, the sky clear and cloudless.
A peach-pink giant dragon hovered high in the air, its nearly hundred-meter-long body winding and stretching. Beneath its four claws, pale golden Flame Clouds gently churned and billowed with the dragon's movements, supporting the massive form as it glided steadily through the air currents.
Maintaining his dragon form, Ryan flew among the clouds when he suddenly detected faint yet chaotic energy fluctuations from below. This wasn't a natural phenomenon - it felt more like the collisions of human combat.
His mind stirred slightly. The enormous dragon head dipped downward as the Flame Clouds beneath his claws brightened, carrying Ryan in a dive toward the source of the disturbances.
As he broke through the final layer of thin air, the scene below gradually came into focus.
An island covered in dense primordial jungle floated on the sea. In the central clearing, several figures were fixed to rotating giant candlesticks, surrounded by people in strange costumes. The vague outlines of two Wax Sealed Giants were barely visible.
"Hmm? This scene... isn't this what happened on the Little Garden - Little Garden, when Baroque Works ambushed the Straw Hat Pirates?"
Ryan's Dragon Pupils narrowed slightly. His massive body circled in the air as he gently pressed down with his Flame Clouds, slowly descending toward the clearing.
The sudden appearance of a nearly hundred-meter-long peach-pink giant dragon in the sky cast a shadow that instantly enveloped the entire clearing. Everyone froze in their movements.
Mr. 3's hand holding the wax stopped mid-air, molten wax dripping from his fingertips onto the ground. Miss Goldenweek's palette clattered to the floor, splattering paint everywhere. Luffy's punching motion halted with his fist still raised, his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an apple.
"Wh-what is that?!" Usopp's scream was nearly ear-piercing as he pointed at the dragon in the sky, trembling uncontrollably.
Nami, struggling against the wax binding her wrists to the candlestick, looked up and recognized the familiar peach-pink color and the Flame Clouds beneath the claws. Her eyes immediately lit up as she almost blurted out: "Ryan! It's Ryan! Save us!"
Zoro followed Nami's gaze, his already tight lips pressing together even more firmly, his expression growing more solemn.
Just the dragon's sheer size radiated extraordinary pressure.
"I refuse." Ryan's dragon head slowly approached, the enormous skull nearly level with the candlestick. His deep draconic voice clearly echoed throughout the clearing. Everyone was stunned, even Mr. 5 forgetting to throw the bomb he was preparing to detonate.
"What did you say?!" Nami was so angry she nearly struggled free from the candlestick, her cheeks flushing crimson. "Ryan, you bastard! Can't you see we're about to be turned into wax statues?!"
"Little Nami, if you want my help, there must be a price. You should understand that." The peach-pink dragon head tilted slightly, golden Vertical Pupils flashing with mockery that seemed almost human-like.
Nami instantly recalled what happened in Cocoyasi Village, her cheeks burning with a sudden flush of heat. Furious and anxious, she cried: "How can you talk about conditions at a time like this? Save us first!"
"The promise?" A Dragon Claw lightly tapped the Flame Cloud, causing the pale golden light to flicker. "You know I never make losing deals."
"I promise!" Nami gritted her teeth and shouted, beyond caring at this point. "Afterward... afterward I'll give you your reward, just save us now!"
Without another word, Ryan slightly spread his dragon claws, releasing a pale red flame wrapped in just the right amount of heat. It landed precisely on the base of the candlestick, instantly melting the wax with a sizzling sound as it dripped down the stand.
"Hot, hot, hot—!" Nami was the first to break free, hopping down frantically and slapping at the remaining wax on her clothes. Zoro and Vivi quickly followed, all three grimacing and stomping their feet from the heat.
"Are you trying to burn us to death?" Nami glared up at Ryan, her voice filled with irritation.
The Flame Cloud abruptly receded, and the peach-pink giant dragon rapidly shrank amid a golden light. Within seconds, it transformed into human form. Ryan brushed off his sleeves, watching the still-stomping Nami with a calm tone. "It didn't kill you, did it?"
His control over the flame was just enough to melt the wax without harming anyone—he had that much precision.
"Wow, so it's you! You're actually a dragon? That's so cool!" The Straw Hat Kid Luffy widened his eyes, rushing excitedly up to Ryan and circling him several times as if he'd discovered a new treasure.
Nami had no patience for Luffy's excitement at the moment. Pointing at Mr. 3 and his group, she said to Ryan, "Ryan, help us deal with these people. They're assassins from Baroque Works, and they're a real hassle."
Upon hearing this, Ryan cast a casual glance at Mr. 3 and the others, his eyes devoid of any emotion, as if he were looking at insignificant ants.
Mr. 5 stood to the side, watching Ryan's nonchalant attitude and feeling his dignity trampled upon. But the memory of the massive peach-pink giant dragon from earlier stirred a mix of rage and fear within him.
As a member of Baroque Works, how could he tolerate such disrespect?
"You bastard, you're asking for it!" Gnashing his teeth, Mr. 5 could no longer hold back. He launched an attack, firing a bomb at Ryan with a flick of his hand and charging forward himself, hoping to deliver a fatal blow in the chaos.
Ryan didn't even lift an eyelid, only a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
This was the "Eye Sword"—a technique that condensed power within the eyes, then released an invisible, sharp blade along the line of sight. It was swift as lightning and incredibly precise.
In that instant, an invisible Eye Sword shot out, piercing straight through Mr. 5's body.
Mr. 5's movements halted abruptly, his face frozen in a ferocious charge. The next moment, a thin line of blood appeared on his body, quickly widening before he collapsed straight to the ground, completely lifeless.
Everyone around was stunned by the scene. Mr. 3 forgot to solidify his wax, and Miss Valentine paled, instinctively taking a few steps back.
Zoro's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on the sword at his waist. He could sense the terrifying power contained within that invisible attack—this guy's strength far exceeded his expectations.
Luffy also dropped his playful expression, staring blankly at Mr. 5's fallen form before turning to Ryan. After a moment's pause, he suddenly shouted, "Hey! He was my opponent! Why did you take him out?"
Ryan shook his wrist as if he'd merely done a trivial task, ignoring Luffy's complaint. His gaze swept over the remaining Baroque Works members. "Who else wants to give it a try?"
Mr. 3's wax-covered hands trembled uncontrollably. The image of Mr. 5 being pierced through by the Eye Sword kept flashing through his mind. He could clearly sense the terrifying power contained within that invisible attack. His proud Wax-Wax Fruit ability seemed utterly worthless against such power.
Miss Goldenweek's hand holding the palette froze mid-air. The composure had vanished from her small face, replaced by sheer terror in her eyes as she unconsciously took a step back. Meanwhile, Miss Valentine was scared out of her wits. Mr. 5's gruesome death was like a bucket of ice water poured over her head, making her instantly realize how terrifying this man before them truly was.
Miss Valentine kept retreating, her high heels making panicked sounds against the ground. The image of Mr. 5 lying in a pool of blood made her body shake uncontrollably. The instinct for survival overwhelmed everything else.
She took a deep breath, suddenly grabbed the collar of her coat, and yanked it off, letting it fall to the ground.
"P-please don't kill me!" Miss Valentine's voice trembled, carrying a sob. "I'll do anything! Whatever you want, just don't kill me!"
Ryan's gaze lingered on Miss Valentine for half a second. The indifference in his eyes suddenly gained a hint of amusement as he stepped toward her. He stopped right in front of her, looking down with a slight tilt of his head.
Her neat golden bob was now messy against her cheeks. The yellow baseball cap on her head was tilted so far it was about to fall off. The exaggerated lemon slice earrings swung back and forth with her trembling, truly resembling two shaking lemons.
Her yellow dress covered in lemon patterns was wrinkled, the hem so short it barely covered her upper thighs. The tight fabric, stretched taut from fear, outlined eye-catching curves. One of the straps on her thigh-high boots had come loose, hanging crookedly around her ankle.
The combination of her spicy, bold outfit and her current panicked state created a strange tension.
Ryan chuckled inwardly. No wonder this minor character had gained some popularity. With this eye-catching outfit and her undeniable figure, she certainly left an impression.
Miss Valentine felt goosebumps all over under his gaze, her teeth chattering. Yet she keenly noticed the appraising look in his eyes.
Survival instinct took over once more. Trembling, she raised her hand and carefully pulled the slipped dress strap further down, revealing a small patch of pale skin on her shoulder. She forced a smile that looked worse than crying. "S-sir..."
"Come with me," Ryan suddenly spoke, his tone unreadable.
After saying this, he turned and walked toward the nearby jungle at an unhurried pace.
Miss Valentine froze for two seconds, then let out a heavy sigh of relief. Cold sweat instantly soaked through her back.
Whatever he wanted to do, at least she wouldn't die for now.
Miss Valentine didn't bother picking up her coat from the ground or minding the stunned expressions of the Straw Hat Pirates around her. She quickly hitched up her loose dress and hurried after Ryan's retreating figure, her boots making urgent crunching sounds on the fallen leaves.
"Where's he taking her?" Luffy scratched his head, looking completely confused.
Nami narrowed her eyes, watching the two figures disappear into the jungle. Suddenly remembering Ryan's "equivalent exchange" attitude, her cheeks grew warm for some reason. "Bastard," she cursed under her breath.
As Ryan stepped into the jungle, his thoughts were simple. After flying for half a day, this was the perfect opportunity to find a spot to relieve himself and, incidentally... see just how much this "lemon" was worth.
Since he had nothing better to do anyway, it was certainly more interesting than arguing with the Straw Hat Kid about "whose opponent should be dealt with by whom."
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