The Ron frozen inside the block of ice vanished like a mirage.
Then—
Another Ron stepped out from the shattered hole where he had first entered, flames rising from his body to dispel the icy mist as he approached Kuzan, who turned sharply in disbelief.
"So desperate to kill me? Why not give it a try?"
Ron's gaze was calm, his tone unhurried, with no sign of aggression as he looked at the visibly shaken Kuzan.
Revived? No—Perhaps it was because there was no Seastone restraining him; even with Kuzan's speed, he hadn't been able to stop him from activating his power.
Or maybe… this ability triggered automatically.
As a battle-hardened Admiral, Kuzan instantly reasoned through the possibilities in his mind.
But then—
"You're probably thinking about Seastone, aren't you?"
Ron reached into the void and pulled out a pair of Seastone handcuffs, letting them dangle casually in his hand. "Familiar? Your Navy's own Seastone cuffs."
He held them openly, without the slightest attempt to hide them—showing that he wasn't affected by Seastone in the slightest.
"This…"
Kuzan's pupils contracted sharply, but he quickly considered the possibility—it might be fake.
"You think it's fake, don't you? Then try it."
Ron saw right through him and tossed the Seastone handcuffs his way.
The iron cuffs arced through the air.
Kuzan hesitated for an instant—whether out of reflex or to confirm his suspicion—and caught them as they flew toward his face.
The moment he touched them, a wave of weakness surged through his body.
That unmistakable sensation—the overwhelming suppression Seastone inflicted upon every Devil Fruit user!
Even an Admiral's strength plummeted in an instant.
Boom!
The floor exploded under the impact as Ron charged without hesitation. His fist connected squarely with Kuzan's face a heartbeat later.
The crackling crunch of bone echoed as Kuzan was sent hurtling backward, crashing straight through the tavern's load-bearing wall.
Achievement unlocked: One Punch an Admiral!
Boom—!
The already-ruined tavern collapsed entirely, lightning flashing amid the dust and rubble.
Ron emerged from the wreckage, looked down at the unconscious barkeep beneath his feet, shook his head slightly, and continued walking forward.
"It's… real?"
Kuzan, battered and dazed, struggled to his feet and released the Seastone cuffs in disbelief.
"Of course. That little trinket was given to me by your Vice Admiral Onigumo," Ron said, shrugging as he produced the key to the shackles. "Turns out your Navy likes uniform designs. I just used another key to unlock mine."
"T-that's impossible…"
For the first time, Kuzan's expression changed—not with anger, but with dread.
For the first time, the veteran Admiral felt a chill that wasn't his own ice.
Fear.
If left unchecked, this man would become a calamity to the world itself.
"Why not test it again?"
Ron pocketed the key, his hands still in his coat pockets, calm as ever. "You're hesitating, aren't you?Otherwise, I'd already be dead—many times over."
"What exactly are you trying to prove?"
Kuzan didn't answer directly. He stood up, brushed the dust from his coat, and glared coldly at the young man before him.
"The future that could unfold if you let me go," Ron said simply, spreading his hands. "I think I've made myself clear enough, haven't I?
My short-term goal is to become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. After that, I'll eliminate a few pirate groups to prove my worth. Only then will I start preparing to confront the World Government. And I never harm the innocent. At least, I don't sacrifice the few to justify some illusion of 'justice' like your Marines do."
"That's exactly what makes you terrifying! You'll make this world even worse!"
Kuzan's voice rose, his usual lazy composure utterly gone.
"Worse? You think this world isn't already terrible?" Ron's tone turned sharp, his expression filled with disgust. "Kuzan, maybe the isolated civilians on remote islands can't see it—but you can. The Celestial Dragons reigning above all. The so-called 'righteous' World Government. Corrupt nobles and Marines rotting from within, pirates, the underworld—all of them.
A world that tramples human lives like ants, that drains and exploits without end—tell me, isn't that already rotten beyond saving?"
For the first time, Ron's contempt was unrestrained—like someone glaring at a cockroach in his kitchen.
That was his genuine view of this world: raw, personal disgust.
"If it weren't so rotten, why would you seek change?" he pressed on. "Why strive to become Fleet Admiral?"
"…"
Kuzan froze mid-motion, his eyes tightening once more.
"When Sengoku steps down, you'll fight for that seat, won't you? A so-called Admiral of 'Lazy Justice.'
But tell me, Kuzan—Is your laziness truly a philosophy… or just a way to avoid doing what you know you can't stomach?"
Ron's words sliced like blades, making Kuzan's face twist with emotion.
And then came the final strike.
"But it's impossible, Kuzan.
Whether it's changing yourself or becoming Fleet Admiral—it's impossible.
The Marines belong to the World Government. They're the Five Elders' sword. Their purpose is to crush opposition, not reform it.
No matter what you do, the Five Elders will never approve of your vision.
Even if Sengoku endorses you, even if the upper ranks rally behind you…they'll still choose Akainu in the end—because he embodies their version of 'justice.'"
Ron's smirk was cold, his tone almost prophetic. "I can see the outcome, Kuzan. No matter how hard you fight, no matter what you sacrifice, you'll never sit in that chair.
Even if the Marines are thrown into chaos—that position will never belong to you."
"You're getting a little too full of yourself!"
For someone as calm as Kuzan, genuine anger was rare. But now his voice thundered with it.
This was the same intensity he once had when he believed in his own Burning Justice.
"Yes, I'm arrogant," Ron admitted, his tone eerily calm. "But at least my arrogance has reason.
You can't kill me, can you?
Or rather—you could, but it wouldn't matter.
You could destroy this body, but you couldn't kill me.
Wouldn't that mean nothing's changed?
Just like how you can kill one pirate—but never the countless more that follow."
"…"
Kuzan said nothing. Then suddenly, he attacked.
BOOM—!
A terrifying surge of cold erupted outward, freezing everything in its path.The entire area was consumed in a storm of ice.
Only the unconscious barkeep barely survived.
Within that frozen field, no life could resist the cold.
"Horrifying…"
From a distant vantage point, Stussy instinctively wrapped her arms around herself, shivering at the chill that pierced her bones even from afar.
Even separated by such a distance, she could feel Kuzan's overwhelming power.
Compared to the ice wave that had frozen half of Jaya Island earlier, this one was several times colder.
If she were caught in that now, there was no escaping it.
That brat… how could he enrage Kuzan? He actually punched him through a wall?!
Idiot. He doesn't even realize the level he's provoking.
An Admiral isn't someone a Paradise-level pirate can even dream of fighting. In that blizzard of ice, he's finished.
Despite the chill, Stussy's mood brightened. If things continued like this, she wouldn't have to do anything herself.
Whether the Admiral killed him or she did—it made no difference. The mission would be complete either way.
If she could just retrieve Ron's frozen corpse afterward, she could report success to the Government without lifting a finger.
Poor fool, she thought, smirking. You should've run the moment you saw him. Facing him head-on? Only an idiot would do that.
That's an Admiral—the highest military power recognized by the World Government! Not even a Yonko-less pirate could contend with that.
Well, as long as I can sneak out your body later, my task will still be done.
As she planned her next steps, her mind shifted to her cover identity—the elegant mistress who controlled Lovely Street's pleasure trade. This mission was special: direct orders from above, linked to the Government's upcoming deals with Lovely Street's business network. That was why she, an elite of CP0, had come in person.
With the Admiral's intervention, her workload had just dropped dramatically. Still, if she failed to recover Ron's corpse, it could jeopardize the operation's appearance of control. CP0 agents couldn't afford such sloppiness.
Meanwhile, far behind Stussy, invisible to all, the real Ron watched her quietly.
As the saying went: You gaze at the scenery on the bridge, while someone above gazes at you.
And right now, that saying fit perfectly.
Unlucky for you, Ron thought with a faint smirk.
Yes—he was the real one.
At that same moment, Stussy's eyes widened in disbelief as she noticed another figure emerging.
Two of them?!
The icy winds subsided. The Ron standing with his hands in his pockets was once again encased in a massive block of ice.
This time, the frozen field was even larger. Kuzan must have believed Ron had teleported and unleashed everything he had.
But then—the same scene repeated.
The frozen Ron shimmered, then vanished like a dissolving illusion.
Moments later, a new Ron stepped out from the distance, a Seastone cuff still dangling from his wrist, smiling faintly—mockery glinting in his eyes.
The present mirrored the past.
"…"
Kuzan said nothing. He'd struck faster this time, taking precautions against teleportation.
According to Garp's reports, Ron's teleportation range was limited.
Yet the truth before him said otherwise.
This wasn't teleportation. It was something far beyond that.
"Admit it, Kuzan," Ron said softly, his voice almost gentle. "You're helpless. Against me, against the future I spoke of—against everything."
He raised his wrist and lightly shook the Seastone cuff, still unbothered.
"If you don't believe me, you can even use the one by your feet. Lock it on me yourself.
Don't worry—just like before, I won't resist."
It was provocation—pure, absolute mockery.
But for Stussy, all she could do was stare, utterly dumbfounded.
The appearance of a second Ron shattered every plan, every calculation.
(End of Chapter)