Everything went just as Ron had expected—taking over Jaya Island was effortless, almost too easy.
After all, with the reputation of an Emperor of the Sea, who would dare challenge them?
Upon arriving at Jaya Island,
Ron chose a massive estate as his experimental base.
The estate was located near the center of the island, slightly toward the rear, surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing water on the fourth.
The location was exceptionally advantageous.
The defensive structures were reinforced again and again by Jozu and his men, while potential threats in the vicinity were thoroughly cleared out by Marco and the ever-enthusiastic Ace.
Many large beasts were eliminated and turned into their meals and even the mosquitoes were wiped out without a trace.
After all, Ron was just an ordinary person now—his safety had to be guaranteed, with not a single mishap allowed.
Then, Ron began his experiments.
After all, appearances had to be maintained—what kind of researcher didn't have a lab?
*****
A week later.
Inside the hall.
Whitebeard sat imposingly on his seat, his arms and chest covered with IV tubes.
His breathing was weak, his eyes dull, his condition was poor.
Yet, he still insisted on drinking.
"Gurarararara, any news about Teach?"
Vista shook his head in disappointment. "No trace of that bastard, Pops. Could Ron have been wrong?"
Marco also frowned, glancing in the direction of Ron's lab.
"It's been a week, and there hasn't been a single update from Ron's experiments. Something feels off—could it have failed?"
Ace shared the same premonition. "Every time I went to check, Ron blocked me at the door. Did the experiment really fail? That was three billion Beri..."
Hearing this, Jozu abruptly stood up, his face visibly contorted with anger.
"I always said that Ron was no goo—"
Before he could finish, a deafening explosion suddenly cut through the air, as if the sky themselves had split apart!
Then, three blinding beams of golden light, like the first rays of dawn, pierced through the thick clouds and shot straight into the sky.
The radiance was dazzling, carrying an indescribable sense of mystery and power.
Anyone could tell—something's coming.
The very air seemed to tremble and an uncontrollable surge of excitement and anticipation welled up in everyone's hearts.
"Could it be...?"
All eyes were locked onto those three golden beams, they held their breaths afraid to miss even a second of the miracle unfolding before them.
Especially Whitebeard as he stood up in agitation, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on the golden light.
For a few seconds, he even stopped breathing.
"That direction... that's where Ron is. Could he really have succeeded?!!"
Marco was exhilarated as he also turned to look at the source of the light.
"This feeling can't be wrong!"
"HAHAHA! I knew Ron wouldn't fail after all!" Ace's face was filled with wild joy as he dashed out without another word.
"Let's go! We should check it out too!"
Whitebeard yanked the IV tube from his body, the metallic tube drawing an arc in the air with a crisp sound.
His movements were swift and decisive, as if all his illness and weakness had been cast aside in that moment.
Taking three steps in one, he charged out at an astonishing speed, each step causing the ground to tremble slightly, showcasing his undiminished strength and determination from his prime.
"Tsk..."
Marco's eyelids twitched violently at the sight, his heart skipping a beat.
Without hesitation, he immediately followed suit.
He knew that while excitement was one thing, as a member of the crew, the more important task was ensuring the old man's safety—no accidents could be allowed at this critical moment.
Before long,
The room was emptied,
Leaving only Jozu standing there with dumbfounded expression.
He had thought Ron would fail, but against all odds, he had actually succeeded.
"This guy just had to succeed right when I was about to say he'd fail! He's clearly out to get me."
Hmph!
With a cold snort, Jozu hurriedly picked up his pace and followed.
If Ron could truly cure the old man, he would honor his earlier promise!
*****
Meanwhile,
Ron was gleefully eyeing the three Devil Fruits laid out before him while grumbling inwardly.
These things were ridiculously expensive—
A billion Berries each!
And that wasn't even a guaranteed success, making the cost even steeper.
Most pirate crews couldn't afford this.
Moreover, to unlock the new technology from his system, he had to complete its current mission.
'Successfully make ten enchant Devil Fruits'.
It sounded easy, but it was anything by—especially considering the astronomical expenses it requires for produce a single fruit.
Thankfully, he had managed to stay with the Whitebeard Pirates.
Otherwise, the system would be useless.
Just as Ron was lost in his thoughts, the sound of hurried footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the door.
The noise grew louder and clearer, carrying an unmistakable urgency and excitement.
Hearing those familiar steps, Ron couldn't help but curl his lips into a knowing smile—he knew the person he'd been waiting for had arrived.
Sure enough, the next moment, a loud "BANG!" shattered the room's silence.
The tightly shut door was flung open with tremendous force, emitting a heavy, resonant sound.
Then, with Ace and Marco carefully standing in front of him, Whitebeard slowly stepped inside.
Though his figure still bore traces of exhaustion, his eyes sparkled with joy.
When his gaze landed on the three pure-white Devil Fruits placed on the table, his entire body froze!
For a moment, time seemed to stand still, the air thick with tension.
After what felt like an eternity, he finally snapped out of it, his eyes brimming with excitement and disbelief.
Ron stepped forward and explained, "Captain, these are the enchanted Devil Fruits. But there's one final step." He then turned to Marco. "Marco, we need you to drip three drops of your blood onto each of these fruits. Only then will the process be complete."
"No problem!" Marco stepped forward excitedly, pricked his finger and carefully, let a drop of blood fall onto it with his trembling hand.
In an instant, as the pure white Devil Fruit came into contact with the blood, it seemed to awaken some mysterious power.
It began rapidly absorbing the blood, like a long-dried sponge suddenly encountering water.
Immediately afterward, the fruit emitted a dazzling blue light, so intense that it was almost blinding.
As time passed, this blue glow grew increasingly brighter, as if on the verge of breaking through some limit and igniting.
During this process, the surface of the Devil Fruit underwent astonishing changes.
On its originally smooth and flawless skin, a series of intricate and eerie patterns suddenly appeared, spreading rapidly across the entire fruit at a visible speed.
Each line emitted a faint blue glow, giving off a sense of both beauty and danger.
Everyone held their breath, unable to believe their eyes—
In mere seconds, the three Devil Fruits completed their transformation!
Each radiated a soft yet undeniable blue brilliance, resting quietly on the experiment table like the brightest stars in the night sky.
The sight left everyone present stunned, their hearts filled with awe and doubt: Ron had been telling the truth!
"Three... three Mythical Zoan-type Model : Phoenix!!!"