"What is this…?" Ron frowned slightly, his eyes filled with confusion.
He turned to look at Jozu beside him, clearly seeking a reasonable explanation.
Seeing this, Jozu could not help bursting into laughter.
His hearty laughter sounded somewhat out of place in the slightly tense atmosphere.
As he laughed, he gave Who's-Who a firm pat on the shoulder. The gesture seemed casual, but it carried a different kind of warmth.
"This guy had it rough! The Beasts Pirates treated him like a traitor…"
He paused, seeming to recall something, then continued, "When we were fighting the Beasts Pirates just now, this guy really fought with everything he had. The way he battled was practically reckless."
"You know what? Even that troublesome guy Jack was taken down by him! That fight was seriously intense!"
As Jozu spoke, he gestured animatedly, as if the fierce scenes of battle were replaying before his eyes.
Marco also walked over slowly.
He nodded and added, "After fighting for so long, this kid killed the most enemies. He was like a killing god descending to earth. Wherever he went, members of the Beasts Pirates fell one after another."
A hint of admiration appeared in Marco's eyes.
Clearly, he acknowledged Who's-Who's strength.
Ron listened quietly, his gaze lingering on Who's-Who for a moment, as though trying to see something from him.
After a while, he nodded slightly, as if he finally understood what had happened.
"So that's how it is…"
"Please allow me to join the Eternal Divine Kingdom, Lord Ron!" Who's-Who requested once again.
"You want to join the Eternal Divine Kingdom? Simple."
Ron slowly raised his hand.
His movements were elegant and unhurried, as though everything was under his control.
As his hand rose, a green leaf appeared miraculously in his palm.
The leaf was lush and vivid, filled with endless vitality and mysterious power.
Then, under everyone's stunned gazes, the green leaf began to change.
Little by little, it transformed from green into dazzling gold, finally becoming a contract paper that radiated a mysterious glow.
After that, Ron picked up a pen that seemed to appear out of thin air and carefully wrote several contract terms on it.
Every word was neat and precise.
Once he finished, he gently handed the contract paper to Who's-Who.
His movement was light yet solemn.
What he offered was not merely a sheet of paper, but an opportunity to change one's destiny.
"All you need to do is sign this contract," Ron said calmly and firmly.
Who's-Who carefully accepted the contract paper. His rough face became especially serious at that moment.
He read every clause on the contract carefully, and his brows gradually relaxed.
At first, his tense expression still carried a hint of wariness.
But as he continued reading, he discovered that the contract did not impose overly harsh restrictions. Instead, every part of it revealed a sense of fairness and respect.
Watching the change in Who's-Who's expression, Ron continued to explain.
"As long as you do nothing that harms the interests of the Divine Kingdom, these contract restrictions are basically meaningless."
"The Eternal Divine Kingdom is different from other forces. It will not interfere with its members' freedom, nor will it break its word like the World Government and use any means necessary to achieve its goals."
"And it will not be like the Beasts Pirates, casually suspecting its own people without reason and leaving loyal subordinates bitterly disappointed."
Ron's voice was low and powerful
Every word struck deep into Who's-Who's heart.
A trace of relief flashed through Who's-Who's eyes.
It was the feeling of finally setting down the burden in his heart and finding a place where his soul belonged.
Without hesitation, he bit his finger. Crimson blood flowed down and dripped onto the contract paper.
At the same time, he quickly signed his name on the contract. Every stroke was filled with resolve and determination.
"I am willing to pledge loyalty to the Eternal Divine Kingdom!"
In an instant, the contract transformed into two dazzling streams of golden light.
One entered Who's-Who's forehead like a nimble spirit.
The other merged into Ron's body like a gentle warm current.
Who's-Who closed his eyes and quietly felt the strange connection that had appeared deep within his soul.
This connection did not make him uncomfortable.
Instead, it gave him a sense of peace, as though he had found a home—like a ship that had drifted for so long finally finding a harbor where it could dock.
"Welcome."
Ron slowly extended his hand, a sincere and warm smile on his lips.
That smile seemed capable of dispersing all gloom~!
"From today onward, your past ends here. No matter what you once experienced, in the Eternal Divine Kingdom, you will begin a brand-new life."
Who's-Who grasped Ron's hand.
At that moment, he felt a trust unlike anything he had ever known before.
This trust was not a superficial formality. It was recognition and acceptance from deep within the heart.
Fine horses are common, but true judges of talent are rare.
This was the first time he felt such relief, as if the heavy shackles he had carried for so long were finally unlocked in that moment.
He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze becoming firm and clear.
He looked toward the distant wreckage of the Beasts Pirates.
Those painful memories, those days of being misunderstood and hunted, all seemed to scatter into the wind along with the golden light of the contract.
He knew that from this moment on, his life would step onto an entirely different path.
Jozu laughed loudly and wrapped an arm around Who's-Who's neck. His bold laughter rang out once more.
"Hahaha! From now on, you're one of us!"
The diamond-like gleam of Jozu's body and Who's-Who's red fur reflected each other beneath the sunlight, refracting into colorful rays.
Marco also revealed a friendly smile and nodded lightly.
"Perfect timing. A sharp blade has joined us! With you on our side, the power of our Eternal Divine Kingdom has grown even stronger."
Just then, the sky, already tightly shrouded in the smoke and flames of war, seemed to be torn open by an invisible giant hand.
Immediately after, a violent sound of something tearing through the air rolled down from the distant sky like a surging tide, as if it were about to shatter the heavens.
Big Mom and Kaido descended one after another like two meteors carrying destructive power, howling as they crashed onto the broken and devastated battlefield.
Big Mom's massive, hill-like body was like a collapsing mountain of stone as it slammed heavily into the ground.
In an instant, dust surged up like a startled beast, blotting out the sky and enveloping everything nearby in a dim, chaotic haze.
Her face, already exaggerated by her heavy makeup, was now filled with fury and unwillingness.
Every wrinkle seemed to hide anger on the verge of erupting.