Chapter 63: The Fourth Resolution — You’re Using This to Bribe a Commander?

At this moment, the Shandian Chief remained calm and composed.

There was no trace of panic on his face.

He knew that this decision concerned the fate of his entire people.

He had contemplated it for a very long time before finally making this difficult choice.

Only by doing this could they truly change the destiny of their tribe and one day return to that sacred land.

These outsiders were monsters among monsters.

Every single one of them possessed astonishing power.

Even Enel, the once-invincible "God" of Skypiea, had been effortlessly subdued by them.

The abilities they wielded left him deeply shaken.

Flames.

Light.

Ice.

Every one of those powers was no weaker than Enel’s lightning.

To him, they were all divine powers.

Faced with such overwhelming strength, the Shandian Chief knew his people stood no chance of resisting.

And so he made a bold decision.

The entire Shandian tribe would pledge itself to Ron.

He didn’t know whether this decision was truly correct.

Nor did he know what challenges the future might bring.

But they had already reached the point of no return.

For the future of their people...

For the chance to reclaim their sacred homeland...

They had to take this step.

Ron looked at the humble Shandian Chief before him, and a sense of satisfaction rose within him.

In a chaotic world like this, people who understood the times and knew when to advance or retreat were rare.

A tribal leader needed more than courage.

He needed wisdom.

And the man before him undoubtedly possessed both.

"Ten years."

Ron spoke calmly.

"Serve me for ten years, and you will regain your freedom."

Though his voice was soft, the words struck everyone’s hearts like a hammer.

The Shandian Chief’s face instantly turned pale.

He mistakenly thought Ron was dissatisfied with them and hurriedly explained.

"Vice Captain Ron , please believe us! The Shandians sincerely wish to submit. There is absolutely no deception—"

Before he could finish, Ron raised a hand and interrupted him.

A trace of warmth appeared in Ron’s eyes, though his tone remained firm.

"It’s not that I don’t trust you."

"I simply don’t think it needs to be any longer than that."

"Besides, we won’t be staying here forever."

Only then did the chief finally relax.

He quickly nodded in understanding.

Meanwhile, the surrounding warriors lit up with excitement.

For them, ten years was not an unacceptable price.

"Chief, I’m willing!"

One warrior stepped forward first, his voice full of determination.

"I’m willing too!"

"If it’s only ten years, what’s there to fear?"

Another followed immediately.

Soon, more and more warriors voiced their agreement.

Their responses came like a rising tide, filling the plaza with enthusiasm.

Watching the scene, Ron nodded in satisfaction.

These Shandian warriors possessed not only exceptional physical strength but also something even more valuable:

Loyalty.

A strong sense of honor.

Otherwise, they would never have upheld a four-hundred-year-old promise for generations.

People like this were exactly the kind of force Ron needed.

" Ron , what do we need these guys for anyway?"

Jozu suddenly appeared beside him.

Only now did he finally get a chance to speak, his tone carrying a hint of confusion.

Clearly, Ron’s sudden decision to recruit the Shandians had caught him off guard.

Ron turned and smiled.

" Jozu, think bigger."

"We won’t stay confined to a single island forever."

"As time goes on, our territory will continue to expand."

"And our gold reserves will only grow larger."

"When that happens, we’ll need trustworthy people to manage those lands and resources."

Hearing this, Jozu seemed to understand part of it.

"Uh... I guess that’s true."

He scratched his head awkwardly.

Ron continued,

"And you know as well as I do that people will always covet gold."

"So at times like that, the most valuable people are those who are loyal and don’t care much about wealth."

"They won’t betray us for treasure."

"They’ll serve wholeheartedly."

After hearing the explanation, Jozu’s eyes widened in realization.

"I get it now!"

His gaze shifted toward the Shandian warriors.

The more he thought about it, the more impressed he became.

These warriors weren’t just stronger than ordinary pirates.

The most important thing was—

They had almost no interest in gold.

Give them a little fertile land as a reward, and they’d work harder than anyone else.

They were practically perfect.

Jozu couldn’t help but praise him.

"That’s an incredible deal!"

"As expected of you, Ron . You really think things through."

Ron shook his head.

He was clearly tired of Jozu’s repetitive flattery.

Letting out a small sigh, he turned and walked away.

Meanwhile, Jozu continued talking to himself.

Only several seconds later did he finally realize that Ron had already disappeared.

It became obvious that Ron had quietly handed over the responsibility of organizing the Shandians to him.

Once he understood the weight of the task, Jozu immediately straightened up.

His expression became unusually serious.

Looking in the direction Ron had left, he nodded solemnly.

"Don’t worry, Ron ."

"I’ll complete the mission."

After resolving the conflict between the Shandians and the Skypieans, life on Skypiea finally settled into a stable rhythm.

Meanwhile, the gold vein continued to be mined at full speed.

As for refining the gold, the solution was surprisingly simple.

Enel volunteered.

The powers of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit (Goro Goro no Mi) weren’t limited to generating lightning.

Its lightning also produced extremely high temperatures.

Melting and purifying gold was effortless.

Add a few refining materials, heat everything with lightning, and the impurities were easily removed.

As a result, rewards were distributed according to labor.

Enel earned a considerable amount of gold through his work.

However, he had absolutely no interest in it.

He simply handed all of it over to Jozu free of charge.

Of course, he claimed it was a selfless donation.

But in reality...

He was extremely interested in the mysterious black substance that had coated Jozu’s fists when he was defeated.

"Oh?"

Jozu raised an eyebrow.

"You’re trying to bribe a Division Commander with this?"

He pretended to be offended while quietly accepting every last piece of gold.

"Uh... Jozu..."

Enel rubbed his hands together awkwardly.

"Could you tell me what that black stuff was?"

He genuinely wanted to know.

After all, losing so thoroughly without understanding why was a miserable feeling.

Jozu glanced at him.

"...Since you’re being sincere, I’ll explain it."

"Otherwise, you’ll embarrass the Whitebeard Pirates when you go out into the world."

"Yes! Yes! Please tell me!"

Enel immediately sat up straight, listening attentively.

Jozu nodded.

"That was Haki."

"Haki?"

"That’s right."

Jozu scratched his head.

"Man, this is a headache."

"I forgot you’re a newcomer."

"Fine."

"I’ll start from the beginning."

"Haki comes in three types..."

BONUS & SUPPORT ◇

◇ 1 bonus Chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!

◇ 1 bonus Chapter for every 100 Power Stones.

◇ Read 70 + Chapters ahead on P@treon → /Sagamaster789