Pirates: Martial Arts Masters on the Straw Hat Ship

As Krona's body, contorted in agony, collapsed completely into the dust, the burning sensation that had lingered around Ronan and made his blood boil slowly dissipate like the receding tide.

[Deathmatch mode has ended; current multipliers have returned to normal.]

As the mechanical prompting sounded in his mind, Ronan let out a long, lingering sigh.

That breath condensed into a white ribbon in the cool morning air, lingering for a long time.

The emptiness of falling from peak performance back to normalcy made him clench his fist.

He immediately checked his attribute panel.

As expected, the situation unfolded.

The values ​​for strength, speed, and physique remained unchanged, still at 12 points.

"Has the improvement slowed down?" Ronan wondered to himself.

With improved physical abilities, relying solely on this level of combat intensity is no longer as likely to bring about the explosive growth seen in the early stages.

Just like leveling up in a game, the experience points required become astronomical as you progress.

However, a satisfied smile still appeared on Ronan's lips.

His gaze fell on the newly appeared line of text in the skill bar:

Observation Haki: Beginner (7/100)

"Even though the stats didn't increase, this is Observation Haki..."

Ronan looked at the unconscious Chloe and felt a pang of regret.

"It's a pity this guy is too fragile and couldn't last long. If I could spar with him for another half hour, I might have been able to score over 10 points."

If Kro were awake and heard this, he would probably be so angry that he would vomit another two ounces of blood.

……

At that moment, the door to the second-floor terrace of the villa was pushed open, and Nami and Usopp helped Kaya, who was pale but had a determined expression, out.

Nami glanced at Kuro, who lay dead in the ruins of the flowerbed, his fate unknown.

Although I was mentally prepared, I still couldn't help but gasp when I saw the notorious pirate with a bounty of 16 million lying there like a dead dog.

Her gaze towards Ronan and his group held a hint of scrutiny before she replaced it with her signature confident smile.

"Got him out? Well done!"

Zoro, who was sitting on the ground wiping his "Wado Ichimonji" sword, looked up at Nami upon hearing this and sneered, "Easy for you to say, I almost got sliced ​​to pieces by that madman."

Luffy, showing no signs of fatigue from the battle, curiously squatted down next to Kuro, poked Kuro's face with his finger, and then turned to Kaya to ask:

"Hey, what should we do with this bespectacled jerk?"

Kaya looked at the butler who had been with her for three years and whom she had once considered family, a complex sadness flashing in her eyes, but ultimately turning into resolute determination:

"Tie him up and hand him over to the Navy. He killed my parents and tried to take over this home... The law will judge him."

Just as the atmosphere was easing slightly, Usopp suddenly seemed to remember something terrifying. His legs began to tremble, and his face turned deathly pale as he cried out:

"Wait...wait! This isn't over yet! When I was upstairs taking care of Kaya, I overheard this Chloe saying something like..."

"He said he also has a subordinate force called the 'Black Cat Pirates'! According to the plan, they're going to attack our village first thing tomorrow morning!"

"What?!" Nami exclaimed, "An entire pirate crew?!"

Usopp clutched his head in terror: "We're doomed! Kuro may be dead, but his men definitely don't know! If they storm the village, we'll all be killed!"

Just as Usopp was lost in despairing fantasies, an outstretched arm suddenly wrapped around his neck.

Luffy's grinning face loomed closer, his tone as casual as if they were discussing a picnic tomorrow: "Leave it to us!"

"Huh?" Usopp was taken aback.

Luffy grinned, revealing a set of bright white teeth: "Since I ate your food, I'll just blow them all away!"

Ronan stepped forward, patted Usopp on the shoulder, his eyes calm and serene.

"Perfect timing, I wasn't quite done fighting earlier. I'll take the rest of the 'experience pack'."

Looking at these monstrous figures before him, Usopp's fear gradually gave way to gratitude, and he finally nodded vigorously.

"Thank you so much!"

……

That evening, to thank Ronan and the others for saving her life, and also to prepare for the upcoming battle, Kaya brought out the best ingredients from her home.

The spacious dining room of the villa was brightly lit.

The long dining table was laden with roast chicken, ham, fruit, and exquisite soups.

Luffy once again displayed his seemingly black hole-like appetite, using both hands to sweep away the food on the table like a whirlwind.

Zoro, meanwhile, was holding a bottle of fine vintage wine, drinking it with a satisfied expression.

Although Ronan ate elegantly, he ate extremely quickly.

Traditional Chinese martial arts emphasizes "nutritional supplementation," as deficiencies in qi and blood require a large amount of energy to replenish them.

As he chewed on the high-calorie meat, he mentally reviewed his battle with Kro and anticipated what might happen tomorrow.

That night, the villa was filled with laughter and joy, temporarily dispelling the gloom before the great battle.

……

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking.

The morning air over the East China Sea carries a damp coolness, and the sea breeze rustles through the treetops.

On the spacious lawn in the villa's backyard, three figures had already begun their daily practice.

Ronan remained in that standard stance, his breathing long and deep, blending seamlessly with his surroundings.

Beside him, Luffy and Zoro were also practicing horse stance.

After several days of training from Ronan, their postures were no longer as loose as before. Although they had not yet mastered the application of "strength," their stable lower body skills were beginning to show results.

"breathe--"

The sound of the three breathing in unison was particularly clear in the quiet morning.

"Hey! You guys! Stop practicing!"

Usopp, carrying a huge backpack, came running up, panting, breaking the silence:

"The Black Cat Pirates could land at any moment; we need to set a trap!"

Ronan slowly finished his practice, exhaled a breath of stale air, and opened his eyes, which shone brightly.

"Let's go." Ronan stood up, looked at Luffy and Zoro, "Warm-up's over, time to get my weapon."

……

Xiluobu Village, blacksmith shop.

When Ronan pushed open the simple wooden door again, the honest blacksmith was sitting in front of an object wrapped in a long cloth. He looked a little tired, but his eyes held a hint of craftsman's pride.

"Young man, you've arrived."

The blacksmith stood up, pointed to the long object on the table, and said, "What you wanted is finished."

"I worked through the night to make this, melting down the best iron I had at home."

Ronan stepped forward and ripped off the coarse cloth.

hum-

A chill swept over me.

What came into view was a black iron spear, eighteen feet long, that gleamed with a cold metallic luster!

The gun barrel is 10.8 feet long (about 3.6 meters) and as thick as a child's arm. Its surface is not smooth as a mirror, but retains the fine hammer marks left during forging.

This rough texture actually increases the friction on the palm, making it less likely to slip out of your hand.

The spearhead is prismatic, long and sharp, with a chilling gleam, exuding a fierce and murderous aura.

Although it doesn't use any special rare iron or refined gold, it's just ordinary steel cast in one piece, and if you don't pay attention to maintenance, it will rust quickly when it gets wet in the rain.

But in that instant, the sheer weight and wildness it displayed were enough to instill fear in any enemy.