Only then did Ron let out a satisfied, cold laugh and casually tossed Momonosuke back onto the Dragon's back.
"Remember the fear you felt today," Ron said coldly.
His voice sounded like it came from a freezing ice cellar, completely empty of emotion.
"This will be your first lesson as a puppet."
He stared hard at Momonosuke, as if carving these words deeply into his mind.
Kin'emon stood to the side, his fists squeezed so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his body shaking slightly.
His eyes were filled with anger and struggle, his heart twisting like rough ocean waves.
He wished he could rush forward and snatch Momonosuke away from Ron, even if it cost him his own life.
Yet Izo's hand clamped down on his shoulder like an iron trap, holding him firmly in place.
"Do not do anything foolish."
Izo's voice was barely a whisper, yet each word hit Kin'emon's heart like a heavy hammer.
His eyes showed a deep sense of helplessness—a feeling of giving in after suffering through so many hardships.
He shook his head slightly and continued, "Do you not understand? This is already the best result."
Izo's eyelashes trembled a bit, casting a shadow under his eyes.
"No one has ever been able to change Ron's mind."
A few steps away, Momonosuke lay collapsed on the Dragon's scales.
The front of his pants was soaked, and a sharp smell filled the air.
His old, creepy attitude had completely vanished.
Now, he was shaking like a scared little bird, his body curled up in fear and his eyes filled with pure terror and defeat.
Kin'emon swallowed hard and let out a long sigh.
All the words he wanted to say melted away into that heavy breath.
He slowly lowered his head, his eyes showing endless tiredness and helplessness.
How could he not understand? Against such absolute power, fighting back was totally useless.
At least... at least the young master's life had been spared.
Maybe this was the only good thing in this terrible situation.
"But the Land of Wano..." Kin'emon's voice was so rough it barely sounded like him.
His lips shook slightly, as if thousands of words were stuck in his throat, only letting out this broken, painful sentence.
"It will be saved."
Izo cut him off, his fingers gently tracing the patterns on his gun's handle without him realizing it.
His stare held a spark of determination and hope.
"The people will not have to starve anymore, or live under a cruel ruler. The endless hunger and fear will become things of the past. They will welcome a new life, a future filled with hope and energy."
He slowly lifted his eyes toward the distant horizon, where the curving coastline of the Land of Wano was already in sight.
Where the sea met the sky, the shape of the island shined faintly in the morning light.
"Is this not exactly what Lord Oden wanted?"
Even though Izo's voice was soft, it hit Kin'emon's heart like a heavy hammer.
The words struck Kin'emon hard, shattering his last bit of stubbornness into tiny pieces.
His broken feelings scattered away like flower petals blowing in the wind.
Yes, was it not Lord Oden's greatest wish to open the borders of Wano and let the people live good lives?
That had been his lifelong dream, the goal he had fought so hard for.
Now, even though things were not going the way they had planned, the safety of the people was still the most important thing.
The wind on the Dragon's back suddenly grew stronger, roaring like an angry beast as it blew past.
It blew Kin'emon's tied-up hair apart.
The once-neat strands now flew wildly in the air, matching the messy feelings in his heart.
Through his blowing hair, his eyes slowly cleared. In that moment, he saw through the fog of confusion and finally understood the real truth.
Maybe... Izo was right.
Even if the Land of Wano was no longer ruled by the Kozuki family, as long as the people could live in peace and wealth, their twenty years of hard work would not have been for nothing.
Over these twenty years, they had survived countless storms and hardships, pushing through endless days and nights of waiting and fighting—was it not all for this day?
For the happiness of the people, and for the rebirth of Wano, they were willing to pay any price.
"I understand." Kin'emon nodded heavily, the movement seeming to drain all his strength.
He turned and bowed deeply toward Ron.
His body bent into a perfect ninety-degree angle, showing his total honesty and determination.
"Lord Ron, I am willing to completely cooperate!"
He spoke seriously, each word feeling like it was squeezed straight from the bottom of his heart.
Yet as he bowed, he quietly wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.
That single tear silently dripped into the cracks between the Dragon's scales—letting out the heavy pain and helplessness buried deep inside him.
Watching his dear friend's back, a sad smile appeared on Izo's lips.
How could his own heart not ache? Twenty years of brotherhood, twenty years of fighting side by side—they held a deep love for the Kozuki clan and an endless connection to the Land of Wano, but all of that was now in the past.
On these seas, sometimes just surviving is a victory.
They had no choice but to follow the changing times and give in for the sake of the people's safety.
Ron watched Kin'emon and the others with a blank face, then finally gave a small smile.
Spoken promises meant nothing to him.
On these seas, only magical contracts could guarantee true loyalty.
"Since you have agreed..." Ron slowly raised his right hand, and a bright green leaf suddenly appeared in his palm.
The leaf seemed to hold endless life energy, shining with a strange glow under the sun.
While the others watched in pure shock, the leaf floated downward.
In mid-air, it magically changed into a glowing golden piece of paper and a feather pen.
"Then sign this."
He grabbed the floating pen, its tip making a soft scratching sound against the paper as he wrote.
With every rule he added, glowing golden letters appeared on the page.
The words moved across the paper as if they were alive.
The most important rules burned with a bright, blinding light:
1. Kozuki Momonosuke must not come within two meters of any woman. Breaking this rule will result in terrible punishment!
2. As a servant of the Eternal Divine Kingdom, Kozuki Momonosuke must completely obey all orders from the Divine Kingdom without question!
3. Kozuki Momonosuke must put the Eternal Divine Kingdom first, help them take over the Land of Wano and teach the people to believe in the faith of the Divine Kingdom!
Kin'emon stared hard at the contract in front of him, his eyes showing a messy mix of emotions.
He suddenly stepped forward.
With shaking hands, he awkwardly took the contract.
He knew that what he was holding was not just a piece of paper, but the future fate of the entire Land of Wano.
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