Chapter 7 – Adventures on Polestar Island and Umit Shiping Service.

As the Lantern ship gracefully approached Polestar Island, the crew marveled at the picturesque landscape stretching before them.

With each crashing wave, Ron's expert navigation skills steered them effortlessly towards the island's shores, evading Navy scout ships lurking in the vicinity using a combination of Observation Haki and excellent navigation techniques.

Upon docking near Ron's inn, they seamlessly blended into the bustling port activity. Fenris kept a sharp eye out for any signs of trouble.

Near the inn, they encountered a group of Navy scouts, fairly weak. Ron exchanged a knowing glance with Fenris before approaching the scouts with a friendly smile.

"Ahoy there, mates! Lovely day for a stroll, isn't it?" Ron said cheerfully, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

The Navy scouts eyed them warily, clearly suspicious of their sudden presence. Ron leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Say, you wouldn't happen to know anything interesting about Navy headquarters, would you?"

The scouts exchanged nervous glances, sweat dripping down their backs, clearly caught off guard by Ron's sudden inquiry. After a moment of hesitation, one of them spoke up. "Well, I suppose there's a thing or two I could tell you..."

Ron grinned triumphantly, patting the scout on the back. "That's what I like to hear! Now, let's talk business..."

As they extracted valuable information from the scouts and struck a deal to turn one of them into a double agent, Ron couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. It wasn't every day that they had the opportunity to outsmart the Navy.

Ron also informed Mihawk and Lyra about the infamous arms shop owned by Ipponmatsu. He also regaled them about good swords: Yubashiri, one of the fifty skilled-grade swords, and Sandai Kitetsu, a cursed blade, eliciting eager nods of interest from his crewmates.

'I'll be pretty strong to break chess game of One Peace by the time Cannon starts, So no need to Keep them for Zoro' Ron thought internally.

"Yeah, let's get them; they could always be used as spare swords," said Mihawk, after all, none of these swords could compare with his Yoru.

As they refilled their supplies and made necessary arrangements, Ron took the opportunity to purchase log poses of various unknown islands in the West Blue, investing a significant sum of 50,000,000 Belly.

Under the shroud of darkness, the Hawk Pirates executed a daring heist at the arms shop, seamlessly blending in with the chaos of the night. With their expertise, they made it appear as though the robbery was the work of common thugs, leaving no trace of their involvement.

As they gathered their spoils, Lyra couldn't suppress a chuckle at the absurdity of their situation. "Who would've thought we'd be staging a robbery at an arms shop? Just another day in the life of a pirate, eh?"

"He also had a stock of Sea Stone bullets," Ron added, raising an eyebrow. "Perhaps in case of accidents or to confront devil fruit users."

Mihawk, ever the stoic, nodded in agreement. "Indeed, the twists and turns of our journey never fail to surprise."

"I wish we could depart next day; I wanted to see the look on the face of old man Ipponmatsu," Lyra mused on the side.

"Yeah, me too; we stole his heirloom," Fenris chimed in with a mischievous grin, "He can't tell anybody because he kept it secret even from the Navy! HAHAHA."

With their supplies replenished and their pockets heavy with newly acquired wealth, the crew made final preparations to depart.

Their next destination lay hidden, an island where they'd rendezvous with Underworld King Umit's ship. It was their ticket from the East Blue to the West Blue, a diagonal route opposing the World Map's typical trajectory.

Upon reaching the unknown island indicated by the log pose, they were engulfed in a bustling spectacle of merchant, slave, and pirate ships. The sea's briny scent mingled with exotic spices, while a cacophony of voices filled the air, echoing across the harbor.

Amidst the sea of vessels stood Umit, one of the seven Underground Kings, known as Deep Ocean Current. His imposing presence commanded attention amidst the port's chaos.

Following negotiations, the Hawk Pirates secured Umit's shipping services for a hefty sum of 50,000,000 Belly. Under Umit's guidance, they navigated through a treacherous cave guarded by World Government officials and slipped past Navy checkpoints, each bribed under Umit's influence.

Umit's devil fruit powers to manipulate sea currents ensured safe passage, impressing everyone in the Hawk Pirates. 

His mastery over the currents was so profound that he managed to shorten the usual four-month journey to a mere twelve days, a feat that left the crew in awe. 

It was evident that replacing Umit as Underworld King would be nearly impossible unless someone could efficiently manage shipping as he did.

Meanwhile, the Hawk Pirates, disguised as a merchant ship, continued on their journey. As the Lantern ship sailed through the treacherous waters, many pirates lurking in the shadows eyed the wealth possessed by the Hawk Pirates, viewing them as an easy target.

Amidst the perilous journey, the Lantern ship encountered numerous pirates with ill intentions. However, each one who dared to attack the Hawk Pirates soon found themselves swiftly dealt with, their attempts foiled without raising any commotion.

Upon their arrival at their drop point in Kano Kingdom, Ron shared some insights about the ruling Chinjao Family. Led by an uncrowned ruler who wielded Conqueror's Haki, they held significant influence over the region.

He explained that the Chinjao Family's patriarch, Don Chinjao, was once a formidable pirate known for his incredible strength. His prowess in battle was legendary, and he was said to be capable of rivalling even admirals.

However, during a confrontation with Garp few years ago, Don Chinjao suffered a crushing defeat. Despite this setback, his reputation as a powerful warrior and user of Conqueror's Haki remained intact, ensuring the family's continued influence over Kano Kingdom.

With their supplies restocked in Kano Kingdom, the crew set sail for Las Camp, where they would meet a skilled shipwright to construct their new Lantern submarine ship.

As they departed, Ron took a moment to review his stats, feeling confident in the progress they had made and the challenges they had overcome on their journey across the seas.

Stats of Ron:

[ Source Distribution Ratio : Soul - 7.9 | Gene - 2.1 ]

[ Source Quality : Soul - 9.43 | Gene - 3.46 ]

[ Source Ability : — ]