The sky over the East Blue was calm and endless, broken only by the sleek silhouette of the fast ship as it surged across the waves. Sea spray lashed the deck, salty and sharp, but Jin stood at the prow with his arms crossed, hair whipping in the wind, eyes burning violet beneath the morning sun.
"Crab," Jin barked, voice carrying over the rush of waves, "give it everything. Push the engines to their limit. I want us within four hundred meters of that pirate ship before they realize what's happening."
The ship's helmsman, Crab, didn't even hesitate. "Aye, Captain!" he roared back, already cranking open the hidden compartment that contained the jury-rigged Langatt power engines. A deep thrum rattled the deck as the entire ship surged forward like a beast set loose.
Kuina dropped from the bowsprit, frowning as her long blue hair—tied back into a fighting tail—snapped in the wind. Her hand rested on her sword hilt, her presence calm but intense. "You don't actually mean to leap across the ocean and board them with Moon Step, do you?"
Jin's grin widened, the sharp glint of madness hidden behind his calm tone. "No. I plan on learning from old man Garp."
Kuina raised an eyebrow. "...Meaning?"
"Meaning," Jin said, picking up a cannonball with one hand, feeling the weight like it was nothing, "I'm going to throw these damn things at them."
From the other side of the deck, Tina groaned, kicking aside another stray shell that had rolled loose during the acceleration. She adjusted her gloves, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Really, Captain? We're dodging live fire and your grand idea is to play human artillery?"
Jin only smirked.
The sea rumbled with another boom. A pirate broadside thundered, the roar of cannons splitting the horizon. Dozens of black cannonballs screamed toward them. Kuina shifted her stance, blade halfway drawn. Tina's body coiled, haki already simmering at her skin.
But Jin simply stepped forward, eyes gleaming. "Annoying bastards. Kuina shouldn't have revealed herself—now they're too scared to fight properly."
One cannonball cut directly toward their ship, perfectly aimed to smash the bow apart. Crab cursed and ducked, but Jin vaulted into the air. His legs stamped on the very air itself—Moon Step carrying him higher. The incoming iron mass reflected in his violet gaze.
"Not today."
He swung his leg like a whip.
BOOM!
The cannonball didn't just deflect—it shot back across the ocean, its speed doubled by Jin's explosive kick. The resulting explosion churned the water, a towering geyser of foam exploding skyward.
He landed lightly on the deck, shaking the sting from his ankle, and looked toward Kuina. "See? Told you they were scared. Now they're just running and firing at random."
Kuina clicked her tongue but didn't disagree. "Pathetic." She turned back to the prow, eyes narrowing on the distant pirate ship. "If they won't close the distance, I'll sink them myself."
Tina, still lounging in her chair as if cannon fire were nothing but an afternoon breeze, smirked. "Don't get too full of yourself, little swordswoman. If I hadn't stopped that last shot, this deck would already have holes."
"Shut up," Kuina snapped, hand tightening on her hilt.
Jin, meanwhile, had already loaded another cannonball into his bare hands. He stretched his arm back, muscles coiling with restrained force, then hurled it across the sky.
WHOOSH!
The black iron sphere tore through the air in a perfect arc. The pirate ship jolted as the cannonball smashed into the sea just beside their hull, the explosion drenching half their crew in spray.
The water boiled with chaos. Pirate voices carried faintly over the wind—screams of panic, curses, the shrill voice of a captain shouting commands.
"Not bad for my first throw." Jin rolled his shoulder, already picking up another shell. "Hell, this feels better than firing the damn cannons. More personal."
He hurled again. Then again. One after another, seven heavy shells flew from his hand like stones from a slingshot, each impact rattling the pirate vessel further apart. The ship lurched, sails ripping under the shockwaves, and still Jin kept going, eyes alight with the thrill of it.
The waterlogged helmsman finally peeked up from behind the wheel, jaw slack as he stared at his Captain. "Sweet mother of—he's throwing cannonballs by hand… like they're rocks…"
Crab gave him a sideways glance and spat his cigar stub overboard. "Get used to it. That's our Captain."
By the time Jin finally lowered his hand, the pirate ship was a smoking wreck. Mast cracked, hull splintered, the crew desperately clinging to whatever remained afloat. None of them had the strength to keep fighting. Out here in the East Blue, a ruined ship was as good as a death sentence.
Jin exhaled, stretching his arms as though he'd just finished a light workout. "Hand-tossed cannonballs… definitely more satisfying."
He waved toward Crab. "All right, that's enough fun. Set course back to our original heading. We've wasted enough time on these small fries."
The helmsman obeyed instantly.
The sea smoothed once more. The horizon stretched wide and endless, and from then on their voyage was surprisingly calm. No more pirate ships dared approach them, no storms reared their heads. It was as if the East Blue itself were holding its breath for what came next.
A full month later, their ship slid smoothly into the docks of Shipyard Island.
The change in atmosphere was immediate. Where Windmill Village had been rustic and warm, this place was industry incarnate. Towering cranes lined the coast. Massive drydocks stretched in every direction. Sparks flew from welding torches, hammer strikes rang like war drums, and the smell of sawdust mixed with burning oil hung thick in the air.
"Finally," Jin muttered, leaping down onto the dock with a heavy thud. "The new home is ready."
The others disembarked one by one. Makino adjusted the hem of her dress, eyes wide as she took in the sheer scale of the shipyard. Tina folded her arms, her sharp gaze assessing every dockworker like they were enemies. Kuina remained calm, her focus entirely on the massive black silhouette looming at the far end of the dock.
A ship.
No—their ship.
It loomed over the harbor like a beast of steel and wood. Eighty meters of sheer power, hull painted in obsidian black. The head was carved with an intricate flower motif—dark crimson petals curling outward. The stern bristled with enormous twin wheels designed for propulsion. It was a monster, and it was beautiful.
Even Tina, so rarely impressed, let out a quiet whistle. "Well… that's no fishing boat."
Kuina's eyes glimmered as she whispered, "This will carry us to the summit."
Makino smiled softly, wiping the last of the emotion from her eyes. "It's perfect."
At the far end of the dock stood a tall man with grease-stained gloves and a perpetual scowl—Langatt himself. He folded his arms as Jin approached.
"You're late," Langatt said immediately, his voice hard as steel. "Thirteen days late."
Jin only shrugged. "We had entertainment on the way."
Langatt exhaled sharply but didn't argue. "Doesn't matter. The ship's ready. Two years of blood, sweat, and genius work. She's yours now. Let's finish this."
He reached over and slammed the master switch.
All at once, the shipyard roared to life. Hundreds of lights blazed, illuminating the vessel in full. The crimson flower on its prow burned like a brand of freedom, the black hull gleaming like obsidian under torchlight.
"This," Langatt began, voice reverent despite his blunt tone, "is a warship built from Blue Silkwood. Eighty meters from stern to bow. Three masts, reinforced ribs, and plating thicker than anything the Marines run in these waters. She's fast, she's vicious, and she's alive."
His hand brushed the railing as though it were a lover. "Blue Silkwood carries a secret—you can plant anything in it, and it will grow. An eternal vessel. A ship that cannot die."
He gestured to the open hatches, leading them aboard. "The lower deck is storage—food, supplies, even a cold chamber for long voyages. The first deck has a lounge and equipment bays, built to your specifications. The second deck…" He smiled thinly. "Is empty. Bedrooms, offices, whatever you desire. Comfort first. War second."
Jin followed, eyes drinking in every detail, heart pounding with unspoken excitement. This wasn't just a ship. It was the beginning of his true story.
The crew trailed behind him, each reaction unique—Kuina's measured silence, Tina's calculating gaze, Makino's quiet awe, even Kuma's simple grin as his massive hand traced the railing.
Jin stopped at the center of the deck, the lights blazing above him, the shipyard echoing with industry. He laid his palm against the Black Silkwood railing and closed his eyes for a moment.
"...Perfect."
His voice was low, reverent, but it carried.
"This ship," he said louder, opening his violet eyes as they burned in the torchlight, "will carve our names into the world. The Marines, the Pirates, the World Government—they'll all remember it."
And as the words left his lips, the flower engraved on the prow seemed to glow faintly in the night, as though answering his call.
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T/N :
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