Jack stood at the ship's stern, the morning wind tugging at his coat as shimmering golden energy pulsed from his hands. Currently he is trying to upgrade a new battle suit again.
Luffy leaned on the rail, grinning wide. "Oi, Jack! You makin' new armor again?!"
Jack didn't look up. "Not armor but a battle suit."
"Battle sui— what?" Usopp tilted his head, confused.
Jack turned, his eyes glowing faintly. "You all need suits that can survive the world ahead. I'm tuning them so that every one of you can handle the Grand Line."
Nami crossed her arms skeptically. "Wasn't our previous suit is powerful enough"
Jack smirked. "Try it before you complain."
One by one, six shining capsules floated toward each crewmate. They opened in midair, releasing a soft hum and forming around each of them like liquid shadows. The material molded perfectly to their bodies — flexible, thin, and strong enough to withstand the attack. The moment the transformation ended, everyone was clad in a smooth, jet-black suit with faint silver accents glowing beneath the suit.
Luffy jumped up and down immediately. "Whoa!! It's so light! I can move just like normal!"
Jack nodded. "The suit was made from Vibranium metal, it can with stand strong attack and redirected it.."
Usopp admired himself in the ship's mirror. "Heh, I look like some legendary warrior! 'Captain Usopp of the Black Seas!'"
Sanji flicked his collar and smirked. "It fits perfectly… Nami-swan, does it look good on me?"
Nami rolled her eyes but couldn't deny it, the suit hugged surface of her body, and for some reason she feel she can punch a ship and destroyed it. "It's actually… pretty amazing," she admitted.
Then Sanji tried to flex. A sharp zzzt! crackled across his chest — the suit shimmered and discharged a burst of blue electricity that sent his hair standing straight up.
"W-WHAT THE—?!" he yelped, jumping backward.
Jack didn't even blink. "That's the auto-denial feature. It shocks anyone who violates private areas of the ship."
Everyone laughed — especially Zoro, who nearly fell off his seat. "Serves you right, pervert cook!"
"SHUT UP, MARIMO!"
They started bickering instantly, sparks literally flying between them, while Jack continued his calm explanation.
"The suits aren't just for looks. Each has three core systems: energy absorption, environmental adaptability, and navigational return."
Usopp blinked. "Naviga— what?"
Jack raised a hand. A golden hologram appeared above the deck, showing six glowing dots representing the crew, all linked by lines to the ship's location.
"If you're separated even underwater or inside a storm your suit's tracker will guide you back here. Communication channels remain active even undersea or during Devil Fruit interference. No one gets lost."
Zoro looked unimpressed at first, but Jack turned to him directly.
"For you, Zoro, there's a unique function."
Zoro squinted. "Unique?"
Jack smirked and snapped his fingers. Instantly, Zoro's suit activated, and his body started gliding not walking slowly toward the ship's helm as if magnetized.
"Hey—HEY! What's this thing doing?!"
"I noticed you sometimes lost even on a straight line, so this feature is for you not to lose a way," said Jack.
"Hey marimo you actually blind road? Hahahaha" laughed
Luffy fell over laughing. "BAHAHA! It's making sure you don't get lost again, Zoro!"
"Shut up, rubber dumb!!" Zoro barked, struggling to walk the other way but the suit gently correcting his path like an invisible leash.
Jack looked completely serious. "Safety protocol. If under critical condition, just activate, the suit will guide you home automatically."
Even Nami and Nojiko burst into laughter at that one.
After the laughter settled, Jack continued his briefing. "Each suit can absorb electrical energy, lightning, blasts, or shockwaves and convert it into a temporary power reserve. Think of it like an internal battery. When charged, you can release that energy for speed, strikes, or defense."
Sanji clenched his fist. "So if I get hit by a gun nothing would happen to me?"
Jack smiled faintly. "Exactly."
That got everyone's attention.
Nami placed her hand on the black-silver weave, feeling the faint hum beneath her skin. "It's warm."
Jack nodded. "The material adjusts to your temperature. It'll keep you stable in freezing seas or tropical heat. It also neutralizes most toxins on contact."
"Wahhh!" Luffy stretched his arms up, the suit expanding with him like second skin. "This is awesome! Can I use Gear Second with it?"
Under the guidance of Jack, Luffy manage to awaken observation haki and also use gear second. Not just him even Zoro and Sanji did the same.
"You can," Jack said. "It'll channel your heat into raw energy."
Luffy's grin widened to impossible lengths. "AWESOME!!"
Usopp struck a heroic pose. "I hereby declare us the Black Dawn Pirates!"
"Oi, we're still Straw Hats," Zoro muttered.
"Usopp, I am the captain," shouted Luffy.
Jack stood back, crossing his arms as he observed his work. He wasn't smiling in pride just quiet satisfaction. These were his companions now. He wanted them prepared, even if they didn't yet realize how dark and dangerous the Grand Line truly was.
Nami looked over. "Jack… how come you don't make one for yourself?"
He looked down at his cosmic body, the golden pattern faintly pulsing. "I don't need one. My body is strong enough to withstand a gun but I have prepared it for me especially if I wanted to go underwater.."
Luffy broke it. "Okay, okay, let's go test these things out!! First one to swim to that island wins!"
"WAIT, WHAT?!" Usopp panicked.
Before anyone could stop him, Luffy jumped overboard and the suit immediately activated, wrapping him in, on his leg suddenly they some kind of magnetic propeller that
"WAAAAAHAHAHA! I CAN SWIM! I CAN SWIIIIIM—!!"
Jack muttered, "Correction: you're floating with propulsion assist, not swimming."
"STILL COUNTS!!" Luffy yelled from the sea, spinning in circles.
Everyone burst into laughter again, even Zoro, who was secretly glad Jack had built in navigation system on his suit.
NEXT CHAPTER: CP 9 COMING