Two years had passed since Ace's departure. In that time, Tessal never stopped working. By day, he sparred with Luffy in the forests, matching his brother's growing strength. By night, he hammered, welded, and forged — sparks dancing off steel until the sky paled with dawn. Piece by piece, dream by dream, his masterpiece took form.
Now it loomed before them in the harbor, docked where the Grey Terminal's ruins once bled into the sea.
The ship was a titan — its hull shaped with sweeping curves like the carapace of an atlas beetle, plated in black and steel-gray armor. Towering horns rose from the prow, fashioned after the rhino beetle models of Tessal's Bulwark units, each one doubling as colossal cannons.
Hidden ports lined the flanks, ready to unleash swarms of mechanical insects. Deep within, a hangar lay in wait, its launch strip disguised beneath layered decking — prepared for the winged Dragon Fighters Tessal had perfected in secret.
He named it the Battle Atlas. A ship, a forge, a carrier of every invention he had ever created — and a fortress that could withstand the world itself.
Luffy's jaw hung open as he scrambled up the gangplank, his straw hat flopping on his head. "Tess! This is OUR ship?! It's HUGE!" His laughter echoed across the deck as he dashed from cannon to railing to mast, eyes sparkling like a kid in a candy shop.
Tessal followed, resting his hand on the railing. For once, he allowed himself a small smile. "She's ours. Built from scrap, sweat, and every coin I saved. The world's too big to face empty-handed. With this… we'll have a fighting chance."
Luffy spun on his heel, planting his hat firmly on his head. "Then let's go! We're finally setting sail!"
The wind caught the sails of the Battle Atlas as if the sea itself welcomed them. The ship groaned to life, creaking forward, metal and timber singing in harmony.
For Tessal and Luffy, it was the first step into the vast unknown — two brothers, a dream, and a ship forged to carry them into legend.
The adventure had begun.