The Atlas rocked gently in the tide. On deck, Zoro grunted as he swung his swords again and again, the resistance armor strapped across his body weighing him down like chains. Each strike dragged at his muscles, but his grin was fierce. "This'll make me sharp. Sharper than anyone."
Below, Tessal wiped grease from his hands, watching the training from the rail before disembarking with Luffy and Nami.
The island was unlike anything they'd seen: lions with giraffe necks, rabbits with eagle wings, and crabs the size of carts. Luffy charged headfirst, laughing until he tumbled through vines, while Nami tried to keep him from wandering into the jaws of something stranger. Tessal, though, crouched low, eyes fixed on beetles with glowing abdomens, spiders weaving steel-like webs, and moths that lit the dark like torches. His sketchbook quickly filled with diagrams.
Their laughter quieted when they found the treasure chest. Or rather, the man trapped inside it.
"I am Gaimon!" the strange figure bellowed, perched atop a cliff.
"A talking box!" Luffy shouted, eyes wide with delight.
After explaining his story of being stranded and guarding the island's treasure for twenty years, Gaimon let them share a meal beneath the canopy. Nami shook her head at the absurdity, Luffy howled with laughter, and Tessal found his pencil moving faster, capturing not the man, but the unique life that surrounded him.
When they left, Gaimon waved from the shore, smiling despite his prison. "Don't waste your youth like I did. Chase what matters!"
The words lingered.
---
That night, Tessal's workshop glowed. Sparks flew as gears clicked into place, his mind overflowing with inspiration. From his bench crawled the first prototypes of a new generation of mecha bugs:
Support Unit – "Medibug": a palm-sized beetle with extendable limbs tipped with clamps and bandages. It chirped as it clumsily wrapped gauze around Luffy's finger.
Defense Unit – "Wall Crawler": turtle-like, broad plates snapping together to form a hexagonal shield. Several interlocked, becoming an instant barrier.
Scout Drone – "Firefly Eye": a tiny flyer whose glowing abdomen projected a hazy aerial map onto a slate.
And when his forge finally quieted, Tessal held up his newest creation — a helmet. Sleek, insectile, its design echoed the lines of a stag beetle crossed with a warrior's helm. Its visor gleamed, twin antennae curving back. A helm not just for battle, but as a symbol.
He set it on his head and whispered, "A swarm needs its commander."
---
Dawn broke, and the Atlas drifted from the strange island. On deck, the crew gathered at the bow.
Luffy leaned back with his straw hat, his grin wide. "I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!"
Zoro rested a blade on his shoulder, armor plates humming with weight. "And I'll be the world's greatest swordsman."
Nami's eyes hardened, but her voice softened with resolve. "I'll chart the entire world — and find my way back to my village's freedom."
Tessal stood apart, helm glinting in the morning light. "And I'll reshape this age with my swarm. I'll change the world."
The wind filled the sails, their voices carrying out over the sea. Together, the four set their eyes on the horizon.
Their next stop: Syrup Village.