"Huh? You're not lying, boss. The Natural Energy in this world is wild."
Luca looks around in shock and awe. Martha and Felicia nod in agreement. Only Skulls remain unfazed, observing the surroundings as if nothing has changed.
I understand why.
Unlike my other guardians, his body is unique. It is filled entirely with Cloud Flame, rejecting all other forms of energy with only a few rare exceptions. This is the result of his status as the Cloud Arcobaleno—a title he has held for a very long time.
If he had only carried that title for a year or two, he might still have been able to learn Senjutsu or awaken Touki. Sadly, that is no longer possible. His Cloud Flame has grown so dominant that it refuses any external energy outright.
The only exception is the Silver Aura of the Sword of Damocles from the K-Project Universe.
That's because the Silver Aura originates from the sword itself, not from his soul. Hell, even his RWBY Aura can't properly awaken. His Cloud Flame is the manifestation of his soul now. When I forced his Aura to awaken, instead of flaring outward, his Cloud Flame gained a new property.
It now functions as an RWBY Aura—clinging tightly to his body like a second skin, protecting him from ambushes and surprise attacks. However, it no longer heals him like a proper RWBY aura. In exchange, his Cloud Flame increases his physical attribute even further and makes him into a monster in physical combat.
"Right? That's why you need to keep wearing the ring. You don't have enough control to absorb all this energy without losing your mind."
"Right. Got it. So—where's the ship?"
"Hm? It's being crafted."
"Wait, you ordered a new one, boss?"
"Yep. Don't worry. These guys know their stuff. They'll finish it in a few days. Come on—I'll show you."
I lead them to the Rental Bull Shop and rent a Yagara Bull to take us across the city to the Galley-La Headquarters. I chuckle as the bulls avert their gaze in embarrassment while Martha showers them with affection.
She loves animals. That's why we have a massive animal sanctuary back home.
In fact, we now operate the largest Animal Sanctuary in Romania—all because Martha wants to care for as many animals as possible. Her Sun Flame's nurturing nature makes her perfect for it. Not only does it heal injured animals, but it also boosts their need to breed when they get close to the source of Sun Flame.
We even house endangered species and actively help them recover their numbers. The fastest success so far has been the Sumatran tiger. There are now nearly two hundred of them in our care, soon to be released back into the wild.
We are working with a mundane government to return the endangered animal. There are many governments that want our help in restoring their endangered animals, as they can claim fame for their political needs, while we also gain a good boost in PR.
Her dream is to make the term endangered species obsolete. Hell, if she could get her hands on a dodo, she'd ensure its survival—even if only one existed.
Anyway, our ride follows one of Water 7's many canals, and we arrive at the Galley-La Headquarters after a few minutes of riding. Walking would've been faster, but experiencing the city by canal just feels right. This city is called the City of Water, and I want them to experience it fully.
"Here we are. Come on."
We enter the building, and before we even reach the reception desk, I spot Paulie carrying a stack of lumber on his shoulder.
"Yo, Paulie!"
He turns toward us.
"Vale! What brings you here? And who're these guys?"
"They're my crew. We're here to check on the ship's progress."
"Oh? Your crew, huh? They look tough enough to survive Paradise. As for your ship—come on. We've already finished the foundation."
He leads us through the back door, revealing a massive ship under construction. Luca stares in awe and turns to me.
"Boss… are you sure they didn't just use a half-finished hull? There's no way this was made in a day."
I sigh and turn to him.
"Don't say that, Luca. That's offensive. You're questioning their competence."
Before Luca can reply, Paulie nods and looks at him.
"Listen to your captain. You're lucky I'm not thin-skinned. If I were, I'd tell everyone to stop and refund your money out of pride. You can ask questions—but watch your tone. Some folks take offense easily."
He chuckles.
"I used to be like that myself. Anyway, we built this girl from the ground up. Best tools, best crews, best machines. That is how we made this girl this fast. Of course, you do not need to worry about quality. Adam Wood alone will make this girl durable and easy to repair, but with the design I have in mind, this girl will take you anywhere you want."
Luca bows his head slightly.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to offend."
"No worries. Just be mindful next time."
Paulie gestures toward the ship.
"She'll be done in a few days. We're balancing speed and durability for the girl now, and installing a rear propeller engine for emergencies."
He shows us around. Watching the Galley-La crews work is mesmerizing. They move like a single organism—no shouting, no hesitation, no wasted motion. There is no need for a leader shouting orders when everyone already knows what they need to do.
After a short tour, Paulie stops.
"That's all for now. Come back in three days, and you'll see real progress. Any questions?"
I nod.
"Where can I buy sailing tools? Maps, Log Poses, things like that."
"Eastern Area. Plenty of shops. You should find everything you need in there."
"Eternal Poses too?"
"Rarer, but yes. Only Marine-approved ones, though."
"Where do they point?"
"Alabasta for the big one. Most others lead around Water 7."
"Got it. Thanks."
We leave shortly after and hop back onto the bull.
"What are Log Poses, boss? They sound important."
"They are. Let me explain how this world works."
And so, I begin explaining just how insane the world of One Piece truly is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|3rd POV|
Something changed around Water 7.
The region has always attracted pirates—after all, it is home to the world's greatest shipwrights. That's why the Marines maintain multiple outposts in the area.
Unfortunately, it has never been enough.
Pirates still roam freely, and Marine manpower is stretched thin. Stronger forces are deployed to the New World to keep the Four Emperors in check. To make matters worse, Marineford recently recalled most personnel for unknown reasons.
Yet despite all that… something changed.
Pirate activity dropped sharply.
Captain Brue scans the report and smiles—a rare sight. Usually, his days are filled with reports of massacres and plunder. Reports of merchants getting attacked, the king complaining that his beloved goods never arrive, and the Island Governor asking him to take action. That is usually how it goes, but it has changed recently. A good change.
He prefers the old pirates—the kind who valued profit over bloodshed. Take a cut. Offer protection. Leave the merchants alive. They leave their source of income alone when they receive the cut.
The new generation? Violent idiots.
They kill their prey, destabilize trade, and wreck local economies. Kings, mayors, and even government officials suffer the consequences.
But two days ago, something new appeared.
A group of bounty hunters turned in the heads of the Red Heart pirates—an especially brutal crew.
Then they came back the next day.
And the day after that.
Within five days, ten pirate crews were wiped out—each worth over two hundred million Belly.
Nearly two billion Belly claimed by this single group in less than a week's time. That is a lot of money, but something that he happily gives them because the others are happy the pirates are gone.
Because of this, a new name appears in the Paradise. It is called the Millefiore Family.
The name sounds suspiciously like a West Blue mafia, but as long as they follow the law, Captain Brue doesn't care.
He sets the report aside and picks up the newspaper to catch up on the news from the wider world. He read for a few seconds before coming to a halt.
"What kind of idiot punches a Celestial Dragon?! Are they suicidal?!"
He skims the article and tosses the paper aside with a sigh.
"The damn Straw Hat Pirates again. Oh well. An Admiral's already on the way to Sabaody."
He leans back.
"One less pirate group. What a good day."