Upon reflection, this was not difficult to understand.
Twenty-five years ago, the only major constraint on the purely weaponized systems was the craftsmanship itself.
After finding the mechanisms left behind by the Skypieans on the moon, the technical deficiencies in craftsmanship were largely compensated for.
After more than twenty years of continuous research, achieving this level was perfectly normal.
It could be said that this Sky Fortress was now only a single step away from being the true Pluton.
However.
"The energy system is still a bit too complex, too far from true completion," Judge sighed, his eyes clouded with mixed feelings. "Boss, I apologize. I've held you back."
"You are more than excellent, Judge," Roa chuckled. "We have plenty of time, don't we?"
It really wasn't Judge's fault. After all, even Vegapunk didn't truly complete the Mother Flame until two years after Luffy set sail in the original timeline.
Judge's research capability was still slightly inferior to Vegapunk's. Even though he had access to more research data in this timeline, his ability was simply capped there.
Perhaps Vegapunk's help is needed.
Since he has been helping the World Government with energy research, he shouldn't mind sharing that data, right?
Old Man Vegapunk is a good person. Since he's a good person, he surely wouldn't want to see Stussy die because of him, would he?
"Yes, Boss!"
Hearing Roa's words of comfort, Judge was reinvigorated. "I will never disappoint you!"
The Boss is back! This world will sooner or later be grasped in his hand!
As long as I follow closely behind him, the revival of the Vinsmoke Family is just around the corner!
"Very good." Roa nodded in satisfaction.
Judge then took Roa to see the incomplete energy system.
Just like the Mother Flame shown in the original story, it was a faint, burning flame encased within a massive metal column.
However, according to Judge, even the unfinished energy system could provide astonishing energy output, enough to keep the Sky Fortress airborne indefinitely and unleash terrifying firepower.
After touring the semi-finished energy system, Judge led Roa to a higher-level deck.
Here, there was a gigantic greenhouse.
Artificial sunlight and a platinum-colored metal developed from Pure Gold shone their light upon this greenhouse simultaneously.
What was quietly growing inside were dozens of Devil Fruits.
If my brother Kaido saw this, he'd surely weep with envy.
But Roa only found it rather dull.
After all, as Judge mentioned, there were already hundreds of ordinary Zoan Devil Fruits stored in the warehouse.
The entire Calamity Knights were Zoan users, and the commanding tier, the Five Vinsmoke Siblings, were all Ancient Zoan users.
Brother Kaido, who is the real Beasts Pirates now?
During the tour, Roa also saw many Minks and more small robots.
"The Minks who joined us back then were also brought to the moon," Judge explained. "Twenty years have passed, and they are now into the second generation."
"Unlike the first-generation Mink warriors, who joined reluctantly, the second-generation Minks have a strong sense of identity with the Corporation."
"The most exceptional warriors among them have been selected by Dylan to form an assassin team. The very best have even been granted compatible Zoan Devil Fruits! I've also equipped them with specialized battle suits that allow them to turn invisible! They should be your finest assassins, Boss!"
"Oh, that's not bad either." Roa slowly nodded.
While they certainly couldn't compare to the Calamity Knights—their average level was too far behind.
But coupled with the drugs that allow them to immediately enter their Sulong form, their strength was definitely not weak.
Combined with their extraordinary speed and the invisibility battle suits Judge mentioned, they would indeed be assassins capable of striking fear into anyone.
However, Roa then wondered, who could these assassins kill?
Is there anyone left in this world that requires me to use such tactics?
The only enemy left is Imu. Everyone else is just small fry. I can just roll right over them.
Could assassination tactics even work against Imu?
It's mainly for fun.
Also "for fun" were the busy little robots.
Compared to the ordinary clone soldiers, they certainly possessed greater combat strength.
But their intelligence was still much lower than real people, and energy was a problem—they couldn't sustain prolonged combat.
So, while Judge did manufacture a batch of small robots, they were only kept in the New Calamity City to serve as servants and laborers.
At this point, all the forces that had been accumulating over the past twenty-five years had finally been introduced to Roa.
Roa was very satisfied.
What do you call strong troops and plenty of provisions?
Hmm, now I have to add several thousand "old coot" Ogre Giants.
They had also landed on the New Calamity City under Loki's command.
However, due to their immense size and number, there was no way to assign them residences yet, so they could only rough it on the top deck for now.
Looking at it this way, even if I don't lift a finger, the Calamity Corporation seems capable of easily crushing Uncle Shiki and the others.
Ah, whatever. I'm too kind-hearted. I'll let Uncle Shiki and his friends ride the momentum a bit.
With the exception of Moria, all the executives of the Calamity Corporation were finally reunited after many years.
Thus, a grand feast naturally commenced.
Everything felt like it was twenty-five years ago again.
"Next," Roa raised his wine glass and declared with a smile to all his subordinates, "It's time for some long-awaited war! Let's take back everything that rightfully belongs to us!"
"We've been itching for it!" Bullet clenched his fist, his eyes burning with fierce flames.
He had silently accumulated twenty-five years of power. Now was finally the time to unleash it all!
"We will crush everything in your path, Boss!" King's voice was equally firm and sincere.
War was imminent!
After the pleasant feast ended, Roa returned to the quarters Dylan had prepared for him.
It was a luxurious palace located in the central area of the New Calamity City.
And in this palace, someone was already waiting for Roa.
"Oh! It's my little kitten and little bunny."
Roa waved at the two of them. The little kitten and little bunny immediately rushed into his arms, as docile as they were twenty-five years ago.
The little kitten and little bunny had matured slightly compared to back then, but not by much. Dylan must have given them Pure Gold to use early on.
Now, the two adorable little animals nestled and fawned in Roa's arms just like before. "Boss, you're finally back! We missed you so much!"
"Who could ever dislike clingy kittens and bunnies?"
Roa took a deep sniff of his little pets.
It's been a long time—or maybe not that long?
Roa lifted his head and looked at the one person who remained standing still. "Yo, Ginny, don't you have anything to say to me?"
The pink-haired woman, who hadn't changed much from twenty-five years ago, pursed her lips, then slightly bowed to Roa, her face devoid of expression. "Welcome back, Boss."
"Tch, so cold," Roa clicked his tongue. "I was going to tell you about Kuma's current situation over the years."
"..." Ginny's pupils trembled slightly, but she silently shook her head. "I am Boss's person. That person has nothing to do with me anymore."
"Ah?" Roa raised an eyebrow and slightly crooked his finger.
Surging Haki materialized into a black arm, grabbing Ginny and pulling her toward him.
The immense force made all of Ginny's bones vibrate. The woman's face instantly became strained, and pain showed in her eyes.
Roa raised his hand and stroked the woman's delicate face, speaking with a hint of lament. "In that case, wouldn't it be utterly boring?"
Ginny was indeed somewhat numb, and the dark aura emanating from her body was no longer as savory as it once was.
"Boss, I only want to follow you wholeheartedly," Ginny replied.
"Is that so?" Roa sighed. "How cruel, Ginny. You probably don't know, but Kuma named his daughter Bonney."
"She is a very adorable child, with beautiful pink hair just like yours."
"He... he must have never forgotten you!"
"..." Ginny's eyes suddenly trembled.
Then.
"Mmm!" Roa took a deep, intoxicated breath. "The flavor!"
Time to eat.
The night was long.
Deep in the night.
Roa, flanked by two furry pets, had fallen into a baby-like sleep.
Ginny, however, was still awake.
She sat on the wide, soft bed, staring down at Roa's handsome, sleeping face, looking like a wooden doll.
This monster has finally returned.
"Thinking is pointless. Obedience is our only choice," a calm voice rang out.
Ginny raised her head and looked at Toki Amatsuki, who was sitting quietly on the other side of the bed.
She looked at the woman's unusual eyes. After a moment of silence, she finally spoke slowly. "What is your situation now?"
"I don't know," Toki slowly shook her head, a bitter smile gracing the woman's exquisite face.
"Am I still alive? Or have I already died? I don't know the answer to that."
Ginny froze slightly.
"If you don't want to become like me, don't think about disobeying him. If he wants to see you suffer, then let him see it," Toki said. "Don't try to die. You should know what he will do if you die."
"..." Ginny could only silently weep.
Roa, in his sleep, suddenly smacked his lips, letting out a childlike, happy smile as if he had tasted something delicious.
A little later.
This was Mariejois, the Holy Land.
In a large conference room in Pangea Castle.
"Guahahaha, so, only the two of us showed up?" Crocodile leaned comfortably back in his chair, his legs aggressively crossed on the table in front of him.
In the wide conference room, there was only one other man besides him.
The notorious pirate of decades past, former executive of the Rocks Pirates, and one of the current Warlords of the Sea, Captain John, sat slumped in a chair, drinking heavily.
"So," Crocodile scrutinized the man with interest. "Were you scared witless by that Roa guy? Because of the deaths of Wang Zhi and Silver Axe?"
Captain John's body finally stiffened slightly. He looked up, his murky eyes meeting Crocodile's.
Then, the man sneered. "What would you understand, brat? Roa's terror is something you can't comprehend."
"I am quite curious, though," the conference room door opened, and a tall figure walked in, carrying a large black sword on his back.
"What extraordinary power does that legendary Most Evil Man in History possess!"
"Hmm?" Looking at the man who walked in, pulled out a chair, and sat down without a word, Crocodile raised an eyebrow with a mocking smile. "I never thought someone like you would show up."
Dracule Mihawk, one of the Warlords of the Sea, known as the World's Strongest Swordsman, adjusted the brim of the top hat on his head. "I heard that Roa was one of the most renowned swordsmen in the world over twenty years ago. How can I not come to meet such an opponent?"
"You want to fight Roa?" Captain John drunkenly glanced at Mihawk, then sneered. "You seek death."
He knew he couldn't have defeated Roa twenty-five years ago, let alone a Roa who had advanced further in that long period, even gaining the ability to break through immortality.
"But you're right about one thing. Roa was indeed the strongest swordsman back then." Captain John spoke drunkenly. "After all, not even Shiki or Roger forged a Black Blade."
"A Black Blade!" Mihawk's eyes flashed with intensity. "Then it is even more necessary to meet him!"
A Black Blade!
The symbol of a top-tier great swordsman!
Just hearing this made Mihawk's hands feel itchy!
Just then, the conference room door was pushed open again.
Sengoku, the Marine Fleet Admiral, with his large afro and a Marine coat draped over his shoulders, strode in.
He casually swept his gaze across the three men in the office, then spoke with a cold tone. "Are you all here?"
"All here?" Crocodile was slightly surprised, then spoke with amusement. "So, only the three of us answered the summons, is that right?"
"Wang Zhi and Silver Axe have been killed by Roa the Calamity," Sengoku said flatly. "Moria has vanished. Jinbe claims to have too many company matters and will meet us when the war officially begins. So, it's just the three of you."
"Guahahaha!" Crocodile burst into laughter. "So, that means Moria is rejoining the Calamity Corporation, and Jinbe is playing the waiting game. Is that the gist of it?"
"Enough idle talk," Sengoku completely ignored Crocodile's sarcasm. "The government granted you special privileges. Now is the time to repay us."
"In the coming war against Roa the Calamity, you must give it your all. Should there be any sign of negligence, we will make you regret it."
"Guahahaha! How scary!" Crocodile laughed heartily.
Mihawk didn't even lift his eyelids. "I have one demand. I want to cross swords with Roa the Calamity."
Sengoku stared deeply at him. "That demand, I can grant."
On the side of the World Government, military forces were already fully mobilized.
Meanwhile, in the New World.
In the latter half of the New World, a large floating island sped through the air.
In Wano Country.
Giant warships had also set sail.
In Totto Land.
Joyful, massive ships were also forging ahead through the waves.
Military forces were rapidly gathering on this side too.
At the same time, in the skies near the Giant Kingdom.
Roa was watching a battle.
In a specialized training ground.
"Ugh!" Teach grunted, flying backward like a cannonball and crashing heavily into the incredibly hard wall.
The rock-solid wall, made of special alloy, instantly had a massive hole punched through it.
Bullet, who had punched Teach away while transformed into a giant, hundreds-of-meters-tall Mercury Giant, watched the black lightning on his arm slowly dissipate.
He snorted. "You've made some progress, but you're still far from it!"
"Hiss!" Teach, already in his hybrid animal form, grimaced as he climbed out of the hole. "It's not over yet, Bullet!"
With that, dark flames spread from the surface of his body, instantly forming a gigantic black three-headed dog.
"Oh-ho," Roa, watching from below, slightly raised an eyebrow.
Willpower!
Teach was also using a move similar to Brother Kaido's.
The massive black three-headed dog, hundreds of meters long, lunged toward the Mercury Giant.
Each step left a dark footprint, the flames burning fiercely.
"I said, you're still far from it!" Bullet sneered. "Mercury Tsunami!"
A huge, surging tidal wave instantly erupted!
An immeasurable amount of mercury transformed into a ferocious wave, rolling and crushing toward Teach.
And this Mercury Tsunami was even wrapped in black Haki!
"This Armament Haki is seriously messed up!" Teach complained as he collided heavily with the Mercury Tsunami.
Dark flames spread across the mercury, causing it to evaporate continuously.
But the endless giant wave still pushed the massive three-headed dog backward relentlessly.
"Damn it!!" Teach gritted his teeth.
It felt like being hit head-on by an entire mountain range!
What immense power!
But in the next instant, Teach suddenly looked up.
Bullet had already disengaged from the Mercury Giant state and was now leaping above him, his right arm raised high.
A mercury fist, hundreds of meters in diameter, extended from his right arm!
It nearly filled the entire training ground, which was also hundreds of meters tall!
"Ultimate Canon!"
The colossal fist smashed down, wrapped in thick, black Haki lightning!
"Zehahaha!" Teach's forehead was slick with cold sweat, but he had nowhere to dodge now. He could only chuckle nervously and command the black giant dog to leap, the head of the flaming monster also wrapped in powerful dual-colored Haki.
Boom!!
The collision of the behemoths made the entire training ground tremble violently. The spreading aftershocks alone caused the walls and floor to shatter.
Then.
The black flame dissipated, and the massive dog was crushed heavily onto the ground by the punch.
It was over.
The mountain-sized mercury fist did not press down further, merely maintaining its position, pinning Teach down.
"I lose," Teach conceded, dismissing the flaming giant dog. He looked at the massive fist almost touching his face, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
That bastard Bullet has gotten even stronger than he was five years ago!
Is it because of the Lineage Factor implantation?
"Excellent," Roa praised in satisfaction.
It's no exaggeration to say he seems even stronger than Brother Kaido and the others.
A physique honed to perfection, Haki reaching its peak, incredibly powerful abilities, and the newly implanted Lineage Factor.
Bullet's power was self-evident.
"The Lineage Factor ability Bullet chose was purely an enhancement of strength," Judge said, smiling from the side. "But it really suits him."
"Indeed." Roa nodded in agreement.
To the side, Doc Q and the others, who had come to watch the battle, were wide-eyed.
Is he really that strong?
Even Captain Teach was essentially forced to take the beating!
"I'm next!" Loki impatiently stepped forward.
Just then, Dylan walked over and whispered in Roa's ear,
"Boss, Moria has arrived in the nearby waters."
"Oh?"
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