After finishing their hearty meal, Eli Winters and his crew left the dining hall feeling completely satisfied. They began to explore the massive, snail-shaped ship-house that served as their temporary home.
At the ship's front loomed an enormous fortress wall that rose like a steel dragon, cutting the vast vessel cleanly in half. Flags bearing the bold insignia of Germa 66 fluttered in the sea breeze. Beneath the towering wall stretched an orderly complex of buildings, arranged with precision and connected by neat, narrow pathways.
The crew members moved about with military precision, dressed in identical uniforms. Their movements were sharp and efficient, their expressions serious and focused. Some were manning control panels; others were maintaining weapons or inspecting equipment. The entire place operated with flawless discipline, resembling a fortified military base rather than a pirate ship. The absence of chaos or laughter made it clear this was not a place for free-spirited sailors, but a nation of soldiers.
As Eli and the others continued their stroll, a rapid series of footsteps echoed toward them. Charles Brown, captain of the Germa vessel they had boarded, approached with several subordinates in tow. Bowing deeply, he said in a firm, respectful voice, "Honored one, His Majesty King Vinsmoke Judge has commanded me to escort you and your companions to him. Would you prefer to accompany us aboard this ship-house, or follow behind in your own vessel?"
"We'll take your ship," Eli replied casually. "It'll save us some trouble."
The moment his words fell, Eli's figure vanished like a ghost dissolving into thin air no sound, no trace.
Charles froze, eyes widening in disbelief. Even as a veteran soldier of Germa, he had never seen such an uncanny ability. That instantaneous movement, without any hint of preparation, was something only monsters could achieve.
A heartbeat later, Eli reappeared in front of him, as if he had never moved. His expression was calm and unreadable. "I've secured the Silver Dragon. You can start heading toward where Judge is."
"Yes, my lord!" Charles replied quickly, his voice a little shaky. After leaving a few attendants to serve them, he hurried away, feeling as if a heavy pressure had been lifted from his chest.
Two days later, under the soft light of dawn, the ocean shimmered like molten glass. The wind brushed against Eli's face as the ship glided steadily across the waves. Finally, after days of travel, they arrived at the elusive Kingdom of Germa.
Dozens of gigantic snail ships floated ahead, gathered together like a fleet of slumbering leviathans. They formed a seamless network of steel and power each ship-house unique in its design, yet perfectly aligned with the next. Massive walls connected them, creating the illusion of a single moving fortress upon the sea.
At the kingdom's forefront stood a gathering of nobles clad in extravagant garments, waiting solemnly beside their monarch, Vinsmoke Judge.
Charles skillfully maneuvered the snail ship toward a gap in the fortress wall. With impeccable precision, the ship locked into place, merging seamlessly with the structure. Not even a sliver of space remained between them it was engineering mastery at its finest.
As the ship settled, a tall man strode forward, flanked by soldiers. He was broad-shouldered and stern, with long golden hair cascading from beneath a metal helmet. A sharp black goatee accentuated his face, and his orange cape billowed lightly in the sea wind. The "66" emblem gleamed proudly on his silver-gray combat suit.
The man bowed slightly. "Vinsmoke Judge, at your service, Lord Sky Sovereign."
Hearing that, several younger soldiers standing behind Judge stiffened. Their eyes flashed with hostility, but none dared to speak. Judge had clearly warned them beforehand.
Eli chuckled. "Vinsmoke Judge, I've been looking for you for quite a while."
"Sky Sovereign," Judge replied cautiously, "a man of your strength seeking out someone like me… I can't imagine what for."
Eli laughed heartily. "You? Just a small figure? Don't be modest. You were once spoken of alongside Dr. Vegapunk the greatest scientific mind in the world."
At that name, Judge's pupils shrank sharply. His composure faltered. The mention of Vegapunk struck him like lightning, bringing back memories he had buried deep beneath layers of secrecy.
The joint research on bloodline factors that forbidden science had been conducted in complete isolation. No one outside their small circle had ever known. He had concealed his identity, altered his appearance, and erased every trace of his involvement.
Yet here was this young man, standing before him, casually speaking of things that should have been impossible to know. A cold sweat broke out across Judge's forehead. Could it be… this boy wasn't truly young? Could he be some ancient being wearing the face of youth?
Sensing Judge's unease, Eli smiled faintly. "Relax. I didn't come to dig into your past. I'm here to ask for your help."
Judge steadied himself. "If there's anything I can do for you, name it."
"It's simple," Eli said. "You're aware that Vegapunk developed a method to let weapons consume Devil Fruits, correct?"
Judge nodded cautiously. "Yes."
"Can you replicate it?"
Judge scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "That technique was entirely his work. I never studied it in depth."
"Could you master it if I gave you the time and resources?"
Judge hesitated for a moment, then squared his shoulders. "Given enough time, yes. But I lack Devil Fruits to experiment with."
"I can supply those." Eli opened his hand, revealing two shimmering fruits one shaped like a blooming flower, the other coiled like a spring. "The Flower-Flower Fruit and the Spring-Spring Fruit. Not rare, but perfect for testing."
Judge's eyes widened slightly. Before he could respond, Eli produced two dark, metallic stones that shimmered faintly under the sunlight. "Meteorite iron from beyond the sky. You'll forge a pair of gauntlets and a trident from these. The rest can wait until you've perfected the process."
Judge accepted the materials with deep respect. "Consider it done, my lord."
Eli smiled. He had chosen the weapons with care the gauntlets for Big Pan, the trident for Simon. As fishmen, neither wished to eat a Devil Fruit and risk losing their bond with the sea. Giving them weapons infused with those powers would strengthen them without that curse.
Once the arrangements were made, Eli and his companions remained in Germa for a while. Judge, eager to please, assigned his own children to accompany and entertain them during their stay.
Eli didn't mind. Despite their young age barely eight or nine the Vinsmoke siblings were already displaying traits of their infamous lineage. In the original timeline, they would grow into ruthless soldiers, but now, under different circumstances, their fates might change.
Eli watched them with a curious, almost mischievous glint in his eyes. Perhaps I can… shape them a little differently this time.
The children, suddenly shivering, felt a chill crawl up their spines. For a fleeting moment, it was as if some great beast had set its gaze upon them. Then the feeling vanished, leaving them confused.
Little did they know their lives were about to become far more "interesting."
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