They woke up early.
Packed.
Moved to the port.
Today was the day their ship would be delivered.
Everyone was glowing with excitement—Uta and Shirohiko were already arguing about what their rooms would look like.
At the docks, Iceburg was waiting, along with a crew of shipwrights.
When Iceburg spotted Zan Gao carrying a huge crate-like box…
…his heart finally settled.
So he really took him.
"Mr. White Ghost," Iceburg greeted, stepping forward. "You've arrived."
He shook Jin's hand firmly.
"Come. I'll show you your ship."
And there it was.
Huge. Majestic.
Iceburg began the tour with professional pride.
"The ship's total length is two hundred thirty-two meters. Width: fifty meters. The sides are equipped with cannon platforms, and here—"
Structure after structure.
System after system.
Everyone listened carefully.
This was their ship.
They had to treat it properly.
Then they saw the prow.
A vicious carved dragon head—ferocious, domineering.
Iceburg smiled. "That figurehead was carved based on your ability, Mr. White Ghost."
Jin nodded, satisfied. "I like it."
He stepped forward. "Let's go inside."
They boarded.
The interior was… absurd.
"This deck is large enough for your activities," Iceburg said.
Zan Gao's mouth twitched.
This is the size of a Marine training yard.
"Living quarters are split into three levels. Each floor can accommodate hundreds. Your rooms—Mr. White Ghost, and the ladies—are on the top level."
Kitchen and primary facilities were lower.
Everything polished. Complete. Luxurious.
Mechanical systems lined the walls—so many an ordinary person would get dizzy.
There was even an aquarium-like installation.
"No wonder this is the best shipyard in the world," Zan Gao muttered, stunned. "This money was worth it."
He'd already checked the training room.
Extremely satisfied.
The deck alone was big enough for Enel and the others to run weighted endurance drills without obstruction.
Stella and the women rushed to see their rooms.
Jin didn't bother.
He slept in their rooms anyway. He didn't need one.
Squirrel-tan went to inspect her infirmary—second floor, sea-facing, full sunlight.
Lucia ran straight to the stern to check her garden plot.
Soon everyone scattered.
Only Jin, Iceburg, and Kuro headed toward the control room.
Inside sat a man in nothing but underwear, sunglasses on, posture radiating rage.
The moment he saw Iceburg, he exploded.
"ICEBURG!! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"
Iceburg didn't flinch. "Sorry, Franky. This is the best way."
"Baka!" Franky roared. "Best way?! I told you I'm not leaving! And YOU—!"
He whirled toward Jin.
"You bastard! I helped build the ship, and now you kidnap me?!"
Jin sat in the captain's chair like he owned the world.
"If you go back down there now," he said, "the World Government will grab you immediately."
Franky froze. "…Huh?"
"They're already watching Iceburg," Jin continued. "Right now, they only suspect the blueprint is in his hands."
Iceburg's face tightened.
"And you," Jin said calmly, "you're officially dead. The guy who stopped the Sea Train with his body died years ago, according to the world."
Iceburg's eyes widened. "What…?"
Jin went on, voice even.
"So the Government doesn't know you're alive. Not yet. And among Galley-La's shipwrights… there are already CP agents planted."
"NANI?!" Iceburg and Franky blurted at the same time.
Kuro handed them photos.
They looked.
They went quiet.
Jin lit a cigar.
"Come with me. Become my crew."
He exhaled smoke slowly.
"To the outside world, you'll be the ship's mechanic I hired. No one will connect you to a 'dead kid' from years ago."
"But the moment they confirm you're alive," Jin said flatly, "they'll move."
The door opened.
Kokoro Granny walked in, bottle in hand.
"Sorry to barge in, Mr. White Ghost."
Jin waved a hand. "Doesn't matter."
"Kokoro Granny…" Franky and Iceburg both turned.
Kokoro took a swig.
"Franky. You're grown now."
Her voice was lazy, but her eyes were sharp.
"You were never meant to rot in one place. Iceburg and Mr. White Ghost are right."
She drank again.
"This is your best chance. Even if the Government suspects… without proof, they won't risk turning it into an open war with a monster like White-boy."
Jin nodded. "Exactly. No proof, no open conflict. They won't flip the table."
He leaned back.
"So. If you go down, you get caught."
"If you come with me, nothing happens."
Franky lowered his head, silent.
After a long moment, he looked up at Jin.
"You're not interested in it?"
Franky opened his chest and pulled out a rolled blueprint.
Kuro's eyes narrowed slightly.
Pluton.
Jin glanced at it. "A little. But not much."
He shrugged.
"To build something like that costs too much. It's mostly a deterrent."
Then he smiled faintly.
"And besides—if you want to destroy an island… do you really need an Ancient Weapon?"
Franky stared.
Only then did it sink in again:
This guy… turns into a dragon.
Jin placed a stack of notebooks on the console.
"Mechanical research notes. From Vegapunk."
Franky's breath hitched.
"If you want them," Jin said, "they're yours."
Franky's eyes flicked between the notebooks, Jin, and Iceburg.
His jaw tightened.
Finally—
"…I'll go with you."
He exhaled hard.
"If I stay, I'll only drag Iceburg down with me anyway."
Then Franky shoved the Pluton blueprint toward Jin.
"Take it."
And immediately grabbed the notebooks like treasure.
Jin didn't even look at the blueprint. He stored it into his bracelet.
"Good," he said. "Kuro. Prepare departure."
Iceburg and Kokoro went back down to the docks.
Everyone gathered on deck.
Zan Gao and Kantena worked the ropes.
The sail unfurled.
A massive flag dropped—
A five-clawed golden dragon, wings spread, ferocious and domineering.
And beneath it, bold letters:
THE GOLDEN DRAGON TRAVELERS
Jin's voice rang out.
"Set sail!"
"Roger!" Franky shouted from the control room.
He slammed switches and levers with manic joy.
"Let the world witness the shipbuilding genius of ME!!"
A deep hum spread through the hull.
On both sides, massive wing-like structures unfolded—packed with spiral propeller frameworks.
Then the stern's enormous propellers began to spin faster and faster.
WHIRRRRRR—
Jin grinned like he was back on a battlefield.
"DEPARTURE!"
The ship surged—
And then—
It lifted.
A giant ship, rising into the air.
On the docks, shipwrights and civilians stared in horror and disbelief.
"NANI?! A flying ship?!"
The vessel climbed higher, drifting away above Water Seven like a dream.
Iceburg stared upward—then laughed.
"…It really flies."
Kokoro drank and cackled.
"Hahahaha! What a ridiculous ship!"
Marine Headquarters
Sengoku watched the projection feed, expression unreadable.
Around him, voices murmured.
"My, my… White-boy is really rich. A ship like that must cost a fortune."
"So scary~ a flying ship."
"Hmph. At least he didn't raise a pirate flag."
Sengoku rubbed his temples, then sighed.
"Tsuru… if I ask him for the design so we can build one, is it worth it?"
Tsuru's reply was immediate and cold.
"With that boy's personality? He'll demand an outrageous price."
"And even if we obtain it," she added calmly, "the construction cost would be extreme."
She glanced at the screen.
"And the biggest issue is the same as always."
"…We can't solve the energy source."
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