"It's time to take the airship for a real spin."
Wayne smiled as he watched the Apocalypse return from its test flight. He turned and stepped aboard.
Inside the engine room, Wayne channeled his electricity into the custom-built golden generator. The Apocalypse began to lift smoothly into the sky. With a simple thought, Wayne enveloped the ship in his electromagnetic field, allowing it to move freely, completely at his command.
After some trial runs in the sky, Wayne gently brought the ship back down to hover above the sea. The result exceeded expectations the speed was many times faster than any regular ship.
"Perfect just like I imagined."
He nodded in satisfaction. The ship's power core included an energy storage unit. With Wayne's electrical output, a single charge would last a long time. More importantly, the constant piloting process was helping him further develop his Devil Fruit abilities. It was a win-win.
Now that the Apocalypse had been fully upgraded, Wayne planned to restock supplies in Water 7, handle a few remaining matters in Paradise, and then return to the New World.
After all, his extended stay in Paradise had likely already unsettled some people.
...
"Yeah, Daniel, just handle it the way I told you. If you run into resistance, give me a call."
"Understood, boss."
Wayne ended the call and glanced at the excited crew around him. Aside from Kuro, most of them hadn't returned to the New World in years, so the chance to go back this time was especially meaningful.
Checking his watch, Wayne turned to those beside him.
"Robin, Kuro, you two take some people and handle the supply run. Oh, and make sure to get plenty of apples and aqua meat. Be back by noon we're setting sail then."
Ever since Wayne acquired the Goro Goro no Mi, he'd developed an odd craving for apples he felt uncomfortable if he didn't eat one every day. Could this be a side effect of the fruit?
Was this actually the Reaper Fruit in disguise?
As for the aqua meat, it was a specialty of Water 7 tender, juicy, and delicious. Wayne definitely wanted to stock up before they left.
By noon sharp, the crew returned to the Apocalypse with the supplies.
Seeing everyone aboard, Wayne grinned and activated the ship. As it ascended, his crew gawked in awe.
"Heh... Strap in, everyone. Next stop the New World. Destination: Liberty City!"
...
Five days later, the Apocalypse soared through the clouds.
They had officially crossed into New World territory, though Liberty City was still a ways off.
Wayne leaned against a half-statue at the bow, watching his crewmates. Every single one of them looked pale and nauseous even Robin and Kuro weren't exceptions.
Long-term high-altitude flight was proving brutal.
Wayne hadn't expected the motion sickness to hit everyone this hard. But then again, it wasn't entirely surprising. Pirates were used to sailing the seas not flying through the sky for days at a time.
Well... unless you were that certain blond old pirate.
"Hang in there, everyone. We're almost to the next island. Once we land, we'll resupply and rest for a day before moving on."
Wayne rubbed his temples. Even he was starting to feel a little fatigued from the prolonged flight, so he could only imagine how hard it was on the rest of the crew.
"Hooray!"
"Captain, you're the best!"
Morale soared. The crew had missed the ocean dearly. At this rate, they were about to turn from pirates into sky bandits.
Wayne guided the Apocalypse gently into the island's harbor. Once it docked, the crew eagerly disembarked and headed into town.
Technically, they had landed in a small town nothing particularly noteworthy about it. Wayne's plan was simple: restock supplies and let the crew recuperate for a day before continuing the journey.
"Excuse me, how much for the apples?"
Wayne stopped at a market stall, eyeing the large, crimson apples with clear desire. He couldn't help but swallow.
"Customer, these are genuine Fuji reds. Three hundred Berries a kilo, or one thousand for three kilos."
Wayne thought for a moment.
"I'll take thirty kilos."
He took the apples, immediately pulled one out, and started eating as he walked through the market. He figured Robin and Golia should be somewhere nearby.
Unbeknownst to him, a few pairs of eyes had been watching him from a nearby alley.
"Captain, that's the guy who came down from that big ship. Must be the captain of the whole crew."
A burly man with a handlebar mustache whispered to a short, wiry figure beside him.
"You sure they're rich?" the wiry man asked.
"Positive, Captain! I saw it with my own eyes they've got a sculpture at the ship's bow over three meters tall, gleaming like solid gold. A pirate crew that decorates their ship like that can't be broke."
The wiry man hesitated. "You sure they're not some big-name pirates? We don't want to kick a steel plate…"
"No way," the mustached man insisted. "There's barely twenty people on board, and I've never seen that ship before. No way they belong to some Emperor. And seriously, would a big-time pirate personally come buy apples?"
The wiry man nodded. "Fair point. Gather the crew. We'll wait till they leave town then we strike."
The group watched Wayne fade into the distance, malicious grins spreading across their faces.
The wiry man's name was Russell Lock, known as Black Cat. His crew the Black Cat Pirates had over a hundred members. Their specialty was preying on other pirates. Despite their strength, they maintained a low bounty by eliminating witnesses after every raid. Most people had never even heard of them.
They had come to this town purely to restock until they saw the golden vessel that practically screamed "loot me."
Wayne, of course, was completely unaware. After all, it had never even occurred to him that someone might try to rob a Warlord of the Sea. He'd only given the Apocalypse a makeover, and suddenly no one recognized it. Seriously? Was his face less recognizable than his ship?
The next morning, Wayne yawned and sat up in bed. Though the small-town inn was nothing fancy, it was still far more comfortable than flying on the Apocalypse. He'd finally gotten a good night's rest, shaking off days of accumulated fatigue.
"Kuro, after breakfast, rotate the crew. Let the ones who stayed on the ship come into town for a break. We'll set off right after lunch."
"Yes, Boss."
Kuro nodded and left the room. He had been aboard for a few months now, and in that time, his strength had advanced by leaps and bounds. He had mastered all six forms of the Marine Rokushiki, and even started to grasp the basics of both Observation and Armament Haki.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————
Love the story? Show your support and unlock early access to new chapters by joining me on Patreon!
P@treon.com/yanxx
Change @ to a.