Meanwhile, at the harbor, Deuce and the others laid eyes on their brand new pirate ship for the first time.
Carrot squealed with excitement and bounded onto the ship ahead of everyone else, her rabbit ears twitching with pure joy. The rest of the crew followed closely behind, boarding eagerly and exploring every corner with obvious curiosity.
Galley-La Company had truly lived up to its reputation as the world's premier shipbuilding enterprise. With Iceberg personally overseeing the construction, there were no concerns about quality or craftsmanship. The ship's lines were clean and purposeful, built for both speed and durability.
Jerry and his crew hadn't made many specific requests beyond the conventional requirements of sturdiness, comfort, and seaworthiness. However, after extensive discussions with Jerry, Deuce had requested several additional pieces of equipment and some unique functions that might prove useful in their future adventures.
The formal handover ceremony with Galley-La Company proceeded smoothly, with Iceberg himself presenting the ship's specifications and features. They held a simple launching ceremony, complete with the traditional bottle-breaking against the hull.
After saying their farewells to Iceberg on the shore, Deuce and his crew prepared to set sail and rejoin Jerry.
Suddenly, Kalifa felt the Den Den Mushi on her person begin ringing urgently. She quickly answered the call, her expression immediately becoming grave as she listened to the voice on the other end.
After the conversation ended, she gritted her teeth in frustration, stepped forward, and called out to stop them:
"Wait! You can't just sail away like this!"
"Oh? And why not?" Deuce asked with a slight smile, feigning confusion while his eyes remained alert.
Kalifa glanced at Iceberg beside her, who seemed genuinely unaware of the situation and was looking at her with equal bewilderment. Making her decision, she confronted them directly with a stern voice:
"I am an agent of the World Government. I now suspect that your captain has illegally obtained classified government property. You'd better surrender immediately and avoid any unnecessary resistance!"
Iceberg startled, taking several steps backward in shock. "Kalifa, you work for the government?"
"What? The government?" Paulie, who had been standing nearby, opened his eyes wide in disbelief. He rushed to Iceberg's side and whispered something urgently in his ear.
"Huh? You mean Jerry? What did he do?" Iceberg asked, his confusion evident.
"Yohohoho, has something happened to Mr. Jerry?" Brook inquired with concern, his skeletal features somehow managing to convey worry.
"Hey? What's wrong with Jerry?" Carrot asked, her earlier excitement replaced by confusion.
Carina and the others all looked puzzled, clearly having no idea what was unfolding. Before departing, Jerry had given Deuce a meaningful look that suggested he should adapt to whatever circumstances arose.
Deuce had been waiting for the right opportunity to explain their situation, but Kalifa had been following them closely throughout the ship inspection, preventing him from briefing everyone on Jerry's plan.
They had chosen to keep the crew largely uninformed because they worried about their acting abilities—especially Carrot, who might not be able to hide her emotions from trained government agents. However, since Jerry was handling the main action, any delayed understanding wouldn't significantly impact their mission.
"Don't worry about what Captain Jerry is doing," Skull said with knowing confidence. "We'll find out when we catch up with him."
While Skull had sensed that some kind of operation was in motion, he wasn't privy to the specific details.
"The World Government?" Deuce responded with mock innocence. "Kalifa, you should know that pirates don't take orders from government agents based on words alone."
After speaking, Deuce waved his arm to signal his friends to continue with their departure preparations.
Seeing that they remained completely indifferent and insisted on setting sail, Kalifa shouted desperately: "You'll face serious consequences if you oppose the World Government!"
Skull asked with obvious amusement in his voice: "Oh really? If we stop now, will the World Government cancel our bounties?"
Realizing that words were having no effect, Kalifa decided to take direct action. Her long legs lashed out at high speed, creating a sharp air blade through vacuum pressure that shot straight toward Deuce's face.
At that moment, Deuce hadn't yet moved to defend himself, and everyone saw only a blur of motion.
A figure flashed like lightning, and the crescent-shaped air slash disappeared without a trace in an instant.
Kotatsu had appeared in front of Deuce, easily intercepting the enemy's attack while letting out a warning growl. His enhanced mythical abilities made Kalifa's technique seem almost trivial.
"So you want to fight?" Deuce's eyes narrowed dangerously. The result didn't surprise him at all. He looked down at Kotatsu and declared with dramatic flair:
"It's decided—it's you! Go get her, Kotatsu!"
Then he waved his hand with renewed urgency: "Everyone else, let's go! We need to leave immediately. Jerry is waiting for us, and Marine forces will arrive soon."
As soon as he finished speaking, Kotatsu pounced forward with incredible speed, his wings extending as he engaged the CP9 agent.
Deuce looked at Iceberg calmly and nodded once in acknowledgment before beginning departure preparations with the rest of the crew.
On the shore near Shipwreck Island, Ace, Jerry, and Cavendish stood watching as a pirate ship turned and approached from the open water. Ace waved his hands excitedly.
"Wow! Here they come! Is that our new pirate ship?" Ace called out with obvious enthusiasm.
"Yes, that's our Black Nova," Jerry nodded with satisfaction, admiring the approaching ship.
"Huh? What's with that flag and the figurehead?" Cavendish looked puzzled, not quite understanding the imagery adorning the ship.
Under the brilliant sunshine, the pirate ship sailed across the sparkling water while flying the distinctive flag of the Black Star Pirates. On the billowing sail, their eye-catching emblem fluttered proudly in the wind.
The hull was significantly larger than their previous borrowed ship, and a unique figurehead had been added to the prow. It depicted a skull with a center-parted hairstyle wearing overalls—the same design as their pirate flag.
The figurehead appeared to be dribbling something between its legs, except where its open hands were positioned, two dark openings clearly housed the barrels of retractable cannons.
The figurehead had been Jerry's specific request, while the hidden cannons were Deuce's tactical addition. Similar to the paddle wheels on Ace's old Spade ship, there were concealed auxiliary propulsion systems along the sides.
Many other features were hidden within the ship's design, keeping the exterior appearance relatively modest rather than ostentatious.
"Hey! Over here!" Ace jumped up and down happily, waving his arms and cheering loudly as the pirate ship gradually approached their position.
At that moment, another ship quietly appeared on the sea to their flank.
The newly arrived ship was a warship flying Marine colors. It began bombarding the pirate ship before drawing close enough for boarding actions.
"Black Star Pirates! Surrender immediately!" came the commanding shout.
"Fire Fist Ace! Don't think you can escape this pursuit!" another voice added with equal determination.
The voices carried clearly across the water before the speakers came into view. Gion and Isuka appeared at the warship's bow, glaring intently at the Black Star Pirates as they approached the shore.
"Looks like they're here for us," Jerry observed calmly. "Let's make our escape and get aboard first."
After speaking to Ace, he turned to Cavendish and said with a casual wave: "Handsome guy, see you around!"
He and Ace exchanged a quick nod before quickening their pace and leaping toward the ship.
Suddenly, they heard the sound of galloping hooves behind them. Turning around, they saw Cavendish riding his beloved white horse Farul, which also jumped high and landed gracefully on the deck.
"Now wait just a minute—I never said I was leaving," Cavendish declared as Brook and Kotatsu moved to intercept incoming cannon shells, the booming explosions echoing across the water.
Cavendish dismounted with practiced elegance, producing a white rose from somewhere and twirling it between his fingers as he continued: "As my devoted fans, you've already earned my protection."
"I won't abandon you so easily. Besides, I've decided to sail with your crew for a while longer." After speaking, he struck a dramatic pose as if expecting gratitude and admiration for his magnanimous gesture.