The sea was calm — deceptively calm. The morning sky glowed faintly gold as the Oro Jackson, reborn under the banner of the Nyx Pirates, cut through the waters of the Grand Line like a blade through silk. The sails shimmered with their new insignia.
At the helm stood Ada, her expression calm yet unreadable, eyes scanning the horizon like she could see beyond the world itself.
Beside her, Mihawk leaned on the railing, his sharp gaze fixed on the sea, and Bullet was lounging against a mast, muscles still sore from their last battle.
Enel, the newest addition to the crew, sat cross-legged on the deck, toying with tiny sparks of electricity between his fingers.
It was Mihawk who broke the silence.
"So," he said quietly, eyes narrowing. "Where are we heading next, Ada?"
Ada didn't turn. The sea breeze lifted her hair, the faintest smile ghosting her lips.
"Water 7."
Bullet raised an eyebrow. "That shipwright island? What are we going there for? You planning to upgrade the Oro Jackson?"
Ada's voice was steady, but there was weight in every word. "No. We're going to claim Pluton."
The air froze. Even Enel's sparks flickered out.
Mihawk's gaze sharpened.
"You mean the ancient weapon? The ship said to erase entire islands in a single strike?"
Bullet stood, cracking his knuckles. "You can't be serious, Ada. That thing's a damn legend — no one even knows if it's real."
Ada finally turned to face them, her eyes glinting with quiet certainty. "It's real. And I know where its blueprints are."
Mihawk folded his arms, intrigued. "How could you possibly know that?"
Ada stepped down from the helm and crossed the deck.
"Long ago, before the Roger Pirates reached the end of the world, Roger told me about Water 7. He said the greatest shipwrights in history once built a weapon so powerful that the World Government feared it — and tried to erase its existence."
Her tone darkened, voice carrying the sharpness of memory. "He told me those same shipwrights passed the blueprints down secretly, generation to generation… right here, in Water 7."
Enel frowned. "And you think they'll just hand them over?"
Ada smirked faintly. "They will. One way or another."
The deck fell silent again — not in fear, but in awe. Mihawk's lips curved slightly.
"You've changed, Ada. Before, you spoke of freedom. Now, you speak of domination."
Ada glanced toward the horizon, her voice low and cold. "Freedom means nothing if it's given by those in power. I intend to take it."
———————
The Oro Jackson cut through the last of the morning mist as the grand city of Water 7 appeared in the distance — canals glittering under the sun, ship masts crowding the skyline like a forest of dreams and ambition.
The moment the Oro Jackson entered the main harbor, a wave of commotion erupted among the citizens.
"That ship—!"
"No way… that's the Oro Jackson!"
"The Pirate King's ship?! But— the flag—!"
"It's not the Roger Pirates… look! The sails — it says NYX!"
"It's them… the Nyx Pirates!"
Within minutes, word spread like wildfire. Shopkeepers dropped their tools, shipwrights froze mid-work, and even the local guards hesitated, unsure whether to draw their weapons or bow to the living legends approaching their shores.
The Oro Jackson glided to the docks with an almost regal grace. Ada stood at the front, hands clasped behind her back, exuding quiet command.
Mihawk leapt onto the pier first, his boots clicking against the planks, while Bullet followed with his usual swagger. Enel descended last, his golden drums gleaming faintly under the sunlight, lightning buzzing faintly across his shoulders.
Every eye was on Ada as she stepped down — the woman once known as a member of the Pirate King's crew, now leading a crew of her own. Her gaze swept across the harbor, sharp and assessing, until she spotted a familiar figure.
"Tom."
The giant fish-man shipwright turned, welding torch still in hand. His broad face broke into disbelief — then recognition.
"No way… Ada?!"
Ada smiled faintly and said. "Been a while, old friend."
Tom strode forward, his footsteps heavy and echoing against the wood. "I thought you were gone with Roger and his dream."
"Dreams don't die," Ada said simply. "They evolve."
Tom's eyes drifted past her to the Oro Jackson. "You still sail her, huh? I never thought I'd see that ship again."
"She's the finest ship ever built," Ada said. "And she'll carry a new dream now."
Tom chuckled, though his expression darkened slightly. "You always had that same fire in your eyes… but this time, I can tell it's burnin' hotter."
Ada met his gaze, tone lowering. "You're right. I didn't come here for memories, Tom. I came for Pluton."
The laughter vanished from Tom's face. His torch hissed as he turned it off, the flame dying between them.
The shipwright froze. His welding torch hissed as he turned it off. "…What did you just say?"
Ada's voice stayed level, but her gaze was sharp enough to cut steel. "You heard me, Tom."
"Pluton?" he repeated, voice low and wary. "Don't joke about that name, Ada."
He took a slow, heavy breath. "You shouldn't even say that name out loud, girl."
Bullet intrigued. "You mean it's real then?"
Tom shot him a glare and said. "It's real, and it's damn dangerous. That ship could erase islands from the sea. The Government's been hunting for it since before you were born."
Mihawk and Bullet exchanged glances. Enel looked mildly confused but intrigued.
Tom took a slow step back. "You realize what you're askin'? That weapon ain't a myth. It's real — and it's death itself."
Ada's eyes didn't waver. "Then it's better if it's with me — where it'll be safe."
Tom blinked, unsure if he heard her right. "Safe? That thing ain't a toy, Ada! Why would you even want somethin' like that?"
Ada's voice was calm, but her words carried steel.
"I want to make the world listen."
Tom stared at her, genuinely stunned.
"You mean to use it?"
"If I must," Ada said. "The World Government built this system on fear. Maybe it's time they learned what fear truly feels like."
Bullet grinned approvingly, while Mihawk's gaze hardened — not in disagreement, but in understanding.
Mihawk folded his arms, his tone dry. "You're walking the line between savior and destroyer."
Ada's gaze hardened, her voice low and steady. "I'm walking the only path that leads forward — the one that doesn't look back."
Tom shook his head slowly. "Roger wanted to understand the world. You… you want to change it."
"Roger dreamed," Ada replied softly. "And they killed him for it."
"And if I say no?" he finally asked, his voice low — not in defiance, but in weary caution.
Ada didn't flinch. She didn't threaten, didn't raise her weapon. Instead, she took a slow step forward, the dim light catching the faint shimmer of Haki radiating from her — a quiet pressure that made the air itself seem to bend. Her eyes burned, not with anger, but with purpose.
"Then I'll leave," she said evenly, her tone calm yet sharp enough to cut steel. "And the world will keep turning — ruled by men who've never touched the sea or felt its freedom. But if you help me, Tom… we might actually change it."
Her words lingered in the air like the calm before a storm. Mihawk stood nearby, arms crossed, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly — studying both of them. There was no arrogance in Ada's voice, only conviction. A kind of authority that didn't need to be shouted.
Bullet leaned against a beam, a faint grin curling his lip. "Hmph. Guess this is how she gets people to follow her — not with power, but with that damn fire in her eyes."
For a long time, neither spoke. The waves lapped softly against the docks, carrying the silence between them.
Tom then let out a long exhale, the sound almost a laugh, almost a sigh. He looked down at his calloused hands — hands that had built legends, from merchant ships to the Oro Jackson itself.
"Still got Roger's stubbornness," he muttered, shaking his head. Then his gaze softened, nostalgia flickering beneath his stern expression. "And that same spark in your eyes. The kind that makes fools chase impossible seas."
Finally, Tom sighed, setting down his tools.
"Follow me."
——————-
He led them deep through the canals, to an old, nearly abandoned dry dock built into the cliffs. The smell of oil and steel hung thick in the air. At the end stood a sealed door of reinforced steel — marked with the ancient symbol of the shipwright guild.
Tom placed a massive hand on the lock, his tone heavy. "These blueprints have been passed down since before the Void Century. The World Government's been lookin' for them for centuries — and if they ever got 'em, they'd burn the seas to ash."
He turned to face Ada, eyes filled with conflict. "You're the last person I expected to come askin' for it."
Ada stepped closer and said. "I won't destroy the world, Tom. But I won't let it keep devouring itself either."
Tom snorted, a low chuckle escaping him. "You talk like a god, Ada."
Ada's gaze didn't waver. "No," she said evenly. "Just someone tired of nobles and rulers who think the world bends to their whims."
That answer silenced him.
Tom finally turned the key. The locks released with a mechanical click, and the door swung open. Inside, layers of protective steel and glass framed an ancient chest — dusty, old, but untouched.
"These blueprints have been hidden here for centuries," he said quietly. "The Government would tear this city apart if they knew."
He turned to Ada, his face drawn, his voice grave. "You sure you want to carry this burden? It's not somethin' you can ever turn back from."
Ada's reply came quiet but unwavering. "Roger sought the truth. I'll protect it."
Tom approached and lifted the lid, revealing a set of blueprints carefully sealed within waterproof casing. Even Mihawk's composure faltered for a moment, his golden eyes narrowing in fascination.
"Pluton…" he murmured. "It's real."
Bullet whistled. "So that's the monster the world fears."
Ada's gaze softened as she stared at the parchment — at the design of a ship capable of sinking nations. She reached out slowly, her fingertips brushing the casing.
"The world won't fear us," she said. "Not yet. But they'll remember this day as the moment fear changed sides."
Tom sighed, running a hand over his forehead. "You really ain't kiddin'."
Ada moved closer, her presence calm but commanding. "Then don't give it to me because I'm worthy," she said. "Give it to me because you trust me."
Tom hesitated, his brow furrowed.
Her voice softened — barely. "The Government will find it someday. They'll build it again, and they'll use it. But if it's with me — I'll make sure that never happens."
The old shipwright studied her for a long moment. Then, finally, he let out a low sigh, the kind that seemed to carry years of unspoken faith.
"Heh," he murmured. "You sound just like Roger when he made me build the Oro Jackson."
His voice turned serious, though a faint, weary smile lingered at the corner of his lips. "Promise me one thing, Ada."
She looked up. "What is it?"
"Promise me you'll protect it," he said, his tone low and solemn. "Don't let anyone use it to destroy this world."
Ada took the case, her gaze steady — cold, but resolute. "I promise."
Tom's smile deepened just slightly. "Then I'll hold you to it, Crimson Shadow."
He handed the blueprint to her.
"But if you build that ship… you'll never have peace again."
"Peace was never part of the plan," Ada said, tucking the blueprint beneath her coat.
——————-
As the Nyx Pirates walked back through the shipyard, the citizens watched in silence. The whispers grew louder.
"That woman… she was part of the Pirate King's crew."
"The Nyx Pirates… they're going to change everything."
When Ada reached the Oro Jackson, Tom stood at the pier, arms crossed. "I hope you know what you're doin', Ada."
"I do," she said without turning. "And when the world trembles, remember — it all started here."
Tom's voice softened, almost wistful. "Roger said somethin' similar once. I just hope your path doesn't end like his."
The sails unfurled. The wind caught them, propelling the Oro Jackson away from the docks.
Mihawk adjusted his hat, speaking quietly beside her. "You really intend to use it?"
"Not yet," Ada replied. "The world still has cards to play. But the moment they strike first— we strike last."
Enel leaned against the rail, lightning flickering around his fingers. "This world has no idea what's coming — when monsters and legends decide to sail under the same flag."
Ada's gaze was on the horizon. "This world's about to learn what happens when people stop waiting for salvation."
As the ship began to move, its great hull parting the water with calm authority.
Mihawk glancing toward the case in her hands. "So," he said evenly, "what now?"
Ada's eyes stayed on the horizon. "Now? We keep it safe. If the World Government ever learns I have this… they'll come for me with everything they've got."
Bullet cracked his knuckles, a grin forming. "Heh. Let 'em come."
"They will," Ada replied. "But until then… the world's balance stays in my hands."
The Oro Jackson disappeared into the mist once more — carrying the blueprint of the world's deadliest weapon, and the resolve of a woman whose name would soon echo across the seas.