Chapter 221: Chapter 221: The New Ship Sets Sail
"Is this the new boat they made? It looks pretty good."
Floating on the sea was a small ship, about the size of the Going Merry, but with a dragon's head statue at the bow, giving it a majestic appearance.
During the battle at the Holy Land Mary Geoise, Shin not only expended one life but also smashed the warship he had taken from Zephyr's to pieces. Naturally, he needed a new ship. Fortunately, among the slaves rescued from the Celestial Dragons were skilled shipbuilders. Despite the lack of factories and the harsh environment, these craftsmen managed to construct a small ship comparable to the Going Merry. While they couldn't build a massive vessel, such a ship was sufficient for Shin's purposes.
Given Shin's dark dimension ability to store items and the small number of people in his crew, this modest ship perfectly suited their needs.
"I can finally leave. I'm getting tired of staying on this island," Charlotte Pudding stretched as she spoke.
Kyros, however, looked worried. "Will those slaves be okay staying here?"
"We can't possibly take all of them home. Who knows what would happen to them once they return anyway?" Shin rolled his eyes. While he was willing to lend a hand to rescue these slaves, the idea of personally escorting tens of thousands of people back to their homes scattered across the world was too much.
"If we come across groups like the Revolutionary Army in the future, we can inform them. I'm sure many of these former Celestial Dragon slaves would be eager to join their cause," Shin suggested.
"That's probably the best course of action," Kyros sighed.
"Brother-in-law, you don't need to worry so much," Violet chimed in. "These slaves are skilled and capable, and their strength isn't weak. This is just the first half of the Grand Line. They should be fine staying here."
She had a point. While most of the slaves didn't have bounties over 100 million, some were pirates with bounties in the tens of millions. Combined, their strength rivaled that of many nations.
Violet's attitude toward Shin had shifted considerably since the rescue. Initially, her loyalty had been more out of obligation, but now it felt more genuine. She even used her ability to scout the seas proactively, offering valuable intelligence rather than merely following orders.
"Fine, let's record the location and leave it for now. If the opportunity arises later, we can handle it then," Shin concluded. "Now, it's time to embark on a new journey."
"What's the next destination?" Charlotte Pudding asked eagerly. Then, with a grin, she added, "Captain, even if we're still technically part of the Whitebeard Pirates, we should at least name our new ship. A grand name, no less!"
Shin frowned in thought before finally replying, "Let's call it the Azure Dragon."
"That's such a lazy name! Captain, you switch devil fruits so often; this doesn't even represent your image! It's too careless!"
"Why overthink it? The name Azure Dragon is noble and elegant. With the clear sky and the flying dragon—it's perfect!" Shin argued, though even he knew it was a name he had devised on a whim.
And so, the name was finalized. The crew boarded the Azure Dragon and embarked on their new journey.
"First, we need to figure out where we are. Without a Log Pose, we're lost. Violet, can you scout the nearest ship or island?" Shin asked once the ship had set sail.
"The nearest ship around is a group of pirate ships. But near them, there's a vast shadowy sea area. It should be the famous Florian Triangle, which seems to be chasing those pirate ships!" Violet reported.
"The Florian Triangle? A moving sea area that chases ships?" Charlotte Pudding's eyes widened as she clung to Shin. "I've heard of it before! They say it's a deadly sea where no one ever escapes once they enter!"
"What nonsense," Ulti scoffed. "Three-eyed girl, are you scared? The Florian Triangle is where Kaido's former challenger, the shadow manipulator Gecko Moria, resides. He's nothing but a has-been who fled the New World. If you're afraid of him, you might as well go home and drink milk!"
"Who are you calling scared, you ironhead brat?!"
"I'm telling you to go home and drink milk, three-eyed girl!" Ulti shot back.
"Here we go again," Shin sighed before turning to Page One. "Page One, take the helm. Violet, direct us toward the Florian Triangle. Let me know when we're close to the pirate ships or the Triangle itself."
With that, Shin turned and headed back to the cabin.
Charlotte Pudding and Ulti exchanged glares before huffing and going their separate ways. Under Violet's guidance, Page One steered the Azure Dragon toward the Florian Triangle.
Shin claimed he was going to rest, but in reality, he only needed two hours of sleep each day to restore his energy, thanks to the implanted chip in his body. The time he spent in the cabin was devoted to his Devil Fruit fusion research.
However, there were still many hurdles to overcome in the fusion process. By Shin's estimation, it would take at least another year or two to achieve success, which would allow him to awaken the full potential of the Dark-Dark Fruit and Munch-Munch Fruit.
*******************************
For each power stones milestone—25, 50, 100, 150, and beyond—I will release a bonus chapter.
If you would like to gain early access, you can join me at www.patre on.com/bookbattalion