OP: My Aircraft Carrier Evolves#166+167: Crocodile's Second Fruit! Ace vs. Jinbe, the Arrival of Whitebeard!

Nanohana.

Daifuku took Katakuri to find a doctor.

"The doctor? He's on a house call."

"Hey—"

Daifuku's expression turned menacing, but he stopped himself. He pleaded, "My brother is injured. Please, get him back here."

In the past, he would have just dragged the doctor over. He never would have spoken so humbly.

Fortunately, the nurse could see he was not a man to be trifled with and didn't dare refuse. She sent someone to fetch the doctor.

Meanwhile, Oven took the keys.

Guided by Stussy's people, he freed Smoothie, Perospero, and Galette.

"Oven, why do you look so battered?" Perospero wondered.

The three of them hadn't been mistreated after their capture. In fact, they looked to be in better shape than Oven.

"Don't ask..." Oven said with a grimace.

Galette, ever the sharp one, narrowed her eyes. "Don't tell me... YOU GOT BEATEN UP, TOO?"

Smoothie and Perospero both stared at him.

"It wasn't just me," Oven admitted. "Daifuku and Katakuri... he defeated them, too. And we lost another fruit."

"WHAT??"

Perospero was so shocked his tongue lolled out of his mouth.

Galette's face darkened. "Brother Katakuri..."

This was beyond anything she could have imagined. Katakuri was so strong. How could he have lost? It was unthinkable.

"What happened?" Smoothie asked, her expression grave.

Oven gave them the short version.

When he was done, the three of them were silent.

'You three gambling fools! You should have just rescued us! You had to push your luck??'

And now look at the price they had paid.

Six Devil Fruits... Even for the Big Mom Pirates, that was a significant strategic loss.

The thought was painful.

But more than the fruits, they were worried about Katakuri. They rushed to the clinic.

——————————————

Rainbase.

Stussy returned to the city with Jin and Crocodile. She was now intensely curious about Jin, though she didn't show it. She had simply said she wanted to look around Rainbase and asked if they could give her a ride.

After getting out of the car, she briefly parted ways with them.

She entered a tavern and gathered her thoughts.

'The intel said he also possesses a powerful Logia-type Devil Fruit, but he didn't use it at all.'

The intel had come from Kizaru.

After exchanging the countersign, Stussy went into the back room of the tavern. It was a Cipher Pol listening post, set up to monitor Rainbase and Crocodile.

She took the #06 Den Den Mushi from the station chief and contacted her superior in CP0.

"Was the transaction completed?"

"Yes," Stussy nodded. "There was a bit of a... conflict, but it went smoothly."

She didn't mention that they had fought. Her superiors only cared about results, not the process.

"Good," the voice on the other end said, its tone serious. "While you're in Rainbase, I want you to investigate the connection between Crocodile and that king. We have some intel suggesting that the Bounty Hunters' Guild isn't just Crocodile's operation—the king is involved as well. CP0's duty is to protect the Celestial Dragons. We must preemptively neutralize any and all potential threats."

"Understood," Stussy replied.

——————————————

"Stussy," Crocodile said, his voice a low growl. "That woman is more than she seems. I suspect she has ties to Cipher Pol. Don't let her fool you."

They were in the Rain-Dinners casino.

"Haha, of course," Jin laughed. He knew Crocodile was worried he'd fall into a honey trap.

It seemed his reputation preceded him.

There were pros and cons to that.

To put Crocodile's mind at ease, Jin added, "You're right. She's one of them. And not just Cipher Pol—she's from the most secretive branch, CP0."

Crocodile's brow furrowed. "She followed us here. Are we being watched?"

"Cipher Pol is the World Government's intelligence agency. Their network is vast, almost unimaginable. They have agents in every country, every major organization, even the Revolutionary Army. They might not be as strong as the Marines in a straight fight, but when it comes to espionage and subterfuge, they're second to none."

He was worried.

"Don't worry about her," Jin said calmly. "Don't let this stop you. Do what you have to do. Our connection, while subtle, isn't completely untraceable. But so what if they find out? For now, the World Government needs the Warlords to maintain the balance of power. Stability... is paramount. As long as we don't cross that line, the Five Elders will turn a blind eye. To them, we're not a threat yet."

Crocodile's expression relaxed, and a slow smile spread across his face. Jin's words had restored his confidence.

This wasn't baseless confidence. It was built on the foundation of Jin's incredible power and the growing legend of their organization. As a member, he knew some of its secrets, and he had high hopes for its future.

"By the way," Jin asked, "have you decided? Which fruit will you choose for your second ability?"

"I've considered several," Crocodile replied. "None of them felt right. I'll go with your suggestion—the Bomb-Bomb Fruit. My Sand-Sand Fruit is geared toward crowd control. Paired with the explosive power of the Bomb-Bomb Fruit, my offensive output will be much greater."

Jin nodded. Sand and explosions—a walking sandstorm. It was the perfect choice for Crocodile.

Through his bond with the demonic carrier, even from a great distance, Jin could access its interface. He granted the ability of the "Paramecia Bomb-Bomb Fruit" to Crocodile.

A deep, whale-like cry echoed in Crocodile's mind, and his very soul seemed to tremble. A kaleidoscope of bizarre colors flashed before his eyes.

He saw a massive warship, blazing with light, and a golden tether of flame connecting him to it.

A searing heat spread across his chest from the mark Jin had given him, and a strange energy surged through his body, merging with him.

———————————

[Position: Boatswain]

[Name: Sir Crocodile]

[Authority: Level 3]

[Height: 253cm]

[Abilities: Logia Sand-Sand Fruit | Paramecia Bomb-Bomb Fruit]

[Lineage: N/A]

[Haki: Armament | Observation]

[Composite Doriki: 16,750 - 28,410]

[Evaluation: Top-tier intellect and strategic mind. A master planner. His will was once broken, causing him to waste his potential. He has now reclaimed his ambition and reawakened his power.]

———————————

Crocodile's stats had changed. He had awakened two types of Haki, and his Doriki had nearly doubled.

He had rediscovered the man he once was. The change in his mindset, his will, his spirit—it was all fueling his rapid growth.

It seemed impossible, but it was perfectly in line with the unspoken rule of the pirate world: the power of will.

Mindset and will were everything. Once a person lost the heart of a conqueror, their Haki, their Devil Fruit abilities—everything would weaken.

<><><><><><><><>

Rain-Dinners casino.

Stussy sat at the bar, one arm propped on the counter, her long, white legs crossed. Her tall figure and striking features drew the attention of many men.

She turned them all down.

She had already found out that after a bit of gambling, Jin would come to the bar for a drink to relax.

Sure enough, out of the corner of her eye, she saw him walking toward her, a stack of chips in his hand and a smile on his face.

When two people are on the same page, things tend to go smoothly. It's called synergy.

Jin slid onto the stool next to her and struck up a conversation, talking about everything from the pleasure quarters to women to the Four Emperors.

When someone wants to talk to you, you can talk about a pile of shit and they'll still listen intently, validating your every word.

When they had talked enough, when the mood was right, they naturally linked arms and went up to a room together.

"Sigh..."

The men who had been eyeing Stussy all shook their heads and cursed the man's luck, then went off in search of their next target.

"Calm."

The moment they entered the room, Jin used his ability to create a completely soundproof space.

Stussy was shocked. She couldn't hear a thing.

Her eyes widened. 'Could it be... a Devil Fruit ability?? The ability to erase sound! But... wasn't his Devil Fruit the Logia-type Rumble-Rumble Fruit?'

'How could he have Corazon's Calm-Calm Fruit?'

As the Queen of the Pleasure Quarter and a member of CP0, Stussy knew all about the Op-Op Fruit incident. She knew the characteristics and abilities of the Calm-Calm Fruit.

She had lived a long time. Her mind was a repository of all sorts of intelligence.

Almost instinctively, bat wings sprouted from her back, and fangs, like a vampire's, grew in her mouth. She lunged at Jin, aiming for his neck.

Zoan-type... Bat-Bat Fruit.

A bite to the neck, and he would be put into a deep sleep.

But Jin's hand shot out and closed around her throat in a vice-like grip. He lifted her off the ground.

"Hey, calm down," he said. "I'm not going to kill you. I just want to talk. If you agree, just say 'yes' in your mind."

'In my mind? Alright.' Stussy thought.

Jin let her go.

She dropped to the floor, clutching her slender neck, coughing, her face flushed from the lack of air.

Strangely, she couldn't hear her own coughing. It was deathly quiet.

Jin walked over to the sofa and sat down. "I know you're from CP0,"

Stussy could hear his voice.

She looked up, stunned.

"I have connections to the Celestial Dragons," he continued. "And I have people in CP0. Also, my Observation Haki... allows me to read minds."

Stussy understood. A wave of fear washed over her.

Mind-reading Observation Haki... she had heard that the Fish-Man Queen Otohime possessed it. Jin had it too?

"I want to know about someone," Jin said. "Vegapunk. A genius with technology five hundred years ahead of its time, completely controlled by the World Government. I want to get my hands on some of his research. You're going to help me... Number 1 of MADS."

He stared at her.

Stussy was shocked again.

His words had stripped her bare, leaving her feeling cold and exposed. Her secrets... were they all out in the open?

Who had told him these things?

Vinsmoke Judge?

Caesar Clown?

She looked at Jin and suddenly felt that this young man's ambition was far more terrifying than anyone could have imagined. He was like...

Rocks.

"Perhaps," Jin said, "when the World Government decides it's time to eliminate Vegapunk, I'll be there to save him."

That was his offer.

Vegapunk's Seraphim and other technologies were incredibly advanced. Judge was working on his own research, but he was still in the early stages. And though he would never admit it, Vegapunk, with his Brain-Brain Fruit, was the superior scientist.

But Vegapunk's location was a "forbidden zone."

Saturn of the Five Elders was always watching.

Jin was too famous now, too conspicuous. He couldn't get close.

He could either wait for that lab accident to happen...

Or he could try a different approach. Through Stussy. Her identity would allow her to get close to Vegapunk, a reasonable and safe plan.

Stussy considered it. She was also worried about Vegapunk's safety. If she had Jin's help in the future...

She quickly made up her mind and gave a slight nod.

With the deal struck, Jin released the "Calm" space. They didn't leave the room until the next morning.

Many people saw them leave together.

Crocodile was speechless.

'Whatever. As long as it doesn't affect the overall plan.'

He began to set up the Bounty Hunters' Guild in Alabasta, expanding its reach to the surrounding seas and islands.

Jin left Rainbase and traveled to a ruin in the desert—the same one Luffy and the others had fallen into.

There was a stone tablet there, similar to a Poneglyph. But it told the history of Sandy Island, not the Void Century.

After Robin had translated it, she prepared a copy, which Jin secretly gave to Cobra.

Why secretly?

Studying history was a dangerous business.

After that, Jin, Robin, and Vivi traveled around, waiting for the demonic carrier to finish refining the ore it had collected.

——————————————

The New World.

On a certain island, an explosion rocked the landscape. More than half of the island's trees were scorched, the ground pockmarked with craters.

After four full days, the battle was still raging.

Jinbe the Knight of the Sea vs. "Fire Fist" Ace!

A battle to the death.

To stop Ace from challenging Whitebeard, Jinbe had come all the way from Fish-Man Island to defeat him here.

For four days and four nights, they had fought.

They fell, and they got back up...

Both were giving it their all.

Now, it was a battle of will, of life force. They were consuming what little energy they had left.

Jinbe was a master of Fish-Man Karate, a martial art passed down through the Ryugu Kingdom, its essence the control of water. It wasn't just simple strikes. His shockwaves could pass through the water in any living being, in the ground, even in the air.

Ace didn't just have the Logia Flare-Flare Fruit. He had been training since he was a child, had absorbed the lessons of countless battles, and had awakened all three types of Haki.

On the surface, he seemed invincible. But his opponent was one of the Seven Warlords. A battle of this level was astounding.

Ace's flames had nearly died out. He was on the verge of death, lying on the ground.

"Hah... hah..."

His breath coming in ragged, wheezing gasps, Jinbe also collapsed.

His clothes were scorched, and his three-meter-tall body was as helpless as a beached fish.

After five days, there was still no clear winner.

"Hey! Stop it! You're going to kill each other!"

The members of the Spade Pirates were powerless to intervene. All they could do was watch from a distance.

Seeing that neither man could get back up, Deuce resolved to stop them. He jumped ashore and helped Ace to his feet.

"Ace, I'm getting you out of here. For your own sake."

"Deuce... it's not over yet!" Ace struggled, but he was so badly injured that he didn't even have the strength to break free.

Just then, through the morning mist, a massive, circular shadow, like a great whale, appeared on the sea.

"Ah..." Deuce gasped.

Ace looked up.

The whale-like shape drew closer, but it made no sound.

It had massive masts, billowing sails, and on its bow, a giant Whitebeard skull.

The Moby Dick.

"Who is it that seeks to take my head?" a voice, old but still full of power, boomed across the shore. "As you wish... I will be your opponent."

Standing on the prow of the great white whale was one of the Emperors of the New World, Edward Newgate.

"It's the Whitebeard Pirates..." the members of the Spade Pirates whispered in awe.

"Pops!" Marco, Thatch, and the other division commanders called out, worried.

"I can handle this alone," Whitebeard said.

He gripped his familiar bisento and tapped the end of its handle on the rail of the ship.

A thunderous shockwave tore through the air.

The bisento was as tall as the mast of a small ship, and Whitebeard's massive frame was a perfect match for it.

A suffocating, overwhelming, indescribable pressure washed over them.

Ace's crew was frozen, as if they had been petrified. Some of them collapsed to the ground, their strength completely gone.

Whitebeard swung his bisento.

A blast of wind, like a slash from a master swordsman, shot toward the Spade Pirates.

A series of screams rang out.

Ace, who had been on the verge of unconsciousness, was jolted awake. He sensed the danger, threw Deuce toward his crewmates, and dragged his battered body forward to face Whitebeard alone.