Dragoniax

OP: My Aircraft Carrier Evolves#51+52: A 5 Billion Berri Deal! Assigning a Position: Boatswain Crocodile! An Invitation for Robin!

Added 2025-09-10 14:15:07 +0000 UTC

Soon, an expedition team, riding on Super Spot-Billed Ducks, departed from the royal capital. The members were:

Jin, Vivi, Maya, Robin, Pell, Chaka.

They traveled from the royal capital to Rainbase, then to Yuba, Erumalu, and Katorea, visiting every town along the way. Like a player clearing the fog of war on a map, Ai created a more precise, 3D map of the region.

Along the way, they also encountered the unique fauna of Sandy Island: Sea Cats, Warusagi Birds, Kung-Fu Dugongs, and Moving Crabs.

Jin took a particular interest in the Mescal Cactus, which could be used to create a powerful stimulant that caused hallucinations. Perhaps it could be integrated into "Dream," creating a "Dream 2.0" to further corrupt those insects.

Their final stop was the former mining town, now the Yuba Grand Desert, a no-man's land.

"Can you still go on, Princess Vivi?" Jin asked the exhausted princess before they entered the desert. For the past two days, they had been traveling non-stop. An adult would have struggled to keep up, let alone a child.

Vivi gritted her teeth.

"I can," she said, her voice filled with a stubborn determination.

—————————

Two days later.

The group returned to the royal capital, covered in dust. Even Pell and Chaka were exhausted. The Super Spot-Billed Duck Squad was on the verge of collapse. They looked at Jin with a mixture of fear and awe. The guy was a monster. Didn't he ever get tired?

King Cobra was surprised to hear they had returned. It had only been five days.

"What happened to you all...?" he asked, looking at the disheveled Pell and Chaka, and at Vivi, who was fast asleep on the back of her duck, Karoo.

"Don't even ask," Pell sighed, and he briefly recounted their journey.

Cobra and Igaram were filled with a mixture of pity and pride. Igaram's wife, Terracotta, quickly took Vivi to her room to rest.

Back at the hotel, Jin took a shower and changed into clean clothes. Maya and Robin didn't even bother to wash, they just collapsed onto their beds and fell asleep.

He went to the palace to speak with Cobra.

"You want to buy the Yuba Grand Desert?"

"That's right,"

Jin said. "To be frank, there's a sizable iron vein in the Yuba Grand Desert. And there are also deposits of gold, copper, silver, and tin. Of course, as you know, those areas have mostly been mined out. The remaining reserves are unknown. But I'm a man who enjoys a bit of a gamble. I want to try my luck. And for your country, that land is completely worthless. So why not just sell it to me?"

"What's your price?" Cobra asked after a moment of thought.

"Five Billion Berries—"

In the world of One Piece, was Five Billion Berries a lot? Not really. It was enough to catch Roger. For a country with a population of ten million, it wasn't a huge sum.

But Alabasta's finances, under Cobra's "benevolent" rule, were in a precarious state. The royal coffers were empty.

The rebellion of a million people that would sweep the kingdom in four years... was it really just because of Crocodile's machinations? He wasn't trying to excuse Crocodile, but when a country is on the brink of rebellion, external factors are often just a symptom. The real problem is internal. And at the root of it all is money.

Five Billion Berries. For a useless desert... Cobra was tempted. It would be a godsend for the kingdom's finances.

But...

"Don't look at me like that," Jin said. "Five Billion. Non-negotiable. If you want to sell, we'll sign a contract. If not, I can choose other mining areas."

After much deliberation, Cobra said, "Deal. Can you pay the Five Billion in one lump sum?"

"No," Jin countered. "I can pay one billion upfront. The rest will be in trade, or in installments as my own finances grow."

The one billion was the cash on hand in Crocodile's base in Rainbase. In a sense, it was Alabasta's money anyway. Crocodile had been operating there for years without paying a single Berri in taxes.

With the broad strokes agreed upon, the rest was just details. The two kings quickly finalized the contract.

The supplies from the Empress (Ship) were quickly transported to the royal capital and distributed to the various cities. Jin didn't concern himself with the logistics.

He, Maya, and Robin returned to the ship and set sail along the east coast, toward the eastern shore of the Yuba region.

The demonic carrier cut through the water, its wake like white foam. White gulls flew alongside the ship, hunting for fish.

Robin leaned against the rail, observing the strange vessel. It looked like an ordinary sloop, but she had never seen a single crew member adjust the sails or man the helm. In fact, she had hardly seen any crew on the deck at all. And the space inside the cabin was abnormally large.

"Miss Robin! Time to eat," a voice called out. Robin didn't have to look. She knew it was Maya, probably assigned by the king to keep an eye on her.

The cook, wearing a bear costume, simply clapped his hands, and the dishes appeared on the table.

After dinner, Jin went to the infirmary to check on Crocodile. His constitution wasn't as robust as a Zoan user's, but he was recovering quickly. Aside from his left arm, he was mostly fine.

"Crocodile," Jin said, "our next stop is the eastern port of Tamarisk. You can disembark there. You don't need me to do anything else, right?"

"No," Jin shook his head. "For now, just manage Rainbase, develop Baroque Works, and transition it into a bounty hunter's guild. The bounty hunters of this world are a force to be reckoned with. Oh, and help me gather information on Devil Fruits."

"You want Devil Fruits?" Crocodile said. "I bought a Paramecia fruit on the black market a while ago. If you want it, you can have it."

"Oh? What kind of fruit?"

"The Bomb-Bomb Fruit."

Mr. 5's fruit.

Jin's interest was piqued. The Bomb-Bomb Fruit allows the user to make any part of their body explode and grants immunity to gunpowder and all other explosive attacks. He needed it.

The demonic carrier, with the Bomb-Bomb Fruit... it would be unstoppable.

"I'll take it," Jin said with a smile. "—Also, there's one more formality. I'm giving you a position in my organization. Boatswain or Gunner, take your pick."

A position? Like Mr. 0's codenames?

"I'll take Boatswain," Crocodile said.

"Alright." The position could be changed later. It didn't matter.

"Something strange is about to happen," Jin said. "Don't resist. I need my ship to accept you."

Hm? Crocodile's eyes narrowed. He had been recuperating on this ship for days. He had a feeling that something was not right with it.

Jin opened the ship's interface. He filled in "Crocodile" under the "Boatswain" position, then focused his will.

"Woooooooooom..."

With a low, whale-like groan, the infirmary came alive, the walls and floor transforming into a writhing, monstrous mass that enveloped Crocodile.

He was horrified. A primal fear shot through him, and a cold sweat broke out on his skin.

What is this monster?!

"Hey! Don't move!"

Crocodile gritted his teeth and decided to trust Jin.

He closed his eyes.

His information quickly appeared under the "Boatswain" category.

——————

[Position: Boatswain]

[Name: Crocodile]

[Authority Level: 3]

[Height: 253cm]

[Ability: Logia Sand-Sand Fruit]

[Lineage Factor: None]

[Haki: None]

[Composite Doriki: 9750-16850]

[Evaluation: Intellect and strategy are top-tier. A master planner. Possesses great potential, but has wasted his time due to a shattered will.]

——————

Crocodile had potential. After his defeat by Luffy and his time in Impel Down, he had grown rapidly and had put on an impressive performance at the Summit War.

[Scan complete. Boatswain's limb is damaged. Consume Soul Crystals to initiate repairs?]

"Huh?" Jin was surprised.

It can repair limbs?

If Imu's power could make the God's Knights "immortal," was it so strange that the demonic carrier could repair a severed limb?

"Repair it."

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

Tamarisk.

The eastern port of Alabasta, the same one the Straw Hats departed from in the original story. The Empress docked.

Jin dropped off Crocodile and Mr. 1.

Then, the ship continued north.

The sun beat down. Crocodile raised his left arm—a perfectly whole, undamaged hand—to shield his eyes from the blistering heat.

Sunlight filtered through his fingers, casting a shadow that failed to hide the shock and joy on his face. Years ago, after losing his hand, he had replaced it with his signature golden hook. He never thought he would have it back.

Beside him, Mr. 1 was equally stunned. "Boss... your hand!"

He was completely bewildered. "What happened?"

Crocodile lowered his hand. He didn't answer, instead asking, "What happened to you after you boarded the ship?"

Mr. 1, full name Daz Bonez, was a formerly infamous assassin and the user of the Paramecia Dice-Dice Fruit. He had joined Baroque Works after learning Crocodile was its leader. He was the man who had helped Zoro learn to Cut Steel and had even blocked a slash from Mihawk during the Summit War.

Baroque Works didn't employ slackers; it was full of talent. As a team, they were a disaster, but individually, they were all stars.

"After we boarded," Mr. 1 said, "—we fell into a dark space. Then... I was knocked out."

He rubbed the back of his head. "The punch was surprisingly... gentle. It knocked me out, but it didn't hurt much."

Crocodile glanced in the direction the ship had gone. Someone who can knock out Mr. 1 with a single punch... is there another powerhouse on that ship?

—————————

"The repair function works on authorized crew members," Jin summarized aboard the demonic carrier. "It consumes soul crystals, and there's a period of weakness after the repair is complete."

He opened the ship's interface.

——————

[Primary Authority: Captain Jin]

[Hull Data: Length 48m | Width 22m | Height 12.6m | Weight 150 Tons]
[Internal Space: 420 x 108 x 42 m³]

[Armaments: Main Cannons (3) | Heavy Cannons (5) | Firearms (1239) | Blades (1564)]

[Crew: Bartholomew Kuma (Cook) | Sir Crocodile (Boatswain)]

——————

"The purge on Hannabal Island gave me a nice boost in soul crystals," Jin mused. "And the mine is more than enough to cover the mineral requirements. After we leave Alabasta, I can head into the 'jungle' to grind for a bit, level up, and then upgrade again."

The "jungle," of course, was the vast open sea. He needed all the soul crystals and Biological Matter he could get.

But you don't foul your own nest, and you can't shear the same sheep forever. It was time to see what other regions had to offer.

It was time for a trip around the world.

"A trip around the world?"

Robin, still in her dark, cowgirl-style outfit that accentuated her long, sexy, and capable figure, looked at him from under the brim of her hat.

This was a woman of exceptional beauty, but it was her quiet, scholarly, and steady temperament that was truly captivating.

However, a faint trace of unease, of melancholy, of suspicion toward all outsiders, lingered in the depths of her eyes. It was not something an ordinary person could see.

She had been through too much. Her home destroyed, a life on the run, conspiracies, betrayals... She had endured too much.

Robin had to protect herself with a thick, impenetrable shell.

Without a major, life-altering event, it was unlikely she would ever trust anyone again.

In the original story, although she had boarded the Going Merry here in Alabasta, it wasn't until the Enies Lobby incident that she had truly come to see the Straw Hats as her family.

Jin figured he needed to have a heart-to-heart with her.

"I've heard your story," he began.

Instantly, Robin tensed, her heart pounding.

"Don't worry," Jin said. "I don't care about any of that. The news reports... the 'Demon Child' who destroyed Ohara... is that the truth? You don't have to answer. Everyone has their own past, their own secrets. And I'm not keeping you on this ship out of pity. I'm keeping you for your years of experience on these seas, and for your vast knowledge. I'm planning to explore some ancient islands, to visit other countries. I need a scholar to help me with that. In exchange, I will protect you. I will support your research. Including... your work deciphering the Poneglyphs."

The color drained from Robin's face.

"Don't you know," she said, her voice barely a whisper, "that deciphering the Poneglyphs will bring disaster?"

"So what?" Jin replied. "Is a king not allowed to have a hobby? The truth is, I'm just like you. I'm very interested in the history that the World Government is so desperate to keep hidden."

The Poneglyphs were a direct threat to the World Government's control over the narrative, over history itself. Although Jin knew some of the details, he wasn't an authority. He had no credibility.

But Robin, the daughter of Olvia, a scholar of Ohara, a major criminal wanted by the World Government... she was famous. Her interpretations would be seen as authoritative.

That was the power of a reputation.

Robin's eyes, honed by years of survival, studied Jin's face, trying to read him.

But there was nothing there.

He seemed completely sincere.

"Are you looking for Pluton, too?" she tested.

"Pluton?" Jin laughed. "I don't need Pluton. I have something much better. Don't believe me? Look."

They were approaching the coast. A vast expanse of white "snow" was visible. It wasn't snow; it was salt. The high temperatures and lack of rain had caused the salt to crystallize, forming a massive salt flat that bordered the desert.

Robin was wondering what he wanted her to look at when the deck suddenly lurched.

"Woooooooooom..."

A deep, distant cry, like the song of a whale from the depths of the ocean, pierced her ears and resonated deep within her soul.

Goosebumps broke out on her skin, and she couldn't help but shiver.

In the next moment, the mast and the wooden planks of the deck all flipped over and disappeared into the ship's hull, as if they were being "swallowed."

The entire ship began to shake. The deck bulged upward.

Robin, unsteady on her feet, stumbled and began to fall.

"Careful," Jin said, catching her by the waist. "The water below is hypersaline. One mouthful, and you'll be tasting it for a week."

Robin was unaccustomed to such close contact, but the ship was pitching so violently that the moment she tried to stand, she fell back into his arms.

She realized then that, despite the ship's violent movements, Jin was standing as steady as a tree, his feet planted firmly on the deck.

She looked down, and her eyes widened in disbelief. The ship that had been sailing on the sea... was standing up.

Yes, standing.

Silver, metallic limbs had sprouted from its hull. It stepped out of the water, its heavy body striding across the salt flats.

Robin was speechless.

The ship was walking.

Did I eat a bad mushroom? Am I hallucinating? Am I seeing things?

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again. She was not hallucinating.

She looked closer. It was a giant, silver, steel beast, over twenty meters tall and forty meters long. Three sharp horns protruded from its head, and a thick, bony frill protected its neck. It looked like... a dinosaur.

"Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Ancient Zoan, Model: Triceratops," Jin said.

"A... a Devil Fruit... ship?" Robin gasped, incredulous.

"It's more than you can imagine," Jin said, not elaborating further.

As long as he showed her what the ship could do, he was sure she would believe that he had no interest in Pluton.

Once the ship had stabilized, Robin thanked him and stepped out of his embrace.

The metal beast strode deep into the desert, leaving a trail of massive footprints. Soon, they arrived at the mine Jin had located.

Kuma, his Paw-Paw Fruit activated, began to repel the sand, dirt, and rock. He was more efficient than an excavator, and they quickly reached the ore vein.

"This iron vein has been mined before," Ai's voice reported, "but there's still about five million tons of ore left. And it's rich with copper, silver, lead, gold, and rare earth metals. That Five Billion Berries was an absolute steal."

The mine had been abandoned because it was located in a desert, hundreds of miles from civilization. The heat, the lack of water, and the transportation costs were too high.

But now, the Munch-Munch Fruit factory was open for business.

The massive quantities of iron ore were swallowed by the carrier, and in a matter of seconds, they were refined into steel.

A living host would have been exhausted by such a feat. But the demonic carrier just consumed soul crystals.