OP: My Aircraft Carrier Evolves#37+38: Off to the Calm Belt? A Worried Sengoku and Garp's High Praise: A Monster! An Assertive Hina, an Assassination in Hannabal Island, and the Aura of a Conqueror

"Hah... hah..." Garp panted, sweat and a trickle of blood running down his face. That final, all-out attack had grazed his scalp.

"That was a close one," he said, looking down at the young man lying in the massive crater. "I'm getting too old for this. Can't keep up like I used to."

His strength hadn't diminished, but he wasn't as durable as he was in his youth. Age makes you brittle.

Bogard held his hat down against the wind. Hina covered her mouth, her eyes wide with shock.

Jin's power had stunned them. He had been strong at the beginning of the fight, but as it went on, he had become more and more terrifying.

That final attack... any other Vice Admiral would have been crushed.

"Vice Admiral Garp!" the Rear Admiral shouted, rushing over with a squad of soldiers. "What happened? Are you alright?"

Garp burst out laughing. "We're on a Marine base. What could possibly happen? I was just stretching my legs, a little spar with the kid. Hahaha!"

The Rear Admiral was stunned. He realized that the explosion had been caused by Jin.

He's that strong??

"Bogard—" Garp said, picking up his coat of justice, "—you'll be in charge of Hina's training. Teach her the complete Six Powers. And have her work on developing her Devil Fruit abilities."

"Understood," Bogard nodded. He was more than qualified to train Hina. He had trained Koby and Helmeppo as well.

"As for this one," Garp said, "I'll take him myself. He needs real training. The standard stuff won't do him any good."

He jumped into the crater, hoisted Jin onto his shoulder, and turned to the Rear Admiral. "Prepare a ship. I'm heading into the Calm Belt."

"The Calm Belt?" The Rear Admiral's face paled. "You're going to that place? Wait, sir, he's the king of a member nation. If he dies..."

"What he's lacking is constant, life-or-death battle," Garp said with a laugh. "A diamond in the rough like this needs to be properly polished."

Hina, worried, rushed forward. "That place... where is it?"

"An island in the Calm Belt," the Rear Admiral replied, his voice grave. "The nesting ground of the Super Sea Kings."

—————————

Torino Kingdom.

Bartholomew Kuma, cloaked and hooded, had brought Bonney to this island after leaving the Sorbet Kingdom. He'd told her they were on vacation, but in reality, he was searching for a famous doctor.

But the Sapphire Scale disease was too rare. Many doctors had never even heard of it, let alone treated it.

While Kuma was consumed with worry, Bonney was having the time of her life.

Innocent and carefree, she sat on Kuma's shoulders, happily munching on a local delicacy.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew a newspaper down the street. It landed at Kuma's feet. He was about to brush it aside when a certain article caught his eye.

—————————

Drum Island.

"Dr. Kureha," Chopper said, grinding herbs and flipping through a medical text, "—this Sapphire Scale disease the king asked us to research... is it really incurable?"

"Theoretically, yes," Dr. Kureha replied, tinkering with a collection of bottles and vials. "It's a genetic disease, passed down from mother to child. When a patient is exposed to natural light, their skin hardens into blue, scale-like plates, eventually leading to death."

Having lived for over a hundred years and sailed the seas, Dr. Kureha had a vast repository of knowledge. She had, in fact, studied the disease before.

"So how do you treat it?" Chopper asked.

"A genetic disease is incurable. How can you treat it? Unless..."

"Unless?"

"The ancient texts speak of a treatment involving blood transfusions and organ transplants."

—————————

Asuka Island.

The mild, temperate climate was perfect for mushroom farming. The first crop was of excellent quality and was now ready for harvest.

The order from the G-3 base arrived right on schedule.

With the money in hand, Izaya and her people were all smiles.

Freed from the curse, with a bright future ahead of them... who wouldn't be smiling?

—————————

Hannabal Island.

A young man disembarked from a ship. He looked out at the bustling town, his melancholic eyes heavy with unspoken thoughts.

His name was Shuraiya Bascùd.

He wore black work pants, riding boots, and a high-collared jacket, his hands thrust into his pockets. He was a stylish young man.

Is Gasparde really dead??

Four years ago, Gasparde had attacked his hometown. His family and friends had been brutally murdered. The pain had been his constant companion ever since.

Revenge against Gasparde had become his sole purpose in life. He had become a bounty hunter.

And then, during a recent hunt, he had heard the news of Gasparde's death.

The one thing that had kept him going... was gone?

What? How?

That man was supposed to die by his hand.

Shuraiya's world had shattered.

To find out the truth, he had asked around and had managed to hitch a ride on a pirate ship bound for Hannabal Island.

—————————

Three months passed in the blink of an eye.

G-3 Base.

As the day's training came to an end, Hina glanced at the port. Garp and Jin still hadn't returned.

A flicker of worry sparked in her heart.

There was no denying it. She had developed feelings for him. And the longer he was gone, the stronger that feeling—whether it was longing or worry—grew.

Just as the sun was about to sink below the horizon, a dark silhouette broke the surface of the sea.

In the slanting light, it was just possible to make out the shape of a sloop.

—————————

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

"FLEET ADMIRAL SENGOKU! A CALL FROM G-3! VICE ADMIRAL GARP HAS RETURNED!"

"Garp!" Sengoku's face darkened. "So the old bastard finally decided to come back. What about the King of the Winter Blossom Kingdom?"

Ever since the Rear Admiral at G-3 had reported that Garp had taken the king out, Sengoku had been on edge.

Training was one thing. A little light sparring, a formality... that was all that was needed. But Garp... he had a tendency to take things too far.

If something had happened to that king, how was he supposed to explain it to the World Government?

The longer they were gone, the more anxious he became. Had something really happened?

Now, hearing that they were back, he felt a wave of relief. He picked up the Den Den Mushi and, the moment he heard Garp's voice, he let loose a torrent of abuse.

"You fool! You have no respect for your position! You don't do any real work! All you do is slack off and go on vacation in the East Blue! You've practically cleaned out all the small-fry pirates there! And now you just disappear for three months without a word?! I thought you'd fled to escape your responsibilities!"

Click.

Garp hung up.

"..." Sengoku's face was blacker than the bottom of a pot. But after venting his frustration, he called again. "Where is the king of the Winter Blossom Kingdom?"

"He left."

"Really? You didn't... dispose of the body? Cover up the evidence?"

"I may not like dealing with nobles, but I'm not the kind of person who goes around killing people."

"You can call his Den Den Mushi."

At those words, a wave of relief washed over Sengoku. He was safe. His expression softened. "So you really did train him?"

"I just taught him the basics," Garp said. "The rest is up to him to figure out."

"And?" Sengoku asked. "What's your assessment?"

"A monster," Garp replied. "Remember Rocks? This kid... he's got the same kind of potential."

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

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

When they were reunited, Hina was much more assertive than before. Her worry and longing transformed into a torrential downpour of affection, all of it unleashed at once.

"I've already contacted Headquarters," Jin said. "I'm going to have the Marine training base on Asuka Island expanded into a full-fledged naval base. And you will be its commander. Of course, your rank will be promoted from Lieutenant Commander to Captain."

Hina was surprised. "Even if you're a king, you can't just interfere with Marine personnel assignments, can you?"

Jin smiled. "Under normal circumstances, no. But what if that base is funded by me? Besides, you have your own connections, don't you? Like Vice Admiral Tsuru. Your past achievements are already enough for a promotion to Captain. The only reason it hasn't happened yet is because you lack seniority and... a little bit of strength. After your special training, you'll be strong enough. And with a command position at a branch base, you'll get that promotion this year, no problem."

Hina's heart skipped a beat. Smoker, who was from the same class as her, had already been promoted last year after being assigned to the branch base in Loguetown.

She was not about to be left behind.

But...

"What are your plans for Asuka Island?" she asked, her brow furrowed with curiosity.

"Asuka Island is a rare spring island," Jin explained.

"It's perfect for agriculture and for tourism. It's also a mandatory stop on one of the seven routes, which is why you have a training base there in the first place. The only reason it's not a full base is because you couldn't come to an agreement with the Asuka tribe..."

"—But now, with my intervention, an agreement can be reached. Upgrading the training base to a full base is a win-win for everyone. Fleet Admiral Sengoku recommended a few Rear Admirals for the position, but I don't know them. You, on the other hand... I know very well."

Hina wasn't a fool. She understood.

Jin wanted to develop Asuka Island, but he didn't have enough manpower. So, after consulting with the Asuka tribe, he planned to bring in the Marines to keep the pirates in check.

And among the Marines, Hina was someone he trusted.

"What do you mean, you know me well?"

"What do you think?"

Hina lowered her head, a blush spreading across her cheeks. She looked like a delicate, dew-kissed flower, just waiting to be plucked.

—————————

The construction of the base on Asuka Island was a simple matter of upgrading the existing training facility. Marine Headquarters had no reason to object.

Hina would first return to report, receive her promotion, undergo commander training, and select her core personnel.

Jin, in the meantime, would return to Drum Island and Hannabal Island. He'd been away for three months, and there was a backlog of government affairs to attend to.

Even though he had people in place, power was only power when it was held in one's own hands. Once it was delegated, things could get complicated.

They parted ways in Hannabal Island.

The moment he disembarked, Wilson, the former boss, the giant brothers, and the rest of Hannabal Island's motley crew were already waiting at the docks.

Jin led his little secretary, Maya, followed by his crew, who, after three months of special training, now stood in a neat, orderly formation.

In the distance, a large crowd had gathered to watch—locals, and pirates who had arrived during his absence.

"So that's the king of the Winter Blossom Kingdom, the ruler of Hannabal Island? He's so young and handsome."

"Heh. Don't let his age fool you. He's the madman who bet 100 million Berries on himself in the Dead End Race."

"And that race had the great pirate Gasparde, with a bounty of 95 million Berries!"

"—In that race, Gasparde and the Fish-Man Willy both disappeared. The giant brothers surrendered. He was the only one who reached the finish line."

Shuraiya listened to their chatter, his gaze fixed on the young man. He had to ask him, face to face.

Wilson and the others escorted Jin toward the special administrative region's municipal hall. As they were passing an intersection...

Swish!

A faint sound came from the crowd.

Maya, who had been following with her head down, suddenly looked up.

Ting!

Jin stopped, his hand closing around a dagger.

"An attack!" Wilson was the first to react.

A group of pirates charged out from an alley, led by a vicious-looking man with a long scar across his face.

"Kill him and take Hannabal Island!"

"You'll have to get through me first!" Wilson roared, blocking the scar-faced man.

The other guards engaged the pirates.

Just then, another group of pirates erupted from the crowd and launched an attack.

Jin glanced over.

"Lively, aren't we?" he said with a smile. "It seems I'm not the only one who wants to be the boss of Hannabal Island."

It wasn't surprising. In three months, the reputation of Hannabal Island as a "free island" had spread, attracting a large number of pirates. Among them, there were undoubtedly some bold, ambitious types who were eyeing its wealth.

Or who wanted to follow in his footsteps and become the new boss.

He stood at the center of the chaos, calmly observing, waiting to see who else would show their hand.

It was time to feed the demonic carrier.

"Hey! You're a pretty lame king, you know that?"

Maya looked up. A young man had dropped down from a rooftop. He landed lightly, kicked a pirate away, and then adjusted his round cap.

"You're the one who killed Gasparde?"

Jin looked at him. "You want to avenge him?"

"Avenge him?" the young man scoffed. "Gasparde was my target. You killed him. You're a real busybody, you know that? Hey! Get out of here. I'll hold them off. After this is over, I'm coming for you."

He charged toward the pirates.

Jin was speechless. "I killed his enemy, and he's coming after me? Maya, you be the judge. Is he crazy or what?"

"Eh?" Maya scratched her head, confused. She hadn't been out of the forest for long. She still had a lot to learn.

"A Tsundere," Jin sighed.

He watched the fighting for a while, confirming that none of his own people were involved in the rebellion. He was relieved.

"That's enough," he said, taking a step forward.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The sound was like a thunderclap, stunning everyone into silence.

The ground shook.

No, it was Jin's footstep. Where he had stepped, a web of cracks spread out, tearing through the ground, ripping apart the nearby buildings.

"Huh?!" Shuraiya whipped his head around in shock.

That king...

An invisible aura radiated from him.

A terrifying presence, as if the end of the world had suddenly arrived. There was no sound, only an oppressive, crushing silence.

Conqueror's Haki?

No. Jin had tried to awaken it during his three months of training, and he had even taken several of Garp's Conqueror's Haki attacks, but he was still just short.

This wasn't Conqueror's Haki. It was an aura.

The Aura of a Conqueror.

—————————

Everyone was stunned. The pirates all swallowed hard.

Jin walked past the scar-faced man. The man, fighting against his fear, raised his sword to strike.

But the sword he raised turned back on him, plunging into his own chest.

'HOW?' the man thought in disbelief, clutching at the blade as he fell to his knees.

Jin continued to walk, and wherever he passed, pirates fell, and no one could see how he had struck.

In his wake, a trail of blood and bodies.

Maya was a kind soul. She could hear the sounds of death, of pain, of resentment... She couldn't bear to watch.

"Their crimes cannot be washed away by blood," Jin said, teaching her. "Your kindness to them is just cruelty to their victims. If we were the weak ones, do you think they would show you mercy? Or would they strip you naked and have their way with you? I don't mind you being kind, Maya. But don't be a bleeding heart."