OP: My Aircraft Carrier Evolves#29+30: The Story of Kuma, the World Economic Journal, and Morgans! There's a Traitor Among Us! Time to Work on the Mushroom Plantation!

The "One-man Revolution" in the Sorbet Kingdom... happened in the same year that Shanks became a Yonko?

Jin sat down. Before he'd been transported to this world, he'd been a huge One Piece fan. But as the story moved into the New World, it had started to go downhill.

Especially the Wano arc.

Momonosuke, Oden, Yamato... they'd taken the readers' intelligence and common sense and ground them into the dirt.

And Luffy was getting more and more ridiculous.

After that, Jin had dropped the series. He'd occasionally catch a summary video online to keep up with the plot, but his grasp of the specific timeline had become hazy.

He knew the gist of Kuma's story. It was a tough one to swallow. The man had a God-tier Devil Fruit, but he'd played his hand so badly he'd ended up as a mindless slave. External persecution was one thing, but the real problem was that Kuma's personality, his intelligence, his choices—they were all a mess.

It was a classic case of the good being taken advantage of. His whole family had been taken advantage of—

If Jin were in Kuma's shoes, he would have just gone to Mary Geoise and blown himself up.

—————————

He read the article.

It said that Bartholomew Kuma had single-handedly defeated the Sorbet Kingdom's army and driven out King Bekori, changing the country's government by himself.

Afterward, King Bekori, with the support of the World Government, had returned with the Marines to take his revenge, only to be defeated by Kuma once again.

And so, the Marines had branded Kuma a pirate, placed a massive bounty of 296,000,000 Berries on his head, and given him the moniker "The Tyrant."

It was obvious that the person who wrote the article was a master of "journalism."

A single picture of Kuma standing in a burning city, accompanied by the massive headline "TYRANT!" was enough to get the reader's imagination running wild.

His rage burned the city. He's the bad guy.

And the article, while seeming to present the facts objectively, had conveniently left out the beginning and the end of the story, the cause and effect.

Anyone reading it without knowing the full story would naturally assume that Kuma was the one who had caused all the destruction. Otherwise, why would he be called The Tyrant?

The truth was, years ago, the king of the Sorbet Kingdom had enacted a new policy, dividing the country in two to reduce the amount of Heavenly Tribute they had to pay. The north was protected by the state, a sort of wealthy district. The south was a lawless land, a slum.

Kuma had been arrested for defying the king's orders.

Later, Dragon and Ivankov had appeared with the Freedom Fighters, rescued Kuma, and forced the king to repeal the policy.

But it was a temporary fix.

This year, in an attempt to "deal with" the slums, King Bekori had set fire to the southern part of the country, burning and killing countless citizens, just like the nobles of the Goa Kingdom had done.

Kuma, enraged, had saved the people from the flames.

And the rest was history.

The importance of public opinion was clear.

As Jin recalled, after that, Kuma, fearing that he would bring trouble to Bonney and the people of his country, had chosen to go out to sea. He had also been searching for a cure for the Sapphire Scale disease.

In the end, he had become a test subject for Vegapunk and had been screwed over.

Jin hadn't read the Egghead arc, but he'd heard that Vegapunk, the so-called "smartest man in the world," had pulled off some ridiculously lame doomsday prophecy stunt. Another screw-up.

Jin glanced at the picture. Kuma might have been a fool, but his strength was undeniable.

He was exactly the kind of ready-to-fight powerhouse the Winter Blossom Kingdom desperately needed.

Should he try to intercept him?

Kuma's weakness was Bonney.

Bonney's weakness was the Sapphire Scale disease. If the Winter Blossom Kingdom had a cure...

Drum Island had always been famous for its medical care. And with Dr. Kureha, the hundred-year-old witch, it wasn't impossible that they could find a cure.

And if he couldn't get him to join his crew with that, then he'd just have to kill him and feed his fruit to the carrier.

So, how could he get Kuma to come to him?

Jin's eyes fell on the classifieds section of the newspaper...

That's it!

He'd take out an ad!

"For all your men's and women's health needs, and for any and all difficult-to-diagnose conditions, come to the Drum Island Specialist Hospital. We care about your health. For consultations, call: XXXXX"

"The Winter Blossom Kingdom is hiring! Are you a person of talent, unrecognized and unappreciated? Are you lost and without direction? Looking for a job? The Winter Blossom stage is waiting for you. If you have a dream, come on down. We are offering high salaries and seeking talented individuals from all walks of life. A face-to-face meeting with the king. What are you waiting for? Contact us at: XXXXX"

—————————

At the headquarters of the World Economic Journal, Morgans looked at the ad copy the News Coo had brought him, a little dumbfounded.

He'd never seen anything like it.

It had a certain... flair.

What kind of genius had come up with this?

Drum Island, the Winter Blossom Kingdom?

Was this that new king who'd just been in the papers?

Would running an ad like this lower the tone of his newspaper?

"Caw, caw..." the News Coo squawked, gesturing.

The animals in the world of One Piece all possessed a certain intelligence. Some could even talk. They were often smarter and more cunning than humans.

"He's offering double the price?"

The News Coo nodded.

"For how long? A month?"

"A year?!"

"Let me see... a year, twelve months, two ads, double the price... that's 96 million Berries!"

"Caw! A big order! A major client!"

Morgans waved his wing. "Run it! On the corner of the front page! The king is paying too much to refuse."

—————————

Early morning.

Jin, propped up on his pillows, watched Hina get dressed.

From the side, her perfect profile, her tall, slender figure, her S-curve...

"Vice Admiral Garp is currently the commander of the G-3 base," she said. "He won't have time to train you for another month. I have to go back to Headquarters to file my report. If you need anything, you can contact me at this Den Den Mushi number."

Hina's mission was over.

She was a little reluctant to leave, but the pirates of the Grand Line were growing more numerous, more brazen. Her sense of justice, her sense of duty, wouldn't allow her to fall any further. Every time they... finished... she was filled with a sense of self-reproach.

Finally, she had received the summons from Headquarters.

One last indulgence.

When she put on her coat of justice, she was a different person. The woman of last night was gone, replaced by the cool, confident, and inviolable Goddess of the Marines.

"So I can't contact you for no reason? What about late at night, when you're lonely?"

"Hina would never be lonely. You're just shameless."

She checked her reflection in the mirror, making sure there were no traces, no tell-tale signs.

"Goodbye," she said, turning to leave.

"You're just going to leave like that? No goodbye kiss?"

Hina let out a cold laugh. "I heard the former boss sent his blonde girlfriend over. Why don't you go kiss up to her?"

"Ooh, jealous are we?"

Hina turned and walked away without a moment's hesitation.

"Women," Jin sighed. "So heartless once they're dressed."

He jumped out of bed and stretched, taking a deep breath.

A little indulgence was good for the soul, a way to release the tension of battle.

"Gasparde's Candy-Candy Fruit... Saint Jalmack's unknown fruit... That leaves one more for the next evolution. I hope that Seven Star Sword on Asuka Island is a Mythical Zoan, just like I thought. But before that, I need to make sure I'm fully prepared. And I need to gather the rest of the upgrade materials."

Jin's methods were aggressive, but he was also cautious. He had a feeling the sword would be trouble, but that didn't mean it was impossible to get.

You have to do your homework before a boss fight.

...

Five days later.

By scrounging and scraping, he had gathered all the materials needed for the carrier's next upgrade, with the exception of the Biological Matter.

Everything was ready. All he needed was the right opportunity.

Destination: Asuka Island

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

Asuka Island.

"Granny Izaya, I have no desire to harm you, this lovely Miss Maya, or any of these villagers," Jin said calmly. "Just tell me where the Seven Star Sword is."

In the forest, near a collapsed ruin, a small, indigenous village was now surrounded by Jin and his men.

He wasn't a pirate. He wasn't going to sneak around and steal the sword. If he was going to take it, he was going to do it openly.

"The Seven Star Sword??" the old woman said, her voice a low growl. "What are you talking about? That's just a legend. Who would believe in a legend?"

Izaya was a stooped old woman. As a descendant of the ancient shamaness, she was held in high regard by her tribe.

Jin smiled. "Granny, I've come in good faith. And I've done my homework. You and Miss Maya here both have the blood of the shamaness flowing through your veins. These villagers are the descendants of the ancient guardians. Your people are bound by a sacred duty to protect the Seven Star Sword, but you are also trapped by it, forced to endure its curse. Every hundred years, when the sword awakens, someone has to die. And the hundred-year mark is fast approaching, isn't it? Who will it be this time? You?"

Jin's gaze was sharp as a knife, and he didn't blink. Izaya was forced to lower her eyes.

He then shifted his gaze to Maya, who was about thirteen or fourteen years old.

Beneath her sea-blue hair, her eyes held a mixture of fragility and strength. Her features were delicate, and she was already showing the promise of a great beauty.

"Or her?" Jin continued. "My guess is it's her. The 'God' probably prefers a young, vibrant vessel, don't you think? Do you want to watch her die, Granny?"

Izaya's heart sank. "How could an outsider like you know about these things? Who told you?" She looked at her people, suspecting a traitor in their midst.

"That doesn't matter—"

Jin said. "—I have a way to destroy the sword. I can help you break free from this heavy fate. From now on, you will no longer be tormented by the curse. You can live a free, happy, and carefree life. Or... do you want the tragedy to repeat itself every hundred years? Do you want your children and your children's children to suffer??"

Izaya and the other villagers were stunned. Many of them couldn't hide the hope that flickered in their eyes.

"Are you... are you telling the truth?"

"Hey! He's probably lying!"

"Who are you, anyway? How do you know so much about us?"

One of the villagers voiced the question that was on everyone's mind.

"Can you really do it?"

They had been bound by this "curse," living on this land for too long. It had been passed down from generation to generation.

Although each of them saw their duty as a sacred mission, who among them didn't feel a sense of resentment? Who was truly content to be chained?

Before, they had no choice.

But now, Jin had given them one.

"Since you've done your research," Izaya said, "you must know how terrible the Seven Star Sword is. What makes you think you can destroy it?"

"What makes me think so?" Jin raised a hand.

"Woooooooooom..."

A deep roar echoed from the distance, sending a visible shockwave through the air, whipping up a fierce wind.

Countless birds and beasts scattered in terror. An invisible pressure descended upon the island, filling everyone's hearts with a sense of dread.

"What was that?"

"It sounds... terrifying."

Izaya, Maya, and the other villagers were all trembling with fear.

Jin lowered his hand.

"I have a 'divine weapon' of my own," he said. "One similar to the Seven Star Sword. It can defeat it."

"A divine weapon?!" Izaya and the others were shocked.

"That's right," Jin nodded.

Devil Fruits were already mythical powers in their own right. And a Devil Fruit weapon... in a primitive, ancient tribe, something that supernatural would naturally be revered as a sacred weapon.

It was no surprise.

The so-called "Gods" were most likely just Devil Fruit users, deified because of their immense power.

Like Enel, the self-proclaimed "God" of Skypiea.

After Jin had demonstrated his "divine power," Izaya and her people had a long, heated discussion.

In the end, they agreed to let him try to destroy the sword.

On one hand, his power had them all terrified.

On the other, as Jin had said, the hundred-year mark was approaching. The disaster could strike at any moment.

It was as if they were all sitting on a powder keg. And suddenly, someone had come along and said he could extinguish the flame and destroy the keg.

Who wouldn't want to give it a try?

Izaya, Maya, and about twenty of the strongest warriors from the tribe led Jin through the ruins, deep into the island's interior.

The crew wouldn't be of any use against the sword, so Jin had come alone as a show of good faith.

"The climate and environment on Asuka Island are really something else," he said. "The outer areas are perfect for developing a tourist resort. As for the interior... it's a vast primeval forest. It would be a shame to destroy it."

"Granny Izaya," he continued, "I have a business proposal for you. I want to build a mushroom plantation. Would you and your people be interested?"

Izaya was surprised.

"A mushroom plantation?" Maya asked curiously.

"That's right..."

Jin said. "You must have noticed. Outsiders are starting to flock to this island. After the Seven Star Sword is dealt with, are you going to continue living like primitives? Contact with the outside world is inevitable. Asuka Island is a treasure your ancestors have given you. But can you really sustain your tribe's development by just fishing and hunting?"

"—From now on, you'll help me grow mushrooms. I'll provide the seeds and the technical support, and I'll handle the sales. You can use your own two hands to improve your lives and protect Asuka Island from the threat of pirates. Just think... you won't have to live in fear. You'll have houses, food in your larders, and your children will be able to go to school..."

Jin painted a beautiful picture of the future, and the eyes of the villagers began to shine with hope. Who wouldn't want a better life?

Izaya was also moved.

Her tribe was no longer the only inhabitant of Asuka Island. Outsiders had built a dock, a port town, a Marine training base...

Her people had come into contact with them and had begun to learn about and yearn for the outside world.

The older generation was still alive. The old customs and traditions were still in place.

But the future belonged to the young. They were changing. Could she stop them?

She was a wise old woman. But this was a momentous decision. She had to be cautious.

"You're not a pirate," she said. "Who are you, really?"

"I am the king of the Winter Blossom Kingdom!" Jin declared.

"EH?"

"A KING!!!"

Maya and the other villagers were stunned. They looked at Jin with a newfound sense of awe, their words and actions becoming more reserved.

Kings and nobles were born to be respected. This was a common value in the world of One Piece, and even more so for an indigenous tribe like theirs.

—————————

As they spoke, they arrived at the ancient ruins where the Seven Star Sword was sealed. The moment he stepped inside, Jin's senses were filled with a strange "Ki."

A dark, oppressive atmosphere enveloped them, like stepping into a cemetery at midnight. The chill he felt went deeper than skin—it was something that reached into his very soul.

Having experienced the awakened Munch-Munch Fruit's domain before, Jin couldn't help but smile.

So it really is a Devil Fruit...