Next Bonus, 100!!
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Under the relentless pressure of the World Government, the Revolutionary Army's momentum stalled. Severely crippled, they were forced to retreat from the land, their operations shifting to the vast, open sea.
They became more covert.
And Jin, too, kept a lower profile.
One day he would be inspecting his islands.
The next, holding meetings.
The day after, he might appear in another kingdom entirely.
His movements were a phantom's.
Under the weight of this new world order, an uneasy calm settled over the seas. For the first eight months of Sea Calendar 1521, the world was deceptively quiet.
"My big story! Where is my big story??" Morgans shrieked, tearing at his newspaper in frustration.
Of course, there was still news.
In April, the Winter Blossom Kingdom saw the completion of its first hybrid tidal and hydroelectric power station on Hannabal. It would provide the island with a steady supply of electricity, and the corresponding grid upgrades were already underway.
The principles of hydroelectric power weren't complex, but the challenges lay in materials, dam construction, and energy storage—an entire suite of supporting engineering projects.
Fortunately, with the aid of Devil Fruits, many seemingly impossible feats of technology became entirely achievable. In a world that already had laser cannons and robots, a "less-than-scientific" power station was hardly a stretch.
The scientists and artisans involved in its design and construction were awarded the King's Medal of Honor.
The completion of the power station marked the Winter Blossom Kingdom's entry into a new era of mixed fossil fuel and electric power.
This, in turn, drove the natural birth of a series of industrial products: electric lights, electric fans, electric bicycles, and trams.
Under Jin's guidance, countless scientists and scholars began to experiment, to invent, and to build factories based on their creations.
Across the kingdom's islands, approved factories began to spring up.
The rise of industry created jobs. With money in their pockets, people began to spend, stimulating economic growth.
When a man can provide for his family, the appeal of a pirate's life naturally diminishes.
It was a time of unprecedented growth and prosperity.
Of course, this was all dependent on a steady supply of raw materials from their trade partners in Alabasta, Kilauea, and Fish-Man Island. And for those nations, trade with the Winter Blossom Kingdom provided significant relief to their own financial pressures.
Through this trade, the Winter Blossom Kingdom's "King's Vouchers" and "Gold Vouchers"—the Merit Vouchers—had become a currency second only to the Berri in regional importance.
To better manage this new economic landscape, Jin officially established the Kingdom's Central Bank on Drum Island in May.
Nami, at only seventeen years old, was appointed as its general manager for her outstanding performance with the East Blue Trading Company.
No one objected.
Jin's prestige was just that high.
He chose Nami not just for her ability, but for her loyalty—a quality he valued above all else.
And her ability had been thoroughly tested. Her natural talent as a navigator, when applied to the great ship of the economy, was more than capable of steering a steady course.
As for her strength, she was undergoing special training personally overseen by Jin. After the next upgrade, all she would need was a Devil Fruit.
In the later stages of the Straw Hat crew's journey, Nami had been only slightly stronger than Usopp, almost a background character. Her appearances were more about fan service than anything else, her character arc all but nonexistent. She was less relevant than Chopper, who, with his 100-Berri bounty, fought in battles worth a billion.
But now, under Jin's tutelage, her potential would be unlocked. She could, at the very least, reach the level of a mid-tier Warlord.
The establishment of the Central Bank was Jin's first move in dismantling the monetary supremacy of the World Government. But publicly, he made no grand pronouncements. He kept it quiet.
In June, the Bounty Hunter's Guild announced that it had achieved full coverage of the West Blue, Paradise, and the East Blue. In other words, there was now a Guild presence on every island in those seas, providing support and convenience for its members.
In July, Water 7 delivered another three steamships to the Winter Blossom Kingdom. The remaining four were to begin construction simultaneously.
In August...
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The New World.
"Zehahahahaha...!" A strange laugh echoed across the deck. "What a turbulent era! Every day, more and more pirate crews pour into the New World. And the rookies who dare to challenge the Four Emperors... what a bunch of clueless fools."
BOOM!
With a single punch, he slammed the officer who had just been boasting about taking Whitebeard's head to the ground. Blood sprayed, and he reveled in the sight.
"Fire Fist!"
BOOM!
Ace finished his own fight with the enemy captain.
Once again, Ace and the Second Division, with the help of Commander Thatch, had defeated another crew that had dared to challenge Whitebeard.
"So what was it this time?" Ace asked casually as the fighting wound down.
"Haha! Same as you, Ace! They came to this island and burned our flag in front of everyone," Thatch laughed.
"Huh? Don't remind me of that. It's so embarrassing."
"Hahahaha...!" The crew roared with laughter.
Ace scratched his head. He had fully integrated into the crew, one of the family.
As they were celebrating their victory, a voice called out.
"Hey! Look what I found!" Thatch came running over, holding a chest, eager to show it off.
"Eh??"
"What is it?"
"Is it treasure??"
Treasure! The word had a magnetic pull for any pirate. They all crowded around, their eyes wide.
"Thatch, don't keep us in suspense," Ace said, moving closer. "Open it up."
"Yeah! Open it!"
"It's gotta be gold!"
"Maybe it's a treasure map."
The crew chattered excitedly. The thrill of opening a mystery box was intoxicating.
"Heh heh," Thatch grinned. "I have no idea what it is."
"Alright, I'm opening it... Get ready! Three, two, one... ta-da!"
Thatch threw open the lid. It wasn't gold, wasn't jewels. It was a strange, deep-purple fruit.
The pirates, who had been hoping for something shiny, all groaned in disappointment.
"Tch."
"It's a Devil Fruit."
"They had something like this and didn't eat it?"
"Probably didn't know what it was. Wanted to auction it off. What if they gambled wrong and it was a trash fruit?"
"There's no such thing as a trash fruit, only a trash user."
"Eh? But there are, though. Some of the normal Zoan and Paramecia fruits are pretty useless."
"Whoa, you're lucky, Thatch," Ace said with a smile. "Do you know what it is? Maybe it's the one you've been wanting."
"If not..." Ace still owed a Devil Fruit. But the rule on Whitebeard's ship was clear: finder's keepers.
"I don't know," Thatch said. "I haven't seen it in the encyclopedia." Then he remembered. "Hey, Teach! Didn't you say you'd seen the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia?"
From a short distance away, Teach, who had been sitting on one of the defeated pirates, got up and walked over.
"Zehahahaha... a Devil Fruit? Your luck is really something, Thatch."
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~ 70 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon
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