The thunder over Upper Yard finally faded, replaced by an almost sacred silence.
But that silence didn't last long.
It was quickly broken by a series of energetic shouts.
"Move! Sanji! That huge propulsion shell on the left—bring it over too! That's pure gold!"
"Luffy! Ronan! You two have the strength—carry that broken main golden beam! Not a single scrap gets left behind!"
Nami stood on the shore, her eyes practically turned into currency symbols, directing everyone like a general commanding an army.
Beside the docked Merry—
A mountain of gold had formed.
The shattered remains of the Ark Maxim.
Under Luffy's devastating Elephant Gun, the divine vessel had become nothing more than pure loot.
Sunlight pierced through the thin clouds, reflecting off the gold with blinding brilliance.
"Hey… Nami…"
Usopp panted, staring at the massive pile—several times larger than the Merry itself.
"How are we supposed to carry all this? Even if we cram the storage full, it won't fit a tenth of it! We can't just drag it around, can we?!"
Nami turned, a sly and excited grin on her face.
She pointed at the Merry.
"Idiot. Did you forget what kind of 'stomach' our ship has now?"
Usopp froze—
Then slapped his thigh.
"Right! It ate Wapol's Munch-Munch Fruit!"
"Nami spread her arms wide.
"Mel! These are all your snacks—eat everything!"
Under everyone's stunned gaze—
The sheep figurehead opened its mouth.
Not like wood—
But like a blooming void.
"BUZZ—!!"
A powerful suction burst forth.
The mountain of gold—
Turned into a stream of golden light—
And was swallowed whole.
As the Merry consumed the gold—
It began to transform.
Cracks echoed across the ship like growing bamboo.
Its size—
Expanded visibly.
Length.
Width.
Structure—
All rapidly increasing.
In just minutes—
It grew from a small sailing ship—
Into a vessel more than three times its original size.
The gold wasn't simply stored.
It fused.
Merged at a molecular level with the ship's structure.
The original dark wood texture—
Was replaced—
By a semi-transparent, gleaming golden armor.
The hull grew thicker.
The sides rose higher.
The rails became smooth, curved plating.
"This…"
Usopp stared in awe.
"It really is… the Golden Merry now."
When everyone stepped onto the new deck—
A faint metallic sheen combined with the warmth of wood greeted them.
The stability beneath their feet was unmatched.
"Luffy, about this 'patient' you dragged back…"
Sanji nudged the unconscious Enel lying on the deck.
"This guy's a lightning user. If we don't keep him restrained, he'll escape."
"I got it!"
Usopp suddenly ran into the cabin.
Moments later—
He returned with a pair of dark metal handcuffs.
"Back in Alabasta, when that smoke guy Smoker took Crocodile, I asked him for one out of curiosity."
"These are Seastone cuffs—made specifically to restrain Devil Fruit users!"
"Click!"
The cuffs locked around Enel's wrists.
"Nice one, Usopp."
Ronan nodded approvingly.
He turned to Nami.
"Nami… once we catch Blackbeard and extract the Rumble-Rumble Fruit…"
"Would you consider eating it?"
"…Huh?!"
Nami froze.
She pointed at herself, eyes wide.
"Me? Eat that? That kind of power… that's like a natural disaster!"
"What, you don't want it?"
Ronan smiled faintly.
"That's one of the strongest Logia fruits in the world."
"With it, you'd become a true Lightning Goddess."
He gestured at the Merry beneath their feet.
"The Merry has already absorbed parts of the Ark Maxim."
"It now contains electrical conduction systems."
"If you gain the lightning power…"
"You and the Merry can form a perfect electrical resonance."
"At that point—"
"We won't need wind."
"We won't need currents."
"With a single thought—"
"The ship could become lightning itself."
"And cross the sky."
Nami waved her hand, dazed.
Then—
Her eyes slowly lit up.
"It's not that I don't want it…"
"It just feels unreal…"
"I thought finding some gold up here would already be lucky enough…"
"And now you're talking about giving me the power of a god…"
"…Is that even possible?"
"As long as Blackbeard is alive."
"As long as the Dark-Dark Fruit exists—"
Ronan turned his gaze forward.
A deep light flickered in his eyes.
"The rules of this world…"
"Are meant to be broken."
He looked at the expanded Merry.
"It's evolved—but still too primitive."
"Its 'devour' and 'evolution' need proper guidance."
"We need a top-tier shipwright."
"One who understands living metal and wood…"
"And can push this ship to its limits."
"A shipwright?" Luffy shouted with his mouth full of meat.
"Then we'll find the best one!"
Ronan silently thought of a name.
Franky.
Under the sunlight—
The Golden Merry floated quietly at the edge of Upper Yard.
Three times its original size.
Alive.
Radiant.
It carried not just treasure—
But dreams powerful enough to pierce the heavens.
Enel lay discarded in a corner—
A relic of a fallen era.
And Nami—
Clenched her fists.
She knew—
One day—
When that thunderous fruit fell into her hands—
She would no longer stand behind her crew.
She would rule the sky.
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