Pirate: I, Ace, am the King of Eclipse!

"Using high-temperature steam to power the exoskeleton, and then using those seashells to apply secondary pressure to the hammer?" Franky's eyebrows twitched, his anger largely dissipated by the mechanical structure. "Where did you make this thing?"

"Answer Lao Tzu's question first."

"Want to know my power source?" Franky thumped his steel chest, and a hidden compartment in his abdomen popped open, revealing three bottles of ice-cold cola neatly inserted inside. "Look closely! This is the core of Franky's power system—SUUUUUPER Cola!"

Zambry lay on the ground, clutching his swollen face, and reminded him, "Brother Franky, didn't we come here for revenge?"

Jeno stared wide-eyed as if he had been insulted: "A few bottles of sugar water can generate this kind of firepower? Who are you trying to fool with this nonsense! I'll smash this metal suit of yours open and see for myself what's inside!"

"Come on! Let's see if your steam hammer is hard enough, or if my Coke-powered machine is more powerful!"

The two started simultaneously. Two plumes of white steam shot out from the pressure relief pipe on Jeno's back, while Franky's steel fist slammed into the hammer handle, sparks flying from the metal friction at their feet. They didn't test each other, nor did they consider dodging; they were prepared to use brute force to determine who was superior from the very first strike.

"Stop it."

The sound cut through the rumble of gears and steam. Geno heard Ace speak, the power hammer halting in mid-air, the exoskeleton joints screeching as it braked. He reluctantly retracted the hammer and retreated to the Eclipse.

Franky stopped punching and looked at Ace, who was walking out of the entrance to the shipwrecked island.

Ace stepped past the Franky family members lying on the ground and stopped a few steps away: "Carter Fram, right?"

Click.

Franky locked the cannon barrel on his wrist again. The name Carter Fram should have been buried along with the train accident at sea years ago. In the entire Water Seven, very few people knew he was still alive.

"Don't rush to fire. I have nothing to do with the World Government." Ace pointed to the Eclipse in the dock. "I came to you to ask you to take charge of the modification and upgrade of this ship."

"You've got the wrong person." Franky didn't lower his right arm. "I only dismantle pirate ships now, I don't build ships anymore."

"Whether I'm a shipbuilder or not, we'll talk about that after you've seen the ship." Ace didn't dwell on the question and directly revealed his identity, "My name is Portgas D. Ace. My biological father is Gol D. Roger."

Franky's left hand, which was about to shoo people away, froze in mid-air.

Tom's proudest creation was the Oro Jackson, built from the Adam Wood and which accompanied Roger on his Grand Voyage. That name was both the pride of Tom's workshop and the starting point for all the subsequent disasters.

“Back then, Master Tom built Roger a ship that could cross all seas. Now I’m going to take another route that can overturn the world.” Ace looked at Franky. “His apprentice will upgrade the Eclipse, so that this craft won’t be lost to the World Government.”

Franky clenched his fist, his metal knuckles scraping together. He thought of the courtroom, the sea train, and Tom's enduring pride in the ships he had built.

“I know very well what your master went through. Take this job. When I take Mary Geoise and crush the Five Elders and the World Government, Master Tom will also be held accountable.”

Franky had never dared to utter the words "avenge Mr. Tom" lightly. Yet the person before him treated it as something he would inevitably do, without the slightest hesitation.

Ace didn't let the atmosphere remain tense, instead giving the conditions needed for shipbuilding: "There's no upper limit to the budget. Adam Tree and rare alloys—as long as they can be used on the ship, price isn't an issue. Geno also has Sky Island technology and energy devices brought back from outside this planet. You two can put all your ideas on paper; you don't have to bow to cost."

Geno tapped the power hammer beside him, clearly still wanting to disassemble Franky for another inspection. Ace continued, "I want a top-tier warship that can ram enemy ships head-on in the New World. If you still value the Tom's Works brand, bring your best craftsmanship."

Franky glanced at the Eclipse, then at Geno's exoskeleton. The black fastship's foundation wasn't refined, yet it already incorporated many technologies never seen in Water 7. Unlimited materials, extraterrestrial machinery, and a promise to collect debts from the World Government—all were laid out before this shipbuilder, who was considered a ship-breaking hustler.

He walked around to the side of the ship, tapping his knuckles on the outer steel plates, then crouched down to examine the waterline. The original shipbuilders had clearly prioritized speed and frontal impact, leaving ample room for modifications to the internal load-bearing structure. The electrical wiring that Geno later added wasn't perfectly aligned with the steel plates, but each section was functional. This ship was like an unfinished, half-finished product; what it lacked wasn't further patching, but rather someone to gather the scattered ideas back into a truly reliable framework.

He took out a bottle of cola from a hidden compartment in his abdomen, tilted his head back and drank it all, then raised his hand and smashed the empty bottle on the ground.

"Now that things have come to this, if I keep hiding, I'll really be disgracing Tom's Studio!" Franky wiped his mouth and strode towards Geno. "Those with exoskeletons, get out the blueprints. Let me make this clear: if the ship's pressure structure can't even meet Water 7's standards, I'll tear it up and redraw it on the spot!"

Geno turned around and started rummaging through the parts bag: "I'm afraid you won't understand! This high-voltage closed-loop system is connected to a lightning array, it's not in the same league as your few bottles of sugar water."

"Cola power is the romance of men!"

The two men, who had just been about to smash each other to pieces, were now squatting on the wrecked deck, arguing about steel composition, pressure, and energy efficiency. Zambry and the others, lying around them, listened, completely bewildered.

Ace stood aside, not interrupting them further. He certainly had a way to forcibly take the Pluton blueprints from Franky, and even make sure the other party didn't know when they were lost. But a blueprint only provides an inanimate object; Tom's apprentice could truly integrate the technology on the blueprints with the Eclipse. Compared to secretly stealing the blueprints, having Franky himself step onto the ship's conversion platform was clearly more worthwhile.

Chapter 82 Overhaul and Rebuild: A Blueprint Beyond Time

On the shore of Shipwreck Island, the original blueprints for the Eclipse were pressed against a steel plate, with parts piled up at the four corners. Franky had only looked at them once when he raised his hand and slapped the blueprints.

"No, the boat is too small!"

He crossed out the original compartment divisions and even blacked out the hull outline: "If we fit this size into a fully automated weapons depot, the living quarters and storage compartments will have to be cut in half. If we force them to stay, the draft and ballast will all be problematic. If we want to achieve firepower, speed and stability at the same time, we can only dismantle the existing hull, lay a new keel, and build a giant warship directly."

While others were still processing the phrase "dismantle the Eclipse," Geno threw the hydraulic hammer to the ground: "That suits me perfectly. The old frame is limited in every way; no matter how many steel plates are added, it's just make do."

He pulled a roll of parchment drawings from the luggage he brought back from the moon, which, when unfolded, almost covered half of the dock. The dense mechanical structures were intertwined with lunar script. Franky glanced at it a few times before kneeling down in front of the drawings, and the two of them each took one side and began to make modifications.

“The armor can’t all be made of ordinary heavy iron.” Geno first circled the bow and sides. “The frontal ramming angle and the main impact surface will be made of meteorite black steel. These areas must withstand frontal bombardment. The sides and bottom hull will be made of lightweight, high-strength alloys from the moon. The blast resistance will not be reduced, and the weight will be significantly reduced. The saved weight will be used for the power and weapons.”

He then crossed out the traditional paddlewheel: "Paddlewheels take up space and slow down the ship when damaged. The side propellers are retained for propulsion during navigation; when moored, they can extend above the water to generate electricity by rotating with the wind. The things that truly determine the ship's upper limit are hidden in the hull."

The pen tip drew a row of sealed compartments on the bottom of the ship, each containing a giant propeller.

"In its navigable state, the high-pressure gates are closed, and from the outside, it appears as a complete hull, which does not affect its pressure resistance or underwater navigation. When it needs to take off, the bottom jets first push the ship out of the water, and then the gates are fully opened, with the lunar engines driving the array of hovering propellers. With so many sets operating simultaneously, it is enough to keep the rebuilt giant ship in the air, maintaining hovering and flight for a long time."

Franky followed the airflow pattern to the stern, pressing his hand heavily against the massive jet nozzle: "The bottom propeller is responsible for continuous flight, and there's another ultra-high-pressure air-blasting engine at the stern. Normally, it's not used to waste energy; it's only used when surrounded or when a surprise attack is needed. Once the compressed air is released, the entire ship will shoot out like a cannonball!"

He connected the newly drawn lines with the structure of the ship and couldn't help but laugh: "It can go underwater, take off, and accelerate instantly. This isn't a pirate ship, it's a flying fortress!"

Sabo listened for a long time, and only after the two men's excitement subsided did he point to the center of the blueprints: "The larger the ship, the more power it needs to be lifted into the air. With the bottom array constantly at full capacity, plus the stern engines and weapon systems, a typical fuel depot won't last long. How large do you plan to expand the energy compartment?"

Geno had been waiting for this question. He reached out and grabbed Enel's collar from behind, pulling him in front of the blueprints: "The energy compartment doesn't need to fill the entire bottom of the ship. We have a ready-made humanoid nuclear power plant."

Enel's forehead twitched, and lightning crackled from his fingertips: "If you use that title again, I'll fill you with my own energy first."

“Just right.” Geno showed no fear, pointing to the circular core chamber in the center of the ship. “Long Earlob and I conducted experiments on Skypiea, and the high-energy battery pack can stably store his lightning. By amplifying the electrical and thermal energy conversion matrix, Enel can be charged, and Ace and Sabo’s flames can also be converted into energy. One full charge is enough for the new ship to operate at full speed for a month under high-intensity combat conditions.”

He then added a lightning rod to the top of the tallest mast: "Don't waste it during thunderstorms. The lightning rod is connected to the core battery, so all the lightning that strikes from nature will be collected. In the future, this ship will not burn coal or store oil; it can run even if it is hit by lightning or fire."

Sabo didn't immediately nod. He followed the wiring to the battery compartment and asked about overload and isolation. Geno then drew a multi-layered energy dissipation ring outside the core area: daily energy storage was distributed into different battery packs, and the circuit would be immediately cut off if a single pack failed; lightning exceeding the limit was directed to the discharge rod outside the ship to prevent the entire wiring system from being burned out by a single lightning strike. Franky added a mechanical manual gate next to it, so that even if the intelligent system failed, the crew could directly cut off a certain area from the control room.

With the power problem solved, Jeno flipped to the second lunar blueprint. It depicted several silicon-based panels with intricate wiring resembling a woven net.

"Next is intelligent control. I've already disassembled and studied the judgment logic of those half-meter-tall iron-clad figures on the moon. Once it's connected to the main control room, the ship's gun positions will no longer need dedicated gunners."

He crossed out the gunpowder magazine from the original design: "Get rid of all the heavy and slow exploding shells. Use high-purity conductive gold brought from the sky island as the excitation core, replace the main gun and side weapons with ultra-high frequency laser cannons, and lay down an electromagnetic thunderstorm network. As soon as the target enters the range, the intelligent main brain completes the identification and locking, and each gun position automatically turns and automatically covers."

"An automatic target acquisition laser cannon!" Franky's eyes lit up, tears and snot streaming down his face as he immediately struck a SUUUUUPER pose. "I'm going to build this insanely powerful fire control system myself!"

Ace waited until they had a clear discussion about the power system and weapon framework before walking over to the blueprints: "A warship can't just be about cannons. We'll be spending most of our time at sea from now on, so this ship also needs to be comfortable for people to live on."

He pointed to the superstructure: "Make the living room and library/information room absolutely soundproof. The top deck will be covered with real grass, and the aft cabin will have a circular aquarium spanning three floors. The kitchen will be built to the highest standards, and entertainment rooms, gyms, and other living facilities will be included. Make full use of all available space. Going out to sea is to conquer this sea, not to make everyone suffer in a metal shell."

“Leave the internal layout to me.” Franky took a blank sheet of paper and quickly divided it into sections for water supply, ventilation, and cabin piping. “The minimum requirement for ships built by Tom’s Workshop is that they can fight. The problem is that with so many facilities, armor, and propulsion systems combined, the requirements for the main load-bearing structure are too high. The all-metal central shaft looks sturdy, but when it encounters the undercurrents of the New World that can bend the hull, it is actually easy for it to be torn apart by its own weight.”

He drew a heavy stroke on the keel: "We need a piece of wood that can support the weight of the entire ship, bend to its limit without breaking, and allow the ship to withstand the wind and waves like a living thing. Only the Adam Tree can be used for the keel frame, and then fused with an alloy. If any other wood is used, this blueprint will only result in a wrecked ship that will break sooner or later."

As soon as he finished speaking, three huge black backpacks were thrown at his feet. The heavy thud made the four corners of the blueprints jump up, and one of the bags burst open, spilling gold bars, diamonds, and bundles of baileys from the gap.

Karina, carrying an abacus in one hand and followed by several small lunar robots carrying ancient treasures, said, "Use the best. This is just a portion brought down from the Sky Island. We'll buy as many Treasure Tree Adams as the City of Water can buy."

Bucky, who had been squatting at a distance complaining about how troublesome the reconstruction was, immediately moved closer when he saw the gold gleam in the bag, his eyes practically glued to the gold bars. Karina blocked his hand with the abacus: "If you're short one bar, we'll deduct ten from your future share of the money."

Ignoring Buggy's wails, Ace made one last request: "Most of the people on the ship are Devil Fruit users. In a naval battle, throwing ropes and lifebuoys is too slow if someone falls into the water. I need a system that can automatically assess the situation, retrieve people from the water in the shortest possible time, and it can't rely on anyone being on deck."

Geno glanced at the small robot beside him holding a plank, and snapped his fingers: "Set up ten hidden rapid-diving deployment pods on both sides of the ship. Replace the waterproof and pressure-resistant shells and underwater propulsion devices on the ten lunar robots, and equip them with externally deployed sea-penetrating mechanical grappling hooks. When the mainframe detects that a crew member has fallen into the water, the side pods will immediately open. The robots will enter the water within seconds and drag the powerless individuals back from the seabed."

Frankie added this structure to the blueprints. At this point, two sets of propulsion systems for both the surface and air, an intelligent laser targeting array, an electromagnetic storm net, comprehensive living facilities, and an automatic rescue system for those who fall into the water were all crammed into the same hull.

Those gathered around looked again at the blueprints spread across the ground. It was still just a bunch of ink lines, but the outline it revealed already exceeded their understanding of pirate ships. Even if everyone from Eclipse disembarked, the new ship wouldn't be an empty shell that anyone could approach, thanks to this intelligent weaponry and defense system alone.

"Let's get started." Ace didn't wait any longer. "Jenno and Franky are in charge of all the technology and structure. You guys will approve the blueprints. Karina, take enough money and go to the various lumber merchants to buy the best Adam Trees. The rest of you are free to do as you please, and while you're at it, gather all the supplies you'll need for the future voyage."

He looked down at the flying warship on the map: "I want it to be able to rampage across the world, to go into the sea whenever it wants, and to go into the sky whenever it wants. Don't leave any gaps in any key locations just to save money."

Franky pulled out a whistle and blew it. Dozens of his underlings, who had been hiding on the outskirts of the shipwrecked island, rushed in. Their faces still bore the bruises from Urki's blows, but they had brought heavy-duty cutting machines, cranes, and tools for dismantling large ships.

The dismantling of the Eclipse wasn't about smashing the ship to scrap. Franky first had everyone number each piece of usable armor and timber, while Geno shut down the ship's electrical circuits and removed the energy components one by one. The two had been taunting each other just moments before, but once they started working, they cooperated surprisingly well: Franky could judge which section to dismantle first by observing the stress on the hull, while Geno handled the wiring and mechanical structures hidden in the hull compartments, and neither of them let the cranes wait idle even once.

Urki sat guarding the dock entrance, casually dragging back a few Franky family members who were trying to slip away to move steel plates. Zambezi and the others were initially afraid that the big monk would attack again, but later they realized that as long as they worked honestly, they wouldn't get beaten up, so they quickly started shouting and directing the hoisting work. Small robots moved back and forth between the scaffolding, sorting the unloaded parts into piles according to their uses.

The gears began to turn, and sparks flew along the Eclipse's hull. The quiet, secluded dock, quiet for years, was soon filled with the sounds of cranes, hammers, and the clanging of metal. On this day, a shipyard hidden among piles of wrecked ships was transformed into an arsenal to build an aerial fortress for the Eclipse.

Chapter 83 The Underwater Reef, the World Government's Arrest Warrant

Night fell on the canals of Water City, and a tavern on a backstreet had already hung up a wooden sign that read "CLOSED." Inside, no lights were on; only moonlight streamed through the high skylights, casting a dim, yellowish hue on the floor.

Bruno stood behind the bar, wiping the already clean glasses with a white cloth. A soft click came from the back door; he didn't look up until the door was locked again, then pushed a glass of spirits to the outside of the bar.

Kaku, wearing a white baseball cap, walked in, the cheerful smile of a young shipwright gone. He took a sip of his drink and recounted what he'd learned that day: "The black market timber merchants are all terrified. A group of people came today, carrying piles of gold and Berries, and bought out all the Adam Trees currently in Water Seven. They didn't haggle after the initial offer, and didn't even bother to ask where the source was. The underground trading guild has never seen such extravagant customers."

"What about your identity?"

The booth at the far end of the bar was hidden in the shadows. A man with short, slightly curly black hair sat quietly there, a white dove perched on his shoulder. At Carrera, he was a genius shipwright who was not good with words; outside of that identity, he was Rob Lucci, the strongest humanoid weapon CP9 had ever produced in eight hundred years.

High heels clicked on the stairs. Kalifa pushed up her frameless glasses and came down with a stack of wanted posters in her hand: "Our informants have confirmed it. The ones responsible for buying Adam Wood are 'Flame Dragon' Sabo, with a bounty of 530 million Berries, and Carina, with a bounty of 23 million Berries. Portgas D. Ace hasn't made a public appearance yet, but their ship was found on Shipwreck Island. The Eclipse Pirates, who have been missing for almost half a year, should have all entered Water 7 by now."

Bruno put the glass back on the shelf: "Should we warn them first? These pirates act recklessly. If they cause trouble in the city, our operation around the iceberg could be affected."

They've been infiltrating the Carrera Corporation for two years, posing daily as bartenders, secretaries, and shipwrights, all to pinpoint the exact location of the blueprints for the ancient weapon "Pluto" and snatch it from Iceberg. This mission threatens the balance of the world; any mishap could render their two years of disguise futile.

The Eclipse Pirates are the most unpredictable exception. With a captain worth 770 million Berries and a group of members whose bounties are rapidly increasing, if they were to fight in Water 7, the commotion would never be contained within a few streets.

Kaku and Kalifa both looked at Lucci. After a moment, Lucci raised his hand to preen the feathers of the pigeon on his shoulder: "No need to touch it."

"They didn't approach the iceberg, nor did they investigate the Pluton blueprints. As long as it doesn't affect our progress, let them stay on Shipwreck Island to build ships. Portgas D. Ace was able to bring Zephyr to the brink of death on the battlefield; it's unrealistic to expect to resolve this quietly. A rash conflict would only expose the top-secret mission entrusted to us by the Five Elders ahead of time."

Lucci stood up and straightened his sleeves: "Once they finish building the ship, they can leave Water Seven on their own."

This is the safest course of action right now. Kaku finished his drink, and Kalifa put away the wanted poster. Just as they were about to return to their hiding places, a series of urgent shouts came from below the bar.

“Bru bru bru…”

The voice came from a specially made white Den Den Mushi disguised as a black wine barrel. It was equipped with anti-eavesdropping capabilities and would only connect to this emergency line when headquarters encountered an S-class classified incident.

Lucci stopped in his tracks. Bruno immediately opened the hidden compartment and handed him the receiver.

"This is CP9, Rob Lucci."

The Den Den Mushi's face instantly mimicked Spandam's distorted expression.

"Lucci, answer me now! Are Portgas D. Ace and his crew all in Water Seven?"

"Yes. They arrived at Shipwreck Island this morning and are currently acquiring materials to rebuild their pirate ship."

"I don't care what they're here for! Keep a close watch on everyone, don't let a single one leave the island, and above all, don't let that ship leave Water City!"

Lucci frowned. He didn't care who he killed, but he couldn't accept his superior ruining the mission with his emotions: "Commander Spandam, our current priority is the iceberg and clues about the ancient weapon. Captain Eclipse's bounty is over seven hundred million. Forcing a war would make it impossible to keep quiet and would also violate the basic principles of assassination."

"Don't try to intimidate me with principles!" Spandam's shriek made the Den Den Mushi recoil. "This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision; it was a top-secret purge order personally issued by the Five Elders of Mary Geoise!"

The expressions of the people in the tavern changed simultaneously.

Spandam lowered his voice, but couldn't hide his eagerness to claim credit: "They stole the Celestial Gold offered to the Creator, and then severely damaged Zephyr in front of the Navy. Now they dare to openly enter bustling cities and buy up supplies. The Celestial Dragons have lost patience; the World Government wants to wipe them out of the sea before they cause any bigger trouble."

"CP0, the World Government's highest shield, has arrived in the waters surrounding Water 7. They will seal off Shipwreck Island before midnight!"