Translator: PapaSmurf0700
The decision to give the Rumble Rumble Devil Fruit to Nami was straightforward for Bai Ye. Among the Straw Hats capable of consuming Devil Fruits—Bai Ye, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, Nami, and Merry—each had their own reasons for whether they could or would want to partake.
Bai Ye himself wouldn't consider eating a Devil Fruit. Even if he and Chopper could mitigate its side effects, Bai Ye's current powers from the Taomen Jilu were extensive, and he hadn't yet reached the limits of his abilities. Introducing a different power system at this point didn't align with his path.
Zoro's stance was similar. He could accept enhancements like Bai Ye's marrow-cleansing pill because it merely boosted his physical abilities. But Devil Fruits represented a different caliber of power—one that Zoro felt could compromise his quest to become the world's number one swordsman with the purity of his sword skills alone.
Sanji's potential to enhance his strength with a Devil Fruit was clear, but the specific attributes of the Rumble Rumble Fruit, centered around thunder, didn't suit his combat style. Sanji excelled in physical prowess and agility, making Zoan-type fruits more fitting for his abilities. Moreover, Sanji dreamed of obtaining an invisibility-granting fruit, so he likely wouldn't have accepted the thunder fruit even if offered.
Usopp was more open to the idea of using a Devil Fruit to enhance his skills. Unlike Zoro, Usopp didn't see such powers as tainting his abilities. He had already embraced various enhancements to improve his marksmanship, such as Bai Ye's elemental guns. Bai Ye even had plans to find a specific Devil Fruit that would perfectly augment Usopp's sniper abilities—one associated with a notorious pirate whose defeat would trouble Bai Ye little.
Merry, now a living being thanks to Bai Ye's techniques, could also consume a Devil Fruit. Bai Ye had one in mind that might not drastically boost her strength but would grant her a unique ability, adding another layer to crew capabilities. This was something Bai Ye had considered ever since acquiring Wapol's fruit.
Overall, Bai Ye had extensive plans for the growth and development of his crew. The future held challenges that wouldn't be surmountable by him alone. Fostering the strongest pirate crew in history wasn't just a necessity; it was an intriguing goal for Bai Ye.
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At this moment, Bai Ye shared some insights with Nami, who was still getting used to her new powers: "Using the Rumble Rumble Fruit, Enel was able to create an extensive spy network. He combined the fruit's powers with his observation haki."
"You should consider practicing in that direction too. It might even help you awaken your haki sooner." Bai Ye mentioned this with a hint of concern. Despite extensive training with him, both Nami and Usopp had yet to successfully awaken their haki, which left Bai Ye questioning the effectiveness of the training methods he'd been using, originally based on Roger's manual.
Nami understood her limitations and nodded in agreement, eager to overcome them.
Meanwhile, Luffy, ever eager, turned to the sky soldier who seemed a bit overwhelmed and asked, "So, can we go to the Fairy Vearth?!"
The soldier took a moment before responding, "Not yet... not yet. The power source issue is just one hurdle."
"Another issue is controlling the Ark. Only Enel knew how to do that." He then pulled out a thick stack of blueprints from his uniform and handed them over. "I collected these intentionally for you."
The crew crowded around, trying to make sense of the complex diagrams. Usopp looked at the dense parameters and configurations on the plans and admitted, "Uh... I can't understand it at all."
Robin studied the blueprints carefully and ventured a guess, "It looks like Enel divided the Ark's design into hundreds of parts."
The soldier nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Each person here was responsible for just a small segment of the whole design."
"No one knew how the pieces fit together until construction was nearly complete," he said with a sigh, glancing up at the grand ark that stood before them, its purpose and complexity nearly beyond comprehension until now.
As Bai Ye pondered the complexity of the Ark, he posed a question, his tone tinged with urgency: "So, you're saying you don't know how to operate the Ark either?"
The soldier's confirmation came with a nod, his voice carrying a hint of resignation: "That's correct. Moreover, it seems the Ark isn't fully assembled yet. Enel kept the most critical components to himself, intending to finish it on his own."
Bai Ye's hand instinctively moved to massage his temples, a sigh escaping him as he considered the missed opportunity for better preparation. "Had I known earlier, I might have taken extra steps," he mused quietly to himself.
Despite the frustration, a thought comforted him—the colossal size of the Ark meant it wasn't going anywhere soon.
Yet, this situation also reinforced Bai Ye's suspicions about the true nature of the Ark. It was not just a ship but potentially a legacy of the moon-people, a theory not explicitly detailed in the original story but implied through scattered hints. Enel's lifelong isolation on the sky island and sudden possession of such advanced plans suggested he might have stumbled upon ancient secrets from the moon-people on Birka.
Bai Ye's mind raced with the possibilities—Enel's discovery of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit and ark blueprints, followed by his drastic actions on Birka, hinted at a darker, more ambitious drive.
These theories, while compelling, were riddled with gaps, prompting Bai Ye to shelf them for now. Turning to face Luffy, he proposed a pragmatic approach: "It looks like our journey to Fairy Vearth might have to wait. We need a skilled shipbuilder who can finish the Ark. For now, we should head back to the blue sea..."
Luffy's face crumpled into a frown of dissent before Bai Ye could finish. "Never!" he blurted out, his declaration resolute. "I'm the captain, and I say we're going to Fairy Vearth!" His determined stance was clear, echoing the undying spirit of adventure that drove him.