[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!! For Only $5!!][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]
====
Drum Kingdom Castle.
"Come on, Wapol, eat more. With such a big mouth, you can't be satisfied with just a little bit."
Zyhark sat on the throne with his legs crossed, constantly shoving various objects into Wapol's bruised and swollen mouth.
These objects included tetanus-infested blades, scrap metal, and broken door fragments—basically, anything that could be used as metal.
"Thank you, Master Zyhark, I will work super hard!"
Wapol accepted everything eagerly, chewing and swallowing the items, using his Devil Fruit ability to create various bizarre metal toys.
After a thorough electric shock treatment, he became completely obedient, showing an enthusiastic and uncomplaining demeanor.
In the original work, Wapol developed the rare alloy purely by chance, and the raw materials were never specified, so Zyhark had to try various items one by one.
It was a bit like playing some synthesis exploration game. (Atelier)
"Here, eat this too, meow!"
Meowth, intrigued by the Baku Baku no Mi's peculiar ability, pulled out a Team Rocket special rocket from the Endless Dream and tried to stuff it into Wapol's mouth.
After learning from Zyhark about the super plasticity of Wapol's alloy, as the ship's inventor, Meowth was eager to see it firsthand.
After all, the base model and related blueprints for the second-generation machine were already established. As long as they could obtain this key alloy, they could immediately start the manufacturing process! "Master Meowth, please, this one is too big."
Wapol, looking at the oversized rocket that was larger than his body, panicked a bit.
It wasn't that he was afraid he couldn't eat it, but his cowardly nature made him fearful of such unknown objects.
Who knows what unpleasant chemical reactions might occur after eating it?
In reality, this worry was completely unnecessary, because, as a prisoner...
He didn't have the right to refuse!
"Boohoo..."
The massive cylindrical rocket was forcibly shoved into his body.
Just as he finally managed to digest the rocket and thought it was over, an even more terrifying demon appeared.
Led by Hiriluk and Kureha, Aqua and the others also arrived at the castle.
Understanding Wapol's vile actions and Devil Fruit abilities, the foolish goddess Aqua wasn't as gentle.
Things like cartwheels, toilet lids, and household garbage were all thrown into Wapol's big mouth.
Tasting the sewer flavor in his mouth, Wapol's nose twitched, and tears of humiliation streamed from his eyes.
After all this, the metal objects produced from his body increased in number but were still far from the ideal Wapol alloy, breaking at the slightest touch.
Zyhark wasn't surprised by this result. From the beginning, he didn't expect success within a few hours.
In the following days, Wapol spent every day being fed by the Sea Restaurant crew.
After figuring out the operation mode of the Baku Baku no Mi, and through the various alloys with different hardness he produced, Meowth gradually figured out the general rules and direction.
Thanks to this, Wapol's diet gradually became healthier—every day, he consumed various metals.
Zyhark didn't waste this idle time either, training his Conqueror's Haki in the snowy mountains on the backside of the island.
Accompanying him were King and Kanna.
King wanted to train his muscles in extreme environments, while Kanna simply wanted to follow Zyhark around, occasionally showing off local specialties from the snowy mountains.
As for the foolish goddess, she frequently went to drink with Kureha.
Due to the depletion of her divine power from using resurrection, even her casual performances were short and choppy, making Chopper laugh hysterically from his hiding spot.
Meanwhile, Brook was very interested in Hiriluk's cherry blossom experiments, often hanging out with him.
Time passed quietly in this leisurely routine.
Finally, on the fifth day, driven by a strong desire to survive, Wapol successfully synthesized the first piece of the golden legend.
—The highly shape-memory Wapol alloy! This silver-white metal, with a bright luster, had extremely strong impact resistance.
As long as it wasn't completely smashed, it could slowly restore its original shape, with excellent heat and cold resistance.
Only the Baku Baku no Mi's bug-level ability could create such a groundbreaking metal in such a short time!
With this, the core material for the second-generation machine was obtained.
This also meant that their trip to Drum Kingdom was coming to an end.
After two days of intensive extraction, Wapol produced about three tons of Wapol alloy.
According to Meowth's calculations, this amount was more than sufficient. Even if more materials were needed later, they could always return to Drum Kingdom to extract more from Wapol.
Therefore, Zyhark decided to spare Wapol's life, binding him to Drum Kingdom to work for him forever.
At first, Wapol's sinister eyes darted around, planning to escape or seek help from other allies.
However, after witnessing Zyhark casually destroy a massive mountain peak, he completely submitted, accepting his fate with a heart full of despair.
As for the underlying issues of the ailing Drum Kingdom, Zyhark had no intention of intervening.
Just like his attitude towards Alabasta Kingdom, he wasn't a babysitter for these characters from the original series.
The country's improvement would have to rely on Chopper, Hiriluk, Kureha, a reformed Dalton, and the Doctors 20.
"Goodbye, everyone! Make sure to achieve your dreams! I will also work hard to become the best doctor!"
At the Drum Kingdom port, Chopper, with tears streaming down his face, waved the cherry blossom pirate flag, bidding farewell to his rare friends in his own way.
"Coward Chopper, next time we meet, I won't go easy on you, meow!"
On the Endless Dream sailing on the sea, Meowth, with a nose full of snot and tears, waved his hands vigorously.
Through their time together, he and the fellow "outcast" Chopper had formed a deep friendship.
Zyhark, Aqua, and the others also waved goodbye to Hiriluk, Kureha, and Dalton standing on the shore.
"As a panacea for awakening this sick country, and also as the highest respect to our benefactors…"
"Blossom with your magnificent brilliance over this cold and dead kingdom!"
Hiriluk, holding a burning flame, ignited a special item in his suitcase.
From the moment he decided to go to the castle to die, his cherry blossom experiment had succeeded. After a few days of rushed work, he finally completed the final product.
At Hiriluk's shout, a loud explosion resounded, covering the snowy kingdom with flying cherry blossoms, painting it with the colors of hope and dreams.
The towering peaks seemed to turn into giant trees supporting the sky. From afar, Drum Island looked like a cherry blossom tree rooted in the sea, exuding boundless vitality. "So beautiful! I didn't expect this island to actually be a giant cherry blossom tree!"
With blue eyes reflecting the cherry blossoms, the foolish goddess Aqua instantly assumed that Drum Island was a giant cherry blossom tree.
With her divine power restored, she held a folding fan and performed a complete version of Feint Attack in response.
"Oh~ Maji yabaku ne."
Lying on the ship's railing, Kanna, equally captivated by the scene, tilted her head in genuine admiration.
As Zyhark and the others enjoyed the fleeting beauty, a discordant skeleton laugh shattered their peace.
"The same color as Kureha's panties, though I'm just a skeleton and can't actually distinguish colors. Yohohoho~"
Everyone: "..."
Who cares about that, you idiot!!! "Um, Brook, you're just a skeleton without a tongue, you don't actually have to speak."
Even the usually reticent King couldn't help but chime in.
Brook's interruption killed the mood, and everyone dispersed to do their own things, leaving the deck.
Braving the cold wind and drifting cherry blossoms, the Endless Dream sailed forward, soon disappearing from Drum Island's view.
Their next destination was the Twin Capes at the entrance of the Grand Line, closely tied to Brook's past!
Woo woo woo!!
At this moment, the loud and resonant whale cries echoed across the Twin Capes.
Sensing Brook's arrival, the whale Laboon was extremely excited, repeatedly leaping out of the sea.
The massive splashes soaked Crocus, who was leisurely reading the newspaper at the lighthouse.
"Hey, Laboon, what are you up to? Even with the increased number of rookie pirates recently, you don't need to be this excited."
Crocus put down his soaked newspaper and shouted at the "crazy" Laboon from the shore.
For some reason, ever since interacting with that blue-haired girl claiming to be the water goddess, Laboon's mental state had become increasingly strange.
Although he no longer did the foolish act of ramming his head against the Red Line, whenever a new pirate or merchant crew passed by, Laboon would follow them.
Using his breath, feigning pity, or threats, he forced them to sign promotional leaflets.
Despite his reluctance to admit it, Crocus found Laboon's behavior somewhat reminiscent of those… pyramid scheme recruiters in the Sabaody Archipelago.
Woo woo woo! Laboon clearly heard Crocus, but not being able to speak human language, he could only express his anticipation by continuously wagging his tail towards the distant sea.
"Suit yourself, but you still need to rest." Crocus, puzzled, shook his head.
After confirming Laboon's state was still manageable, he returned to his seat.
"However, it's really unexpected."
"Those little brats have gone from unknown nobodies to world-shaking figures in just a few months."
Crocus sighed, his shrewd eyes falling on the wet newspaper.
Its content was a follow-up report on Zyhark becoming a Warlord of the Sea!
"The new era Roger mentioned seems to be advancing even faster than anticipated…"
...
Meanwhile, on the Endless Dream sailing the Grand Line, they encountered an unexpected "attack."
A fleet composed of several rookie pirate crews surrounded the Endless Dream.
As soon as the ships made contact, the ferocious-looking pirates poured out, rushing into the ship's main hall.
Upon meeting Zyhark, Aqua, and the others, they brandished their bright weapons.
It was a piece of paper and a pen.
Yes, these were the rookie pirates forced into the Axel cult by Laboon!
Initially, they agreed to join the Axel cult under the pressure of the giant whale, only to throw the leaflets into the sea later.
However, upon learning from the newspapers that Zyhark had become a Warlord of the Sea and that Aqua, a member of the cult, was part of his crew, they reached a conclusion.
The force behind the Axel cult was the Warlord of the Sea!
Not all pirates dreamed of conquering the sea or becoming the Pirate King. Many were just trying to survive under the world government's oppression.
For these pirates, having a connection with a powerful figure like the Warlord of the Sea, even a tenuous one, could be a lifesaver!
So, they became devoted Axis cultists in a sense.
Seeing the opportunity to meet the real deal on the sea, they scrambled to get signatures, cementing their shaky connection!
Zyhark immediately saw through these profit-driven desperados.
Blocking the boisterous Aqua, he gave them two choices:
"Truly believe in the water goddess and forever be loyal to the Axis cult, or give up your meaningless thoughts and go back to where you came from."
Some timid ones, scared by his sharp eyes, slunk back to their ships and left.
A few bold and vicious pirates were struck down by thunder on the spot.
As for the remaining sincere ones, they happily took the signatures and followed Zyhark's advice to head to Alabasta, seeking the stability they desired.
As the pirate fleet dispersed, this "attack" ended.
To Zyhark's surprise, shortly after the rookie pirates left, a Navy warship appeared behind the Endless Dream, flying the seagull flag.
Standing on the warship was an old acquaintance, Navy Headquarters Rear Admiral—Smoker, with three large cigars in his mouth!
Before the ships got close, a white smoke burst from the warship's deck.
Smoker, fully transformed into smoke, sped through the air like a nimble white snake, landing on the Endless Dream first.
Without much small talk, he delivered a piece of news that moved Zyhark.
"As the new Warlord of the Sea, the Five Elders of the world government want to meet you!"
(End of Chapter)