One Piece: My Evolving Aircraft

Next Bonus, 100!!

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Onboard the Empress, in the infirmary, Kaya was the lead surgeon. She quickly and elegantly removed the bullet from Iceburg's body and stitched up the wound.

The medical field on Drum Island, once world-renowned, had been revitalized with Jin's support. Kaya had first studied theory under Dr. Kureha, then had interned with Hogback. This year, she had officially begun her career as a "traveling doctor."

A short while later, Jin brought in Franky.

Lucci and his team had been efficient. They had quickly dealt with Franky, taken the blueprints, and were now on the Sea Train back to Enies Lobby. Their mission was the highest priority. They had to secure the asset.

Kaku, Fukurou, and Nero had also successfully planted the time bombs in the steamships' boiler rooms. They were set to detonate the next day, after the ships had left port.

The only thing that had gone wrong was Spandam's mission. His attempt to capture the Straw Hats had failed. Kaku, Fukurou, and Nero had to go back to support him, but even then, they were no match for the Straw Hats and were defeated.

They were then captured by Paulie and the other Galley-La foremen.

As a gesture of thanks, the foremen all pitched in to help refit the Going Merry, allowing the Straw Hats to escape.

In the aftermath, though the shipwrights were furious about Iceburg's "death," they were forced to release Spandam and Jabra under pressure from the World Government. Water 7 was too close to Enies Lobby, Marineford, and Mary Geoise. If they resisted, a Buster Call was all but guaranteed.

Because Spandam and his men had been captured, the Winter Blossom Kingdom, as a precaution, had requested that Paulie and his team inspect the steamships. The bombs were discovered and disarmed.

Of Spandam's two missions, one was a success, the other a failure.

He left the island in disgrace. And because his mission failure was due to his own personal vendetta, he was reprimanded by the Five Elders. If Lucci and his team hadn't successfully recovered the blueprints, he surely would have been stripped of his command.

The two sets of Pluton blueprints were quickly delivered to Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, the Warrior God of Science and Defense. He would organize a team to study them.

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"Iceburg, Franky. How are you feeling?"

In a bright, spacious office, Jin sat with the two men.

"Much better, thank you," Iceburg said politely.

"To be honest," Franky said from his mangled body, "not so great..."

The man was more machine than human. Most of his body, including his head, had been modified.

"Your cyborg body is... beyond the scope of normal medical treatment," Jin said with a faint smile. "I'll provide you with the tools and materials. You can repair yourself."

"That's SUUUUPER!" Franky said.

"By the way," Iceburg said, "are you sure it was alright to let them take the blueprints?"

"Don't worry," Jin said. "Building Pluton won't be so easy. Especially since they're missing the core data for the engine. Even if they build it, it'll just be an empty shell."

He had been planning this ever since he had started working with Water 7. But CP9 was extremely cautious. He couldn't force things; he had to let events unfold naturally.

"Letting the World Government have the blueprints, letting them be the ones to build the ship... it's not necessarily a bad thing."

"Wait a minute," Franky said, his brow furrowed. "Are you saying you gave them the blueprints on purpose?"

"Yes," Iceburg said.

"Dammit! Why didn't you tell me?" Franky demanded.

"You're too impulsive," Iceburg replied. "You might not have agreed. And the fewer people who knew, the better."

"Why?"

"Because," Jin said, "I've run the numbers. Building a Pluton requires a massive amount of resources, technology, and manpower. The cost is enormous. Neither I nor you could perfectly replicate it. And it would bring the full force of the World Government and the Marines down on us. So... why not let them build it? It serves two purposes. One, it protects Water 7. Two, it drains the World Government's resources. It might not be enough to bankrupt them, but it will certainly add to the pressure."

"That's too risky," Franky said. "What if they actually manage to build it?"

"Putting aside how long that would take..." Jin said with a faint smile, "the fact is... I already know where the real Pluton is."

Franky was stunned. "What?!"

He looked at Iceburg. The man's expression was calm. So that was why he had been convinced to hand over the blueprints.

If Jin already knew where Pluton was, then a set of blueprints was no longer so important.

"You're both officially 'dead' now," Jin said. "Which means you're free to do some... work in the shadows."

"What kind of work?"

"I want you to design a new class of ironclad warship. It will be the future of naval warfare."

Iceburg and Franky weren't just shipwrights; they were two of the most brilliant naval architects and mechanical engineers in the world. For men of such talent to die, or to become pirates... it was a waste.

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While the Straw Hat Pirates were sailing into the Florian Triangle, out of contact with the outside world, another piece of news shocked the world.

The World Government announced in the morning paper that Blackbeard Marshall D. Teach had replaced Crocodile as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

"Teach? Who's that?"

"Never heard of him."

Most people were confused. Before this, Blackbeard and his crew had been complete unknowns, even less famous than Luffy.

And now, out of nowhere, they had burst onto the world stage.

Soon, other newspapers dug up Blackbeard's past.

"Formerly a member of the Whitebeard Pirates. He fled last year after killing the fourth division commander."

"And the reason he was able to become a Warlord is because... he handed over two people to the World Government."

"The head of Ochoku... and the commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' second division, 'Fire Fist' Ace!"

In Foosha Village, in the East Blue, the news was met with shock and disbelief.

"Ace?!"

"Hey! Is that...?"

"The one from Mt. Colubo? Luffy's older brother? He's been captured?"

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