Chapter 62: Iron Battle Suit
[June 16, 1517. After discussing with Franky, you're increasingly convinced that with current scientific technology, your design is entirely feasible. You're fully capable of creating an Iron Man-style battle suit powered by cola and the element niproyn. It would just require extensive research and a great deal of funding—two things you happen to have in abundance. Heh, Tony Stark probably never imagined that his prized Arc Reactor could be replaced by a three-berrie bottle of cola.]
[June 17, 1517. You gathered the members of the Pineapple Pirates to announce your decision: you and Franky would temporarily stay behind in Water 7 to conduct research, while the others would continue sailing under Vice-Captain Ace's command. You agreed to regroup at Sabaody Archipelago in two years. Though surprised, everyone respected your decision.]
[June 19, 1517. Franky retrieved the blueprints of Pluton hidden inside his body, and Robin translated the ancient script for you. It truly was the schematic of an enormous warship. If possible, you planned to build it—perhaps it would become the next flagship of the Pineapple Pirates.]
[June 21, 1517. You had Franky contact Iceburg, the mayor of Water 7 and head of the Galley-La Company. You offered to improve their shipbuilding blueprints in exchange for a 15% profit share. Iceburg was initially dismissive, but after reviewing your modifications, he immediately agreed.]
[June 27, 1517. You spent seven days revising all the shipbuilding blueprints and handed them over to Iceburg. You could've asked for a higher share of the profits, but you understood the wisdom of not overreaching. Fifteen percent from a long-term venture is already a massive gain. Besides, you didn't have the time or interest to personally run a shipbuilding company in competition with Galley-La.]
[June–October 1517. With Franky's assistance, you completed the first-generation Iron Battle Suit powered by cola, naming it Pineapple-01. Franky proved to be an excellent research assistant—probably even better than Tony Stark's Dr. Yinsen. Not only was he quick to understand your ideas and offer insightful suggestions, but he also had top-notch hands-on skills. When exhausted, you could count on his twin subordinates, Kiwi and Mozu, to perform a cheerleading dance to help you unwind. Fantastic!]
[You were quite satisfied with the final Pineapple-01. The suit was equipped with Sky Island's Jet Dials and cola propulsion units on the back and soles, with smaller thrusters on the arms. You placed extra focus on flight stabilization. After the successful test flight in Water 7, you could proudly declare: you can fly now.]
[After completing Pineapple-01, you flew in the suit to the nearby Marine base, G-8 Fortress, which was commanded by Vice Admiral Jonathan. The final test exceeded your expectations. After knocking out the guards with your Conqueror's Haki, you sparred with Jonathan. Using your Iron Battle Suit in conjunction with swordsmanship and occasional long-range projectile attacks, you managed to fight him to a standstill. Without even realizing it, you'd become a powerhouse on the seas.]
[Testing revealed that Pineapple-01 had mediocre endurance and overly heavy armor, though its defense was excellent—capable of withstanding a full-power strike from a near-Admiral-level opponent. It also significantly boosted your arm strength and sword speed. The only real drawback was the lack of an intelligent AI like JARVIS, which affected combat efficiency. If only you had a ship spirit...]
[Meanwhile, from the newspapers, you learned that Ace and the Pineapple Pirates had passed by Moria's Thriller Bark. You weren't sure what happened exactly, but the crew now included two new members: Gecko Moria and Ghost Princess Perona. No idea how Ace pulled that off. What really annoyed you was that some people were starting to speculate that Marco was the captain of the Pineapple Pirates—just because of the hairstyle and the pineapple symbol on the flag.]
[At the end of October, Roger suddenly told you he'd recalled a sword technique he used frequently. It might be useful to you. The move was called Divine Departure—a technique requiring exceptionally refined swordsmanship and best used with his blade, Ace. But you weren't stupid; that sword was way too conspicuous. Unless absolutely necessary, you wouldn't reveal it.]
[November 1517 to February 1518. Aside from your research, you were a true master of time management. With a clear goal in mind, you always carved out time to train your Armament Haki and swordsmanship, no matter how busy you were. Nearly every night, you paid a visit to G-8 Fortress. Eventually, the soldiers stopped bothering to come out. They just watched from a distance as you sparred with Jonathan—after all, you didn't kill anyone. These intense fights paid off. One day in late February, your swordsmanship experienced a qualitative leap, and you finally mastered Divine Departure. Even you were shocked when a clean arc of sword light cut down Jonathan with surgical precision.
You acquired the skill: Divine Departure (Beginner)
You acquired the skill: Basic Swordsmanship (Advanced)]
[March 1518. History seemed to shift again. CP9 activity in the area had increased. They appeared to realize that the Pluton blueprints weren't with Iceburg and plotted to assassinate him to uncover their true location. As you predicted, when they made their move, you arrived in your battle suit and took down CP9 single-handedly—though Lucci gave you some trouble and nearly escaped an instant KO. When the infamous tabloid photographer rushed over for an interview, you had the irresistible urge to lift your mask and say, "I am Iron Man."]
[Late May 1518. After long-term preparation, you began planning the construction of the ancient weapon Pluton. Iceburg agreed to assist you. It would be a massive undertaking, requiring an army of shipwrights and two years of work, not to mention astronomical expenses. But you were sure it would be worth it.]
[June–December 1518. With Franky's help, you upgraded Pineapple-01 twice. Beyond improvements to endurance and armor, Pineapple-03 featured a coating of Seastone on the outer layer, making it far more effective against Devil Fruit users. Barring surprises, this would likely be your last suit for the foreseeable future.]
[In addition to suit upgrades, you also acquired several Devil Fruits to research Devil Factor technology. By late December, you'd managed to produce a semi-finished artificial Devil Fruit. Its effects remained uncertain.]
[One thing that brought you comfort was the progress your crewmates had made over the past year. Ace turned down the position of Warlord of the Sea and led the Pineapple Pirates into the New World. After returning from Wano, he grew even stronger. After visiting Shanks, he resumed his original path and challenged Whitebeard. Though he was still defeated, he earned Whitebeard's respect, who said he saw the spirit of Kozuki Oden in Ace. In the latest bounty poster, Ace's bounty had reached 800 million berries—undoubtedly stronger than in the original timeline.]
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