When Fang Yi brought Jessica to the tavern to meet up with the others, everyone wore the same expression—shock.
Their captain had only been gone a short while… and he came back with such a beautiful young girl?
Jessica, when she was first summoned, looked to be about Fang Yi's age, at most in her mid-teens.
"Jessica, a… musician." Fang Yi thought for a moment, then introduced her to the others:
"From now on, she's one of us!"
"Musician?" Shanks and Barrett frowned simultaneously, exchanging confused looks.
Back when Fang Yi defined the vision for their pirate crew, he had made it clear: they were to sail as a lean elite force. Apart from necessary functional crew positions, everyone's strength and potential had to be top-tier.
But from this girl in front of them, neither Shanks nor Barrett felt any real combat aura.
Tiffani, on the other hand, was delighted. Finally—another girl on board! She was no longer the only woman among them.
"Ah… It's a bit complicated, but in short—she's one of us now!" Fang Yi said with a smile, fully aware of the doubts lingering in Shanks' and Barrett's eyes. He didn't offer further explanation, and the two of them, though curious, didn't press him. They trusted Fang Yi enough to believe he had his reasons.
Jessica, meanwhile, sat chatting quietly with Tiffani. Aside from being a little silent and expressionless, she seemed perfectly normal—if anything, she just gave off a slightly aloof aura.
From the moment Fang Yi had summoned her, Jessica had been rapidly "evolving." At first, her movements and tone had been as stiff as a robot's. But now, only a day later, she already blended in almost seamlessly.
The crew accepted her surprisingly smoothly. Fang Yi breathed a sigh of relief. If Shanks and Barrett had objected, he would have had no choice but to send Jessica back into the Bounty Tower.
The tower's first floor originally held three prison cells. After Jessica's successful summoning, one of them transformed into a room for her. Fang Yi could recall her there at any time. But summoning her back out was limited to once per day—no stacking.
Which meant keeping her outside as much as possible was the best option.
Fang Yi even considered whether he should give Jessica the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. That way, she'd gain combat abilities as well.
But the soul power he had used to shape her wasn't very strong. Giving her such a rare fruit might be a waste. The thought made him hesitate.
The Dragon Wolf stayed docked on the small island for a full day, resupplying.
Because the island was tiny, Fang Yi chose not to exchange their Skypiean gold here. Better to wait until they reached a larger city where the trade would be more profitable.
By then, they had also confirmed their exact position. At most three days' sail would bring them to Water 7.
So instead of following the Log Pose, Fang Yi had them set their course directly using the permanent pointer to Water 7.
Three days weren't long, but it was long enough for Shanks and Barrett to notice Jessica's peculiarities.
First, she obeyed Fang Yi's orders with absolute immediacy. No matter what she was doing, she would drop everything to complete his commands.
Second, she seemed to need no rest. If Fang Yi told her to watch the Log Pose, she would stand there endlessly, without sleep, until he canceled the order.
This left Shanks and Barrett baffled. No normal human could be so utterly obedient—it went beyond loyalty.
And she volunteered for every chore: mopping, cleaning, anything. She never carried herself like a crewmate, but more like a servant.
To cover for this, Fang Yi hastily invented a lie: that Jessica had been rescued from slavers.
"I believe she'll get better in time. She just escaped that kind of life—it's only natural she hasn't adjusted yet." Fang Yi wiped imaginary sweat from his forehead as he explained.
"Uuuu… Jessica-nee, that's so tragic! Captain, we have to treat her well from now on!" Tiffani sniffled, buying the story completely, even pitying Jessica's supposed past.
Though Shanks and Barrett remained a bit suspicious, they never once considered that Fang Yi would outright lie to them. Slowly, they too began to accept Jessica.
Then, on the second night of their voyage, Jessica stood on deck under the moonlight. Unable to hold back, she suddenly began to sing.
The moment her voice poured out, even Fang Yi himself was shaken.
"That was… incredible! Jessica-nee, can you teach me to sing like that?" Tiffani's eyes sparkled like stars.
"Truly amazing. Look around the Dragon Wolf!" Shanks, leaning lazily against the rail, clapped his hands.
Only then did everyone notice—the sea around them was alive. Schools of fish had gathered, swarming joyfully around their ship, drawn by Jessica's song.
"Hahaha! We'll never run out of food again. Jessica's singing is better than magical bait!" Fang Yi laughed.
Even Barrett, usually disinterested in anything outside combat or training, nodded his approval.
"By the way, Jessica, besides singing, do you play instruments?" Shanks asked curiously.
"Mm… I can play most ordinary instruments." Jessica nodded shyly.
She hadn't meant to show off—she had simply been moved by the calm sea and the silver moon, and the song had slipped out naturally. Being praised afterward left her a bit embarrassed.
The more she interacted with people, the more human she became. Fang Yi even thought that one day, he might not be able to tell if she truly was human or not.
After this display of ability, the crew's acceptance of Jessica deepened, and Fang Yi felt relieved.
On the third day at noon, the Dragon Wolf finally arrived at Water 7.
"Then I'll leave it to you two. Take the gold and exchange it for beli. Shanks, Jessica, and I will head straight to Tom's workshop in the backstreets. Meet us there later."
After docking, Fang Yi split the crew: Tiffani and Barrett went to handle the gold exchange, while he led Shanks and Jessica to Tom's Workshop.
He wasn't sure of the timeline. By now, had the World Government already begun troubling Tom? To be safe, he chose to head there first.
But when they arrived, the workshop was empty.
"Huh? Did Tom head to the docks again?" Shanks frowned after searching the rooms.
"Jessica, stay here. If Barrett and Tiffani arrive, tell them we went to the docks where Tom builds ships." Fang Yi's expression grew grim as he gave the order.
"Understood, Captain." Jessica nodded.
"Shanks, let's go!" Fang Yi said sharply, already heading out.
"This can't be happening right now, can it?" Shanks asked, running alongside him.
"Hard to say. Let's hope not." Fang Yi shook his head.
Normally, even if Tom were working at the docks, someone would remain at the workshop—his secretary, Kokoro, always stayed behind to prepare food for Tom, Iceburg, and Franky.
For the place to be deserted, and not even at mealtime, Fang Yi's instincts screamed danger.
Sure enough, at the shipyard, a squad of World Government agents in black uniforms had already surrounded Tom and the others.
"Tom the shipwright. Your crime of building the Pirate King's ship, the Oro Jackson, has been exposed. Come quietly—we're taking you to Enies Lobby!" the leader declared.
"You bastards! Do you even hear yourselves? Since when is shipbuilding a crime? And who could have known Roger would become the Pirate King?!" shouted Cutty Flam—later known as Franky—his voice filled with fury.
If not for Iceburg restraining him, he would have already attacked the agents. To him, Tom was like a father. He would never allow anyone to insult or harm him.
"Whether it's a crime isn't for you to decide. Enies Lobby will judge him fairly," the agent sneered coldly.
"Hahahaha! Enough, Flam. Don't say more. A man lives proudly, come what may! I'll go with them. I believe I'll get a fair trial!" Tom laughed heartily.
"But Tom…!" Iceburg frowned, uneasy with his mentor's decision.
"Enough, Iceburg. You're good kids. Take care of Flam. Just wait here for me to return." Tom smiled reassuringly as he prepared to follow the agents.
But just then, a voice rang out.
"I hear the best shipwright on this island works here! Which one of you is it? Get out here—I want a ship built!"
Fang Yi strode in with Shanks, deliberately looking like nothing but trouble.
"It's—!" Franky spotted them and nearly shouted in recognition, but Iceburg quickly clamped a hand over his mouth.
"Don't say a word. Pretend we don't know them." Iceburg caught Fang Yi's meaning immediately.
Their ship had already been built. There was no reason to commission another. Which meant Fang Yi's words were a deliberate distraction—a move to help Tom.
"Brats, I'll give you one chance. Leave. The World Government is handling official business. Get lost while you can," the black-uniformed agent snapped, glaring at Fang Yi and Shanks.