"I'm off to sing freedom's praises, Orlan!" Ivankov declared, loading a patched-up wooden boat with supplies on Solbey's coast.
No one knew the Valley of the Gods survivors' plans, but Ivankov was ready to take his first step.
"I'm staying with Orlan and Xiong for now. We'll plan slowly," Ginny said.
Only Ivankov was leaving among the few left.
"Ivan, that boat won't last long distances. Sure about this?" Orlan asked.
Orlan couldn't stay in Solbey forever—he had work to do. Cautious by nature, he avoided risks like Ivankov's reckless sea journey.
"We're friends now. Goodbye! Don't forget me!" Ivankov called, drifting away with the offshore wind.
"I'll never forget you, Little Ivan!" Xiong shouted until Ivankov vanished.
"Let's go, Xiongxiong. Dinner's not sorted yet," Ginny said.
At thirteen, Ginny, and nine-year-old Xiong faced the challenge of survival. Stealing wasn't an option; Xiong's firewood-chopping was their only income.
"No chopping today. A kind man's covering dinner," Xiong said.
"Kind man?" Ginny asked.
"Yep. Call Kate, grab our stuff, and let's go."
Kate, a Mink Tribe member, stayed behind. Without a life card to find Zou—a moving elephant in the New World—she couldn't return home. Her family was gone, and her heart condition loomed.
"You killed my enemy and saved me. Minks repay debts. I may not live long, but I'll serve you and entrust my dreams to you," Kate had told Orlan.
Her electric generation was useful. Orlan, needing allies, accepted, aiming to fix her heart condition for future aid.
"You're back! Meow sorted your stuff!" Kate said, pointing to two wooden boxes from the Valley of the Gods.
Orlan and Xiong carried them toward the church's other side. Xiong, despite his age, matched Orlan's exoskeleton in strength.
Ginny's stomach growled. Orlan stopped.
"We're here."
"The royal palace?!" Ginny gasped.
"Yes. The kind man lives here. I spoke to your king yesterday," Orlan said, showing a warrant to the guard.
Work was impractical for quick capital, so Orlan traded two boxes of rifles—low-tech by his standards, but advanced for the South China Sea.
Shak had deemed them quality, so they were brought along. In Solbey, a poor kingdom, these surpassed local tech.
The rifles were a stepping stone. Orlan struck a deal with King Bulldog: improve Solbey's forging and machinery for productivity, in exchange for payment and aid.
Bulldog, a decent king, agreed. Though poor, Solbey's people were content, and the nation's collective wealth met Orlan's needs.
"How'd you get the king's invite?" Ginny asked.
"I had what they lack. Did you read what I gave you?" Orlan replied.
"I did, but it's complex. I don't get it," Xiong admitted, embarrassed.
"No worries. I'll teach you later. It's not hard," Orlan assured.
Orlan needed special materials, but Solbey lacked the industry to extract them. Xiong's Meatball Fruit, capable of ejecting conceptual things like pain, could theoretically separate these substances—if Xiong understood them.
"Thank you for your help."
"We take what we need. I'll teach you to control the fruit's power; you'll help me extract substances. Where'd you get stuck in the booklet?" Orlan asked.
"Uh, page one," Xiong mumbled, embarrassed.
His gentle nature made him oblige even strangers. The booklet, filled with Orlan's chemical notes, was meant to help Xiong understand matter.
"Don't worry. You lack basics. This shows me where to start," Orlan reassured.
Born to a pastor's family, Xiong was enslaved young. Reading and writing were already progress.
Solbey's modest palace welcomed Orlan's group. King Bulldog, composed despite their odd appearance, greeted them.
"Mr. Orlan, please sit," Bulldog said.
"King Bulldog, any questions about the agreement?" Orlan asked, skipping pleasantries.
"Your terms benefit Solbey's development. But we're poor—sky gold's drained us. Can we pay part now, the rest in installments? If your designs work, we'll settle soon," Bulldog proposed.
Bulldog disliked this but had no choice. Solbey lacked scientists or warriors, and sky gold barely kept order. Orlan's tech was a rare chance, but paying upfront risked next year's funds.
"Fine, if Solbey covers interest and shares project profits," Orlan said.
"Agreed, but you arrange specifics. No outsider directing an expert," Bulldog replied, presenting the agreement.
Orlan saw Bulldog's doubts—normal for untested tech. They signed, Orlan securing funds, Solbey betting on progress.
Both were satisfied, though Bulldog regretted inviting Orlan's group. Ginny, Xiong, and Kate ate days' worth of palace food, Ginny leading the feast.
Time passed. Orlan taught Xiong math, physics, and chemistry from scratch. Xiong learned fast, compressing elements from raw ore, surpassing machines when he understood the substance.
Solbey's factory prototype handled forging for nearby nations. Orlan noticed his own body changing—stronger, recovering faster, like a One Piece native. Valoran honed the mind; this world, the body.
With Bulldog's funds, Orlan built tools in a temporary workshop with Xiong and Kate. A five-meter brass robot took shape, with screws, pipes, and radiators steaming.
Orlan fueled its chest gate. The robot's eyes lit up.
"Engine started," it said.
"It's moving!" Ginny gasped.
"Of course. Blitz, grab that rock on the left," Orlan ordered.
"Stone. Understood."
Whoosh! Steam burst, claws extended, and the rock was retrieved.
"Master, mission accomplished," Blitz reported.
"Shut down," Orlan commanded.
The system worked. Orlan opened the chest, revealing a groove above the power compartment.
This steam robot, a Zaun rescue model, was modified. Orlan inserted a custom Hextech crystal with a Seraph-like chip, serving as both energy and control.
Bang! The core locked in, power surging. Sparks flickered, then dimmed.
"Kate, full discharge at the core!" Orlan shouted.
"Meow, got it."
Sizzle! Electricity coursed through. The robot's eyes reignited, its voice colder yet distinct.
"Blitz, reporting."