Inside the training grounds—
"Nine hundred ninety-nine... one thousand!"
Jin pushed through his workout, sweat pouring off him like rain, his skin burning red. Steam rose from his body in waves, as if he were being forged in a fire.
For the past two days, he had been following the extreme training regimen designed by Ai, and he was beginning to feel a fundamental change within himself.
He really had changed.
Before all this—
Forget extreme training.
Even a regular workout would've left him exhausted.
Now, the harder he pushed his limits, the stronger his power and stamina grew. It felt like his body possessed an endless wellspring of energy just waiting to be tapped.
Still, Ai monitored him precisely, controlling the timing. Excessive extreme training would lead to overload.
That would do more harm than good.
"Stop. Time's up," Ai announced.
Jin ceased his movements and walked over to an ice barrel filled to the brim with snow, jumping straight in.
A loud hisssss echoed through the hall.
The snow instantly melted as clouds of vapor rose into the air. The alternating extremes of searing heat and biting cold provided effective relief for his aching muscles and prevented further damage.
"Ahh~ that hits the spot!"
Jin lounged in the bucket, savoring the sensation as his skin gradually shifted from its unnatural crimson back to normal flesh tone, now more defined and taut.
Once the snow had melted into lukewarm water, Jin got out, put on his clothes and fur cloak, and left the training area.
After devouring the royal castle—
After devouring the royal castle, the carrier's internal space had expanded dramatically, now sectioned off into a training hall, a dining room, living quarters, a conference hall, and other areas.
Moreover, the original castle's treasury had contained plenty of materials—exactly what the carrier needed for its evolution.
Jin opened the interface.
——————
[Primary Authority: Captain Jin]
[Hull Data: Length 22m | Width 13m | Height 8.3m | Weight 58 tons | Internal Space 210×68×32 cubic meters]
[Ability: Munch-Munch Fruit]
[Note: Trans-dimensional travel has irradiated the hull with Spacetime energy, granting it super-strength and a 'living' characteristic via absorption of biological matter. With sufficient materials and energy, its evolutionary potential is limitless.]
[Next Evolution Requirements: Soul Crystals (18/100) | Refined Steel (10/10 tons) | Gold (0.1/0.1 tons) | Silver (1/1 ton) | Rare Earth Metals (10/10 tons) | Biological Matter (0/1)!]
——————
"THIS IS INCREDIBLE," Jin marveled. "The expansion of the internal space didn't affect the ship's external size or weight at all."
"Spatial folding technology?"
"Devil Fruits are something else!"
"The steel, gold, silver, and rare earth metals are all covered. And the Munch-Munch Fruit also has a synthesis ability, so I don't have to worry about running out of basic materials," he mused.
"In the original story, after Wapol got beaten by the Straw Hats, he used the Munch-Munch Fruit to synthesize a new metal called Wapometal."
"He made a huge comeback with it."
"That just proves this fruit is an industrial powerhouse—a godsend for material production."
"Soul crystals are still way short. Need to consume living beings—wonder if animals count? If not, I'll hunt pirates."
"But what is this 'Biological Matter'?"
Jin's mind raced. He noticed the term in the evolution requirements and connected it to the note about absorbing biological matter.
"Could it mean... Devil Fruits?"
He was shocked.
"Isn't it impossible for one person to eat two Devil Fruits? Did my ship become different after crossing dimensions?"
"Hmm, Blackbeard can eat two—makes sense, right? Totally makes sense!"
"If evolution requires a Devil Fruit, that's gonna be tough. Those things cost at least a hundred million berries."
"According to Ai's analysis, Drum Island's current annual GDP barely reaches a hundred million berries."
"Plus, Devil Fruits are priceless—you can't just buy them."
Lost in thought—
Jin arrived at the dining hall. As the new king of what was now called the Winter Blossom Kingdom, he had his own personal chefs.
To ensure he was getting the proper nutrients for his intense training, he had Ai create a specific meal plan based on the island's available ingredients.
The food was nothing special.
Mainly because Drum Island's food was mostly meat-based, lacking common vegetables that had to be imported at high prices.
As for the island's chefs? They were adequate at best.
You can't make a masterpiece without the right materials.
—————————
After eating—
Jin met with Dalton, now promoted to Minister, along with the six town mayors in the conference room.
According to Ai's census, the Winter Blossom Kingdom covered an area of 5,800 square kilometers, forming an irregular circle. It was comprised of six towns and fifteen villages, with a total population of approximately 16,500 people.
Its main resources included its snow-capped peaks, Lapahns, hiking bears, reindeer, raw timber, and medicinal herbs, etc.
Industry: Medical tourism (discontinued).
Jin's first official act as king was to abolish all of Wapol's decrees, including the "Doctor Hunt."
The response was overwhelmingly positive.
"We've already sent messengers to the nearby islands to contact the doctors who fled. Hopefully they'll return."
"It's just that I'm worried..." Dalton hesitated.
"Worried about what?" Jin asked.
"The former king, Wapol, had an older brother named Musshuru,"
Dalton explained. "He was exiled to Kilauea. If he learns what's happened, he will certainly return to claim the throne. He is also a Devil Fruit user."
Jin's eyes lit up with delight. He clapped his hands and laughed: "THAT'S GREAT NEWS!"
He'd been wondering where to gather enough soul crystals, plus he needed another Devil Fruit—and here they were, delivered right to his door!
"Huh?"
Dalton and the mayors were confused. Someone wants to steal your throne and you're happy? Don't tell me you want to abdicate?
Dalton tensed immediately.
Musshuru was just as bad as Wapol. Jin might have just taken office, but he already showed signs of being a wise ruler.
He didn't make trouble for anyone... For a small, isolated island nation like Drum Island, a king who didn't stir up problems was a good king.
"What I mean is—" Jin clarified, "—this is the perfect opportunity to deal with him once and for all. We can eliminate the threat for good."
Oh, that's what he meant!
Dalton breathed a sigh of relief.
"Don't worry. Go ahead and make sure the news reaches Kilauea." Jin was supremely confident.
This wasn't blind arrogance. An awakened Devil Fruit warship might not handle a Warlord, but small-time pirates? No problem.
Of course, he was still preparing for the worst, throwing himself into his training and paying little attention to the affairs of the state.
Not that there was much to handle anyway.
It was all just petty neighborhood squabbles.
Dalton could handle it.
—————————
In the blink of an eye—
A month passed.
Out on the snowy seas, a ship flying a pirate flag slowly approached the island.
Musshuru stood at the bow, peering through a spyglass at the familiar drum-shaped white peaks.
"Mushushushu, Drum Island—your king has returned!"
He laughed with joy at the thought of becoming king soon.
"My idiot brother—if father hadn't played favorites and exiled me, you never would have been king in the first place."
Musshuru's eyes burned with ambition.
This time. To ensure absolute success—He'd even recruited a pirate crew stationed near Kilauea. Combined with his followers, they numbered two hundred strong.
VICTORY WAS GUARANTEED!
"Hey, Musshuru, don't forget the hundred million berries you promised me, or else..."
Behind him—
A bald, muscular man sliced fruit with his knife, taking a bite as juice dripped down—as if he were already devouring Drum Island itself.
"Don't worry, Dahm." Musshuru replied.
A wanted poster was pinned to the mast with a knife.
As the wind blew, the paper curled, revealing the details: Razor Pirates, Captain Dahm, Bounty: 22,000,000 Berries.
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