Chapter 62: Iron Suit
June 16, 1517. After discussing your designs with Franky, you've become convinced that they are entirely feasible with current technology. You are fully capable of creating an Iron Man-style suit powered by cola and niproyn. The project would require a significant amount of research time and money—both of which you have in abundance. Tony Stark probably never imagined his prized Arc Reactor could be replaced by a three-dollar bottle of cola.
June 17, 1517. You gathered the members of the Pineapple Pirates to announce your decision: you and Franky would temporarily remain in Water 7 to conduct your research. The rest of the crew, led by Vice Captain Ace, would continue sailing ahead. The plan was to reunite at the Sabaody Archipelago in two years. Though surprised, the crew respected your decision.
June 19, 1517. Franky retrieved the blueprints for the ancient weapon Pluto, which he had hidden within his own body. After Robin translated the ancient text, you confirmed that they were for an exceptionally large warship. If it was at all possible, you were determined to build it. Perhaps it would even become the next flagship of the Pineapple Pirates.
June 21, 1517. You had Franky contact Iceberg, the mayor of Water 7 and owner of the Galley-La Company. You offered to overhaul and improve all of the company's shipbuilding plans in exchange for a 15% share of the profits. Iceberg was skeptical at first, but after reviewing your proposal, he agreed immediately.
June 27, 1517. You spent the next seven days refining all the shipbuilding plans before submitting them to Iceberg. You could have asked for a higher profit share, but this was a long-term arrangement, and 15% was already a substantial sum. You understood the principle of not being too greedy. Besides, you didn't have the time to manage and develop your own shipbuilding company to compete with Galley-La.
June – October 1517. With Franky's help, you created the first Iron Man-style suit, powered entirely by cola. You named it Pineapple One. Franky proved to be an exceptional research assistant—better than Tony Stark's Dr. Yinsen, at least. Not only did he have a keen understanding of the mechanics and offer targeted advice, but he was also incredibly hands-on. And when you got tired, you could even have his twin sisters, Kiwi and Moz, perform a dance to help you unwind. Excellent!
You were quite satisfied with the final product. Pineapple One's back and soles were equipped with Dials from Skypiea and powerful cola thrusters, with two smaller jets built into the arms. After focusing on stabilizing the flight systems, you completed your first test flight over Water 7. You could now proudly say it: you could fly.
To conduct a proper field test, you donned the Pineapple One suit and flew to the nearby naval base, G-8 Fortress, home to Vice Admiral Jonathan of Marine Headquarters. You stunned the Marine guards with your Conqueror's Haki and immediately engaged Jonathan in combat. Combining the suit's power with your swordsmanship and occasional long-range artillery strikes, you managed to hold your own against the Vice Admiral. You were quickly becoming a formidable force on the seas.
Your post-battle analysis of Pineapple One revealed some flaws. Its endurance was average and the armor was too heavy. However, its defense was exceptionally strong, capable of withstanding a full-powered attack from a warrior on the level of a Vice Admiral. It also significantly boosted your wrist strength and sword speed. The only real drawback was the lack of an intelligent AI like JARVIS, which limited its combat effectiveness. A Klabautermann would be much better, you thought.
Meanwhile, you read in the newspaper that Ace and the Pineapple Pirates had made it through Thriller Bark. You had no idea what happened there, but apparently, the crew now had two new members: Gecko Moria and the "Ghost Princess" Perona. You couldn't imagine how Ace had managed that. What infuriated you most, however, was a rumor mentioned in the article: some people suspected that Marco was the true leader of the Pineapple Pirates, simply because his hairstyle resembled the pineapple on your jolly roger.
At the end of October, the spirit of Roger, residing within his blade, suddenly spoke to you. He had recalled a sword technique he often used and believed you might be able to learn it. The technique, called Divine Departure, required extremely advanced swordsmanship and could only unleash its true power when channeled through his sword, Ace. Of course, you weren't stupid; the blade was far too conspicuous to use for anything but the most critical moments.
November 1517 – February 1518. Despite your research, you managed your time effectively. With a clear goal in mind, you always found time to train your Armament Haki and swordsmanship. You returned to G-8 Fortress almost every night for sparring. Eventually, the ordinary marines stopped trying to intervene, content to simply watch your duels with Jonathan from afar, knowing you never fought to kill. The high-intensity combat proved effective. One day in late February, your swordsmanship took a dramatic leap forward, and you finally mastered Divine Departure. The moment you defeated Jonathan with a single, overwhelming slash, even you were astonished by its power. You had acquired the skills: Divine Departure (Basic) and Advanced Swordsmanship.
March 1518. It seemed you had altered history once again. CP9's activities in Water 7 had increased significantly, likely because they'd discovered the Pluto blueprints were not with Iceberg. They planned to assassinate him to find their true location. Just as they were about to make their move, you arrived in your suit and single-handedly defeated the assassins. Only the final confrontation with Rob Lucci took any real effort; his ultimate attack nearly broke through your defenses. Later, when reporters rushed over to interview the mysterious armored hero, you desperately resisted the urge to lift your mask and declare, "I am Iron Man."
End of May 1518. After extensive preparations, you began the process of building the ancient weapon, Pluto. Iceberg agreed to assist, providing his full support. It would be a massive undertaking, requiring countless shipwrights, two years of construction, and an incalculable amount of money, but you knew it would be worth it.
June – December 1518. With Franky's help, you upgraded your suit twice. The final model, Pineapple Three, featured improved endurance and defense, but its most significant addition was a full seastone coating, making it incredibly effective against Devil Fruit users. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Pineapple Three would be your last suit for the foreseeable future.
[In addition to upgrading the suit, you purchased several Devil Fruits to research the Lineage Factor. By the end of December, you attempted to create a semi-finished artificial Devil Fruit. The results are inconclusive.]
You were pleased to learn from the news that your companions had grown tremendously over the past year. Ace had declined an offer to become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, instead leading the Pineapple Pirates into the New World. He had apparently returned from Wano Country even stronger than before. After visiting Shanks, he continued on his original path and challenged Whitebeard. Although he was defeated, he earned the Emperor's praise, with Whitebeard saying he saw a touch of Kozuki Oden in the young pirate. A recent bounty list confirmed his progress: Ace's bounty had soared to 800 million berries—a significant improvement over his fate in the original timeline.
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