As for the one who wanted it most—Naqin—she didn't speak up.
She was already seventy. Right now she was relying on the captain's protection and resources to keep herself in good condition, and if her lifespan ran out one day, then that would be the end.
But she didn't say anything. She had self-awareness.
She hadn't been here long. Even though she was moved that the new captain said he trusted her… she still kept quiet.
White Ghost glanced at Naqin.
"As long as you can produce the medicine I assigned you—and keep the side effects small—then I can give you one."
Naqin was overjoyed.
"Thank you, Captain! I'll definitely work hard!"
White Ghost shut his eyes and muttered, almost helplessly, "What a karma…"
After Ain's ability awakened, she used to only be able to reverse someone by one "round."
Now she could reverse as much as she wanted—even organs.
If Ain used it on Zephyr right now, that old man would instantly return to his youthful prime.
The downside was: lifespan stayed the same.
Turning your body younger didn't add years. That was unsolved.
But if you paired that with Pure Gold… it became different.
Also—Ain couldn't die.
If she fainted, it was fine. But if she died, the ability would disappear.
"Alright," White Ghost said. "Everyone go wash up and get ready for a banquet. Today we didn't just get good stuff—we also gained two new companions."
"We'll prepare the food!" Ain, Stella, Naqin, Lucianne, and the other women ran to the kitchen.
Jango dragged a Sea King from the stern—one he'd kept earlier because it looked tasty.
…It was basically a giant toad.
By the time the banquet ended, everyone went to their own rooms to sleep.
As for the Sea Kings outside… White Ghost's Conqueror's Haki pressure blanketed the waters around the ship.
You tell me—would they dare move?
When White Ghost woke up, Elena was asleep nearby, smiling even in her sleep, holding onto him like a pillow.
Seeing her beautiful face like this, White Ghost's fingers twitched—then he remembered they'd stayed up too late.
He forced himself to stop.
White Ghost got up—his movement woke Elena.
He lightly patted her back.
"Sleep a little longer. It's fine. We have plenty of time."
Elena's sleepy eyes instantly opened wide. She leaned forward and bit White Ghost in the chest—hard.
"Ow ow ow!" White Ghost dramatically acted like he was dying.
"Hmph." Elena knew she couldn't really hurt him anyway. She rolled her eyes and got up, helping him get dressed.
"Next time you mess around and keep me up again, I'll bite you again," she muttered while fixing his clothes.
"Okay, okay, okay. Next time I'll behave," White Ghost said, slipping an arm around her waist and giving it a teasing squeeze.
"Don't move around!" Elena wriggled, but didn't actually dodge away.
After he was dressed, Elena's face turned red.
"Out. Out. I need to clean up!"
White Ghost was shoved outside.
"We've known each other this long and you're still shy?" White Ghost sighed.
"Who says we're 'that'?! Shameless. Get out!"
BANG. The door slammed shut.
White Ghost shook his head and headed to the dining hall.
Whenever he woke up late, Stella and the others always saved breakfast for him.
After eating and drinking his fill, White Ghost walked onto the deck.
He saw Olga training with Uta and Bai Hezi.
"Morning, White-bro!" The two girls greeted him with sweet smiles.
Olga also greeted him, unwillingly.
"Morning, lazy captain."
White Ghost didn't argue. After all, they'd gained something huge today.
"Morning to you too."
"Where's your father, Olga?" White Ghost asked.
"He's in the lab with that pervert who only wears briefs, researching something. Who knows what."
"…Alright. I'll go take a look."
White Ghost headed toward Franky's workshop. Before he even reached the door, he heard extremely suspicious dialogue from inside:
"Uncle, I told you it's too big—there's no way it fits. But you won't listen!"
"Mm, Franky-kun… that's not a 'size' problem. That's your problem."
"NANI?! How is it my problem?! Look at what you're holding—how can that possibly match mine? How would it fit?!"
White Ghost listened for a second and got goosebumps.
If you didn't know better, you'd think these two idiots were doing something illegal.
KACHAK.
White Ghost opened the door and stepped in.
In front of him, the two were seriously studying something on Franky's arm.
"Morning, Captain!" Ashie greeted.
Franky's eyes lit up.
"Captain! Hurry, come look! Check out the arm me and Ashie-uncle upgraded!"
White Ghost walked closer and—good grief—Franky's right arm had been disassembled and laid out on the table, with all kinds of parts being assembled.
"What is this? You're just… dismantling yourself for fun?" White Ghost asked, confused.
Ashie laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.
"I know a little about mechanics. I read the notebook you gave me, so Franky-kun and I tried something."
"Yeah! Captain, you have no idea how amazing Ashie-uncle is! Look at my new arm! Hahahaha!"
"You two… keep researching," White Ghost said.
He didn't understand anything and left them to their tinkering.
Back on the deck, the Skypiea trio were doing physical training. Enel was training while wearing Seastone cuffs.
Pedro was also wearing cuffs—seventy-percent purity—and doing weighted squats with a barbell.
Wanda was training swordsmanship with weights.
Señor Pink was doing weighted push-ups. Over the past few months, his belly had disappeared and his muscles had grown visibly.
Dor Squirrelton was drying herbs in the sun. She and Naqin were working on some kind of "youth restoration" potion. White Ghost didn't understand it.
He teased the adorable squirrel doctor a little and walked toward the stern.
Dor Squirrelton covered her burning face and watched him leave, her eyes full of grievance.
Naqin walked out and said, "Why don't you just be a little bolder? It's obvious the captain won't judge you for being a mink."
"A-ah!" The squirrel's face turned even redder. "Don't say that, Sister Naqin… I'm still young!"
Naqin looked her over and commented calmly, "Mm. You are still young."
"Stop it…!" The squirrel doctor blushed hard and ran into her room.
"Heh. Still just a little girl," Naqin chuckled, then returned to organizing herbs.
As long as she contributed enough, she could earn Pure Gold.
With Ain's ability on top, staying young and healthy for a very long time wasn't impossible…
As long as she never betrayed them.
When White Ghost reached the stern—
…Ain was practicing sword techniques on a Sea King in the water.
That poor thing was getting bullied so hard it was wailing nonstop.
Stella and Lucianne were loosening soil in their small vegetable patch.
Brook was also training swordsmanship. In his words, he was a swordsman too—and since the captain was a great swordsman, he couldn't embarrass White Ghost.
But Brook trained in a unique way: he was running across the sea surface without sinking, occasionally slashing at a small Sea King.
Gordon, the music fanatic, was humming the strange little tune White Ghost had been humming earlier. He found it interesting and was composing it.
Seeing everyone busy while he was the only one wandering around, White Ghost suddenly felt a little guilty.
He shook his head, pulled out his great sword, and called out:
"Ain! Come on. It's been a while. Let's spar—I'll give you some pointers!"
"Alright!" Ain stopped bullying the "river-hippo" Sea King and drew her weapon to fight White Ghost.
The Sea King's big "river-hippo" form waddled away with teary eyes.
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