The Team Split, Meeting Wolf

When we regrouped at Merry's Revenge, a plan began forming in my mind. Everyone was seated on the large wooden table on the main deck, the quiet breeze from Swallow Island rustling through the closed sail. Reiju sat on a barrel, her calm gaze on me, while Carrot was perched nearby, her ever-energetic demeanor contrasting with the moment's seriousness.

"All right, listen up," I started, sitting on one of the fixed benches. "We've got two big priorities now. First, we need to find Wolf and convince him to share his knowledge about the Polar Tang. Second—" I paused, glancing at Reiju. "I want to make a move on Germa 66."

The crew murmured in surprise, and Reiju raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable.

"Why Germa 66?" Belle asked, crossing her arms. "They're no joke, Brat."

I nodded. "I know. But Germa 66 has some of the most advanced technology in the North Blue. If we're building something as ambitious as an airship, understanding their tech could give us an edge, and do you remember my auto rifle?"

Belle nodded at my question.

"I want to equip my newly made auto riffle with trick bullets; because of the firepower of the riffle, every time I put a trick bullet on my rifle, they always exploded prematurely, so I needed tougher metal, and I found one."

I carefully placed my newly made bullet from a bullet that Kaya removed from Reiju's wound and pointedly looked at Reiju.

Reiju finally spoke, her voice calm but with a hint of detachment. "That is delirium, a metal my Dad made. You're asking for my permission, aren't you?"

"Yes," I admitted. "You've been part of this crew, but Germa is still your family. I won't move forward without knowing you're okay with it."

She looked away momentarily, her fingers lightly drumming against the barrel. "Germa 66 means nothing to me," she said, her voice steady. "They left me behind, discarded me like I was nothing. If targeting them helps you build your dream, then do it. But don't expect them to make it easy."

I nodded, feeling a strange mix of relief and sadness at her words. "Thank you, Reiju. I promise we'll be careful."

"Who's going after Germa?" Kaya asked, leaning forward.

I took a moment to think before laying out the plan. "Four of us will investigate Germa 66. The four of you are the best choice for this. Bellemere is a former Marine, so she'll know how to navigate their territory. Nojiko stays calm under pressure and has creative control over her Devil Fruit. I designed the strategy with your firepower in mind, Sham." I grinned at her. "You're great at slipping through tight spots."

Sham smirked. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Captain. Even inside me," she purred and grabbed my dick through my pants, surprising me.

"Cat Servant always takes advantage of husband's naivety," Carmen flipped her hair flamboyantly while serving us pasta.

Sham looked at her menacingly.

"And the rest of us?" Kaya asked, ignoring the growing tension.

"The rest of you will stay with me," I said, looking at Wyna, Carrot, and Kaya. "We're going to try to convince Wolf to help us. If Penguin's right, I might sway him if we show him something good for an inventor. My Airship Blueprint"

Carrot's ears perked up, her tail twitching. "Ooh, I'm good at convincing people! Let me do the talking!"

I laughed, shaking my head. "Carrot, we need to lead with a bit more finesse."

"What about me?" Reiju asked, her voice quiet but steady.

"You're free to choose," I said, meeting her gaze. "If you want to come with us to meet Wolf or go with the group looking into Germa, it's up to you."

Reiju tilted her head thoughtfully, a small smile forming on her lips. "I'll stay here with you, Long-Nosed San. If Wolf starts talking in riddles, you'll need someone who understands advanced tech."

I nodded, grateful for her choice. "Good. Then it's settled."

"Let's get some rest," I said, rolling up the blueprint and tucking it under my arm. "We've got a lot of work to do tomorrow."

As the crew dispersed, I sat on the deck, gazing at the quiet island—Germa 66 and Wolf—the two threads pulling me forward. I didn't know what lay ahead but trusted my crew and myself.

***

The morning air was excellent as we parted ways with Bellemere, Nojiko, Carmen, and Sham. I stood at the dock's edge, watching them drive away toward their mission. There was a heavy feeling in my chest—splitting the crew wasn't easy, but it was necessary. Germa 66 was no small fry, and neither was the challenge ahead of us.

As soon as the dinghy disappeared into the morning mist, I turned to the rest of my crew. Kaya adjusted her bag over her shoulder, Carrot hopped impatiently, Wyna stood silent but ready, and Reiju watched me with her usual calm yet calculating expression.

"Alright," I said, squaring my shoulders. "We've got a different mission. Let's go meet the man who built the Polar Tang."

The path to Wolf's place was rugged and overgrown. It twisted through the dense forest of North Forrest, the only sounds being the rustling of leaves and the crunch of our footsteps on the dirt path. Law's directions were surprisingly precise, and after a while, we came upon the clearing where Wolf's workshop stood.

The workshop looked more like a junkyard than a place where an inventor created a masterpiece. Piles of scrap metal, broken tools, and half-finished machines surrounded the dilapidated building. The sound of hammering echoed out, steady and deliberate.

I stepped forward and called out, "Wolf! We're here to talk!"

The hammering stopped, and a gruff voice answered, "Who's asking?"

"It's Usopp, a tinkerer from East Blue!" I said, holding my head high. "Law sent us!"

The door creaked open, and an older man stepped out. He was lean but muscular, with wiry muscles and a sharp gaze that immediately assessed every one of us. He has gray hair, and his hands were calloused from years of work.

"Law sent you, huh?" he said, crossing his arms. "And what do you want with me?"

I carefully unrolled the blueprint I'd been guarding and held it out to him. "I need your expertise. The blueprint contained a design for an airship. I found it two years ago, but I can't make sense of the materials or the mechanisms. If anyone can help me, the man who built the Polar Tang. It's you."

Wolf raised an eyebrow and took the blueprint from me, eyes scanning the intricate lines and notes. "An airship," he muttered, his tone unreadable. "Ambitious. But even if I wanted to help, what would this cost? Aquaferrum, Adam wood, specialized cola-powered engines aren't things you find lying around."

I swallowed, feeling the weight of his words. "What kind of cost are we talking about?"

Wolf looked me dead in the eye. "More than you've got, I can promise you that. These materials are rare, expensive, and hard to come by."

I took a deep breath and reached into my satchel, pulling out a small, heavy chest. With a click, I opened it to reveal the gleaming gold and treasures we'd gathered from Flevance. The sight of it caught everyone's attention, even Wolf's.

"This," I said, gesturing to the chest, "is everything we've got. Gold, rare gems. It's not much, but it's a start."

Wolf stared at the gold, his expression unreadable. Slowly, he crouched down, running a hand over one of the gold bars, weighing it in his palm. "This is a good start," he admitted. "But it's not just about money. These materials are hard to source. Even if I take this, finding everything we need will take time."

I nodded, my resolve hardening. "We'll help you. We're in whatever you need—resources, workforce, even gathering the materials ourselves."

Wolf stood, crossing his arms as he looked at me. I thought he would temporarily turn us down, but then he gave a slight, grudging nod. "Alright, kid. You've got guts; I'll give you that. I'll take on the project. But don't expect this to be easy. I'll need your crew's help every step of the way."

Relief washed over me, and I felt a grin spread across my face. "Thank you, Wolf. You won't regret this."

Behind me, Kaya smiled warmly, Carrot gave an excited cheer, and Wyna gave a slight nod of approval. Even Reiju's calm expression softened slightly.

"Let's get started, then," Wolf said, rolling up the blueprint and tucking it under his arm. "We've got a long road ahead if we're going to make this thing fly."

With Wolf's expertise and the determination of my crew, the dream of building an airship wasn't just a fantasy anymore—it was becoming a reality.