6. unexpected surprises

Are you saying you two defeated the entire Brothers Trump crew? There are two hundred men, all fierce pirates, - responded a woman with purple hair, somewhat older, than Akisu's grandmother.

-It's true, ma'am, - replied Deuce.

-They captured our nakama, but we didn't think the whole island was suffering so much, - said Axel. Half-truth, half-lie; he knew the island was struggling under tyranny, but the anime didn't portray the reality.

She just sighed, and tears welled in her eyes. - It's a relief to defeat these villains. You've pleased me with this news, - she responded while her daughter held her in her arms, expressing gratitude.

-Come, I'll take you this way, - said Koto. The mechanical tower was under repair, but the glass foundries were top-notch.

-Thank you, Mr. Koto, for the rest and the goods, - said Axel.

-Don't worry about it. Most of those things aren't necessary for this island, but the aviation equipment that serves to protect our kingdom is of great help, - said Koto, opening the door to what resembled the island's hospital.

Usopp was in bed, recovering from his injuries, and he didn't have time to boast as he usually does. He slept peacefully, so much so that Axel didn't have the heart to disturb him, and they closed the room again.

-Could we negotiate for some music boxes? - Axel asked. Trade was so important that it was surprising how something seemingly useless could be vital in other parts.

-Of course, - said Koto.

-Great, I have something that can help you a lot. -- Axel presented a package of sunflower seeds. --These are sunflowers; you can make sunflower oil, and use it for food and cooking. On my ship, I have barrels of tropical island fruits, wines, spices, and grains, - said Axel.

-Ohhh, a barter, - said Koto. -- Though not as useful, we can come to a mutually beneficial agreement. If you want to make exchanges, bring metals – you can get scrap, steel, iron, or copper. Wood and construction stones, - Koto suggested.

-Sounds perfect. I'll be back with plenty of provisions to exchange for some items. Although I'd like to propose some ideas that could be possible to sell—nothing ostentatious. Greed in this sea is dangerous, - Axel said.

Koto nodded, understanding Axel's reasoning.

In the end, the Blue Pirates stayed for two whole days, exploring the island, and aiding in reconstruction. Deuce's fire abilities were glorious; the fire could be lit for a long time and even helped him regulate his flame.

But machines, and technologies, are something that can be astonishing from different perspectives. The island is mechanical and has several interesting things that can assist anyone in dangerous situations. The idea of an engine, as well as the production of robotics, is something that can help people recover lost parts and improve safety and combat.

On the second day, the Marines arrived.

-The Marines are in the distance, - echoed in the air.

-We're from the naval branch of Loguetown, - said a captain-like Marine.

Axel was in the shadows, observing the operation. The lined-up row of Victor Trump, Boo Jack, and Stunk One, along with thirty other pirates, all handcuffed, was being received by the Marines.

-The bounty hunters who captured them, - the Marine asked.

-We paid them, so we expect you to hand us the reward. The island's coffers are weakened, - said Koto, along with Jem.

-That's how it is, - said the Marine captain, nodding. He could only agree and handed over the 12 million berries.

-Be careful; this one can heat his arms with a strange power and has the strength to break iron blocks with his hands, - warned Koto.

-Thanks, but we have something they don't expect. - The captain pulled out the Sea-Prism Stone, weakening the bear, who realized his last means of escape was lost.

-What a good solution, Captain. Thank you for getting rid of these criminals, - said Koto.

-The Marines are here to clean the seas. We'll be leaving. This guy will face a different measure, and a lifetime in prison awaits him, - said the captain. The bear sealed his fate with the attack on the auction. It was reported to headquarters, and they would be taken to jail. There was enough evidence to judge them as criminals, no need for a trial.

Koto picked up the sack, carrying it on his back, and handed it to Deuce, who acted as Mr. Koto's assistant, wearing a marshal's outfit.

As soon as the Marines left, Axel left his hiding place behind the shadows.

-Thanks for the favor, Mr. Koto, - said Axel.

-It was nothing. It's something we would have done without you. But I don't understand why you hid from the Marines - Koto said.

-It's better to keep a low profile. Major issues with the Marines are complicated. If I don't join them, I might end up on their blacklist. Marines are tricky, - Axel explained.

Deuce grabbed the money, and they walked to the bay of ships.

-Come, we have to check on our prisoner, - Axel whispered to Deuce.

-She's been defeated and isn't receiving as much food as she'd like, - Deuce replied.

-By the way, what's her name? - Axel asked.

-Agatha, - Deuce replied.

-I never told you; my name is Agatha, though they used to call me the Queen of Trump in the gang, - Agatha said, having overheard the conversation.

-Oh, a beautiful name, Agatha. What do you say? Do you want to join our crew? - Axel inquired.

It surprised both Deuce and Agatha.

-You want me to join? I'll leave you when I find someone stronger than you. That's a fact; you're a lucky loser, - Agatha said.

-There are many stronger ones. The issue is whether those people are willing to allow you to follow them as a crew member. They might take you as their woman, - Axel retorted, causing surprise by his harsh words.

-Well, I accept joining the Blue Pirates' crew, - Agatha said disdainfully.

-Then congratulations, you'll get stronger, - Axel said, tossing her the Devil Fruit they stole from the Trump Pirates. Bribes work on anyone.

-This is for me? - Agatha exclaimed.

-I thought it had already been used on the masked guy, - Agatha replied.

-We found another Devil Fruit when we escaped. We never used the Devil Fruit we stole at the auction. What do you say? Are you going to eat it and gain the strength you've been waiting for? - Axel asked.

Without hesitation, she took a bite, and a look of disgust filled her eyes. Her body started to become liquid, and her eyes lit up. Wonderful!

-It's a very good ability. The Liquid-Liquid Fruit, - Axel said.

-How powerful is this Devil Fruit? - Deuce asked.

-Very powerful, at the same level as yours, - Axel replied.

-I'm powerful! - Agatha declared.

-Indeed, you are. You're already more powerful than you ever dreamed. Just train hard, and believe me, you'll beat five of your previous bosses, - Axel said without hesitation. A trained Logia is almost a force of nature.

He had a Zoan Devil Fruit, and though it was a bad fruit, who knows? Selling it wouldn't be a bad idea - Axel thought.

…

Link,

Axel: Captain, Navigator.

Final Crew:

Ussop, Sniper.

Deuce Mask, Fighter.

Agatha, Fighter.

...

Desired to level up crew to Level 2.

Yes.

Linking system with the final ship, updating ship.

...

The small two-seater boat began to grow, transforming into a simple one-sail ship. It now had a hold, a kitchen, a large room, a navigation room, and a small cabin as a bedroom.

-What happened to the boat, it just expanded. - asked Deuce, astonished.

-Calm down, it's the ship. When I discovered it, I learned that the ship has a way to strengthen itself with some special materials. It's a gift from my guardians, - Axel explained.

-Why didn't you say that earlier, Axel? - Ussop asked.

-I didn't think the change would be so drastic. I only gave it some materials I got on Gear Island and Animal Island. I didn't expect it to grow this large. They told me about the ship's uniqueness and never to abandon it, but now I know this ship is a hidden gem, - Axel said.

-How does it absorb them? Is it going to eat us? Axel, what if the ship eats us and becomes a human-eating ship? - Ussop asked hysterically, having thought carefully about what just happened.

-You're an idiot. You just dropped a bomb on me. Didn't you think it would be prudent to say that from the beginning? - Deuce replied.

-Hahaha, it's not like that. The ship only asks for elements. This special ship is like a living entity. It just needs elements. The ship is normal. If you look, nothing has happened, and it's a great ship, - Axel explained.

-So, you're saying the ship can keep growing? - Deuce asked.

-Yep, - Axel replied.

-Where did you find it? - Agatha asked, a bit offended.

-It was stranded on a reef. On one of my adventures with Axel, we found it and brought it back, - Ussop said.

-No, it's my ship; it has always been mine since I was little. They gave it to me; it was one of my first gifts coming into this world, - Axel clarified.

-I'm starting to believe you have miraculous luck. This ship is a legend, - Deuce said.

-Write it, but you can only publish the story when you're strong enough. I'll give you some important details like the Klabautermann, - Axel said.

It's not a lie that the ship needs materials for its next evolution. The system kept sounding.

...

System:

The hold has expanded, and spatial use of increased space now plays into the hold and the two new bedrooms on the ship. Food storage continues in the same way but now accommodates the kitchen. The ship's keel and hull have durability similar to Adam Wood, and there is a small crow's nest.

The navigation room has changed, and now there is a helm in the middle of the ship, with a small station. The captain's quarters have been added, also featuring a spacious area, almost double the percentage. In other words, now we can easily accommodate six people on this ship, with three bedrooms.

If you want to level up, you have to get seven crew members and 5 kilograms of special marble. 100 points of mind have been added to all Blue Pirates crew members.

Ussop's sniper talent has increased slightly, Deuce Mask's combat talent has increased slightly, Agatha's combat talent has increased slightly, and Axel's navigator talent has increased slightly.

....

Ussop:

Physical: 150.

Mind: 480.

Sniper.

Inventor.

Deuce Mask:

Physical: 120.

Mind: 400.

Skills: Basic Medicine.

Devil Fruit: Fire Logia. 6%

Agatha, "Blue Queen":

Physical: 100.

Mind: 190.

Skills:

Basic Staff, Basic Pastry.

Devil Fruit: Liquid Logia 1%

…

-Now that our Blue Pirates crew is consolidating, we need to assign some roles on the ship, - Axel said.

-Ussop, you'll be our sniper and lookout on board. Deuce, you take care of deploying the sails with me. And Agatha, you handle adjusting the provisions in the hold and keep track if we're running low on any supplies to restock at the next island, which brings us to the next point, - Axel continued.

-Both Ussop and Agatha will be lookouts for the ship. Once we find a cook, we need a cook urgently. The second thing we need is a doctor, someone who can help us with our illnesses, which is complicated. I don't know anyone with those skills, - Axel concluded.

-I could be the ship's doctor. Before venturing and ending up on Sixis Island, I was a medical student. I can continue studying, and I'm sure I can help in that area, although I'm missing some books at the moment and practice, - Deuce said.

-Well, that solves one problem, but we need a cook urgently, - Axel replied.

-I have some pastry and cooking skills. It's not hard for me to prepare some dishes while we look for a better cook, - Agatha said, biting her lip and squeezing her arms around her stomach.

-Lastly, rigorous training wouldn't hurt. If we don't improve our skills, the next battle might be worse than the one we just faced, - Axel added.

-After our training, we continued the search on all islands, and the next step was our goal in the Grand Line. -Everyone agreed with nods at Axel's words.

-Yes! - sang Ussop.

The arrival at Gecko Island was like an ordinary occurrence in the lives of the Blue Pirates. People weren't very surprised, and they didn't exaggerate the arrival of the children. The feast was carried out in the escape from Gear Island after completing a new adventure.

The days were sparse and routine. Without the use of the internet, life tends to be moderately productive compared to my previous life. Deuce continued his Devil Fruit practice, our Blue Queen engaged in competitive sparring with some time to prepare pastries, and Ussop continued visiting Kaya and conducting experiments with his bombs.

They trained for a solid month with dedication, and everyone improved their strengths. The team had been working quite hard; the physical and mental states of everyone had increased. The one who made spectacular progress was Deuce, who, despite having a substantially powerful Devil Fruit, always found a draw against my sword.

Ussop is a character who grows in danger, and Agatha doesn't have the talent to grow quickly, but Deuce has the talent and has easily doubled his strength. If he hadn't acquired the Water Breathing, he would be in serious trouble. Fighting with him is frustrating, and the Logia prevents the fight from unfolding smoothly.

-What did you just say, Ussop? - Axel asked.

-The new butler of Kaya, Kahaldore, is a weird guy. He's always watching me strangely, and his words are offensive, - Ussop said.

-Hahaha, I misunderstood, Ussop. What did you say? - Axel asked.

-Hey, speaking of that, I think it's time we placed an order with the Orange Town branch, - Ussop said.

-Travels? - Axel said.

-Yep, next week, Axel. Mr. Kaim has been asking about you, but since you were so focused on your training, I didn't bother to tell you anything about it, - Ussop said.

-You should have told me. We have a promise, Ussop. I also forgot that we had to do that errand, - Axel said, lost in his thoughts at the mention of Kahaldore.

-I'll go to Kaya to talk to the gentleman. Do you want to come with me? - Axel asked.

Without saying anything, Deuce jumped cheerfully and joined Axel's side.

On the other end, both Agatha and Deuce continued in a constant battle over Logia's powers.

-Shall we go to the village? Do they need anything? - Axel asked the two fighters.

-We're good, - Deuce said, dodging the water sent his way.

-Don't speak for everyone, dear. I want some wine. I've run out of drinks, - Agatha said.

Axel nodded with something on his mind, and in his carelessness, he let that cat fly off into the mansion.

Luckily, he had the bounty posters, and the sixteen million berries were no joke. She's an elite pirate in the East Blue.

What caught my attention the most was the new arrival of two pirates, Portgas D. Ace and a new man, perhaps his vice-captain, but that kid moves fast. "Axel thought. He'll have the luck of the D. Although his death was premature, to say the least, that kid has too much luck. The newspaper spoke about a sand giant devouring ships. He's a golden boy who, with guidance, would change everything.

In other words, the entire crew of a Yonko had to rescue him, his grandfather didn't lift a finger to the Marines. Along with the tacit help of some veterans, he had the support of three Shichibukai. And if that's not luck, it's a pity for those who live in this sea, who don't have the talent, the backing, the pedigree, and the Logia fruit.

-So, have you been a bit busy lately, Ussop? - Axel asked.

-Hahaha, I made some fire bombs, - Ussop said.

-Remember, once we finish in the East Blue, we'll head to the Grand Line, - Axel said.

-Yes, Axel, I'm aware. Although we've been together for a short time, we've had many adventures, and I never thought I could do so many things. You know, now I feel braver than before, -Ussop said.

Axel smiled; it's nice to see companions grow. Ussop's role has been that of a vice-captain. Axel hasn't let him run away and guides him to find his way of fighting. Ussop is always reliable in life-or-death moments, but his fear and insecurities seem genetic.

The mansion of Kaya, with a beautiful white façade, stood tall on the small steep path, covered with a black gate adorned with nice designs.

-Good morning. We've come to see Kaim, the lord of the mansion, - I said to the butler who came out to greet us at the door, elegantly dressed in black.

Axel planned.

Step one, eliminate Kuro's hundred plans; step two, claim the rewards for eliminating Kuro's hundred plans. Step three, get a new crew member.

-Yes, Mr. Axel, the lord mentioned that you might come in. Please, enter the study, - the butler replied.

-Well, Ussop, go find your dear friend Kaya. I'll go to our employer, - Axel said.

-Hahaha, Axel, see you later, - Ussop said, running to the tree in front of the window. Although a bit indiscriminate, it was a tradition for everyone in the mansion.

-Young Axel, I'm glad to see you well, - Merri greeted, still with a young man with glasses and black hair combed back.

-Greetings, Merri, - Axel replied.

-This is Kahaldore, the new butler of the mansion. He's been invited by the lord to serve from now on, - she had a gentle smile and showed no signs of being a vicious person, as he was supposed to be.

-It's a pleasure, young sir, -Kahaldore spoke with a deep voice, extending his hand gently.

-A pleasure. -

-If it's not too much, I'll see the lord of the mansion, Merry, Kahaldore, - Axel said.

The plan was underway; this was a space pirate who rigged the plot to his convenience. Axel would have to be careful; luckily, Axel had prepared since arriving on this island.

The entrance was available.

-Ah, Axel, it's a pleasure to see you. I've received the three confirmations of the delivery orders, and everything is in order. Since this era of piracy began, the business has caused problems, and it's good to have someone talented - Kaim nodded cheerfully.

-Pleasure is ours. You're helping us too; the supplies we've acquired at more economical prices have been helpful, - Axel said.

-I heard you now have a beautiful ship, - Kaim said.

-That's right, it's a great ship. It has beautiful designs, and now we have two rooms, a kitchen, a hold, and a navigation room, - Axel said.

-That's true, I'll pay for good furniture and supplies for a long journey, - Kaim said.

-Mr. Kaim, it's not necessary, - Axel said.

-I know what's necessary, but it's payment. I plan to go to Orange Town with you; I plan to sell the branch entirely, as well as the one in the Goa Kingdom. I've decided to invest in this village, bought a restaurant recently, and a special permit in the surrounding villas, to maintain the business, - Kaim said.

-Wait, you mean you plan to leave for a trip right now—this goes against Axel's plans. -

-Well, I just have to deal with the cat pirates. It's nothing to worry about, - Axel thought.

-Yes, I would like you to take me on that black ship of yours. I saw you acquired a bigger one and have some new crewmates, - Kaim replied.

-As expected from the lord, he's informed about me. Of course, I accepted the assignment, but I would like to request that you travel on my ship. You see, I can only guarantee your safety on my ship and not on another, - Axel said.

-Not a problem; I can understand your requests. We depart in four days, - Kaim replied.

Returning to his documents, considering the conversation over.

-Before that, sir, it's better that you consider something. - I took out the notice of Kuro's hundred plans with a bounty of sixteen million berries and placed it in front of him.

-What's this? - Kaim said, surprised.

-You know well; that you've hired a pirate named Kahaldore. This one, in particular, is very dangerous for your family, - Axel told him.

-Kahaldore is a good man; I don't believe he has any ill intentions against my family. It's been two weeks, and I have no complaints about his behavior. He's a man willing to completely change his ways, - Kaim said.

Of course, saying there are no complaints because the damn guy plans to inherit this property screamed in my mind. This conversation only let me see Kuro's unheard-of malice. Axel sighed with reluctance, knowing the problems that may arise in the next few days due to Kuro's maneuvers. This trip is a problem, which has happened due to his arrival in the world of One Piece.

...

This is the next chapter, I'll be waiting for p@treon.com/vin_modeus12