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Next, he had to consider how to persuade these people. Just then, a knock sounded at his office door.
"Enter," Arashi said calmly, his voice carrying a powerful resonance.
The door opened to reveal a towering figure, looking somewhat nervous and apprehensive—like a shy giant.
"Mr. Judge? Shouldn't you be on Iron Crow Island? What brings you here?" Arashi asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
"Fleet Admiral Arashi, I… I have something of utmost importance to report," Vinsmoke Judge said, taking a deep breath, his expression grim.
"Oh?" Arashi paused, then gestured for the young officer accompanying Judge to leave. Judge stepped into the office and firmly closed the door behind him.
"Well then, I'm curious. What could be so important that you would personally travel all the way from Iron Crow Island?" Arashi asked with a faint smile.
Since Judge oversaw a critical experimental project, his personal appearance likely meant either a major breakthrough—or a major disaster.
"Under your guidance, the Vinsmoke family, along with Vegapunk and master shipwright Tom, were jointly responsible for the Pluton restoration project."
"Two days ago, this long and arduous task was finally completed!" Judge announced, his voice serious.
"What?" Arashi's calm expression vanished, replaced by shock. "Pluton's restoration is complete?"
Judge nodded. "Yes. And I must admit—it is an incredibly terrifying ancient weapon. Building on its original design, Vegapunk made extensive modifications and reconstructions, incorporating four different power systems."
"He has pushed the main cannon's firepower to its absolute limit." Judge's face twisted with fear, as though reliving Pluton's terrifying potential.
"Oh? Tell me the details," Arashi said, his interest piqued.
"Pluton's power system, according to Mr. Tom, integrates three energy sources: solar, wind, and electric. But there's also a new type of power source." Judge's eyes narrowed, his tone dropping as dread filled his face.
"This ancient warship can draw in seawater and, through an extremely violent reaction within its power furnace, release an immense amount of energy in an instant."
"This energy primarily fuels the main cannon, but it also loads the secondary cannons, allowing them to unleash devastating firepower." Judge paused, licking his lips nervously.
"According to Vegapunk's estimates, if all of Pluton's cannons fire simultaneously, it could annihilate an island in seconds."
"One ship alone wields destructive power far beyond a Buster Call!" His trembling voice echoed through the office.
Arashi froze. He could understand wind, solar, and electric power—but this last energy source? Drawing seawater to unleash massive energy?
It sounded eerily similar to an almost unimaginable technology from his previous life—one that had never been fully realized there.
"Explain this seawater process in detail," Arashi said, eyes glinting.
"I don't really understand it myself, but Vegapunk claims they found a unique element in purified seawater. After a specific fusion process, this element releases energy comparable to the sun," Judge explained, scratching his head.
Clearly, he didn't comprehend the science—but Arashi did. Controlled nuclear fusion.
Extracting seawater, purifying it, and using it as fuel to generate colossal energy. What else could it be?
But how could such groundbreaking science appear here—on a single warship, no less?
Then again, in a world where people could sink islands with a punch, maybe it wasn't so far-fetched.
Exhaling slowly, Arashi felt a surge of emotion. He looked at Judge and murmured words the man couldn't possibly understand. "This is revolutionary. This technology is decades ahead of its time."
Judge looked bewildered. While he worked in the lab, his focus had always been on the Lineage Factor—studying human weaknesses and genetic differences, with hopes of improving them.
His expertise lay in biotechnology, not physics.
"However," Arashi's tone suddenly sharpened, his gaze cutting like a blade, "since Pluton has been restored, tell Vegapunk to begin preparations."
He fixed his eyes on Judge. The calm stare felt suffocating, making Judge's chest tighten.
"Pre-preparations for what?" Judge asked nervously.
"Such a powerful weapon, preserved for centuries and now enhanced by your team… I'm curious to see its true strength," Arashi said with a faint smile.
"Oh? You intend to test Pluton's power?" Judge finally understood.
"I'll personally contact Vegapunk and instruct him to prepare. We need precise data on Pluton's destructive potential."
Judge agreed. While he knew the weapon was powerful, its true capabilities were still a mystery.
Only a live test against a target would reveal its limits.
After finishing his report, Judge hesitated, a flicker of unease on his face.
"Is there something else? Speak freely, Mr. Judge," Arashi said with a calm smile.
Judge exhaled in relief before lowering his voice. "I have a son."
Arashi raised an eyebrow. "You mean the cook from the Straw Hat Pirates?" He tapped his fingers on the desk thoughtfully.
"Vinsmoke Sanji, isn't it?" Judge froze, then nodded reluctantly.
"That's him. As much as I hate to admit it, Sanji is indeed my son." He lowered his head in shame.
"I understand," Arashi said evenly, the sound of his fingers tapping filling the silence. Judge's heartbeat quickened.
He had always despised his weakest son, yet Sanji was still his blood.
And with Sanji's growing reputation, some of Judge's opinions had begun to shift. Perhaps the boy wasn't as worthless as he once believed.
"In light of your alliance with the Marines and your recent contributions, I will make an exception," Arashi said after a moment.
Judge's head snapped up, eyes filled with joy. "Thank you, Fleet Admiral Arashi!"
"You may retrieve Vinsmoke Sanji from the Sky Prison—but you must ensure he never engages in piracy or rebellion again," Arashi warned.
"Rest assured, I'll discipline him properly!" Judge promised.
Arashi smiled and nodded, signaling the end of their meeting.
Judge, despite being a hardened warrior, knew when to read the room. Seeing Arashi had no more to say, he bowed and quietly left, closing the door behind him.
Only after walking several steps did he exhale a long breath of relief.
Just a few minutes with the man who now ruled the seas had left his back soaked in sweat—especially when asking for his son's release.
"Thank goodness that went smoothly," Judge muttered, though his mind quickly returned to Pluton.
"Testing its power… Which island will they target? Based on its startup energy readings, destroying an island will be child's play."
He quickened his pace through Marine Headquarters and, guided by an ensign, arrived at the flying warship port.
After verifying Arashi's authorization, Judge boarded the vessel bound for the Sky Prison.
The ship's captain, a young and cheerful Lieutenant Commander, greeted him warmly.
"Since the Sky Prison was built, apart from countless pirates and criminals, you're the first honored guest to set foot inside," the officer said with a grin.
"Is that so?" Judge sounded mildly surprised.
"From the first level to the ninth, the higher you go, the greater the crimes—and the stronger the prisoners held there."
"It's the exact opposite of Impel Down back at Marineford," the commander explained cheerfully.
"I'm here to pick up Sanji," Judge said in a low, flat voice.
"I know. The order has already been sent down. Vinsmoke Sanji—number three of the Straw Hat Pirates. His strength is nothing to underestimate. I never imagined he was your son."
"Like father, like son, as they say." To Judge's surprise, the commander was actually praising him.
"His crimes aren't too severe—mostly destruction of public property, peeping on women bathing, disrupting headquarters operations, provoking Marines, and so on. But because of his strength, he's being held on…" The commander frowned, searching his memory.
After a moment, failing to recall, he snapped his fingers. A Marine quickly brought him a file.
"Let's see… Vinsmoke Sanji!" The commander smiled, tapping a photograph on the page.
Judge glanced down and saw his son's face beside a long list of crimes and personal details.
"Tsk, tsk… His bounty had risen to 1,032,000,000 Berries before capture. Among the remaining pirates, he's quite famous," the commander said admiringly.
"However, he's being held on the seventh level. It seems the Marines don't consider him among the most dangerous."
With that, the commander looked at Judge. "I'll personally escort you to the seventh level."
Judge nodded silently. He watched as the flying warship took off smoothly, rising toward the heavens and vanishing into the sea of clouds in the blink of an eye.
In the distance, massive warships loomed and faded among the clouds. The sight left Judge deeply shaken.
It was clear now—the Marines had made these flying warships a core component of their fleet.
Once war erupted, a sky fleet working in tandem with a surface fleet would give the Marines absolute dominance over both sea and sky—a crushing strategic advantage.
And Judge knew one more thing: the mass production of Pluton-class warships was no longer a dream.
He fell silent, calculating the Marines' current strength. At the top stood the man the world now called invincible—Fleet Admiral Arashi.
Then came the Five Admirals, followed by other powerful admirals, vice admirals, and countless elite officers.
On top of that were the Pacifistas and Seraphim—cyborgs of overwhelming might—proof of technology so advanced it bordered on the godlike.
As the head of Germa 66, Judge understood better than most: once technology reached a certain level, its impact on the world became revolutionary.
He even suspected that Devil Fruits themselves might once have been a creation of science.
The Lieutenant Commander's voice broke Judge's thoughts.
The flying warship had docked at a floating island, suspended in the vast ocean of clouds. Ahead, a crimson mist shrouded half the sky, painting a surreal, dreamlike scene.
Judge turned and saw a brilliant golden light behind him. For a moment, he stood speechless. The view was breathtaking—almost unreal.
"Fleet Admiral Arashi created the Sky Prison," the commander explained. "He used his Devil Fruit power to lift an entire deserted island and anchor it ten thousand meters above the sea, here among the clouds."
"From up here, the sunrise and sunset are unmatched."
Then the commander raised his hand and pointed toward a towering structure ahead. "But the most shocking thing of all is this."
Judge followed his gesture—and his pupils shrank.
A colossal nine-story tower, as majestic as a mountain, rose before him. Its peak pierced a ring of clouds, its summit lost from view.
Above the third floor, arcs of lightning danced and crackled endlessly, casting a menacing glow.
"Come with me, Mr. Judge. According to protocol, no outsiders are permitted here. And no one who enters this prison ever leaves alive," the commander said solemnly.
Judge inhaled deeply and nodded. His gaze swept the port: rows of warships, thousands of elite Marines, and at least ten officers of flag rank stationed nearby.
With security this tight—and the island's unique location—breaking in was unthinkable. Breaking out? Impossible.
Led by the commander, Judge stepped into the tower. They rode an elevator straight to the seventh floor.
And then, he saw him.
Vinsmoke Sanji—shackled hand and foot—sat cross-legged in his cell, golden hair falling over his prison uniform. His back was turned, lost in thought.
Judge's eyes flickered coldly.
"I'll give you some privacy," the commander said tactfully, smiling as he left.
"Thank you," Judge murmured. He fixed his gaze on the figure inside the cell.
The Sky Prison's interior was vast—Judge had never been to Impel Down, but he could guess this was even larger.
And the moment he stepped inside, he sensed it—a strange aura emanating from the walls and floor. If he had eaten a Devil Fruit, he knew its suppressing force would be overwhelming.
"Sanji!" Judge's voice broke the silence after a long pause.
The man in the cell slowly turned his head. For a moment, Sanji froze, stunned by the sight of the face he had never expected to see here.
That man?!
Their eyes locked—and an icy stillness filled the room.
Neither spoke for a long time. Finally, Judge broke the silence.
"You truly are my most disappointing son, Sanji," he said in a voice as cold as steel.
"Have you forgotten?" Sanji replied with a bitter laugh. "You and I severed all ties long ago."
A tremor passed through Judge's body, his eyes growing sharper. "Rebellious son!" he roared.
Sanji remained calm. The scars of his childhood burned fresh in his memory. In his heart, this man had ceased to be his father long ago.
Yet, seeing him here, something deep inside stirred—a flicker of emotion he wished he didn't feel.
"If you came just to spit out meaningless words, then why bother standing here?" Sanji asked coldly.
Judge's face hardened like ice. "The Vinsmoke family is now an ally of the Marines. I am the only one who can get you out of here, Sanji."
Sanji blinked in surprise, then smirked. "So you came to save me?"
"A Vinsmoke cannot rot in prison like a common criminal. That would be a disgrace to the entire family." Judge's gaze bore into him.
"If the Vinsmoke name is to rule the North Blue again, if we are to reclaim our royal status, then you—our greatest stain—cannot remain. The family will not tolerate a blemish. Do you understand? Right now, you are nothing but filth to us!"
Sanji's face darkened, his teeth grinding until his jaw ached. Rage surged like fire in his veins. So this man… hadn't changed at all.
"Get out," Sanji spat, his voice cold as frost.
"What?" Judge blinked, stunned by the defiance.
"Do you still not see reality, Sanji? I am your only chance at freedom! If you want out of this cell, if you want to walk under the sky again, you need me!" Judge bellowed.
But Sanji only laughed—a laugh sharp as a blade.
"I don't need it. I'd accept help from anyone in this world… anyone but you."
"I! WILL! NEVER! AGREE!"
The final roar thundered through the seventh level, making torches tremble in their brackets.
Silence followed—heavy, suffocating. Judge stood motionless, as if frozen, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned bone white. His face was a void, black as an abyss.
The Lieutenant Commander outside raised an eyebrow, glancing toward the cell. He had expected a heartfelt reunion—but this… this was something else entirely.
"Very good," Judge finally said, his voice low, each word drenched in suppressed fury.
"I, Vinsmoke Judge, have truly raised a fine son." The sarcasm in his tone could cut steel.
Sanji met his gaze without flinching. Judge turned sharply and strode away without another word.
When his father's silhouette vanished, Sanji exhaled slowly, shutting his eyes.
His brow furrowed, unease prickling at the edges of his mind.
"This man… didn't come just to 'save' me. No… there's more to this."
"If it's him… I'd rather die than accept his help," Sanji whispered, closing his eyes in silence.
(T/N: Please give me some power stone, I hope it can at least reach the top 100)
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