Chapter 237: The Secret of the East Sea, the Upgrade of the Leviathan Warship!
Shanks leaned forward slightly, his eyes glinting with curiosity and barely restrained excitement.
"Ryuunosuke... what exactly do you know?"
For years, he'd searched for answers buried beneath the waves of the Grand Line. Mysteries left by the Void Century, the secrets behind the Sea Kings, the true path to Raftel—they'd all eluded him. But something in Ryuunosuke's calm demeanor made Shanks believe that, just maybe, he'd finally found someone who could shed light on it all.
Ryuunosuke took a deep breath, then crossed his arms, choosing his words carefully.
"I know a few things... but not all of it," he said, a wry smirk playing on his lips. "Truth is, most of what I know came from the world I once lived in—another reality where people speculated wildly about the One Piece, the Sea Kings, and Joyboy."
Shanks raised an eyebrow. "Another reality?"
Ryuunosuke shrugged. "It's complicated. Let's just say... I have a knack for seeing patterns others miss. People talk, rumors spread, and if you listen long enough, you start piecing things together."
Shanks raised an eyebrow, half-interested, half-skeptical. "So you're basing this on hearsay? No solid proof?"
Ryuunosuke smirked. "Call it intuition. But... some of those 'wild guesses' tend to hit closer to the truth than anyone expects. I just don't know which ones—yet."
He paused, then narrowed his eyes slightly. "But if you want something more solid, maybe we can trade. You tell me what you've discovered about the Sea Kings, and I'll share what I know."
Shanks leaned back, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Fair enough. For old time's sake."
He then proceeded to explain everything his crew had gathered over the years: rare recordings of Sea King migrations, odd electromagnetic pulses from the Calm Belt, and ancient carvings that seemed to depict massive underwater cities. He even shared details of his recent encounter with a Sea King that seemed almost... sentient.
By the time he finished, Ryuunosuke was stunned.
So much of what he had remembered from his past life matched the data Shanks had collected.
"Incredible," Ryuunosuke muttered. "So much of what people speculated might actually be real."
Shanks folded his arms. "Now it's your turn."
Ryuunosuke nodded. "What I can tell you is more personal. When I was still a child, something happened—I accidentally absorbed a strange energy source. I don't know what it was exactly, but from that moment on, my power began growing exponentially."
"Strange energy? Like a Devil Fruit?"
"No. It felt... ancient. Primal. Different from any Devil Fruit energy I've sensed before. Even back then, I was strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Vice Admirals like Momousagi or Chaton. And since going to sea, I've only gotten stronger."
Shanks looked both intrigued and troubled. "You don't know what it was?"
Ryuunosuke shook his head. "If I ever come across it again, I might recognize it. But that's about it. Maybe ask Garp—he seems to know more about the ancient world than he lets on. His knowledge runs deep."
"Garp, huh..." Shanks nodded slowly. "That's worth a shot."
"Oh, and there's one more person you should talk to," Ryuunosuke added, his voice turning serious. "Go to Shimotsuki Village in the East Blue. Find Koshiro."
Shanks blinked. "Koshiro? The dojo master?"
"Yeah. He's also the father of my crewmate Kuina. Don't let his peaceful demeanor fool you. That man comes from the Shimotsuki family of Wano Country. I suspect he knows more about the East Blue than he lets on."
"Interesting..."
Ryuunosuke's voice dropped a notch. "But hear this, Shanks. If you or your crew lay a finger on him... I will not hesitate to wipe the Red Hair Pirates off the map."
For a moment, the tension in the air was palpable.
Then Shanks burst into laughter. "Relax! We're not that kind of crew. Since he's family to your crewmate, we'll treat him with the utmost respect."
Ryuunosuke smiled faintly. "Good. Then we understand each other."
Shanks gave a carefree wave. "Alright then, I'll drink to that."
They rejoined the feast that had been going strong for hours. Laughter echoed across the deck, and for a while, the burden of secrets and the weight of destiny faded into the background.
Three days later, the Red Hair Pirates departed, their sails catching the wind as they vanished over the horizon.
As the sun dipped below the sea, a shadow loomed over the water.
Chrollo returned, his Phantom Troupe flag fluttering proudly above his stolen prize.
"Captain! I brought back four Navy warships! Big ones too!" he shouted, grinning from ear to ear. "Loaded with high-grade metal! Honestly, I left behind the useless scrap."
Ryuunosuke raised an eyebrow. "You raided them?"
Chrollo smirked. "You said to cause damage, not that I couldn't take a little souvenir. Besides, we're thieves, not tourists."
"Fair point," Ryuunosuke muttered. "Unload everything. The Leviatan Warship hungry."
The crew moved quickly, transferring every chunk of rare metal from the warships to the harbor platform. As the sun set, the massive, sinister form of the Leviatan Warship began to shift.
It trembled. Then pulsed.
Then it devoured.
One by one, the Navy warships were swallowed whole into the hull of the Leviatan Warship.
Massive gears turned. Cables tightened. Strange runes glowed along the sides.
By dawn, the transformation was complete.
Ding!
"Congratulations, host. The Leviatan Warship has upgraded!"
A glowing panel appeared before Ryuunosuke.
[Ship of the Gods: Gainor]
Equipment: God-level Pirate Group Glory Halo
Weapons: Annihilation Cannon, Quantum Shield, Universal Transformer, Autopilot Mode
Ship Spirit: Detected [Unnamed]
Ryuunosuke stared at the panel, mouth slightly agape.
"The Ship of the Gods..."
He had devoured countless ships before—pirate ships, Marine vessels, even ancient constructs lost to time. But this... this was a leap.
The ship spirit was the most shocking.
He knew what it meant. When a ship developed a will of its own, it was more than just a vessel—it was a partner, a symbol of the sea's acknowledgment.
The Straw Hats had the Going Merry. The Roger Pirates had the Oro Jackson.
Now, he had the Gainor.
The system chimed again.
"Reward: 20,000 Reputation Points and a Special Gift Pack."
Ryuunosuke's eyes gleamed. "System, name the ship spirit Gainor."
"Confirmed. Ship spirit: Gainor has been named."
"Now scan the Universal Transformer."
[Universal Conversion Device: Can convert various energy sources into fuel for the Ship of the Gods. Recommended high-yield fuels include: Devil Fruits, Pure Gold, Ancient Power Crystals.]
Ryuunosuke folded his arms and exhaled slowly. Devil Fruits? Pure Gold?
He grinned.
"Looks like we're going treasure hunting."
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