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The shipwright clutched his black suitcase of cash as the Marines vanished like a retreating tide.
His legs buckled and he dropped to the ground, trembling.
"Good thing I kept my mouth shut… I'd be dead otherwise!"
He let out a shaky breath. From the moment Aero walked into his yard, the shipwright had suspected he was a pirate but not that pirate. Not the Aero one of East Blue's most wanted.
He wanted to sell an expensive ship, not get caught between a warlord and the Marines. And given how massive the response from the Navy was, it was clear: Loguetown's command wasn't taking this pirate lightly.
Now he could only hope Aero stayed free.
Because if Aero was caught…
Selling a ship to a pirate of that caliber would get him executed.
Normally, selling to the average pirate wasn't a big deal. Most shipwrights didn't ask questions, and most Marines didn't care. Pirates made up a huge part of the customer base anyway.
But this wasn't just some no-name pirate.
This was a wanted figure, a name known across the sea.
That changed everything.
But now? Now he had 100 million berries in cash. And no one could stop him from disappearing.
---
Out at Sea — Aero's Ship
Aero's Den Den Mushi buzzed. He recognized Kael's voice immediately.
"Captain! I've pulled the Marines back to the harbor."
"I figured as much. I'm en route to the rendezvous," Aero replied calmly.
Meanwhile, the three sharpened Seastone fragments he'd requested from the shipwright were safely stored onboard. Aero had specifically asked for them to be pointed and deadly.
As a Logia user, Aero couldn't touch Seastone directly it would sap his strength and cancel his powers.
But Aero had found a workaround.
He didn't need to touch the Seastone. He could use his wind to manipulate it from a distance.
At that moment, the three razor-sharp shards floated in the air before him, suspended by whirling air currents.
He reached out and brushed one with his finger—
Ice-cold.
The moment his skin made contact, his powers dimmed and weakness swept through his body. The fragments lost their unnatural hover and clattered to the deck.
Experiment: successful.
He now knew exactly how to use them without ever touching them again.
"Brrr… brrr…"
Another call. This time, it was Dylan.
Aero steadied his breathing, then answered.
"Yo."
"Captain! We've arrived at the rendezvous!" Dylan's voice came through, wind rustling in the background. He was on deck, scanning the sea for signs of Aero.
"Good. I see you too," Aero said as he caught sight of the Dove in the distance. "Get the supplies ready we're transferring as soon as I dock."
"Already prepped. Just waiting on you and Kael."
The Dove's deck was loaded with supplies food, gear, and repair tools. Everything is stacked and secured.
The sails and pirate flag were neatly rolled up, ready to be raised on the new ship.
"One more thing remove the Dove's figurehead. My new ship doesn't have one."
"Huh? Take off the figurehead?" Dylan echoed, confused. Then again, this was Aero half of his ideas were crazy, but somehow, they always worked out.
Still, he gave the order. Gin climbed up and began unbolting the ship's ornate figurehead.
---
Back on Aero's ship, he smiled.
The Dove had been their companion for so long. Leaving it behind felt… wrong.
But this was war.
They'd used the Dove as bait to carry out their plan.
"Ships gain spirits when loved enough," he mused. "Maybe… if we transplant the head, it'll carry our bond into the next chapter."
Sentimental? Maybe.
But he liked the idea.
As the ships drew alongside each other, the crew scrambled into action, raising sails, hanging their flag, and moving supplies like seasoned pros.
Aero took the old figurehead and installed it on the bow of the new ship. It fit perfectly.
It felt right.
---
"CAPTAIN!"
A shout echoed from above.
Aero looked up as Kael was descending from the sky, using [Moonwalk] to cross the vast stretch of ocean from the harbor.
"Where's Smoker?" Aero asked.
"Still on the docks!" Kael panted, grinning. "I think I really pissed him off."
"Nice work," Aero nodded. "Now, all of you—onto the new ship. Let's move. It's time for the final step of the plan."
He looked out at the distant horizon, eyes sharp.
"I'll handle our tail. We can't let them chase us again anytime soon."
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