"Your Majesty, this is everything we seized from the Razor Pirates' ship"
Dalton and Jason carried in two heavy chests, setting them before Jin with solemn care.
"Oh?" Jin raised a brow. Right—spoils of war. Almost forgot.
"What's inside?" he asked with interest.
Dalton gestured. "One chest holds about five million Berries. It was Captain Dam's private treasury. The other contains various items—"
He opened the lid. Inside were maps, journals, and peculiar instruments. "A logbook, a sea chart of the West Blue, and… two Eternal Poses. One for Alabasta, and one for Claw Island."
Jin's eyes narrowed. Alabasta…? He remembered the name at once. Oh, the desert kingdom. And Claw Island… the Fire Country, where Mushuru had been banished. [T/N: Claw Island is non canon]
Perfect. Both prime trading partners.
"Not bad at all." He chuckled inwardly. For now, his focus was still development—growing his foundation on Drum Island. Reckless adventures could wait.
The ground split, and both chests sank into the ship's belly. Spoils of war belonged to him alone.
Then Jin looked up. "Dalton, Jason. You've come at the right time. I have a crucial task for you."
The two men straightened, tense and respectful. Since Jin's coronation, this was the first mission he personally entrusted.
"Your Majesty, we await your command."
"Mobilize everyone," Jin said firmly. "Scour the island. Gather mushrooms."
"…Mushrooms?" Dalton blinked.
"All of them," Jin clarified. "Poisonous, edible, rare, common—every kind. For each new species brought to me, I'll pay one thousand Berries."
"What?!" Jason's jaw dropped. He'll pay us for picking mushrooms?
"Why are you still standing there?" Jin snapped.
"Y-Yes, at once!"
…
The order spread across Drum Island like wildfire.
"The King wants us to… pick mushrooms? And he'll pay us for it?!"
"Even under the old king we worked for free—without a single meal in return. This is… unbelievable."
"Don't waste time! If someone else finds them first, we'll miss out!"
Suddenly, entire towns and villages surged into the forests. Children, elders, hunters—everyone turned mushroom picker overnight.
Even Chopper threw himself into the search with boundless enthusiasm.
Soon, all manner of fungi were delivered to Jin's warship. Little Ai categorized them, compiling a comprehensive illustrated guide.
Meanwhile, Jin oversaw the construction of a cultivation chamber aboard the carrier, where Little Ai began controlled breeding experiments.
"What kind of mushroom should we create?" Jin mused aloud. "Something unique to Drum… something that will sell."
He tapped his chin. "Our first trade targets are Alabasta and the Fire Country. Both are hot, both short on water. So… why not engineer an edible mushroom that holds moisture—or even produces cold?"
Little Ai's voice hummed: "Scientifically difficult. But with Devil Fruits, the impossible becomes possible."
"Exactly," Jin grinned. "Let's test the power of brainstorming."
And so they brainstormed. For six months.
…
The forest.
Dalton and several men stooped under the weight of enormous fungi—each the size of a human head, crystalline and gleaming like solid ice.
"Dalton, are you sure these things will sell? They taste like snow… no flavor at all!" one woman muttered skeptically.
Dalton answered with conviction: "They'll sell."
…
At the docks, a repaired three-masted ship awaited. The Razor Pirates' flag had been torn down, replaced with a new jolly roger: a grinning skull wreathed in frost, the emblem of the Winterhan.
The old shipwrights had patched the hull. Militia loaded sealed crates of ice, creating a frozen hold where the precious "Ice Mushrooms" were carefully stored.
When preparations were complete, Jin stood proudly at the bow, gazing toward the horizon.
"Destination: Fire Country. Set sail!"
Dalton remained ashore, watching the ship depart, silently praying for success.
Jin had chosen to leave Little Ai and the warship behind. Too conspicuous. Too tempting.
A priceless treasure invited disaster. If the World Government caught sight of his awakened Devil Fruit vessel, it would bring endless trouble.
No—patience was wisdom. For now, he lacked the strength to challenge the world.
The Fire Country was his first choice: closer, a mere five days' round trip if the winds held. Alabasta would take at least eight.
Besides, Dam had confessed to a hidden cache on the island—fifty million Berries in goods. Jin had decided to keep him alive for now. The pirate captain had served as sparring partner and Little Ai's unwilling "test subject" for mushrooms—suffering poisoning and antidote trials until even his iron will had broken.
…
Two days later.
Claw Island rose on the horizon, its volcanic peaks belching smoke and ash. The climate seared like an open furnace. For Jin's men—accustomed to Drum's endless winter—it was agony.
Some collapsed from heatstroke. Thankfully, the ship's doctors worked tirelessly, and the Ice Mushrooms kept everyone hydrated.
Claw Island lived up to its name, shaped like a giant claw with more than ten active volcanoes. Ten times the size of Drum, its landscape seethed with fire and ash.
As they approached, one volcano erupted violently, lava pouring down its slopes. The scene was apocalyptic—but the islanders scarcely glanced up.
…
"Big news! Huge news!"
The moment Jin set foot on the docks, a frantic sailor raced past, waving a newspaper.
"The New World has a new Emperor of the Sea!"
"What?!" people cried, swarming him.
"Who is it?!"
"Red-Haired Shanks!"
The sailor shouted: "Bounty: 4,048,900,000 Berries!"
"Unbelievable… the World Government has officially recognized him as one of the Four Emperors!"
The crowd erupted in heated discussion.
Jin paused, eyes flickering. Shanks… the Fourth Emperor already?
So it was Year 1518 of the Sea Circle Calendar. Four years remained before Luffy would set sail.
…
The marketplace.
The moment Jin's men unveiled their product—ice blocks and crystalline Ice Mushrooms—the crowd gasped. A refreshing chill swept through the sweltering air, drawing every gaze.
Who could resist the lure of cold drinks in such unbearable heat?
In no time, every ice block, every mushroom was sold. Berries poured into their purses. Laughter rang among Jin's crew.
But as they prepared to pack up—
"Who allowed you to sell here? Did you pay tax?"
A suave man with a curled mustache appeared, flanked by armed guards. He smiled warmly—but his eyes were knives.
"The Tax Minister!" someone whispered. Vendors scattered at once.
Jason stepped forward. "We paid the stall fee already."
"Not enough," the minister drawled. "You've been reported. Your sales exceeded ten million Berries. By law of the Fire Country, you owe fifty percent in income tax. That's… another five million Berries."
He pinched his mustache, smug as a cat.
"Five million?! That's robbery!" Jason shouted.
The guards raised their muskets. The militia bristled, ready to draw weapons.
"Enough. We'll pay."
Jin's voice cut through, calm and commanding. He raised a hand, stopping his men.
"Captain!" Jason hissed. Outside Drum, Jin had ordered them to call him captain, not king.
Jin smiled. "Harmony brings fortune."
Jason grit his teeth, but obeyed. They handed over five million.
The minister bowed theatrically. "Heehee… I am Sherlock. I like obedient captains such as you. Please, come again next time."
He turned away, whispering to his guards: "Send word to the Vultures. Follow them. Find their base. Then bring me the Ice Mushrooms… and the rest of my five million."
…
Back at the docks, Jason seethed. "Your Majesty, that man was outrageous!"
Jin only smiled, glancing at the flag snapping above their mast. "With this emblem, we are but a lawful merchant fleet."
Then he looked back. Several shadows trailed them, ducking quickly when caught.
"Good thing," Jin murmured, "I brought another flag."
Jason blinked. "…Huh?"