The doctor wiped his cold sweat and quickly changed the subject.
"Ah, right! The ship also has a new state-of-the-art life support system. With this small device, you can breathe on the moon. The ship itself can also operate normally in an oxygen-free environment like the moon!"
(A small patch. Always trust science. It won't affect the story.)
Rhett raised an eyebrow. "Oh? That's pretty good."
Moria poked his head out of the shadows. "Kishishishi~ Captain, are we really going to the moon? I remember when I first met Enel, he was always shouting about 'Endless Vast Earth.'"
"Who knows." Tesoro shrugged. "We don't have anything better to do anyway."
Just then, Enel shot back like a bolt of lightning. He was holding a grilled Skypiea giant shrimp. "Yahahaha! This god can't wait anymore! When do we leave?"
"Enel, why are you so excited? Oh, right. Why were you so obsessed with reaching Endless Vast Earth?" Rhett asked curiously.
Enel thought for a moment. "They said that's where the gods' hall was supposed to be. Where did I hear that? I can't remember. It's a little fuzzy."
"Are you ready to become a god on the Endless Vast Earth?"
"Haven't I always been a god?" Enel looked at Rhett, confused.
"Up there, only you can be the god. No one else." Rhett gave Enel a meaningful look.
Rhett looked at Perona, who was playing in the water with Laboon. Then he looked at Moria, who was checking his weapons.
"Alright, make your arrangements. We leave tomorrow."
......
The next day. The Ark Maxim.
The massive golden ship slowly rose into the sky. The sea of clouds parted on both sides. The residents of Angel Island looked up at the magnificent sight and waved goodbye.
"Farewell, our king! May you return victorious!" x10086
Rhett snapped his head around and stared at Tesoro. "Was it you? ...No, did you teach them that?"
Tesoro shook his head helplessly. "I told you, it's become our company culture. Who started it? Captain!"
Rhett was about to argue. Tesoro waved his hand and pulled out a Den Den Mushi, signaling a temporary ceasefire.
"This is Tesoro. Nakata, what is it?"
"Gibberish gibberish blah blah blah"
Tesoro listened, then shouted into the Den Den Mushi. "What?! More Celestial Dragons are causing trouble at the Sabaody auction house?! Tell them if they can't protect it, I won't pay a single cent of their military budget next month!"
Rhett sat in the captain's seat. Blood mist swirled around his fingertips like a small vortex. "Tesoro, forget about that for now. It's going to be hard to stay in touch for a while."
Tesoro pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses. "Understood. I've already made arrangements."
The Navy's military budget was the World Government's bottom line. The World Government's bottom line + Rhett = We can still talk.
This wasn't Rhett paying the Heavenly Tribute and then the World Government distributing the funds. Rhett was directly giving money to the Navy. Rhett was testing the World Government. He was testing how important the Navy was in the World Government's eyes. Rhett would have preferred to see the World Government call him directly and tell him to stop interfering with the Navy's budget.
This silent agreement was what Rhett least wanted to see.
Perona floated over. Her plushie bear rubbed against Rhett's cheek. "Lord Rhett, how long will it take to fly to the moon?"
"According to the doctor's calculations, about ten days." Rhett patted her head. "If you're bored, you can go play with Laboon."
......
The Ark Maxim sailed through space. Outside the windows was the vast starry sky and endless darkness. Enel floated at the top of the ship every day, lighting up the entire cabin like a human light bulb. He called it "the blessing of a god."
I told you. Going to the moon, Enel was the perfect weapon. We had to bring him.
Perona floated to Rhett's side, holding her plushie bear. "Lord Rhett~ how much longer? Laboon is so bored he's started chewing on the gold deck..."
Rhett glanced at Laboon, who was grinding his teeth in the corner. "Soon. The doctor says we've entered the moon's gravitational field."
Just then, the ship suddenly shook violently.
"Warning! Warning!" The doctor's mechanical assistant blared. "Unknown energy field interference detected!"
Tesoro stumbled and almost fell. "What's happening?!"
Enel instantly turned into lightning and shot to the control panel. "Yahahaha! Let this god see... Huh? This is..."
Outside the window, the pitch-black space suddenly lit up with countless glowing circuits. They spread across the moon's surface like a giant circuit board.
Rhett was certain that the moon's surface in the cover story did not have these circuits. What had changed the moon's surface?
Rhett narrowed his eyes. Blood mist gathered in his palm. "All hands, prepare for battle."
Rhett hated this feeling of things being beyond his control.
......
The Ark Maxim was guided by the energy field and slowly landed on the moon's surface. The moment the hatch opened, a strange feeling of low gravity made Perona gasp and float into the air.
"Wahhh!"
Enel floated beside her proudly. "Mortal, now you see the convenience of a god, don't you?"
Rhett was the first to step onto the moon's surface. Blood mist formed a stable support under his feet. What he saw was a bumpy surface. Craters are normal on the moon. But every crater had patterns that looked like circuit boards. He kicked one. The pattern was worn smooth. But then it reappeared.
"Stay close to me. This place is unfamiliar. Don't let anything happen."
The blood mist spread. Rhett was looking for a small, green robot. Its name should be Lieutenant Spaccy. It really did look like a little old man. But the robots on the moon were all like that. That little mustache made it look much older.
Rhett's blood mist spread across the moon's surface. He soon found his target in the shadow of a crater.
"Enel. Strike it." Rhett nodded his chin.
"Coming!" Lightning danced on Enel's fingertips. A bolt of lightning struck Lieutenant Spaccy.
"CRACK—!"
The robot, which had been lying motionless, suddenly shot up. Its mechanical joints clicked. One simple strike was enough to make the little thing snap to attention. It even saluted.
Lieutenant Spaccy.
It felt its body all over. Then it suddenly burst into tears.
"I'm alive! Sob, sob, sob, I'm so moved!"
Then it slid on its knees to Enel's feet. Its little arms wrapped around Enel's leg. Its electronic eyes sparkled.
"Thank you for waking me up, Boss! From today on, you're my new boss!"