OP: My Aircraft Carrier Evolves#120+121: Sanji: The King is My Brother-in-Law?? Homeward Bound, and the Foxy Pirates!

“Diable Jambe!”

Sanji’s leg ignited. Why was he challenging Jin?

For one, there was that cheap shot back at the Baratie. He’d been caught off guard, and the sting of it still lingered.

For another, he’d learned from Reiju that Jin had seized control of the Germa Kingdom, bringing Judge to heel. His brothers were suddenly obedient puppets.

Honestly, Sanji couldn't care less about that part. They got what they deserved, and he felt no sympathy for their plight. Reiju had even mentioned that Judge was back to his old self, lost in his research—which was a hell of a lot better than him terrorizing the world.

No, the real reason—the one that made his blood boil—was that Jin was now his brother-in-law.

And the bastard wasn’t even faithful.

His sister was with a philanderer? A man who wasn't even exclusively with her??

Unforgivable.

THWACK!

Jin swatted him away with a casual punch. Principles didn't mean much when faced with a fist that could shatter them.

Sanji’s sudden leap in power had piqued Judge's scientific curiosity. A failed experiment, now manifesting abilities and harnessing the power of "fire"? Had he miscalculated all those years ago? Was Sanji’s Lineage Factor merely dormant, only now beginning to emerge?

Thankfully, Jin and Reiju intervened before he could drag Sanji back to a lab, settling for a simple blood sample to finally craft his raid suit.

When Sanji woke up, the glare he shot Jin was pure venom.

But he couldn't win.

And Reiju... she didn't seem the least bit unhappy.

He had no choice but to let it go.

When Jin invited him to join them on the Grand Line, Sanji refused.

He preferred the freedom of the Baratie.

Follow Jin? And watch him and his sister get all lovey-dovey? Sanji figured his blood pressure would skyrocket. And then there were the other women...

Shit. That just made it worse.

Better to just stay away.

Jin didn't press the issue. Instead, he struck a deal with Zeff: a steady supply of rare ingredients from all Four Seas in exchange for a small notice board outside the Baratie, advertising the Winter Blossom Kingdom's medical tourism.

The clientele who sailed all the way to the Baratie were wealthy, the perfect target demographic for Drum Island's specialized services.

A deal like that? Zeff would have been a fool to refuse.

—————————

With the Baratie situation settled, Jin inspected the progress on the airbase. The site was Gosa Village, the town the Arlong Pirates had razed.

In just over a month, the first runway had been laid, and hangars, barracks, and a small town were rising from the ashes.

Furthermore, Gosa Village's port, docks, and road network were also under construction.

Kuro, as the head of the labor corps, had proven to be a surprisingly brilliant and efficient administrator, managing every detail with meticulous care.

Gin, meanwhile, was the perfect enforcer. Cold, merciless, and utterly impartial—he gave no one special treatment. If anyone slacked off or failed to complete their work, he recorded it.

He was the kind of loyal, unwavering subordinate Jin needed.

Jin was exceptionally pleased.

—————————

"Me? The base commander? B-But... can I do that?" Nojiko was floored by Jin’s offer.

"Why not? I need a local—someone I can trust to manage this base."

"But I don't know anything about..."

"You can learn," Jin said with a gentle smile. "I believe you can do this. You can be as strong as Belle-mère was."

He couldn't stay in the East Blue forever.

Maya, Robin, and the others had their own missions.

Kuro and Gin were out of the question; their pasts would only stir up conflict between the locals and the outsiders.

After considering all the options, Nojiko was the only logical choice.

She had been independent and brave since she was a child, rescuing a baby Nami from a battlefield. After Belle-mère's death, she had skillfully navigated the treacherous relationship with the Arlong Pirates. During the final battle, she had stepped up to help Usopp escape and had even saved Luffy from drowning.

Her character and integrity were more than enough for the role.

As for her strength...

The plan was simple: send her, Nami, Carina, and Kaya to Hina on Asuka Island for six months of academic and physical training.

After all, why else would he fund a Marine base if not to have a private back door for his own people?

It wasn’t just about getting on Hina’s good side—though that was certainly a perk.

Nojiko didn't even need to be overwhelmingly strong. Reaching the level of a Marine Captain or Rear Admiral would be more than enough to let her "dominate" the East Blue.

And if that wasn't enough, he could give her an official position... or a Devil Fruit.

"Okay," she said, her voice filled with a newfound determination. "I'll do my best!"

Overjoyed, Nojiko leaped up and boldly planted a kiss on his cheek, her face instantly turning scarlet.

She had been drawn to the king who had saved her village from the moment she first saw him on that fateful night. Nojiko wasn't the type to hide her feelings, and the fact that he had other women didn't bother her.

Jin saw the blush on her cheeks, but also the undisguised fire in her eyes.

He smiled and pulled her into his arms.

On the Grand Line, life was full of uncertainty. Why worry about the future?

Enjoy the now.

On a deserted beach, Nojiko looked up at the moon.

Beneath the moonlight, her first steps were clumsy, but her heart was a blazing fire.

—————————

With his business in the East Blue mostly concluded, a Bounty Hunter's Guild, managed by Mr. 3, quietly opened in Loguetown. Taking over a portion of the Barto Club's territory and business, Mr. 3 was in a much better position than he had been in the West Blue.

The Conomi Islands were now Jin's core territory in the East Blue, home to his first airbase. From there, his newly formed East Blue Trading Company would begin establishing a trade network with the surrounding nations. Kaya's father was already contacting his associates, hiring sailors and crewmen in droves. As for ships, the eighty-odd pirate vessels Jin had confiscated could be easily refitted and put to use.

For security, Jin had left Ichiji, the eldest of the Vinsmoke brothers, along with a newly manufactured fighter jet. He also left two of Germa's transponder snail ships and a 120-man rifle company, all armed with Kar98ks.

Kuro and Gin's labor corps could also put up a fight if needed.

Besides, Jin's "sweep" had left the already-poor pirates of the East Blue in an even more desperate state. Even if the various kingdoms and nobles wanted to cultivate a new batch of thugs, it would take two or three years. For now, there would be a period of relative peace.

In fact, the events on the Conomi Islands had sent a chill through the various powers of the East Blue. The area was now considered a "no-go zone."

Information about Jin had also begun to spread.

He was from the Grand Line?

He'd defeated one of the Seven Warlords, Hanafuda?

No wonder he was so strong. He was on a completely different level.

And Smoker... who knew he had such powerful connections? He'd called in a savior from the Grand Line and completely upended the East Blue.

Smoker's reputation, on the other hand, had taken a serious hit. The once-straightforward, hard-nosed Marine was now seen as a cunning schemer. The deaths of the local gangsters in Loguetown had not endeared him to their families.

Headquarters, in its infinite wisdom, had even given him a new epithet: "The White Fox."

"White" for his smoke.

"Fox" for his supposed cunning.

It was ridiculous.

Smoker was furious. He would have preferred "White Tiger."

White Fox just sounded... effeminate.

The only thing that brought Smoker any joy was the news that Jin had finally left the East Blue and returned to the Grand Line.

<><><><><><><><>

Paradise. Near the Calm Belt.

A group of super-large Sea Kings were playing in the water.

"Woooooooooom..."

Suddenly, a deep cry echoed from within the Calm Belt, its piercing sound scattering the Sea Kings in terror.

A warship, flying a black dragon flag, shot out from the Calm Belt at a speed of no less than 50 knots.

Jin had taken the Calm Belt route from the East Blue, using the opportunity to conduct a detailed exploration of the area, searching for islands and having Ai map the currents. He intended to find a new route from the Conomi Islands, through the Calm Belt, to Drum Island.

Paradise, the East Blue, and the South Blue were all in the same hemisphere, separated by two straight lines of the Calm Belt.

But the lack of wind was only one of the problems. The more dangerous one was the super-large Sea Kings that inhabited the Calm Belt, creatures hundreds, even thousands of meters long.

Marine warships could traverse the Calm Belt using a combination of steam power, Seastone plating, and sonic deterrents. There were also special ships, like those of Amazon Lily, that were pulled by sea beasts.

"Airplanes and airships don't have those limitations..."

Jin mused. "But that kind of technology would have a huge impact on the world. For now, I need to keep it under wraps, wait for the right moment. The base in Cocoyasi Village is primarily for training pilots, and low-altitude aircraft already exist in this world. If I keep a low profile, it shouldn't attract too much attention. But once I start using them for cargo transport... that's a different story. That would step on the toes of a lot of major shipping companies. Perhaps, after Kuro and the others are finished, I can build another airport within the Calm Belt, to build up a reserve of trained personnel... Also, to get from the Calm Belt to Drum Island, I'll need to cross at least four islands on one of the four routes. They're all controlled by different powers. I'll need to 'clear' a path between them, connecting them with Log Poses. I don't have to do it myself. I can delegate it to Wilson, Law, Reiju, and Robin. The militia has been training for long enough. It's time to test them in real combat, see if any of them have what it takes to lead."

Inside the conning tower, Jin was drafting a three-year plan.

Three years.

Just in time for the Summit War.

The beginning of a new era.

—————————

The sky was a brilliant blue, the sea calm. A dilapidated sloop drifted on the water.

Not long ago, it had been through a brutal battle.

A tattered pirate flag hung from its mast.

The hull was riddled with cannonball holes and sword gashes. It was taking on water, groaning and creaking with every swell, looking as if it might fall apart at any moment.

"Ah... we're alive," one of the dozen or so pirates on deck said, a look of pure, unadulterated joy on his face. They were sitting in pools of blood, the bodies of their crewmates lying around them.

"That Hancock... she's a monster!"

"The Grand Line is terrifying. The South Blue is nothing compared to this."

"Dammit! Even the captain was defeated!"

"Captain! Captain Foxy! Pull yourself together..."

The crew was still shaken.

They were the Foxy Pirates, and they had only just arrived in the Grand Line.

Their captain was "Silver Fox" Foxy, user of the Paramecia Slow-Slow Fruit, with a bounty of 24,000,000 Berries.

In the South Blue, it had been smooth sailing.

But they had been in the Grand Line for less than two weeks, and their first opponent had been one of the Seven Warlords, Boa Hancock.

No, the proud Pirate Empress hadn't even deigned to fight them herself. Her underlings had been more than enough.

Foxy had been seriously injured, and they had lost half their crew. If it hadn't been for a sudden storm, they would have been completely wiped out.

"Let's go back," Foxy said, his voice laced with despair. He had a split afro, a long nose, and a foxy face. His sideburns were thick, and he wore a purple fur coat. "The Grand Line isn't for us."

He was covered in bandages, his face unshaven. The confident swagger he'd had when he'd first entered Paradise was gone.

He had come in search of the great treasure, of wealth, fame, and glory.

But the reality of the Grand Line was a cruel one.

Every year, new pirates from the Four Blues poured into the Grand Line.

And every year, there were those like Foxy, who lost their will to fight and gave up on their dreams.

And many more who simply lost their lives.

"Don't be silly, Captain Foxy!" a blue-haired woman named Porche cooed. "How can you give up so easily? Think about it! We're the pirate crew that escaped from a Warlord!"

She was a smart woman, well-versed in the art of reading people.

"Are you really going to leave like this, Captain?" another crewman said. "Porche is right! We escaped from a Warlord! That's something to be proud of!"

Foxy’s eyes lit up.

That's right! Losing to a Warlord wasn't shameful at all!

He felt his confidence returning. He stood up, hands on his hips.

"Porche is right!" he declared. "Losing to the Pirate Empress is not a disgrace—it is the Foxy Pirates’ greatest honor! Fuhfehfehfeh! Alright, men! We're not going back! First, we find an island, repair the ship, and recruit some new crew members..."

"YEAH!!!"

The crew's spirits were lifted.

But just as they were cheering, the ship let out a final, agonizing groan.

"It's no good! The ship is sinking! Lower the lifeboats...!"

After a frantic scramble, the dozen or so survivors were crammed into two small lifeboats, the tattered pirate flag still flying proudly from a piece of wreckage.

They began to row.

But they couldn't keep it up for long. Just as Foxy was about to sink back into despair...

"Hey! Captain Foxy! A ship! Off in the distance!"

"A ship??" Foxy snatched the spyglass.

It looked like a merchant ship from some kingdom.

"It’s a gift from the heavens!" Porche’s eyes gleamed.

"Captain! If we can take that ship, we can start over!"

"They must have food!"

"And fresh water!"

The pirates, exhausted, hungry, and thirsty, licked their lips, their eyes shining with a predatory light.

"Charge!" Foxy roared. "Let the Foxy Pirates set sail once more!"

With a burst of adrenaline, they began to row, the two small boats skimming across the water toward the larger vessel.

As they drew closer, Porche, who was keeping an eye on the other ship, began to make out the details of its flag.

Her beautiful eyes widened in horror.

The black dragon...

"STOP! EVERYONE, STOP!" she shrieked.

"Eh?"

"Why?"

"What is it, Porche?"

She pointed at the flag, her voice trembling with fear. "It's... the black dragon flag! The Executioner of Hannabal! The King of the Winter Blossom Kingdom...!"

"EH??!!"

"WHAT?"

"The king who defeated the Warlord Hanafuda??"

Without waiting for an order, the two lifeboats were rowing backward, moving even faster in retreat than they had in their charge.