Darren casually scratched his ear, completely ignoring Momonga's grumbling beside him.
This journey to the Sky Island had been far more fruitful than he'd expected—and surprisingly smooth. No real obstacles had stood in his way.
First, he had discovered the Rumble-Rumble Fruit hidden within the ruins of an abandoned temple. Then, he had gone straight to the City of Gold, Shandora, and used his Magnet-Magnet Fruit to clean out every last ounce of treasure from the island.
As for other Sky Island specialties—like the Dials and Impact Dials—he didn't have much interest.
Such tools were meaningless to someone of his strength. And even if used for equipping the North Blue Fleet, the quantity was far too limited—nothing more than a novelty.
When it came to military forces, only scalable, replicable standard equipment had true strategic value.
Which is exactly why he wanted the Marine Science Division's laser cannons to be modified.
With a core technology like military weaponry, being dependent on others was unacceptable.
Otherwise, every time the laser cannon ran out of energy, they'd have to beg the SSG to recharge it—an operational nightmare.
Admittedly, finding a new power source for the modified laser weapons had once been a problem.
But now that Momonga had the Rumble-Rumble Fruit... that problem practically solved itself.
"Besides that, we can also move forward with further modifications to the fleet's warships."
Darren suddenly narrowed his eyes as the thought struck him.
"Ship modifications? You mean replacing the keel structures with metallic materials? The North Blue Fleet's already been doing that."
Momonga blinked in confusion, then replied.
The North Blue Fleet, in collaboration with Germa 66, had already begun modifying their ships.
By integrating shape-memory alloys and lightweight metals into the keel design—replacing traditional wooden structures—not only had they dramatically improved durability, but also made the ships compatible with Darren's Devil Fruit ability, forming a "flying fleet."
Even though these modifications were costly—with each warship exceeding three hundred million berries due to structural upgrades, heavy artillery, and tech weapons—it was money well spent.
Darren's blueprint for the North Blue Fleet didn't just aim for dominance at sea.
He wanted air superiority too.
Darren shook his head.
"That's part of it. But now I'm talking about overhauling the propulsion systems."
A dreadful feeling crept over Momonga's heart. His expression stiffened.
"You're not thinking..."
"Electrification is the future. Using electric power for propulsion would drastically improve our ships' cruising speed—easily doubling or tripling it. That kind of boost in combat maneuverability for the North Blue Fleet is indisputable."
"Not to mention, we could finally scrap those bulky masts and lighten the entire vessel... making operations faster, more agile. I don't need to explain to you what that means tactically, do I?"
His face drooped like a wilted eggplant. Miserable, on the verge of tears, he muttered:
Sure, he had eaten the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
But that didn't mean he was the Battery-Battery Fruit user!
At this rate, he'd be stuck day and night charging up the fleet...
Just picturing that cruel, inhumane future made him want to keel over and die.
Still... he had to admit, Darren's vision for the North Blue Fleet was bold—grand—and impossible not to be excited about.
"Why do you think I gave you the Rumble-Rumble Fruit in the first place..."
Darren smirked, unable to hold back a laugh.
North Blue – Rubeck Island
Fresh flowers and balloons lined the clean, bustling harbor. Ships flying dozens of different banners slowly sailed in.
The entire island was lit up, brimming with celebration.
Shops lined the streets offering "50% OFF" sales, and the crowd was thick and lively.
Leaders of major trading companies had arrived early, along with envoys from royal families and nobility across the seas—all here for one event: the birthday celebration of Donquixote Doflamingo, young head of the Donquixote Family.
"Unbelievable... Who'd have thought a kid barely in his teens could grow his power base to this extent..."
"Shh! Quiet, do you have a death wish?!"
"Don't be fooled by his age—Doflamingo's cunning and strength are top-tier in the North Blue. Rumor has it his trade network's already reaching into the Grand Line..."
Small groups whispered in hushed tones across the crowd.
Some spoke in awe. Others mocked. Some jeered. Others admired.
But soon, all eyes were drawn toward the harbor as a uniquely shaped vessel came into view.
It looked like a floating fortress—bristling with turrets and towers. From its mast fluttered a bold flag marked with the number "66".
"That's... a Germa 66 ship!!"
"The Vinsmoke Family actually showed up?!"
"Damn it! Let's stay out of their way!"
The festive crowd swiftly parted, creating a wide open path.
Soon, a tall man with golden blond hair and shining armor descended from the ship—Vinsmoke Judge, flanked by modified soldiers in black suits.
"That brat Doflamingo... he's managed this island quite well, hasn't he..."
Vinsmoke Judge paid no mind to the nervous, wary glances around him. He swept his eyes across the streets with cold amusement tugging at his lips.
"Lord Vinsmoke, our young master has been expecting you. This way, please."
A low voice sounded before him.
Judge blinked, surprised, as a well-groomed young man with slicked-back hair and the poise of a gentleman seemed to "rise" from the ground.
"I am Senor, an officer of the Donquixote Family."
Clad in a sharp peaked lapel suit, a pocket square adorning his chest, Senor bowed with graceful formality.
Judge's brow creased ever so slightly.
He hadn't even sensed the man's approach.
"It's been a while since I've seen your young master."
A polite, insincere smile curved Judge's lips. With a wave of his hand, several black-suited men unloaded a massive crate from the ship.
"This is a birthday gift from the Vinsmoke Family."
"Thank you. On behalf of the young master, I accept your generous gift."
"This way, please..."
He raised a hand in gesture.
Judge nodded and began to step forward—then paused, lowering his foot.
"No rush. You've got another guest incoming."
He turned slowly, narrowing his eyes toward the distant sea.
A heavily armed, massive warship was cutting through the waves.
Headed straight for Rubeck Island.