Having witnessed how Uranus erased an island in a single strike, leaving behind nothing but a massive abyss, Rolan had already formed expectations for the destructive power of Pluton.
Based on what Uranus had shown, its power was far beyond what any human body could endure.
Even so, Rolan remained confident. With or without Pluton, he could still crush the World Government. Peach Garden did not rely on it to win.
His reason for bringing Pluton back was simple, to keep it out of the World Government's hands.
Still, an ancient weapon with such a massive range had another use. It could counter Uranus directly, balancing the power between both sides.
After circling the massive battleship several times, Franky stopped in front of Rolan and struck a pose.
"Aho, Rolan, give me three months, I'll restore it completely."
Franky already had the blueprints of Pluton. Now that the real thing was in front of him, his confidence only grew stronger.
Rolan's expression shifted slightly.
Ancient weapons represented the peak of the Great Kingdom's technology, something hundreds of years ahead of the current era. Even Vegapunk had taken years to achieve his breakthroughs.
Yet Franky was saying three months.
It sounded outrageous.
Still, looking at Franky's excitement and certainty, Rolan gave a short nod.
"Fine. It's yours."
Franky wouldn't just restore it. He would learn from it, improve, and push his own limits. That alone made this worthwhile.
"Super!!"
With a sharp snap of his fingers, Rolan activated his electromagnetic ability, forming a barrier around Pluton. It cut off external perception completely.
Even though few people in Peach Garden knew what Pluton truly was, he had no intention of letting it become public knowledge.
That kind of presence alone could cause unrest.
He raised his hand, guiding the massive battleship toward a prepared warehouse in Lungan.
"I'll handle this now," Franky said as he moved forward without hesitation. "In three months, you'll have something far beyond a weapon."
The moment Pluton was secured, Franky rushed aboard, already lost in his work.
Rolan watched briefly, then looked away. There was no point interrupting someone like that.
...
Peach Garden, Nine Serpent Island.
Deep within the jungle, a bonfire crackled softly.
A young man and a young woman sat facing each other.
The girl looked around sixteen, with short golden hair that curled slightly at the ends. Her figure was slender but well-defined. She wore an outfit made of animal skin, a short skirt and a fitted top, with a white cloak draped behind her. A black-green striped snake rested around her waist, and a quiver lay nearby.
Across from her sat a young man with short black hair and a small scar under his left eye. His red vest hung open, revealing a toned physique. Blue shorts, sandals, and a straw hat hanging behind him completed his look. In his hand was a large piece of roasted meat.
"Hey, Luffy, tell me about your adventures again," the girl said, her eyes fixed on him.
Luffy took a bite of the meat and grinned. "Haha, Margaret, you're getting interested too?"
The two of them were Luffy and Margaret.
Back when Luffy had been sent flying from Sabaody Archipelago by Kuma, he had landed on this island. Margaret was the one who found him.
At the time, Luffy had been starving, eating whatever he could find in the jungle. Most of it didn't harm him, until he ate a strange red and white mushroom.
It sprouted directly on his body, draining his strength and leaving him collapsed.
Margaret had found him while hunting and saved him before wild beasts could get to him.
Using what she knew, she burned off the mushrooms and carried him to wash his body. That was when she noticed something unfamiliar.
After some confusion, she remembered what she had learned about differences between men and women. Realization hit instantly, and her face turned red.
A strange feeling took root in her heart after that.
It stayed with her long after Luffy was taken away.
Unlike before, Nine Serpent Island had already become part of Peach Garden. The women there understood the existence of men, even if they had little direct experience.
After Luffy left, Margaret found herself thinking about him constantly.
He appeared in her dreams night after night.
There was even a period where she could barely eat or sleep, her body growing weak from it.
Elder Nyon eventually concluded it was lovesickness.
There was no real cure except seeing the person again.
Somehow, Margaret endured it. She forced herself to accept the gap between them. Luffy was the disciple of the strongest man in the world, while she was just another warrior on the island.
That should have been the end of it.
But the more she tried to forget, the more persistent those thoughts became.
Until Luffy returned.
And this time, she didn't hold back.
She came to find him again.
===
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