The Strongest Lunarian in One Piece

Chapter 371: Chapter 371: Test Flight...



"Wow!"

"It's huge!!!"

"Incredible—"

"A battleship this enormous… and so cool!"

A group of teenagers couldn't hold back; they flapped their wings impatiently and landed on the vast warship. They found it was not just massively oversized, but also equipped with every imaginable facility. There was even a large patch of lawn with several apple trees bearing bright red fruit. The giant three-story cabin included a training field—truly astonishing.

"Father, what is this?"

Thor's voice brimmed with delight as he ran into the spacious bridge. There he discovered a colossal throne custom-built for a giant's frame, complete with two giant pillars on either side labeled "-" and "+." On top of the extra-large console, besides the steering lever, were separate buttons for navigation, hover mode, flight mode, firing laser cannons, and so on—an array dizzying to behold. A blinking red light on the controls indicated insufficient power.

"If you want to start it up, just charge it and see. With your power, releasing a billion volts of electricity should fill it pretty quickly," El said with a smile.

Whoosh!

Hearing this, Thor wasted no time, settling into the throne. Lightning crackled over his entire body as he grasped the positive and negative pillars.

"Discharge: One Billion Volts!!!"

Snap, crackle…

Fierce bolts of electricity poured forth as his eyes flashed with determination. Surges of powerful current channeled into the power storage system of the gigantic warship. Surrounding insulating materials prevented the electricity from affecting other areas of the ark.

"Wow, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit sure is handy," commented Dal, who had followed him in, clearly impressed.

"Beep… beep…"

"Detected large electrical input. Charging in progress—please wait… Current power level is 5%, 6%, 7%…"

A row of indicator lights flicked on one by one. The console displayed the vessel's charging status. Under everyone's watchful gaze, the power level swiftly climbed to full.

"98%, 99%, 100%… Charging complete! Would you like to start the ark?"

"Start it!" Thor responded automatically.

"Please wait… Ark startup complete! Current mode is 'navigation.' Would you like to switch to 'flight mode?'"

"Of course we do!" Before Thor could answer, the overjoyed eighth child, Ares, beat him to it. "Switch to flight mode right now!"

"Please stand by. The Ark is transitioning to flight mode… Ark 'Admonition' is now preparing for takeoff. Please be mindful of safety."

Rumble… rumble…

Whooosh—

Just then, the massive ark trembled. The underside vents expelled powerful currents of air, growing in intensity. Soon, specialized air ducts began blasting visible jets, and like a rocket launch, the enormous craft lifted from the ground. Fortunately, those nearby had already withdrawn under El's command; otherwise, they would have been blown away by the force.

"It's actually flying!"

"This is amazing!!"

Under the excited gazes of Thor, Sif, Dal, and the others, the entire warship rose into the air, hovering a few hundred meters above Science Island.

"Ding! The Ark has successfully taken off… Please set a destination!"

An emotionless electronic voice echoed throughout.

"Dad, can this thing automatically head anywhere?" Sif asked El curiously.

"At present, its AI engine contains navigation data for almost all of Totto Land's islands, plus most islands along the Grand Line and in the Four Seas. It can automatically pilot to those locations," El explained with a smile. "Still, although its massive size lets it ignore most weather changes, the Grand Line—whether the first half or the New World—has extremely harsh, unpredictable climates. If it runs into enormous storm fronts or intense air currents, it'll need to reroute."

"Sometimes it might have to revert to standard seafaring mode. A skilled navigator is still indispensable for safe travel in the Grand Line."

"I see."

Thor grinned eagerly. "Ark 'Admonition,' let's head to Cake Island first and give it a test run!"

"Ding! Destination confirmed: Cake Island coordinates detected. Preparing for departure."

With a slight shudder, the vast warship rose higher, pivoting midair to face its new heading before moving at a respectable clip toward Cake Island. Apart from the blast of wind, the ark flew quite steadily.

"Wow, it's much faster than a normal battleship…" Observing the Science Island receding into the distance, Eden, the sixth child, was astounded. She blinked, turning to El. "Dad, can it go even faster?"

"It has nine distinct speed settings—what you're seeing is basically middle speed," El replied, sitting in a large chair within the spacious grassed area. "However, top speed eats up a lot of power. If Thor isn't around, I wouldn't recommend high-speed flight.

"Also, Thor, after we finish, you'll have to bring the ark back to Science Island once more. I've had Ryan arrange some personnel to accompany you on missions—handling any operational problems that might arise, and so on."

"Got it. Makes sense," Thor said happily.

"Dad, I want one of these arks too!"

"Me too—!"

Sif, Eden, and the others tackled El, looking up at him with pleading eyes.

"All right, all right…" Faced with his boisterous children, El could only hold his forehead and sigh. "From here on, when you have expeditions, just go with Thor's ark for now. It's not just about the enormous cost—Dr. Vegapunk still hasn't solved the new-energy conundrum, though they're getting closer. Building a bunch of these big warships anytime soon isn't likely.

"Besides, you wouldn't want your ship to be obsolete the instant it's completed, right?"

~~~

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