One Piece: Rising to Power as a Warlord of the Sea

"Candle Wall!"

Suddenly, a white wax wall appeared in front of Natsu, shielding Crocodile behind it. Mr. 3 rushed over, panting and looking quite disheveled, especially since he had been up against the formidable Kumo.

"Gah~"

A harsh screech pierced the air as a vulture grabbed Crocodile in its claws and began to ascend steadily.

"What the—someone actually saved him right in front of me!" Natsu frowned, fire swirling in his palm.

"Candle Shackles!"

Before he could launch his attack, dozens of wax chains shot toward Natsu and Kumo.

In the blink of an eye, the battlefield changed dramatically as the vulture disappeared into the sky.

"Hoo~"

"Tai Chi: Collapse Force!"

Seeing Crocodile escape after being injured made Natsu furious. He had lost his chance at riches. With a powerful punch, he struck Mr. 3, sending him flying like a kite with a severed string, crashing into the sea below.

Perhaps it was fate; that treasure simply wasn't meant for him.

"Captain, that guy got away too," Gin said as he approached, his body riddled with tiny cuts, blood staining his clothes like a living target.

"It's fine; if he runs, he runs. What matters is that you're alright, Gin. I don't want my crew getting hurt," Natsu replied, smiling with concern.

Upon seeing Crocodile, Natsu's first thought had been to invite him aboard. A user of a natural-type Devil Fruit was incredibly rare; if developed properly, he could become a top-tier fighter. This lack of murderous intent contributed to Crocodile's escape.

"But Gin, you need to get stronger. So, I'm giving you this Devil Fruit. Don't let my trust go to waste."

Seeing Gin moved by his words, Natsu took out a Devil Fruit from his space, an Zoan-type Bird-Bird Fruit, Mythical Model: Nue.

This decision came from Natsu's observations. Gin was reliable and worthy of trust—someone he could depend on in critical moments.

Moreover, Natsu lacked flying abilities, and with the Navy's Six Forms not allowing for free flight, the Smiling Pirate Crew desperately needed an aerial combatant.

"Captain, this... it's too precious!" Gin's eyes shone with desire and excitement as he beheld the fruit, though he quickly masked his emotions.

"Hahaha, no matter how valuable it is, it needs a person to bring it to life. In my eyes, you're my crew member. We'll navigate the Grand Line together and overcome challenges; ten Devil Fruits can't compare to you," Natsu said, patting Gin's shoulder, conveying his unspoken bond.

"Alright, I'll eat it! Ever since you rescued me, my life has been yours."

Tears welled up in Gin's eyes as he swallowed the Devil Fruit, his determination to grow stronger intensifying.

As he consumed the fruit, the wounds on his body began to heal rapidly. With a thought, fiery red wings sprouted from his back, and an eerie bird with ten heads emerged behind him.

With a gentle flap of his wings, a tempest roared, sending sand and debris flying as a brilliant red figure soared into the sky, gliding like a bird.

"Wow, so cool, Gin!" Kumo exclaimed in awe, envious of his ability to fly. He regretted not choosing a fruit like that for himself.

"Stop envying and start cleaning up the battlefield. We've taken down quite a few pirates; we need some berries to buy meat," Natsu playfully knocked Kumo on the head and ordered.

"Berries? Meat?"

At the mention of meat, Kumo's mouth watered uncontrollably, and he quickly waddled off to rummage through the corpses.

He loved meat more than anything else.

While rummaging through the remains, he dreamt of delicious food.

After about half an hour of scavenging, they managed to gather a modest fortune of one million berries—not much, but it was a pleasant surprise.

After all, this was merely a temporary stronghold for Crocodile; real treasures wouldn't be found here.

They stayed briefly for a few hours, allowing Gin to familiarize himself with the abilities of the Bird Bird Fruit, Nue Form.

He discovered that it could negate all negative emotions, devour souls, and unleash blood-red flames for self-healing—much like how his wounds vanished after consuming the fruit.

As for other abilities, they remained undiscovered. After all, it's not the Devil Fruit that is useless; it's the user's potential. Every Devil Fruit has the potential to grant immense power, but it's ultimately up to the user to unlock that potential.

The Smiling Ship set sail again, and Natsu already had their next destination in mind: Sky Island.

After all, there was another natural-type Devil Fruit user there.

If they could successfully recruit him, the Smiling Pirate Crew's strength would skyrocket, providing Natsu with a robust foundation to challenge the pinnacle of power in the world.

To become a figure of fear and respect in this world, it was essential not just to have personal strength but also a powerful crew. Just like Whitebeard and Kaido, who commanded legions of pirates.

"Ding dong! Detecting the host's strong desire. Task initiated: Recruit Enel, the God of Sky Island."

"Task completion: Reward +1 lottery chance, +1 skill enhancement card. Task failure: no penalties."

A voice echoed in Natsu's mind, causing a smile to spread across his face. Fortune was on his side, and even the system was backing him.

Now, all they needed to do was locate an upward sea current. Due to the unique nature of the Smiling Ship, Natsu had previously asked Dragon to create a world map, detailing all known islands and sea areas. Thanks to the ship's navigation system, they could set sail without needing a log pose.

As long as Natsu continued to refine the map during their journey, the vast world held no possibility of them getting lost.

This ability was particularly suited for Zoro, given his notorious poor sense of direction.

With clear directions in hand, the Smiling Ship sped through the sea, leaving behind a trail of foamy water like a black lightning bolt cutting through the waves.

During this time, Natsu also shared the story of the legendary storyteller, Nolan, explaining their intent to reach Sky Island.

"Sky Island? That's impossible! Captain Natsu, don't risk your life for such an unrealistic fairy tale!" Karina was the first to shake her head in refusal, her expression tense.

This was a well-known tale in the North Sea. Years had passed, and no one had proven the existence of the Golden City.