A Week’s Work

Before Shen Mo’s latest round of enhancements, this warship still looked like something manufactured by humans.

But now, it looked like a completely mysterious creation.

Its entire body was dark red, with blue energy patterns spreading across it and radiance flowing through them. Every so often, pale-red hexagonal barriers would appear, while the densely packed cannons radiated an intimidating aura.

The most eye-catching feature was still the enormous cannon muzzle at the very center.

The exaggerated, gigantic barrel was supported by two red gun platforms. In the hollow space at its center, a mass of energy constantly bloomed with lightning-like radiance, with occasional strands of electricity running along the barrel.

Even people who didn’t understand the beauty of science fiction would suffer a powerful visual shock the moment they saw this massive cannon.

It gave off the feeling that it was obviously terrifying at a glance.

On both sides of the warship, the Merchant Guild Badge had been drawn in golden patterns. At the highest point, an identical flag fluttered in the wind—a black background with golden designs.

"This design should be enough." Shen Mo gazed at the fully transformed warship with satisfaction.

It was definitely impressive enough.

The entire thing had cost roughly the equivalent of two Ikaroses, and its power was astonishing. He couldn’t say it could destroy the world, but destroying an island of ordinary size was still possible—one shot per island.

"Captain," Bismarck suddenly asked from behind him, "are you really not planning to conquer this world?"

"Uh." Shen Mo turned his head. "You think it’s too exaggerated?"

"I am not questioning you, Captain. However, if this world’s leaders saw me as I am now, there would be a very high probability that they would feel threatened and take action. Given my current equipment, merely counterattacking would probably be enough to conquer the world." Bismarck spoke honestly.

She understood the essence of war very clearly.

A war could erupt without any unnecessary action. Merely detecting a threat was enough.

"I see. You weren’t making a sarcastic comment—you were conducting a rational analysis." Shen Mo suddenly understood.

Although he knew that Bismarck wasn’t good at expressing emotions, without Telepathy, it was genuinely easy to misunderstand what she meant.

"A sarcastic comment?"

Bismarck didn’t understand the meaning of the phrase.

"It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it." Shen Mo smiled. "Because the thing we’re about to do is already a huge threat to this world’s leaders simply because we exist. Since that’s the case, we might as well display our strength to the fullest. Once the gap exceeds a certain level, there won’t be any such thing as war."

The rulers of this world were the Celestial Dragons.

To be honest, the Celestial Dragons’ rule was the fundamental reason this world was so competitive.

They were natural villains.

Considering the Celestial Dragons’ financial resources, Shen Mo had no intention of selling them Jars. Otherwise, the balance would be too easily destroyed.

Since there were restrictions, the distribution of contracts had to be considered more carefully.

That was why Shen Mo needed more time, as well as more testing.

Before that, however—

"Bismarck, activate stealth cruising mode," Shen Mo ordered.

"Yes!"

Countless streams of data swept through Bismarck’s eyes. Layer after layer of translucent hexagonal barriers surrounded the entire warship before vanishing from sight.

From aboard the ship, nothing seemed to have changed.

But to anyone outside, there was nothing here at all.

There was only a calm sea.

"It’s time to get to work. Bismarck, come assist me. Perhaps you can offer some suggestions." Shen Mo stretched lazily.

"I will serve you to the best of my ability, Captain." A faint smile seemed to appear on Bismarck’s face.

"Right."

Shen Mo looked at her, suddenly seeming to remember something.

He raised a hand, and a life-sized portrait appeared.

Yes, it was Bismarck’s character illustration—Ironblood’s Radiance.

"Do you really dress like this and sit in your seat normally? I thought it was beautiful the first time I saw it." Shen Mo gazed at the girl before him expectantly.

"How could that be?" Bismarck’s eyes widened slightly. "Wearing clothes like these would give my subordinates an excessively improper impression, Captain!"

"Is that so? What a pity." Shen Mo looked at her with a bright smile. "But you don’t have any subordinates here right now. Why not put it on and try it? I think it suits your temperament very well."

Even Bismarck couldn’t help blushing slightly. She looked at Shen Mo with a troubled expression. "C-Captain, please don’t deliberately tease me."

"Oh? You saw through me." Shen Mo’s smile widened. "As long as you don’t dislike it, there’s no problem. Having a lovely, good-natured young woman by one’s side is always something that makes a man happy."

"Good-natured and lovely? Me?" Bismarck was somewhat surprised.

She hadn’t expected to receive such a comment.

Come to think of it, he had just said that she was beautiful as well.

It seemed to be a matter of the Captain’s preferences.

So even someone with her personality could be liked?

Bismarck seemed to hesitate for a moment before speaking.

"I understand."

"What do you understand?" Shen Mo was slightly taken aback.

"Although I am very grateful for your affection, it’s just…" Bismarck’s face seemed to grow slightly red again, but more than anything else, she looked helpless. "I am not very good at handling other people’s feelings, so there may be some areas in which I cannot satisfy you, Captain. Please forgive me."

She had absolutely no confidence in this area.

"Hahaha." Shen Mo couldn’t help laughing. "When I said you were lovely, Bismarck, I was referring precisely to this."

"Your smile right now is making me unsure what to do, Captain." Bismarck looked at her Captain helplessly.

She was already prepared to face all kinds of teasing from him in the future.

However, Shen Mo only laughed a few times before starting toward the office.

"It’s time to get to work. Come along."

"Yes."

Bismarck felt relieved.

Although teasing ship girls was amusing, Shen Mo quickly put aside his various thoughts and focused on the planning work he loved. In fact, it was precisely this dedication that had kept him single on Earth.

He seriously analyzed this world’s information.

He analyzed the factions.

He decided on the methods and steps, and refined the settings.

All of this took roughly a week. During that period, Nami came to buy more than a hundred Level 2 Chests from him again. She had snatched the money from Buggy, along with Luffy.

"Can bonds still be formed under these circumstances?" Shen Mo looked at the three people who were already experiencing Usopp’s storyline, seemingly lost in thought.

Although Nami had gained power, it seemed to have merely made their adventure somewhat easier.

Thinking about it carefully, the original story—or at least its early plot—was simply a group of protagonists constantly traveling to one place after another, encountering all kinds of enemies, and defeating every one of them.

If they won the battles anyway, then gaining power didn’t seem to affect the direction of their development very much. At most, it only changed the process somewhat.