The G-14 Branch's dedicated warship slowly sailed into Egghead's futuristic port.
Unlike other Navy ports, this place looked more like a high-tech shipyard, with automated mechanical arms sliding silently along tracks as they handled supplies.
"Hina remembers... a year ago, this was just an ordinary tropical island with a few research institutes. Now look at it."
The sea breeze stirred Hina's long pink hair, but it carried a faint smell of metal and machine oil. Feeling wistful, she lit a slim cigarette to give herself something else to smell.
Only the outer coastline retained its natural tropical scenery. Since Vegapunk arrived, construction had progressed even faster than when Sephiroth personally used the Rumble-Rumble Fruit to pour concrete.
"Ooh, looks like there are some new toys."
After the warship docked, Shining tilted his head and "looked" underwater. Then, feeling mischievous, he performed an active radio-wave Mantra scan.
Invisible waves swept through the water, revealing several indistinct shadows.
"Ahhh! Shining! Stop making trouble for me!"
A tall figure "flew" over, hot air streaming from the purple Rocket Boots beneath her feet.
She was a young woman two meters tall, her short blond hair styled into a playful apple shape. A pale pink, form-fitting technological jumpsuit outlined her figure beneath a purple biker jacket she wore casually open.
Except... she had a tacky, thick gold chain hanging from her, along with all sorts of other random things.
"...Lilith. It's been two months. Have you been out robbing people?"
Seeing Lilith decked out in gold and silver, Shining's LED face "blinked," and he raised a hand in greeting.
Since the bonfire party at the beginning of the year, Shining had rarely visited. His last trip had been two months ago.
After all, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was a Logia. To Vegapunk, its properties were easy