The performance of Ark Maxim far exceeded everyone's expectations.
Under Tesoro's control, this giant golden ship could not only sail smoothly on the sea,
It can even fly in the air with the help of lightning, truly achieving dual-use capability for both sea and air.
"That's amazing!"
Savi excitedly ran around on the spacious main deck, where the observation deck at the bow, inlaid with solid, transparent crystal, offered a clear view of the sea below.
"This is much more spacious than the White Dove!"
Enel, however, was particularly interested in the hemispherical cockpit.
The place was filled with golden instruments and lightning patterns, and Tesoro was pestering him to explain the principles behind them.
After her initial sadness, Stella quickly immersed herself in getting to know the new ship.
As a navigator, she needed to quickly master all aspects of the ship's capabilities.
"The ship has excellent stability and is highly maneuverable..."
Stella muttered to herself as she took notes.
"However, the maintenance of the Ark Maxim may require special attention."
In the living quarters on the lower deck, everyone found their own space.
Bullet and Hawk Eyes had already taken over the private training room at the stern of the ship, which was reinforced with a special material mixed with Seastone powder, strong enough to withstand their sparring.
The sound of clanging weapons clashing could be heard intermittently from the training room, clearly indicating that the two were testing the effects of training in the new environment.
Pea is busy in his sunny botanical garden, a special room connected to an open-air deck that has been planted with a variety of spice plants and fast-growing vegetables.
"Soon everyone will be able to enjoy the freshest ingredients."
The Pea looked on with satisfaction at the thriving plant.
Just then, Savi cry came from the watchtower:
"Boss! A ship is approaching! It's the navy!"
Upon hearing Savi's call, everyone on board immediately went into battle mode.
In the distance, on the horizon, three Marine warship were rapidly approaching in a surrounding formation.
"It seems our whereabouts have been exposed."
Should we fight?
Watching Bullet begin to stretch his muscles, Roy pondered for a moment, then shook his head.
"No, they're perfect for testing the Ark Maxim's flight capabilities."
" Tesoro activates flight mode. Let's give the Navy a 'surprise'."
Tesoro grinned, strode into the driver's seat, and placed his hands on the control panel.
Suddenly, the golden wings on both sides of the ship began to crackle with lightning, and the entire ship slowly rose into the air.
The sailors on the Marine warship stared in disbelief at what they saw.
"Hey! You're kidding, right?!"
"That enormous golden ship actually flew up!"
"Is this the time for you to be saying these things, you bastard!?"
"Fire! Fire now!"
The naval commander shouted at the top of his lungs.
However, the cannonballs couldn't reach the Ark Maxim, which was flying higher and higher.
Tesoro steered the ship with smug satisfaction, circling gracefully above the navy.
"Should we teach them a lesson, boss?"
"No need. Our goal is Fish-Man Island; there's no need to waste time here."
Roy glanced one last time at the tiny, toy-like warships below, then turned and gave the order:
"Full speed ahead, destination— Fish-Man Island!"
"Yes!"
Tesoro increased the power output and maneuvered ' Ark Maxim ' to fly rapidly towards the Sabaody Archipelago, disappearing from the sight of the marines below in just a few breaths.
During the flight, Stella carefully compared the nautical charts.
"At this speed, we should be able to reach Sabaody in half a day at most. But where do we need to get the coating applied? Wouldn't doing it directly be too conspicuous?"
"No coating needed! It will sink directly upon arrival in Sabaody!"
Roy stood at the bow of the ship, and under Stella's questioning gaze, he slowly raised his hands, unleashing a surge of immense spiritual power.
A massive protective shield gradually formed, completely enveloping the entire Ark Maxim.
"This is my Telekinetic Shield, even stronger than a coating."
"This... is incredible! This will save us a lot of time."
Stella swung her feathered arrow to test the strength of the shield, then cheered with delight.
As the outline of Sabaody Archipelago Islands appears in the distance.
Without pausing for a moment, Roy, under the astonished gazes of countless people below, drove the golden-red Ark Maxim straight to the edge of the island.
"Prepare to descend!" Roy gave the order.
The ' Ark Maxim ' hovered in mid-air for a moment before plunging headlong into the sea below.
Protected by the Telekinetic Shield, the ship sank into the sea without any obstruction, creating huge waves.
As they ventured deeper, the surrounding light gradually dimmed.
Upon seeing this, Tesoro immediately turned on the ship's lighting equipment.
Several beams of light shot out, standing out brightly in the dark depths of the sea.
The colorful fish were attracted by this unusual sight and curiously swam around the outer edge of the protective cover.
Wow! It's so beautiful...
Savi, Enel, and Pea leaned against the crystal window of the observation deck, marveling at the underwater world they had never seen before.
Stella carefully inspected the shield's condition, a relieved smile appearing on her face, "The shield is very stable; the water pressure is completely blocked."
Roy stood at the bow, also admiring the spectacular scenery around him.
As the ship sank,
A massive underwater waterfall appeared ahead, with countless drops of seawater cascading down an unseen cliff, creating a spectacular deep-sea wonder.
"It's a deep-sea current; this is the main shipping route to Fish-Man Island."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's move forward!"
Guided by Stella, Ark Maxim descended with the ocean currents and soon reached the deep sea.
"Attention! Large creature approaching!"
As Bullet finished speaking, a colossal Sea Kings slowly emerged from the darkness, its eyes alone almost larger than the Ark Maxim it was riding.
"A monster... a monster!"
Enel, who was seeing such a large creature for the first time in the observation room, was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground, pointing at the enormous Sea Kings in front of him.
"Hahaha!"
"Don't worry, Enel, it's Sea Kings. With Boss and the others here, everything will be fine."
Savi and Pea helped Enel up, barely suppressing their laughter, but their trembling shoulders betrayed their attempt to hold back their smirk.
Enel flushed red, and he stubbornly retorted,
"Who's scared! I just lost my balance!"
As the ship moved, the Sea Kings curiously swam around the shield, its enormous eye pressed against the surface, observing the people inside.
Should we drive it away?
"No need for that complicated process! It can't break through the shield."
Seeing the electricity gathering in Tesoro's hand, Roy waved his hand and continued to observe the strange sights around him.
Sure enough, the Sea Kings lost interest after observing for a while and slowly swam towards the deeper parts of the ocean, waving their huge tail fins.
"At a depth of 5,000 meters, we are about to enter the waters surrounding Fish-Man Island. We have already detected the unique life signals characteristic of Fish-Man Island."
"Full speed ahead, let's see what this underwater Paradise is all about."
As Roy listened to Stella's report on the latest developments, a slight smile appeared on his lips.
Protected by Telekinetic Shield, Ark Maxim, like a bright pearl in the deep sea, steadfastly sailed towards Fish-Man Island.