After looting Shiki legacy, Sherwin went to meet the original inhabitants of the islands.
The situation was exactly as Haibara Meow had speculated some residents had indeed awakened the ability to fly. However, unlike in the movie version, the awakeners only accounted for a small fraction of the population.
It was unclear whether it was because Kaido Meow had caught the islands in time and interrupted the evolution of the others, or if the timing wasn't right and only a few residents with higher "IQ values" had the capacity to awaken.
But with the examples of these pioneers and Haibara Meow deductions, the remaining people would likely learn how to fly as long as they tried jumping from high places a few more times in the future.
Well, provided they didn't fall to their deaths.
With that, Sherwin seemed to know how to arrange things for them...
After giving these almost completely isolated residents a general overview of the outside world and asking for their opinions, Sherwin made a call to Morgans.
He had actually considered letting the Revolutionary Army handle them, but considering these people truly lacked combat power and hadn't suffered under the oppression of the Celestial Dragons or the World Government, there was really no need to involve them in the Revolutionary Army cause.
However, with their "winged human" characteristics, they would easily be targeted by slave traders, so he still needed to find them a backer.
After thinking it over, Morgans—who was also a "birdman"—seemed the most suitable.
There was actually another option, which was to send them to the higher Sky Islands, but the group refused. They didn't want to completely leave their homeland, even though it had been moved around by Shiki and was now situated in the Calm Belt.
So, in the end, some of them chose to settle down right there in the Calm Belt, while others chose to join the World Economic Journal to work for Morgans.
"...That how it is. Try to get here as quickly as possible. Oh, right, when you come, bring me a Permanent Pose for the Mechanical Island."
"Wait, wait, wait, wait..." On the other end of the News Bird, Morgans processed what Sherwin had just said.
"You took down 'Golden Lion' Shiki?! The only man to ever escape Impel Down, the captain of the Flying Pirates who once backed Roger into a corner?!"
As usual, this birdman focus was entirely on these "Big News" items.
"Yeah, his strength had declined significantly he couldn't even use Haki anymore. Forget about me—aside from Moria, just about any of the Seven Warlords could have defeated him."
"Heh heh heh..."
A certain media mogul who loved causing trouble let out a thievish laugh.
Sherwin: "..."
If he hadn't guessed wrong, Morgans, that birdman, would definitely not mention the fact that "Golden Lion" Shiki strength had declined when he reported the news.
Oh well, even if Shiki had been in his prime, he probably wouldn't have been able to hold out if Sherwin and the cats all swarmed him at once. At most, Sherwin just wouldn't have been able to finish him off and he would have escaped. So, if Morgans wanted to hide the truth, let him hide it.
Rolling his eyes speechlessly, Sherwin didn't bother to argue with him. He simply urged him once more to hurry over as soon as possible and then hung up the phone...
He had other things to be busy with!
First and foremost were the two special plants, IQ and Daft-Green.
Because Daft-Green was not only poisonous but also carried a foul odor that the cats disliked, the transplanting work could only fall to Sherwin and the other humans.
Furthermore, before that, a closed garden had to be built on the Dodo Advance specifically to house them otherwise, the other cats wouldn't be able to stand it.
In fact, if it weren't for the truly unique nature of the Daft-Green toxins, Haibara Meow wouldn't have been very keen on transplanting them either.
"That Indigo is such a fool. In all these years, he never thought about using the spores of this tree to develop toxins. Although the destructive power doesn't match that of the evolved animals, the lethality is definitely not lacking, meow."
(へ)
Haibara Meow perched on Sherwin shoulder, disdainfully complaining while directing him as he constructed the garden.
"Exactly. And since they held the only antidote, they could have completely used it for coercion."
Robin, who was using her Fruit ability to help transport materials, nodded and chimed in with some terrifying ideas, causing the "winged humans" who had come to help nearby to tremble with fear.
In addition to the Daft-Green, a specialized nursery also needed to be built for the IQ.
According to Haibara Meow research, while IQ could promote the evolution of other organisms, its own adaptability was extremely poor. If placed in a normal environment, it wouldn't die immediately, but it would be very difficult for new plants to survive.
According to the little kitten predictions, if left alone, the IQ on the island would likely go completely extinct in about two or three years.
Since the Dodo Advance couldn't possibly stay flying in the sky all the time, they naturally needed to build a greenhouse that simulated a high-altitude environment to cultivate the IQ.
Although the Dodo Advance already had a similar greenhouse on board, it was previously used for transplanting Skypiea plants. The simulated environment was different from what IQ required, so it was naturally impossible to transplant IQ directly into it.
Sherwin also asked the original inhabitants of the island if they wanted help building a specialized greenhouse for cultivating IQ on the island, but they declined.
Their reasoning was actually quite easy to understand. Most likely, they were afraid that another guy like Shiki would target the IQ again. Although the pirate world didn't have the proverb "An ordinary man commits no crime, but he who carries a jade attracts trouble," the logic was the same.
In addition to transplanting the two types of plants, there was actually another important matter: summoning a new Felyne.
However, there were other people on this island after all, and they had all seen the entire Research Group. Although Sherwin didn't think they would betray him, the steady Hunter decided to play it safe and wait until Morgans arrived to finish the handover and left the island before summoning the new partner.
During the free time while waiting for Morgans, Sherwin curiously ran over to ask Haibara Meow if they started taking IQ now, whether they could also evolve some special abilities.
However, the kitten shook her head, shattering Sherwin fantasy...
"The reason Shiki and his crew could promote the evolution of these animals within twenty years is that their life cycles are relatively short. Otherwise, why do you think these original inhabitants have lived here for so many years and haven't even been able to evolve the ability to fly meow?"
(ω≡ω)
"Eh? Isn't it because they eat too little?"
Sherwin was still a bit unwilling to give up.
Superpowers! And superpowers that could be obtained without eating a Devil Fruit—how could anyone not be tempted?
Moreover, a Devil Fruit can only be eaten once, while IQ had the potential to allow a person to evolve multiple abilities. Even if the intensity might be slightly inferior, it wasn't as if eating IQ prevented one from eating a Devil Fruit.
Unfortunately, Haibara Meow shattered his fantasy once again.
"That only one of the reasons, and it not the main reason meow."
╮(=ΦωΦ=)╭
The kitten spread her paws and continued to explain, "Even if they ate very little, the abilities they evolved have already manifested externally, which means their accumulation has basically reached the standard. Besides, didn't someone just awaken the ability to fly? This also proves that they actually don't need to consume IQ anymore meow."
"So it basically impossible for us to evolve special abilities through this stuff?"
"Yeah. Unless I find some new catalyst later, otherwise, if you want to evolve abilities, the most optimistic scenario would require waiting fifty or sixty years meow."
(=`ー=)
Haibara Meow crossed her arms, seriously snuffing out the last bit of Sherwin fantasy.
Waiting fifty or sixty years? Joy Boy would probably be on his third generation by then. With that much time to spare, it would be better to just find a Devil Fruit to eat and then learn from Kaido how to stubbornly overcome the effects of seawater and Sea Prism Stone on the body.
Sherwin curled his lips, finally giving up.
...
Morgans arrived very quickly.
Although this Albatross Fruit user couldn't fly (or so he claimed publicly), the World Economic Journal headquarters could fly. Moreover, as a media giant capable of spreading news across the world in a short time, his mobility naturally couldn't be too poor.
So, in less than half a day after the call ended, Morgans appeared before Sherwin riding an airship.
It was just that this ship...
"Hahahaha! I pulled a lot of strings and spent a fortune to get this from the World Government!"
Morgans patted the knock-off Valstrax airship that had already landed, speaking with immense pride.
Sherwin: "..."
Right, Morgans probably hadn't seen the actual appearance of Dodo Advance with his own eyes.
"Don't you know that the World Government took this technology from me in the first place?" Sherwin supported his forehead helplessly. "If you wanted a 'Valstrax,' you could have just come to me directly."
Morgans: "...My money!!!"
After offering a very half-hearted word of comfort to the emo Morgans and introducing him to the group of "Winged People," Sherwin decisively fled with the Felynes.
Furthermore, as they left, he mischievously had the Dodo Advance switch to its Valstrax form. That clearly more majestic posture and superior speed caused the already emo Morgans another bout of heartache.
However, after flying for a short distance, the Dodo Advance soon descended again.
Stabbing Morgan heart was just a minor interlude the truly important matter was still summoning a new companion.
Sherwin took out the cream-colored standard summoning voucher he had synthesized long ago and then silently chanted in his heart: "Felyne, Summon!"
What followed held no surprises. The summoning voucher in his hand turned into spots of light and dissipated just like before, and then...
Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle...
This summoning didn't make Sherwin and the others wait long. Soon, a large number of bubbles rose from the sea surface to the right of the Dodo Advance, the commotion somewhat similar to when Huamei was summoned.
A moment later, a black-and-white Felyne seemed to be tossed up by something from the seabed, flying into the air before landing on the deck with a "splat."
Additionally, this little fellow, who was likely a cow cat, was tightly clutching a fishing rod. However, only a fish head remained hanging from it the body had been gnawed off by something unknown.
"Puh-cough, cough, cough!"
The cow cat landing on the deck twitched a couple of times, coughed up several mouthfuls of seawater, and then wobbled to its feet.
°(ω≡ω)°
After quickly shaking its head and body, this seemingly careless cow cat had no intention of checking its surroundings. Its first priority was to look at its fishing rod...
"My fish! This is the fish I finally caught after fishing for a whole month, meow!"
orz
The little cow cat let out a shrill wail that would bring tears to anyone who heard it, falling to its knees on the deck with a "thud."
"Unlucky meow!!!!"