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Water 7.
A city shaped like a grand pyramid, its countless waterways flowing evenly and symmetrically from the summit all the way down, carrying crystal-clear fresh water. With its unique geography, vibrant culture, and exceptional craftsmen, this small island had long stood as one of the most famous shipbuilding capitals in the world.
And not long ago, Water 7's name had spread across the seas once more, because of a single company. Tom's Shipping Company. Within its ranks stood the legendary shipwright Tom, the man who had built the ship for the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.
Now, because of Tom, a storm was quietly gathering on this island.
Inside Tom's Shipping Company.
The shipyard bustled with endless crowds, the clang of hammers and saws ringing through the massive docks, a living testament to the company's prosperity and strength. But deep within its offices, far from the noise of labor, raised voices clashed in tense dispute.
"Tom, you need to leave immediately. The World Government won't spare you." Kokoro's expression was grave, her voice low and stripped of its usual cheer.
"Teacher, please, we don't have time. They're coming."
Two young men, Iceberg and Franky, both wore faces tight with worry.
But seated calmly in his chair, Tom did not answer. His expression was composed, thoughtful, as if weighing the weight of the world.
When at last he spoke, his words crushed the desperate pleas of the three before him.
Slowly, Tom shook his head. His voice was quiet, but ironclad with resolve.
"No. I cannot leave yet. The Sea Train's design is nearly complete. Perhaps soon, I can begin trials. There is nothing in this world more important to me than this."
His declaration struck them like a blow.
"No, Sensei! They'll execute you, you have to run!" Iceburg cried out, panic cracking his voice.
Franky clenched his fists tight, glaring at Tom with unspoken refusal.
Tom looked at his two apprentices and smiled gently.
These boys were his pride. With their brilliance, he knew, someday, they would become extraordinary shipwrights.
"Iceburg. Franky. They may arrest me… but execution is not a certainty."
There was confidence in his tone, faint but unwavering.
"Teacher, but…" Franky's words tumbled out, his voice trembling.
To have built a ship for the Pirate King, by itself, it should never have been a crime. Yet who could trust the madness of the World Government? Rumors ran rampant in the streets: Tom would be dragged to Judicial Island for trial.
And everyone knew the truth about that cursed place. Once taken there… no one ever returned.
But Tom's voice cut through their fear.
"I hold in my hands the plans for the Sea Train. As long as I have them, even the World Government will know what choice must be made."
"A living Tom has far more value than a dead one."
"And besides… this project is my life's dream. Even if it costs me my life, so be it."
He spoke with a faint, easy laugh.
"Even if the World Government demands my execution, I will finish this plan!"
Kokoro, Iceburg, and Franky all trembled at his unshakable conviction, their gazes tangled with grief, respect, and awe.
This was their friend. Their teacher. Their Mr. Tom.
He was a fish-man, yes. But far more than that, he was a giant among men.
"Go now, Iceburg. Franky. I have something to discuss with Kokoro."
Tom gave them one last reassuring smile.
Seeing their teacher so calm, so unwavering, eased their hearts a little. Bowing deeply, Iceburg and Franky withdrew.
Once the door shut, Tom turned to Kokoro, his voice steady.
"When the World Government comes for me… I intend to entrust everything here to Iceburg."
Kokoro's eyes widened. "But you, didn't you just say…?"
Tom gave a weary smile, shaking his head, leaving the rest unsaid.
How the World Government would choose to execute him, no one knew. But for having built a ship for the Pirate King, such a crime was already enough to condemn him beyond reprieve.
The Sea Train… It was his dream. Just a step away from completion. And only here, with Tom's Workers, did he have the conditions necessary to finish it. Anywhere else, it would be impossible. It was his obsession, his life's purpose, how could he abandon it now, on the verge of its realization?
Compared to his life, Tom valued his dream far more.
"Tom…" Kokoro's expression shifted, torn and unreadable.
She had known this man for so long, shared every joy and sorrow as a true friend. Yet never had she imagined this day would come.
"Also… Franky," Tom continued slowly, standing up as if his decision had already been sealed. "That boy's temper worries me. He's impulsive. Reckless. Watch over him, Kokoro. Don't let him lose himself."
He walked toward the window, gazing out at the shipyard below. Workers bustled tirelessly, hammering, sawing, shouting, life and fire embodied in steel and timber. Tom's lips curved into a smile.
"The one thing I'll never regret in this life… was building a ship for Roger."
"Riding my vessel, he set sail for the far shore of his dreams. That man proved to me with his own hands… that a dream is something a person can achieve."
Kokoro said nothing.
She didn't want to see this old friend taken from her. Yet in this moment, no words could be spoken. No plea could stop a man from chasing his dream.
Above Water 7, the skies stretched wide and blue. On its streets, people strolled lazily, lives seemingly untouched by the storm looming overhead.
At the port, two young men walked side by side, their faces heavy with gloom.
"Hey, Iceburg… everything Tom said… it's true, right?"
"He'll be okay, won't he?"
Franky suddenly kicked a stone, sending it skipping into the seawater. Thump. The sound echoed faintly, as though carrying away a fragment of the pressure in his chest.
"…He'll be fine," Iceburg muttered, evasive.
"You're just brushing me off," Franky snapped.
"Franky, I don't have time to babysit you. Quit bothering me."
Iceburg's head jerked up, his voice sharp as steel. Then he strode ahead, trying to leave the other behind.
Stunned by the sudden outburst, Franky froze. But only for a heartbeat, then he sprinted after him.
"Oi, you bastard, !"
"Immature, impulsive, reckless fool! When the hell are you going to grow up?!"
Iceburg spun around, fury blazing in his eyes, chest heaving as he shouted.
It was clear, the ever-composed Iceburg had been suffocating under the same pressure all along.
"You're yelling at me…?" Franky stared blankly, wide-eyed.
"I don't just want to yell at you, I want to beat some sense into you!"
Unable to contain his anger, Iceburg lunged forward and drove his fist into Franky's face.
The blow sent him sprawling to the ground. But Franky, in his shock, barely felt the pain. He just stared up at his senior, bewildered.
This furious, unrecognizable Iceburg… didn't feel like the man he knew at all.
"Iceburg… what's wrong with you?"
Seeing Franky like that only ignited Iceburg further. He roared down at him, voice cracking under the weight of frustration.
"Idiot! Idiot!! Idiot!!!"
(End Of This Chapter)