Tom froze at Rojen's words.
For a moment, he didn't even stop to wonder how this man had learned of Pluton. Instead, his gaze locked on Rojen's face, studying it carefully.
And in that instant, Tom's heart gave a violent tremor.
That face… it felt familiar. Familiar, yet utterly strange.
"You… your brother, who is he?"
In his entire life, Tom had only built a handful of ships for pirates. Yet every single one of them had been masterpieces, his pride, his legacy.
Rojen noticed the subtle change in Tom's tone. A faint smile curved his lips.
"His name was Gol D. Roger."
The words struck Tom like lightning. His entire body jolted, his eyes widening with disbelief. He stared at Rojen again, harder this time, then shifted his gaze to the crew standing behind him.
There was Jason, with his massive arms crossed, a brute of a man whose ugliness carried its own raw ferocity. Beside him stood Crocodile, grim and dangerous, his presence sharp as a blade. Then Trens, bright-eyed and sunny, like a neighbor's cheerful boy, so out of place among killers. And behind them, the Dragon-Elephant Five, glaring at Tom with undisguised hostility.
So different, each one of them… and yet, in all their eyes, Tom saw the same thing.
A dream.
"And you?" Tom asked at last, his voice unsteady, trembling with emotion. "What is your name?"
"Gol D. Rojen."
The answer came calm and steady, like the toll of a great bell.
"Rojen…" Tom repeated under his breath. He inhaled sharply, a storm raging behind his eyes.
"Good. Good. Yes… I remember. He mentioned, vaguely, that he had a younger brother. Still a child at the time. I never knew the name… but you, no. You wouldn't lie about this."
Tom's mind was pulled back into the past. He remembered the man called Roger, not as a pirate drenched in blood and tyranny, but as someone who laughed brightly, carried himself with warmth, and radiated a unique energy.
Roger's eyes had always been filled with light, the light of a dream. And that light… had been the reason Tom decided to build him a ship.
"You're just like him," Tom murmured, staring at Rojen with mist gathering in his eyes.
To see the younger brother of a man long dead… here, before him… To see that same will, that same indomitable dream alive in another, it was enough to make Tom's old heart tremble, to bring tears unbidden to his eyes.
In Rojen, he glimpsed the continuation of an unbroken legacy, the eternal flame of dreams passed from one soul to the next.
"Are they your comrades?" Tom asked, his voice softer now.
Rojen met the old shipwright's gaze, understanding the depth of the question.
This was a man at the end of his road, looking upon the youth who had picked up the burden left by their predecessors. For Tom, it was both comfort and bittersweet relief.
"Yes. They are my comrades. And I, too, have formed my own crew. We will walk the same path he once walked."
Tom rose slowly from his chair, stepping forward until he stood directly before them. One by one, he looked at Rojen's companions again, this time with full attention, as if engraving their faces into his memory.
"…Good. Very good, Rojen. If Roger could see this, if he could see you forming a crew and setting sail down the same road, he would be overjoyed."
"He once told me… you wanted no part in piracy. I thought you had hidden yourself away, that I would never lay eyes on you."
"I never expected you to come here."
Tom's words were filled with a quiet, aching relief.
Rojen's lips twitched, a black line forming on his brow. That dead old fool… he really had told Tom everything.
"You said earlier… you wanted Pluton?"
Tom's expression grew solemn again, the weight of his responsibility returning.
"Yes, Tom San." Rojen's tone grew firm. "This time, I want a ship worthy of that name. A vessel to rival Pluton."
"The true Pluton may not be possible in this age. Perhaps it could only have been built in that ancient era. Times change, and every age has its limits."
That was what Rojen believed.
But to his surprise, Tom slowly shook his head, his expression grave and resolute.
And then, with unwavering certainty, the legendary shipwright spoke.
"In truth… Pluton, I can build it!"
"What?"
This time, Rojen was genuinely shaken.
That fabled weapon of the ancients… and this legendary shipwright before him was saying he could actually forge it into existence!
"You didn't mishear me," Tom affirmed firmly. "I can build Pluton."
"Compared to my project for the Sea Train, the construction of Pluton is actually far less complicated."
Seeing the shock on Rojen's face, Tom chuckled softly and shook his head.
"Don't elevate the Ancient Weapons into something untouchable. Legends are just that, legends. Perhaps Pluton truly did possess terrifying power, enough to shatter an island in a single strike… but times change. The world advances. Weapons, or people, capable of destroying islands are not so rare anymore."
Tom's explanation slowly sank in, and Rojen found himself nodding.
Yes. The age had moved forward. Pluton might indeed wield overwhelming destructive strength, but in this era, monsters roamed freely.
Golden Lion Shiki, who could keep entire islands afloat. Whitebeard, whose single punch could trigger tsunamis and rip continents apart.
Were such powers truly any less fearsome than an Ancient Weapon?
"In fact," Tom continued, his voice lowering into a thoughtful timbre, "I've long envisioned a new kind of ship. In terms of overall performance, it could surpass even Pluton. Its offensive might may be weaker, but in every other way…"
Rojen's heart stirred. A ship of such caliber was exactly what he desired, strength not just in firepower, but in every facet.
"And… you can really build it, Tom San?"
"Of course I can," Tom replied with confidence. But then, after a pause, hesitation crept in.
"Only… my time may be short. I fear the World Government will be upon me soon."
Regret colored his voice. If fate allowed, he truly wished he could craft another masterpiece for the younger brother of his old friend. In this young man, Tom glimpsed the shadow of Roger, and beyond that, the possibility of a future even more radiant.
"The World Government?" Rojen froze for a moment before remembering. Yes, this master shipwright, who had once built for his elder brother, had inevitably been caught up in that storm.
"Tom San, rest assured," Rojen said with calm certainty. "For now, you won't be in danger. The World Government won't touch you, not for more than a decade. You'll be safe until then."
He could speak so confidently because he already knew how Tom's tale was meant to unfold. It would not be until years later, after completing the Sea Train, that the Government would discard him like an old tool and have him executed.
"…I hope things truly turn out as you say." Tom gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
"As for building this new ship, it will take some time. About two months."
"Two months…"
Rojen frowned. Time was the one luxury he didn't have.
"You needn't wait idly," Tom said, reading the look on his face. "You can go elsewhere, tend to what you must. When two months have passed, return, and the ship will be ready."
"…Very well."
"The schematics still need adjusting," Tom continued. "But you're fortunate. Roger once brought me Adam Wood from the Treasure Tree… and there's still some left. Just enough for one more ship."
A wide smile spread across Tom's face, his eyes filled with warmth.
"Sometimes I wonder… perhaps that man foresaw this day. Perhaps he knew his younger brother would one day set sail, and he left behind the means to prepare for it."
(End Of This Chapter)
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