Water 7 was a beautiful city, known as the Venice of the pirate world.
Yet before the Sea Train existed, this city had endured nearly a decade of chaos and despair.
The death of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, marked the beginning of the Great Pirate Era, and for islands that relied on legitimate trade, it was nothing short of a catastrophe.
Water 7 had once been renowned across the seas for its shipbuilding technology. However, the island suffered from an annual tsunami known as Aqua Laguna. Because of this, shipbuilding materials such as steel and timber had to be imported from other islands.
When pirates began to run rampant across the seas, combined with the unstable climate and treacherous waters of the Grand Line, trade routes became increasingly dangerous. Shipments failed, materials dried up, and Water 7 slowly lost its lifeline.
From that point on, the island gradually transformed from a shipbuilding hub into a graveyard of abandoned vessels.
For nearly ten years, despair spread among the citizens. Many believed that this isolated city would eventually sink into the sea, both literally and figuratively.
Then, at humanity's lowest point, a fish-man named Tom succeeded in building the Sea Train, the Puffing Tom.
Though branded a criminal, Tom carried the hopes of the people upon his shoulders. The Sea Train connected Water 7 to distant islands and returned laden with vast quantities of steel and timber from Holy Poplar and Holy Plut, the first stops along its route. [T/N: let me know if these names are wrong.]
Yet even then, Water 7's shipyards continued to bleed money.
Because of the city's prolonged lack of materials, the shipbuilding industry had already fallen behind. Even after the Puffing Tom began operating, Water 7 struggled to compete.
Holy Poplar, a town near Spring Queen City that Teach had once visited, was an important port of the Spring Queen Kingdom. It boasted flourishing trade and, as a spring island, produced large quantities of high-quality shipbuilding wood.
Unlike Water 7, the Spring Queen Kingdom possessed strong national backing and defensive forces. Though affected by the Great Pirate Era, its shipbuilding industry thrived. It not only supported itself but seized a large portion of the market that once belonged to Water 7.
Water 7 still had superior shipbuilding techniques, but without materials, that advantage meant little. It survived only by relying on timber supplied through the World Government's special channels, weakening year by year.
Even so, the World Government could not allow Water 7 to collapse completely. As its exclusive naval shipyard, Marine warships depended on Water 7's craftsmanship. At the same time, the government intended to use this dependence to tighten its control over the city.
Everything changed with the opening of the Sabaody Archipelago route.
With a new source of materials, Water 7 finally regained breathing room. In direct competition, its superior technology ensured it would profit more than its rivals.
One could even say that Water 7's future had become dazzlingly bright, all thanks to Tom.
To Teach, the Sea Train itself was impressive, but Tom saving an entire city on his own was the true miracle.
More importantly, the Sea Train was a technology that connected islands, repelled Sea Kings, and was unaffected by storms. Its value was immeasurable.
Yet in the original timeline, such a man was unjustly accused of the absurd crime of attacking a judicial ship.
Worse still, not a single citizen of Water 7 stood up for him. They foolishly chose to believe he was a violent pirate.
The Nightfall Pirates arrived at Water 7, which was already showing signs of decline. Its once-massive port now held only a handful of ships, giving the city a desolate atmosphere.
On one side of the island lay countless derelict vessels and broken hulls, forming Water 7's junkyard.
That was where Tom lived, ostracized and isolated.
The arrival of five pirate ships brought rare liveliness to the port, immediately drawing attention. Soon, people realized that it was the Nightfall Pirates.
As long as pirates did not openly cause trouble, the citizens of Water 7 did not truly reject them. In fact, a large portion of the local economy relied on pirate business.
Still, people only dared to watch from afar.
"This is Water 7?" Redyat muttered as he surveyed the city. "It's completely different from what I imagined."
The so-called prosperous metropolis looked tired and worn.
"ZeHeh heh," Teach chuckled. "This city relies too heavily on imports. With the decline of shipbuilding and tourism during this era, this outcome was inevitable. Water 7 is just an isolated island now."
"That's a shame," Redyat said casually, clearly unconcerned.
At the port, the mayor of Water 7 had already been waiting. His aging face, thin and weary, lit up with excitement the moment he saw Teach.
As mayor, he had watched the city decline year after year, powerless to stop it.
The Great Pirate Era had severed Water 7's connections with many islands. Without timber imports, shipbuilding became meaningless. Eventually, even pirates stopped coming.
The Nightfall Pirates' order to build three large ships was like a lifeline thrown to a drowning man.
All three ships were constructed using Water 7's stored Adam Wood branches and rare timber. Such materials were worth billions of Berries, but few pirates could afford them, leaving them unused for years.
If not for this order, the mayor would have sold them off cheaply just to keep the city alive.
"Mr. Teach, you're finally here," the mayor said, his voice trembling slightly.
He was nearly seventy, hunched and frail, yet his gaze toward Teach was filled with gratitude rather than fear. Over the years, he had seen countless pirates, including Roger himself.
"Take us to the ships," Teach said flatly.
The crew disembarked and gathered behind him, curiosity evident on their faces.
"Yes, of course," the mayor replied, leading them toward Water 7's largest shipyard, the Umbrella Shipyard, home to the world's finest shipwrights.
Teach had never intended to ask Tom to build his ships. It was uncertain whether Tom would agree, and he lacked access to materials. Moreover, Tom was likely under World Government surveillance.
Even if the ships were completed, defending them would be another issue.
The Umbrella Shipyard, however, possessed strong security. Otherwise, it would never survive dealing with greedy and fickle pirates.
The massive shipyard stretched like a giant beast along the city's edge. Apart from those left behind on the ships, all Nightfall Pirate members followed.
They advanced in a grand procession.
"Mr. Teach, your ships are inside," the mayor said after entering. "They're mostly complete. We're just waiting for your input on certain details and the power systems."
The air smelled strongly of fresh wood. Even after cleaning, wood shavings still littered the floor.
Teach and his crew's attention was immediately seized.
Three enormous ships stood within the shipyard. Beneath them ran tracks used to transport completed vessels directly into the sea. The entire structure resembled a vast, semicircular tunnel connecting to open water.
Standing on the second floor, nearly twenty meters above ground, they could see everything clearly.
The central ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge, was 150 meters long, 67 meters wide, and 60 meters tall. Sixty gunports lined each side of the hull.
At the bow stood a massive dark purple three-headed dragon figurehead, ferocious and lifelike. Each dragon's mouth could open, revealing weapon ports within.
The armaments had not yet been installed. The shipyard did not provide such work.
Although Water 7 once had channels for purchasing cannons and ammunition, the decline of the shipbuilding industry had driven those merchants away.
The hull was predominantly black. On the left side was the blood-red word "Dickie," while the Nightfall Pirates' emblem was emblazoned on the right.
Below the main deck were three full decks containing individual cabins, each five meters long and three meters wide. There were seven hundred and twenty rooms in total, with officer quarters above deck.
If necessary, the ship could house nearly eight hundred people.
The two escort ships were slightly smaller, measuring 120 meters long, 58 meters wide, and 54 meters tall. Their bows featured two-headed dragon figureheads, and both bore the Nightfall Pirates' emblem.
"It's huge," Slada muttered, excitement creeping into his voice. "This is our future ship."
"Otto, the power systems are yours," Teach said, smiling as he admired the ships.
Otto, cloaked in black, nodded eagerly. His long mechanical cloak dragged along the floor, concealing his mechanical limbs.
"Leave it to me. I've already studied those blueprints," Otto replied with enthusiasm.
His room was connected directly to his laboratory, filled with materials and research Teach had gathered from the Dark Council, Ohara, and other sources. Since acquiring the blueprints of the Ark Maxim, Otto had been immersed in research, rarely leaving his lab.
He quickly examined the ships, jotted down several ideas, and handed them to the mayor for the shipwrights to implement.
Teach then glanced at Redyat.
Redyat smiled and raised his hand. The shadow beneath his feet spread along the wall, reaching the ground.
Cannons and cannonballs slowly emerged from the darkness.
Teach had prepared these in advance. They were top-grade weapons from the Kingdom of Tirisfal, now expanded after annexing the Kraken Kingdom.
The shipwrights were startled, then awed. With trained eyes, they immediately recognized the exceptional quality of the armaments.
Dark, angular, and cold, the cannons radiated an unmistakable chill.