"But Tom, you have to be careful. The higher Roger's prestige becomes, the less the World Government will let you go. You only have ten years to build the Sea Train, and you were only given a ten-year stay of execution. When time's up, they still intend to execute you."
Kokoro spoke with concern. If it hadn't been for Tom building a ship for Roger and his crew, they might never have reached the Final Island.
"That's right, Master. Granny Kokoro is right. You should start thinking of a countermeasure. Honestly, I think you should just run away when the time comes."
The speaker was Tom's apprentice, Iceburg—nicknamed Icy—16 years old this year.
"Haha! I'm a man of renown! And I admire men like Roger. I'm willing to build him a grand, strong ship! Don't worry—once I complete the Sea Train, it'll offset my crime. As for whether the judge will change his ruling… whatever happens, happens! Hehahaha!"
Tom had spent his life building ships. He had deep feelings for Water 7—it was his home, and he had no intention of leaving.
"Roger really is a charismatic man. Quite the guy."
Cough cough... Iceburg cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Gagagagaga~" Kokoro laughed to break the awkward silence, then turned to Tom. "If you really did join Roger's crew, he'd definitely be strong enough to protect you."
"No thanks. Just being able to build a ship for such an amazing man like Roger is enough for me. The Oro Jackson represents me. If Roger sets out to sea on the ship I built, it's like he's carrying my will along with him. That alone is a great honor."
Tom's eyes gleamed as he recalled the moment Roger and his crew had arrived. He couldn't help but grin from ear to ear.
"Hmph! These Marines hide behind the word 'justice' but all they do is carry out the World Government's orders. In their eyes, if you hadn't built a ship for the Roger Pirates, there wouldn't be a Pirate King today."
Kokoro, being Tom's secretary, understood him the most. He was a confident and stubborn shipwright—so much so that she feared one day the people from Enies Lobby would come to take him away.
"A ship is just a ship. Build it and it's a ship, that's all. If you raise a pirate flag on it, it becomes a pirate ship. Raise a marine flag, and it becomes a navy ship. A man must have confidence! I, Tom, am a man among men! Whatever happens later, we'll deal with it then. I will build the Sea Train!"
Kokoro and Iceburg looked at the proud, completely unconcerned Tom, utterly speechless. That was just who Tom was—resolute in his beliefs, unconcerned with consequences.
While Tom was proudly beating his chest and boasting, he caught sight of a young boy reading a newspaper out of the corner of his eye.
The boy's name was Cutty Flam, 11 years old.
"Hm... Flam really does long to go out to sea. He always pretends to be disinterested when asked about it. Flam, if you want to go out to sea, build your own ship one day."
Tom thought silently as he looked at Flam, having already decided he would someday let Flam explore the world.
"Tom, don't be too relaxed. You can't completely trust the World Government. Hmm?"
Kokoro was warning Tom again, but then noticed him staring at Flam, so she looked in that direction as well.
"Hey, Flam, you seem really focused on that news story."
Flam snapped out of his thoughts.
"Oh... it's nothing, Granny Kokoro. I just think the Roger Pirates are such a handful—going all over the place, and now they're wanted by the Navy."
He spoke nonchalantly, but he couldn't hide his true feelings from Tom and Kokoro.
"Flam, do you want to go out to sea and become a pirate?"
Kokoro stared at Flam. The others were surprised at her sudden question.
"So Kokoro noticed too," Tom thought to himself.
"Go out to sea?" Iceburg looked at Kokoro in surprise, then at Flam. "Flam, do you want to leave Water 7?"
"Bullshit! Iceburg, don't spout nonsense! I'm not interested in becoming a pirate!" Flam shot back, then looked at Tom and Kokoro.
"Tch. I'd never become a pirate. Don't forget—I was abandoned by pirates. I'll never be one in this lifetime."
Kokoro was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing. Though Flam's expression didn't change, she was nearly 50 years old and could tell when someone was just pretending.
"Ngagagaga~ Ngagagaga~"
"Hehahaha!" Tom laughed loudly, hands on his hips. "Flam, once you've built the ship of your dreams, you can go out to sea and explore!"
Flam trembled slightly at those words, two tears at the corners of his eyes. He stared firmly at Tom.
"No! I'm not interested in going out to sea or being a pirate. I've already experienced what it's like to be one. I want to stay with Uncle Tom forever! In my heart, you're like a father to me. And in ten years, the people from Enies Lobby will come to arrest you—I won't let that happen! I'm not leaving Water 7!"
Flam became emotional. To him, Tom's words sounded like he was being pushed away.
"Flam, we're men—real men don't cry! We still have ten years, that's a long time! Hahahaha~"
Flam wiped the corners of his eyes and said grumpily, "Fine, you raccoon uncle! I'm not leaving you."
"Hehahaha! Flam, it's been a while since you called me that!"
Tom felt a warm sense of happiness. These shipwrights were his family. From the day he took Flam in, Tom had treated him like a son—even though they weren't the same race.
Gurgle gurgle gurgle...
Iceburg's stomach growled.
Everyone turned to look. Iceburg scratched his head in embarrassment. "I'm... kind of hungry…"
"Tch, haven't even started working and you're already hungry. You're so weak, Iceburg."
Flam seized the chance to tease him. The two were close in age and often bickered like this.
"You're no better! Let's see if you ever build that dream ship!"
"What did you say?! I will build it!"
"All right, you two brats, save your energy for shipbuilding."
Tom separated them with a hand each.
"Gagagagaga~ I'll go make some curry. Iceburg, wait here."
"Ah~ curry! Granny Kokoro, your curry is the best!"
Iceburg's eyes lit up like stars.
"Gagagagaga~" Kokoro laughed and wobbled away happily.
Flam's thoughts drifted back to when Roger's crew visited Water 7. At the time, Kozuki Oden even spoke to him.
"Hahahaha, interesting. So you're an orphan? If you want, I can talk to Captain Roger and ask him to let you join us. We're about to go on a wonderful voyage—how about it?"
"Not interested. My parents were pirates. I was just abandoned by pirates—why would I ever join your crew?"
"Hahahaha! That's hilarious! So you were abandoned by your pirate parents!"
Flam ignored Kozuki Oden and went back to doing his own thing.
...........
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