After the "friendly" clash with Garp, life aboard the Roger Pirates returned to its usual chaos.
But as the crew grew larger, a very real problem slowly surfaced and worsened.
"Hey, Nozdon! Move your foot, you're stepping on my logbook!" Brumarin barked from the corner of the deck, his tone dripping with irritation.
"Ah? Sorry!" The pointy-headed giant scrambled to move, only to slam backward into Miller Pine as he polished his war hammer.
"Idiot! You looking for death?" Miller's beard bristled, his massive hammer sprawling across a third of the passageway.
"This is all Punklow's fault! His scrap heap is everywhere!"
"What did you say? These are my inventions! This here is the Portable Automatic Grill Mark III!"
On the rail, Kael Grylls sparred with Aizak. But the deck was so cramped that Kael nearly tripped over the drying laundry more than once. After a quick "Shock Step" to leap clear, he sighed at the domino effect of chaos breaking out on the deck.
This donated ship "a gift" from elsewhere wasn't much better than a sardine can. For a crew of giants, it was downright miserable.
Sleeping shifts, queues for meals, even a banquet felt claustrophobic.
"Looks like it's time for a bigger ship," Rayleigh remarked as he stopped polishing his blade, his eyes sweeping over the packed deck.
"Ku ha ha ha! I was thinking the same thing!" Roger burst out of the captain's cabin, boot planted on the railing. "Boys! This ship no longer suits us! We're going to build the greatest ship in the world!"
"OHHHH!" Complaints vanished in a roar of cheers.
"Build a ship? Where?" Gaban asked, wine still on his breath.
"When it comes to shipbuilding, no place in the Grand Line is more famous than Water 7," Spencer said, stroking his chin with elegant timing.
Kael's eyes lit up instantly.
Water 7… the city where a legendary ship would one day be born. The home of the world's greatest shipwright. A name thundered through his mind Fish-man Tom.
"Then it's settled!" Roger swung his arm toward the horizon. "Our destination, Water 7! Set sail!"
…
Days later, a sprawling city on the sea rose into view. The Roger Pirates' deck erupted in awe.
A colossal fountain roared in the city center. Canals webbed the entire city, and seahorse-like beasts called Yagara Bulls pulled small boats through the waterways. Tier upon tier of buildings, whimsical yet grand, gave off an air of endless vitality and invention.
"Woooah! Skoi! What a huge city!" Nozdon's jaw dropped.
"A city on water… truly a marvel," Spencer admitted, his refined poise momentarily broken by genuine admiration.
The ship glided into harbor. Roger grinned at the wonder on his men's faces. "All right! Disperse! Until we find a shipwright, enjoy the city! Meet back at sunset!"
"OHHHH!" The crew scattered instantly. Miller Pine headed straight for the tavern, Moguren sauntered toward a weapon shop, and others broke off in pairs.
Soon only Roger, Rayleigh, Gaban, and Kael remained.
"Time for business." Roger clapped his hands. "Let's find out who the top shipwright is."
"Not so easy," Rayleigh noted. "The best shipwrights are eccentric, and most won't build for pirates."
"That is a problem…" Roger scratched his chin.
"I might have heard of someone," Kael said casually, right on cue.
Three heads snapped toward him.
"Oh? Speak up, Kael," Gaban urged.
"Tom," Kael said, feigning a thoughtful frown. "That's the name. A Fish-man, said to be the world's number one shipwright. Supposedly, he's generous but has a fiery temper he only takes jobs he likes."
"A Fish-man shipwright? World's best?" Roger's eyes gleamed. "Ku ha ha ha! Interesting! He's the one! Let's find him!"
Guided by Kael's "hint" and a few inquiries, they soon reached Tom's shipyard Tom's Workers.
The massive dock reeked of sawdust and oil. Before they even stepped inside, the clang of hammers and booming laughter spilled out.
A towering, round-bodied Fish-man with bull horns drew every eye. Clad in a blue shirt, he swung a giant hammer, driving planks into the keel with an artist's precision.
"Hey, what do you want?" a young apprentice blocked them.
"We've come to see Tom," Rayleigh said smoothly.
The horned Fish-man turned, grinning broadly, his voice like a great bell. "I'm Tom! What do you need? DON!"
His words ended with that booming quirk of rhythm, brimming with force.
"We're pirates," Roger said bluntly, no hint of disguise. "We want you to build us the greatest ship in the world."
"Pirates?" Tom's smile thinned as he studied them. "You expect Tom to build for the likes of you?"
The workers bristled with suspicion.
"We're not ordinary pirates!" Roger bared his teeth in a fearless grin. "We want more than a ship we want one that can circle the globe, one that can conquer the seas!"
His voice wasn't loud, but his will was undeniable, a dream that seemed to set the air alight. The noise of the yard fell silent.
Tom's smirk faded into something heavier, his big eyes locking onto Roger's as if to weigh the man's soul.
"A ship to sail the world…" he echoed, then roared with laughter. "Wah ha ha ha! Bold words! DON!"
He loomed over Roger, massive frame casting a deep shadow. Pressure rolled off him in waves.
"I'll build it but why do you think you deserve a king's ship?" His gaze sharpened.
Kael understood instantly. Tom wasn't testing their money or their names, but whether they had the spirit to command what he created.
Roger's grin only widened. "Because I am Gol D. Roger! The man who will conquer the seas!"
Tom blinked, then laughed harder. "Wah ha ha ha! Good! Very good!"
He grabbed a bottle, drank deep, and tossed it to Roger. "I like your fire. But fire alone is not enough."
He thrust out a massive hand. "Show me your current ship. A ship bears its master's soul. Let me see your soul."
For the next hour, Tom and his workers crawled over the vessel. He tapped planks, traced scars, examined crude but solid repairs. His face shifted from bemusement to surprise, then to deep respect.
"These marks… cannon fire from Marines. This split, struck by a Sea King. Here a cut from a powerful blade, patched in rough but clever ways…" Tom stroked the battered hull like it was an epic carved in wood.
"You braved all this with a little ship like this?" His eyes burned as he looked at Roger again, no mockery left.
"Ku ha ha ha! She's been our faithful partner," Roger said proudly, patting the rail.
Tom stayed silent, then broke into a grin so huge it shook the dock. "All right! I'll do it! DON!"
"Yes!" Roger pumped a fist.
"But…" Tom's voice turned grave, his expression dead serious. "To build a ship that can conquer the seas, ordinary timber will never do."
He paused, then spoke with reverence.
"To craft the greatest ship in the world, you need the greatest wood in the world Treasure Tree Adam."