Roger and Tom spoke late into the night.
After understanding Roger's determination, Tom no longer voiced any objections about how the Oro Jackson should be handled. The ship belonged to Roger, and as its captain, he had every right to decide its fate.
During their conversation, Tom also learned a few things about Yoriichi Tsugikuni. When he found out that Yoriichi was the very Marine who had slain the Golden Lion, Shiki, he was stunned for quite a while.
He was even more shocked to hear that Yoriichi had killed an agent of the World Government's intelligence unit, CP0, right in front of an admiral.
From Roger's descriptions, Tom's view of this Vice Admiral gradually shifted.
Gifted, strong-willed, and more importantly, guided by a personal moral code , not the type of Marine who blindly followed orders.
That alone made Tom drop his reluctance to build a warship for Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
Originally, Tom had reservations about both Garp and Yoriichi because he didn't understand their real intentions. This unease kept him from fully committing to the ship's design.
That's why, even after more than a week since Yoriichi and his team had left, there was still only a rough sketch on his drafting table.
But that night, after Roger left, Tom finally sat at his desk and earnestly began designing the ship.
To make it exceptional, he even incorporated non-core technologies from the Pluton blueprints, ones that would make the vessel more user-friendly. Chief among them was the cannon synchronization system.
In simple terms, it allowed a single operator to rotate all ship cannons to aim in one direction simultaneously, without needing Marines stationed at each individual weapon to follow separate orders.
It might sound basic, but for the current era , the year 1499 of the Sea Circle Calendar , it was revolutionary. We're still decades away from laser cannons. Even stripped from the Pluton blueprints, this technology was cutting-edge.
And if this was merely a peripheral component, one could only imagine the terrifying power of Pluton itself , a true weapon of the future, whose plans had been passed down for hundreds of years.
Roger had left the Oro Jackson on a remote island several hundred nautical miles away from Water 7. Tom had entrusted a few reliable friends to dismantle it there under Roger's protection.
Roger had bid farewell to the vessel that had accompanied him for much of his life at sea.
When the Adam Tree keel was finally transported back to Water 7, Roger took a small ship gifted by Tom and set sail once more , toward the New World.
But as the keel entered Dock No. 1, CP9 agents stationed on the island caught wind of it and began gathering.
Tom could hide the disassembly of the Oro Jackson. He could even conceal giving away a small ship to a "friend."
But there was no hiding the massive Adam Tree keel being hauled into Dock No. 1. CP9 might have been full of useless agents, but even the shipwrights at the dock would recognize such a rare material.
The presence of the Adam Tree was like blood in the water , and CP9 were the sharks.
This was a treasure worth hundreds of millions of berries, priceless and nearly impossible to obtain. Most people wouldn't even see it once in their lifetime.
If they turned it over to the Celestial Dragons, they'd surely earn favor with the "nobles."
"We received a report. Someone among you has colluded with pirates and is attempting to undermine the peace and stability of Water 7."
"Starting now, all of you will come with us and cooperate with our investigation."
"We believe this dock may contain evidence of your crimes."
"From this moment forward, Dock No. 1 is under CP9 control!"
Around midday, a group of sharply dressed CP9 agents stormed into Dock No. 1 uninvited.
They immediately halted the craftsmen who were working on refining the Adam Tree keel. Tom's design was quite different from the Oro Jackson, and the keel needed reshaping to match the new ship.
That's what the dock workers had been doing.
"What?!"
"Colluding with pirates? Threatening the peace of Water 7? That's ridiculous!"
"Yeah! You must be mistaken!"
The sudden CP9 intrusion forced the workers to put down their tools. Voices of indignation rose, but in the crowd, Tom's expression tightened. His heart jumped.
"Did they find out I met with Roger?!"
"Could they even know the Adam Tree was salvaged from his ship?!"
Despite the panic, Tom forced himself to stay calm. He moved to the front, raised his hand, and quieted the crowd.
The shipwrights respected him deeply. His word carried weight.
CP9's eyes all turned to Tom.
Their leader, a tall, lean man around thirty who bore a vague resemblance to Paulie, stepped forward with a sinister smile.
"Mr. Tom, please cooperate, you and your friends. If you're innocent, you'll be released in a few days."
Though he had a comical appearance, his tone was anything but. Cold and menacing.
Tom scanned his nearby friends. Unlike the others who looked outraged, they seemed nervous , guilty even.
Luckily, CP9 hadn't come here specifically for the Roger meeting. If they had, his friends would've already been exposed.
Ironically, CP9's greed might've caused them to stumble upon something they weren't even looking for.
But Tom quickly came up with a plan.
Raising his chin slightly, he spoke with arrogant calm:
"Sorry, but the craftsmen here don't have time to accompany CP9."
"We're currently building a warship for Vice Admiral Yoriichi Tsugikuni of Marine Headquarters."
"He already paid us an advance, and we have a strict timeline to meet."
"We're actually behind schedule, and if we want to finish on time, we'll have to work overtime."
"Oh, and by the way, we spent a fortune to acquire the legendary Adam Tree to construct his warship."
"It needs immediate processing. We're on a tight deadline."
"Sir, I know your task is urgent, but this isn't something I can decide alone, is it?"
"Why don't you check with Vice Admiral Yoriichi Tsugikuni? If he agrees to delay the project, we'll cooperate fully."
Tom's statement carried layered meaning. He used Yoriichi as a shield, hoping the name would make CP9 hesitate. At the same time, he signaled his friends to stick to a consistent story.
He wasn't sure how much CP9 actually knew , but until they showed their hand, he had to keep the act going.
"Huh?!"
"You bastard, are you mocking CP9?!"
"Vice Admiral of the Marines?!"
"Like he has any authority over us?!"
"Enough talk! Arrest them all and shut down Dock No. 1!"
Tom's gambit failed. He had hoped CP9 would respect Marine authority, but they clearly didn't see the Marines as equals.
To them, the Marines were beneath the World Government's elite intelligence unit , tools for public order, not protectors of justice.
"What?!"
"You can't do this!"
"I have elders and children at home. If you take me away for days, who will care for them?!"
The shipwrights were all strong laborers, but a few of the younger ones instinctively resisted when grabbed. They shoved CP9 agents aside.
The tall CP9 leader wasn't angered. Instead, he sneered.
"A rebel, huh?"
With a sharp snort, he vanished from Tom's sight, a sudden gust sweeping through the dock.
The young shipwright who had pushed back only saw a blur , the CP9 agent appeared before him in an instant.
With a spinning kick, the agent struck the youth's neck with terrifying force. A crisp crack followed. The young man flew backward, his head slamming onto the ground. Blood spilled instantly.
"Resistance against the World Government. Attempted insurrection. Executed on the spot."
The CP9 agent coldly adjusted his collar and turned to face the others.
It wasn't until that moment that the shipwrights realized the true cruelty of CP9. Several trembled with fear. Faces went pale.
They had just witnessed a public execution , worse than anything most pirates would do.
Even more horrifying, CP9 labeled the victim a traitor , a crime that could implicate his entire family.
If CP9 really intended to escalate, who knew how much blood would be spilled on Water 7.
"Brother Bolton!"
"CP9… you monsters!"
"How can you do this?!"
"Bolton wasn't rebelling! You can't just murder him like that!"
"You call yourselves agents of the government?!"
Though most were paralyzed with fear, one blue-haired boy pushed through the crowd, trembling as he approached Bolton's corpse. Tears welled in his eyes as he shouted at CP9.
It took a few moments for everyone to register who he was.
"Iceburg!" Tom gasped, racing to his side. He grabbed the boy's arm, trying to pull him back into the crowd.
But it was too late.
The tall CP9 agent turned, his chilling gaze fixed on Iceburg.
Iceburg, Tom's apprentice, was still a trainee shipwright. He had some technical skill but not enough to be considered a master. Today was a rare opportunity for him to help process the Adam Tree.
But the young man had stood up to CP9 , and now, he was a target.
"Oh?" the agent sneered. "Another accomplice?"
He vanished again.
Tom, realizing what was happening, instinctively threw himself around Iceburg, shielding him with his back and closing his eyes tight.
A deafening crack.
A scream pierced the air.
But the strike never came.
Tom opened his eyes slowly, stunned to see a tall figure standing behind him , a massive cloak billowing, emblazoned with the word "Justice."
"...A Marine?!"
It was a familiar but unexpected sight.
He turned and saw the CP9 agent lying on the ground, clutching the stump where his ankle used to be. Blood pooled beneath him.
"To strike a child… unforgivable."
Kyros, gripping his massive sword, stood protectively in front of Tom and Iceburg. His face was grim.
Suddenly, a rush of footsteps echoed from the dock entrance.
A youth clad in a crimson maple-patterned gi and a Justice cloak stepped forward, blade at his side.
Behind him followed three powerful Marines:
One with handsome features and a broadsword across his back, his sharp eyes scanning everyone.
One with a long blade at his waist, pushing his glasses calmly, his gaze unreadable behind the glare.
And a square-jawed man with a blind staff tapping against the ground, his presence pressing heavily down on CP9.
"CP9, is it?"
"You attacked innocent civilians. Are you ready to bear the consequences?"
The speaker was none other than Yoriichi Tsugikuni, returned to Water 7 by Garp.
As he addressed CP9, the blind swordsman beside him , Issho , stepped forward, his cane drawing a gleaming blade.
"One condition, Issho," Yoriichi said, glancing at the crippled agent. "Leave the one on the ground. The rest, I want alive."
"Understood."
In an instant, Issho slashed through the air.
A thunderous wave of gravity slammed into the dock.
Thud! Thud!
CP9 agents collapsed like dominoes, crushed under a force they couldn't see.
The one who had cried out moments ago now coughed blood and went silent. His body twisted grotesquely under the pressure , no longer recognizable.
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