Fish-man shipwright Tom's eldest disciple, Iceburg, possessed not only extraordinary talent in shipbuilding but also remarkable managerial acumen. Shortly after receiving funding from William, Iceburg successfully established a shipbuilding company named "Galley-La" (formerly "Carrera"). He purchased a nearly bankrupt shipyard at a bargain price and assembled a workforce of highly skilled craftsmen.
With William's support helping him take a solid step toward his ambitions, Iceburg reciprocated the favor immediately. He began experimenting with William's design concepts, working tirelessly to construct vessels according to the specifications provided.
The students William sent to assist and learn from Iceburg were all idealistic, passionate, and naturally gifted young individuals. Working alongside these youths to research and develop innovative ship designs, Iceburg experienced a nostalgic sense of familiarity—reminiscent of the days when he and his mentor Tom built the Sea Train. The difference now was that Iceburg had become the teacher, while these promising youngsters from the East Blue reminded him of himself and Franky in their formative years.
The two critical technologies for these new vessels—steam engines and sonic wave technology—weren't entirely revolutionary. The paddle steamers brought by Edmond and his companions from the East Blue already utilized steam engines, as did the Sea Train that Iceburg had helped construct. Similarly, the sonic wave technology that repelled Sea Kings could be adapted for shipboard use with relative ease.
The genuine challenges lay in perfecting the propeller structure and converting the sonic waves—originally generated by the collision of train and tracks—into a transmitter system that emitted repulsion waves from the ship's hull. Additionally, considering the substantially larger size of Sea Kings in the Calm Belt, the power output required significant amplification.
For someone of Iceburg's caliber—a shipwright of exceptional talent who had personally contributed to the Sea Train's construction—these challenges were surmountable. They weren't insurmountable obstacles, merely engineering problems requiring time and ingenuity. Over the course of a year, Iceburg successfully fulfilled William's commission, constructing four steam-powered vessels with remarkably stable propulsion systems. Each ship featured sonic wave transmitters installed along their hulls, capable of continuously emitting frequencies that repelled dangerous marine creatures for twenty-four hours without interruption.
Edmond had once asked William how they would return to the East Blue after venturing into the Grand Line. This innovative ship design was precisely the solution William had devised for their journey home.
The plan was to conduct a practical sea trial with these newly launched vessels, sailing from Water 7 in the Grand Line back to the Navia Kingdom in the East Blue.
Following William's instructions, Edmond left a small contingent of students in Water 7 to continue their shipbuilding apprenticeship under Iceburg's guidance. He then embarked with the remaining students—those who had gained comprehensive understanding of the new ships' construction processes—on their return voyage. Before departing, Edmond secured Iceburg's promise that, without William's explicit authorization, he would not disclose the key technologies of these revolutionary vessels to anyone.
Thus, Edmond and his group began their homeward journey aboard four peculiar-looking steamships. These vessels bore no sails on their decks, featuring instead a prominent smokestack rising from their centers.
Their voyage, however, encountered significant complications. As they approached the Calm Belt, they were beset by a violent storm. One ship developed minor engine trouble which, while not compromising its seaworthiness, noticeably reduced its speed. For safety's sake, Edmond—following Kuro's recommendation—redistributed most personnel to the three fully functional vessels, leaving only Harden, Kuro, Krieg, and a skeleton crew aboard the compromised ship.
Inexplicably, by the following morning, the lagging steamship had vanished without a trace. The crews of the three remaining vessels didn't even realize it was missing until daybreak, having no idea where or when exactly it had disappeared.
"What's your current position?" William asked gravely from his cabin after hearing Edmond's report through the Den Den Mushi.
"We're in the Calm Belt, searching the vicinity where Harden, Kuro, and the others disappeared," Edmond replied, his voice heavy with remorse. Years earlier, when William's crew was still involved in bootlegging operations, Edmond had led a mission that resulted in Vallon's death. Now, after all this time, leading another expedition to the Grand Line had once again resulted in the mysterious disappearance of several comrades. The weight of responsibility bore heavily on him.
Throughout this mission, Edmond had exercised exceptional caution. For an entire year, the team had remained safe without major incidents. Yet, just as they were homeward bound, disaster struck.
William's brow furrowed deeply upon hearing Edmond's words. "Return to the East Blue immediately," he commanded.
"But William..." Edmond began to protest.
"This is an order!" William cut him off sharply, then softened his tone. "Rest assured, I won't abandon my people. Whatever has happened, I won't let them vanish without explanation. But your current search efforts are futile. Return to the East Blue first, and we'll formulate a proper strategy."
After a moment of silence, Edmond reluctantly conceded, "Understood."
After terminating the connection, William massaged his temples wearily.
His decision to recall Edmond wasn't made lightly. William was intimately familiar with the capabilities of Harden, Kuro, and Krieg. Among them, Krieg had emerged as one of the most exceptional talents recruited during William's military reforms over the past two years. Both his tactical acumen and combat prowess were remarkable, earning him rapid advancement within the militia ranks.
Harden and Kuro were longstanding members of William's inner circle. Since first acquiring knowledge of Rokushiki, William had trained alongside them, helping them master various techniques. Harden had successfully learned Tekkai (Iron Body) and Soru (Shave), while Kuro had mastered Shigan (Finger Pistol), Geppo (Moonwalk), and Soru.
Geppo, an aerial mobility technique, enabled users to alter their trajectory mid-air by kicking downward against the very air itself. In practical terms, even if their ship had suddenly foundered in the Calm Belt, Kuro possessed the ability to escape and summon assistance. Moreover, several Den Den Mushi communication devices were aboard the vessel.
Yet despite Kuro's formidable abilities and the availability of communication tools, the entire crew had vanished without transmitting even the briefest distress signal. Whatever had caused this outcome clearly exceeded anything Edmond's search party could safely confront.
Furthermore, they lacked precise knowledge of where Harden and the others had disappeared. Searching with merely three ships was tantamount to finding a needle in a haystack—especially in the treacherous Calm Belt, teeming with dangers. To prevent further casualties, William decided to recall them immediately. Once they reached Kalmar City, he could gather detailed information face-to-face and formulate a comprehensive plan.
"We'll set sail as well," William announced after a moment of contemplation, addressing the aides and attendants standing silently nearby. "Prepare to return to Kalmar City immediately."
"Regarding the palace..." one attendant ventured cautiously.
William narrowed his eyes slightly before exhaling a measured sigh. "Let Norton I remain on the throne for now. I may need to venture into the Grand Line soon, and departing as a king would attract far too much attention."
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