When the Roger Pirates' ship returned to the port of Water 7, the mood on board was completely different. The initial excitement and wonder were gone, replaced by a heavy silence filled with the lingering anger and quiet determination from their recent encounter. Sunlight glinted off the massive logs of the Treasure Tree Adam, which lay in the center of the deck, giving off a warm, almost holy glow.
The crew went about their duties quietly, but their eyes kept drifting toward the wood, and then to Roger, who stood silently at the bow. Their captain's back was as strong and reliable as ever, but his usual boisterous energy had settled into something deeper and more intense.
"We're back," Rayleigh said softly, breaking the silence.
Roger didn't turn around. He simply grunted, his eyes fixed on the massive shipyard in the distance.
When they carried the colossal logs into Tom's shipyard, the sounds of hammering and laughter stopped immediately. All the shipwrights paused their work, their eyes wide with disbelief as they stared at the pirates and the extraordinary wood they carried on their shoulders.
"Hey! You…" a young shipwright started to say, but a huge hand gently pushed him back.
Master Tom walked forward slowly, his powerful voice unusually quiet. "Lads, you've…" His words caught in his throat as soon as he got a clear look at the wood. The world's greatest shipwright's usual hearty smile vanished. He walked forward, step by step, and reached out his rough hands, gently, almost worshipfully, touching the surface of the Treasure Tree Adam. He tapped it with his knuckles, listening to the deep, clear sound it made, and closed his eyes as if he were communicating with the very soul of the wood. The entire shipyard was silent, the only sound being Tom's heavy breathing.
"Wahahaha… Wahahahahaha!"
After a few moments of silence, Tom erupted into laughter, louder and more joyful than ever before. "You crazy… bastards! You really did it! DON!" He pounded his own chest with a dull thud. He stared at Roger, a fire blazing in his large eyes. "Well done! You are worthy of a ship built by my hands!"
Tom turned to face Roger, his expression more serious than ever. "Brat, the fact that you got this wood proves your character! I'm a man of my word. I'll build this ship for you, free of charge! DON!" He paused, then broke into a wide grin filled with creative passion. "But! A ship built from the Treasure Tree Adam can't be some ordinary vessel! It has to be a king, one of a kind! So tell me, what kind of ship do you want?"
As soon as he asked, the Roger Pirates came to life. Tom led them into a large workshop, where they all gathered around a table covered with a huge sheet of blank paper.
"First, it has to be big! Big enough for all of us, and big enough for the best parties!" Roger declared, slapping the table.
"It needs the strongest railings and deck, so I can train whenever I want," Rayleigh added, his fingers subconsciously tapping the hilt of his sword.
"The kitchen! The kitchen has to be huge! And we need a wine cellar that can survive any storm!" Jabba's eyes sparkled.
"My inventions need their own workshop!" Punk Rock shouted, pushing his way into the crowd.
"I… I'd like a bed where I won't be woken up by Miller Pine's snoring…" Nozdon said, weakly raising his hand.
"What did you say?!" Miller Pine's beard bristled as he glared at Nozdon.
The group argued back and forth about everything from the design of the armory to the number of toilets, and the room quickly descended into chaos. Master Tom simply folded his arms and listened with a smile.
"Everyone, be quiet!" Roger roared, and the room fell silent. He looked at Tom, his eyes shining with incredible clarity. "Tom, the ship I want isn't just a collection of rooms and wooden planks. I want a ship… that can laugh with us! A partner that can carry our dreams, break through any storm, and sail to the end of the world!"
His words didn't describe any specific design, but they made everyone in the room fall silent. Tom's smile faded as he looked at Roger, as if he were seeing the pirate captain for the first time.
"...A ship that can laugh?" Tom muttered to himself, and then his eyes lit up with an incredible fire. "Interesting! Very interesting! DON!"
"A ship that wants to conquer the sea must first learn to dance with it," a clear voice said. Everyone turned and saw Kyle walking toward the table. He dipped his finger in some water and began to draw on the tabletop. The water seemed to come to life, forming gentle waves and small whirlpools under his fingertip. "The ship's keel is its spine, and the hull is its muscle. If its design follows the flow of the waves instead of fighting them, then the sea won't be an obstacle. It will be our ally."
As Kyle spoke, he used the water to sketch the smooth, graceful curve of a ship's hull. "It will make us faster and more stable." He didn't use any technical terms, but his simple demonstration made everyone understand exactly what he meant.
Tom's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh. "That's it! You've hit the nail on the head, kid! Using the power of the waves… Wahahaha!"
"And it's not just about dancing," Kyle said with a smile, looking at Roger. "The captain wants a ship that can 'laugh.' Laughter makes sound. A king's ship should have a roar that is just as unique." He pointed toward the front of the ship he had drawn. "Why not combine the main cannon with the figurehead? That way, every cannonball we fire will be like the ship letting out a hearty laugh at the sea!"
"Put the cannon on the bow?!"
The wild idea sparked everyone's imagination. Roger was stunned for a second, then he burst into a world-shaking laugh. "Kuhahaha! Well said, Kyle! That's exactly right! A ship that laughs with cannons! That's a ship worthy of us!"
Tom's breathing grew heavy, his eyes burning with the fire of creation. He grabbed a huge charcoal pencil and began to draw furiously on the large white paper. Smooth lines and bold ideas filled the page as Roger's dream, Kyle's inspiration, and the crew's wishes all came together under his hand. The blueprint of a pirate ship unlike any other took shape before their eyes. It had a wide deck big enough for giants, a sleek and agile hull, and a majestic golden bow with two beautiful maiden figureheads.
"It… it looks like it's alive…" Nozdon whispered. Everyone was stunned by the power and royal presence that seemed to radiate from the blueprint. Roger looked at the drawing, his eyes shining brighter than ever before. He gently touched the Treasure Tree Adam, which glowed faintly, as if he could already see the ship sailing on the high seas.
"Let's call it…" Roger's voice was filled with power and joy as he announced, word by word, "The 'Oro Jackson'! Our golden ship that will carry us all!"
"Oro Jackson…" Rayleigh repeated the name, a smile spreading across his face.
"Oh oh oh oh!" The crew erupted in a deafening cheer.
"Good! A great name!" Tom slammed the charcoal pencil on the table. "Then it's decided! I, Tom, stake my name as the world's greatest shipwright, and I will build this king of ships for you!" He turned, grabbed a huge hammer and a long nail from a tool rack, and walked to the open space in the center of the shipyard where the keel would be laid.
"Watch closely!" Tom roared, raising the hammer high above his head. "This is the king's first heartbeat! DON!"
Clang—!
The sharp, clear sound of the hammer striking the nail echoed through all of Water 7, announcing to the world that a new legend had just begun.
Kyle stood behind the crowd, watching the historic moment with a heart full of emotion. He knew that this ship would one day carry these free-spirited adventurers, conquer the Grand Line, reach the Final Island, and uncover the secrets of the world. And he wasn't just a witness to this legend; he was a part of it, someone who had helped shape it.
This is so damn… exciting!