While Gin led Iceburg and Franky on an enthusiastic tour of the Fine Izetta's deck, Krieg took the opportunity to pull Tom aside. The ocean breeze was cool, but the conversation was about to turn heated.
「Tom-san, tell me—what would you do if you knew the World Government was working in the shadows?」
「Working in the shadows? What are you talking about, boy?」 Tom tilted his head, his massive frame leaning against the railing.
「Pluton.」
The name hung in the air like a lead weight. Tom's expression didn't flicker, a true professional to the end. 「Ah, that ancient battleship people say was built in Water Seven ages ago? What about it?」
「...If you say you don't know anything, I won't push it,」 Krieg replied, watching the horizon.
「Tah-hah...! I only know about ships, boy. That's all.」
「Then listen well. A man named Spandam is moving within the government. Be extremely careful about who is watching you and your apprentices.」
Tom's eyes narrowed. The jolly facade remained, but his voice dropped an octave. 「...What's your angle, Marine?」
「No angle. I just don't like the government's methods. Consider this off the record.」
「Tah-hah-hah! A Marine officer saying he doesn't like the government? You're a strange one.」
「It's the truth. The Oro Jackson... you built the ship that carried the Pirate King to the ends of the world. Even if the law says anyone who helped him is evil, as a man who appreciates fine craft, I can't help but admire your work.」
「Tah-hah! Well, I can't say I mind the praise! Look, there it is—Scrap Island. Don't get too close to the shore; there are sunken hulls everywhere. You'll run aground if you aren't careful.」
「All hands, prepare to anchor! Watch for submerged wreckage!!」 Krieg barked the orders to his helmsman, his voice echoing across the deck.
BF: Battle Frankies
The group disembarked onto Scrap Island. It was a graveyard of giants—skeletons of galleons and merchant ships jutting out of the sand like jagged teeth.
In one secluded corner, a fleet of small, armored warships sat docked, each bearing the mark "BF" followed by a number.
「So these are the 'Battle Frankies.'」
「Yeah,」 Iceburg sighed. 「And I can't stand that he just leaves them here.」
「For the last time, Bakaburg, they're for hunting Sea Kings!」 Franky yelled, though he looked a bit self-conscious with a Marine officer standing right there.
Krieg surveyed the line. One, two, three... thirty-four. And one still under construction.
「Franky. You built all of these yourself?」
「Damn right! I'm gonna take down a Sea King with my own two hands one day, and these beauties are gonna do it!!」 Franky puffed out his chest.
Krieg rubbed his chin. In the original timeline, Spandam's agents would hijack these very ships to attack the Judicial Ship, framing Tom for the assault. Franky loved his creations too much to see the danger in their accessibility. It was time for some "tough love."
Krieg stepped toward BF-34, a relatively new model. He reached for the manual firing lever.
「Hey! Wait! Don't just touch—!」
BOOM!
Krieg pulled the lever. The cannon roared, and the shell whistled directly toward where Franky was standing.
「FRANKY!!」 Iceburg screamed.
Franky instinctively threw his arms up and squeezed his eyes shut, braced for the end. But the explosion happened right in front of him.
When the smoke cleared, he saw the broad, muscular back of Rear Admiral Krieg. Krieg had intercepted the blast, his armored mantle smoking slightly.
Krieg turned around slowly, his expression grim.
「Now, Franky. Imagine this.」
Krieg's voice was low and steady. 「Suppose a group of people came to this island looking for scrap wood. They find your ships.
They start playing around, and one of them pulls the lever—just like I did. But this time, there's no one there to stop the shell. It hits their friend.
One man is dead, and the other has to live the rest of his life knowing he killed his comrade with a 'toy' he found on the beach.」
Krieg gestured to the unguarded fleet. 「Who is responsible? The man who pulled the lever? Or the man who left thirty-four loaded cannons in a public scrapyard?」
Franky's face went pale. The reality of his "hobby" hit him harder than the explosion. 「I... I didn't mean for...」
「Listen, Bakanky,」 Iceburg said softly, placing a hand on Franky's shoulder. 「No one is saying you have to stop building ships. But at least disable the weapons. Dismantle the firing pins. Please...」
「...Alright. I get it,」 Franky muttered, looking down at his feet, his bravado completely vanished.
「Good,」 Krieg said, turning back toward the Fine Izetta. 「Leaving high-powered weapons in a state where anyone can use them is a recipe for disaster.
If you need a hand with the heavy lifting, let me know.」
Krieg walked away, leaving the three shipwrights standing among the ruins of the BF fleet. He had successfully planted the seed of caution—hopefully enough to make Spandam's plan a lot harder to execute.