A week later, off the coast of Banana Island in the New World, the Freewill slowly approached.
Both ends of the island curved sharply upward, making it look exactly like a giant banana boat floating on the sea.
In fact, it truly could be considered a banana boat, as its interior was completely hollow.
Legend had it that hundreds of years ago, the island didn't look like this at all. It was originally an elongated semi-circle. Later, the interior was excavated, and the exterior was sculpted into its current banana boat shape.
A river channel ran straight through the hollow interior from end to end. Viewed from the sky, it looked as if someone had sliced the banana boat in half with a single sword strike.
The town itself was built right into the steep cliff faces on either side of the river.
As the Freewill sailed through the river entrance, Allen and the others soon took in the sights inside.
It felt like they were at the bottom of a valley. Looking up along both sides of the river, they saw rows of houses clinging to the steep, curved cliffs.
Eight months ago, a Buster Call had been triggered at Water 7 because pirates attempted to resurrect the Ancient Weapon, Pluton.
Of course, that was just what the news reported. Allen had a pretty good idea of what had actually happened.
But regardless, Water 7 had sunk.
However, before the Buster Call was initiated, the Marines had evacuated the island's civilians using numerous refugee ships. Yes, there were refugee ships.
The same had been true during the Ohara incident, although Akainu had later ordered his soldiers to bombard the refugee ship.
This time, however, the Buster Call was led by Aokiji, so a tragedy like firing upon a ship full of civilians didn't occur. As a result, many people on the island survived, including the shipwrights.
Iceburg, the mayor of Water 7, was thrown into prison.
Then, about six months ago, shortly after the Summit War ended, a news report announced that the Galley-La Company was beginning its reconstruction here.
At the same time, Iceburg was released to continue working for the World Government.
Galley-La gathered a massive number of the world's top shipwrights and was the World Government's designated shipyard. It was no surprise that they managed to survive the storm and carry on.
After another two months, the company's reconstruction was complete.
Allen and his crew had visited here three months ago, purchasing six ships that were later used to form their Second and Third Fleets.
This time, they were naturally here to buy a few more ships to establish their Fourth and Fifth Fleets.
They also planned to inquire about the Sea Train project while they were at it.
Allen walked to the bow deck, watching the massive port slowly approaching ahead. Over a dozen ships were docked there—this was the Galley-La Company.
Before the Freewill even docked, shipwrights in the nearby open construction yard recognized them and hurriedly ran off to report their arrival.
By the time Allen and his crew secured the ship and stepped ashore, several shipwrights were already walking toward them from the yard.
The middle-aged man leading them wore a blue jumpsuit. His blond hair was slicked back, he wore orange goggles, and he had a cigar clamped between his teeth, sporting an arrogant expression.
This was one of Galley-La's foremen, the Rigging Specialist Paulie. He stopped in front of Allen, planted his hands on his hips, raised his chin, and asked,
"Hey, what's your business here?"
"We came to a shipyard to buy ships, obviously. Did you think we came to see you? Take me to Iceburg."
Allen replied dismissively, stepping forward to head toward a villa deep within the construction yard.
Paulie raised a hand to block his path. With a firm gaze, he stated bluntly,
"Hold on. It's too dangerous for someone like you to meet the boss. If you're just here to do business, you can talk to me."
"You know I'm dangerous, yet you still stand in my way. Aren't you afraid?"
Allen looked Paulie up and down with amusement. The corners of his mouth curled up as he said,
"Forget it, talking to you is fine too. I want to buy a Sea Train and lay down a few tracks. Give me a proposal."
"For a Sea Train, one would cost..."
Paulie blurted out, ready to give a quote, but the words died in his throat. A stunned look washed over his face.
"Hah! You want to buy a Sea Train?!"
Once it registered, Paulie's jaw practically hit the floor. He stared at Allen with wide, incredulous eyes.
Allen crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at Paulie with a cold smirk.
"What, do you think I can't afford it?"
A while later...
"That expensive! Hey, are you kidding me? Twenty billion Berries isn't even enough to build a few routes!"
Inside the villa deep within the shipyard, in the general manager's office, Allen sat behind a desk, glaring indignantly at the quotation sheet.
Not far away, Iceburg sat on a sofa with his legs crossed. His face was calm, almost devoid of expression, as his index finger continuously teased the head of the hamster in his suit's breast pocket.
"Unfortunately, many of our tools were destroyed in Water 7. Otherwise, the cost could be reduced significantly."
"The construction cost of a Sea Train itself isn't that expensive—it's roughly the same as a high-spec Marine warship. What's expensive is laying the aquatic tracks, or more accurately, the Seastone installed on the tracks."
"Without it, the tracks would constantly be destroyed by Sea Kings. If operations had to be suspended every few days, no one would choose to use the Sea Train."
Saying this, Iceburg looked up at Allen and said flatly,
"I'm curious. Why would a pirate want this? Does taking a Sea Train make robbing people faster?"
"Robbing?"
Allen shot him a glance, his expression odd. "Then I wouldn't be a pirate, I'd be a train robber. Your thought process is certainly novel."
"I'm buying the Sea Train to open up transportation between the territories under my banner."
"Why? Isn't sailing enough?"
Iceburg couldn't help but ask, puzzled.
Allen lit a cigar, reached out to pull an unused ashtray from the corner of the desk, and slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke. After taking a drag, he finally spoke.
"It's for business. The Sea Train is fast, stable, minimally affected by weather, and doesn't rely on wind direction. These are flaws that ships can never overcome."
"I saw it firsthand back in the City of the Spring Queen. The Sea Train has a massive impact on trade between islands. As a shipwright, you definitely understand the importance of transportation better than I do."
"The Grand Line has extreme climates, making navigation incredibly inconvenient. Just imagine what it would look like if this technology were applied to every island across the entire Grand Line."
Hearing Allen's words, Iceburg's face remained calm. He stayed silent for a moment before suddenly saying,
"It's hard to imagine those words coming from a pirate rather than a politician. Mr. Tom once said something similar. I've envisioned it countless times myself, and then I gave up."
"Why?"
"Because I didn't just imagine that beautiful scene; I also thought about how to make it a reality. I thought about it over and over, and finally realized it was simply impossible."
Iceburg answered Allen's question.
He stood up and walked over to the wall, where a massive world map hung.
Iceburg stared blankly at the Grand Line on the map and murmured,
"First is the cost, or more accurately, the Seastone problem. The amount of Seastone needed to lay tracks across the entire Grand Line is incalculable. Where would we even get it?"
"The second problem is the unpredictable and dangerous waters. You know how bizarre the ocean currents in the Grand Line can be. Manufacturing the tracks is simple, but laying them down is far from easy."
"Even if they were successfully laid, what about the long-term maintenance?"
Iceburg turned back to look at Allen, a hint of melancholy in his eyes. For the first time, his face showed some emotion as he shook his head and smiled helplessly.
"I know how unrealistic this dream is, because I've truly thought it through."
Hearing this, Allen wasn't disappointed in the slightest. Instead, he stroked his chin and began to think seriously.
"I actually have a way to deal with the Seastone. As for the ocean currents..."
"Would highly accurate nautical charts help?"
Allen suddenly asked.
Hearing this, Iceburg couldn't help but freeze. Looking at Allen's demeanor, could he actually be serious?
"They would help to some extent, but it depends on the specific information in the charts."
Iceburg said blankly, before suddenly realizing something. He rushed forward, slammed both hands on the desk, and demanded,
"Wait a minute, did you just say you have a way to solve the Seastone problem? That's strictly controlled by the World Government! How are you going to..."
"Oh, please. Even the World Government has to trade with Kaido for Seastone. They might be able to control others, but can they control the Four Emperors?"
Allen shrugged, spreading his hands.
Wano Country was rich in Seastone and possessed the technology to process it.
The World Government coveted it desperately, but what could they do? They still had to obediently do business with Kaido.
Of course, Allen didn't have the power to attack Wano Country right now either, but it wasn't like he needed to cover the entire New World in Sea Train tracks immediately.
With Doffy acting as Kaido's middleman, buying a few batches of Seastone through his channels was entirely doable.
For the Sea Train project, Allen only needed to set it up across a portion of the islands in his territory for now. That would be enough for the short term.
After briefly explaining this to Iceburg, Allen smiled and continued,
"Let me show you the nautical charts hand-drawn by our navigator first. It might just be a pleasant surprise."
A short while later, Allen had Nami pick out a few of her previously drawn charts and bring them over.
Iceburg only looked at the first one before he became completely engrossed, unable to stop. He focused entirely on the charts, completely forgetting that Allen and Nami were standing right next to him.
"What should we do? Are we just going to wait here?"
Nami turned her head and whispered to Allen.
Allen shrugged. "Who knows how long he'll be looking at them. Let's go for a stroll in town. Come to think of it, it's been a really long time since I took you on a date."
"As if I'd go on a date with you."
Nami rolled her eyes at him in exasperation and turned to walk out the door. "Come shopping with me. I'll pick out a few new outfits for you while we're at it."
"Tch, what a garbage project."
Allen muttered with a look of disdain...
...as he obediently followed behind Nami.
...
It wasn't until evening that Allen and Nami returned to the office, carrying bags of various sizes from their shopping spree.
"You're back. Please, have a seat."
Iceburg gestured for them to sit on the sofa. He walked over to his desk, picked up a document, and joined them, sitting in a single armchair nearby.
"I've reviewed your charts. They are exceptionally well-drawn. Even the details of the sea regions passed during the voyage are meticulously annotated. This will be a massive help in laying the Sea Train tracks."
Iceburg said as he handed over the document.
Taking the document, Allen couldn't help but feel pleased. He chuckled,
"Does this mean there's hope for my project after all?"
"If you truly have a way to acquire enough Seastone, then yes. Galley-La can take on this project."
Iceburg nodded, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
"That document is a proposal I drafted this afternoon regarding the concept of building a maritime railway network across your territories."
"Three main lines will run parallel to the Grand Line, which can be extended further as your territory expands in the future. Five branch lines will intersect the various nodes on the main lines, forming a massive railway network."
"Of course, we can only begin implementing one main line and two branch lines for now. Excluding the cost of Seastone, twenty billion Berries will only cover that much."
"I've selected two highly profitable routes for you. The key islands covered either deal in trade goods that require fast shipping or have thriving tourism industries."
"In short, they are islands that will see a significant economic boost from the Sea Train. All you need to do is provide the Seastone; you can leave the rest entirely to us."
As he spoke, Iceburg's expression suddenly turned serious.
"Your funds can only cover one main route for now, but Galley-La can finance the construction of the other two. I want to invest in this project."
"Oh?"
Allen was somewhat surprised to hear this.
Before he could speak, Iceburg continued,
"You must have heard about what happened in Water 7. Even though I've been released by the World Government, it doesn't mean I've gained my freedom."
"To be precise, I've merely been moved to a larger, more comfortable prison cell. I've barely stepped out of the shipyard for the past six months, and the surrounding area is constantly monitored by a large number of agents."
"While my current situation is quite nice—a luxurious soft bed, a large sofa, and fine wine available at any time—it still isn't freedom."
"If I want to accomplish anything else, I have no choice but to rely on external forces outside the World Government's jurisdiction."
Iceburg locked eyes with Allen and earnestly revealed his true plan.
"We will jointly provide the initial capital. Moving forward, you only need to handle the Seastone. Galley-La will provide the technology and labor, and I will take charge of the Sea Train's operations and management."
"We'll have the islands along the routes help bear the expansion costs. You won't need to pressure them; I will negotiate with their administrators personally. The Sea Train will bring immense economic benefits to their islands, so I believe many will agree."
"Allen, do you remember what you said this afternoon?"
Iceburg pressed his hands onto the table, gazing at Allen with urgency.
"When maritime navigation is no longer an obstacle to human connection, what will the world look like? You want to see that sight too, don't you?"
"Uh, not really."
Allen shook his head calmly. Under Iceburg's astonished gaze, he grinned and said,
"I just said that to string you along. My actual thought process is that if my territories develop better, I can collect more money."
"Of course, even though our ultimate goals differ, what we need to do is exactly the same. Therefore..."
"I agree to let you invest in this project. You realize your ambitions, and I make my money."
Allen handed the document—which he hadn't even glanced at—back to Iceburg and chuckled.
"You build a beautiful world, and I'll enjoy that beautiful world. We both want the future to be beautiful, and that's enough."
"I'll leave the twenty billion Berries here. Professional matters should be handled by professionals. I'm leaving the Sea Train project entirely in your hands."
"I'm heading back to eat. Bring some people to my ship later to make copies of the charts. We can discuss the rest then."
Allen said as he stood up.
After leaving Iceburg's office, Nami caught up to him from behind.
"Allen, isn't this a bit too reckless?"
Allen glanced back at her and chuckled.
"Are you talking about Iceburg? Don't worry. That guy's moral compass is so straight it's almost twisted. He will always do what he believes is right."
"No, I'm talking about you. Where are you planning to buy the Seastone?"
Nami gave him a deadpan stare and said coldly,
"Leaving twenty billion Berries here, and using the rest to buy ships... We don't have any money left on the ship."
"..."
Allen froze and stopped in his tracks.
No money.
What an unfamiliar phrase.
"Have Sanji take some men and occupy Glass Island according to the original plan. I'm going to the backup vault to withdraw some cash."
"Backup vault? Are you leaving? Wait a minute, since when do we have a backup vault?"
Nami looked bewildered. Was this guy secretly hiding a stash of money behind her back?
Allen smiled and pointed a finger up at the sky.
"Sky Island. With all that gold, even if we exchange it for Seastone at a one-to-one ratio, that's still hundreds or thousands of tons. Just wait for me to go grab some."
Jokes aside, if he ever ran out of money in this lifetime, he'd be an absolute loser.