Everyone's ankles were submerged in filth.
Some people chose to escape it, while others chose to rot within it.
"Ah…!"
A peaceful sea, suddenly disturbed by an angry and dissatisfied roar.
On a broken ship,
Squelch!
Revy, drenched in sweat, shifted her firm hips, squeezing out the water that had soaked into her denim shorts.
She sat cross-legged on the deck as if completely unaware of her condition.
Turning her head, she saw Kisame lounging lazily on a beach chair, his silver teeth grinding audibly.
With a sharp smack, she threw the rag in her hand to the side, grabbed her hair, and shouted,
"I'm done! I quit! I'm not doing this anymore!"
After her outburst, she realized the guy hadn't reacted at all, which only made her puff up her cheeks in frustration.
"Hey, Kisame, let's just buy a new ship, okay?"
Four days had passed since the Arlong incident.
The weather had been sunny and calm throughout.
But the bloodstained deck, after days of exposure to sun and sea breeze, had started to emit a terrible stench—
Like a fish market—putrid and reeking of decay!
Kisame, having lived through the Blood Mist, wasn't bothered by it in the slightest.
But the other three couldn't stand it.
Faced with a table full of delicious food, their appetites had completely disappeared.
Especially at night, when the chilly sea wind howled through the ship's holes, creating an eerie, ghostly wail.
"No need for that!"
"Kizaru said the Navy will provide us with a warship."
"We'll just take this ship to the 'Water 7' that Zeff mentioned and get it repaired!"
"Repaired?"
Revy pointed at the gaping hole in the cabin. "You seriously think this wreck is worth fixing?"
"Also, did you know there are rats in the cabin?"
"One even crawled into my bed last night!"
"Heh, lucky rat," Kisame chuckled.
"Instead of complaining, why don't you catch the pervert that's been violating your bed?" he said, gazing at the sky.
Kisame had considered getting a new ship.
After all, something scavenged is never the same as something of your own.
Between the Heavenly Tribute they looted from Doflamingo and the treasures plundered from the Arlong Pirates,
They had amassed a fortune of 2 billion berries!
Damn… without even realizing it—
They had accomplished something Kakuzu hadn't managed in a lifetime!
Next time that guy gets summoned through Edo Tensei, will he come after me for this?
Sigh… Having money is such a hassle!
And… If the Navy finds out about this money, will they confiscate it?
After all, it wasn't exactly legally acquired!
"Damn it, should've asked Kizaru about this from the start!"
"Yeah! That bastard Kizaru still owes me money!"
"This is such a mess!"
He was never one to care about worldly matters, and yet here he was, worrying about the most mundane of things.
"Sanji! Hold it still for me!!"
BANG!
"You idiot, why are you dodging?!"
"Damn it… you nearly shot my foot off!"
Kisame had just closed his eyes when the gunshot jolted him awake.
Two figures—one small, one large
The small one wielded a wooden stick. The large one held two pistols.
Bang! Bang!
Muzzle flashes burst in rapid succession.
"You crazy violent woman!!"
"I'm right in front of you!"
With the gunfire still echoing, Sanji screamed in terror.
"Haha! Trust in my shooting skills, sweetheart!"
"See? Nailed it!"
Revy squatted down, prodding the seemingly lifeless rat with her gun barrel, laughing triumphantly.
Good grief.
Just for a single rat, she had already put several fresh bullet holes into the deck.
Kisame's eyes twitched as he glanced at the stiff corpse of the unfortunate rodent.
This girl clearly just wanted an excuse to get a new ship.
Today it was bullets—next time, she might start tossing grenades!
And if that happened, their entire fortune could go up in smoke.
———
After a whole morning of chaos—
Their treasure-laden wreck of a ship, carrying two billion berries worth of loot, finally arrived at Water 7.
The most renowned shipbuilding island in the first half of the Grand Line.
Gazing upon the hundreds of abandoned ships before him, Kisame's eyelids twitched.
"...Are you sure this is a shipyard and not a junkyard?"
"Hehe… Tom's Workers is one of the most famous shipbuilding companies in the Grand Line!"
"Don't sweat the small details," Zeff muttered beside him, his face flashing with awkwardness.
To be honest, he had only heard about Tom's Workers through rumors.
He definitely wasn't expecting this!
Their battered ship slowly docked, blending in perfectly with the surrounding wreckage—
As if it had always belonged there.
Kisame wasn't sure if he should laugh or cry.
Standing in the ruins, with not a single person in sight, he turned to Zeff with a frown.
"...Are you really sure this is a shipyard?"
"Uh… I-I think so?"
Even Zeff was uncertain, looking at the desolate surroundings.
He silently reminded himself: "Don't believe rumors. Don't spread rumors."
"Alright, let's check out that rundown shack over there."
Kisame scanned the area before striding toward a patched-up structure that could barely pass as a house.
Muttering under his breath, "This place… is even more pathetic than Hidden Grass Village."
"Damn it! The Rocketman still can't stop properly! It was so close!"
"Iceburg, stop slacking off, you bastard!"
"Screw you, Franky! You've got some nerve saying that—get over here so I can knock some sense into you!"
"Oh yeah?! Bring it on!"
"Hahaha! You guys are doing great—we're almost done building the Sea Train!"
"Hm?"
Just then, a round, burly Fishman suddenly sensed something.
Turning his head, he froze—
The same eyes. The same race.
"Hahaha! What a surprise… I didn't expect to meet a fellow Fishman!"
"A fellow Fishman?"
Kisame examined the man and, frankly, thought he looked better himself.
"That must be Tom, the shipwright."
"I heard he's the one who built the Pirate King's ship!" Zeff said, slightly awed by the massive Fishman.
"Pirate King?"
Kisame had been in this world for a while now. He was no longer clueless—he understood exactly what those words meant.
"Hey!!"
"Iceburg, look! That guy's a Fishman!"
"Damn it, Franky! Stop yelling! You're embarrassing the teacher!"
"Hahaha! Fellow Fishman, what brings you here?"
The round Fishman greeted Kisame warmly, his face beaming with friendliness.
"Tch!"
Kisame wasn't thrilled about having to look up at someone.
Unfazed by Tom's smile, he kept his face cold and said,
"My ship's busted. I need a—"
Mid-sentence, he suddenly remembered Revy's sharp-toothed grin and corrected himself.
"—Forget repairs. Just build me a brand-new one."
"Haha! So you need a new ship, huh?"
"You've come to the right person! I'm a top-tier shipwright!"
"But I might not have time right now."
"Still, since you're a fellow Fishman, let's at least check out your ship first."
Tom didn't seem to mind Kisame's cold demeanor at all, instead laughing heartily.
Seeing this, Kisame reevaluated his understanding of Fishmen.
So they're not all idiots like Arlong…
Without wasting any more words, they followed Tom toward the coast.
———
Standing at the shoreline, Tom examined the ship with a single glance and immediately noticed signs of battle damage.
"If you're in a hurry, I'd say you don't need a new ship."
"It just needs repairs and a fresh coat of paint!"
"Ah—"
"T-Treasure!!"
Suddenly, Franky, who had been inspecting the ship's keel, stumbled out of the cabin with wide eyes, shouting in shock:
"Master! Their ship's full of treasure!"
"It's stacked like a freaking mountain!"
"Damn it, Franky! I told you to check for damage, not loot the place!"
Hearing this, Tom immediately smacked Franky on the head with a heavy fist. Then, turning to Kisame, he gave a respectful bow and apologized:
"Mr. Kisame Hoshigaki, please forgive the boy's rudeness."
"I don't care. Just show me a new ship, and we're good."
If anyone fit the phrase "rich and reckless," it was Kisame.
Besides, he seriously doubted anyone had the guts to steal from him right under his nose.
And if someone did?
Well… that's what Samehada was for.
As they spoke, an unexpected group arrived on the island.
At the front was a scrawny man strutting like he owned the place.
"Commander Spandam, that's Tom's shipyard up ahead."
"Good. Everyone, follow me!"
"Make sure that old bastard hands over the 'Pluton Blueprints'!"
"Yes, sir!"
Spandam, head held high, exuding arrogance, led a squad of CP5 agents straight into the scrapyard—marching toward that rundown shack.
(End of Chapter)