The trio shot an unbelievable glare at the Sea Train with tears sliding down their cheeks as the silhouette faded into the distance sea.
"How the hell is a train moving on the sea water?"
"Does the train possess a devil fruit allowing it to move on sea?"
This is crazy!
"A sea rail? How'd they build that?" Gojo swallowed, pointing a finger at the sea, where the crew saw the rail underneath the water the train had moved on.
"That's cool."
Jake cleared his throat simultaneously, sliding a cigar on lips while igniting it with his expensive lighter he'd purchased way back.
"Let's keep sailing. We'll reach our destination in a jiffy." He puffed out a ring-shaped smoke, claiming his seat at the front of the helm. He steered the ship, keeping the speed at a despicable motion on the calm waters.
The breeze blew aggressively for a while until it subsided and became calm while the waters roared vividly.
"What's that?" Ryken lodged his hands right above his brows, catching a better glimpse at the structure ahead of them.
"Are you kidding me? Isn't that a station sanctioned at the sea?" Gojo chucked, static to aggravate and absolve what his eyes are exhibiting.
"You'll never get bored at sea." Jake whispered, steering the ship towards the sea station.
On the nearby station sanctioned at sea, they met an old hag alongside a kid and something else…weird.
"Hey!" The old hag waved, her face brimming with a smile.
Jake extracted his cigar. "Ryu, I think she's into you." He smirked, a little vein throbbing on Ryuken's neck.
"Huh? I'll cleave you in two, smoke-freak."
Both argued for a while before revising their attention at the old woman waving at them. "So? Who the hell are you?" Jake scoffed.
"You youngsters could call me Kokoro," she winked, "this is my granddaughter over here."
"Chimney here!" She exclaimed with a wave, "this is Gonbe, my rabbit pet!" The pet waved while Chimney embraced her with a wide smile, definitely enjoying her time together with her grandmother who looked weird.
Gojo raised his hands. "Excuse me, Kokoro, are you perhaps the one who created the sea train?"
She laughed, "you liked it, huh?"
"Who wouldn't? It's awesome!"
She laughed again. "I get that. Well, I am actually not the one who built it."
"For real?"
She shot them a glare for a minute. "Yes. The Sea Train actually connects several of the nearby islands and it is called the Puffing Tom. Thinking of it, aren't you marine officers here to fix your ship?"
"Yes we do. Could you help us with any information regarding the help of someone?"
"Sure. After getting to Water 7 with the help of your Log Pose, ask for a man called Iceburg, he'll help you fix your ship. You shouldn't be wasting your time talking with an old lady like me. Now, get going."
"Oh, okay," Jake murmured, "by the way, the Sea Train ran into a strange frog we saw earlier."
"You mean, Yokozuna? Don't worry, he's fine." Granny Kokoro muttered.
"He's fine? After getting jammed by a sea train moving at a high speed?"
"Don't worry about it, marines. Yokozuna is probably fine. He's just testing its strength against the sea train." Chimney hummed.
"That frog is super crazy. Anyways, thanks for your time, granny Kokoro. We'll be on our way."
"Safe trip, nice marines."
Jake piloted the ship into motion, keeping the ship on tracks, wary of the direction the Log Pose indicated. "She called us nice marines."
The ship navigated through the waters until Water 7 came into view.
"Water 7," Jake smirked, "we made it!"
Water 7 is a city built on canals, like a floating maze of streets made of water instead of stone. Boats glide quietly under arched bridges that connect the tall, narrow buildings on either side. The buildings are made of brick, stone, and wood, with pointed roofs, chimneys, and balconies overflowing with flowers or laundry.
The smell of saltwater mixes with sawdust and fresh paint from the shipyards, and the air is filled with the sound of hammering, shouting, and splashing as workers repair ships or build new ones.
The canals are the lifeblood of the city. Gondolas, small cargo boats, and curious little water taxis move people and goods along the water. Stone bridges rise gracefully over the canals, some lined with lanterns that glow warmly at night, reflecting in the rippling water below. The city is alive and bustling, yet strangely charming—there is beauty in the chaos of hammers striking metal, the squeak of cranes, and the laughter of children playing near the docks.
Shipyards dominate much of the waterfront, stretching for city blocks. Massive wooden vessels are suspended in dry docks, surrounded by cranes, ropes, and workers carrying planks and barrels. The smell of tar and oil drifts from these areas, mixing with the aroma of bread from small bakeries and cafes tucked into quieter streets.
Residential areas are cozier, with narrow alleys between buildings, balconies overlooking the canals, and tiny docks where residents tie up their small boats. Markets are colorful and lively, overflowing with fish, fabrics, tools, and other goods. Everywhere you look, there is movement: people hurrying along the bridges, merchants calling out, children chasing each other along the water's edge.
Water 7 is beautiful at night. Lanterns glow from windows and bridges, reflecting in the still water and turning the canals into rivers of light. The city seems to breathe with life—the hum of shipbuilding, the laughter of families, the gentle lapping of water against the boats—creating a unique blend of industrious energy and romantic charm.
A smile crept on their face, taking a better glimpse at the azure Water 7 in front of them. Jake slid a cigar into his mouth, piloting the marine warship into the nearby shore before dropping the anchor.
"It's adventure time." Gojo's eyes gleamed with excitement as he sprang upward into a front flip, landing cleanly on both feet like Spiderman.
"Hey, Gojo. Why don't we wander together and look for the shipwrights first?"
The mood draped downward. "We've got a lot of time, why don't we do that later?"
Jake bit his cigar, "listen up fools, if we don't find the shipwrights first, how the hell are we to know the exact sum of money we'll need in order to afford a new vessel?" He strayed his hands down his waist.
Gojo and Ryuken, who might've shared the same brain cell, shot a glare at each other, nodding simultaneously. "I think you're absolutely right. We should probably find the shipwrights first, right? Haha." The duo laughed, not really bothered about tracking the shipwrights as soon as possible since they'll be staying at the island for approximately some weeks.
"Get your shit together guys, remember we are currently wanted criminals so we'll need to obscure ourselves as much as possible in order not to attract the marines or get ourselves into meaningless trouble. Is that understood?"
"Roger that."
Gojo whistled, rolling his eyes and lips sideways. "Don't get into trouble. Okay."
"Now that's what I'm talking about. Let's go!"
A figure leaped above the tall buildings, its shadow reflecting on the floor inciting Gojo to take a quick glimpse at the silhouette before it fades away.
'Did I just see someone with a long square-ish nose?' He wondered to himself.
"What kind of procedure should we use to welcome them?" He smirked. "Didn't expect them to be conspicuously agile. It might get interesting." The figure whispered to himself, leaping through buildings with a despicable motion.
The trio swayed through the streets of Water 7 although they'd asked some folks for the whereabouts of the greatest shipwrights which they directed them.
"Iceburg, huh? I wonder if he'll get us a ship if he does find out we are pirates."
"He should. We'll be honest and say we were directed to him by the old hag, Kokoro. It seems they might've known each other in some way."
"Well, I hope it goes smoothly. And besides, we'll have to find a job or seek out a way to earn money for the ship."
"If that's the case, why don't we camp here for at least a month if we decided to seek a lot of money?"
"That's better. I'm tired of being a broke-ass pirate."
"That's why we've got to put a lot of work into it. Let's grind hard since we're currently here in Water 7. Although, I feel this island has some kind of strange aura emanating through the air." Gojo laments.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"I mean, this island might hold a very displicable amount of information about the world and meanwhile, it does seem like an ordinary island where everyone lives a peaceful life without violence or some sort."
"Look who spilled out some wisdom."
Oi.
"Hey hey, excuse me miss. Could you help pinpoint the location of the shipwright's whereabouts? I'm looking for a certain man."
The stranger stopped, "who might that be?" She asked.
"Iceburg-san. We heard he's a first class master shipwright."
The stranger's face lit up in amazement now realizing these people were strangers coming to fix their ship or obtain a brand vessel. "Everyone here on this island knows about him. He's rare to find considering he has got other talented shipwrights working under him."
"Really? That's really great."
The trio and the stranger exchanged some chatter for an extent until she spilled out the base of the shipwright's operation.
"We do appreciate your help, miss. Thanks for the information."
"Don't worry about it. You're welcome here." She dismissed herself from the trio wandering through an alleyway alongside a tall bricked structure with a wide grin plastered on her face.
****
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