This was exactly the reaction Iceburg had hoped to see.
Once the ship was securely moored, Iceburg personally lowered the gangplank and stood at the far end, waiting for El to disembark.
Surrounded by his crew, El walked down toward the bridge.
"Welcome, Mr. El! I trust the negotiations with the Marine leadership went well?"
"The gates of Water 7 are now fully open to you. From this day onward, we place ourselves under your protection, Mr. El!"
Iceburg extended his hand, formally and respectfully expressing his submission.
El shook his hand and smiled.
"Iceburg, no need to be so formal. Rest assured—my word is my bond."
"You will continue to govern Water 7 as before. I am merely its nominal owner. There will be no more CP9 agents interfering here."
"The World Government and those Marines won't dare disturb the peace of this city ever again."
El was remarkably approachable—nothing like the villainous figure the Marine newspapers portrayed him as. And he certainly never looked down on anyone.
Even when facing opponents who were vastly weaker than him, El never underestimated them.
It was precisely this attitude that elevated his charisma, and why so many who were defeated by him willingly chose to serve under him.
Back when the Rocks Pirates were formed, most members had gathered solely for their own gain.
No one felt responsible for their crewmates, nor did they offer loyalty to one another.
But things were different on El's ship.
He genuinely cared for his subordinates, and he would never tolerate anyone harming his crew.
He would not hesitate to stand against the World Government or the entire Marine fleet if it meant protecting them.
With such sincere devotion to his men, how could he not command their unwavering support?
"Mr. El, your breadth of vision is truly beyond my expectation. You carry none of the arrogance of a Sea Emperor."
"You remind me of someone my master once told me about... Gol D. Roger."
Roger and El had lived in the same era. Now Roger was gone, yet El still stood here, displaying his immense power to the world.
"Roger was a good man, I'll give him that. But far too stubborn. He insisted on chasing those ideals of his age."
"Even giving up his life, he refused to turn back. A total fool, really."
Though El spoke dismissively, Iceburg could see clearly that he held Roger in high regard.
After their brief conversation, they headed to the finest restaurant in Water 7.
As the new master of the city, El was shown every possible respect.
Iceburg was deeply shaken by El's words.
El was already a figure of unmatched power. In his eyes, other strong men of his generation should have been seen merely as rivals—hardly worthy of praise.
Yet El had spoken of Roger with such respect.
His tolerance and magnanimity were far greater than Iceburg had imagined.
Having someone like him claim Water 7 as his territory might not be such a bad thing after all.
Later, during the celebratory feast, a commotion broke out at the entrance of the grand hall.
"What's that noise outside? Did someone dare come looking for trouble the moment Captain El arrived?"
Donquixote Doflamingo spoke with annoyance.
Not all of El's crew had come to Water 7. Only Crocodile and Doflamingo accompanied him this time.
Doflamingo was eager to prove his worth, ensuring Crocodile didn't take all the spotlight.
If anyone was foolish enough to make trouble now, he intended to step forward immediately and handle it for El.
"What is going on out there?"
Iceburg frowned and questioned his attendants.
This was absolutely not the time for troublemakers.
They had finally secured a chance for stability. If something went wrong now and El's men were forced to act...
No matter how much respect Iceburg had, El wouldn't hesitate to take action if the situation demanded it.
"Mr. Iceburg, Captain El... it's the members of the Franky Family. They've gathered outside, and it seems they want..."
"Oh? Are they here to cause me trouble?" El asked, curious.
He hadn't had much contact with Franky personally, though he had seen him a few times during the Summit War.
Why would his subordinates come looking for him now?
If this was about revenge, there was no reason for it. El had never fought against the Straw Hats during the war.
If anything, he had actually saved their lives.
From every angle, the Franky Family had no reason to be hostile toward him.
"Let them come up. If they want to see me, there's no harm in it." El said decisively.
He had already reasoned it all out; meeting them wouldn't hurt.
"Captain El, if you'd rather not see them, I can send them away immediately. I doubt they have anything important to say." Iceburg offered cautiously.
El knew very well about the friendship between Iceburg and Franky. Iceburg was only worried that Franky's crew might say something foolish and anger El.
El laughed and waved his hand.
"Do I look that terrifying? Relax. I know exactly what they mean to you."
"I won't make things difficult for them... even if they are here to make trouble."
Crocodile and Doflamingo didn't look quite so relaxed.
El might choose not to strike back, but as his subordinates, how could they stand by and watch their leader be provoked?
No matter what happened, they would step in and make sure anyone causing trouble paid the price.
But El silenced them with a sharp look, signaling clearly that he wanted no fighting. They immediately understood his meaning and returned to their meal.
Crocodile and Doflamingo might be ruthless and violent to the outside world, but in El's presence, they were unusually obedient.
They never overstepped the boundaries El set, always following his orders exactly.
Subordinates like that made El's life much easier.
Guided by Iceburg's men, the Franky Family members entered the dining hall one by one.
"Mr. El! It really is him!"
"Exactly like he looked in the global broadcast!"
"Mr. El! We've come to pledge our loyalty to you!"
"You saved our boss during the war! The entire Franky Family wants to serve you!"
"We hope you won't turn us away, Boss El! We're the best shipwrights you'll ever find!"
They were loud and chaotic, but El understood exactly what they were saying.
Just as he suspected, they weren't here to make trouble. They had come to repay a debt of gratitude—which made perfect sense.
He had saved the Straw Hats, Franky included.
Without even realizing it, he had saved Franky's life. That was why they had come.
But El only accepted those who were truly capable. Mere loyalty wasn't enough.
"Hahaha! So that's what this is about! You rushed here so fast, I thought you were coming to challenge me!"
"Shipwrights... well, it's true we're short on good ones."
"But tell me—are you really as skilled as you say?"
El couldn't help but be skeptical.
Franky's skills were unquestionable. But El had his doubts about the rest of the family.
"These guys might look unreliable, but they really do know their trade."
"Their boss, Franky, is my junior apprentice brother—and the shipwright for the Straw Hat Pirates."
"Mr. El, if you're willing to give them a chance, you can trust their skill completely."
Iceburg spoke up for the Franky Family, vouching for their abilities.
Ever since Franky left Water 7, his crew had been working under Iceburg's guidance.
Now that a far greater opportunity had presented itself, Iceburg wanted to help them seize it.
"Since you say so, Iceburg... Doflamingo, take them under your command."
"You don't have many shipwrights on your ship, do you? This is the perfect chance to fill that gap."
El had no intention of placing them on his own flagship, but they were more than welcome aboard the support vessels.
The more skilled shipwrights he had, the stronger and more versatile his fleet would become.
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