"Yes, the ship was not finished back in Lake 4 when we had to set sail in some uncomfortable and heated circumstances, and so Hendricks recommended you and said you are the best builder alive and that you can build a ship that can survive the waters of the Grand Line and beyond. I am to travel and see all the wonders it has to offer, and I need a ship to help me do that," replied Lucien.
"A ship to sail the Grand Line. That's quite a tall ask. The Grand Line might seem small compared to the Blues because of its narrow stretch, but trust me, the environment and conditions a ship encounters can change completely from island to island. You seem to have come straight here after crossing the Reverse Mountain. Alright, tell me your budget, and I'll tell you if you have enough, because even with a discount, I can't take losses on the raw materials for a ship like that."
"We have 70 million berries to put towards the ship."
As soon as he heard the amount, Tom's eyebrows dropped, and his expression turned serious, his fingers tapping the desk before he replied, "That's not enough. That amount is barely sufficient for the wood alone, Treasure Tree Adam. We would need at least 150 million berries to build a proper ship that can handle the Grand Line without issue. It could be even more depending on the firepower and custom additions you would want once we sit down to plan it."
Lucien's brows dropped as well when he heard the figure. That kind of money was impossible for him to gather at this point, and they could not keep taking risks with their current ship. When he had set out for this island, he had decided he would be leaving it on a brand new vessel.
"150 million? Are you building it out of gold?" exclaimed Law.
"Treasure Tree Adam is the type of wood your ship needs to be built from if you want to survive what the Grand Line throws at you. It gets even more extreme once you cross the Red Line into the New World, where the real dangers begin. It grows only in certain places and in limited quantities, and if you want to get your hands on it you need to have the money to match," explained Tom.
"Alright. This is the amount we have for now. Help us build a ship within this budget that can survive the first half of the Grand Line and what it has to offer. We can come back and upgrade when we are ready to enter the New World," decided Lucien. There was nothing he could do about it, and since the New World was still a long way off, it made more sense to get a capable ship now and upgrade later when the money was there.
"Alright, it's decided then. We will build the best ship we can within the budget you have given us. Don't worry, even with this amount, we'll put together something good enough to hold its own against even some of the ships in the New World," assured Tom.
Lucien nodded, but before he could say anything, Tom continued.
"But it will not be me building your ship. It will be my two apprentices, Iceburg and Franky," announced Tom.
"Master, MY NAME IS CUTTY FLAM, NOT FRANKY. But are we really building a pirate ship of that quality by ourselves?" exclaimed Franky, and even Iceburg stared at Tom with wide eyes. Lucien didn't bother to react and just continued looking at Tom with quiet amusement.
Tom looked at Lucien and said, "You see, I am busy," sweeping his hand across the blueprints on the desk and then towards the large one on the wall, "I do not have enough time to pause all of this and build your ship at the moment. But do not worry. Even though the two of them can seem a little idiotic at times, when they work together? I am confident they can build a better ship than even I could right now, and if it puts your mind at ease, I will personally oversee the planning and design portion. If you are unsatisfied with the results, I will give you a full refund. That is my guarantee."
Lucien looked at him, then towards the two kids who were now staring back at him with practically stars shooting out of their eyes, before saying, "Sure. If you feel that confident about them, I'll trust the world's best shipbuilder and put my ship in the hands of the kids. But please do remember your promise at the end. If they do not deliver a ship I am satisfied with, I will be expecting that refund."
Tom laughed as he stood up and said, "Oh, don't worry. These two are the best of the bunch. I have complete faith in them."
Lucien nodded, and his gaze drifted once more towards the large blueprint on the wall. The curiosity that had been building inside him finally won out. "What exactly are you building? It is enormous. Is it even a ship?"
Tom also turned towards the blueprint and responded, "Oh, that is no ship. It is a train. A sea train, one that will run on water. That is what I am building."
Lucien's eyes went wide. He knew what trains were, but one that ran on water? It sounded absurd, but seeing the immense confidence on Tom's face, he just smiled and said, "Best of luck."
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