Chapter 190: Plan One
Amid the surging tsunami, a ship drifted atop the waves.
It swayed dangerously, tossed from side to side as if the sea might overturn it at any moment. Yet no matter how the waves struck, it stubbornly stayed afloat.
From inside the ship, a sigh sounded.
"It's started."
The sigh came from Axel.
He had been waiting aboard this ship for quite some time, all for the moment when Aqua Laguna would strike. Naturally, after waiting so long, he had grown a little tired.
The tsunami itself had been within his expectations.
Tsunamis were caused by undersea earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or meteorological changes. All of those could disturb magnetic fields. By sensing those changes and using his Calculation Power, Axel had been able to deduce when the tsunami would arrive and arrange this competition in advance.
The reason he stayed aboard was simple.
He had to make sure the ship could continue forward through a tsunami like this.
This ship did not rely on exquisite craftsmanship. It did not have a navigator with masterful sailing skills either. In truth, aside from its impressive exterior, the rest had been thrown together by Tom in a hurry. It probably could not even be called a particularly good ship.
The reason it could sail through Aqua Laguna was Axel's ability.
He continuously maintained the direction of the ship's buoyancy upward. Even when struck by the tsunami, the ship could still ride through the waves instead of being swallowed.
The vessel shook violently in the wind and rain, but Axel inside barely felt anything.
Instead, he muttered to himself.
"Water 7 has lived by shipbuilding for generations. Even if Pluton has vanished into history and only legends remain, the greatest work in Water 7's history would never be completely forgotten."
He looked toward the storm outside.
"Many shipwrights grew up hearing stories about that super battleship. So, when they discover that Pluton is in the hands of the World Government, what will they do?"
Sure enough, Spandam was not the only one who recognized the ship's resemblance to Pluton.
Some of Water 7's residents recognized it as well.
"That... is that Pluton?" someone asked.
Another person immediately mocked him. "What nonsense are you saying? Pluton is the greatest legendary ship. Didn't it disappear into history long ago? How could it..."
The man turned his head as he spoke.
Then he saw the ship charging across the tsunami.
The rest of his words died in his throat.
"Is it really Pluton?"
"It really does look like it."
The crowd began talking all at once.
People loved a spectacle. The louder the chatter became, the more people it attracted. The news spread quickly, drawing over several respected old shipwrights of Water 7, along with Iceburg, whose reputation had recently grown because of his character and shipbuilding skill.
The old shipwrights stared at the ship and vaguely felt there was no mistake.
But Pluton had vanished from history.
Who would dare guarantee that this was truly it?
In the end, they all shook their heads.
Someone then said, "Mr. Iceburg was Mr. Tom's finest apprentice. Perhaps he knows something."
Just like that, everyone's attention shifted to Iceburg.
Iceburg himself had been startled the moment he saw the ship.
Not for any other reason.
Its appearance was clearly Pluton.
He had seen the blueprints before, so of course he could confirm it.
But hadn't the blueprints been burned?
Could it be...
Before Iceburg could finish thinking, someone interrupted him.
"Mr. Iceburg, Mr. Tom was extremely knowledgeable and possessed incredible shipbuilding skill. He must have known what Pluton looked like. As his disciple, you should have heard something too, right?"
Iceburg pondered for a moment.
Just as everyone grew anxious for his answer, he spoke.
"That's right. That is Pluton."
The surrounding crowd fell silent.
Iceburg looked toward the ship riding atop Aqua Laguna.
"I once saw it in a ship encyclopedia Mr. Tom collected. There's no mistake. That is Pluton. Otherwise, what kind of ship could sail over the Water Gods?"
The tsunami did not disappear after one surge. Waves continued rolling in one after another.
Yet that ship remained firmly above them, moving at the very top as if completely unaffected.
With Iceburg's confirmation, and with the impossible sight of a ship sailing across Aqua Laguna before their eyes, more and more people began to believe it.
I've helped you this far. The rest is up to you.
Iceburg thought silently.
Now that the blueprints had been destroyed, the only people who still knew their contents were himself, Mr. Tom, and Axel.
There was no need to ask.
This ship was definitely that obnoxious brat's doing.
Iceburg was not stupid. On the contrary, he was very clever. Thinking back carefully, he had already realized that Axel had actually been helping them.
Unfortunately, that boy's attitude was just as irritating as Franky's. Add in the fact that Iceburg had been toyed with before, and of course he still felt a little disgruntled.
Even so, although he did not know what Axel was planning, if he could help, he would.
Consider it repayment.
Besides, he was not lying, was he?
The news spread.
In an instant, Water 7 was buzzing.
The pride of Water 7, missing for eight hundred years, had reappeared.
This piece of news carried too much weight. Countless people rushed out just to catch a glimpse of that ship. Their strange behavior drew the attention of others, and from there, the news spread even further.
Before long, it reached T-Bone, who was staying elsewhere.
"Pluton has reappeared!"
"Pluton has reappeared!"
Spandam cursed inwardly.
How did this news leak out?
The World Government's search for Pluton was classified information. In other words, it was something outsiders were not allowed to know.
Although what had appeared was only the shape of a ship, and it did not directly expose the World Government's search, once this news spread, Pluton would become a target for everyone.
After that, the World Government would no longer be able to search quietly.
It must be that brat!
Spandam was absolutely certain.
He wanted to report the situation to the World Government immediately, but the crowd was too dense. There was not a single quiet place to make a report safely. He could only wait until things calmed down, find a secluded spot, and contact them then.
Otherwise, the intelligence might leak even further.
"Pluton? What is that?" one of the Enies Lobby Marines asked.
A Marine in charge of intelligence answered, "Pluton is the legendary super battleship. It is said to be capable of destroying an entire island with a single strike."
"An island with one strike?"
The Marine who had asked swallowed.
At that point, could it still be called a ship?
That was a superweapon beyond the era itself.
Was that what they had been looking for?
"Then why did a legendary battleship become the target of our search this time?"
"Do you even need to ask?" Spandam snapped irritably. "It's obviously that cunning brat's scheme!"
This time, no one refuted him.
Not even Captain T-Bone.
If that ship truly was Pluton, then this search had become far too dangerous.
If outsiders discovered that Enies Lobby's Marines were searching for Pluton, what would people think?
"I do not know what is happening," T-Bone said, his expression solemn, "but we must confirm the situation with the San Faldo Marines and demand an explanation."
As he spoke, a brilliant light suddenly illuminated the island covered by the tsunami.
It was a straight beam that pierced across the sky, thick and majestic, like a light of salvation cutting through the dark clouds.
Everyone's attention was drawn to that beam streaking through the storm.
.....
[If you don't want to wait for the next update, read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon.]
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