Chapter 199: News of Treasure Tree Adam
Tom and Theodore held very different views on shipbuilding, and because of that, the two had started arguing.
They were so absorbed in the discussion that neither of them noticed when Axel pushed the door open.
"Ahem. Ahem, ahem."
Axel coughed several times, interrupting the two men just as they were about to dive deeper into the argument.
Only then did Tom and Theodore notice him.
"Can't you see we're at a critical point?" Theodore complained. "Why are you coughing? Interrupting people out of nowhere isn't a good habit."
Tom truly lived up to his reputation as the world's greatest shipwright. In many areas, he was far superior to Theodore.
This exchange was undoubtedly important to Theodore. Even though Axel had helped him, Theodore was still unwilling to be disturbed at a moment like this.
Tom was the same.
Although the influence of Water 7's shipwrights could be seen behind many Marine warship designs, including Theodore's, since he was also from Water 7, every shipwright had their own perspective.
Especially after Theodore had worked for the Marines for so many years, his accumulated experience in shipbuilding was quite rich.
Tom would not dismiss him simply because they disagreed. On the contrary, he enjoyed absorbing those different experiences.
Naturally, he did not want the discussion interrupted either.
Seeing the two of them look so unwelcome, Axel froze for a moment.
Was this his house or theirs?
Why did it feel like the guests were about to kick out the host?
"This is my house, you know. Are you two planning to spend the night here?"
"It was just a joke," Theodore said. "Why take it so seriously?"
After Axel said that, Theodore glanced outside.
It was already around three or four in the afternoon. He still needed to return to his shop, so he turned to Axel and said, "Then I'll come back tomorrow."
"Tomorrow probably won't work," Axel said. "I have something to handle and need to head out. Since I'm going out to sea, I have to take Tom with me."
Going out to sea to handle official business sounded strange coming from a child's mouth.
Only then did Theodore remember that although the child before him was young, he was already a Marine captain.
Moreover, Theodore had heard that during Axel's time in office, the boy had made quite a name for himself. He just did not know the details because he had never paid much attention to those matters.
"If you're going out to handle business, then go," Theodore said. "Why take Mr. Tom with you?"
"To be the navigator," Axel replied casually.
Although Axel could use his ability to adjust a ship's direction, doing so required him to maintain complex calculations in his mind.
Tom was a shipwright, but he was also an excellent navigator.
Axel was not stupid enough to increase his own workload when a ready-made navigator was standing right there.
"A navigator?"
Theodore stared at him in disbelief.
Making the world's greatest shipwright serve as an ordinary navigator.
How could he even say that?
"Can't you find another navigator?" Theodore said. "There are so many Marines who can sail a ship. Just pick any one of them."
Axel smiled faintly and replied with a sharp tone, "You're already this old, and you still don't have a wife. Why don't you just pick any one?"
Theodore choked.
He had simply been too obsessed with shipbuilding and had missed the best age for marriage. After that, no one had been willing to marry an old man like him.
But even if it was true, having someone point it out still did not feel good.
"I was quite grateful to you, kid," Theodore said. "But after what you just said, that feeling is gone."
"You can't offer any substantial reward anyway, so what's the use of gratitude?"
Axel looked disdainful.
"Who says I can't offer a substantial reward?" Theodore said. "I was just about to give you some news."
"What news?"
"Didn't you say before that you wanted to build a ship? Then this news is definitely important to you."
Theodore's expression became serious.
"It concerns the strongest tree that every shipwright dreams of, the Treasure Tree Adam."
Hearing that name, Axel showed a trace of interest.
Treasure Tree Adam.
One of the toughest trees in the One Piece world.
Legend had it that after being baptized by war, everything around it had been destroyed, and only that great tree remained standing. People later relied on it to rebuild cities and nations.
It was known as the strongest tree.
However, Axel had already changed his mind and was no longer deliberately pursuing shipbuilding.
So even after hearing this news, he remained calm.
Tom, on the other hand, immediately looked eager.
Clearly, he placed great importance on any news related to Treasure Tree Adam.
"How can you be sure the news is true?" Axel asked.
If it really was Treasure Tree Adam, even a small section of its wood would be worth a fortune.
The shipbuilding materials Theodore had mentioned before would likely cost more than a hundred million Berries.
Could news like that really be revealed so easily?
"An old friend of mine told me," Theodore said. "Originally, I planned to keep it to myself. After all, I don't have many chances to build ships anymore."
His voice carried a trace of regret.
In Marineford, he could live peacefully, but there were no materials for him to properly build ships.
That was why he had chosen to repair houses. It allowed him to collect leftover wood to make ships.
Of course, those "ships" were only models.
He could not gather enough wood to build anything more.
"But seeing as you helped me this time, I decided to tell you."
"Oh, no need," Axel said. "I'm not planning to build a ship right now, so there's no need to thank me with that news."
Theodore's face instantly filled with disappointment.
Without thinking, he blurted out, "Eh? But didn't you just say you wanted to build a ship?"
That reaction made everything clear.
This was not about gratitude at all.
He simply could not obtain Treasure Tree Adam himself, so he wanted to use this as an excuse to get Axel to acquire it.
Axel was about to refuse.
But unexpectedly, Tom, who was standing behind him, looked at him and said, "A man should hold his head high and stand by his words."
That one sentence made Axel realize something.
Here was another fanatic for Treasure Tree Adam.
It was not hard to understand.
Treasure Tree Adam, the strongest tree, was the ultimate treasure dreamed of by every shipwright who truly loved their craft.
Axel changed the refusal that had nearly left his mouth.
"Tell me the news first."
"My friend is also a shipwright, and he likes to brag a little," Theodore said. "He told me this just to show off..."
Axel immediately interrupted Theodore before he could start rambling.
"Get to the point."
"A group of people arrived on Newport Island," Theodore said. "They claimed they could provide materials from Treasure Tree Adam. They even brought a small section of Adam's trunk as proof and asked the shipwrights on the island to build a ship for them."
He frowned slightly.
"Judging from their appearance, they don't look like Marines or nobles. They look more like a group of nouveau riche."
Hearing that, Axel's brow furrowed.
Newport Island.
He remembered seeing that name in the materials Zephyr had given him.
He could not help wondering whether the offer of Treasure Tree Adam for shipbuilding was connected to the anomalies in those documents.
"I understand," Axel said. "I'll find a chance to investigate."
He glanced at Tom, then back at Theodore.
"If the opportunity comes up, I wouldn't mind getting my hands on some Treasure Tree Adam."
.....
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