"One day is enough."
"I'll give you the Pirate King's legacy."
A fiery light burned in Tom's eyes, as if he had returned to those long, relentless days of building ships without rest.
"One day? Are you sure?" Ren Kuro frowned slightly. He didn't doubt Tom's skill—but a ship rushed out in half a day would never be truly exceptional.
"No," Tom shook his head with a smile. "You just deal with the World Government's people. I'll give you an answer you'll be satisfied with."
"…Interesting."
Ren Kuro's anticipation deepened. If the world's greatest shipwright could say that with such confidence, then this ship would be anything but ordinary.
"Come back at midnight," Tom said seriously. "You'll understand everything then."
"Got it. I'll leave it to you, Tom-san."
Ren Kuro nodded and left Tom's Workers. During the day, he had no intention of alerting the enemy.
Midnight — Tom's Workers
Tom was still studying the blueprints of the Sea Train when four figures silently appeared inside the room.
"You're here, Death…" Tom glanced toward the window, worry flickering in his eyes. "What about the ones watching me?"
"They're dead."
Ren Kuro's tone was calm.
"Before CP9 notices they've gone silent, you've got half a day at most. Are you sure that's enough to build a ship?"
"Half a day is enough," Tom said, his eyes burning. "Because this is a gift from the Pirate King!"
He pulled a silver key from a drawer.
"Come with me. This secret has been hidden for years. The ship you want… is waiting there."
"…Now you've got me curious."
Ren Kuro narrowed his eyes slightly. Something about this didn't feel simple.
The Hidden Warehouse
Following Tom, the group soon arrived at a large, nearly abandoned warehouse.
The iron doors were rusted from years of wind and rain.
Creak—
Tom inserted the silver key and pushed the door open.
Inside—
there was nothing but piles of junk. It looked more like a scrapyard than anything else.
"…Where's the ship?" Kenpachi frowned impatiently. "Is this guy messing with us?"
Tom only smiled.
He walked to the center of the warehouse and pressed a hidden mechanism.
RUMBLE—
The floor in the corner shifted, and a distant wall slowly descended, revealing a hidden space beyond.
And inside that space—
there was a ship.
"…!"
The moment Ren Kuro saw it, his pupils shrank.
It felt… familiar.
"Recognize it?" Tom smiled.
"…Is that the Oro Jackson?" Ren Kuro asked, stunned.
The craftsmanship was exquisite.
The red sails shone brilliantly.
The golden hull gleamed with a sense of luxury and history.
At first glance, it looked almost identical to Roger's ship—
yet something about it was different.
"You're wondering, aren't you?" Tom chuckled. "This isn't the Oro Jackson… but it was also built from Treasure Tree Adam."
"…Explain."
"Everyone knows I built a perfect ship for Roger," Tom said, his voice growing deeper. "To contribute to a man like him… that was my honor."
"But…"
"Before he left, Roger told me something."
Tom's gaze burned with intensity.
'The wheel of the era keeps turning… and this sea needs more hope.'
"That one sentence… changed everything."
"I saw something in Roger—something beyond even the Pirate King."
"And because of that…"
"I built this ship."
"…I see."
Ren Kuro nodded slowly.
No wonder Tom had called it a gift from the Pirate King.
"Give me half a day," Tom said, his voice filled with excitement. "I'll refit it—and it'll return to the sea once more."
He looked straight at Ren Kuro.
"Death… I hope this ship will carry you across the seas… until you become a man as great as Roger himself!"
Ren Kuro smiled faintly.
"Tom-san… thank you."
"But I won't fall short of Roger."
Not now.
Not ever.
He would lead the Shinigami—
to the very top of this sea.
The Next Morning — Enies Lobby
The island known as the "Island That Never Sleeps".
Inside an office—
A middle-aged man lounged lazily in his chair, legs crossed, looking utterly carefree.
Spandine.
The current chief of CP9.
Back then, he had obtained the authority from Sengoku to initiate a Buster Call, destroying Nico Robin's homeland, Ohara. He was also the one who issued her first bounty.
Purururu…
The Den Den Mushi rang.
"Pamela again?" Spandine clicked his tongue in annoyance. "How many times have I told you not to call me this early—"
"Sir, apologies!" A tense voice came from the other end. "There's been an incident in Water 7. Three of our agents monitoring Tom the Fish-Man have been killed!"
"…What?!"
Spandine slammed the desk and nearly jumped out of his chair.
"Who dares to kill people under our watch?!"
"This likely has something to do with Tom," the subordinate reported. "He may have violated orders and started building ships again."
"…That damn fish-man."
A cruel smile spread across Spandine's face.
"To defy the World Government after all this time…"
"Prepare immediately."
"I'm going to Water 7 myself."
"I'll personally execute him."
"Yes, sir!"
The line went dead.
Spandine stood by the window, staring out coldly.
"Tom the Fish-Man…"
"After all these years…"
"I've finally got something on you."
His voice turned icy.
"This time… I'll make sure you regret ever being born."
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