They had eaten their fill and emptied Garp's warship before setting sail. Naturally, Garp saw Roger's ship departing, but Rayleigh and Roger himself held him back. Sending other marines after them would have been a futile sacrifice.
Garp hadn't expected a newly formed pirate crew to possess such strength.
Roger seized the moment.
"Divine Departure!"
The three separated, Rayleigh and Roger using the recoil to leap back onto their ship.
Garp wasn't about to let them escape so easily.
Roger unleashed a second "Divine Departure," splitting the sea. Waves surged violently, causing Garp's warship to sway precariously, on the verge of capsizing. The crew on the deck had already been knocked out by Rhett and Gaban.
Garp swiftly returned to his ship, stabilizing it just in time. He watched helplessly as Roger's ship grew distant, shouting at the fading figure, "I will capture you, Roger Pirates!"
Roger laughed heartily. "I'll be waiting, Garp!"
After shaking off Garp and sailing for some time, the ship they had commandeered was already in poor condition. The battle's seawater impact, even without direct hits, had nearly shattered it.
"Captain, if this keeps up, we'll be swimming before we reach Water 7," Rayleigh said, pushing his glasses up and eyeing the leaking cracks on the deck.
Roger laughed. "No worries! Rhett, lend us your ability!"
Rhett sighed, waving his hands. "Fog Sea·Floating Platform!"
His Devil Fruit ability worked like glue, patching up wherever there was a gap.
Thick fog rose from beneath the ship, calming the currents. Surprisingly, the ship's speed increased significantly.
Gaban whistled. "Not bad, kid!"
Rhett lifted his chin proudly. "Of course! This crew would capsize without me. Who knew this move I developed when I first set sail would come in handy so often?"
Rhett couldn't help but think of the Oro Jackson.
Roger laughed heartily as he hauled him up. "Kuahahaha! Looks like we'll need a professional to fix the ship! Let's try our luck in Water 7!"
When this patchwork "pirate ship," with its navy sails and hull full of patches, sailed into Water 7's harbor, the entire city was stunned.
"Isn't that a navy battleship?!"
"Why are they having a party on the deck?!"
"That guy with the straw hat… Could it be Roger, the one with a 200 million bounty?!"
Roger jumped off the ship, taking a deep breath. "Ah! The scent of the shipbuilding city!"
Rayleigh silently calculated the Berries in his wallet. "I hope the fees aren't too steep…"
"Hey, shipwright! Who's the best shipbuilder here?"
The shipwright was initially nervous, but upon hearing the question, he confidently replied, "That would be Tommaster, the pride of Water 7."
Shipbuilding in Water 7 was never discriminatory—it was a universally upheld principle. Thus, he wasn't afraid of implicating Mr. Tom. Being asked to build a ship was the highest honor for any shipwright. Ships were the foundation of sailing, and entrusting someone with this task meant placing one's future life in their hands.
At the entrance of Tom's workshop, the fishman Tom stood with a cigar in his mouth, his muscular arms crossed as he scrutinized the uninvited guests.
"So, you're the ones who stole a navy ship? Bold!" Tom's voice was deep and resonant, tinged with scrutiny.
Roger grinned, scratching his head nonchalantly. "We prefer to call it 'borrowed'! Heard you can build the best ships in the world?"
Tom narrowed his eyes, exhaling a smoke ring. "Hmph, the world's finest ship? That depends on whether you're worthy!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Tom threw a punch at Roger, the force of his fist whistling through the air with astonishing power. Yet Roger simply sidestepped, dodging with ease, his carefree grin still plastered on his face.
"Oh? Not bad reflexes!" Tom grinned, revealing sharp teeth, and followed up with a sweeping strike.
Roger laughed as he leaped away, the two of them darting around the shipyard, wood chips flying. The shipwrights stopped their work, gaping at this impromptu "interview."
"Hey hey, Mr. Tom, we're here sincerely to request a ship!" Rayleigh pushed his glasses up, sighing in exasperation. "Is two billion enough?"
"Enough talk! If you want me to build you a ship, show me what you're made of!" Tom roared, lunging at Roger again.
Rhett stood to the side, his face twitching. "What kind of bizarre interview is this…"
Finally, after chasing each other for over ten minutes, Tom stopped, panting heavily. He wiped the sweat from his brow and laughed heartily. "Not bad! I like your spirit!"
Roger also stopped, grinning as he extended his hand. "So, about our ship…?"
Tom snorted, puffing on his cigar as he turned and headed deeper into the workshop. "Follow me, brats. I'll show you my greatest design."
But just as he finished speaking, Tom glared fiercely at Roger. "My ship is top-notch. You won't let it go to waste, will you, brat?"
Roger dropped his usual carefree demeanor, his expression serious as he assured Tom, "Don't worry. I'll make sure this ship's name echoes across the seas."
"Hahahahaha, this ship isn't cheap, but two billion should be enough."
Inside the vast shipyard, several half-finished ships rested, with wood, tools, and blueprints scattered about.
Tom walked up to a massive blueprint, pointing at the design. "This is what I've been working on—a top-notch ship. Still hasn't got a name yet. It will be the sturdiest ship in the world! Its keel will be made entirely of Adam Wood, which you'll have to procure yourselves. Without Adam Wood, the rest of the design won't have enough support, and it won't deserve to be called the sturdiest ship."
Rhett's eyes widened. "The Oro Jackson?! (Internally: Holy crap! Isn't this the future Pirate King's ship?!)"
Roger excitedly leaned in. "Amazing! When can it be finished?"
Tom glanced at him. "What's the rush? Shipbuilding isn't child's play. And I don't have Adam Wood yet. You'll have to find it yourselves. If you can get me the materials I need, I'll build it for free."
Rhett's eyes bulged. "Free???" He knew the Oro Jackson was built by Tom, but he never imagined it was built for free. The Sea Siren's charm continues to work wonders.
Tom laughed heartily. "Why the surprise? Building it and making it famous across the seas is my dream. I know your Roger Pirates. You don't kill innocents and have your own code of honor. Sometimes, you don't seem much like pirates at all."
Tom's old habit resurfaced as he tugged at Rhett's sleeve. "Got it, brat?"
Rhett swallowed hard. "Understood, Uncle Tom."