When Roger and his crew returned to Water 7 with the Adam Wood, they quietly slipped in through the hidden port Tom had left and headed straight to his workshop. The massive tree trunk nearly filled the entire space.
Tom rushed over as soon as he got the news. When he saw the intact, ancient-looking Adam Wood, he froze.
Roger laughed heartily. "Not bad, right, Tom?"
Tom's eyes widened, blazing with fervor, completely ignoring Roger. He strode forward, carefully running his hands over the rough yet sturdy texture of the Adam Wood. He pressed his face against it, murmuring, "Who's the strongest baby?"
Tom rubbed his face against the wood repeatedly.
"Who's the strongest keel?"
Rub, rub, rub.
"Uncle Tom, stop rubbing! Your face is gonna bleed," Rhett couldn't stand it anymore.
Tom's mouth twitched uncontrollably, then slowly curved into an impossibly bright smile. His body trembled slightly, as if suppressing indescribable excitement.
No wonder Tom was so thrilled. Adam Wood was a treasure among shipbuilders, something no shipwright could resist.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, Tom snapped his head up to look at Roger and the others, his eyes filled with gratitude and admiration.
"You... you actually did it!" Tom's voice choked up, though it was mostly excitement and joy. "This is real Adam Wood! With this, I can build the sturdiest ship ever!"
"Uncle Tom, your reaction time is way too slow," Rhett muttered, rolling his eyes.
Tom completely ignored Rhett, turning back to gaze lovingly at the Adam Wood.
At that moment, stars seemed to twinkle in Tom's eyes, his lips curling into a blissful smile. A single tear even slid down his cheek.
Roger, watching Tom's emotional display, couldn't help but chuckle. "Uncle Tom, you look even happier than we are."
"Haha, of course I am!" Tom wiped his mouth, turning around with a proud smile. "This is the greatest moment of my shipbuilding career! Thanks to you, I get to craft a legendary ship with my own hands!"
Rayleigh adjusted his glasses, smiling softly. "Then we'll look forward to the birth of this ship."
Tom nodded vigorously, grabbing Rayleigh, Gaban, Roger, and Rhett. "One, two, three, go!"
None of the four resisted, their small eyes filled with big confusion.
Tom turned around. "Come back in six months to pick up the ship."
Without giving anyone a chance to protest, the door slammed shut.
Rhett looked at Captain Roger, who glanced at First Mate Rayleigh, who then looked at Gaban, who turned back to Rhett.
"What do we do now?"
Roger, Rayleigh, and Gaban all stared at Rhett.
Rhett: "?????"
Gaban cleared his throat. "Little Rhett, don't you think you're too weak right now?"
Rhett had a bad feeling.
Roger burst out laughing. "Well, we've got six months. Time for Rhett's special training!"
"Next, you'll learn the Six Powers, how to wield a heavy sword, develop your Devil Fruit abilities, and further train your three types of Haki," Rayleigh said in the calmest tone, delivering the coldest words.
Rhett: "Family, the sky is falling."
As Rhett embarked on his "joyful" training...
What were the Five Elders up to?
Of course, they were having a little meeting.
The Five Elders sat in the Chamber of Authority, the flickering candlelight casting a heavy, iron-like atmosphere.
"The Adam Wood is lost, CP0 wiped out, and we didn't even catch a glimpse of the enemy?" The sword-wielding elder's knuckles turned white.
"The investigators found only Sea Kings in the area," said the Financial Elder. "Are we supposed to announce that we were robbed by fish?"
"Seal the news," the blond elder decided. "Handle it as an 'abnormal maritime accident.'"
The transport ship was officially reported to have encountered an undersea volcanic eruption—an accident. Admitting it was a hijacking would be a disgrace. They would intensify the search, but this matter could not be allowed to spread. The dignity of the World Government could not be violated.
The Financial Elder added, "It seems we've grown complacent over the years. Suppress this incident. Execute all witnesses."
The Five Elders were furious. They couldn't find the culprits, and those useless agents couldn't even send a message before they died.
If they'd sent a message, I'd be screwed.
"Seconded." x4
Three months blurred past.
Rhett lay sprawled on the roof, swinging his legs, fiddling with a crude wooden sword—something Rayleigh had casually carved for him a couple of days ago.
"Sigh, this thing feels so light, no weight to it at all…" He pouted, swinging it once. The wooden sword snapped in two with a crack.
His strength had skyrocketed recently, and he was struggling to control it.
Gaban, polishing his axe in the yard, snorted. "Kid, that's not how you handle a sword."
"It wasn't on purpose!" Rhett bristled. "This wood's too brittle!"
Rayleigh emerged from the house, holding a rolled-up sea chart. "There's an island near Water 7. Rumor has it a master blacksmith lives there."
Rhett immediately sat up, his crimson eyes gleaming. "A blacksmith… Does that mean there's a really good sword there?"
Gaban raised an eyebrow. "What? Kid's finally interested in swords?"
Rhett clenched his fists, his expression unusually serious. "I want a real sword! Not a toy, not a stick—a sword that can cut through waves!"
Roger laughed heartily, leaping down from the mast and slapping Rhett on the back. "That's the spirit! Let's go check out the island!"
Roger and the crew borrowed a ship and set off.
That night, Rhett lay on the deck, gazing at the starry sky.
The waves gently lapped against the hull, creating a rhythmic sound.
"Can't sleep?" Rayleigh approached, sitting down beside him.
Rhett rolled over, muttering, "Brother Rayleigh, what kind of sword do you think suits the future 'Wraith of the Mist'?"
Rayleigh chuckled. "The sword doesn't matter. What matters is the person wielding it."
Rhett pouted. "That's such a cliché. You're not gonna lecture me with platitudes, are you?"
"But it's the truth," Rayleigh said, gazing at the distant horizon. "Those master swordsmen with black blades—besides the quality of their swords, they've tempered them with their Armament Haki to turn them into black blades. A good sword only enhances your combat potential, but your swordsmanship remains the same. At the end of the day, it's just a hunk of metal."
Rhett fell silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "What if… the sword I find is super heavy and huge, and I can't lift it?"
Rayleigh adjusted his glasses, the lenses reflecting the moonlight. "Then get stronger until you can lift it. You want to wield a heavy sword, don't you? Don't fear it. Train until you can handle it."
The next morning, the ship docked.
As the four of them stepped onto the pier, they heard a commotion coming from a nearby tavern.
"Have you heard? The old blacksmith's 'final masterpiece' is finally complete!"