When you ask who the best shipwrights in Water Seven are, various names come up.
The question becomes which one to choose...
Based on information Jorge brought, Kanata's group visited a particular shipwright.
"...I see, so that's why you came to me."
"Yes. I hear you're a skilled shipwright."
The man called Tom was a pufferfish fish-man.
Since Water Seven was close to Fish-Man Island, having fish-men around wasn't particularly strange.
Tiger, himself a fish-man, had come along out of interest in Tom, who'd been working as a shipwright on this island for a long time.
"When do you need it finished?"
"We haven't set a deadline. We're amateurs when it comes to shipbuilding. You can estimate the timeline and cost. It's not urgent work, so feel free to do it however you like."
"Tahahahaha! How generous! Then I'll take you up on that and do it my way."
Even with some blueprints they could reuse, Tom hadn't built many ships for giants.
It would take considerable time.
Wood and iron were scarce in Water Seven, so for a project this large they'd need to purchase materials from other islands.
Though some came in via trade ships, the quantities needed wouldn't be enough.
"It's been a while since I had work like this. When the Golden Lion started using this place as his base, I didn't know what to do."
"Yeah. But life is full of surprises."
Secretary Kokoro started working her abacus after hearing the budget, while Tom laughed beside her.
With the young frogs called Yagara Bulls around, and Kokoro being a two-legged mermaid, Tom's Workers seemed to be a company composed entirely of fish-men and merfolk.
There was also one apprentice boy.
"Tom. Have you been working as a shipwright on this island long?"
"Let's see... how many years has it been since I came to this island..."
"Fish-men and merfolk face a lot of persecution. You could've built ships on Fish-Man Island—was there a reason you were particular about this island?"
"Well, you see, Water Seven is an island that built an era through shipbuilding. Whether you're human or fish-man doesn't matter much to craftsmen."
More than anything, he loved building ships, so he decided to learn here, Tom said.
Tiger crossed his arms and nodded. "I suppose so..." As an adventurer traveling the world, he seemed to have his own thoughts on the matter.
"Sorry for interrupting. Please continue."
"Right. Do you have any requests for the ship? If so, I'd like to hear them now. I'll confirm once I draw up the blueprints, but it's better if we have fewer misunderstandings."
Kanata's group rattled off their requirements for the ship, and Tom took notes, confirming everything.
Since they weren't adding any special equipment, it would basically be a normal ship.
Like Navy warships, they'd need to divide areas so humans and giants could live together on the same vessel, but that was about it.
"...Hmm, is that everything? Anything else I should know?"
"No, we're good. Well then, I'll get started on the blueprints."
"If you need to send out ships to procure materials, I can provide manpower. My crew is experienced at sailing."
"Tahaha! That's reassuring. I'll take you up on that when the time comes."
They'd settled on a rough layout right there, so next they'd confirm the blueprints again once Tom had drawn them up and the material procurement stage arrived.
There was nothing more for Kanata's group to do, so they stood to leave.
That's when it happened.
"I'll work hard too, Tom!"
"Tahahahaha!! Yeah, do your best, Iceberg!"
Seeing the young boy eagerly volunteer to help, Kanata found it endearing and patted Iceberg's head.
Whether from being treated like a child or some other reason, Iceberg's face reddened as he faltered. Meeting his gaze, Kanata said, "Tom's apprentice, huh? Work hard and build us a good ship."
"Y-yeah! Of course!"
"Heh... How reliable."
After simply telling them to "call us when the blueprints are ready," Kanata's group left.
They had nothing particular to do from here. If anything, just procuring supplies.
Though even that couldn't be expected to go well, considering how the Golden Lion had been squeezing the island.
***
Several days later.
News of Big Mom's repulsion appeared in the paper, and Kanata understood: "So that's what Garp was keeping quiet about."
The question remained of where she'd gone from Sabaody, but Kanata didn't want to think too much about it.
When she'd spoken with the Golden Lion before, he'd made comments suggesting Big Mom was targeting Kanata.
If Big Mom couldn't ambush them, the next place she'd target was naturally limited. ...It was close to the worst-case scenario for Kanata.
And that prediction came true.
A single ship floating offshore.
The massive vessel was heading straight for the back-alley cape where Kanata's crew was anchored.
"Hey, isn't that ship coming toward us?"
"The pirate flag matches. It's Big Mom's ship."
"The one they just drove out of Sabaody?! Why is it here?!"
"Well, you know... right?"
Scotch and Samuel turned to Kanata simultaneously. While Scotch looked ready to sigh, Samuel nodded in understanding.
"I'm the one who wants to sigh," Kanata said with a shrug.
The current situation—great pirates from the New World attacking one after another—gave her no time to rest either.
"We can't move the ship. Fighting in town isn't a good idea either. Prepare to fight at sea."
Everyone grabbed their weapons, disembarked, and watched the approaching massive ship from the cape.
Once they'd closed some distance, an intense burst of Conqueror's Haki emanated from the ship—the Queen Mama Chanter.
As the ground trembled and the sky began to darken with storm clouds, Kanata intimidated back with her own Conqueror's Haki.
"Man, these guys are scary... I'm breaking into a cold sweat."
"The relatively young people on the ship seem to be Big Mom's children. Around Kanata's age? Either way, they're clearly strong."
"...Linlin..."
Faced with Haki that felt like it was piercing their skin, some steeled themselves to avoid losing consciousness, while others smiled at sensing powerful opponents.
Among them, only Feiyun looked complicated as she gazed at the ship carrying Linlin.
"Let's go. I don't care if they're great pirates—we'll sink that ship!"
"""YEAAAH!!!"""
The sea that had frozen during the battle with the Golden Lion had finally melted, only for Kanata's power to cover it with ice again, all the way to the horizon.
The Queen Mama Chanter's movement stopped completely, and cannonballs flew toward Kanata's ship.
Kanata created ice shields to block them while steadily advancing and closing the distance.
Judging that cannons were ineffective, enemy officers began descending from the ship onto the ice one after another.
Among them, the one with the most overwhelming presence was, of course—
"—So you're the Witch?"
A beautiful woman with flowing pink hair, holding down her bicorne hat Napoleon while glaring fiercely at Kanata.
Zeus the thundercloud and Prometheus the sun floated beside her, and her giant-like massive frame made Kanata's crew halt.
"That's right. Is your target me?"
"Mamahahaha...! Obviously!"
Linlin seemed to hold an extraordinary grudge against Octavia. The moment she saw Kanata's face, she glared with furious rage.
"You look just like your mother—that infuriating face... You'll regret standing before me with that damn face!!"
Holding the sword Napoleon in her right hand, she brought it down on Kanata, coated in Haki.
Kanata caught it with her spear without retreating a step, their Conqueror's Haki crackling as they clashed.
As wind whipped their hair from the shockwave, they pressed their weapons together until Linlin took a step back and positioned her left hand behind her.
"Prometheus!"
"Yes, Mama!"
"Heavenly Fire!!"
She slammed Prometheus, held in her left hand, toward Kanata, engulfing her through her defense.
The explosion of flames spread to swallow Kanata's companions behind her—
"Niflheim—Fenriswolf"
—A massive ice wolf swallowed Linlin along with the flames.
The ice wolf evaporated immediately, but at least the flames stopped there without reaching those behind.
Suffering minor burns, Kanata faced this troublesome opponent and ordered her crew to head toward the enemy ship while keeping their distance.
Linlin's eyes saw only Kanata, not even glancing at Feiyun.
"Fighting here would be a bit problematic..."
Kanata could deflect Linlin's sword strikes endlessly, but Prometheus and Zeus were troublesome.
She'd tried throwing Haki-coated ice spears at openings, but they didn't seem effective. Their attack range was extremely wide too—fighting carelessly nearby could catch her allies.
She kept some distance while luring Linlin away from the ship.
Either way, Kanata had the advantage at sea. Linlin's reckless attacks cracked and melted parts of the ice, but that didn't matter much.
"Stop scurrying around—don't run!!"
Linlin swung Napoleon precisely at Kanata, who dodged by a hair's breadth. Once they'd separated sufficiently from the ship, she counterattacked.
"—Ikoku!"
"—That technique is from the giants...?! Why can you...!"
Catching Kanata's gouging slash, Linlin's eyes widened in shock.
"Is it so strange that I can use giant techniques?"
Kanata had heard about Linlin's conflict with the giants from Feiyun. Whatever she said would only add fuel to the fire, but in that case, it was useful for provocation.
It would be troublesome if crew members other than Kanata caught her attention, so keeping her here was best.
"Unlike you, I have giants who are my friends."
"You... must have a death wish!!"
Kanata deflected Linlin's increasingly fierce attacks with just her spear, extending her Observation Haki to its maximum, searching for an opening.
Judging that simple slashes wouldn't finish her, Linlin grabbed Zeus and slammed him toward Kanata.
"Thunderbolt!!"
"Tch—"
Deciding she couldn't block that, Kanata immediately distanced herself and dodged the lightning. The ice covering the sea shattered easily, seawater evaporating from the lightning's heat.
Kanata hid in the evaporating seawater and delivered a powerful kick to Linlin's face.
It was a full-power strike, and while it didn't send her flying, it made her stagger back several steps.
(Tough... I'm not doing much damage)
Like steel.
Against an ordinary opponent, that blow would have been devastating, but Linlin's body possessed unimaginable durability.
But it wasn't completely ineffective.
It would be a war of attrition, but given time, could she win—just as she thought that, Linlin wrapped Prometheus around Napoleon.
"Emperor Sword Cognac—Hahaba!!"
Swinging the burning sword, Linlin tried to take Kanata's head.
Kanata braced to catch it, but judging the flame-wrapped blade too much to fully block, she deliberately let herself be blown back.
Maintaining distance, Kanata created numerous ice blades from the sea, trying to skewer Linlin as she pursued.
But—
"This level isn't enough...!"
Without even taking a defensive stance, Linlin charged into the ice blades, taking no wounds as she came straight for Kanata.
The ice blades had no effect. Without Haki-imbued weapons, she couldn't even scratch her.
More troublesome was that Zeus and Prometheus flanked Linlin, supporting her and preventing Kanata from creating proper openings.
Certainly, she had power worthy of being counted among the great pirates.
But even if she had strength equal to Shiki's, she was much easier to fight than him. Without needing to deal with three-dimensional aerial maneuvers, there was still room to move.
"Hand over your head, you damn Witch!!"
"I refuse! Keep being annoying and I'll sink you in the sea, Big Mom!"
Each weapon clash cracked the ice underfoot with vibrations.
It wasn't much concern for Kanata, but it should be life-threatening for Linlin—or so she thought, until she saw Linlin leap from the cracking ice onto Zeus's back and reconsidered.
She'd need to deal with Zeus and Prometheus somehow to defeat Linlin.
So how to break through—as she pondered, a flash of light fell from the sky.
"—!?"
"What!?"
Lightning struck the midpoint between Linlin and Kanata, shattering the ice radially. A figure emerged from there.
Black hair and a skull mask. A cheap saber hung at her waist—someone Kanata had never seen before, but someone Linlin wanted to kill more than anyone.
"—So you're still alive, Octavia!!"
"You're loud, Linlin. That part of you hasn't changed."
Octavia caught the Emperor Sword Cognac with her bare hand without even drawing her sword, turning only her gaze toward Linlin.
Looking closely, Octavia's skin wasn't even touching it. The blade was stopped in midair, blocked by Haki wrapped like armor.
"...Same as always. Your fighting style is still bestial."
Sighing, Octavia deflected the Emperor Sword Cognac and held the cheap saber at her waist in her right hand.
Just a cheap thing she'd stolen from some ship she'd attacked on the way. Her left arm wasn't fully healed yet, so she'd simply brought a saber she could handle one-handed.
"Now, guard yourself—Kamusari"
The casually swung slash easily sent Linlin flying, opening a large distance from Octavia.
Linlin somehow blocked it, maintaining her stance despite losing balance, and glared fiercely at Octavia.
"You... that technique... Roger's...!"
"A technique of this level can be copied by watching. It's not particularly difficult."
Octavia's Haki and technique were both first-rate.
Rocks had been a monster that required both Roger and Garp together to finally defeat, and Octavia's strength as his equal should be obvious.
Facing this powerful figure, Linlin showed no fear whatsoever.
"Did you come here to be killed?!"
"...No, not quite."
Octavia glanced at Kanata once, then immediately returned her gaze.
"I came to see my daughter's face... and it seems your education was insufficient. I thought I'd crush you while I was at it."
"Education?! I never learned anything from you!!"
"No, I taught you—don't defy me."
Receiving Conqueror's Haki that made skin prickle, even Kanata—who wasn't directly targeted—reflexively took a combat stance.
"Kill me? You couldn't lay a hand on me when you were on Xebec's ship. Do you think you can beat me now? Don't make me laugh."
Lightning crackled and sparked around her.
Linlin showed no carelessness either, wrapping Prometheus around Napoleon and mounting Zeus.
A brief standoff—then their shadows crossed.
"Guh—!!"
"Is your bravado all talk?"
Napoleon and Octavia's sword weren't clashing directly. She was blocking Napoleon with the Haki wrapped around her blade.
Prometheus's flames should have some effect, but they couldn't penetrate Octavia's armor of Haki.
"Zeus!!"
"Yes, Mama!"
"Thunderbolt!!"
"—Shinriku"
As Linlin slammed Zeus down, the air crackling, Octavia wrapped lightning around her sword along with Haki and struck Zeus.
Octavia's lightning overpowered Zeus, burning Linlin's arm along with him, finally neutralized when it collided with Prometheus moving to protect Linlin.
"Gyaaaaah!!"
"Guard yourself, Linlin—I won't hold back."
Discarding her sword, Octavia positioned her now-slightly-mobile left arm behind her.
Though her face twisted in pain, Linlin held onto Napoleon and gripped Prometheus in her left hand.
"Pierce and penetrate—"
Lightning ran toward Napoleon in Linlin's hand, knocking the weapon away.
"—Strike and pierce—"
Lightning struck Linlin again, briefly paralyzing and hampering her movement—before releasing a massive blow.
"—Heaven-Piercing Purple Lightning Spear: Taranis Mór Gábhra"
—A lightning spear that could easily slay even Sea Kings pierced into Linlin.
***
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