Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Deal With Sengoku
The City of Water 7 has pleasant scenery and a beautiful environment. Other than a weak economy, there's hardly anything to complain about here. After Claudius discussed his plans with Tom, he decided to settle in and wait to see his new ship take shape.
Over the past two months, thanks to Claudius' massive investment, Tom's Shipbuilding Company had a resurgence. With the backing of a Celestial Dragon, who in Water 7 would dare to disrespect Tom? And with his unmatched craftsmanship, there was no one who could look down on him. Once on the verge of ruin, Tom had transformed into a prominent figure in Water 7 again.
The ship Claudius had commissioned was enormous, practically the size of a small island. Unlike Gecko Moria's Thriller Bark or Gild Tesoro's Gran Tesoro, which were built around the foundations of islands or giant island turtles with minimal technical innovation, Claudius' ship was a completely orthodox ship structure, designed and built from the keel up.
The timber used was none other than the famous Treasure Tree Adam. Back in this era, its price wasn't as astronomical as it would later become, since pirate bounties hadn't yet reached the crazy levels of the future. This allowed Claudius to use Treasure Tree Adam as the primary material for the ship's frame without breaking the bank. He even incorporated new technologies into the design, including elements of ironclad construction.
The ship was to have every possible luxury, even including an aquarium and a swimming pool. Claudius, an avid reader, had also designed a vast library onboard. He had a unique vision for the vessel, by this time next year, it would be the year 1502 in the Sea Circle Calendar, and O'Hara's fate would be sealed. If nothing changed, the World Government would eventually send Fleet Admiral Sengoku to lead a Buster Call and annihilate O'Hara.
The Tree of Knowledge on O'Hara held an immense archive of rare documents, a treasure trove for humanity. Claudius had already made up his mind: once the O'Hara Incident broke out, he would sail his ship there, empty out all the books from the Tree of Knowledge, and enrich his library with the spoils. It would solidify his family's cultural legacy, ensuring this knowledge would endure into the future.
"Oh, I'm such a good guy, even I can't help but admire myself," Claudius said, shamelessly praising himself as he sat at the top floor of Tom's Shipbuilding Company headquarters, gazing over Water 7 and daydreaming about his plans.
This building was now owned by him and had become the headquarters of Tom's Shipbuilding. Claudius was staying here and didn't plan to leave anytime soon. Tom, a fish-man, was joined by his long-time friend, the mermaid Kokoro. Claudius also brought two other mermaids with him, Mero and Lenny. The four of them were delighted to be reunited and seemed to be treating Water 7 as a second home.
The young Enel was also having a great time, exploring the city with Franky and Iceburg day in and day out, even learning the basics of shipbuilding. His Thunder-Thunder Fruit abilities also had surprisingly useful applications in ship construction. Claudius mused that the boy seemed to have a knack for this kind of work. After all, Enel had later managed to build a spaceship on Sky Island all by himself. The so-called Ark Maxim had technology nearly on par with what Shiki could achieve with his Float-Float Fruit. While Claudius wasn't particularly impressed by the Golden Lion Fruit, he encouraged Enel to push his limits in engineering and see if he could develop this technology for his own ship.
Meanwhile, Nia stayed close to Claudius, ready to assist at any moment. As for Stussy, she was busy setting up a base of operations for Happy Street in Water 7, mobilizing personnel and arranging various resources.
After a short pause, he continued, "Actually, I do have something I'd like to discuss with you."
"Oh? What is it, Your Highness?" Sengoku replied, his tone more serious.
"Are the Marines short on warships?" Claudius asked.
"That's right. We're increasing troop numbers, but without ships, what's the point? We might as well station everyone on the Red Line and call it an army instead of a navy. But building ships takes time, and with the sea being as tense as it is, our losses are way up compared to previous years," Sengoku said, laughing at his own misfortune.
"Well, I might be able to help with that. I've recently acquired a shipbuilding company here in Water 7, and I'm working on consolidating other struggling companies in the area. Their issues are more environmental than skill-based; the craftsmanship is top-notch. But as much as I'd like to invest, I also need to bring some money in to balance the books," Claudius explained with a smile.
Sengoku paused, sensing where this was going. "Are you suggesting...?"
"How about we partner up? Given our relationship, I'll even give you a 20% discount. Think you can send some Marine shipbuilding contracts my way?" Claudius asked, grinning.
"Of course, Your Highness. I trust your integrity, and I know the shipbuilding skills in Water 7 are top-notch. Since you've offered, I have no reason to refuse. I'll make the arrangements," Sengoku replied, not hesitating for a moment.
"Hahahaha, excellent! I look forward to a successful partnership. And if you ever need CP-X's help, Sengoku, don't hesitate to reach out," Claudius said, clearly pleased.
"I'll hold you to that, hahaha," Sengoku replied, laughing as well.