Suspended on the edge of the robust harbor, the quartet — Ryu, Garp, Iceburg, and Paulie — positioned themselves against the afternoon sun. Gentle waves slowly made their way to the shore and the soft sunlight reflected off the blue sea in a mirror-like manner. There, just a couple meters into the open water, Garp and Ryu's vessels bobbed gently.
Garp threw back his head in a hearty laugh that resonated off the harbor walls. "Bwahahaha. Iceburg, you're a magician! Can't see a scratch on 'er. The old gal's looking younger than my grandson!"
Iceburg maintained his professional attitude, but a soft glint of pride sparkled in his eyes. "Appreciate the praise, Garp. It was a pleasure to breathe life back into her," he said before sliding his gaze toward Ryu's ship, a wry smile appearing on his lips. "Ryu, are you sure selling some of your lumber isn't an option? We'll pay you handsomely," he suggested again.
Ryu, clasping his hands behind his head, chuckled lightly before replying for the nth time. "Sorry, Iceburg. I don't want those things spreading out. It would ruin my ship's charm,"
Paulie sighed in disappointment as he heard Ryu's response. "Man, picturing what we could whip up with that wood just revs my engine, you know?" Paulie muttered, his voice imbued with a raspy quality and a touch of envy.
A sly grin twisted Ryu's lips, his eyes sparkling with a mix of mischief and excitement. "Speaking of that, I've got a redesign for the ship. Wanna see?"
Iceburg, excited by the idea, replied immediately. "Sure, Do you have the blueprints?"
Chuckling, Ryu shook his head, his aura palpable with an undertone of anticipation. "What blueprints, Iceburg?" The words fell from his lips like a dare, his fingers snapping as he pointed at the ship. And just like that, with a sudden surge of energy, the ship transformed before their awestruck eyes.
While Iron Whiskers was somewhat large before, now it dwarfed even the tallest buildings around. The masts of Garp's ship bearly reached the upper deck of the new Iron Whiskers.
The ship's hull bore the gleaming aura of Yggdrasil's lumber, with enchanted steel integrated into the wood, reinforcing it significantly and creating magnificent patterns of cats exploring the hull. If it was incredibly hard to damage before, now it was nigh-indestructible.
The size of the hull was 300 meters (984 feet) in length and 100 meters (328 feet) in width.
The bow of Iron Whiskers curved upward like a threatening claw, etched a swirly design that invoked imagery of molten steel cascading down as if it was in the middle of being forged.
The masts, three imposing towers of obsidian metal, stretched towards the heavens. At their peaks, intricate figures of cats balanced gracefully, their elongated bodies winding around the masts like climbing vines. Each of the large sails bore the spectral symbol of a skeletal cat holding a blacksmith's hammer, the fabric seemingly glowing under the sun's caress.
The labyrinth of rigging, fashioned from reinforced steel cables, resembled the cat's cradle, a seemingly chaotic web of patterns that told a story of purpose and order to those who knew.
The decks of the ship, too, each had their unique cat-inspired and blacksmith-related motifs. The weather deck, home to the primary armament, was adorned with patterns of the fiery forge and prowling felines, while the lower deck echoed the serenity of a resting blacksmith and his feline companion.
While the lower deck was a place for the crew to reside, the upper deck was full of destructive weaponry.
Dominating the deck, twelve colossal naval cannons emerged like hulking iron sentinels, each imbued with an aura of latent power. Crafted from lustrous jet-black iron, the cannons boasted enormous 305-cm (120-inch) wide barrels that stretched an impressive 15 meters (49.2 feet) in length.
The base of each cannon, fashioned to resemble a cat's menacing maw, housed monstrous shells. Each high-grade explosive shell weighed over 14 tons, meticulously engineered to unleash unimaginable destruction.
Thanks to an intricate network of hydraulic mechanisms at the base, the cannons bore a frightening grace in their movement despite their monstrous size, capable of striking with pinpoint accuracy over incredible distances.
Driven by advanced propulsion systems, the cannons propelled the colossal shells at extraordinary velocities, easily surpassing the speed of sound.
The destructive force of a single cannon's shot was capable of causing massive devastation, leveling even the largest islands would only take a single shot.
Meanwhile, the edges of the deck were fashioned with a complementary defense system, an array of rapid-fire, radar-guided guns shooting an endless amount of Seastone bullets at 60,000 rounds per minute. These creations could shoot down any threat, be it cannon balls or incoming invaders. They were clad in polished, gray iron
The middle deck of the ship housed numerous gunports, each one waiting to unleash the ship's deadly secondary armament. Crafted to look like the menacing eyes of a panther, they promised a storm of fire and brimstone to any who dared cross paths with Iron Whiskers.
Peaking outside the holes, one could see the barrels of Iron Whiskers' secondary weapons
It was a network of smaller, rapid-firing 30 cm (11.8 inc) cannons. Despite their more compact build, these barrels of jet-black iron promised a lethal potency. The cannons' roaring cat-shaped jaws were set to spew forth explosive shells, while the loading mechanisms lay concealed under the iron hunch of their base, setting them with automatic fire.
At the ship's prow, a figurehead loomed ominously over the open sea. It was a sight to behold, a massive iron cat, mid-pounce with claws bared and a muscular body wrought in meticulous detail.
Lastly, the ship's wheel, secured on the weather deck, was a marvel of blacksmithing. Encrusted with iron filigree in the shape of twisting vines, it culminated in a pair of iron cats, their tails intertwined at the center.
Iceburg's eyes widened, his face turned a chalky white as he took in the spectacle before him. "This... This can't be!" he stammered out, the corners of his eyes dashing across the ship's appearance.
Grinning from ear to ear, Ryu leaned back, arms spread wide. "How do you like my new ship? I put a twist on it, inspired by a certain ship. Glad to see someone recognizes it," he chuckled, watching Iceburg's incredulous expression with smug satisfaction.
"Iceburg, what's eating you?" Paulie questioned, his brow furrowing as he saw his boss' state of distress.
Iceburg swallowed hard, his voice trembling, "These... These weapons, that design... There are some modifications, but it's undoubtedly Pluton's!" The color drained from Paulie's face as he digested the revelation.
Garp, unlike the shocked duo, let out a laugh. "Bwahaha, 'course you made the damn ship yourself. But If you had the know-how to build it, why the goose chase?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest.
Ryu shrugged nonchalantly. "Couldn't craft it 'cause I didn't have the blueprint. Picked it up from some mob family a couple of days ago," he confessed as Iceburg seemed to grow even paler, if that was even possible.
With his voice shaky, Iceburg managed, "Did you... Did you do anything to Franky?!"
Ryu waved his hand dismissively. "Apart from painting him black and blue for a little while? Not really. He'll be back on his feet in a few days," he assured, and Iceburg let out a shaky breath of relief.
Shaking off the distraction, Garp redirected the conversation. "Let's cut to the chase. What's your game plan with this monster ship?"
Ryu snorted, a twinkle in his eye. "Keep sailing. I am on vacation, after all. Fancy hitching a ride? Not an everyday offer to sail on Pluton,"
"Why not? Seems like fun. Oh, I gotta get in Sengoku on this. Wanna listen?" Garp asked, a mischievous grin creeping onto his face as Ryu matched it with his own devilish smile.
While Garp was dialing Sengoku, beads of sweat trickled down Iceburg's forehead as he contemplated how to confess his knowledge about the whereabouts of Pluton's plans.
"Garp, this better be good. I'm in a meeting with the Admirals," came Sengoku's stern voice from the Den Den Mushi.
"Perfect timing then. You remember our little scavenger hunt for Pluton?" Garp began, a hint of amusement in his voice, enough to make the air on the other end bristle with tension.
A beat of silence, then Sengoku bit out, "...Any news?"
"Well, there's the good, and then there's the bad. Good - the hunt's over. Bad - the rascal built his own Pluton. I gotta admit, it's quite a spectacle," Garp tossed in casually, reveling in the thunderous silence that followed his words.
"Garp... Where are you? Kizaru is on his way," Sengoku managed to rasp out, his voice strained with barely concealed panic.
"Water 7, end of the Galley-La dock," Garp replied calmly just before the line went dead.
Garp blinked at the now silent Den Den Mushi, a chuckle escaping his lips. "Well, that got his attention," he muttered, pocketing the tiny receiver.
"Kizaru? Seriously?" Ryu's grin widened at the thought of facing the Admiral. "That'll be an interesting reunion, though I want to meet the other ones," he quipped, his eyes twinkling with anticipation.
Iceburg looked like he had seen a ghost. "Kizaru? You do realize he can travel at the speed of light, right? And I'm guessing his number one priority will be your head!" he stammered, his heart thumping like a drum in his chest.
Ryu simply shrugged. "Sounds like a fun game of tag, though that snail already knows he can't keep up with me."
Garp watched Ryu's expression with an amused glint in his eyes. "Well, at least we're in for a good show," he said while opening a bag of rice crackers.
Ryu gave a wink. "I hope you enjoy it.
---
On the other side, Sengoku slammed his hand on the table, disrupting the meeting. "Kizaru! You heard that, right? Head towards Water 7, immediately. I want a detailed report on the ship's abilities!" he stammered, trying to keep his voice steady despite the turmoil he felt inside.
Kizaru, his relaxed expression still present even when confronted with the grave news, nodded. "On it," he acknowledged, and with a flash of light, he was gone.
---
Meanwhile, Paulie turned to Iceburg, a worried look on his face. "Iceburg, how bad is this Pluton situation? How screwed are we?"
"Let me put it this way, Paulie," Iceburg responded, his gaze fixed on the monstrous ship that had once been an enigma, now brought to terrifying life. "Pluton's more than just a ship; it's a floating fortress of destruction. We're talking about a power that could level islands in the blink of an eye, maybe even change the very map of the world."
Paulie's face drained of color as he processed Iceburg's words. "So, we're talking about... an apocalypse?"
Ryu laughed, shaking his head at their grim faces. "Hey, lighten up. We're not looking to end the world here. Just to keep it on its toes."
Paulie frowned at Ryu, taken aback by his nonchalance. "How can you joke about this, man? The World Government will wage war against you, and they'll probably kill us since we're related to this!"
Ryu leaned back, a relaxed smirk on his face. "Why so serious, Paulie? I won't let you get hurt, don't worry."
Before Paulie could respond, a flash of light interrupted them. Kizaru stood at the top of Iron Whiskers' bow, gazing down at Ryu.