Tom's workshop took this test ride very seriously. So, before the sea train set off, Tom had even asked Franky and Iceburg to check the condition of the tracks yesterday.
However, as Tom, who was controlling the train, listened to Yokozuna deliver a message, his expression uncharacteristically displayed panic.
Yokozuna, a frog and the workshop's pet, had just returned with urgent news. Given the number of passengers on the train, Tom had wisely asked Kokoro, who could transform into a mermaid, to scout the route ahead of the sea train. After all, only a mermaid, known for their unmatched swimming speed, could keep up with the sea train—something even Fish-Men couldn't manage.
But just now, Kokoro had sent Yokozuna back with alarming news: a large number of giant Sea Kings had gathered on the tracks ahead of the Puffing Tom!
"Impossible! When we checked the tracks yesterday, there was no sign of anything like that!" Franky exclaimed. While Franky might have a tendency to be careless about other things, he knew better than to be sloppy when it came to Tom's workshop or the sea train.
"That's right. I was worried Franky might overlook something, so I double-checked the tracks last night. Everything was fine. And, Tom-sensei, you chose the track locations carefully, avoiding areas where Sea Kings are known to be active," Iceburg added, backing up Franky's statement.
The tracks for the sea train were not laid down haphazardly; Tom had meticulously chosen the safest route after extensive research. The route not only avoided the areas with the strongest waves but also cleverly steered clear of regions frequented by Sea Kings.
It would be understandable if a stray Sea King occasionally ended up on the tracks—that was a risk one could hardly avoid. However, according to Kokoro, several giant Sea Kings were now gathered on the tracks ahead, and they were all large-sized ones.
While the Puffing Tom's power and design could handle smaller Sea Kings by knocking them aside, encountering large Sea Kings could flip the entire sea train! Even if the train wasn't flipped, the powerful impact could cause it to derail, and if it fell into the water, they would all become easy prey for the Sea Kings.
"Since we already know about the situation ahead, why not just use the brakes to stop the sea train?" Franky asked, confusion written all over his face.
Iceburg looked at Franky as if he were an idiot. "Idiot! If large Sea Kings are gathering on the tracks, it's obvious someone is trying to sabotage us. Do you really think we could stop the Puffing Tom if it were possible? Tom-sensei wouldn't have called us here in such a panic if he could."
Tom sighed and picked up a handbrake, which was the train's braking device. But as Iceburg had pointed out, it was clear that someone had already sabotaged it.
If this were just a simple test ride failure, Tom wouldn't be so worried and upset. The real problem was that many of the passengers on the train were residents of Water 7 who were completely unaware of the danger. They had trusted Tom's workshop enough to participate in this test ride, and if anything happened to them, Tom would be ridden with guilt for the rest of his life.
No, it was even worse than that. If such a major accident occurred during the test ride, the entire sea train project could be rejected by Enies Lobby, and Tom could go from being a hero of Water 7 to a despised criminal.
The only way to stop this was by one of two methods: either prevent the Puffing Tom from continuing or eliminate the giant Sea Kings blocking the tracks.
But the problem was that even if they had the strength to kill the Sea Kings, they couldn't reach them before the sea train did, much less deal with them in time. Tom, despite being a Fish-Man, couldn't swim as fast as a mermaid, nor could he outpace the sea train.
With the first option ruled out, the only choice left was to stop the sea train somehow. If the brakes were destroyed, then the only option was to stop it with sheer physical force—no matter the cost.
Seeing Tom take off his shirt and prepare to jump off the train, Franky and Iceburg each grabbed one of his arms. Over the years, they had spent plenty of time assisting Tom and knew all too well just how powerful the fully operational sea train was. Although Tom was incredibly strong, attempting to stop the sea train with his body would be nothing short of suicide.
"If anyone should go, it's me. If I hadn't been bragging about the sea train's completion last night, this might not have happened today," Franky said, his voice filled with guilt. He believed the entire situation was his fault and was ready to take responsibility.
However, even if Franky hadn't made such a public announcement, today's test ride was destined to face sabotage. Every move Tom's workshop made was under the watchful eye of Spandam. Franky's actions the night before merely saved Spandam some effort.
As for how the Sea Kings had gathered on the tracks, it was a simple trick: placing large amounts of fresh meat on the sea train's path. The scent of blood naturally attracted these massive creatures.
"Are you sure the Sea Kings on the tracks are large but not the colossal type? And there are only four or five of them?" Wood asked suddenly, though no one understood why he was asking.
Nevertheless, Tom nodded to confirm it. Colossal Sea Kings usually only thrived in the Calm Belt, and even in the vast ocean, they were absolute rulers. Many large pirate ships and warships were little more than snacks to them, with rumors suggesting that such Sea Kings could devour entire islands!
"If they're just large Sea Kings, it's not that big of a problem. If you're willing to trust me, let the sea train continue at full speed. Once we reach the Sea Kings, I'll take care of them," Wood said confidently.
The Puffing Tom, now with broken brakes, thundered across the sea at incredible speed. Not far from the Sea Kings, Kokoro, who had been keeping an eye on them, turned pale at the sound of the approaching train's whistle.
She had sent Yokozuna back to warn Tom and the others, so why hadn't they stopped the sea train?
"What are you planning to do?" Franky asked, watching as Wood leaped to the front of the train.
"What else? I'll slice them all to pieces!" Wood declared.