Kaku used to never ask Takumi to do anything, mostly because he didn't dare. But things were different now. He wasn't the same as before; he no longer needed to live on the edge every day, completing dangerous undercover and assassination missions. He wasn't alone anymore.
Although Enel often bickered and fought with him, and Takumi rarely paid him much attention, when it came down to crucial moments, both of them would never abandon him.
For the first time, Kaku felt what it was like to have companions.
That's why he wanted Takumi and Enel to build the ship with him.
It wasn't just about building a ship—it was about the three of them working together, improving their bond, and developing more teamwork. Besides, Takumi and Enel barely did anything on the ship; they were too lazy. It was about time they got moving.
Even so, Takumi, though he had changed a little compared to before, still held onto some of his core habits. For instance, if he could sit, he wouldn't stand, and if he could lie down, he wouldn't sit...
And so Takumi said in an extremely carefree manner, "We'll buy a ready-made one."
Kaku's mouth twitched.
Enel burst into laughter. "Hahahaha, long nose, it's not like today is the first day you've known Takumi. Did you really think you could convince him to work? It's hilarious!"
Kaku didn't know what expression to put on to convey his current feelings.
A little helpless, but in a way, he wasn't surprised. After all, their captain was just someone who didn't like labor.
After a moment of silence, Kaku continued, "But buying a ready-made ship will cost a lot of money. A small boat wouldn't last long on the Grand Line, and bigger ones are quite expensive. Do we have that kind of money to buy a ship?"
Enel, at the mention of money, pulled out the small piece of the Golden Staff he still had. "I have a new weapon now, so let's just sell this bit of gold to get the money for a ship."
Kaku glanced at the piece of golden staff in Enel's hand and shook his head. "This bit of gold might get us two or three million Berries. But with the kind of ship you two have in mind, a regular one won't suffice, right?"
Enel frowned. "Then how much more do we need?"
Kaku quickly estimated the money Takumi had just given him and continued, "Even if that gold could fetch three million, and we add the five hundred thousand Berries the captain gave me, it's still far from enough. For a decent sailing ship, something that would meet your standards, we'd need at least eight or nine million Berries. And that's for something slightly above average. If you want something better, we're talking ten million and up. Of course, if we build it ourselves, we could save at least half of that."
Saving half—that's millions of Berries. Usually, it was Kaku who bought supplies for the ship, and their money mostly went out without any coming in. How could they afford not to save?
"Uh... It really costs that much? Ships are that expensive?" Enel looked bewildered. "Long nose, are you sure you're not lying to me?"
Kaku laughed bitterly. "Do I have any reason to lie to you? It wouldn't matter if we had the money, but we don't. And the journey ahead is long. We can't just go around robbing people, right? We're not pirates or bandits."
"Are you stupid?" Enel scoffed. "We can just rob the pirates, can't we?"
"We'd need to find a big pirate crew. Small-time pirates wouldn't have that much cash," Kaku mused, rubbing his chin. "This island is under Whitebeard's protection. Ordinary pirates won't come here to cause trouble. Even if we stayed here for ten days or half a month, there's no guarantee we'd run into any pirates. Heck, even bandits wouldn't dare come here."
"If there aren't any on the island, then go out to sea to find them," Enel said, giving Kaku a look that said, "Are you dumb?" He continued, "It's just money. You guys wait here; I'll go find some unfortunate pirates on the sea."
"Enough." Takumi couldn't stand their back-and-forth and cut in. "Kaku picks the ship, and I'll pay."
Kaku was surprised. "Captain, do we have enough money for a ship?"
Takumi gave a light nod.
After all, the system had just given him a billion. A ship costing a few tens of millions of Berries was something he could afford.
"When did we get so much money?" Enel asked in astonishment.
Takumi shot him a glare. "I have money, not you."
Enel: "..."
Kaku chuckled awkwardly. "If the captain says so, then let's buy a ready-made one. It will save us the time it takes to build one. Though, sailing ships do have more variability when it comes to speed compared to airships."
"That's no problem," Enel said happily. If they got a regular ship, he wouldn't need to use his electricity to power it, which meant more time for him to slack off.
Kaku knew exactly what Enel was thinking, so he wasn't about to let him off the hook so easily. "I have a lot of tasks on my plate, as you both know, and I can't take time to steer the ship. So, Enel, steering the ship will still be your job."
"Uh..." Enel's face darkened. "But I don't know how to sail a regular ship!"
"Then learn," Kaku grinned. "You're smart, so I'm sure you'll pick it up quickly."
Enel: "..."
"It's settled then," Takumi said decisively. "Enel will learn to sail."
"I don't want to learn..." Enel complained.
Takumi raised his fist at him.
Enel pouted and reluctantly said, "Fine... I'll learn, okay?"
Kaku burst into laughter. "Hahaha, it's settled then. Let's go to the shipyard. You're both coming with me to pick a ship. If I pick it alone and you don't like it, I'm not taking the blame."
"Fine, whatever!" Enel said irritably. "We'll all go pick the ship. Satisfied?"
Seeing Takumi nod, Kaku cheerfully led the way. "Alright then, let's go. I'll make sure we pick a ship that meets your standards and is the best value for money!"
Soon enough, with the help of a few locals, they arrived at Buggy Island's only small shipyard, which was located on the far side of the island.
The shipyard owner beamed when he learned these three newcomers, who had survived a shipwreck, were looking to buy a ship.
"You guys came at just the right time. I've just finished building a few new ships. Different sizes available. If you're planning on a long voyage, I recommend one of these three." As he spoke, the owner led Takumi and his crew to a few fairly decent-looking ships anchored by the shore. Pointing to two light sailing ships, he added, "These two are especially suitable for you guys, and the price is quite reasonable. Care to take a look?"
"Whatever," Enel said indifferently. "As long as it can sail."
Takumi looked over the ships that the owner had recommended. They looked quite new, and their plain appearance made them blend into the background of other ships, which Takumi found appealing.
Kaku carefully examined the two ships, but instead of immediately inspecting them in detail, he first asked, "What's the price for these two ships?"
The shipyard owner smiled brightly. "The original price for each of these ships is twenty million Berries, but if you guys want one, I'll give you a discount—eighteen million. How does that sound?"
Hearing this, Kaku smiled as well. "Boss, if you're going to rip someone off, at least choose your targets wisely. This type of light sailing ship, brand new, costs twelve million at Water 7, and you can still haggle the price. Who gave you the courage to ask for eighteen million?"
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