Kisame stood at the edge of the ship's deck, arms crossed, staring out at the ocean. The salty breeze brushed against his face, but his mind was elsewhere.
'Samehada… I will get your… no, I will get our revenge'
His fingers twitched, craving the weight of his old blade, the sharpness of its scales against his palm. His rage simmered beneath the surface, but for now, he let it rest. There would be a time for battle.
"EH?! CAPTAIN, I THINK WE NEED A NEW SHIP!"
Bepo's panicked voice jolted Kisame from his thoughts. He turned around just in time to see the kitchen explode.
A fiery blast erupted from the ship's side, sending debris flying. Smoke billowed into the sky, and the scent of charred wood filled the air. A massive hole now gaped where the kitchen had been, leaving the ship looking like a wounded beast.
Yuji's eyes widened. "WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?!"
Bepo, still looking flustered, pointed towards the smoking wreckage. "Hancock said she wanted to cook something for you, but then…"
The entire crew turned to look at Hancock, who stood proudly with her arms crossed, completely unbothered.
"Hmph. It's not my fault the ship wasn't strong enough to handle my beauty's culinary grace," she said, flipping her hair.
Law sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That's not how cooking works."
"Uhh, yeah, we're gonna need a new ship," Yuji muttered, scratching the back of his head.
Kisame chuckled. "Well, if the ship can't handle Hancock's cooking, maybe it doesn't deserve to sail with us."
Hancock nodded proudly. "Exactly."
Bepo's ears drooped. "W-we really need a new ship…"
Yuji sighed. "Alright, let's find a shipwright."
The crew spent the entire day combing the island, asking around for the shipwright that was rumored to be here.
The problem?
Nobody seemed to know exactly where he was.
"I swear, this is like chasing a ghost," Law muttered.
"We didn't even get one solid piece of information," Yuji groaned.
Kisame, leaning against a wall, smirked. "We did get his name, though. That's something."
"Yeah, but what the hell do we do with just a name?" Yuji sighed.
Just as they were about to give up, a deep voice echoed behind them.
"Oh? So you're the ones looking for me?"
Bepo screamed in shock.
"AHHHHHHHH!"
The crew turned their heads instantly hands on their weapons, ready for a fight.
Standing behind them was a massive man.
He had the build of a giant, standing well over 12 feet tall, with thick, muscular arms. His chest was bare, revealing countless battle scars, and he carried a massive hammer slung over his shoulder. His graying beard and wild hair made him look like a warrior from an old legend.
Yuji's eyes narrowed. "And you are?"
The man grinned. "The name's Reon. I heard you were looking for a shipwright."
Hancock huffed. "You could have approached us properly instead of sneaking up like a ruffian."
Reon laughed. "A shipwright needs to know how to surprise people. Keeps pirates from getting too comfortable."
Yuji smirked. "I like him already."
After a quick introduction, Yuji got straight to the point.
"We need a strong ship," he said. "Something that can survive the Grand Line, carry all of us, and handle serious battles."
Reon nodded, his serious expression setting in. "A strong ship, huh?"
Yuji gestured to Kisame. "We already have the materials. Adam Wood. Lots of it."
Reon's eyebrows shot up "Adam Wood? That's some rare stuff. You don't just buy Adam Wood… Did you—"
"We stole it," Law said bluntly.
Reon grinned "Good answer."
Yuji smirked. "So, are you in?"
Reon crossed his arms, thinking. Then, his grin widened. "You know, I've always wanted to build a ship that the whole world would talk about."
He slammed his hammer into the ground, the force shaking the dirt beneath them.
"Give me a month, and I'll give you the greatest ship you've ever seen."
Yuji grinned. "Deal."
Back at Reon's workshop, he unrolled a massive blueprint. The paper stretched across the entire table, covered in intricate designs of a ship unlike any other.
"This…" Yuji's eyes widened.
"This ship…" Kisame muttered, his shark-like grin widening.
"It's beautiful," Bepo whispered in awe.
Hancock scoffed, but even she couldn't hide the slight admiration in her eyes.
Law studied the blueprints closely, his usual calm expression faltering. "This design is… incredibly advanced. You're really capable of making this in a month?"
Reon grinned. "Of course. I don't just build ships. I build legends."
Yuji leaned over the table, staring at the design.
This ship… this was exactly what they needed.
Something strong enough to carry their dreams.
Something powerful enough to carry monsters.
Yuji smirked.
"Then let's make history."
To be continued…