Chapter 55: Water 7

As Koa's pirate crew descended from the Sky Island, far away in Marineford, a prestigious ceremony was underway. The latest class of Marine trainees was graduating, and the atmosphere buzzed with pride and ceremony. This particular batch stood out, notably for two names that had made waves during training: Sakazuki and Borsalino.

Despite Borsalino's laid-back and often questionable approach, his extraordinary Devil Fruit abilities secured his place among the top graduates. Beside him, Sakazuki was the epitome of discipline and raw power. Both were now being presented with their awards and newly earned ranks.

"Let us now recognize the highest-achieving cadets of this class," the master of ceremonies announced from the podium. "These young men represent the future of the Marines! They will uphold the values and justice we treasure—the very ideals that our proud predecessors have carried for generations!"

Applause thundered across the square.

In the front row, the most prominent figures in the Marines were gathered: Monkey D. Garp, the legendary "Hero of the Marines"; Sengoku, the Buddha, an admiral whose reputation equaled Garp's; Vice Admiral Tsuru, a strategic genius feared for her intellect; and Zephyr, the former admiral turned instructor responsible for training this powerful new generation.

Garp chuckled, arms crossed as he leaned back in his seat. "Looks like you really raised some monsters, Zephyr. Not bad at all."

Zephyr gave a small sigh, his eyes lingering on the two at the front. "Their strength is undeniable. But I'm still disappointed I couldn't break Borsalino of his bad habits. The kid relies too much on his Devil Fruit. If he trained his body even half as hard as you did, Garp, he'd be terrifying."

"Hahahaha! Who cares?" Garp laughed heartily. "As long as he can crush pirates, let him be lazy!"

A few seats over, Tsuru and Sengoku were having a quieter, more serious conversation.

"What do you think of that recruit who joined last year? The one from the South Blue," Tsuru asked, casting Sengoku a glance. "I've heard he's also a Mythical Zoan user… just like you."

Sengoku turned toward her but gave a neutral nod. "That's something Zephyr would know more about. He's in charge of their training."

"But I heard the boy's the son of an old friend of yours," Tsuru pressed, raising an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you've got no interest in how he's doing."

"I keep tabs," Sengoku admitted, his tone even. "But Zephyr is the one who sees them up close. His opinion matters more than mine when it comes to training."

Tsuru sighed, folding her arms. "Still so stubborn. You haven't changed."

Sengoku gave a small smirk but said nothing more. His eyes, however, briefly flicked toward the stage—toward the new generation. Somewhere among them, pieces were already moving that would shape the future of the world.

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Meanwhile, Koa and his crew were soaring through the skies on their way to Water 7, the famed city of shipwrights. With their ship still modified to fly, the journey was significantly faster than if they had simply sailed. After several hours, Koa finally spotted the landmark he had been waiting for—the giant fountain that marked Water 7's outer edge. His excitement surged.

He began lowering the ship as they approached the island, directing it toward the junkyard district, where Tom, the legendary shipwright, often gathered materials for his work.

"We're here!" Koa shouted, his voice echoing throughout the ship.

The crew quickly emerged from their quarters, eager to see the place their captain had praised so often. When they looked out, they were met with a breathtaking view—an island crisscrossed by waterways, with buildings seemingly floating above the water, and the massive fountain roaring in the distance.

Urf, ever the excitable one, immediately dove from the ship into the water below. Enel followed shortly after, flying with his newly acquired lightning powers, both unable to contain their excitement.

"Oi! Everyone," Koa called out before they all scattered, "after you explore the city, meet me at Tom's Workers. Just ask the locals if you get lost. That's where I'll be!"

The crew nodded and began dispersing. Greenbull, however, chose to stay with Koa—he wanted to meet this legendary shipwright for himself.

Koa directed the ship toward the scrapyard on the island's far end, aiming to land close to Tom's workshop. After anchoring, he and Greenbull disembarked and began walking through the maze of junk and machinery.

Eventually, they arrived at a huge building with a sign out front: Tom's Workers.

Inside, chaos was already underway.

Iceburg and Cutty Flam were in the middle of a shouting match, shoving each other while Yokozuna the sumo frog desperately tried to break them up. Kokoro sat nearby, sighing heavily as she sipped from a bottle, while Tom, the giant fishman himself, laughed heartily at the commotion.

As soon as Koa stepped inside, Kokoro looked up and raised her voice.

"Everyone, we've got a visitor! Present yourselves!"

The room froze. Iceburg and Cutty Flam turned to the entrance, Yokozuna following with a croak of recognition. The moment Iceburg saw Koa, a grin spread across his face.

"KOA!!" Iceburg shouted, dashing toward him and immediately throwing a kick.

Greenbull jumped in to block the attack, his expression darkening. "Oi, what's your problem!?"

But before Greenbull could retaliate, Koa smacked him on the head with a fist. Thud.

"Enough," Koa said calmly.

He stepped forward and gave Iceburg a friendly fist bump, while Yokozuna croaked in delight and bounced toward him. Tom and Kokoro approached, smiling widely.

"Uncle Tom, Aunt Kokoro," Koa greeted with genuine warmth. "It's good to see you both again."

"Hahaha! Look at you now!" Tom boomed. "You've grown into a fine man. Roger would be proud."

Koa smiled. "I'm here to cash in on your promise, Uncle Tom. You said you'd build me the best ship in the world when I became a pirate captain… Well, here I am."

Kokoro raised a brow, then looked to Tom, who nodded without hesitation. "A deal's a deal," Tom said. "Let's make history."

While the adults talked, Cutty Flam leaned over to Iceburg. "Oi… Who is that guy?"

"You weren't around yet when the Roger Pirates came here for repairs," Iceburg replied. "That's Koa—he was a young intern back then, but strong as hell. I saw him lift the Oro Jackson off the shore with his bare hands. No joke."

"Seriously?" Cutty Flam blinked, stunned.

"Yep," Iceburg nodded.

"That's right—Boss is the best!" Greenbull chimed in proudly, having overheard.

With sudden mutual respect, Greenbull and Iceburg locked eyes. In a silent moment of understanding, they both nodded—and then broke into a dap.