Chapter 88: Return to the City of Seven Waters (1)

Five days later, on a tranquil sea, a massive warship came gliding forward.

The City of Water, renowned throughout the world for its shipbuilding and its wondrous sights, was a place famed not only for its celebrated cuisine but also for its masterful craftsmanship.

Most importantly, its shipbuilding industry was immensely advanced, for the Pirate King's ship had been born here.

And yet today, this famous island was about to face a crisis.

At the harbor, countless unfinished leviathans were slowly being brought to completion.

"What is that?" Out on the sea, an iron track rose and fell with the waves, stretching away into the distance. A Marine clinging to the ship's rail stared in astonishment.

"A sea train?" Standing at the bow, Xuanye muttered as he looked at the track in the water.

"Full speed ahead, for Water City!"

"Yes, sir!"

As they drew near the harbor, Xuanye disembarked and walked straight toward the largest shipyard.

"Arrest every pirate on the island. Kill all who resist without mercy." Halting for a moment, Xuanye quickly issued the order.

"Swoosh..." Two hundred Marines rose into the air, drawing cries of alarm from the shipwrights there.

None of the craftsmen had ever seen so many powerhouses walking through the sky before, but from their uniforms alone they could tell these were harmless Marines.

Ever since a Marine Rear Admiral had once gone on a rampage here, order on the island had improved considerably for a short time. But because shipbuilding was so prosperous here, before long the island had once again descended into chaos.

Dressed in ordinary casual clothes, Xuanye was accompanied by Aokiji, Monkey, and Parkas as they headed straight for Dock Number One.

For there, as expected, their target would surely be found.

Amid the bustle and heated discussion, as they neared the dock, they could faintly hear a familiar voice.

A fish-man with bull-like horns was surrounded by several shipwrights, all of them studying a blueprint and arguing intensely.

"Captain, there are Marines." One of the shipwrights standing opposite the fish-man happened to notice Xuanye and the others.

The fish-man turned, somewhat surprised, for the man leading them was someone he had seen years ago, and the memory was still vivid.

"A Marine Rear Admiral? No, he should be a Vice Admiral now. I wonder what business the famous Sky Bird has here." Rising to his feet, Tom's eyes flashed as he braced himself.

Xuanye looked at the fat, two-horned fellow before him and sighed. "You should already have been prepared for this."

"I just didn't expect to see you in circumstances like these."

"Haha... This day should have come long ago." Tom gave a bitter smile, for he knew that this day would eventually arrive.

"So the World Government sent you to bring everything to an end?" At last, Tom let out a breath.

"That's right." Xuanye nodded, his face expressionless.

"On account of my having built ships for you, could you do me a favor?" After a moment of silence, Tom looked at Xuanye with burning eyes, unwilling to give in.

"Speak. But if it goes against my mission, then I'm sorry." Xuanye pondered for a moment as well.

"Could you connect me to your Fleet Admiral's den-den mushi? I have something to say!" Tom gritted his teeth.

"Certainly." Xuanye nodded, then took the den-den mushi from his sleeve and, without another word, directly called Sengoku.

"Beep... beep..."

"Hello! This is Sengoku." The den-den mushi rang, and on the other end, Sengoku answered the call.

"Hello. This is Xuanye."

"Is the mission complete?" Sengoku was somewhat surprised; he had not expected it to be so quick.

"Not yet. There is one last thing. Someone wants to speak with you."

"Who?"

"Listen for yourself."

With that, Xuanye handed the den-den mushi to Tom.

"Hello! This is Tom's Workshop. I am Tom." Taking the den-den mushi, Tom immediately announced his name.

"Tom." In the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku tapped the desk and fell into thought.

"I have a request. Please postpone my execution, because the blueprint for the sea train is complete. All that remains is to put it into practice." Tom's expression was grave as he stared fixedly at the den-den mushi in his hand.

"A sea train? The kind of train that can travel on the sea? I've heard of this already." Sengoku exclaimed softly, pulling out a file concerning the sea train from somewhere.

"It links islands, rides the wind and the waves, and can connect and prosper the waters it passes through. It seems to bring more benefits than harm." Rubbing his head as he thought, Sengoku hesitated.

"Please wait a moment." In the end, Sengoku hung up, intending to report the matter first.

More than ten minutes later, the den-den mushi in Tom's hand rang again.

"Give the den-den mushi to Vice Admiral Sky Bird."

"Hello. What is it? Speak." Taking the den-den mushi, Xuanye's face remained expressionless.

"Tom will be spared for the time being...." Sengoku's deep voice came through.

"My mission." Xuanye spoke in few words, his tone carrying both restraint and excitement.

"The Five Elders have approved it. You may use the intelligence network of the Judicial Island, but only for the purpose of dealing with Golden Lion." Sengoku reminded him.

"Understood."

With a snap, Xuanye cut off the den-den mushi. A sinister smile appeared on his face; his mission was finally complete.

"Let's go."

Turning around, Xuanye was, though somewhat impatient, still planning to rest on the island for the night.

At the same time, countless pirates across the island were being arrested. Those who resisted were all killed, and blood once again stained the City of Water.

What unfolded today was all too similar to what had happened years ago.

When the Marines could no longer handle the situation, Xuanye and Aokiji stepped in. In just one hour, the entire City of Water fell silent, because by that day every pirate on the island had vanished.

On the Red Line, in Mary Geoise, the center of the World Government's power, within that plain room.

Five old men stood or sat, their entire bodies exuding the aura of those in high positions.

"What do you make of Sengoku's report just now?" said one elder, a blade at his side, his tone indifferent.

"He's only a fish-man, nothing worth fretting over. Most importantly, our trial has already ended." A bald elder smiled with confident assurance.

"Sky Bird Xuanye Tang can be made a great admiral." A long-bearded elder thumped the table and spoke with certainty.

"Our preliminary assessment is that this fellow hates pirates to the core. For the sake of orders, he could destroy civilians. Such a subordinate is indispensable."

"In that case, then give him a chance."

"Even if he harbors other intentions, we can suppress them."

"Since Kong is now serving as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, can the current Marine Fleet Admiral Sengoku truly be up to the task?"

"Since Kong vouches for him, then we might as well try. The capable rise, the weak fall. This sea has always belonged to us."

"Very well. Then let us wait and see. This ever-expanding sea will never escape our grasp."

And at this moment, Xuanye, recuperating in the City of Water, had no idea at all that the path before him had become much smoother once more.

...

Thanks to the 2,000 starting point coins tipped by "Memories of April." Three updates today.