Water 7's Scrap Island, where the wreckage of abandoned ships piled up year-round.
In an isolated dry dock far from the city's bustling streets, the Eclipse sat quietly in a somewhat murky canal. The heavy frigate, its entire hull a deep, matte black, looked like an ancient sea beast dozing amid the ruins, radiating a cold, intimidating presence.
However, this sea was never short of greedy scoundrels willing to risk their lives for money.
"Hey, Big Brother Zambai, are you sure we should go after this ship? Just looking at that ram on the bow gives me the creeps."
Behind a mountain of broken planks, a dozen or so thugs in bizarre outfits, carrying huge saws and welding torches, were peeking at the Eclipse. One underling with a large wrench over his shoulder swallowed hard, his voice clearly lacking confidence.
"What are you afraid of? In Water 7, there isn't a pirate ship that can escape being dismantled by the Franky Family!"
Zambai, the square-faced man leading the group, smacked the underling on the back of the head. His eyes were fixed on the anti-corrosion steel plating covering the Eclipse, and he was so excited he was practically drooling.
"This isn't an ordinary wooden ship. It's covered in high-grade alloy! And the keel inside must be made of top-tier timber worth a fortune!"
Zambai waved a hand, his eyes blazing with greedy excitement. "If we dismantle this ship and sell it off, we'll have enough money not only to feast on meat but also to fund Big Brother Franky's purchase of Treasure Tree Adam! The people aboard are all off enjoying themselves in the city. Grab your tools, brothers. Let's get to work!"
Egged on by Zambai, dozens of Franky Family underlings crept aboard the Eclipse along the gangplank, tools