Black Pearl

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Luo Ya tossed down a stack of Berries and disembarked the ship amidst Leisel's profuse thanks.

Maynard had been waiting at the pier for a long time, arms crossed.

"Dezi, I've brought back the shipbuilding materials. The rest is up to you."

"This Treasure Tree Adam is no small thing; it's enough to build a large pirate ship."

"No, it doesn't need to be that big. Ten-odd meters long and five or six meters wide is plenty. It's best if you make it one that doesn't need sails—something powered by flames."

"You've got quite a lot of demands, kid. Carry the Treasure Tree Adam and follow me. You can tell the shipyard workers yourself."

Maynard finished speaking and turned to walk toward the shipyard on the island.

Luo Ya lit a cigarette, hoisted the Treasure Tree Adam onto his shoulder, and followed closely behind Maynard.

Upon arriving at the shipyard, the owner hurried to the entrance to greet them after hearing that the material was the rare Treasure Tree Adam.

"As expected of Treasure Tree Adam! This texture, this grain! If you leave it to our shipyard, we will certainly be able to build a fine vessel."

The owner stroked the massive log with an obsessed expression, looking like a total creep.

After Luo Ya explained his requirements to the owner, he said to Maynard, "When the time comes, have the supplies delivered directly to the shipyard and loaded onto my ship. Prepare more food, fruit, and drinking water. It would be best to get some good wine and cigarettes, set aside a few hundred million Berries for emergencies, and also..."

Bang! The sound cut off the babbling Luo Ya.

"You brat, do you want me to get you a few dozen Devil Fruits to keep as a collection, too?" Maynard's sandbag-sized fist slammed heavily onto Luo Ya's head.

Ignoring Luo Ya, who was squatting on the ground holding his head, Maynard asked the owner, "How long will it take to build it according to this kid's requirements?"

"About a month. The main time-consuming part is cutting the Treasure Tree Adam," the owner replied.

"Good. We'll come to pick up the ship in a month." Maynard nodded to signal Luo Ya to follow, then turned and left.

During that month, Maynard taught Luo Ya a great deal of navigational knowledge, including how to use Log Poses and Eternal Poses.

At the very least, Luo Ya could now read a compass and distinguish his heading; according to Maynard, that was as much as an ordinary person could hope for.

In this world, one might reach the top tier of strength through hard work, but being a navigator was purely a matter of talent.

He would just have to find a crew member who knew how to navigate later. As long as he could distinguish his heading and not get lost, it would be enough.

"Kid, the ship is finished and the supplies are all loaded. Go and start your own voyage."

Luo Ya, still groggy from sleep, was awakened by Maynard's booming voice. He stumbled to the shipyard, where the completed ship had already been lowered to the pier.

Led by the owner, they didn't walk far before a ship made entirely of wood appeared before them.

The ship was seventeen meters long and five meters wide. It had no sails; half of it was deck, and the other half was cabin space.

The cabin had four levels. The lowest was a cold storage room for food and water, filled with various fruits, provisions, and alcohol.

The third level was a storage room, which contained various fishing gear, beach umbrellas, lounge chairs, and other items. The other half of this level was a training room, equipped with various exercise machines.

The second level contained the bedroom and bathroom. Inside the bedroom sat five neat leather suitcases, containing exactly one hundred million Berries.

The top level, flush with the deck, was the wheelhouse, which contained the console and the ship's wheel. Next to the wheelhouse was the galley and dining area.

It was worth mentioning that the ship's propulsion was "black technology" from the pirate world.

A complete mechanical device could convert flames into power, much like the small sailboat Ace had once used.

It could be charged with flames during normal operation; there were eight propellers installed on the sides of the ship, and two jet thrusters at the stern.

At full speed, it was several times faster than an ordinary sailing ship.

The only pity was that it lacked the "Coup de Burst" that Franky had created in the original story, which used cola as fuel to achieve a one-kilometer flight.

He would have to wait until he reached Water 7 to realize that.

After boarding, Luo Ya went to the wheelhouse. There was a hidden compartment next to the wheel; after pressing the button, a metal sphere emerged, and Luo Ya placed his hand on it.

A massive amount of flame surged into it, and the energy display reached full capacity in just ten minutes.

"As expected of Treasure Tree Adam. The whole thing is built from wood, making it lightweight while possessing the defensive strength to withstand giant waves. Give this ship a name," the owner said with a serious expression.

"How about 'Wave Breaker'? It implies riding the wind and breaking the waves," Maynard suggested.

"Tacky, too tacky. This ship shall be called the Black Pearl!" Luo Ya waved his hand and finalized the name.

"Black Pearl? Is there a story behind that name?"

"You wouldn't understand. Captain Jack Sparrow once said that the Black Pearl is the fastest ship on the sea and that she never sinks." Luo Ya held up a finger and wagged it in front of Maynard.

"Heh, never sinks, eh? I'll be waiting to see that, kid." Maynard patted Luo Ya on the shoulder.

"OK, OK! Let's throw a massive banquet to celebrate the birth of the Black Pearl!" Luo Ya shouted.