Water 7

As the long voyage continued, Luo Ya had yet to reach the next island when he noticed something speeding toward the Black Pearl across the sea.

Luo Ya hurriedly activated his Jet Propeller to leap forward, just as a train roared past him, carriage by carriage.

As the train chugged along, a giant yellow frog with black hair tied into a small braid appeared at the front of the locomotive.

Its entire body was covered in crisscrossing scars.

The frog took a stance in front of the train and slammed into the moving locomotive with a brutal impact.

Bang! With a loud thud, the frog was sent flying, and Luo Ya finally understood how it had sustained all those wounds.

Reflecting on the scene—a train, a frog blocking the train—he realized he must have arrived at Water 7.

Thinking this, Luo Ya brushed off the near-collision and accelerated with excitement, ready to give the Black Pearl a comprehensive upgrade.

As the Black Pearl picked up speed, the port of Water 7 appeared before Luo Ya.

The harbor was packed with a vast array of ships, a chaotic mix of all sorts.

After inquiring with the port staff, Luo Ya followed the tributary and sailed into Dock 1 of the Galley-La Company.

Once he reached his destination and moored the ship, a man approached him with a strange beard on his chin and a black top hat on his head.

A pigeon stood on his shoulder. Behind him followed a man whose nose looked like a rectangular wooden block.

Without seeing him speak, a voice emerged: "Greetings. Are you looking to modify a ship or purchase a new one?"

"Interesting. Ventriloquism is quite fascinating to witness in person. I want Iceburg to modify this ship for me; I will pay him for the materials in Beli."

Black trench coat, white shirt, black trousers. No sword at his waist, yet his hands bear the calluses of someone who handles blades constantly. Plus, that face!

At this moment, Lucci and Kaku recognized Luo Ya, but they did not panic; after all, their current identities were merely foremen of the Galley-La Company.

After acknowledging the request, they dialed a Den Den Mushi to contact Iceburg.

Upon learning that the Black Flame Swordsman Luo Ya wanted to modify his ship, Iceburg indicated he would arrive shortly.

While waiting, the idle Luo Ya lit a cigarette. After gesturing to the two men and being refused with a wave, he smoked by himself.

Before he had even finished the cigarette, Iceburg arrived with the blonde bombshell Kalifa.

Upon seeing Iceburg, Luo Ya got straight to the point.

"For this ship, I want the hull plated with Seastone. As for the rest, you decide—just make sure it's fast and sturdy enough. As for the material costs, go into the cabin and take what you need. Name your price for the labor."

Damn it, "sturdy and fast," he makes it sound so easy! Iceburg grumbled inwardly, though he agreed on the surface and boarded the Black Pearl to inspect it.

Luo Ya was slightly surprised that Iceburg had agreed so readily, though he didn't consider that the newspapers were still reporting on his city-slaughtering exploits.

Iceburg had no intention of provoking a madman like Luo Ya, who would wipe out a country on a whim.

Once Iceburg grasped the ship's construction and propulsion, he stormed out, cursing.

"A whole trunk of Treasure Tree Adam, and he turned it into this piece of junk! The hull structure and overall design are complete nonsense. The heat-to-kinetic energy conversion is absolute sh*t!"

It was clear that Iceburg was truly passionate about shipbuilding.

Luo Ya chuckled. "Heh, feel free to modify it however you like. There's about three or four hundred million Beli on board; if that's not enough, just let me know. I leave professional matters to the professionals."

Luo Ya held the philosophy of focusing only on results rather than the process for things he didn't understand. He wouldn't interfere with Iceburg's design; as long as the result satisfied him, that was all that mattered.

In other words, if the result was unsatisfactory, the consequences were unpredictable.

Iceburg agreed excitedly; after all, a ship built entirely from Treasure Tree Adam was extremely rare, as the wood was usually reserved only for the keel.

He called over Lucci and Kaku to engage in a heated discussion about the ship, while the Devil Fruit and Great Grade Sword Luo Ya had previously possessed had already been absorbed during the voyage.

Aside from some food and Beli, there was nothing of real value left on the ship.

In other words, the most precious thing was the Black Pearl itself.

Watching Iceburg throw himself into his work, Luo Ya stood up, intending to leave and explore Water 7 properly.

Iceburg finally snapped back to reality and signaled for Kalifa to accompany Luo Ya as a guide.

Seeing this, Luo Ya left Dock 1 of the Galley-La Company under Kalifa's guidance.

"Mr. Luo Ya, the routes in Water 7 are quite complex as they are all waterways. Let me go rent a Yagara Bull so you can experience the unique charm of Water 7."

"Heh, no need. Kalifa, you should go back to Iceburg and continue your infiltration. Haven't you still not found the whereabouts of Pluton?"

"You! How do you know that!" Kalifa looked at Luo Ya in horror, her right index finger extended as she lunged at him.

Shigan! With a snap, Luo Ya caught her finger in his hand.

"Don't panic. If you want to know more, come find me tonight. As it happens, I'm quite interested in the Rokushiki."

Having said that, Luo Ya released Kalifa's finger, leaving her standing there in shock and suspicion.

He walked toward the town center with his hands in his pockets.

As Luo Ya walked through the streets of Water 7, he noticed that the city's buildings were peculiar, towering structures. He knew that this place was struck every year by a massive tsunami known as the Aqua Laguna.

Yet, these buildings stood tall and unyielding; it was truly a miraculous place.

He hadn't wandered far when he saw a large crowd clutching Beli and gathered together. Curious, Luo Ya stepped closer and discovered it was a small pushcart.

A middle-aged man was grilling large slabs of meat on a cart, with the carcasses tied by their tails and hanging upside down.

Luo Ya saw this and immediately took out some Beli to join the expectant crowd.

Unfortunately, the amount of meat the man grilled each time was far from enough to satisfy the onlookers, so it had to be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Based on the length of the line, it would be several rounds before it was Luo Ya's turn.

However, Luo Ya didn't feel any ill will; he understood the principle of first-come, first-served well enough.

Besides, Luo Ya firmly believed that the longer you wait, the better it tastes; waiting was, in itself, a pleasure.

If Luo Ya were to draw his blade and start hacking people over something like this, he would truly be insane.

Finally, during the fourth round of grilling, it was Luo Ya's turn. He waved his hand grandly and bought the entire batch.

Luo Ya's appetite had finally become "pirate-level"; if the plates on the table weren't stacked high after a meal, it felt as if he hadn't eaten at all.

This amount of meat was barely enough to serve as a light snack.

Taking a bite, he found it different from ordinary meat; it was incredibly tender and smooth. Even though it was grilled, it was bursting with juices—in short, it was delicious.

It seemed this was the Aqua Meat that had made Luffy go limp with delight in the original story.

Satisfied, Luo Ya ate the Aqua Meat as he headed in another direction, ready to continue exploring Water 7.