Water 7.
The seas always had their regularly timed bouts of fury, scouring and submerging the coasts where people lived.
Before Aqua Laguna struck each year, this place was a wonderful shopping center. Its thriving shipbuilding industry, in particular, drew many great pirates and powerful figures from the underworld as customers.
The most outstanding of these was Tom's Shipbuilding Company, whose owner was hailed as the finest shipwright in centuries.
Even his younger brother, despite spending years away from Water 7, was a renowned shipwright on the Grand Line.
The young Kokoro was still a blonde beauty, finally staying with Tom and working hard to build ships.
Many people said that a mermaid beauty like Kokoro would leave who knew how many people with lifelong regrets, longing for her in vain.
"The latest papers are here! Tom!"
Kokoro handed a stack of the latest newspapers to Tom, who was hammering a piece of wood.
When he saw the news in the paper, Tom felt that the seas had gone completely mad.
The shipwrights at the port were already deep in discussion.
"CP9? Those guys from Enies Lobby? They're known as the impregnable wall of justice!"
"He actually defeated enemies that strong? Just who is Shane?"
"The battle at Mock Town is being called the Battle of the Ascending Dragon. Everyone now believes they'll definitely become great pirates!"
"Yeah, after the Battle of the Ascending Dragon, the papers called them the Dragon Emperor Pirates! They say Captain Shane personally defeated Chameleon, the head of CP0!"
A black dragon loomed over Mock Town in the newspaper.
Like a demonic shadow, Shane occupied the minds of those who looked at it, lingering long in their memories.
The once-peaceful Water 7 suddenly erupted into a commotion.
The shipwrights looked a little farther away.
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