Vic paused after speaking, and seeing that Tom's expression had eased slightly, he knew that his direction was still correct. He then organized his thoughts and continued:
"Besides, if pirates find you while concealing their identities, you won't be able to tell the difference. Should that also be punished?"
You simply built a ship and sold it to someone. When the ship left the factory, there was no distinction between pirate ships and non-pirate ships. Just because someone took the ship and became a pirate, does that mean you should be held responsible?
What if someone resells the completed ship? That's impossible to determine.
You were just unlucky, and the ship you built was too good. It carried Roger around the world and made him the Pirate King. You were at most caught in the crossfire; a death sentence is too severe!
Vic spoke objectively, not to curry favor with Tom and the others, but his words struck a chord with them. They were very indignant about the charges against Tom, but Enies Lobby was not a place for reasoning; it was a place where the Five Elders held absolute power, and anyone connected to the Pirate King would be implicated.
"Brother! You're absolutely right! I really admire you. I'll definitely sell you all my weapons, and I'll even give you a discount. Bring over the warships; we can even help with the repairs. We're professionals in shipbuilding!"
It was Franky again. He was a man of strong emotions, and he deeply resonated with what Vic said, much like how his mentor Tom had taught him.
Moreover, the fact that it came from a navy officer made it even more remarkable. If it weren't for someone holding him back and frog blocking his way, he would definitely have given Vic a like-minded hug.
"You idiot, Tom's Workers is none of your business! Shut up!"
Iceburg clung tightly to Franky's shirt, clearly displeased with Franky's unauthorized decision to take in the warship.
Although Vic spoke sweetly, he still had a strong defense in his heart. His dark purple lips trembled as he pulled Franky hard. He was not someone who opened his heart easily, and he and Franky had been arguing and fighting every day for several years.
"You idiot, Iceburg! Let me go! Mr. Tom will definitely agree to this young navy guy's request. The dock is just sitting empty anyway! When the warships come, I can install my weapons on them!"
Franky dismissed Iceburg's words; he'd always been like that, once he made up his mind, it was hard to change it.
Tom was also surprised by what Vic said, but seeing how serious Vic was, he knew he wasn't lying. This Marine gave him a very special feeling. Despite being very powerful, he spoke calmly and treated everyone equally, completely unlike the arrogant and haughty people in the World Government!
Moreover, he quite agreed with what Vic said, as that was how he taught his disciples: once a ship is built, it must be magnificent, and they must be prepared to bear any consequences.
"Why don't we go eat first? This navy guy probably hasn't eaten either. Come on over, we can talk while we eat. Akula Rag isn't coming anytime soon, no rush!"
Seeing the tense atmosphere and the hurried and nervous way Tom and the others had come out, Kokoro knew that the master and his apprentices must be studying the blueprints for Pluton. Getting the navy away was the most important thing now.
Although she could see that Tom was showing signs of agreeing to the navy offer, he was still somewhat hesitant, and it was time to hold off for a while.
"Okay! You guys go ahead! I'll go pack up the blueprints and stuff and come right back. Why don't you come along too, we can talk more while we eat!"
Tom understood the importance and urgency of the matter after hearing Kokoro's words. In the rush earlier, he had only casually hidden the Pluton Blueprints. Now that Kokoro was getting the navy away, he could find a new, more secluded place to hide them.
"Alright, my name is Vic! Marine Headquarters Rear Admiral. Well then, I'll take care of you!"
Vic nodded in reply. Now that he had seen the Pluton Blueprints, he naturally understood the meaning behind their conversation. Knowing the answer, he could then discern the true purpose behind their words.
If it were someone who knew nothing about the situation, they would probably genuinely believe they were hospitable and dedicated. Of course, they are indeed hospitable and dedicated, but since their client was a naval officer, it's understandable that they were being cautious.
Fortunately, Vic had already memorized all the blueprints for Pluton, and the workbench was restored to its original state. Tom and the others would never have imagined that the person who had been in their sight all along had already stolen such an important item. Otherwise, they would definitely have ganged up on him and beaten him to death. However, whether they could have won the fight is another story.
Kokoro gave Vic a deep look, then turned and headed towards the stairwell. Iceburg's face showed surprise. He hadn't expected Vic to have such a high position at such a young age. He became even more wary. This navy officer, who wasn't much more powerful than them, was more formidable than he had imagined!
Franky, on the other hand, loudly praised Vic for being young and promising, a genius just like himself, and told him to eat and drink well later, Kokoro's cooking was excellent.
" Vic? Vic? A young navy man..."
As Vic went upstairs, he heard Tom muttering his own name, as if he'd heard it somewhere before but couldn't quite place it. However, he pretended not to hear and followed Kokoro upstairs.
Franky followed excitedly behind, but Iceburg grabbed his arm, preventing him from getting close to Vic. Big Toad, seeing that the group hadn't clashed, followed behind them with a smile.
When Vic followed Kokoro to the dining room of Tom's Workers, he found that the food was already set on the table.
The meals were very simple. The rice was just plain white rice, and the side dishes were some shellfish, small fish and shrimp, common leafy greens, and a seaweed soup. It was clear that they lived a very frugal life.
It's estimated that all the money was used for the research and development of the Sea Train. The small fish and shrimp were probably caught by Yokozuna when they went to sea. Vic knows that Fish-Man generally don't eat fish, at most they eat some shellfish, but they should have no problem with land animals and vegetables. However, there was no meat. The fish and shrimp were probably prepared for Iceburg and Franky.
Seeing the food on the table, Kokoro felt a little embarrassed. Was this all the food she was supposed to serve to people she invited over for a meal?
Although it was meant to distract the navy officer, it ended up being a bit awkward. Iceburg didn't seem to mind, and it would have been even better if the navy officer had just left after seeing the cheap food.
Franky looked at the food on the table with a bitter expression. He guessed that this kind of life had been going on for a long time. Although Kokoro's cooking skills were good, it was still tiring to eat after a while. But the only option was to force himself to eat it. This was also one of the reasons why he wanted to sell weapons to Vic.