Iceburg did find Tom, told him what Kazu had said, and earnestly advised his teacher that survival was the most important thing, no matter what.
But Tom laughed heartily and rejected Iceburg's suggestion on the spot.
He had already made up his mind; he couldn't leave.
If he escapes, the Water 7 will be doomed, as will his two disciples; none of them will survive.
However, Tom didn't tell Iceburg any of this, because he didn't want Iceburg to live with guilt in the future.
Let them think of me as a stubborn old man. It's worth it to exchange my life for the World Government's peace of mind.
This is the fate he deserves.
The Pluton Blueprints cannot be compromised, Water 7 must not be implicated.
Once he completes the Sea Train, he should hand over the blueprints for Pluton to his disciple, and then he can leave with the World Government without any worries.
Iceburg tried to reason with Tom for an hour, but Tom remained unmoved.
Finally, with no other option, Iceburg returned to the shipyard in disappointment.
Such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity doesn't come around often. The other party is intentionally protecting Tom, and even in the face of pressure from the World Government, the Blond Hair Pirates dare to stand up to them head-on, proving they are formidable pirates.
The more Iceburg thought about it, the more anxious he became. He decided to appease the Blond Hair Pirates first. The ship they wanted couldn't be completed in a short time, and he still had time.
He planned to visit his mentor several times during this period, hoping that his teacher would eventually relent.
Since the teacher refused to help the Blond Hair Pirates build a ship, they should focus all their efforts on completing the Sea Train.
Then he would personally take charge and build this pirate ship to perfection, satisfying Kazu.
If the other party is happy, and I've already persuaded the teacher, then everything will fall into place naturally.
Iceburg, with a complicated expression, pushed open the door to the VIP room, looked at Kazu who was sitting on the sofa eating fruit, smiled, and said, "Mr. Kazu, I'm sorry, Mr. Tom declined the shipbuilding invitation."
"But rest assured, my shipbuilding skills are world-class. I will personally lead the best shipwrights to complete this new ship to the best of our ability."
Kazu thought about it and agreed that it was a good idea. Although they hadn't been able to invite Tom to build the ship, this Iceburg was just as good.
After all, he was one of Tom's two most accomplished disciples, and the ship he built with all his might was more than capable of navigating the harsh weather of the New World.
Kazu stood up, walked over to Iceburg, offered him a cigarette, and said, "I have no doubt about President Iceburg's shipbuilding abilities. With you leading the shipwrights in building the ship, I'm sure you'll satisfy me."
Thank you for your trust.
Despite Iceburg's casual demeanor when dealing with ordinary pirates, he has to be cautious when facing a formidable pirate like Kazu.
The reason is simple: he couldn't win, the situation was out of his control, and the executioner's knife was always in someone else's hands.
After exchanging a few more words with Iceburg, Kazu left the VIP room with his crew, completely entrusting the shipbuilding project to Iceburg, whom he trusted implicitly.
Iceburg began a series of procurement efforts, leveraging their Galley-La Company's connections to find a sufficiently large Treasure Tree Adam.
Then they gathered all the best shipwrights from their shipyard, and those who had work on their hands put it aside and handed it over to the lower-level shipwrights.
Kazu and his friends bought a villa here, right on the central commercial street, very close to the shipyard. The environment is beautiful, and the surrounding economy is thriving, making it a perfect place to settle down.
"Captain Kazu, are we really going to stay here for a year?"
When Kazu gave this order, everyone was taken aback.
They thought they would go on an adventure first and come back to retrieve the ship when they had time.
"That's right, we'll be almost at Sabaody Archipelago if we keep going."
" The New World is a much harsher environment, not only because of the weather, but also because we'll face attacks from other pirate crews or the Navy. If our ship is too fragile, it can easily be sunk. Are we going to have a banquet on the seabed?"
"Besides, sharpening your axe won't delay your woodcutting work; you didn't think you'd just be sightseeing here all year, did you?"
"While waiting for the new ship, your spiritual practice must not be neglected."
"For the next year, you'll train for five days and then have two days off. This balance of work and rest will be enough for you to recover."
They didn't have much of an opinion about Kazu's decision.
Kazu made it very clear: in a war on the high seas, ships are their foundation; they must be able to establish a foothold.
Three days later, Iceburg personally arrived at Kazu's villa with the design drawings.
Kazu glanced through it briefly and found nothing particularly noteworthy to add.
It has all kinds of rest and entertainment facilities, and the training room is large and sturdy, made of special alloy.
The kitchen is also an open-plan space, fully equipped with all world-renowned brands.
It also features a water filter, a dedicated swimming pool, and a small beach.
The sand is three meters thick, 30 meters long, and 20 meters wide, enough for sunbathing.
What Kazu likes most is his captain's master bedroom, a large space of several hundred square meters, in the middle of which he plans to place a huge bed, eight meters wide and ten meters long, made from the Treasure Tree Adam.
Kazu will ensure that no matter how much you mess with the bed, it won't collapse.
Kazu nodded in satisfaction, smiled at Iceburg, and said, "I trust you to do things right. Just build it this way."