How can I become the Pirate King if you don’t work hard?.

Chapter 268 The Shipwright's Dream and Lucci's Resolve

"real or fake?!"

"This kind of thing..."

The bearded Deruston's eyes widened; his skin was dark, but his entire face was flushed with excitement.
"Can we really do it?!"

"How will you know if you don't try?"

"Besides, if we can actually build this ship, our names will surely be remembered in history, right?!"

……

Everyone started talking, and the room instantly became lively.

Within seconds, they were already arguing about what materials to use for the hull and how to design the propulsion system...

At this moment.

Frankie, on the contrary, appeared remarkably calm.

He originally had a ship in his mind that could be considered his greatest masterpiece, and he had even come up with a specific design. All he needed was an opportunity to bring it to fruition.

Looking at the blueprints in his hand, Franky knew that his original design would probably have to be redone.

As the second-best shipwright in Water Seven after Iceberg—no, after Iceberg gradually relinquished his shipwright duties and turned his attention to the administration of Water Seven, Franky had become the foremost shipwright in Water Seven.

Even when he saw the design of Hades, he felt only indescribable awe.

That was the culmination of an era's technology, a monster born from the painstaking efforts of countless top shipwrights, which could not be matched by the power of one person alone.

What's more, what Franky is holding now is an even more fantastical monster, created by adjusting and modifying the framework of Hades' design.

Reason told him that this ship had surpassed all his knowledge, even all the warships he had ever imagined; it was a monster that existed only in his imagination.

With current technology, it is simply impossible to achieve.

But which shipwright's initial dream wasn't to build an unprecedented warship?

And now, that possibility is right in front of him!
Let this blueprint become a reality...

Once such a thought appeared in Franky's mind, it haunted him like a demon.

"If we don't give it a try, we'll never be satisfied with our lives!"

Franky raised his hand to adjust his sunglasses, his light blue pompadour standing tall at that moment:
"Challenging legends is also a man's romance!"
"Mmm~~~~super!"

"Hahahaha~"

Barry burst into laughter, unable to resist pointing at Franky:

"I knew you wouldn't sit still!"

"Humph~"

The two exchanged a glance, conveying a sense that everything was understood without words.

just.

Lu Qi, who had been sitting quietly to the side, poured cold water on the extremely excited crowd at this moment:
"This thing is to be given to pirates and underground forces as the blueprints for Pluton. Only in this way can the crisis in Water Seven be resolved."

"Our primary task now remains to extricate Water Seven from its current predicament."

Franky waved his hand dismissively, completely unconcerned.
"You're right."

"But this drawing is also not feasible, as many of the internal parameters have been modified by us."

"What we're going to do is not just build it according to the blueprints, but to create a truly legendary warship based on it!"

"This is every shipwright's dream!"

"Besides..."

“I have already chosen a master for this ship, someone none of you would refuse.”

"Don't make decisions for us without our consent!"

boom!
Barry, looking annoyed, kicked the desk, and everyone around him glared angrily at Franky.

If such a legendary warship, a culmination of the hard work of both historical and contemporary top shipwrights, could truly be realized, its value would be immeasurable in monetary terms.

This is a great achievement worthy of being recorded in history and becoming a legend!
How could they possibly accept such a ship as a free gift?!
"That's right, the owner of this ship will surely be another legend!"

Dariuston glanced sideways at Franky:
"The person you picked, could it be someone who is..."

Franky's lips curled into a mocking smile:

"That person is... no, Lieutenant General Lancelot!"

Dariuston's expression froze:
"..."

"I admit I spoke a little loudly just now."

Barry, standing to the side, silently put his legs down, sat up straight, and pretended that nothing had happened.

But seeing the smug smile on Franky's face, he felt even more furious.

"You knew this all along, didn't you!"

"That's true."

"Only that man is worthy of this ship!"

Initially, everyone was somewhat unhappy with Franky's unauthorized decision.

But when they heard who owned the ship, their displeasure vanished completely.

In their hearts, only the man whose name corresponds to this deserves such a legend.

By now.

Franky wasn't the only one who had doubts about Gawain's identity, but no one had dared to point it out.

Whether Gawain was a Marine or not was irrelevant to them. A man who could stand up for himself and for Water Seven at this moment, regardless of his status or lineage, deserved everyone's respect.

Since they call themselves the Navy, then they are the Navy!

"Humph~"

Lucci smiled slightly, turned his head and exchanged a glance with Kaku beside him, only to see the shock on the latter's face.

He turned to the side and spoke in Kaku's ear:

"Kaku, that's the charm of that man~"

"You're the person I trust most in CP9. Do you want to leave with me?!"

Kaku paused for a moment, but did not reply immediately; a hint of helplessness appeared in his eyes.
“Lucci, we know far too much.”

“The CP organization will never let us leave. Once they realize this possibility, we will face endless pursuit.”

"..."

Lu Qi fell silent for a moment, then couldn't help but raise his hand to straighten his hat.

All I could recall was my previous experience at Whisky Peak.

He knew Kaku was right.

But once the Water Seven incident is over, will he be able to return to Gawain's group?

Lucci's mind was in turmoil at this moment, as he recalled the reasons why he initially left Gawain's group.

Aside from his concern for Kaku and the others, he also didn't want Gawain to lose his status as a Shichibukai and fall into the predicament of being hunted down by the Navy because of his influence.

Although Gawain now possesses combat strength comparable to that of a Navy Admiral.

But Lucci knew one thing for sure: the Shichibukai identity was very important to Gawain. At least it had been very important in recent years.

If lost, the martial arts tournament and Gaza and others who remained in the East China Sea will inevitably be affected.

Besides, the captain needs a pair of eyes too, doesn't he?

As he pondered, Lu Qi's eyes gradually sharpened.

Having learned from his previous experience, Lucci truly understood what he should do as a crew member.

After counting the breaths.

A few meaningful words floated from Lucci's mouth:

"That's right~"

soon.

The meeting then came to a complete end.

Barry and the others had just finished their meeting and had no time to rest when they received orders from Crow to search for ships that were still functioning properly in Water Seven.

This was to prepare for the subsequent evacuation plan. Although the others were somewhat puzzled as to why Gawain would propose an evacuation plan when the situation was so favorable, they didn't say much because they trusted him, treating it as a backup strategy.

Franky, carrying the newly drawn blueprints, found a working printing press inside the mayor's building and began photocopying the designs.

Half an hour later.

Hundreds of design drawings were freshly produced and placed in front of Gao Wen.

"Is this the forged design of Hades?!"

Gao Wen glanced through it.

These drawings are roughly 70% similar to the original Hades design and drawings, with the most similarities being in the various parameters and details.

But it's good enough as an alternative.

After all, the design and illustration of Hades that Franky and his crew forged was based on the real thing. Not to mention ordinary pirates who don't know its value, even the top shipwrights wouldn't be able to see the problem.

The next challenge is how to get this information out in a reasonable way.

However, regarding this point, Wan Guo's previous actions taught Gawain a good lesson.

By now, most of the pirates have lost their minds, like gamblers who have staked everything on a gambling table, and the slightest disturbance will drive them completely mad.

Not to mention this design drawing based on the real product!
With Gawain patrolling outside, there isn't a single pirate ship within dozens of nautical miles of Water Seven. However, the number of pirates gathering around Water Seven hasn't decreased; on the contrary, it's increasing over time.

They were all bloodthirsty, betting almost everything, coming to the City of Seven Waters to gamble their luck, so naturally they dared not give up easily.

A direct assault was obviously not going to work, but countless pirates, under the cover of night, attempted to land in the area surrounding Water Seven.

Time flies, and it's already late at night.

The area around Water Seven was eerily quiet, with only the constant ebb and flow of the raging waves.

In a corner of the harbor, a small boat slowly approached the shore, and several pirates tiptoed off the ship.

The leader of the pirates had only one eye, hence the nickname "One-Eyed." He looked around cautiously, fearing he would be discovered by the patrolling pirates.

A pirate looked flustered, his weapons clanging together.

"idiot!"

"You want to kill me?!"

One-Eyed kicked the pirate to the ground, sending him sprawling face-first into the mud, but he gritted his teeth and dared not utter a sound.

Another pirate, using the moonlight, glanced at the pocket watch in his hand and then said urgently:
"Boss, time is almost up. The guards will be changing shifts in just a few seconds."

"Hurry up!"

One-Eyed lowered his voice and took the lead, heading into Water Seven according to the map.

"According to the intelligence the captain received, the refugee camp in Water Seven has been moved to the area below the mayor's building, and the Hades blueprints must be there."

"The navy's reinforcements will arrive in Water Seven in two or three days at most, and by then it will be too late!"

Tonight is our last chance!

"If we can get our hands on that thing, it can easily fetch a sky-high price of tens or hundreds of billions of Berries!"

An uncontrollable greed appeared in everyone's eyes, and even their original fear was greatly diminished at this moment.

They moved nimbly, avoiding the patrols around Water Seven, and sped toward the mayor's building inside.

"Wait a minute, why do I feel a little cold? It feels like I'm being stared at by some kind of wild beast!"

"Me too, me too, boss, do you think it might..."

"Are you brain-dead? It's getting colder today!"

"Oh oh oh..."

"Hey, hurry up, the faster you get it, the better!"

……

On top of a tall building in the distance.

Van Augur and Zoro stand side by side on the rooftop.

His spear coldly stared at the pirates who had infiltrated Water 7 in the distance, his finger instinctively on the trigger, but he did not pull it.

He simply watched as the pirates disappeared into the night.

Zoro placed one hand on the three long swords at his waist, a hint of confusion in his eyes:
"This is the seventh wave of pirates to infiltrate tonight. What exactly is the captain planning?!"

"Well~"

Van Augur put down Qian Lu, his eyelids drooping, looking listless, and said faintly:

"Whatever the captain and Crowe are plotting is none of our concern. All we need to do is perfectly carry out that man's will!"

"makes sense."

Zoro responded, and then said:
"However, besides allowing these pirates to enter, our other task is to prevent them from harming people."

"Ah~"

"It's time to decide... no, to create destiny!"

……

The one-eyed man's operation went much more smoothly than he had imagined.

In just half an hour, they sneaked into the mayor's building in Water City. To their surprise, the building had no decent defenses at all.

If it weren't for the obvious signs of activity around him, he would have wondered if he had gone to the wrong place.

"These guards aren't very good either; they don't even provide any proper defense."

"Perhaps because the war is too intense, the vast majority of troops have been used for frontline combat, leaving little room for maneuver."

One-Eyed speculated that his greed had reached its peak at this moment, and he even ignored the slightest incongruity:
"But this is our chance—our chance to obtain the blueprints for Hades!"

At this moment.

His one-eyed hands were trembling constantly, both from nervousness and excitement.

They searched up the building floor by floor and soon found a safe in the mayor's office. Inside, a design blueprint for Pluto lay quietly!
"found it!"

"The blueprints for Pluto, worth billions of pesos!"

One-Eyed grabbed it in his hand.

All that came to mind was the luxurious life he would lead afterward.

It was also at this time.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded all around, accompanied by shouts.

"quick!"

"We've discovered traces of pirates infiltrating. We can't let them find what's in the mayor's office, or we're all doomed!"

"Otherwise, everything will be over!"

……

One-Eyed was startled and smashed through the office window, leaping out and abandoning his companion as he fled for his life.

The pirates who remained in place watched helplessly as the door was pushed open.

Squeak~!

A burly man with extremely thick forearms and a blue pompadour pushed open the office door, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Uh... Am I too early?!"

"No!"

The man, holding a rope in his other hand and a cigar in his mouth, shook his head as he watched the figure disappear out the window.
"You've arrived just in time."

"The leader has already escaped with the counterfeit goods. These guys have been abandoned, and we've sent out another set of design drawings."

"That means more than seven have already been sent out tonight alone."

"According to Lieutenant General Lancelot's plan, it's about time to release the news that the Hades blueprints have been stolen."

"Hehehe~"

The two exchanged a knowing smile and bumped fists together.

The pirates felt a chill run down their spines when they saw the smiles on the two men's faces.

(End of this chapter)