Settsetse! The Pirate Nemesis

186. Acquaintances in Water City

Just as Enel and his group were reaching the summit of the Western Sky via the high-speed air route and entering the West Blue to head towards Antares, Sett and Hawkeye arrived at Water Seven, the world's largest shipyard, renowned even in the New World, the latter half of the Grand Line.

In a world where almost everything is covered by water, the importance of ships is self-evident. Water Seven, the legendary city where the ancient weapon "Pluton" was forged, is also the birthplace of Gol D. Roger's ship, the Oro Jackson.

The influence of celebrities is unparalleled. Especially Roger, who personally ushered in the Great Pirate Era.

Before this, there were large shipyards comparable to Water 7. However, with Roger's rise to fame, Water 7 has become the first choice for all pirates.

There was no other way; people need to eat. As a result, many shipwrights followed suit and came to Water Seven. Over time, Water Seven became more than just a large shipyard; it became a massive shipbuilding island. Almost the entire island was dedicated to the shipbuilding industry.

Of course, besides shipbuilding, Water Seven is also famous for its cuisine. After all, it attracts quite a few tourists and is a well-known entertainment island in the first half of the Grand Line.

Today, the port of the Water City is destined to be anything but peaceful.

With a thunderous roar, nearly five meters of water shot into the sky. Beneath the spray, a small boat sped towards the harbor at a speed far exceeding that of ordinary warships.

In that era, it was already quite difficult for ships to reach an average speed of fifteen knots. But now, with enough impact hulls and jet hulls, the impact boats, after another modification, are even better than before in terms of both speed and stability.

Hawkeye, however, showed no excitement whatsoever. He was holding down his newly purchased hat—one he'd bought while passing through Long Chain Island. The reason was simple: Hawkeye just felt that the wide-brimmed hat with bird feathers suited his style perfectly, along with the Supreme Grade Sword behind him.

This time, it wasn't Hawkeye piloting the assault boat, but Sett.

This was also the key reason for Hawkeye's headache—his hand pressed down on his hat to prevent it from blowing away in the wind, Hawkeye forced out the words through gritted teeth: "We're here! There are a lot of ships ahead, slow down!!!"

"Slow down? No way! We need to have fun!!!"

Not only did Sett not slow down, he even floored the accelerator. Ignoring the large ships lined up ahead, the assault boat weaved through them like an electric scooter in rush hour traffic without slowing down at all.

But unlike electric cars, Sett's assault boat was ridiculously fast. The splashes of water could even reach the decks of people nearby, and wherever it went, curses erupted.

"It's rush hour now!"

"It's alright! I see the sidewalk is still quite spacious!"

As he spoke, Sett floored the accelerator again, and the jetpack at the bottom sprang into the air, sending the small boat soaring straight up. With the jetpack's thrust, the boat glided forward in an arc, much like a glider.

At first, it was quite high, but later on, the small boat practically flew in, brushing against the scalps of people on the decks of other large ships.

"I love it when a small boat is used to suppress a large boat!!!"

"You brute! You barbarian!!"

Hawkeye was fully prepared for Sett's impulsive nature. Like now, though he called it barbaric, his eyes betrayed his readiness to withstand the impact. Sure enough, just as they approached the sidewalk, Sett unleashed a kick from a distance, the recoil sending the small boat flying back into the middle of the waterway.

Here, we must commend the construction of Water Seven. It's somewhat similar to Venice in Sett's mind. However, unlike Venice, the waterways in Water Seven are much more convenient and accessible. In the past, Sett and his companions had to walk to the port to make purchases. But in Water Seven, the size of their assault boats allows them to navigate freely.

In a small, human-powered boat, the assault boat is like a supercar. Wherever it goes, it draws astonished gazes. Among them are many veteran shipwrights from the Water Seven shipyard. Their faces are filled with surprise and curiosity when they witness the assault boat's power.

"How does this ship move? What's the power source? Why can it go so fast?!"

While Water Seven is skilled in building all kinds of ships and even has a partnership with the World Government to provide new naval warships every year, Skypiea, even on the Grand Line, is a place rarely visited. Like a pristine paradise, these shipwrights are unaware of the existence of Skypiea Shells.

In fact, not only these shipwrights, but only a small portion of the navy knew of the existence of the Sky Island.

Because the entry method is too stringent, Skypiea remains undeveloped to this day. If the seas were calm, then successful development might be possible. However, with the arrival of the Great Pirate Era, the development of Skypiea has been indefinitely postponed… Neither the Navy nor the World Government currently has the resources to undertake such an energy-consuming endeavor.

Putting everything else aside, the three emperors causing trouble in the New World alone were already giving them a huge headache.

Having confirmed that the ship was safe, Hawkeye breathed a sigh of relief. Then, looking at Water Seven, which resembled a giant celebratory cake, Hawkeye said, "Perfect, let's procure some supplies."

After descending from the sky island, Sett and Hawkeye didn't purchase any supplies along the way—the only island they passed was the Long Chain Island. It was a ring-shaped island comprised of dozens of smaller islands, named for its overall chain-like shape, and home to many strange creatures. Whether dogs or other animals, they were all unusually long.

Judging by sight, their average body length is over five meters... I wonder how they maintain their blood circulation.

The island's inhabitants have a nomadic lifestyle. Therefore, Sett and Hawkeye did not encounter any human markets when they passed through.

Normally, the small boat's supplies should have been enough for them to reach the Sabaody Archipelago. However, unfortunately, in order to prevent Sett from destroying the Shock Shells while on Skypiea, Hawkeye had taken a lot of spare shells. He prepared three sets of each type: Shock Shells, Blast Shells, and Barrage Shells.

With these three sets, the supply warehouse, which was originally sufficient for storage, suddenly became insufficient... But if you really want to calculate it, would slightly larger seashells really take up that much space?

I'm afraid not?

The main reason is probably that after running for so long, Sett and Hawkeye would have to start their fishing careers again if they didn't replenish their supplies.

Although a considerable amount of time has passed, Hawkeye still hasn't forgotten that past he doesn't want to revisit... or rather, that period of time Hawkeye refuses to remember. It was the time when he suffered from an upset stomach due to eating raw fish, which led to him becoming completely exhausted and resembling Ra.

Therefore, despite having some food left in the warehouse, Sett came to Water Seven at Hawkeye's insistence.

With their gazes fixed on Water Seven, Sett and the others followed the river into the market within.

As mentioned earlier, Water Seven resembles a giant celebration cake from the outside, meaning its shape is that of a mountain. Unlike Upside Down, the water in Water Seven cannot flow backwards. Therefore, boats typically use hydraulic elevators to move between floors.

While Sett and the others were busy procuring supplies, on the other side, Rob Lucci's company, which was secretly gathering on a day off, was shrouded in indifference and calm.

Although he's only fourteen, it doesn't matter. Rob Lucci is already a top-notch member of C9. The only problem is the crushing defeat in the Flevance incident due to Sett's involvement... In the six months that followed, the C9 reserve team, led by Rob Lucci, was somewhat neglected. However, in a recent mission, Rob Lucci single-handedly killed over five hundred soldiers, earning him the title of the strongest member of C9 in Enies Lobby's history... Of course, this only applies to reserve team members.

However, due to his previous crushing defeat at the hands of Sett, Rob Lucci is still building his reputation and trying to regain the World Government's trust. Currently, Rob Lucci and his group are infiltrating Water Seven, waiting for an opportunity to seize the blueprints for the legendary ancient weapon, Pluton.

In the original storyline, he should have started his infiltration mission with his companions in 1516. However, due to Sett's influence, they have to begin their infiltration eight years earlier. And unlike in the future, they are now infiltrating directly from the apprentice level. After all, the youngest among them, Kaku, is actually not even ten years old yet... Of course, due to ample nutrition and constant training, judging from his appearance, some might believe Kaku is eighteen.

"How's the situation with your undercover work going?"

Despite being in a bustling area, Kaku and his companions paid no attention to the passersby. Trained since childhood, they were able to precisely control their voices, keeping them within a range that only they could hear. Some might ask, what if someone with exceptional hearing overheard them?

That makes it even simpler. From a young age, they are trained to communicate using far more complex codes, except when they are at their own base. And to outsiders, these codes would not sound suspicious at all…

Besides, they're all children, so it doesn't matter that they're all incredibly strong due to training. They're all close in age, and to outsiders they just look like a group of good friends.

Upon hearing Lucci's words, Kalifa adjusted her black-rimmed glasses and said, "Luckily, I have successfully passed the test and become Mr. Iceberg's intern secretary."

Hearing this, he nodded, and Kaku, who was standing next to him, also said, "I'm also lucky. I'm currently an apprentice shipwright in Dock No. 1."

"I've successfully entered the bar," said Bruno, the Door-Door Fruit user with horned hair. "Now I'm a waiter... With the help of the World Government's police, I should be able to become a main bartender within five years."

"I'm at Dock Three, but they haven't told me what I'm supposed to do yet," said Jabra, the big gray wolf, with an indifferent expression.

Others, such as Otonashi Owl and Shiki Kuga, did not come to Enies Lobby. Jabra wouldn't have come either, as they were supposed to be out on a mission to assassinate Revolutionary Army officers in the original story.

Now, because of Sett's appearance, everyone's fate has been drastically changed. In order to accumulate merits more steadily and gain the trust of the World Government, Lucci and the others decided to infiltrate Water 7 ahead of schedule.

The same applies to Gabra, which has now been qualified for Dock No. 3. Although not as important as Dock No. 1, it is still a very important dock for Carrera Corporation, specializing in the manufacture of warships and fulfilling orders from the World Government.

"Speaking of which, boss, what about you?"

Kaku glanced at Lucci beside him. As an intern at Dock One, Kaku didn't see his boss there. This puzzled Kaku, considering Lucci was the strongest among them. Logically, if even he could gain his trust, his boss should have been able to get in easily.

In response, Lucci coldly shook his head and said, "I did not join the shipyard..."

"Not yet joined the dock?"

Hearing this, the others were somewhat surprised. They knew their leader had always been the most outstanding. So why was he backing down when faced with such an important task?

Faced with everyone's doubts, Lucci calmly said, "I am currently an intern sawing wood and nailing boats."

Upon hearing this, after a moment's thought, Kaku clapped his hands and said, "As expected of the boss! Neither Dock One nor Dock Three can supervise the other docks in Water Seven. No, they can't even move around freely..."

There is also competition between shipyards.

"If it's a sawmill crew, they can enter any shipyard without arousing suspicion!"

Hearing Kaku's words, Lucci calmly nodded. Just as he had thought, from the beginning, he wasn't fixated on any one dock... What he wanted to see was the entire operation of Water Seven. Every corner, every corner that might hold the blueprints for Hades!

But just then, Lucci suddenly stopped, and in the midst of their conversation, they bumped into something...

Looking up, I saw Sett and Hawkeye standing in the middle of the road.

"What a coincidence! Hahahaha!"

This is what it's like to meet an old friend in a foreign land... Seti smiled radiantly.

---------

My updates have been a bit lacking lately, and to be honest, there are quite a few reasons. My leg injury is an old problem; it's flared up quite often before, but this time it's more serious, and I haven't been able to exercise for a while. The changing seasons are over, but the wind in this seaside city is really strong, and I've been catching colds every few days.

I originally studied pharmacy, and I have to say it's definitely useful; some professional knowledge adds a lot to describing action scenes. But one can't always write fanfiction... at least I really want to write original works. Even a lazy bum needs a dream, right? But every time I've tried writing fanfiction before, it's a complete disaster. I looked at other people's work, and wow, their professional knowledge is top-notch. Especially those historical fiction writers, they're always harassing people in the online novel community. So now I'm thinking about whether I should transfer to a four-year university to study humanities... I really didn't expect that even online novels could be so popular.

187. Complete Defeat

Looking at the group before him, Sett's eyes were filled with malicious amusement. In contrast, the faces of the CP9 members turned a ghastly liver color, their eyes filled with rejection and fear.

Stories from a foreign land are a good thing, but they are all orphans. In this situation, meeting an old friend in a foreign land is a matter of whether they are a human or a ghost. Rather than meeting Sett, they would rather have met a ghost!

"do not move!"

Just as everyone was about to run, Lucci, standing to the side, lowered his head and scoffed coldly. Then, looking at Sett in front of him, he calmly analyzed, "We are CP9 agents! Don't forget, we also represent the will of the World Government! Last time, Flevance was there because of the special circumstances, but he's not qualified now..."

Lucci's thinking was undoubtedly accurate. If it were like before, when he encountered Sett in Flevans, Sett really wouldn't bother with this group of junior agents... their abilities were all worryingly weak, and there was no pleasure in bullying them.

Putting everything else aside, the moment Lucci saw Sett, he felt a sharp pain in his fingers—Sett used to favor the Finger Pistol technique. But since facing Sett, Lucci had spent most of his time training with Iron Body…

Unfortunately, the incident where he fractured his finger after using a finger gun left Lucci with a deep-seated trauma... If he doesn't overcome this trauma, Lucci will most likely embark on a training path completely different from the original story...

For example, like the Big Bad Wolf specializing in iron blocks...

But no matter how many times you repeat it, it's the same principle: after encountering Sett before... and entering the Grand Line, Sett's mindset has changed. At least now, Sett is prepared to face pressure from the World Government.

"You have thirty seconds... no, you have one minute."

While Lucci was still rationally analyzing the situation, Sett said with a smile, "You guys must have come to Water Seven with some ulterior motive... Perfect, I also need to borrow the shipwrights here to build a few warships. I'll give you one minute to escape, if..."

Before Sett could finish speaking, or perhaps upon hearing his words, "I also need to borrow the shipwrights here," a flicker of fear crossed their eyes. Then, the CP9 members exchanged glances, and almost simultaneously, they all fled in different directions—not for any other reason than to get away from Sett. Even if only one of them escaped, it would be a success!

Seeing the entire CP9 team suddenly disappear from their spot with a thud, Sett's lips curled into a playful smile.

Completely oblivious to the astonished looks of passersby—ordinary people had no idea what shaving was. They only believed what they saw, and what they saw was a group of young people suddenly vanishing from their spot. Only two tall men remained standing there, one of them with a strange smile on his lips.

Without saying a word, Hawkeye simply took out his pocket watch and silently pressed a button. Then, he tossed the watch to Sett. Hawkeye himself, looking completely unconcerned, walked over to the bar and sat down at the counter to relax.

Hawkeye had absolutely no interest in Sett's perverse sense of humor. Similarly, Hawkeye speculated that Sett's current actions were most likely a spur-of-the-moment decision...

After all, it was Sett who kept urging everyone to hurry up and not stop at the beginning. But now, after entering Water Seven, he's decided to help capture CP9? It's obvious he's interested in Water Seven's construction capabilities.

Although Antuo Island has its own shipyard, it's undeniable that its standards are far inferior to those of Water Seven. The most obvious difference lies in the basic requirements for vessels—Antuo Island's shipyard is content with simply ensuring its clients can navigate the four seas. But facing the extreme weather of the Grand Line… not to mention, how many times have its assault boats been reinforced?

Although Sett's rough handling also played a part...

Water Seven, as the world's most famous shipbuilding company, doesn't just have standards for handling the extreme weather and sea conditions of the first half of the Grand Line. It also has to contend with the unique weather conditions of the second half, the New World. It's not just a matter of construction techniques; the construction standards, material selection, and processing methods are unmatched by any shipbuilding company in the other seas.

Indeed, building the Ark Maxim wasn't particularly difficult; Enel successfully assembled it from scratch in the story. But why choose the inferior option when there's a better one?

The flaws of something bad are countless, but the only flaw of something expensive is its price. In fact, this isn't a flaw of being expensive, but rather a flaw of the buyer.

Asking the Galleyra Company of Water Seven to send its own craftsmen to work across the seas is, by all accounts, a bit of a stretch. The wages are a minor issue; the real problem is losing an experienced shipbuilder in the process. Especially in the Great Pirate Era, who knows when new problems might arise? Therefore, it's necessary to make them bear this debt of gratitude… even if there isn't one, create one!

Thinking this, with a click, Sett, who was stretching and activating his muscles, nodded and said, "The game begins!!!"