Uchiha Puppet Master, Starting from One Piece.

Flames intertwined with chakra spread along the longsword, causing the blade to emit a dazzling light.

In addition to using Lightning Release, the Uchiha clan's swordsmanship can also utilize Fire Release.

"Uchiha Style Sword Leaps in Flames!"

He swung his sword down suddenly, the sharp blade instantly cleaving through the air, heading straight for Stark's chest.

Stark watched helplessly as the blade approached, unable to move, his eyes filled with fear and resentment. He wanted to beg for mercy, but he didn't even have a chance to speak.

As the blade flashed, John's giant axe was instantly severed. The power of the flames seeped into his body through the wound, scorching his meridians. He screamed in agony and collapsed heavily to the ground, his life force rapidly fading away.

The restaurant fell silent again. The guests in the corner stared at Stark lying on the ground, their faces filled with shock, their mouths agape, their despair replaced by awe and worship.

"They...they actually won! They really defeated Stark the Giant Axe!"

"A pirate with 1300 million Berries was just taken care of like that?"

"Amazing! Who are they? Their strength is incredible!"

Uchiha Shiraha sheathed his longsword, somewhat speechless. These guys' comedic timing was so low-level that he was almost cringing from embarrassment.

"Looks like we've got the funds to buy the boat..."

Matsumoto Rangiku breathed a sigh of relief as she looked at the loot collected by the pirates and Stark's bounty poster.

With nearly 100 million pegories, you could commission a pretty decent ship.

They no longer need to crowd onto the small boat.

Indeed, a ship worth 100 million Berries is quite luxurious.

Moreover, Bai Yu is also planning to increase the budget. Stark's old pirate ship still has a lot of assets, and it's quite large, so it can be sold as a second-hand ship at a significant discount.

This should greatly improve life at sea.

Chapter 19 Shopping Spree

As Uchiha Hakuba got closer and closer to Cocoyasi Island, the seawater became increasingly blue.

Perhaps because the Dead Sea has little wind and waves, the surface of the sea sometimes looks somewhat dark.

As the clear blue replaced the dark ink, the sea breeze shed its salty smell, and instead carried the rich fragrance of flowers and the everyday life of the city, gently brushing against the deck of the small boat.

Uchiha Shiraha stood at the bow of the ship, his red eyes gazing at the distant coastline. Rows of houses stretched along the hills, sunlight spilling onto the staggered buildings and reflecting a warm glow. The outline of Sicily came into clear view; this was the place they would land in Cocoyasi after crossing the Dead Sea.

"It looks quite lively!"

"Yes, by the way, is it alright for you to hand over those financial matters to the captain of the merchant ship?"

"No problem, log in now."

The small boat slowly approached the shore, where the dock was bustling with activity. The shouts of vendors, the laughter of children, and the whistles of boats mingled together, creating a vibrant atmosphere.

Uchiha Hakuba dropped the anchor.

As soon as Matsumoto Rangiku stepped onto the dock, her eyes were drawn to the dazzling array of shops lining the street. Exquisite lace accessories and brightly colored dresses shone brightly in the sunlight, and her eyes lit up with excitement as she took Nicole Robin's wrist.

Her tone was filled with eager excitement: "Robin, look at that clothing store over there! So many beautiful dresses! We've finally made it to land, so let's take this opportunity to shop around and buy some new clothes."

Nico Robin followed Matsumoto Rangiku's gaze, a gentle smile playing on her lips. Seeing the embroidered fabrics on the stall, her eyes were full of appreciation: "The style of the clothes here is very unique, and the embroidery is exquisite. It's definitely worth a look."

Then she put on a veil: "I'm still the same way so I won't get into trouble. By the way, Bai Yu-jun, you're not going to look for a shipyard, are you? We'll go find you at the tavern near the dock after we're done. It won't take too long."

Uchiha Shiraha nodded, his gaze sweeping over the dock, watching the road signs and pedestrians along the way. He said in a deep voice, "Be careful, don't reveal your abilities easily. If anything happens, come find me immediately. I'll mark the way, and I'll send you a message once I find a suitable shipyard."

After finishing his sentence, Uchiha Shiraha gave the two of his Beli to each of them, gave them a few more instructions, and then turned and walked towards the depths of the dock, his figure quickly blending into the bustling crowd.

Rangiku pulled Robin straight into an exquisitely decorated clothing store. The store was filled with all kinds of dresses and skirts: the smoothness of silk, the comfort of cotton and linen, the softness of lace, with a wide variety of styles and bright colors.

Rangiku reached out and picked up a wine-red off-shoulder dress. The hem was embroidered with delicate gold patterns, which made her skin look as white as snow. She looked at herself in the mirror for a few moments, and a bright smile appeared on her lips: "This one is nice. It should really suit my complexion. It's much better than the one I bought before."

As for Robin, she picked up a light purple fitted long dress with layers of light gauze on the hem, simple yet elegant. She gently stroked the pattern on the hem, her eyes full of love: "This one fits perfectly, and it's easy to move around in without affecting the use of my abilities."

The shop owner was a kind woman. Seeing the two choosing clothes, she warmly stepped forward to introduce them: "You two ladies have excellent taste. These two pieces are both new styles this year. The burgundy is bright and cheerful, while the light purple is gentle and elegant. They suit you very well. We also have matching accessories in the shop. Would you like to take a look?"

Rangiku readily agreed and pulled Robin along to pick out jewelry. There were all sorts of exquisite silver necklaces and a wide variety of pearl earrings. For a woman, as long as she could go shopping for clothes, the fatigue and danger along the way would gradually dissipate in this relaxed atmosphere.

Even women like Matsumoto Rangiku and Nico Robin.

On the other side, Bai Yu wandered through the streets and alleys of the dock, asking passersby for directions to the shipyard.

Most of Sicily's shipyards are concentrated on the other side of the island, close to the coastline, which is convenient for ship repair and construction.

After walking for about an hour, he finally saw a row of shipyards, with piles of timber and craftsmen busy polishing planks and assembling hulls, the clanging and banging of hammers filling the air.

He went into the shipyards one by one to check. Some shipyards were too small to repair small fishing boats and could not build pirate ships suitable for long-distance sea voyages.

Some shipyards have crude craftsmanship and poor-quality wood, making them unable to withstand the wind and waves and dangers at sea, and are only suitable for use on inland lakes.

Uchiha Shiraha stopped when he reached a shipyard called 33, which was located quite deep inside the shipyard. From the outside, the shipyard was of moderate size, and the wood used was all high-quality hardwood that was hard and rot-resistant. In fact, it had wood that was second only to Adam and Eve. At the same time, the craftsmen were skilled and were building a medium-sized merchant ship. The hull was tightly assembled and the details were exquisite, showing that the craftsmanship was very solid.

Uchiha Shiraha immediately found the shipyard owner and explained his purpose: he wanted to customize a ship suitable for about twenty people to sail long distances. He required that the hull be sturdy and corrosion-resistant, fast, and stable, while also having enough space to store supplies and rest, and to be comfortable. Ideally, the speed should not be too low to avoid the high-speed ships of pirates.

Upon hearing Uchiha Shiraha's request, the shipyard owner sized up Shiraha and noticed his calm demeanor and sharp eyes, which made him seem unlike an ordinary young man.

"How much are you willing to pay?"

The shipyard owner thought that 50 million pegories should be enough to secure this order. He had a realistic expectation that he could make 5 million after deducting the cost of materials and labor.

"Three hundred million Berries!"

Are you sure you want to customize a ship like this?

The shipyard owner was a bit dumbfounded. Three hundred million yuan could have been used to customize several luxurious three-masted sailing ships, but it was used on such a vessel.

To put it in perspective, a boat that can carry twenty people, if you don't care about the living conditions and it's suitable for sailing, would cost around ten million Berries.

Fifty million Berries would be enough to build something luxurious.

With three hundred million, he roughly knew what kind of ship Uchiha Hakuba wanted.

Luxury, comfort, and livability are essential, along with ample equipment. Only good equipment can make a new ship truly excellent and give sellers peace of mind.

Such a ship may be luxurious, but that has nothing to do with him.

The shipyard owner nodded: "No problem!"

The two discussed the size, structure, and construction period of the ship, and quickly finalized a preliminary plan. Subsequent plans would have to wait for Matsumoto Rangiku and Nico Robin to confirm.

After finalizing the shipyard arrangements, Bai Yu took out his pen and paper and wrote down the details of the agreement before heading to see Nico Robin and Matsumoto Rangiku.

Chapter 20 New Ship

The afternoon sun of the next day shone through the gaps in the wooden sheds of the shipyard, casting a warm glow on the piles of hardwood. The hammering of the craftsmen at the San San Shipyard was still crisp and clear. Bai Yu arrived with Rangiku and Robin, who had gone shopping the day before and changed into new dresses. As soon as the three of them reached the center of the shipyard, they saw the boss already waiting to the side with blueprints in hand.

Matsumoto Rangiku, dressed in a burgundy off-shoulder dress with gold patterns on the hem shimmering in the sunlight, walked over to the timber, tapped it casually, and raised an eyebrow, saying, "Boss, our Baiyu has prepaid a lot of Berries, so you'd better make sure this timber is reliable. If it can't withstand the storms at sea, we won't let it go."

Robin, on the other hand, was dressed in a light purple fitted dress, exuding a gentle and graceful air. Her gaze fell on the blueprints, her fingertips lightly tracing the surface as she carefully examined the initial outline of the ship.

She has read many books and has some knowledge about shipbuilding.

Uchiha Shiraha walked up to the shipyard owner, and seeing his tired expression, got straight to the point.

"Boss, the previously agreed-upon plan needs to be refined. I want to build a three-sailed pirate ship with the mainsail in the center and slightly higher, and the secondary sails symmetrically distributed on both sides. The mainsail is used to control the course, while the secondary sails can be flexibly extended and retracted to increase the ship's speed and also adjust the force in wind and waves to enhance stability."

The boss nodded quickly, picked up a pen and sketched the structure of the three sails on the drawing, responding as he drew: "The three-sail design is very reasonable, balancing stability and speed. I'll mark it clearly here: the main sail uses thickened waterproof canvas, and the secondary sail is made of lighter material, making it easier to set up and take down."

"In addition, the ship needs to be equipped with a special power system."

Bai Yu paused for a moment and continued, "This power source is not the traditional wind or human power, but the latest mana as the energy source, which is converted into driving energy. At the same time, the ship will store mana as a resource. The energy conversion device can provide stable power, which can not only assist the sails to sail and increase the speed, but also drive the ship independently in windless environments."

The boss was surprised and stunned for a moment before he came to his senses. He quickly marked the location of the power unit on the blueprint.

He then frowned: "Mana only provides a short burst of powerful energy, and it's very expensive."

"It doesn't matter. It's just for escaping when we encounter pirates. It's not for regular power."

“Okay, but as long as the space for the device and the energy storage area are reserved, the subsequent construction will be no problem at all. I will arrange for the best craftsmen to build the energy conversion system to ensure stability and durability.”

Uchiha Shiraha thought for a moment. In his mind, he needed twenty crew members. He then said, "The ship must be spacious enough to accommodate at least 20 people. Each person must have their own room, and all kinds of functional areas must be complete to facilitate daily living and navigation."

The boss quickly replied, "Don't worry about that. I've already reserved space according to the specifications of a medium-sized ship. Tell me about the specific room layout and functional areas, and I'll mark them out one by one for the design."

Bai Yu took the blueprints, pointed to the paper with his fingertips, and began to plan carefully: "First is the core area. The command room is located in the center of the top deck of the ship, with a wide view and a clear observation of the sea. A large solid wood desk is placed in the room to store nautical charts, navigation logs and various material lists. Next to it is a rest bed and a small storage cabinet. A temporary lighting device powered by mana energy is installed in the corner."

Seeing that Uchiha Shiraha had stopped speaking, the person in charge sensibly took the design drawings and continued, "I plan to set up the living area on both sides of the middle deck of the ship, designing 20 independent guest rooms. Each guest room will be equipped with a single bed, wardrobe and small desk. The lighting and ventilation will be well designed to ensure comfortable living, enough to accommodate any companions who may join later, and also reserve spare rooms to store personal belongings."

Upon hearing this, Matsumoto Rangiku's eyes lit up, and she quickly interjected, "We absolutely need a place to drink!"

Robin smiled and nodded, adding, "We need a library with multi-tiered bookshelves, a few sofas, and desks for easy access to information."

"The engine room at the stern also needs to be isolated separately."

"A lookout tower was set up at the bow, equipped with high-powered telescopes. Below the lookout tower was a weapons storage room, storing various weapons and defensive equipment."

"The sides of the hull have reserved positions for the installation of gun turrets, which can be added later as needed to improve the safety performance of the ship."

"An activity area has been reserved on the deck, with a few lounge chairs for daily drying of goods and relaxation."

"Can you add another green space and orchard?"

The shipyard owner carefully checked the densely marked blueprints and exclaimed with admiration, "The three of you have considered everything so thoroughly. The room layout is reasonable, the functional areas are complete, and the design of the three-sail mana energy power is also very innovative. If we build it according to this plan, it will definitely be a top-performing ship! The construction period will take about a month. During this time, I will keep you updated on the progress. If there are any adjustments that need to be made, you can come and communicate at any time."

Uchiha Shiraha nodded, and after confirming that all the details were correct, he signed a formal construction agreement with the boss and paid most of the deposit: "Please start construction as soon as possible, boss. We will come to check the progress regularly. Please make sure to guarantee the quality of the ship."

Matsumoto Rangiku smiled and said, "Boss, the bar cabinet must be made sturdy. I still need to store a lot of my treasured liquors there."

As for Robin, he reconfirmed the layout of the library and storage room to ensure it met his needs.

After the three left the shipyard, Uchiha Hakuba inquired about the location of the local fish market.

The trading market on Sicily is located near the port of Cocoscia. The streets are lined with seafood, including fresh shrimp, crab, squid, fish, and tofu, as well as various dried goods. People's daily ingredients and the delicacies for banquets all come from here.

Whether they were dockworkers, chefs of merchants and nobles, or ordinary people, everyone loved to visit this market, where the goods were dazzling and all kinds of things were available.

As I walked along, I saw some fish market vendors with pipes in their mouths and half a basin of small fish and shrimp on the table in front of them. Many of the small fish were jumping around. The vendors held a bag in one hand to catch the small fish and a knife in the other hand, ready to gut them.

These fish market owners typically also offer processing services.

People who live near mountains eat from the mountains, and people who live near the sea eat from the sea. Since this area is near the docks, seafood is the main food.

As Uchiha Hakuba passed by several fish market vendors, he heard their shouts and began to inquire about prices.

After wandering around for a bit, I saw a few decent sashimi-grade specialty fish, so I asked the owner to pack them into bags and seal them in boxes.