It didn't take long for Caesar and Eli to arrive at Tom's Workers.
However, they didn't find Tom in his workshop.
Instead, they encountered a lone woman of striking beauty.
Upon seeing Caesar, the woman immediately recognized him.
"I didn't expect to meet such a famous pirate. Mr. Caesar, welcome to Tom's Workers. My name is Kokoro. Do you have business with us?"
Floating beside Caesar was his distinctive weapon, a domineering blade that had become one of his defining symbols. Few failed to recognize him upon seeing it, and Kokoro was no exception.
Hearing her words, Caesar was momentarily reminded of Granny Kokoro—the woman who once shattered Sanji's dream in the original story. However, the Kokoro before him was still a youthful beauty, quite different from the elderly mermaid he recalled.
"I'm looking for Mr. Tom. Is he here?"
Kokoro, now referred to as Kokoro 197 Luo for reasons unknown, replied, "Mr. Tom heard that the Caesar Pirates were coming, so he left, saying he was going to look for Pluton. Didn't you see him on the way?"
Caesar shook his head. If Tom had gone to find Pluton, then there was no point in waiting around.
"Since he's not here, let's head back. We might run into him on the way."
With that, Caesar and Eli returned to their ship.
"I can't believe we missed him," Eli muttered, frustrated.
However, upon reaching their ship, they found Tom the Fish-Man already on board.
Hades, the ship's helmsman, beamed as he introduced Tom.
"This is Mr. Tom, one of my own kind. Let me tell you, his shipbuilding skills are among the best in Water 7. He's incredible."
Caesar nodded, smiling. "We just went looking for him to commission a ship, but he wasn't there. Since he's already here, that works out."
He turned to Tom. "Mr. Tom, can you build us a ship? Name your price."
Tom chuckled heartily. "No problem! Hades mentioned that you were planning to build a ship. Leave it to me."
His gaze then shifted to a large stack of Adam Wood near the ship.
"Speaking of which, seeing that much Treasure Tree Adam makes my hands itch to start building."
Caesar grinned at Tom's enthusiasm. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he turned to Eli.
"Mr. Tom, while building the ship, can my partner Eli work with you? He's a shipwright too, and I'd like him to learn from you."
Eli stepped forward eagerly. "Hello, Mr. Tom! I'm Eli, and I was a shipwright before joining the crew."
Tom firmly shook Eli's hand. "Of course! If you have any questions, just ask, and I'll answer as best I can."
"That's great! Thank you so much," Eli said excitedly.
128 – The Loudest Ship in the World
Since the topic of shipbuilding involved many details, Caesar decided to gather the entire crew. Everyone had different requirements for their quarters and workspaces, so it was best to discuss everything together.
Soon, all crew members assembled, eager to meet the legendary shipwright.
"The best shipwright in Water 7 is a Fish-Man? That's amazing!" Alexis remarked with a laugh.
"I've heard Hades mention that Fish-Men are skilled shipbuilders," someone added.
"It's lucky for us that Hades and Tom are of the same kind. That connection will help."
Hades chuckled and shared a memory.
"I was once training alone at sea when I sensed someone approaching my ship. At first, I thought it was an enemy. But when I ran to check, it turned out to be Mr. Tom. I was so surprised—I hadn't seen another Fish-Man in ages."
Tom and Hades exchanged glances before bursting into laughter.
Once introductions were finished, the discussion shifted to the ship's design.
Everyone had specific requests.
Hades wanted a dormitory that could simulate the environment of Fish-Man Island.
Weina requested a soundproof room so she could work on music without disturbing others.
Yakexi, the ship's cook, had minimal requests for his living quarters but was extremely particular about the kitchen. He needed a battlefield-like setup, complete with a massive fish tank to store live seafood.
Since the fish tank request aligned with Caesar and Hades' needs, it was approved without issue.
Tom carefully noted each crew member's requests, filtering out impractical ideas while ensuring that feasible ones were included.
After the crew finished listing their room preferences, Caesar took out a blueprint.
It was the design for the Ark Maxim, Enel's massive flying ship from Skypiea.
Though they wouldn't replicate the Ark Maxim exactly, certain elements would be incorporated into their own ship's design.
Tom studied the blueprints, his frown deepening as he examined the details. The more he looked, the more impressed he became.
After a long silence, he finally exclaimed, "My God! This is an incredible design! Such a bold and imaginative concept!"
Even though he had seen the blueprints for Pluton—the so-called most destructive battleship in history—he couldn't deny that the Ark Maxim was remarkable in its own way.
"It may not be as devastating as Pluton in terms of firepower," Tom admitted, "but in other aspects—efficiency, power, and adaptability—it's truly ahead of its time."
He looked up at Caesar, eyes filled with excitement.
"Where did you get these blueprints? Is the designer still alive? I would love to meet them."
Caesar simply shrugged. "I found them in some ruins. They were built by the people of Skypiea, but I don't know the original designer."
Tom sighed, disappointed that he couldn't meet the mastermind behind the design. However, he quickly refocused on the task at hand.
"This ship's combination with a Devil Fruit ability is truly remarkable. The way it harnesses the Goro Goro no Mi's power is pure genius."
Tom then turned to Caesar with a confident grin.
"Combining elements from the Ark Maxim with my own ideas, I can promise you this: your new ship will be the most famous pirate vessel on the seas."
Caesar nodded, pleased.
Now, it was time to finalize the specifications.
The ship would be 120 meters long and 45 meters wide.
The bow deck would have two lower levels and two upper levels, while the stern deck would have three lower levels and three upper levels.
However, they removed the flying mechanism from the Ark Maxim.
Caesar could already fly, and once Lily developed her Yunyun no Mi abilities further, she could manipulate weather patterns to lift the ship if needed. By eliminating the unnecessary flight systems, they could save weight and make room for other enhancements.
Still, they kept additional propulsion mechanisms in case of emergencies, particularly for navigating the unpredictable weather of the New World.
With everything planned out, Tom clapped his hands together.
"This will be a ship unlike any other!"
And so, the construction of the loudest ship in the world began.
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