Eli stood proudly beside the newly constructed ship, his forehead glistening with sweat—a testament to his hard work.
He had been assigned numerous exhausting tasks during the ship's construction, but now, seeing the finished result, he felt an immense sense of accomplishment.
Caesar gazed at the vessel, his sharp eyes scanning every detail, growing more satisfied by the second.
The bow's design was striking—it perfectly mirrored their pirate flag. The entire structure, bathed in sunlight, took the form of a skull. Its two crescent-moon-like eyes were ingeniously repurposed as powerful searchlights, a brilliant concept conceived by Eli himself.
When the crew saw this, they were full of praise.
"Oh my god! How did you come up with this design? It's so cool!" Lily exclaimed in amazement. The fusion of the skull motif and the searchlights struck her as both stylish and intimidating.
Caesar nodded in agreement. "This fits my aesthetic perfectly," he remarked.
The bow is the face of a ship, and in this case, the skull's mouth was usually closed. However, when needed, a hidden cannon could emerge, seamlessly integrated into the design. This strategic placement ensured the weaponry remained unobtrusive while maintaining the ship's imposing presence.
Given the ship's massive size—120 meters in length and 45 meters in width—an expansive garden spanning several hundred square meters had been incorporated at the bow, outside the two upper floors. Fruit-bearing trees had already been planted, a rare luxury for any pirate vessel.
This design was a game-changer.
Long voyages at sea often meant the crew had to go without fresh fruits and vegetables. But with this garden, they could enjoy fresh produce at any time, significantly improving their quality of life aboard the ship.
Naturally, Lily's third daughter was the most thrilled about this addition.
Initially, the area had been left vacant for future expansion, but to everyone's surprise, Fish-Man shipwright Tom had transformed it into a flourishing garden instead.
"The design of this garden is a stroke of genius!" Wei Na praised, offering a rare high evaluation.
As a musician, she appreciated the connection to nature, seeing it as an oasis of inspiration.
At that moment, Tom gestured toward the two floors at the bow. "Come inside and take a look—this is the dormitory area."
The crew eagerly followed him inside.
They found single-occupancy rooms with private quarters, but also a shared public sauna, an unexpected luxury. Each room had a plaque on the door, indicating its designated occupant.
One by one, the crew explored their rooms before visiting each other's. Smiles spread across their faces as they admired the meticulous attention to detail.
Gnali leaned against his room's wall and nodded with satisfaction. "Each dormitory has a bedroom, a living room, and a bathroom with both a shower and a bathtub. It's exactly what we discussed."
During the initial planning, they had all hoped their rooms would feel like personal homes rather than simple cabins.
Tom had assured them that it was possible, but Gnali had feared space constraints might force them to downsize the design.
Yet now, standing inside his room, he realized that nothing had been sacrificed. The ship's immense size had allowed them to accommodate dozens of well-equipped dormitories.
This design had clear advantages: those who wanted a communal experience could use the sauna, while those who preferred privacy could bathe in their own quarters. The crew's three female members, in particular, appreciated this flexibility.
After exploring the dormitories to their satisfaction, Tom led them to the stern of the ship.
"As you can see, the lower deck houses an aquarium," Tom explained. "It's both a recreational space and a food storage area."
The crew entered the lower deck, where high-strength glass panels provided a 300-degree view. The space, spanning two to three hundred square meters, was designed for relaxation and entertainment.
Currently, there was no water in the aquarium, as they still had to decide what fish to stock in it.
Tom had outdone himself—the ship truly reflected the work of the world's greatest shipwright.
The tour continued to the first floor, where they found the restaurant, bar, and entertainment area. It was the perfect space for hosting parties and concerts.
"This was discussed before," Tom said, gesturing toward the layout. "But I decided on the final placement."
On the second floor, they found designated training areas, a medical room, a restroom, and a relaxation area. They briefly examined these spaces before moving on.
The third floor housed specialized rooms: Lily's drawing room, Regina's medical research laboratory, Wei Na's music room, and even a library with an attached café.
Most notably, at the end of the hall was the captain's cabin.
At Caesar's request, it had been designed to be as luxurious as possible. Calling it a "cabin" was an understatement—it was more akin to a spacious apartment. Fully equipped with living accommodations, it could function as a home within the ship.
Caesar was extremely pleased. This cabin exuded authority, and in his mind, it could even serve as a place for his future family.
Finally, Tom introduced the ship's power system.
"As per Captain Caesar's request, this is a hybrid ship," he explained. "It can be powered by wind or electricity, making it faster than even the Navy's ships."
This meant that even if a Thunder Fruit user wasn't present, the ship could still function at full capacity.
After all, the legendary Ark Maxim, built by Enel, had been designed to harness the power of the Goro Goro no Mi. Taking inspiration from that, they had integrated advanced energy technology into their vessel.
Storage rooms, docking bays, and other essential spaces were also accounted for.
Caesar had drawn some inspiration from the Thousand Sunny, the Straw Hat Pirates' ship, but this vessel was built on an even grander scale.
After reviewing every detail, the crew was in agreement—this ship exceeded their expectations.
"The tour is over," Tom declared. "Now, go explore on your own."
Excited cheers erupted as the crew scattered in different directions.
Regina headed to her research lab, Lily ran to the drawing room, and Yakexi made a beeline for the kitchen, eager to inspect her future workspace.
Meanwhile, Gnali and Hades checked out the training room and aquarium—Hades, in particular, was drawn to the water-filled space, as if it were his second home.
Arno climbed up to the crow's nest, while Brad, ever the simple-minded one, flopped onto his dormitory bed, thrilled to have a private room after spending so much time in public quarters.
For a while, the ship was filled with excited voices and laughter.
Tom watched them with a deep sense of satisfaction. Seeing the joy on their faces and hearing their enthusiastic reactions was the best reward for his hard work.
Building this ship had been a massive undertaking. Even without the exorbitant cost of Adam Wood, the construction had consumed five to six billion Berries.
But in the end, it had all been worth it.
Once the initial excitement died down, the crew gathered around Caesar again.
Tom turned to him and asked, "Captain Caesar, what will you name this ship?"
The question caught everyone off guard.
They had discussed everything—except this.
For a moment, silence fell over the deck. Then, suddenly, everyone began throwing out suggestions, their voices overlapping chaotically.
Caesar remained unmoved by the commotion. He closed his eyes in thought for a moment, then spoke.
[131] "The Caesar Rex."
The crew fell silent, processing the name.
"Caesar Rex…" someone murmured.
Gnali was the first to react. "That name sounds pretty badass."
"It has a noble, ancient feel to it," another crew member added.
Wei Na glanced at Caesar. "If I recall correctly, 'Rex' is an ancient title meaning… Emperor, King."
Though she had joined the Caesar Pirates, Wei Na was secretly a princess.
Her decision to become a pirate had been driven by the invasion of her homeland by a powerful pirate crew.
But for now, that secret remained her own.
With the ship officially named, the Caesar Rex was ready to set sail.
Subscribe to Patreon.com/Akeyno to get 30+ chapters