Spandam, of all people, was buried in the Sabaody Naval Hero Cemetery. When Bellamy heard this, he almost burst out laughing. Burying such a piece of trash here was an insult to the true naval heroes. Even Bellamy held a grudging respect for opponents like Smoker and Onigumo. If he were in their shoes, could he have been as resolute as they were? They had followed their convictions to the very end, worthy of the name "hero." How could garbage like Spandam be buried alongside them?
Without Bellamy having to dirty his own hands, Franky rushed forward the moment they arrived at the cemetery and dug up Spandam's coffin.
"You shameless villain! To think you just died like this! You got off too easy!"
Just how disgusting Spandam was could be seen from the fact that even the members of CP9 had wanted to kill him. It was no surprise that the legendary shipwright Tom had been framed to death by him. When targeted by a man with no morals but immense power, Tom's fate was already sealed. Even without the battleships Franky had built, Spandam would have found another reason, or no reason at all. He could have just thrown a bag of laundry detergent into Tom's house and claimed it was a dangerous chemical weapon. And why not? Spandam was the chief of CP9. Who would question him? Who would dare?
In Bellamy's view, Franky's regret was completely unnecessary. Tom had refused to hand over the Pluton blueprints but lacked the power to protect them. That was a classic case of courting death. He would have been better off giving the blueprints to one of the Four Emperors than not giving them up at all. The blueprints for Pluton were not something a mere mortal could handle.
After digging up Spandam's ashes, Franky led Bellamy to Tom's grave. Tom, though a bit naive in some matters, had created miracles in the field of craftsmanship that were absolutely worthy of his legendary status. Tom's dream was to provide convenient travel for people all over the world, so that no one would suffer from poverty and hunger. He wanted to build Sea Trains that would connect every island, creating a network of high-speed railways.
The prosperity of Water 7 was a testament to what could be achieved. If Tom's dream had been realized, the entire world would have undergone a dramatic transformation. Although the consequence would be a rapid increase in chaos and more rampant piracy, a tool itself is neither good nor evil. Tom's intention in creating the Sea Train was born from goodwill towards the people.
From Franky's own behavior, it was clear that he was by no means a kind-hearted person by nature. But having grown up under Tom's influence, Franky had gradually been inspired by the legendary craftsman.
"Master Tom, Franky's here to see you!"
Though he often acted outrageously, in front of the grave of his master and adoptive father, Franky behaved like a normal person. His face was filled with sorrow and solemnity, without a trace of his usual playful demeanor. It was clear that this guy was actually well aware of what he was doing; he just couldn't be bothered to care about what others thought. He was a terminal case of chuunibyou, completely incurable.
"Franky, catch." Bellamy tossed him a bottle of good liquor. "If you're sad, just cry it out."
Even the hardest of hearts is still human. Crying is the best way to release emotions. What's more, Franky was an extremely emotional man. The moment he caught the bottle, the two-meter-tall man hugged Tom's tombstone and began to wail.
"Master Tom, I miss you so much!"
"WAAAAAAAHHH!!"
Franky's cries were earth-shattering. Snot and tears flowed down his face, flooding the flowers and grass around the grave. Seeing him crying like a three-hundred-pound child, with no sign of stopping, Bellamy stood by and waited patiently.
To gain a partner you could trust with your back, this was the least amount of respect you could show. Bellamy knew that for someone like Franky, loyalty was far more important than personal gain. That's why he had carefully planned this beforehand—the fine liquor, the words of comfort—all were prepared in advance to win Franky's heart. Waiting patiently for a little while was nothing.
After a long time, Franky finally cried himself out. Only then did Bellamy step forward to offer a few words of comfort.
"Tom's legend may have ended, but as his disciple, your story is just beginning."
"Franky, carry on Tom's will and go create your own miracle!"
Hearing Bellamy's words, Franky was deeply moved. "Boss Bellamy, I don't know how I can ever repay your kindness!" Franky raised his thick arm and struck a confident pose. "The name's Franky, and I'm a SUPER amazing shipwright! It's a pleasure to work with you!"
"Good. From now on, you're a member of the Bellamy Pirates."
Having recruited a top-tier shipwright, Bellamy was naturally very satisfied. Now, all they needed was to find a good ship, give it some urgent modifications, and they could enter the New World. With Franky's skills, creating a new power source would be no problem at all. After nearly three years, he could finally have electricity and stop using kerosene lamps.
"Let's go, Franky. Let's head back for now."
Before finding a new ship, Bellamy had one more important thing to do: find a reliable coating artisan. The coating was a matter of life and death for the entire Bellamy Pirates. If the membrane broke at a depth of ten thousand meters, they would all be wiped out. If he had enough time, Bellamy would have even considered learning the technique himself. The art of coating felt like it had something in common with Fish-Man Karate; if he learned it, he might be able to develop a whole new technique.
When he thought of coating artisans, the first person who came to mind was Rayleigh. The old man was living on Sabaody right now, and he was easy to find. Since he had to find a coating artisan anyway, why not go and meet Rayleigh?
Once the idea appeared, it became unstoppable. In his youth, Rayleigh's strength was undoubtedly at the absolute pinnacle of the seas. At his age, his Armament and Observation Haki must have reached the limits of human potential. Even if he couldn't fight such a powerhouse, just a brief encounter would be of immense benefit to Bellamy.
The thought that he might be able to see the path forward for himself through Rayleigh made Bellamy's excitement grow. Once this idea took root, his desire to meet Rayleigh could no longer be suppressed.