A few days later.
"So this is Water 7?"
"How fascinating—an entire city built on the sea."
Toji couldn't help but whistle in admiration. The place really did look like a floating city, almost like some flooded version of Venice.
No wonder the shipbuilding industry here was so advanced. If their craftsmanship were even slightly inferior, this city wouldn't exist at all.
He used a Den Den Mushi to contact Tom, and before long, Tom sent someone to guide them. When they reached the shipyard, Tom had just finished his current project. Wiping his hands, he grinned broadly and waved.
"Toji! You're here."
He gestured toward the massive structure behind him.
"We're building her just like you requested—fifty-six meters long, thirty-nine meters tall, eighteen meters wide. Three decks above, two below, and the framework is…"
Even Aiden and Ginn, who had already heard the plans once before, felt their heads spin. It was too intricate to follow—but it sounded impressive.
Toji nodded. The structure was based roughly on the Thousand Sunny's scale, but he'd asked Tom to incorporate a few of his own ideas as well. Looking at the ship's frame already taking shape, excitement welled up inside him.
"The dragon figurehead at the bow—make sure it's carved exactly like the drawing I gave you. I want it to look alive."
"No problem at all," Tom replied with an even wider smile.
He couldn't be happier—he'd not only managed to sell off the precious Treasure Tree Adam, but he also got to build something magnificent with it.
Who cared if the client was a pirate? Shipwrights built ships. Where they sailed afterward wasn't their concern.
Having built the Oro Jackson for the Roger Pirates, Tom knew exactly what he was doing. Who knew when he'd next get his hands on Treasure Tree Adam again?
Toji wasn't worried. Water 7 was a place of deep connections—building a ship here wasn't exactly a life-threatening endeavor.
As for those who had tried to track the Treasure Tree Adam back on the Sabaody Archipelago, Ginn had already "handled" them rather violently.
Once the word got out that the wood was no longer on the islands, the matter was quietly dropped.
Well, what could they say? They'd picked a fight with the wrong people.
The Infinite Pirates had made quite a name for themselves across the first half of the Grand Line.
While other crews were content with robbing commoners, these guys had no problem digging up noble graves for treasure—sometimes even making the noble descendants do the digging themselves.
Cruel didn't even begin to describe it. They weren't just stealing wealth—they were stomping on pride.
People wondered: if such ruthless pirates existed, why were they still lingering in the first half of the Grand Line? Were they afraid of the New World? Just trying to enjoy themselves here?
No one considered the simple truth—that their captain hadn't advanced yet because they didn't have a ship strong enough for it.
Meanwhile, rumors about the Infinite Pirates had spread like wildfire across the Sabaody Archipelago. Toji's brief clash with Garp had become the talk of the islands.
Someone had even caught the moment Garp was sent flying by a single punch, and after the underground networks worked their magic, the story exploded across the seas.
.....
The next morning in Water 7, Ginn stumbled out of an inn, legs trembling slightly. He bought the latest newspaper from a street vendor and glanced at the front page.
A moment later, his eyes widened. He bolted straight to the shipyard.
"Captain! You've gotta see this!"
Toji raised an eyebrow, puzzled. At this time, nothing major should've happened.
But when he took the paper and looked it over, his expression shifted—from confusion, to understanding, and finally, to faint irritation.
Aiden leaned over his shoulder, curious. The sight made him uneasy.
That last fight with Toji had left him with a mild case of "power inferiority."
The headline read:
"Shocking! Vice Admiral Garp Blown Away!"
The photo showed Garp mid-air, sent flying by Toji's devastating Black Tiger Fist. The article detailed Toji's origins, his crew's name, and even where they'd first set sail from—though much of it was vague, the gist was clear enough.
"The Infinite Pirates—Preparing to Invade the New World or Content to Reign in Paradise?"
Below that were their wanted posters:
[Captain of the Infinite Pirates: Toji Fushiguro – 500,000,000 Berries – No Devil Fruit – Dead or Alive]
[Aiden Sigma – 180,000,000 Berries – No Devil Fruit – Dead or Alive]
[Ginn Zoan – 140,000,000 Berries – Suspected Metal-Metal Fruit user – Capture Alive if possible]
Aiden blinked. "Wait, why did our bounties go up? You're the one who fought Garp!"
"I mean, sure, Ginn's got a Devil Fruit, but what about me?"
Ginn looked confused too. "And why the hell is mine lower than his?"
Toji sighed and rubbed his temples. "There's a saying—'a rising tide lifts all ships.' We're on the same crew. They won't forget about you two."
He then turned to Aiden. "Go ask Tom if there's any news about Ornn. If he's around, meet him right away—you can't miss this forging opportunity."
The name "Ornn" felt right somehow—like it belonged to a blacksmith of legend. No way was Toji letting Aiden miss that chance.
Aiden stuffed the newspaper back into Toji's hands and sprinted off.
Ginn glanced at the iron bands around his wrists—he'd made one for each arm, just as Toji had warned, to avoid muscle imbalance.
The metal's strength already surpassed most alloys, and coated with Armament Haki, it was more than enough for combat in Paradise. Still, it hadn't reached its full potential.
As Toji looked back at the paper, he said casually, "I know you're young, but take care of yourself—don't overdo it."
Ginn's face went scarlet. He stammered, backing away. "Uh… Captain, I'll just… go check on the progress. Maybe I can help with the shipbuilding a bit."
Toji chuckled softly. He wasn't mad about Ginn's "private adventure" last night—he was just worried the kid might wear himself out.
.....
Meanwhile, somewhere in the New World, a group of pirates was celebrating around a bonfire, cheering over their latest haul of treasure.
One of them—a tall, muscular man with black-and-white hair, a dark lightning-shaped mark across his left cheek, and a rugged beard—was sitting shirtless, sipping rum and reading the paper.
Suddenly, he burst into laughter, the sound sharp and wild.
The man beside him, with long golden hair and a cigar between his lips, turned to glance at him. "Rocks, what's got you laughing like that?"
The man with the paper was none other than Rocks D. Xebec. The golden-haired man was the Golden Lion himself—Shiki.
Rocks tossed the paper to him and grinned at the gathered pirates. "Looks like the sea's birthed another monster."
"Anyone who can send Garp flying—whether it was a surprise attack or not—is someone to take seriously."
A massive man with an exaggerated white mustache looked up, frowning slightly.
"If he's that strong, how come we're only hearing about him now? Some kind of hype, maybe? I don't recall meeting him in the New World."
Big Mom—Charlotte Linlin—laughed behind her hand. "That's because, Whitebeard, he's still in the first half of the Grand Line! Mamamama!"
John licked his lips, the way an aristocrat might savor fine wine. "Toji Fushiguro, huh? His bounty's a hundred million higher than mine. How amusing."
Shiki flicked the newspaper back toward Whitebeard and smirked. "Let's see if this 'Infinite Pirates' crew can last. Maybe they'll be the next Roger Pirates—or maybe just another shooting star."