"One Piece:The True Codex"Chapter 382: The Grand Order
It was William's first time meeting Iceburg in person, but the two had long admired each other from afar. Through Gin's descriptions, William had gained a deep understanding of Iceburg's talent. Furthermore, Iceburg's personality and goals aligned perfectly with William's vision for development. This was why William spared no expense in investing in him and supporting his efforts to take control of the shipyards in Water 7.
Iceburg, on the other hand, held even greater respect for William. This respect stemmed not only from William's generous investments but also from his appreciation of the Sea Train and the Fish-Man shipwright Tom.
Back when the Sea Train was first being developed, many—including the shipwrights of Water 7—had dismissed Tom's vision as a mere fantasy. Even after Tom's workshop spent countless hours bringing the Sea Train to fruition, granting the people of Water 7 newfound hope and convenience, no one considered expanding upon this groundbreaking technology or even commemorating Tom's achievements.
Instead, it was William—far away in the East Blue, with no knowledge of shipbuilding and having never even met Tom—who valued the Sea Train's potential immensely. After Tom's death, William invested heavily in Iceburg's shipyard, placing unwavering trust in him.
As William walked through the dock, surrounded by Iceburg and several foremen from the shipyard, he glanced at the workers on both sides and remarked to Iceburg, "I didn't expect you to bring so many people here. It's quite the spectacle."
"It was necessary," Iceburg replied with a smile. "If I weren't worried about leaving the shipyard unattended, I would have brought everyone to meet you."
"Do the current orders at the shipyard bring in enough to support so many workers?" William asked.
Iceburg's smile turned bitter as he shook his head. "No, the number of orders across the entire city has been declining. Even if we had enough orders, the profits wouldn't be enough to sustain so many workers. Without that large sum of money you provided earlier, the company would have already gone bankrupt. But even now, the funds left in the company's accounts are running low. If we don't start generating profits soon, we won't be able to hold on for much longer."
The foremen around them sighed heavily, their faces filled with gloom.
"Didn't Gin tell you over the phone?" William, unaffected by their despondency, smiled and said, "This time, besides meeting you in person and checking out the shipyard, I've also brought new funding and a major order that will ensure the shipyard's stability for years to come."
When William left the Thriller Bark, he not only took the corpse of the samurai Ryuma and the famous sword Shusui, but also brought along Perona and Hogback as live captives. Additionally, he seized nearly all the wealth that Gecko Moria had accumulated over the years. This fortune was now being used to inject capital into Iceburg's shipyard.
Iceburg, however, was less concerned about the funding. Having run the shipyard for so long, he knew that what truly mattered for the shipyard's survival was something else. He pressed William, "What exactly is this major order you mentioned?"
"The Sea Train," William replied. "I've already convinced the World Government to promote the Sea Train across the entire first half of the Grand Line. The tracks, trains, related parts, and supporting equipment will provide enough work to keep our shipyard busy for years. If things go smoothly, it could even sustain all the shipyards in Water 7."
"Promote the Sea Train? Does the World Government even have the money for that?" a young foreman couldn't help but sneer. "Or have the Celestial Dragons finally decided to show some mercy and let some of their heavenly tribute trickle down to the government?"
William turned to the foreman and smiled faintly. "You're right. The government doesn't have money, and the Celestial Dragons haven't shown any mercy. The funding for the promotion and construction will come from the Seven Warlords of the Sea. We'll also be responsible for maintenance in the future."
He then addressed Iceburg, "Your top priority now is to use the funds I've brought and the prospects of this order to acquire the remaining two shipyards in Water 7 and unify the island's industry. The two most critical aspects of the train company are the production of trains, tracks, and related equipment, and the operation and maintenance after the trains start running. I'll negotiate with the other Warlords about the operation and maintenance, but I need to keep production firmly under my control. That's my bargaining chip."
With the craftsmanship of Water 7's shipwrights, as long as there were sufficient funds and resources, completing the orders from the government and the Warlords wouldn't be difficult. William wasn't particularly worried about the production side of things.
Iceburg, far from being offended by William's somewhat commanding tone, was still immersed in the joy of the major order William had brought.
Promoting the Sea Train across the first half of the Grand Line would not only bring fame to Iceburg's mentor, Tom, the inventor of the Sea Train, but also give his shipyard—and the entire Water 7—a chance to survive. It was a monumental piece of good news.
The Sea Train had been operational for some time, yet the World Government had shown no intention of promoting it. Iceburg couldn't fathom how William had managed to convince them.
As for the fearsome reputation of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, it was a minor concern for Iceburg, who was currently basking in the good news.
While Iceburg wasn't worried, the same couldn't be said for the foremen around him. The reputation of the Seven Warlords among the general populace was far from the ideal envisioned by the Five Elders. Instead of being seen as protectors of the people, they were often regarded as even more terrifying than ordinary pirates, thanks to individuals like Gecko Moria.
At least when ordinary pirates attacked, civilians could seek help from the Marines or the government. But when threatened by a Warlord, they had no idea whom to turn to.
"Can the Warlords really be trusted to maintain the tracks? And how will the work areas be divided? Who will be responsible for Water 7?" one foreman asked. His tone and expression made it clear that the last question was what he truly cared about.
"Currently, I'm the only Warlord involved in the train company. Naturally, the tracks that have already been built will fall under my responsibility," William said nonchalantly.
The implication in his words was clear: he was already using the Sea Train to stake his claim.
Iceburg remained silent for a moment before saying, "But the train's operations are currently managed jointly by the World Government and several cities. It's been running for some time and has nothing to do with the train company you just established."
"All Sea Trains in the first half of the Grand Line must be placed under the control of the new company. Only then can the company coordinate operations and maintain the overall environment of the first half. No exceptions," William replied calmly.
The government's involvement would be easy to resolve. Besides the government, the mayors of Water 7, Saint Plut, Saint Baobab, and Pucci were insignificant compared to the alliance temporarily formed by William and Donquixote Doflamingo, two of the Seven Warlords.
"I'll have a good talk with the mayors of those cities. I believe the process won't be any more difficult than negotiating with the other Warlords," William continued. "They should easily realize that in the chaotic environment of the first half of the Grand Line, entrusting the train's operations to a Warlord with both strength and reputation is the best choice."
(End of Chapter)
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