After seeing off the Gatt at the dock.
Xiano and his group, consisting of four people and a dog, headed towards the Giant Whale Shipbuilding Company.
The location wasn't far, just a short distance from the dock.
Following the eye-catching neon sign, they arrived after just a few minutes of walking.
Xiano had already called ahead, so in the lobby of the Giant Whale Company headquarters, more than a dozen executives in suits were lined up waiting.
The white-bearded old man at the front was full of energy, wearing a monocle and a "Chief Shipbuilder" gold-plated badge on his chest.
As soon as Xiano appeared behind the glass revolving door, the old man led everyone in a synchronized ninety-degree bow.
"We've been waiting for you, Lord Xiano! I am Gandoford, representing all the employees of the Giant Whale Shipyard, and we welcome you to our company!"
"You're too kind, Mr. Gandoford," Xiano quickly stepped forward to shake hands.
After a brief exchange, the old shipbuilder solemnly handed over a parchment scroll, which unfolded to a length of two meters.
In the center was a cross-sectional view of the ship, surrounded by densely written annotations.
"This is the inspection checklist prepared according to your requirements. Please allow me to personally guide you on the tour. The new ship is in Dock No. 1, please follow me!"
Gandoford bent over to make an inviting gesture, only straightening up to lead the way after Xiano began to walk.
The other executives once again bowed in unison at ninety degrees as the group departed.
"Hey, Kuina," Nojiko whispered into the ear of the young Master Swordsman, her eyes gleaming with envy, "Do you think there'll ever be a day when we'll receive such respect from the people even without my brother around?"
"Childish," Kuina glanced at her expressionlessly. "I'm the world's greatest Master Swordsman. It's only natural for people to revere and respect me."
"You're getting into character faster than I am!" Nojiko growled, baring her teeth.
…
The group followed Gandoford into the corridor.
No one noticed that in a corner of the street outside the reception hall, two oddly dressed figures were watching them leave through the window glass.
"Sam! You saw it too, right?" The fat man dressed like a tabby cat with a bell around his neck let out a strange laugh.
"Of course, Buchi, there's no mistake," the green-haired, hunchbacked thin man greedily licked his lips. "That snow-white long sword may look ordinary, but according to the Captain's method of identification, it's definitely an extraordinary famous sword!"
"That sword is worth at least fifty million Berry, and in the underground world, it's priceless."
"Shall we make a move?"
Fat Buchi extended his claws, eager to act.
"It's worth it! But just the two of us? Not stable! Not stable!"
Thin Sam patted his partner on the shoulder. "Let's go! Report back to Captain Kuro immediately. Hehe, we've made a big discovery this time. We'll definitely be praised. Such a fat sheep, he'll surely want to handle it himself!"
…
Soon after.
Following the corridor, the group entered a new area behind the building.
More than a dozen docks with transparent glass domes were lined up, housing ships that had been completed but not yet delivered.
Each dock had a waterway extending out, connecting to the coastal waters outside.
Gandoford led everyone to the most luxurious dock number one, smiling as he glanced around the group, pressing the button with a hint of pride—
"This is it, Lord Xiano. Please enjoy my most proud creation from the past decade!"
The steel gate, dozens of meters high, rumbled open, and for a moment, everyone instinctively held their breath.
"Wow, what a big and handsome ship!!!"
Nojiko widened her eyes, unable to hold back her admiration.
It was dusk, and the rosy twilight poured through the skylight in the dome, spilling onto the figurehead—a silver wolf with wings, roaring skyward like a deity.
Behind the figurehead, the streamlined hull bathed in the sunset, predominantly dark brown, sleek and sharp, yet not without an elegant beauty.
Sixty meters long, fifty-six meters high, with the widest point in the middle at twenty-two meters, it featured a two-mast structure, with the foremast rigged with square sails and the mainmast with vertical triangular sails.
Looking up from below, the white sails were furled, and the two thick masts stood straight as swords, towering and pointing straight to the heavens.
"Old sir, does this ship really only cost three hundred million Berries? Even with the twenty million Berries waived, it's not enough, right?"
Nojiko gazed up at the towering mast top, her heart stirred, and she couldn't help but turn to the old shipbuilder.
"The material cost is indeed about that, mainly because the Adam Treasure Tree wood alone accounted for two hundred million," Gandoford laughed heartily. "As for labor costs and profits... hehe, building a flagship for Lord Xiano is an honor that every shipyard in the East Blue would covet. Who would bother with such details?"
Xiano, standing nearby, smiled, momentarily at a loss for words.
Whether it was exposing the conspiracy on Asakura Island or later dismantling the Pirate crews represented by Arlong, it all seemed to have just happened upon him, done in passing.
Who could have predicted that the people of the East Blue would thus elevate him, seeing him as a hero and pride of the East Blue?
"The training rooms, cast from fine steel, are all in the lower deck. Your initial request was for two, but we added one more for you. The open-air dojo is placed behind the second-floor balcony, and the training equipment has already been installed. As for the kitchen, it was also built to the highest standards, with the food storage room covering over two hundred square meters," Gandoford continued enthusiastically. "Besides that, there's an orange grove, a lounge, an aquarium, a library, a billiards room, a hot spring bath... all daily necessities are fully provided!"
"In short, compared to the internal structure, the exterior is nothing. It will definitely satisfy you!"
"Wait a minute!" Nojiko suddenly remembered something. "Mr. Gandoffte, that's not right. What about the cannons? I don't see any gun ports here. Are they all concentrated on the other side?"
"Well..." Gandoford paused, somewhat embarrassed. "The original design did include twenty cannons, but later..."
"Later, I specifically contacted them to cancel it," Xiano grinned. "Let me ask you, if a cannonball were to come flying at you, what would your first reaction be?"
"Me?" Nojiko pointed at herself. "Hmm... I guess I'd think about putting on my gloves and punching them all back?"
"And Kuina?"
"Cut it down with a single sword," the black-haired girl replied coolly and succinctly.
"Mr. Zeff?"
"Hehe, my feet aren't just for show. I'm confident I can kick back any cannonball."
"Then what's the problem?"
Xiano spread his hands and mimicked playing an accordion. "Do I even need to say more? Everyone here has their own special skills. We're too lazy to even fire cannons, so why bother installing a turret?"
After reading over a thousand chapters of manga, who in their right mind would get killed by cannon fire?
"Oh, that makes sense—" The group collectively had an epiphany.
"Uh…" Gandoford wiped his sweat. "Well, how about we all go up and take a look first?"
"Awoo!"
Before he could finish, Agin excitedly dashed ahead, sprinting up the gangplank straight to the bow to examine the figurehead that resembled him.
"Captain, should we go up and take a look too?"
Kuina tilted her head to look at Xiano.
"Mm."
Xiano smiled and nodded. In a flash, he used Moon Walk to step onto the deck, and the other three followed suit, zipping up in an instant.
Only Gandoford was left behind, startled, staring up in bewilderment.
So these are Lord Xiano's companions? How come they can all fly? No wonder they said they didn't need a turret or anything…
--Support me in Patreon for more chapters 35+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LegendaryTL
Thanks!