One Piece: King of the World

The plan to establish a global sea train network had been proposed by Claudius during the last Reverie which was also the only Reverie he had ever attended. Many years had passed since then.

Sea trains had indeed brought significant benefits to various countries. They had even helped curb the arrogance of certain revolutionary factions while boosting economic development.

With the success of the initial batch of sea trains, demand skyrocketed, and orders had been backlogged for years.

Even though sea trains had already been deployed in multiple locations, they still covered only a fraction of the vast ocean.

This was an epic project, one that could take decades, centuries, or even longer to fully integrate into the world.

Fortunately, Polani Island, where Claudius and the others were heading, was one of the places where sea trains had already been established.

Polani was a well-known tourist island, attracting countless visitors each year. It had a unique cultural charm, complete with hot springs, amusement parks, and other attractions.

"Shall we hit the hot springs together?" Claudius suddenly suggested with a grin.

At that moment, Claudius, Kuzan, and Borsalino were all riding the sea train.

For Kuzan and Borsalino, this was a rare experience. As Marine Admirals, they usually traveled by warship.

Now, the two of them looked like curious children, staring out the window, watching the sea rush past. Occasionally, they caught glimpses of fish leaping from the water or distant ships sailing along their routes.

The three of them were seated in one of the private first-class compartments at the front of the train.

Not because they insisted on extravagance, but because it was actually the low-key choice.

Yes, low-key.

The regular train cars were packed with ordinary passengers, and Marine Admirals had a high public profile.

Kuzan and Sakazuki were both well-known figures.

Claudius wasn't far behind.

If all three of them were seen traveling together, it was guaranteed to be headline news the next day.

The private compartments were designed for figures like them, keeping them separate from the general public and avoiding unnecessary trouble.

Hearing Claudius' suggestion, Borsalino turned his head slowly, smiled, and said, "I'm fine with it, but… if Iceman goes to the hot springs, won't he melt? I swear I read about that somewhere."

Kuzan scoffed, turned his head, and replied, "Don't be ridiculous. I won't melt. In fact, I love hot springs. No one knows hot springs better than me. That was fake news—next question."

Claudius paused for a moment.

…Why did that phrasing sound so familiar?

Borsalino didn't continue the joke. Instead, he picked up his teacup, took a sip, smacked his lips, and said, "I used to think sea trains were nothing special. Just another mode of transport, not much different from warships. But now…"

"Now you think it'd be great if we set up exclusive Marine routes between major islands?" Kuzan finished the thought.

"Exactly. It would massively improve troop movement and coordination," Borsalino nodded.

Claudius chuckled. "You mean like the Calm Belt routes we've already established for the Marines?"

At the mention of the Calm Belt, Kuzan and Borsalino both smiled.

Those routes were golden for the Marines, providing untold strategic advantages.

"You know that's not what I meant," Kuzan smirked.

"Relax. Sengoku is already on it," Claudius said.

"The plan is to connect G-1 Base in the New World with G-2 Base and Mariejois.

The groundwork has been set. Water 7 will be sending a team to begin construction soon."

The sea train moved swiftly, and before long, they arrived at an intermediate stop.

Passengers boarded and disembarked. The train would remain stationed for about fifteen minutes before continuing to Polani Island.

As Claudius sat in the compartment, watching people move about the platform, he felt a strange sense of nostalgia almost as if he had returned to another world.

That was, until he saw a few Longarm Tribe passengers disembarking.

He chuckled.

Right. This is a whole different world.

As Claudius was lost in thought, there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Come in," Claudius responded.

The door opened, and in stepped Spandine, clad in a black suit, his face beaming with excitement.

Spandine greeted with enthusiasm, practically groveling.

Claudius chuckled. "It's been a while, Spandine. I'm doing just fine."

"Hehehe," Spandine laughed, then greeted Kuzan and Borsalino as well.

In CP-X, Spandine held considerable power, ranking as high as a Marine Admiral.

Kuzan and Borsalino had no reason to put on airs especially since they both knew that Claudius was quite fond of Spandine.

So, the three of them exchanged polite greetings before getting down to business.

Spandine quickly reported, "Your Highness, Lucci's team is currently monitoring the target on Polani Island. We just received some updated intel as well."

As he spoke, he pulled out a stack of documents from his briefcase and placed them on the table.

"Take a look at this," Spandine pointed at a particular photograph.

"Is this his ability?" Claudius picked up the photo.

It showed Edward Weevil slaughtering a group of pirates on the island. His massive machete, resembling the legendary Twelve Supreme Grade Blade, had several ring-shaped shockwaves forming at its edge.

"Yes. This is Weevil's Devil Fruit ability," Spandine confirmed.

"Our observations indicate that he can generate powerful shockwaves.

We're unsure of its upper limit, but based on our analysis, it's neither Logia nor Zoan.

Instead, it appears to be a Paramecia ability."

"That said, this particular power isn't recorded in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia.

So we can't determine just how strong it truly is," Spandine explained.

"No doubt, it's very strong," Borsalino said, his expression serious.

Kuzan nodded in agreement, and so did Claudius.

Unlike Spandine, who wasn't a frontline fighter, Claudius, Kuzan, and Borsalino were among the world's strongest combatants. Their understanding of power far surpassed that of ordinary people.

A shockwave-based Paramecia might seem simple but simplicity often meant devastating potential.

Some of the most feared Devil Fruits were deceptively straightforward.

Take the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, or the Buff-Buff Fruit—all of them exemplified the principle that the simplest abilities often held the greatest raw power.

And if Weevil's ability was as straightforward as "shockwaves," who knew how destructive it could be?

"Garp mentioned that Weevil is unnaturally durable. Could his ability also absorb some of the impact?" Kuzan speculated.

Claudius thought for a moment. "It's possible. If he can convert impact into strength, paired with his natural physique, that would make him exceptionally dangerous."

"Shockwave-based abilities are all about high explosiveness, raw offense, and incredible endurance. He's definitely a tough opponent," Borsalino mused.

But then, Spandine suddenly grinned and said, "There are three of you here. No matter how difficult he is, does it really matter?"

At that, Claudius, Kuzan, and Borsalino all laughed.

Weevil's ability might be tricky but in the face of three of the world's strongest, it simply wasn't a real problem.

***

This book is completed so you can read all chapters on: /Blownleaves.