Chapter 150: Franky's Innovative Ideas

Spandam, much like his father Spandine, was cowardly and weak, even incapable of defeating the most ordinary Marine soldier. However, as it turns out, to rise in ranks, one doesn't necessarily need to be strong; being sycophantic can work just as well. His father, Spandine, was the perfect example of this.

After being appointed as the commander of Enies Lobby, Spandam quickly received classified orders from above. There were rumors that the ancient weapon Pluton, crafted on Water 7 centuries ago, had its blueprints hidden somewhere on the island. According to Spandam's intelligence, the most likely person to possess these blueprints was Tom, the world-renowned shipwright.

The concept and design of the sea train were far beyond the current technological capabilities. Even the most talented shipwright wouldn't have been able to come up with such a design on their own. Spandam believed that Tom must have used elements of the Pluton blueprints to create the sea train.

Unfortunately, despite knowing that Tom likely had the blueprints, Spandam couldn't get him to admit it. And without a confession, there wasn't much he could do. Tom's reputation on Water 7 and the surrounding islands was immense thanks to the sea train project. Arresting him without just cause could spark a revolt. Moreover, Spandam, who had only recently arrived at Enies Lobby, didn't yet have full control over the island.

Once the sea train was completed, Tom would be absolved of the crime of building a ship for the Pirate King, Roger—a scenario Spandam was determined to prevent. While the sea train would undoubtedly bring prosperity to the surrounding islands, Spandam couldn't care less about that. His only goal was to please the higher-ups in the World Government, complete his mission, and ascend the ranks like his father.

Because the sea train technology was already highly advanced and the island's residents had full confidence in Tom's abilities, a large number of Water 7 citizens opted to be on the trial run. The test train quickly filled up, with all seats taken. Standing on the shore, Spandam watched with a satisfied grin as the Puffing Tom departed amidst the cheers of Water 7's residents.

"Commander Spandam, isn't this a bit too much? There are so many innocent people on that train. If anything happens to them..." one of the CP9 agents accompanying Spandam began to express concern, but was quickly cut off.

"They'll just have to blame their bad luck. The lives of lowly civilians mean nothing. If they can die for the World Government, it's an honor for them. As a World Government intelligence agent, do I really need to explain this to you?" Spandam retorted, completely dismissive of the concerns raised. In fact, the more deaths, the better; fewer casualties would make it harder to justify bringing Tom to Enies Lobby and forcing him to reveal the Pluton blueprints.

With a rumbling sound, the Puffing Tom began its first long-distance passenger test. As the train picked up speed and the scenery whizzed by, the residents of Water 7 on board reacted with awe, shouting in surprise at the unprecedented experience. Wood, however, remained calm and composed.

To him, a train running on water was certainly novel, but after getting used to it, he found it wasn't much different from a regular train. Still, in the medieval setting of the One Piece world, such an invention was truly remarkable.

"Is this not your first time on a sea train? You don't seem to find it all that surprising or exciting," came a voice. Wood had climbed onto the roof of the train to avoid the cramped interior, and it was here that Franky, who had sneaked away from his duties, approached him. Franky hadn't given up on the idea of convincing Wood to install his new weapons on the ship.

Of course, part of the reason Franky was up here was because he found shoveling coal in the furnace room incredibly boring. He figured Iceburg could handle the task just fine on his own.

"It's somewhat novel, I suppose, but not too shocking. I'm guessing the train's power source is steam generated by burning coal? Tom is truly remarkable. I wonder if we could install a similar energy system on our ship... Actually, never mind. We probably can't afford it," Wood mused.

Franky, who had been about to boast about the sea train's impressive capabilities, was taken aback by Wood's casual understanding of the technology. He hadn't expected Wood, whom he had pegged as a complete novice, to be so knowledgeable, especially about the steam power that drove the train.

For most people, seeing a self-propelled train for the first time would elicit shock and wonder. After all, most ships still relied on wind and ocean currents for navigation, and self-powered ships were unheard of in this world. Franky had assumed from the previous night's conversation that Wood knew nothing about ship modifications, yet here he was, talking like an expert.

Now that the conversation had turned to his area of expertise, and seeing that Wood was clearly knowledgeable, Franky became even more enthusiastic.

"Wood, since you know about steam, you should also understand that while steam is a powerful energy source, using coal to generate it carries significant safety risks. Especially since I like to install a lot of weapons on ships, using coal would only make things more dangerous. But then, one day, I made an amazing discovery: steam isn't the only gas that can provide powerful energy."

"For example, when cola is shaken vigorously, it can also produce a strong burst of power. If I could design a system to harness that energy, it might even be more powerful than steam!" Franky explained with the excitement of a child showing off a new toy. Wood was momentarily stunned by Franky's idea.

He couldn't help but acknowledge the Straw Hat crew's incredible talents, and Franky was undoubtedly a genius in mechanical engineering. It also became clear to Wood why Franky would later use cola as a power source.

"Franky! Franky, you little brat, where the hell did you go? Didn't I tell you to check the tracks before the train set off? You lazy punk, you're slacking off again, aren't you?" Tom's booming voice suddenly interrupted. Despite his rugged appearance, Tom was usually easygoing. But when he started cursing, it was clear something had seriously angered him.