Chapter 14: Nautilus

In the following months, Noah set aside treasure hunting and focused on a different goal. He made several secret trips to Loguetown, purchasing large quantities of steel, shipbuilding equipment, construction materials, and nautical instruments.

By day, he trained his body. By night, he worked with his crew in the northwest bay, building a secret shipyard.

The shipyard was once a small hillside by the shore. With Noah, Vic, and the others working together, they hollowed it out, carving a massive cavern with a fifty-meter-high ceiling and an area of nearly 30,000 square meters.

They also created a tunnel through the cliffside, wide enough for a ship to pass through. The entrance to the tunnel was disguised with a steel-framed gate, covered in a layer of rock to blend in with the surrounding cliff.

It took Noah and his crew a month and a half to complete the hidden shipyard.

Jay, the family's apprentice shipwright, joined Noah every night, helping him build the family's second ship with his own hands. Uncle Joseph, Joshua, Anthony, and the others often pitched in, carrying materials and parts.

While Noah wasn't a professional shipbuilder, he wasn't crafting a traditional wooden ship this time. Instead, he was building a steel submarine.

Compared to the fancy, colorful sailing ships, Noah had always believed submarines were far better suited for his family's needs.

The first submarine had been a bit crude in design, but this second one? Noah planned it meticulously.

The new submarine was 56 meters long with a displacement of 400 tons, designed to hold up to 20 people comfortably.

It was equipped with a hybrid propulsion system—water-jet propulsion, pedal-powered propellers, and electric propellers. Inside, it had a battery system, an air exchange system (powered by Noah's card-stored air), electric lighting, private washrooms, a diving chamber, a temporary food storage area, a rest cabin, a control room, and a full periscope system.

To maximize space, Noah improved the buoyancy control system. Instead of using water tanks to control buoyancy, this time, he used iron blocks that he could manipulate through his cards. Since iron is about seven times denser than water, replacing the water tanks with iron tanks shrank the system down to one-seventh its original size.

This clever modification nearly doubled the submarine's internal space.

It was clear that this submarine was tailored specifically for Noah's use, as no one else could operate it the same way.

Given Noah's limited shipbuilding expertise, this was the best approach.

For safety, Noah also included emergency escape equipment, something the first submarine had lacked.

He custom-ordered 30 high-quality diving suits from a diving equipment company in Loguetown, costing him over 40 million Berries. When it came to survival, a few million Berries was a small price to pay.

He also purchased high-strength alloy steel to reinforce the submarine's frame.

In total, building the submarine cost nearly 500 million Berries, not counting labor.

By September of 1503, the submarine was finally ready for sea trials.

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September 11

In the hidden shipyard, the entire family gathered, standing together in awe before the steel submarine they had helped create. Being part of the construction filled them all with a deep sense of pride.

Noah stepped forward, standing next to the side of the submarine, and pulled down the red cloth covering it.

Painted on the side was the name of the submarine: Nautilus.

"Family! Let's board the ship and set sail for the seas!" Noah declared, his voice filled with excitement.

The family members cheered as they began to climb aboard the Nautilus, their anticipation palpable. Even Uncle Joseph, usually more reserved, found himself pulled onto the submarine by Noah's enthusiasm.

As for the family's businesses on Seastar Island, they had hired two workers to run the hardware store. The estate and orchard were temporarily closed, and Noah packed up the hardware workshop. Some of the wind turbine equipment and other machinery were taken with them, stored safely in Noah's cards.

Everything from the secret shipyard was packed up as well. Noah knew they might be gone from Seastar Island for a long time, and if anyone discovered the shipyard while they were away, there was a risk of the equipment being stolen or damaged.

The last thing Noah wanted was to return and find his home ransacked.

The Nautilus glided through the underwater tunnel, leaving the secret shipyard and entering the vast, endless ocean.

As soon as they were submerged, Noah turned to Joshua and Mary. "Take turns using your Observation Haki to scan the surroundings," he instructed. It was time to sharpen their skills.

Joshua's Observation Haki had a similar range to Noah's, capable of covering a one-kilometer radius in all directions. His abilities leaned toward wide-area detection.

Mary, on the other hand, had a more specialized form of Haki. She could sense the emotions of others, giving her a unique advantage in reading people, though her range was limited to just over 100 meters.

Inside the submarine, everyone settled into their roles.

Uncle Joseph took the position of lookout, manning the periscope, with Tommy as his backup.

Joshua and Mary alternated as safety officers, using their Haki to scan for danger in the surrounding waters.

Vic and Anthony handled propulsion, taking turns on the pedal-powered system to drive the submarine.

Lilith acted as the navigator, while Lillian was the cook. Ari managed logistics, and Jay, as the shipwright, took care of any technical needs.

"Full speed ahead to Shells Town," Noah ordered, his voice steady.

Lilith quickly unrolled the sea charts and began plotting a course.

Shells Town was located in the northeastern part of East Blue, on the main island of the Clover Kingdom's archipelago.

Their route would take them past Cocoa Island (home to Cocoyasi Village), Moonlight Island (where Syrup Village was), the Organ Islands (where Orange Town was), and finally, Clover Archipelago, where Shells Town lay.

As for the so-called "main characters" they'd pass along the way, Noah had little interest in crossing paths with them—except, perhaps, for Nami and her family, who might be worth helping. The others, however, were destined to walk a very different path from Noah's family.

After all, Luffy had some serious backing: a Marine Vice Admiral for a grandfather, the leader of the Revolutionary Army for a father, Red-Haired Shanks as a mentor, a brother who was the Pirate King's son, and another brother who was the Chief of Staff for the Revolutionary Army.

Zoro had ties to the Shimotsuki family and his master, Koshiro, had connections to Wano and the Revolutionary Army.

Usopp was the son of Yasopp, the sniper from the Red-Haired Pirates.

Sanji was a member of the infamous Vinsmoke family, led by Vinsmoke Judge—a warlord with a reputation for war and destruction.

But Nami was different. She didn't have the same powerful connections. She was born in the Oykot Kingdom, which had been destroyed by pirates just a year ago. Her biological parents had been killed by pirates, and her adoptive mother, Bell-mère, had also been murdered by the Arlong Pirates. Nami and her village had suffered under Arlong's tyranny for eight long years.

If Noah had been in Nami's shoes, he wouldn't have joined the Straw Hat Pirates or any other pirate crew.

And it was especially bitter that the Straw Hats later recruited Jinbei—a former member of the Sun Pirates, who had been Arlong's superior. That was like pouring salt in Nami's wounds.

The only reason Nami had joined the Straw Hat Pirates was because Luffy had defeated Arlong. And even then, the Straw Hats hadn't killed Arlong or Nezumi, leaving Cocoyasi Village vulnerable.

If the World Government had any brains, the Straw Hat Pirates would have been wiped out ten times over by now.

For instance, the government could have sent CP agents to kidnap Nami's sister or Kaya, setting a trap for the Straw Hats. They would've walked right into it.

So, Noah's crew had no interest in mingling with the Straw Hat Pirates.

As for Nami, she was still only two years old. Arlong hadn't oppressed her yet, and her adoptive mother, a retired Marine, was still alive. It wasn't the right time to approach her.