One Piece: I am the Fleet Admiral?

The fanfic was banned due to 'copyright issues', so I uploaded it again with the new name One Piece: Marine of the SH Pirates. Do check it

Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari

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Water 7.

It's an island renowned worldwide for its exceptional shipbuilding expertise.

From what Akira knows, even the World Government occasionally has to seek the help of the experienced shipwrights here when it comes to constructing warships.

In the past, big pirates with the resources would even travel all the way from the New World to request large ships of their own built here.

Yes, request!

There's a famous saying in this world:

There are three people you should never cross at sea: a shipwright, a doctor, and navigator.

The navigator controls the direction of the ship. If you offend them, they might one day lead you straight into a dangerous whirlpool or fail to warn you of an oncoming storm.

When that happens, it's not unusual for the ship to be destroyed, and everyone on board to perish.

Doctors are obvious. It's impossible to go through life without falling ill or getting injured, right? When that happens, you'll need a dedicated doctor to treat and care for you.

If they were to intentionally mix something extra in your medicine or slightly adjust the dosage, you could die quietly, without even realizing it.

But shipwrights? That sounds unbelievable.

Yet they are truly deserving of both respect and fear.

This is a world where the sea dominates, and everyone depends on ships to travel.

If you offend a shipwright, they might add a few screws here and there or trick you into choosing materials that aren't water-resistant or durable.

Think about it!

One day, you're enjoying a hot pot with your crew, singing and having a good time, and then suddenly…

The ship sinks!

Even if you're incredibly powerful, you won't be able to fix it immediately.

At that moment, the entire crew could drown in the endless ocean, and even if you wanted revenge, there's no way to get it.

You wouldn't even know if the shipwright tampered with the vessel, or if it was bad luck and Sea Kings destroyed it.

This is why shipwrights from Water 7 rank as the number one people not to offend.

Because with the navigator or doctor, if you're strong and have good physical health, you might survive and turn the situation around.

But with the shipwright, even if you have your own crew member who knows ships, if they aren't more skilled than the Water 7 builders, you'll still be doomed.

After all, no matter how careful your shipwright is, it's impossible to lift the keel and check everything.

This is what made Water 7's golden age so brilliant.

Shipwrights were incredibly popular and highly respected.

But!

The era of great pirates has arrived.

Pirate plundering has isolated trade routes, making it difficult for shipyards that once thrived on importing wood and iron from other islands to function.

According to intelligence reports, Water 7 is slowly declining. The shipyards now compete fiercely for a dwindling number of customers, fighting each other daily.

Many workers have lost their jobs, and the quality of life for residents has plummeted. Their lives have become miserable.

At the same time, the threat of the "Aqua Laguna"—the tsunami that strikes the city—has become more apparent, casting a cloud of unease over the entire city.

With internal strife and external threats, the once-glorious Water 7 is now facing numerous challenges.

"Sit down!"

Akira, recalling the information in his mind, pulled out a chair, sat down, and motioned to the group.

"Thank you, Fleet Admiral!"

"Yes, my lord!"

The shipyard heads responded cautiously, even a little nervously.

This was understandable.

They had their suspicions before coming, hearing that Fleet Admiral Akira wanted to do business with them. Water 7's shipbuilding industry is renowned, so the type of business was clear.

A massive shipbuilding deal.

They had been scrambling every day for scattered, small-time customers, fighting over every scrap of work.

Now, with the Marines—a colossal client—placing a huge number of orders, they saw the true opportunity to secure their livelihoods.

When dealing with such an important customer, how could they not speak softly and act with care?

It's also worth noting that it wasn't just the seven major shipyard heads present.

There were over a dozen heads of small companies and workshops.

Most of them were barely holding on and might disband soon due to financial struggles. But for now, they were still in the game.

Snap.

Akira lit a cigar, scanning the room with a glint in his eyes.

'The Pluton, one of the three Ancient Weapons, was said to be built by the shipwrights of Water 7.'

'If I recall correctly, the blueprints were passed down through generations.'

As these thoughts passed through his mind, Akira's eyes finally landed on a figure in the corner.

Tom!

The only Fish-Man shipwright in Water 7, and the future mentor of Franky, a future Straw Hat Pirate.

He was also known as the "world's greatest shipwright."

'Didn't expect him to show up as well.'

Akira mused, realizing that while he had invited all the heads of the shipyard companies, Tom was an individual.

Maybe it was due to Tom's well-known reputation that the soldiers brought him here. After all, he had never hidden the fact that he helped the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, build his ship. Everyone in Water 7 likely knew about it.

Tom had been watching Akira the entire time, and when he noticed Akira looking back at him, he became a bit excited.

"Fleet Admiral! Hello! I'm Tom, the Fish-Man," he quickly stood up and greeted.

"Oh, you're doing well! I'm just surprised to see a Fish-Man shipwright among those who came," Akira replied, making up a random reason to explain his interest.

Even though he was intrigued by the Ancient Weapon Pluton, he couldn't reveal that right away. Especially since he knew the location of the ancient Pluton. As for the blueprints, he had ideas, but they weren't urgent for the moment.

"No, it's fine. Thank you so much for what you've done for the Fish-Men. Please allow me to express my gratitude," Tom said, standing up straight and bowing deeply, his face full of respect.

Akira smiled and accepted the gesture calmly.

Since joining the Marines, carefully selected Fish-Men soldiers had been hunting down pirates across the globe. Thanks to the efforts of the Intelligence Division, their reputation among humans had improved. Though discrimination still existed, more people were beginning to accept them.

And it was Fleet Admiral Akira who enabled the Fish-Men to stand tall in the sunlight.

Being respected by Tom wasn't a big deal for Akira.

Knock knock.

After Tom straightened up, Akira knocked on the table, signaling the shipyard heads, who had been getting restless, to focus.

"I won't waste time with too much talk. There's only one reason I've called you all here today."

"Ships! The Marines need a lot of ships."

"There's no way to calculate the exact number yet, since they will be supplied globally."

"But I predict we will need at least this many, and the number will only go up, not down."

Akira raised his hand, showing ten fingers, and everyone gasped.

One, ten, one hundred, one thousand… ten thousand!!!

They understood what he meant.

At minimum, the Marines required 10,000 ships.

And it was likely he meant 100,000 or even a million ships.

This business opportunity was enormous, far exceeding anyone's expectations.

If they landed such an order, not only would their financial troubles vanish, but their companies would reach new heights.

Gulp!

The head of the shipyard sitting closest to Akira swallowed hard and asked, trembling, "Honorable Fleet Admiral, are you... are you serious?"

Akira shot him a glance.

Exhaling a puff of thick smoke, he shook his head slightly and said, "I don't need to lie. The Marines are making major moves, and we urgently need a large number of ships to end this era of great pirates."

"If you don't believe me, you can leave right now, turn left, and go back to Water 7."

Hearing Akira's stern words, the shipyard head's face turned pale.

He raised his hands in a panic, waving them in desperation, "No, no, I didn't mean that, Fleet Admiral! Please forgive my poor choice of words."

Cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he spoke.

Akira hadn't intended to punish him, but used this moment to make sure everyone else understood the gravity of the situation.

Judging by their reactions, the message had gotten through. Everyone recovered from their initial shock, and no one doubted Akira's words anymore.

"Now, tell me—can you take the job? How do you plan to handle it?"

"The Marines don't need high-end ships, just ones that can withstand storms and sail for long periods."

"After all, the clones would be leading the charge against pirates, so they didn't need expensive, heavily armed ships for this mission."

"That's like using a cannon to swat mosquitoes—such a waste!" Akira's voice echoed through the room.

As soon as he finished speaking, the room erupted.

Without hesitation, all the shipyard heads stood up, raising their voices, trying to win favor with Akira.

"Fleet Admiral, my company, Tesla Shipbuilding, has plenty of experienced workers. We can definitely handle this task!"

"That's nonsense! Your little workshop can't handle such a massive order. Fleet Admiral, if my company is the second-largest in all of Water 7, and no one dares to claim first!"

"Who said you're second? My company is number one!"

"My lord, give me the job, and I'll build you twenty ships in just ten days!"

"Twenty in ten days? That's nothing! Fleet Admiral, I can promise you fifty ships in that same time, and I'm not just boasting."

The room became a battleground of loud voices and bold claims, with each person not only guaranteeing their capabilities but also tearing down their competitors in the process.

Some were even getting physical in their efforts to secure the entire contract from the Marines.

Akira leaned back in his chair, watching the chaos unfold while puffing on his cigar. He was content to let them argue for a while before bringing up the real discussion about the ships.

It was clear to him that no single shipyard could fulfill the massive order required by the Marines on their own, especially not in such a short time.

Akira planned to unite all the shipyards in Water 7, just as they had done in the original story. All the shipwrights would work together, dividing tasks like an assembly line. This way, they could produce a large number of quality ships quickly and efficiently.

But even though Akira had this plan in mind, he couldn't reveal it just yet. Letting them argue and come to terms with reality on their own would smooth the way for his proposal.

He didn't mind taking his time. After all, with his clones taking on most of the heavy lifting, he suddenly found himself with more time than expected. He could use it to think about the future development of Water 7.

'It's all about the money,' Akira thought, shaking his head.

He understood the desperation of the shipyard heads. The lack of funds and opportunity during the era of great pirates made it tough for them. They were fighting for every scrap they could get, just like he would've if he were in their shoes at the beginning of the pirate era.

Just as the arguments were reaching a fever pitch, Tom, who had remained silent throughout the entire exchange, finally spoke up, his deep voice cutting through the noise.

"Everyone, may I have a word?"

His sudden interjection immediately grabbed everyone's attention.