One Piece: Transforming The World With Technology

"East Blue... heh."

Reddy stepped onto the dock of Water 7 and shook his head with a laugh.

The legendary pirate Golden Lion Shiki, who had disappeared for eleven years, had reappeared in East Blue. This piece of intelligence was enough to shock Marine Headquarters.

Back then, Golden Lion had rampaged through Marineford, destroying half of Marine Headquarters before being defeated by Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Garp and imprisoned in Impel Down.

Later, Golden Lion became the first person to escape from Impel Down.

"Will Sengoku send Garp to East Blue?"

Reddy speculated with amusement.

Admiral Zephyr had stepped back from the frontlines, leaving Marine Headquarters short on high-level combat strength. From Fleet Admiral Sengoku's perspective, only Garp would be suitable to go to East Blue to pursue Golden Lion.

"Sir, do you need a guide?"

Reddy's thoughts were interrupted as he looked down and saw a skinny little boy standing in front of him.

The boy was about seven or eight years old but full of confidence. Seeing Reddy's reaction, he immediately puffed out his thin chest and recommended himself, "I'm the best guide in Water 7. No matter where you want to go, I can take you there."

"What's your name?"

Reddy reached out and ruffled the boy's slightly messy hair. The gesture instantly lifted the boy's spirits.

"Haya, my name is Haya."

Haya was excited. This was the first tourist in a week who was willing to acknowledge him, and he seemed like a wealthy one at that.

Just as Reddy was about to speak, he noticed a few teenage delinquents walking over with dark expressions.

Haya immediately tried to hide in the crowd at the dock, but two more similarly dressed boys emerged from the crowd and blocked him.

"It's you again."

The leader, a boy with a row of earrings on one ear, slung an arm around Haya's neck and sneered, "Who told you to come to the dock?"

Haya trembled in fear, not daring to say a word.

The delinquent curled his lip and looked up at Reddy, forcing a smile. "Sir, do you need a guide? We can provide you with the best guide in Water 7."

Reddy shrugged and pulled out his pockets to show them. "I don't have any money."

The delinquent immediately looked disgusted and spat on the ground. He tightened his grip around Haya's neck and warned fiercely, "This is our territory. If we see you at the dock again, the sea will be your final resting place."

"Let's go."

The delinquent waved his hand and led his gang away.

Haya waited until they were far enough before letting out a huge sigh of relief. Then he looked at Reddy with disdain. "So you're a broke guy like me."

With an expression that said "you're lucky," he beckoned. "Whatever, you kinda saved me. Come on, I'll take you around the city."

He added, "For free."

"Alright."

Reddy smiled and followed Haya into the city. As they walked, he asked, "Do they monopolize the guide business at the dock?"

Haya turned around and looked at Reddy as if he were an idiot, scoffing, "Water 7 is a famous tourist city. There are lots of tourists here. It's big business, got it?"

Reddy nodded.

Haya turned back and walked backward while bragging, "There are a lot of pirates on the sea now, so the tourists who come to Water 7 are all big fat sheep. Last week, a big fat sheep hired me for just three days, and I made 30,000 Berries."

"That is big business."

In the world of pirates, the purchasing power of money was similar to the Japanese yen. 30,000 Berries was enough to keep a seven or eight-year-old child fed for at least a month if they only cared about basic survival.

"I'm the only one who dares to come to the dock."

Haya, still just a child, completely forgot about the warning he had just received when he saw Reddy's amazement and puffed out his chest proudly.

Reddy chuckled. "Why not go to the station?"

Haya froze, then quickly deflated. "You're an outsider, so you don't know the inside story. Of course I know I could get more business at the station. After all, the Sea Train just started running not long ago, and those fat sheep love trying new things."

"But the competition there is way worse than at the dock."

"Since the Sea Train started running, at least a dozen people have died."

Haya vividly described the turf wars between local gangs fighting for control of the station, his tone full of admiration.

Since the Sea Train began operating, the number of tourists at the dock had dropped significantly. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been cornered like that.

Water 7 was very unique, with dense waterways throughout the city. On the rivers, many boats pulled by creatures called "Bulls" sailed back and forth.

"If you had money, you could try this."

Haya pointed at one of the sightseeing boats pulled by a Bull on the river, his voice tinged with envy. "The real big business is this. Renting a boat costs 1,000 Berries. There are at least a thousand sightseeing boats in Water 7."

Reddy raised an eyebrow.

Renting a boat for 1,000 Berries, with roughly a thousand sightseeing boats, meant a daily income of 1,000,000 Berries. For a bottom-tier kid like Haya, that was indeed big business.

But the real big business was shipbuilding.

Reddy wasn't interested in the Galley-La Company, so he asked, "I want to go to Center Street. Can you take me there?"

Haya looked at him like he was an idiot and shook his head. "Center Street is the most bustling area in Water 7. Do you have money?"

"Nope."

Reddy shrugged.

Haya gave him a knowing look and patted Reddy's arm consolingly. "I can tell you don't even have money for lodging. But lucky for you, you met me. Follow me."

...

Every year, Water 7 was struck by a massive tsunami called the Aqua Laguna.

Because of this, the city's sewer system was extremely well-developed. At the moment, Reddy stood inside one of the sewer outflows.

This outflow was massive, about ten meters high and nearly as wide.

Only a structure of this scale could ensure the city wouldn't be destroyed by the tsunami.

Haya led Reddy through a maze of twists and turns in the sewers before finally arriving at a pipe junction.

"You saved me once at the dock, so I'll let you stay here for a few days. We're even now, okay?" Haya turned around and said seriously.

Reddy smiled and nodded, accepting Haya's terms.

Haya, satisfied, led the way ahead.

Past the junction was a rare sheltered spot.

The sewers were vast, and the wind was strong, but here, the wind suddenly dropped by about 80%.

Reddy even felt a slight warmth.

This sheltered area was quite large, located at the intersection of two sewer lines. Perhaps some large equipment had once been placed here, but now it had become a makeshift camp.

The camp wasn't crowded. Tattered tents lined the walls in an orderly fashion, and in the center, a few extinguished bonfires remained. A few three or four-year-old children were playing happily nearby.

"Brother Haya!"

The children cheered and waved, but when they saw Reddy behind Haya, they quickly hid inside the tents, peeking out cautiously at him.

"He's not a bad guy. He just doesn't have money for a hotel and wants to stay here for a few days." Haya put his hands on his hips, as if vouching for Reddy.

"Haya..."

A voice, still clearly young, came from the tent at the very end, accompanied by coughing. "I told you this is our own business. Don't involve outsiders."

Haya quickly defended, "He's an adult."

The tent flap lifted, and a boy around fifteen years old crawled out.

His face was pale, devoid of color, a sickly pallor. Just the slight movement made him cough violently. These were clear symptoms of lung damage from external trauma, and not recent injuries either.

Reddy frowned. "If you keep moving around like this, you won't last more than a month."

Haya panicked and rushed to the boy's side. "Brother Terry, go back and lie down! I'll definitely earn enough money to take you to a doctor!"

"I'm fine."

Terry forced a smile at Haya and, with his help, sat up. He looked at Reddy seriously. "You should leave. It's not that we don't welcome you, but we don't want to involve outsiders in our problems."

Reddy spread his hands. "I saved Haya once at the dock. In return, he invited me to stay here for a few days. Also, I happen to be a doctor."