Chapter 23: It's really a good weather today
Especially when they later spent a hundred million Berries from Nami's safe for a banquet in Water Seven, without her knowing.
It was clear that the only one who could outsmart Nami when it came to money was Luffy.
And now, Link had joined that exclusive club.
Five hundred thousand Berries was no small amount in East Blue.
For pirates like Arlong, who terrorized East Blue, their bounty was set at five hundred thousand Berries.
With that much money, rebuilding Orange Town was more than enough. It would not only restore the town but make it prosperous and thriving.
Later, the mayor even built the biggest dog food store for his pet dog, Chouchou, allowing them both to live happily and healthily.
Now that Link had all the money, there was no way he'd just hand it out.
However, he did tie up Mohji and Cabaji, two high-ranking members of Buggy's crew, and put them in a very visible spot.
Since Link and the crew couldn't claim the bounty, leaving these two wanted pirates behind for the town meant they'd earn more than what they had in the original story.
So, with their brief but incredibly profitable adventure coming to an end, Link and his crew got back on their ship and set sail for their next destination.
Not long after the small boat hoisted its sails, an elderly man with gray hair and a little dog arrived at the dock.
Even with his glasses on, he clearly spotted Luffy's exaggerated grin at the bow of the ship.
He also saw Zoro, relaxing, and Link enjoying the warm breeze, while Nami, still a bit puffy but now lively and spirited, stood nearby.
"Thank you so much!!"
With the faces of his benefactors firmly etched in his mind, the mayor, along with his pet Chouchou, bowed deeply toward the distant ship.
...
Having acquired the sea charts to the Grand Line and a million Berries, Luffy and Link now had resources that surpassed even those of seasoned pirate crews in East Blue.
They were more than ready for their journey to the Grand Line.
But now, they faced two major problems.
The first was the crew size; there were four of them, and three of them were not specialists relevant to running the ship.
'By specialists, I mean the helmsman, cook, navigator, shipwright, and doctor—those are essential for any pirate crew.'
Right now, out of the four, only Nami was the navigator. The other three… well, let's not even go there.
Link didn't worry too much about this; after all, the Straw Hat Pirates in East Blue would soon be gathered together.
The real issue at hand was the second problem.
The second big problem was their ship—their current ride was a worn-out little boat that could never survive the dangers of the Grand Line.
It was clear that they needed a proper pirate ship, and soon.
Link remembered how he had taken control of the treasure from Nami, and Luffy was determined to have his own pirate ship and flag.
He was tired of hearing everyone talk about it every day—it was almost unbearable!
If they wanted a good ship, the best option was to go to Loguetown, the closest town to the Grand Line.
There, they could buy a ship built to brave the fierce waters ahead.
But the navy had a strong presence there, and they were well aware of pirates wanting to buy ships.
So, the navy would definitely be on alert, which made that option a no-go.
A better choice would be to visit nearby islands and see if they could find a suitable ship.
The closest island to Orange Town with ship-buying options was Syrup Village.
In that village lived a wealthy man who ran a shipbuilding business.
So, the next target for the Straw Hat Pirates was clear: Syrup Village.
Syrup Village was in a remote part of East Blue.
With little value to the area and surrounding islands, pirates rarely came here to raid.
While the village wasn't thriving, it had a rare peacefulness.
Every morning, however, a long-nosed liar would spread wild rumors about pirates arriving, waking up the villagers with his stories.
But aside from that, the town was quite tranquil.
The villagers were good-hearted, and they had come to accept the long-nosed man and his antics, making it a part of their morning routine.
That morning, as the first rays of sunlight touched the earth…
"It's really a nice day today," said Usopp, dressed in brown suspenders and with a sun-kissed wheat-colored skin. His long nose bobbed as he breathed in the fresh air.
"The morning air is especially refreshing!"
Usopp stretched, shaking off the dust from the grass he had been lying on, ready to start his day's work.
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