"Hey, Straw Hat kid! Stop fooling around!"
"This isn't bravery, it's just throwing your lives away!"
When Mayor Iceburg and Foreman Barry arrived at the shore, they saw the Golden Merry coming out of Franky's secret warehouse and the Straw Hat crew preparing to set off.
"Look at the sea now, how can this ship possibly catch up?"
It might be smashed to pieces by a single wave.
"Yeah, yeah,"
"Calm down, let's think of another way..."
Franky's family also joined in trying to dissuade them. Although they wanted to save their big brother immediately, throwing their lives away was not an option—even if it was for the Straw Hat crew they had just met a few minutes ago!
Even Roman and Nami, who had previously used force to negotiate, were the same.
"Isn't the essence of power to make the impossible possible?"
"Paper Dance - Pure White Golden Merry!"
As Roman pointed forward, white paper fluttered like snowflakes, covering the Golden Merry from top to bottom, inside and out, including the sails and rudder. The sturdy paper wrapped the entire ship, making it look very similar to the 'White Merry' skill used before.
"Not just similar, it's exactly the same."
In fact, the 'White Merry' skill was created by Roman after covering the Merry with paper for a long time. Its original purpose was to protect this 'comrade'.
"With the paper's enhancement, the Merry can still sail through the waves!"
Of course, once Roman's stamina was exhausted and the enhancement was removed..."But how are you going to catch up with the sea train?"
Foreman Barry still tried to persuade the Straw Hat crew, "The sea train's speed is 20-28 knots, which is about 36-52 km/h. It's obvious that the enemy is running at full speed!"
"And your ship... to be honest, its speed is at most 15 knots, which is about 27 km/h..."
Although Foreman Barry, with his sunglasses and messy appearance, looked unreliable, he was actually Mayor Iceburg's apprentice! A bona fide shipbuilding master who could instantly assess the Straw Hat crew's ship.
"You're right, Foreman."
Nami, already standing by the ship's rail, extended her index finger upward, "Under normal circumstances, the Golden Merry couldn't exceed 15 knots, but today is different—"
The sky was howling with wind!
The waves beneath were towering!
"What affects a ship's speed are the currents and the wind direction. And as long as it's these two things—"
Confident Nami clenched her hand, as if to grasp the invisible wind and water.
"I can make them work for me!"
Crazy..."Even against the wind and waves?"
"Hey, foreman, aren't you overreacting? Sailing against the wind is basic for a sailboat, isn't it?" Everyone boarded the Golden Merry, and Nami opened the book in her hand.
"Besides, I can still make small adjustments to the wind direction. So—"
"Let's go, Merry!!"
"Robin, we're coming!!!"
With Luffy's shout from the figurehead of the sheep, the pure white Golden Merry bravely charged into the raging sea! On the deck was a group of fearless people ready to challenge the World Government.
"Are we... just going to watch?"
"No way! Big brother Franky was taken—"
"Even if we die, we'll die with him!!"
Facing the passionate 'Franky Family,' Mayor Iceburg sighed.
"Since the Straw Hat crew has already set off, the sea train 'Rocketman,' which was meant to be their transport, is yours. But it needs some repairs first."
"Speaking of which, that sea train was built with the help of your boss Franky." It was full of Franky's wild and unrestrained style!
I don't know if what I'm doing is right or wrong... Franky, your senior is really useless...——————"Hahaha, the Merry is indeed the best!"
As Nami spread out the book in her hand, the entire ship was enveloped in a yellowish tornado, as Nami activated Crocodile's fruit ability.
Under Nami's command, Roman continuously turned the helm, making the 'Pure White Golden Merry' sail rapidly against the wind in a zigzag pattern! Although the route was extended, at a speed of over 30 knots, they still firmly tracked the sea train ahead!
"At this speed, we should arrive about an hour later than them."
"Everyone, be prepared. Once Robin passes through the 'Gate of Justice' behind Enies Lobby, there are only two places she could go. Whether it's Impel Down or Marine Headquarters, we won't have any chance of getting her back."
Roman explained seriously while steering.
"I don't need to tell you about Marine Headquarters. There are three Admirals like Aokiji! You should know how powerful they are."
"And Impel Down is no better. It holds the world's most vicious pirates, many of whom are as strong as Aokiji. —Yet those monsters are all obediently serving their sentences, which shows how dangerous it is."
After all, in the 'future,' both Luffy and Blackbeard, who bear the name 'D,' were instantly defeated by Magellan in Impel Down. Without the protagonist/antagonist halo and help from others, they would have ended up dead on the spot.
Compared to those two dragon's dens, the so-called 'Enies Lobby,' one of the World Government's three major institutions, is...A complete letdown!
"But before that,"
Sanji lit a cigarette in the wind and waves.
"Listen up, you idiots, except for Nami and Roman!"
"Those government guys are using Robin's fear of us getting hurt to threaten her."
"If we break into Enies Lobby and Robin still doesn't want to come with us, what should we do?"
This is indeed a very serious issue. If Robin still doesn't want to leave with the Straw Hat crew, and the rescue mission fails, it could put everyone in danger... Sanji's chivalry is commendable, but he's not reckless!
If it were just him, he would charge in fearlessly; but this concerns the lives of so many of the Straw Hat crew—"I don't care about any of that!!"
Luffy roared to the sky.
"I will never forgive them!!"
"Roar, roar, roar~~"
Chopper also roared to the sky.
"Damn you, Robin!!"
Smack,"What are you saying!?"
Luffy turned around after being hit by Nami's book.
"Isn't it true? Why doesn't she want us to save her?"
"I've explained it to you so many times, Robin is afraid of dragging us down..."
"I don't care about any of that!!"
"If we don't save her, she'll be killed!"
"But she doesn't want to die, so we have to save her!"
Well... although it sounds a bit reckless, the logic is sound. Luffy isn't just a fighter; he can also say things that hit the core of the issue at critical moments.
"Alright, Nami."
Roman, who was steering the ship, nodded at Nami, who was holding her forehead.
"You've known Luffy for a while now. Is our captain the type to weigh the pros and cons?"
"...You're right, I'm just making things difficult for myself."
"Sogeking,"
Roman looked at Usopp, "Can we use your dining room for everyone to eat and rest, to prepare for the battle? Is that okay?"
"No problem!"
Usopp nodded without hesitation, "But the food..."
"Munch Munch-Release."
With a wave of Roman's hand, a piece of paper with a drawing of an iron bucket mouth appeared, and a package taller than a person fell onto the deck: it was full of wine and food.
Wapol's ability is really useful..."Ah, meat!!"
"Oh, so much wine?"
As the group familiarly carried the food into the dining room, Luffy, who was at the back, turned around.
"Roman, you and Nami..."
"Go ahead and eat. Nami and I, who can't 'recover' through food and alcohol, will stay here. Besides, if we both go in, who will steer the ship?"
With these towering waves and fierce winds, if Roman and Nami weren't personally handling it, the Going Merry would have taken the Straw Hat crew to the bottom of the sea by now.
"Alright!"
Luffy didn't argue, showing his bright teeth as he entered the cabin.
"Thank you for your hard work."
"When we reach Enies Lobby, watch us show our strength!"
"Alright, I'm looking forward to your performance."
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