Chapter 161 Xiao Ling Loses MemoryInside the Going Merry's cabin.It was very quiet.At this moment, the Straw Hat Pirates had gathered, including Chopper, who was held in Arthur's arms!"I've really had enough! How could I possibly be with pirates? You're definitely lying to me!" Namishouted at Arthur.Arthur sighed. Although their personalities hadn't changed, losing their memories was something everyone found preposterous.Fortunately, Arthur managed to gather everyone by appealing to their dreams.They had no choice but to believe, as anyone with a bit of sense could see the details.Just then, Arthur suddenly remembered the newspaper in Nami's room. He then went into Nami's room and took out the newspaper."I might lie to you, but the newspaper won't, right?"Arthur placed the page detailing Arlong's defeat in front of Nami.Seeing the contents of the newspaper, Nami fell silent.Because the newspaper stated that Arlong had indeed been defeated by the Straw Hat Kid.This meant that the guy in front of her was telling the truth, and Cocoyasi Village had truly been liberated.Sanji also saw the contents of the newspaper, then he took a puff from his cigarette."Since everyone else has lost their memories, why are only the two of you unaffected?"Arthur shook his head.At this point, Robin said, "Actually, I'm not sure either. But before losing your memories, did any of you feel anything different?"The memory-lost crew members looked at each other."I remember I was cooking, then I went back to my place to sleep, and when I woke up, I was here.""I remember my ship encountered a whirlpool, and I hid in a barrel... and then I seemed to hear a strange sound.""Yes, I heard it too!" Usopp immediately chimed in.At this, all the memory-lost crew members nodded. They had all heard that strange sound.Arthur stroked his chin and said."It seems there are two factors contributing to everyone's memory loss. The first is related to sleeping or not sleeping; Robin and I didn't sleep, so we didn't lose our memories. The second is the strange sound you all mentioned."Everyone nodded."We are near an island. I think that island should hold the secret to why we lost our memories," Robinsaid."Alright, in that case, let's head for the island!" Luffysaid with a laugh.Again, in Arthur's eyes, there was no difference between Luffy with or without his memories.The Going Merry sailed towards the island.Since it was daytime, Arthur felt a bit sleepy. So, he habitually took a deck chair and went to the deck to lie down."There shouldn't be any problems now, right? After all, there are so many people watching me," Arthurmuttered to himself.Everyone had now been stabilized by Arthur, and there was also Robin, who hadn't lost her memories. He felt that no problems should arise.Thinking this, Arthur slowly drifted off to sleep.In his dream, Arthur dreamt of his parents on Blue Star."Still playing games? Come out and eat!" a middle-aged woman pushed open Arthur's door."Mom, just a little longer. I'm on a rampage with Yasuo right now," Arthur ignored the woman and continued to stare intently at the screen."Ah! Don't pull my ear!""Hurry up and come eat, do you hear me?""Coming, coming."After finishing dinner and returning, he saw that the game was over. He fell silent when he saw his account banned for a week."Sigh, no more games. I might as well get a good night's sleep!"Arthur then lay on his bed and quickly fell asleep. After he fell asleep, he heard a strange sound.At this moment, Arthur opened his eyes."Wasn't I just in my room? Why is the sky so blue here?"Such blue skies were rarely seen on Blue Star anymore.Due to severe global industrialization, Blue Star had lost its original blue sky, which had turned hazy.Just then, he suddenly heard a sound from beside him."This is great, I've got my memories back!" Luffy said with a smile.Hmm?Arthur turned his head to look sideways.The next second, cold sweat streamed down his back.Because he found that the place he was currently in was not his room, but a ship.And on the ship were strange people: a fierce-looking green-haired man, a standing tanuki, a long-nosed man, a beautiful woman with orange-red hair, a yellow-haired man in a suit, a boy wearing a Straw Hat, and a woman a head taller than him.What were all these things?Had he been kidnapped while he was sleeping?Arthur shivered, then closed his eyes."I hope they haven't noticed I'm awake," Arthurthought to himself."Arthur, wake up, Arthur."Arthur had just closed his eyes when he heard someone calling his name."Heh heh, it's indeed a premeditated kidnapping. They even know my name," Arthur thought to himself.At this moment, he was terrified.He smelled the salty wind. Could this be the open sea?Did they throw me into the sea, intending to commit a crime here?Wouldn't I be at their mercy?It's over, it's over, it's over, Arthur felt like crying without tears."Arthur, what's wrong? You're clearly awake, why aren't you opening your eyes? Is your body not well yet?" Luffy touched the Straw Hat on his head and said to Arthur.Was he discovered?Arthur reluctantly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with confusion, then he shakily stood up."Who... who are you? Why did you kidnap me here? I don't think I've offended you, have I?" Arthur took a step back and said to everyone."..." Everyone fell silent. If they weren't mistaken, this guy in front of them had also had his memories stolen."You are Arthur, my Vice Captain!" Luffy said.Vice Captain, what's that?I'm clearly a student, how could I be a captain?Did I get involved with a scam syndicate?What should I do now?Should I obey them and then find a way to escape? After all, it's too dangerous here!"Vice Captain? Oh right, I'm the Vice Captain here, I almost forgot!" Arthur suddenly said with a smile, though they could all tell Arthur's smile was completely faked.At this moment, Arthur pretended to be nonchalant and asked, "How far is it from here to Ludong Province?"Ludong Province??What kind of place is that?The Straw Hat Crew had never heard of that location.Then Robin said, "This is the Grand Line. We don't know what Ludong Province is. Is it your hometown?"Arthur nodded and said, "Yes, that's my hometown, a beautiful place. Oh, right... where are you all from?"Seeing Arthur's actions, everyone in the Straw Hat Crew understood that their memories had truly been taken.Stopped🔊
Chapter 162 The Amnesiac TownInside the Going Merry's cabin.Arthur looked at the strangely shaped people and fell silent once again. Judging by their words, he should have been on this ship for a long time.But he had no memory of these things; this was unscientific.So Arthur couldn't possibly believe it.Just then, he felt something in his pocket.As a good young man of the 21st century, he couldn't possibly not know what this thing was. Although it looked a bit unlike a modern product, he definitely recognized it as a phone."It's the sea, alright. The phone has no signal at all," Arthur sighed and said.The phone had no lock screen password, so he easily accessed its contents."What's wrong with this phone? Why is there nothing on it?" Arthur said, somewhat helplessly.Because there was none of the software he was familiar with on the phone, like Honor of Kings.At this, Arthur opened the phone's photo album and fell silent as he looked at the pictures inside."What's going on? Have I really been here for a long time?"There were many selfies of him in the phone, and many photos were taken with the Straw Hat Pirates.Although there were more landscape photos, there were also quite a few pictures of them together.At this, Arthur touched his head.What happened? Why is it like this?"Why are there so many monsters in the photos? Are these things monsters that should exist on Blue Star?"Could it be that he was no longer on Blue Star?Transmigrated?"System?"[I am here.]The voice that appeared in his mind startled Arthur.Now Arthur had a general idea.There were creatures not belonging to Blue Star.The mechanical voice in his mind.And he now felt his body filled with power.He had definitely transmigrated, and the current situation must be that his memory had been taken, no doubt about it!"Everyone, we're almost at the island!" At this, Luffy, sitting at the bow of the Going Merry, called out to those inside the cabin.At this time, among the Straw Hat Crew, only Luffyand Robin retained their memories, but everyone had already understood that the one who took their memories should be that seahorse."Are we there?"The Going Merry slowly docked, and everyone exited the cabin, with Arthur following at the very end."Let's go ashore!" Nami said to the group.Everyone nodded. They all wanted to find out what memories had been taken from them.After the Straw Hat Crew disembarked, Robin led the exploration, as Luffy was an idiot, and if he led the way, something would definitely go wrong.Along the way, everyone saw all sorts of people, but they all seemed to have lost their memories."What's going on? Why do the people in this town seem so strange?" Arthur walked to the very center and asked.Because in this position, he felt safer.He had now determined that they belonged to a group, and the leader was this man wearing a Straw Hat.However, this guy seemed a bit idiotic."It looks like everyone in this city has had their memories taken," Robin said to the group as she walked at the forefront."We need to find the little boy holding the seahorse. That seahorse should be the key to recovering our memories," Robin said to the group."If I see that seahorse again, I'll definitely punch it away!" Luffy said to the group, clenching his fists.The group continued forward and slowly entered the mountains, where Robin also found a clue about the stolen memories."Let's keep going. If there are no surprises, we should be able to get our memories back ahead," Robin said with a smile to the group.Everyone nodded and continued forward. Then Usopp said to Chopper, "Do you know? In jungles like this, very evil monsters appear, and Captain Usopp once killed hundreds of such monsters."Hearing Usopp's words, Chopper broke out in a cold sweat and leaned towards the center.At this, he noticed there was already someone in the middle of the group, the man who looked like a woman."Can you make a little room for me? I'm scared," Chopper said cutely.At this moment, Arthur's eyes were also filled with fear."I really want to make room for you, but I'm even more scared than you, so I won't move!"Arthur naturally remained in the middle of the group.Just then, Usopp patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, Captain Usopp will protect you all!"No sooner had Usopp spoken than a giant python appeared behind him, scaring Arthur so much that he immediately hid behind Zoro."A python!"Seeing the python, Usopp immediately ran off.However, Arthur on the other side breathed a sigh of relief as the python left.But at this moment, he became even more cautious, because he knew there were indeed many monsters in this jungle."What kind of world is this? Why are there such large snakes?"Arthur shivered, hiding behind Zoro."You, why are you so timid?" Zoro said, somewhat helplessly."Hahahahaha, Arthur has always been so timid, but he's a bit better now, becoming a brave warrior. Maybe it's because of his memory loss!" Luffy in front laughed and said.Meanwhile, Sanji took a deep drag from his cigarette.He couldn't understand why there was such a handsome man in the world!The group continued forward and finally found a small boy holding a seahorse."That's what took our memories!" Luffy pointed ahead and said.Seeing the little seahorse, Sanji, who wanted to know immediately what had happened to him, was the first to run over."Damn it, you who stole our memories, give them back!"At this, the seahorse made a strange sound, and Chopper, who was nearby, explained, "How could it possibly release them? Such delicious things! If I eat enough memories, I can become a Millennium Dragon."At this moment, everyone realized that Choppercould translate animal languages.Meanwhile, Sanji, who had already set off, arrived in front of the little boy."Although I don't like hitting children, such a hateful child must be taught a good lesson!" Sanji said angrily.At this, Robin reminded him, "Sanji, that child is useless; you need to deal with the seahorse!"Sanji, hearing this, kicked the seahorse away, and after being kicked, the seahorse violently crashed into a tree.A large amount of mist suddenly appeared from the seahorse's nose, and Sanji absorbed this mist, thereby recovering his memory."You damn guy, you're the one who stole our memories! Watch how I deal with you!" Saying this, Sanji kicked the seahorse again.Due to Sanji's attack, the seahorse finally spat out all of everyone's memories.
Chapter 163 Mecha 2.0"Little White, eat it!"Arthur was very interested in this thing that could absorb people's memories."It said it's going to use its ultimate move," Choppertold everyone.At this moment, Little White's body rapidly grew larger, then immediately went to the seahorse's side and opened its gaping maw.The next second, the seahorse's body suddenly swelled, and a large amount of memories made it float up.Seeing such a large seahorse, Little White opened its mouth even wider, and a large amount of mist covered everyone, once again stealing the Straw Hat Crew's memories.But at this moment, Little White had already bitten fiercely into the seahorse's body.Mist continuously sprayed out from the seahorse's mouth.This time, all the memories stored by the seahorse flew into the sky."This seahorse is too annoying. One moment it makes me lose my memory, the next it gives it back. But this kind of thing is quite interesting," Arthursaid with a smile as she saw Little White swallow the sea."Everyone, let's continue sailing. All the memories stored by the seahorse have been spit out," Arthurtold everyone.Seeing that everyone's memories had returned, Luffy said, "All the memories have been spit out, so shouldn't the villagers here thank us? I'm starving, so it's not too much to ask them to treat me to a meal, right?"For a moment, the Straw Hat Crew also thought this was a good idea, so everyone headed towards the village.However, what they didn't know was that the villagers had already taken out their weapons and were waiting for them."Luffy, I think we should go back," Arthur said to Luffy."Why?" Luffy asked, scratching his head, not understanding.At this moment, Arthur pointed forward and said, "I see anger in their expressions. I feel like they are waiting for us."Ahead, a group of villagers held weapons, pointing them at the Straw Hat Crew.At this moment, in front of everyone was the little boy who had taken their memories. He said, "It was these pirates who stole our memories!"Because of the little boy's instigation, all the villagers immediately rushed towards their village."How can this guy twist the facts!"Seeing that the situation was bad, the Straw Hat Crew immediately ran towards the coast. It seemed they would not only not receive thanks, but had also become thieves.But then again, who told them they were pirates?The Going Merry had already begun to sail, and on its deck, Arthur and Usopp were tinkering with the Dials they had obtained from Skypiea.Although Arthur had fainted, Skypiea had given them many Dials."After my, Captain Usopp's, research, I have figured out the functions of all the Dials. Now, Captain Usopp and Vice-Captain Xiao Ling will perfect our Usopp Machine!""..."Listening to Usopp, Arthur had no intention of doing anything.It was simply too infuriating!What was a Usopp Machine!Then Arthur sighed, and finally decided to strengthen the machine together.This time, with the help of the Dials, the mech's performance would be greatly improved.Arthur had discovered the uses of the Impact Dialand Flame Dial during the battle on Skypiea.Next was to place these Dials within the mech.According to the usage methods of the priests, the Impact Dial could increase the mech's punching power, and Arthur also decided to place the Impact Dial on the mech's feet, giving it high jumping ability.The power of the Impact Dial could not allow the mech to fly, but it could have high jumping ability.Subsequently, the Impact Dial and Flame Dial were combined to form a more effective attack method.After a period of adjustments, the mech was now completely revamped. The mech version 2.0 had significantly improved performance and attack power compared to the previous old version.Even an ordinary person, as long as he could skillfully operate the mech, could become an A-class combatant.This was the power of technology.As for the mech's performance test, it was, of course, still performed by Usopp.However, this test was not only for its defense, but also for its attack methods."Bang!"Usopp lightly leaped towards a nearby rock."Jumping ability increased by nearly a hundredfold. As expected, the Impact Dial's power is very strong. Next is the landing."After Usopp jumped high into the air, just as he was about to land on the rock, the Impact Dial on the side of the mech activated, beginning to provide cushioning force.Then Usopp landed steadily."The landing buffer is also good, and the landing stability is very strong," Arthur nodded.Luffy and Chopper on the side had stars in their eyes."So cool!"Next, the strength test began. Usopp raised his arm, the Impact Dial on his arm provided kinetic energy, and the steel fist directly smashed onto the rock.Bang!Instantly, the rock began to shatter."Attack power test complete. The increase in strength is particularly significant," Arthur nodded again with satisfaction."Usopp, come back quickly," Arthur shouted to Usopp.At this moment, Usopp jumped up once more.He landed steadily on the Going Merry."Next, if we reach a town, we'll buy some more items to enhance the mech's toughness, so that the mech can become even more perfect."Arthur said with a smile.And it was clear that Usopp's driving experience was particularly strong. At this moment, he went to show off to Chopper and Luffy again."Everyone, there's an island ahead."At this moment, Nami looked at the log pose and said to everyone.After a period of travel, everyone finally arrived at the next island.It just looked like an uninhabited island."Since it's an uninhabited island, let's go ashore and see if there are any supplies, collect some, and then we'll set off again," Nami said to everyone.For some reason, Arthur always had an ominous premonition that there might be some kind of monster on this island.Sure enough, after everyone entered the island, they found a lazy man lying in front of them.Seeing the man, Robin showed a look of fear."Robin, who exactly is he? Why are you so afraid of him?" Arthur asked.After all, Robin was the most composed person in the Straw Hat Pirates, and there weren't many people who could make her lose her composure.Robin explained to everyone, "The man in front of us is one of the three Marine Admirals, known as the highest combat power of the Marines.""Admiral!"Everyone immediately became cautious, as the Marine Admirals were indeed the Marines' highest combat power."That's right, the Marines have three Admirals. They are known as Aokiji, Kizaru, and Akainu, and the man in front of us is the Marine Admiral known as Aokiji," Robin explained again, breaking out in a cold sweat."Why isn't a Marine Admiral fighting pirates with bounties in the hundreds of millions? What does he want with us?" Usopp stammered to Aokiji."I'm just resting here. I didn't specifically come to capture you, so don't worry."
Chapter 164 Aokiji"What is it? He isn't here to catch us, so why are we afraid of him?" Luffy said, touching his Straw Hat.At this moment, Arthur felt a huge sense of crisis from the man in front of him."Is this the weight of a Marine Admiral?" Arthurmurmured to himself.The man in front of them was definitely not an enemy they could defeat right now.Arthur was very certain of this.If possible, they should avoid fighting the guy in front of them."Since you're not targeting us, could you let us go?" Arthur said to Aokiji.Then, Aokiji unconsciously stepped aside, put on his blindfold, and said, "Do as you please, I need to get some good rest."Seeing Aokiji's intention, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.Of course, there were also some who were not convinced, like Luffy, who was currently being held down by Arthur.Fighting a Marine Admiral right now would not be a wise choice."Let's go find supplies and then leave this island," Arthur said to everyone.Actually, he wanted to leave now, but if he said so, Luffy would definitely cause some trouble, so he still didn't say that.Just as everyone was about to leave, a group of stranded people walked out."Are you a Marine Admiral? Can you save us? We encountered a disaster at sea, and everyone on our ship ended up here, unable to escape. Please help us!" the leader of the stranded people said at this time.After hearing this, Aokiji took off his blindfold.And the kind-hearted Luffy had already gone to get their food for these hungry people.Although Arthur was used to this kind of behavior now, he didn't think such waste was right.But that's the Straw Hat Pirate Crew, isn't it?After everyone had eaten their fill, Luffy originally planned to build them a boat, but because there were too many people, taking a small boat would be too troublesome and they wouldn't be able to leave, so they were a bit helpless."Never mind, leave your departure to me."At this moment, Aokiji stood up and said to everyone."Why should we leave it to you? You're a bad guy!" Luffy yelled loudly at Aokiji."Luffy, this person in front of us is a Marine, and we are pirates. How can you say he's a bad guy?" Arthur said helplessly to Luffy."That's right, he's a Marine!" Luffy suddenly realized.And just then, Aokiji had already arrived by the sea, then he slowly squatted down and placed his hand in the water.At this moment, the Lord of the Coast in the sea spotted him and was about to leap up to devour the human in front of him."That's the Lord of the Coast, be careful!" Luffyshouted at Aokiji.In that tense moment, Luffy was about to make a move but was stopped by Arthur.The opponent was a Marine Admiral; if he couldn't even handle this much, how could he have become a Marine Admiral?"Ice Age!"The next second, Aokiji's body continuously emitted cold air, and the entire sea instantly froze.The Straw Hat Crew members were all stunned watching this scene."This… is this the strength of a Marine Admiral?" Zoro said in disbelief.Because from his perspective, the entire sea no longer showed its original water, having all turned into icebergs.At this moment, Aokiji slowly stood up and said to the stranded residents, "This sea has been frozen by me for about a week. The closest island from here can be reached in just four days, so you can slowly walk over.""Thank you!" The people looked at the frozen sea and were filled with gratitude towards Aokiji.Because it would take four days, the Straw Hat Crew also decided to share some of their food with them.So they could last these four days and reach the next island."Thank you all so much." The people said to the Straw Hat Crew.And that's how the Straw Hat Pirate Crew is; sometimes they don't act like pirates at all, but rather like true adventurers.However, in this world, adventurers are inherently a restless group of people, treading on the edge of the world's rules; one more step forward and they become pirates.And because the Straw Hat Crew members all possess considerable strength, coupled with their defeat of many strong individuals, their current bounties are well-deserved.Aokiji, standing by, watched the Straw Hat Crewand fell into thought.His primary purpose for coming this time was to check on Nico Robin's situation, because as a Marine Admiral, he knew some of the world's secrets.And Robin was the key to unlocking these secrets, which is why Robin was so highly sought after at such a young age.Thinking of this, he sighed. Many years ago, Nico Robin escaped from his grasp. That Buster Callcompletely changed his concept of justice.Now, after so many years, the former Little Girl had also become a stunner.And her threat to the world had not diminished.She had always been observing Robin's movements. After the Alabasta Kingdom incident, she had guessed that Robin might have joined the Straw Hat Crew.After all, he was on the side of the Marines; if she truly threatened the world, he would have no choice but to eliminate Robin.Thinking of this, he sighed again, then stood up and looked at the Straw Hat Crew who were bidding farewell to the residents.Then, he loudly said, "Straw Hat Kid, I received a lot of care from your grandfather in the past, so I originally didn't plan to deal with you here. But seeing your current situation, you pose a great danger to the world. Although your numbers are small, each of you possesses considerable power. If this continues, you will be a menace to the world, especially now that Nico Robin is on your ship. I cannot let such a crew go unchecked, so I have decided to arrest you here."Hearing Aokiji's words, everyone immediately became alert.And Robin's eyes had already turned to fear; the terror this guy brought her could not be easily erased.It was a childhood nightmare.Even if the Straw Hat Crew defeated Crocodile, they still couldn't contend with the Marine Admiral in front of them.Unconsciously, Robin had already placed herself within the Straw Hat Crew."Damn it, you double-crossing guy! You actually want to get rid of us, then I'll send you flying!" Luffywas the first to step forward, facing Aokiji.At the same time, Arthur, Zoro, and Sanji also stepped forward.The opponent was a Marine Admiral; they had to be dealt with with full effort."Ah, what a bother. If that's the case, then let's get started." Aokiji's voice remained lazy as he spoke to everyone."Gomu Gomu Pistol!"
Chapter 165 Aokiji's PowerHowever, the Marine Admiral ignored Luffy's attack, easily dodged it, and instantly appeared in front of Robin."Twenty years ago, I let you go. Now, let me personally deal with you," the Marine Admiral said.He then held Robin in his arms, and a continuous chill emanated from him. In just a moment, Robinturned into an ice sculpture.She had no room to resist.Immediately after, the Marine Admiral extended his fist, intending to shatter Robin's ice sculpture. However, at that moment, a man wielding three swords appeared and swiftly slashed across his body.He lowered his fist.Because he saw a sword mark appear on his arm, and blood flowed out.He said in disbelief, "You've only been out at sea for such a short time, and you've already mastered Haki?"No sooner had he finished speaking than Sanjikicked over, and his foot was surprisingly wreathed in blazing flames."Diable Jambe!"Both attacks simultaneously struck the Marine Admiral, while Arthur moved quickly, taking Robin's ice sculpture from the Marine Admiral's side and handing it to Usopp."You guys hurry up and treat Robin! She's in life-threatening danger if this continues!" Arthurshouted loudly.And seeing Arthur leave, Luffy's attack instantly struck the Marine Admiral."Is this your strength? It is indeed impressive."Even after being struck by three people, the Marine Admiral's expression remained unchanged, and the chill emanating from his body continuously intensified.The next second, the chill spread, and the three felt an immense cold. The areas where they attacked the Marine Admiral began to freeze.At this moment, Sanji's Diable Jambe began to freeze, and the originally burning flames started to extinguish."This level of Haki cannot shake me," the Marine Admiral said to the group.Subsequently, all the body parts where the three attacked him were frozen solid by ice."It hurts!"The ice completely froze their body parts, a pain so unbearable that they all collapsed to the ground.The Marine Admiral watched the group and lazily scratched his head. Just then, a giant python suddenly emerged from the ground and swallowed him.It was Arthur who made a move."You guys quickly recover! This guy is too strong."No sooner had Arthur finished speaking than the giant python instantly froze. The next second, the frozen giant python was easily shattered by the Marine Admiral."Indeed, a dangerous Pirate Crew. Four people actually have the ability to shake a Marine Admiral," the Marine Admiral said to the group.Upon hearing this, Arthur retorted helplessly, "Don't get carried away, you guy!"Clearly, the four of them had no power to resist him, yet he claimed they could shake him.What a joke!"Well, there's no helping it. You, Little girl, are quite dangerous too, so I'll start by dealing with you."With that, in just an instant, he appeared in front of Arthur.At this moment, Arthur immediately used the power of the cursed seal to cover his entire body. However, this seemed to have no effect; the chill permeated his body, and Arthur's body completely froze."How is this possible!"Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji's faces were filled with shock. At this moment, they felt a sense of despair.Is this the strength of a Marine Admiral?Even Arthur, who was not weak, had no power to resist.Just as Zoro and Sanji were about to make a move again, Luffy stopped them and said to the group, "You guys take Arthur back. Next, I'm going to fight him one-on-one!"Luffy said, looking at the Marine Admiral.Zoro and Sanji were silent for a moment, then nodded.After all, it was the Captain's order.The next moment, the two carried Arthur back to the Going Merry."Chopper, quickly see what's wrong with Arthur?" Zoro and Sanji said anxiously.And Chopper, seeing his companion frozen once again, showed a look of horror and said to the group, "Quickly bring him into the room! First, slowly melt the ice with cold water."Sanji and Zoro then wasted no time, placing Arthurand Robin together. The two then jumped into the sea to melt their frozen body parts.Meanwhile, Luffy and the Marine Admiralconfronted each other."You're a truly clever Captain, but do you think you're my match?" the Marine Admiral said, scratching his head."How would I know without trying? Gomu Gomu, Gatling!" Luffy's arms swung rapidly, attacking the Marine Admiral like a machine gun.The Marine Admiral did not dodge. The disparity in their strength was simply unimaginable.In fact, Luffy knew he was no match for the person in front of him; even their entire crew wouldn't be able to defeat the opponent.But a one-on-one fight was Luffy's last stubborn act.It was also possibly the best way to protect his companions.The Marine Admiral was shattered by Luffy's punches, but the next second, the scattered ice quickly reassembled, and the Marine Admiralreappeared before Luffy's eyes.He no longer wanted to continue, so in a gap in Luffy's attacks, he went directly to Luffy and embraced him."Goodbye, Straw Hat Kid!"A chill emanated from the Marine Admiral's body, and Luffy's body instantly froze into an ice sculpture.Looking at the frozen Luffy, the Marine Admiralsighed and said, "Since you challenged me to a one-on-one, even if I defeat you, I can't lay a hand on your companions. You truly are a clever person, Straw Hat Kid."Then the Marine Admiral squatted down next to Luffy and thought for a while. Ultimately, he made a decision."All groups that have allied with Nico Robin have already been destroyed. She is a jinx. Even you won't be able to bear the consequences that Nico Robin brings. Forget it, I won't think about these things anymore. Since you have accepted her as your companion, then it's up to you. However, I also believe that your Pirate Crew will ultimately be destroyed because of her."After saying all this, the Marine Admiral slowly stood up and then slowly departed.Seeing the Marine Admiral leave, Zoro and Sanjiquickly carried Luffy back onto the Going Merry.This time, everyone witnessed the immense power of a Marine Admiral.They had traveled together for so long, but compared to the highest fighting forces of the Marines, the gap was still too great.If the opponent wanted to destroy them, it would simply be a wave of a hand.The Going Merry did not sail immediately but remained by the island, waiting for Luffy, Robin, and Arthur's bodies to thaw.On the deck.Zoro was training desperately, accompanied by Sanji."It's still not enough! If I were strong enough, this situation wouldn't have happened!" Zoro shouted loudly, his unwillingness evident in his voice.Sanji, beside him, felt the same way. After the battle with Enel, he recognized his shortcomings and learned Diable Jambe, but it was still not enough. Even after learning Diable Jambe, he had no room to fight back against the Marine Admiral.Their training was not enough; they needed to become stronger. If they weren't strong enough, their ship would simply not be able to continue sailing!
Chapter 166: Get Stronger, FriendsAmong the three people who were completely frozen, it was not Luffy who woke up first, but Arthur.In less than a day, Arthur had fully recovered.This was all thanks to the Cursed Seal.At the last moment, because Arthur's body was covered by the Cursed Seal, his body was not completely frozen.The natural energy emitted by the Cursed Seal then thawed the ice on Arthur's body.After recovering, Arthur also pondered on the ship's deck. He was already very strong, and the Straw Hat Crew members were also not weak, but against a powerful Marine Admiral, they were completely powerless.After much deliberation, he concluded that what the Straw Hat Pirates needed now was time to mature.Everyone's growth rate was already fast enough, but after all, they had only come from the Four Seas. Although their foundations were solid, they were simply not enough when facing true top-tier powerhouses.The strongest opponent they had encountered so far should be Enel, the god from Skypiea. Even with Arthur in a berserk state, he could not defeat Enel.If it hadn't been for Luffy in the end, they would have been wiped out.However, a Marine Admiral was far more powerful than Enel.Then, Arthur looked at his system panel. The Orochimaru card still needed a lot of experience to level up. Although he had gained a good amount of experience in Skypiea, it would take ten thousand experience points to continue leveling up.And he didn't want to kill people for no reason now; that would truly make him lose his mind.Then, he looked at his mood value.Since he last drew Suppleness, he hadn't done a gacha in a long time, and now he had enough mood points for another ten-continuous draw."System, activate ten-continuous draw!"[Ten-continuous draw activated!]In Arthur's sight, the gacha on the system panel began to spin![Congratulations to the host for obtaining a white card: Meat of a Giant Sea King.][Congratulations to the host for obtaining a green card: Baldy Qiang's Chainsaw for cutting trees.]"..."[Congratulations to the host for obtaining a purple card: Grey Wolf's Basic Sheep-Catching Technique.]"...Hehe."[Congratulations to the host for obtaining an orange card: Complete Navy Six Styles.]"This is pretty good. Getting an orange card is considered good luck. Use it!"Subsequently, all the usage techniques for the Navy Six Styles were imprinted in Arthur's mind."I can tell Sanji about those leg-based attack methods, after all, isn't Sanji someone who uses his legs to attack?" Arthur secretly made a decision.[Congratulations to the host for obtaining an orange experience card.]Orange experience card?Arthur immediately checked the effect of the experience card.[Orange experience card: Gain ten thousand card experience points.]Am I that lucky?Doesn't this mean I can improve my strength?[Congratulations to the host for obtaining a white card: Lolita Set.][Congratulations to the host for obtaining a green card: Whitebeard's Beard.]In the distance, Whitebeard, who was discussing plans, suddenly felt a pain at the corner of his mouth.Then he touched the corner of his mouth.He was truly getting old; his hair was falling out, and now his beard was going to fall out too?[Congratulations to the host for obtaining a white card: Invincible Diaper.]"..."Trash system.[Congratulations to the host for obtaining a purple card: Spirit-Attaching Stone.]Spirit-Attaching Stone?Arthur opened the card's description.[The Spirit-Attaching Stone can make any item generate a soul that appears before everyone, and it can also provide a new home for a soul.]"This thing is pretty good; it can make anything generate a soul. If I use the Spirit-Attaching Stone, can I make Merry appear around everyone?"Thinking this, Arthur took out the Spirit-Attaching Stone and placed it on the Going Merry. The ability of the Spirit-Attaching Stone activated, and a Little Girl elf appeared within the Spirit-Attaching Stone. She had light white hair, wore a short dress, and had tiny lamb ears and horns on her head, holding a small hammer. She was truly too cute.With the Spirit-Attaching Stone, even if the Going Merry were destroyed, the ship elf Merry could be resurrected within the Spirit-Attaching Stone.Afterward, Arthur took out a piece of paper from Nami's room and recorded all the usage and training methods for the Six Powers."Zoro, Sanji, take a look at these techniques and see if there's anything you want. These are very practical moves from the Marines. I think if Sanji learns them, your strength will greatly improve."Arthur called over the two who were in special training and said to them.As expected, after seeing these techniques, both of them became engrossed.Especially Sanji, the techniques within would greatly enhance his abilities.The two didn't ask Arthur where these techniques came from, but instead meticulously studied them.Since Zoro mainly used swords, the only useful techniques for him were Soru and Moon Walk. One could increase his speed, and the other could give him temporary aerial combat ability.He wouldn't be so passive against airborne enemies in the future.But Sanji was different; these techniques, combined with his Diable Jambe, would significantly boost his strength.After giving the Six Powers techniques to the two, Arthur went to the ship's cabin and used the experience card.[Congratulations to the host, orange experience card used successfully!][Congratulations to the host, Orochimaru character card level raised to six!][Congratulations to the host for obtaining Orochimaru's research experience.]Immediately after, Arthur heard no more system prompts."...That's it?"A vast amount of Orochimaru's research experience poured into his mind, causing him a splitting headache. The amount of information this time was particularly immense; he had learned many scientific research technologies that didn't exist in this world.Information on cloning, cultivation, mechs, and various biological experiments had all been integrated.Feeling these experiences, Arthur sighed.These things were indeed powerful, but his strength had not increased due to the character card's level-up.It seemed he needed to continue leveling up the character card. Arthur opened his character panel.[Host: Arthur][Character Card: Orochimaru (Gold)][Card Level: 6](0/50000)[Card Skills: Suppleness, Chakra, Three Body Technique, Advanced Three Body Technique, Complete Snake Ninjutsu, Orochimaru's Chunin Abilities, Orochimaru's Research Experience.][Equipment Card: kusanagi sword (Gold)][Equipment Skill: Snake Sword One with Me (Orochimaru Style Substitution Jutsu)][Card Level: MAX][Auxiliary Cards: Swimming (White, Max), Water-Repelling Bead, Tai Chi (Level 1), Tai Chi Swordplay(Purple, Level 1), Pocket Snake noob (Orange), Suppleness (Purple), Navy Six Styles (Orange, Level 1)][Combat Power Rating: A~S]"Hehe, fifty thousand experience. That's simply outrageous. If I were to use a bounty system, I'd have to kill fifty people like Luffy."Arthur sighed.It seemed that improving his strength was not something that could be solved in a short time.
Chapter 167 Sea Train"That's right, this is what I looked like when I was frozen!"On the deck of the Going Merry, Luffy, covered in flour, said this to Chopper and Usopp.Arthur, standing above the ship, watched Luffy on the deck with a helpless expression.This guy was truly carefree; despite being completely defeated, he still acted as if nothing had happened.But wasn't Luffy always like this?Arthur looked up at the sky, and by this time, Robinhad woken up. She now stood beside Arthur, smiling as she looked down at the others."Captain-san is a truly interesting person, isn't he?" Robin said to Arthur.Arthur nodded and said, "Yes! Luffy is the least like a captain, yet he is the captain of this ship. He gathered us all together, and we've all changed, more or less, while he has remained the same."Then, he looked at Robin. Her body was already starting to recover. Although she felt some discomfort, it was nothing serious."Robin, on a ship like this, you must be very happy, right?"Robin smiled and nodded.Yes, if only life could always be like this, how wonderful that would be!Meanwhile, on the other side of the deck, Zoro and Sanji were undergoing their devilish training. Compared to the carefree Luffy, both of them were now fervent about becoming stronger.Just then, Usopp suddenly exclaimed, "Everyone, look! There's a frog doing freestyle over there!"!!!For some reason, upon hearing this news, everyone simultaneously looked in that direction. Sure enough, a frog was indeed doing freestyle, moving forward."A frog doing freestyle? How can such a creature exist? Then who's doing breaststroke?" Arthurmuttered to himself.And just then, the ship shook violently. Luffy and the others were paddling the oars, heading in the direction of the freestyle frog."Luffy, what are you doing? Why are you changing course?" Arthur asked loudly."I don't know why, I just really want to catch up to that frog and see what it is," Luffy said.At this moment, Nami came out of her room and yelled at everyone, "Why are you changing course?!"Luffy didn't answer Nami's question, but instead said to the angry Nami, "Nami, look! There's a frog doing freestyle over there!"Upon hearing this, Nami became even more furious."You guys!" Then, Nami sighed and looked at the log pose in her hand."Fine, I'll indulge your curiosity for now!"Just as everyone was about to catch up to the frog, a train suddenly approached from the front."What's going on? Why is there a train on the sea?" everyone exclaimed in surprise.How could this be? How could a train travel on the sea?Arthur thought to himself.However, Arthur shouldn't be thinking about that question now. Instead, he said to everyone, "Quick, move the ship! We'll crash!"In the end, the train passed by the Going Merry, a close call but without incident.Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as they watched the train go by."How is this possible? Why is there a train here?" Nami said to everyone.Just then, from a small room next to them, an old woman slowly emerged. Her steps were wobbly, indicating she had drunk quite a bit.A Little Girl next to the old woman said, "Kokoro, pirates are coming!"Upon hearing the sound, the old woman looked ahead and said, "Pirates? Do you want to take the train?"Everyone looked at the old woman, feeling a bit helpless, wondering how much she had drunk.However, Luffy seriously asked, "Old woman, I want to repair the ship. Where can I repair it?"Hearing about ship repairs, the old woman took out a piece of paper from her bosom and said, "Do you want to take the train there?"Everyone shook their heads and said, "No, we have a ship.""I see! Then follow the log pose to the next stop, Water 7. That's a world-renowned shipyard. This is a letter of recommendation. Give this to their mayor, Iceberg, and they will arrange the ship repairs for you."The old woman then handed everyone an envelope, and then she wobbled back into the room."Thank you, old woman!"After thanking the old woman, everyone continued their journey."Technology truly changes lives. Setting up tracks on the sea and having trains travel on them shortens the distance between islands," Arthur muttered to himself.At this moment, Robin nodded and said, "Water 7 is a world-renowned shipyard. There are many incredible craftsmen there. This Sea Train was built by them."Arthur nodded upon hearing this news.Just then, a voice echoed in Arthur's mind."It's no use. Even the best shipyard in the world is no use."This was Merry's voice.Because of the existence of the Spirit Stone, Merrycould now manifest, but it was too shy to appear before everyone.However, it had now established a connection with Arthur.Hearing Merry's words, Arthur sighed helplessly.He had already communicated with the Going Merry's ship spirit. After such a long journey and such intense adventures, the Going Merry could no longer be repaired.However, Arthur had not told anyone this news.Arthur was still relatively rational. He knew that everyone's dreams were not tied to this. The Going Merry could no longer carry their dreams and continue sailing.Perhaps the ultimate outcome would be that they needed to get a new ship and continue forward.However, the Going Merry's ship spirit had now been preserved by him. A new ship might just be the continuation of Merry, wouldn't it?But if this matter were to be revealed now, no one would be able to accept it.Arthur sighed. With Orochimaru's knowledge, he had no opportunity to use it now.Because that knowledge was truly too extraordinary and out of this world; it simply wouldn't be accepted by the people in this world.Inside the ship, they were now very close to Water 7. Everyone had gathered, planning to add new functions to the Going Merry."I've decided! I want a giant cannon, to be operated by me, Usopp the marksman!" Usopp shouted loudly.Hearing Usopp's words, Luffy also said, "I want a bronze statue."At this moment, everyone's faces were smiling, and upon seeing Arthur arrive, Luffy asked with a smile, "Arthur, do you want to add any facilities to the Going Merry?"Arthur already knew the Going Merry's condition, but faced with everyone's smiles, he couldn't bring himself to speak. Finally, he looked up and said to everyone, "I want a laboratory, a big one. I want to do a lot of interesting experiments."
Chapter 168 Water City"Wow, this is Water 7, it's so beautiful!" The Straw Hat Crew had already arrived near Water 7, and everyone's eyes widened in surprise as they looked at the fountain city on the water."How do we get in? This city is huge!" Usopp said to the group.Just then, an old man fishing from the water said to them, "You're going to Water 7, aren't you!"Luffy heard him and said, "Yes, we're here to get our ship repaired.""If you're repairing your ship, first moor it on the shore over there, then enter through the gate of Water 7."Hearing the old man, everyone nodded, and then they slowly approached the shore.After docking, Zoro tried to furl the sails, but with a gentle pull, the Going Merry's sail instantly broke."Zoro, why are you using so much force?" Sanjiangrily said to Zoro."What? I was just trying to furl the sails, I didn't use any force at all." Zoro said, and he really hadn't used any force this time. It seemed the Going Merry truly needed repairs."Don't argue! Arthur, have noobspit out some gold, and we'll exchange it for paper money. Then, according to the old woman's letter, we'll go find the mayor of this city."Arthur sighed when he saw the broken sail, then nodded and had noobspit out the gold.Of course, they didn't spit out all the treasure, just a small portion. After all, they were only repairing the ship and wouldn't need much money. Nami planned to use the remaining gold to buy other things in the future.The amount of gold they had stored was considerable.Nami looked at the treasure with satisfaction and then said to everyone, "Luffy and Usopp, come with me. We'll exchange for paper money and then go find the shipyard. You all can move freely for now. I've already given you pocket money, so go buy whatever you want!"Everyone nodded.Free time was the most enjoyable part; he didn't want to follow Nami. Based on his past experience, following Nami at this time would definitely be exhausting.Arthur was also very curious about this water city. He wanted to explore it thoroughly and see if there was anything that interested him.After Nami and the other two left, Robin and Chopper also disembarked. At this point, only Arthur, Sanji, and Zoro remained on the ship.Then Sanji glanced at Arthur, then at Zoro, and said, "Only the three of us are left. Should we go for a stroll too? But someone needs to watch the Going Merry here. I think you, Zoro, are a perfect fit for that role."As he said this, he lit a cigarette and took a deep puff."What? I think you're the most suitable person!" Zoro didn't know why, but he always got particularly angry whenever he heard Sanji speak."What, you want to fight? Do you know how to buy ingredients? What's the point of you going shopping?" Sanji said."How could I not manage something like just paying and having someone give you the vegetables?" Zorosaid angrily."Heh heh, can you, a directionally challenged person, find your way back?" Sanji said.The two looked at each other, on the verge of an outburst."Stop arguing!"Arthur shouted helplessly."How about you two go together, and I'll stay here and watch the ship?""Impossible!""Impossible!"The two looked at each other and said simultaneously.In the end, Zoro backed down. After all, no matter how stubborn he was, when it came to buying food, he couldn't possibly be as professional as Sanji, the chef.So, Sanji and Arthur walked towards Water 7together, while Zoro stayed behind to watch the ship.At the entrance of Water 7, Sanji asked Arthur, "Should we rent two of these?"The two looked at the Water 7's mode of transport, a Bull, and Sanji asked.It cost 2000 Belly each.Arthur shook his head, then patted noobon his neck.After all, his pocket money was limited, so it was better to have noobhandle this kind of thing.noobwas woken up from his sleep by Arthur's pat. He couldn't resist Arthur's command.Thus, under the gaze of the vendors, noob's body grew enormous.As a snake, swimming isn't too much to ask, right?"Get on!" Arthur said to Sanji.Sanji took a step back, then thought for a moment and jumped onto noob's head.Compared to the Bulls, noob's body was much larger, making them stand out in this water city.After entering Water 7, the two fully experienced the local customs and traditions. From the windows of the houses on the water, several men looked at Arthur's face with infatuated expressions."Beautiful lady, would you like to come to my house for a meal?" A man said at this moment."Beautiful lady, come to my house, my cooking is much better than his." Another man said.Arthur found such enthusiasm a bit overwhelming.Before Arthur could speak, Sanji on the side shouted loudly, "What a joke! Your cooking definitely isn't as good as mine! Do you want to have a cook-off?!"Heh heh, he wants to compete even with this?Arthur patted his forehead.The two continued forward. Due to their different mode of transport, all other people's vehicles kept a very long distance from Arthur's noobafter seeing him.This was fear stemming from a difference in species.So, the two proceeded unimpeded and quickly bought a lot of ingredients.Arthur, also out of helplessness for his face, bought a mask. After putting on the mask, finally no one showed infatuation towards him anymore."Arthur, is there anything else you want to buy?" Sanji said, sitting beside Arthur.He shook his head. He had already bought some tools when he passed by a few shops earlier.Because of limited funds, Arthur had even specifically taken gold from noob's mouth and exchanged it for some paper money.He had specifically instructed Sanji not to let Namiknow about this.With financial support, Arthur bought a large amount of tools, metals, and fuel, as well as some things needed for manufacturing weapons.This time, he could truly be considered to have returned with a full load."Miss Robin!!!"On their way back, Sanji suddenly sensed something and shouted loudly.Sanji's perception of beautiful women was far superior to anyone else on the ship."Robin?" Arthur also turned his head.But he didn't see Robin's figure."Sanji, where's Robin? How come I don't see her?" Arthur asked.Sanji said, "She walked past with a masked man. Let's go check it out."Arthur nodded.Then the two lightly leaped and gave chase, but after entering the alley, they found that Robin had already disappeared."Sanji, you didn't see wrong, did you?" Arthur asked."No! Impossible!"
Chapter 169: Irreparable MeiliIn the alley, Sanji took a deep drag from his cigarette."Do you still remember what Aokiji said?" Sanjiasked Arthur."Of course," Arthur nodded."He said Robin was a harbinger of disaster, and that she would bring misfortune to our ship."Arthur nodded again, but then he shook his head this time and said, "What harbinger of disaster? That's just a joke. Isn't Robin our nakama?"Even so, in such completely unknown circumstances, everyone was still a little afraid of what might happen to Robin.At this moment, Sanji suddenly became resolute and said, "I will absolutely not let anything happen to Miss Robin!"Arthur looked at the suddenly energized Sanji and shook his head helplessly. Then he said, "Let's go back to the ship first. Anyway, all the things we needed to buy have been bought."Sanji nodded.Just then, Chopper appeared in front of them."Arthur, Sanji, why are you two here?" Chopperasked when he saw them."We just saw Robin here, but she's already gone now," Sanji said with a sigh.Chopper also nodded at this. He was originally with Robin, but they got separated later."I'm also looking for Robin, but her scent disappeared here," Chopper also sighed.Finally, the two concluded that Robin had disappeared!"You don't have to be sad. Robin will definitely show up. Let's go back to the Going Merry now and see if Luffy and the others are back," Arthur said to the two of them.They both nodded.Then, with Xiaobai's rapid movement, they arrived next to the Going Merry.And after arriving at the Going Merry, Sanji and Chopper heard even more shocking news."How is that possible? The Merry can't sail anymore!" Sanji asked in disbelief.At this point, Zoro nodded and said helplessly, "The shipwright from the Factory just came to inspect the Going Merry. He told me himself. And now the Going Merry's keel is broken, there's no hope of repairing it at all."Chopper teared up pitifully and said, "But I really like this ship!"Everyone sighed.Now the Straw Hat Pirates had two pieces of bad news: one was that Robin had disappeared, and the other was that the Going Merry could no longer sail.Arthur said to everyone, "We've sailed with the Merry for so long, it's tired. But this matter must be decided by our Captain. That must be very painful!"Yes, it was absolutely certain that the Going Merrycould no longer sail, but the person who had to make the decision to bid farewell to the Going Merrycould only be Luffy.This matter itself was a very painful one.However, what he was most worried about now was Usopp, after all, Usopp had the deepest feelings for this ship.Just as Arthur was thinking about Usopp, he saw Nami walk over."Everyone, Usopp was injured by the Franky Family, and they also stole our money," Nami said to everyone.The Franky Family?Everyone's eyes hardened."Where is the Franky Family?" Arthur asked.At this, Nami took out a map and handed it to Arthur, then said to everyone, "The map shows the location of the Franky Family, and Luffy is already on his way to their place."Everyone nodded and immediately began to act. Arthur was the first to wake Xiaobai, as traveling by water would be faster."Just now, a group of Pirate Hunters came to bother us. I think I heard them say they were some kind of Franky Family?" Zoro said to everyone."How strong is he?" Arthur asked."Just ordinary Pirate Hunters, not very strong," Zoro said to everyone.Soon, the few of them arrived at the waters of Water 7. Xiaobai transformed into a giant python again and entered the water, while the others lightly leaped onto Xiaobai's head."According to the map, we are very far from the Franky Family right now. We need to speed up."And just a short distance after they set off, they found Luffy in the water.This was Water 7, full of water everywhere, which was very disadvantageous for Devil Fruit users."Luffy, are you alright?" Zoro jumped into the water and brought Luffy up."Cough, cough!" Luffy coughed a few times, spitting out the water he had swallowed, then he said to everyone."Let's go quickly and save Usopp, Usopp has already gone to the Franky Family!"Hearing this news, everyone nodded.Xiaobai swam quickly in the water, and everyone headed together to the location of the Franky Family.Meanwhile, on the other side.Nami remained on the Going Merry. At this moment, she looked at the 100 million Beli in her hand and hugged it tightly to her chest."I will absolutely not let the money be lost again."Nami muttered to herself.In fact, she also knew that the Going Merry could no longer sail, so it was inevitable for the Straw Hat Crew to change ships.Although she also had deep feelings for the Going Merry, it was indeed a fact that the Going Merrycould not sail, and she knew that everyone's dreams were not here.So, changing ships was inevitable.Nami sighed and entered the ship's cabin.In an unknown sea, a tall, thin man was riding a bicycle across the ocean.And wherever his bicycle rode, the seawater froze into ice."This is really troublesome. The Straw Hat Kid and his crew are in Water 7, which isn't far from the World Government!"At this moment, he understood that the Straw Hat Pirates were now facing a choice, and Nico Robinwas facing the same choice.After thinking for a moment, he changed the direction of his bicycle and headed towards Water 7."After all, this is a mess I left behind back then, so it's better for me to resolve it personally."And in the Franky Family's hideout in Water 7.A group of strangely dressed men were having a party.And at the highest position, a masked man, holding two boxes in his hands, said to everyone, "Next, I'm going to buy what I need. I'll leave this place to you all. Party hard!"Saying that, the man prepared to leave.And at this moment, the door to their room was opened."Oh, isn't that the man from the Straw Hat Crew? I thought he was some kind of strong person? Turns out he's so weak," a man said at this point."Quickly give us our money, or I won't be polite to you!" Usopp shouted loudly at everyone.Hearing Usopp's words, the entire hall burst into laughter.And the masked man ignored Usopp, instead leaving Usopp for the others to deal with, then he opened the back door and left the place.
Chapter 170: Battle against the Franky FamilyBy the time Arthur and the others arrived at the Franky Family's hideout, Usopp had already been thrown out of the door, covered in wounds."Usopp, are you alright?" Arthur helped Usopp up and asked him.But how could Usopp be alright now? He had bled so much that a normal person would surely have died."I'm fine, but they took our money!" Usopp's eyes welled up with tears when he saw everyone."I was too useless. We could have used that money to save the Going Merry, but I let them steal it. It's all my fault." Usopp continued to cry, but at this moment, the Straw Hat Crew was filled with burning rage.This was no longer just about money; the Franky Family had harmed their comrade."Let's go, my comrades!" Luffy pressed down on his Straw Hat and said to everyone.Everyone nodded, and at this moment, Zoro took off his bandana and tied it around his head."Let's grind them to dust!"The next second, the five of them arrived at the Franky Family's door."Bang!"Luffy was the first to act, shattering the Franky Family's door with a single punch.Led by Luffy, the five slowly walked into the room.Inside the Franky Family's hideout, everyone was having a banquet. They had received a large reward from their boss, and they were drinking and talking happily.When they saw the door shattered, everyone simultaneously turned their eyes."That's the Straw Hat Crew!" one of the Franky Family members stammered."The Straw Hat Crew? They're just all talk. Didn't we easily defeat their crewmate just now?" another fat Franky Family member said."Do you want money? The money isn't with us anymore; the boss has taken it. Go look somewhere else! Hahahaha." a Franky Family member said, pointing at the Straw Hat Crew.This time, Luffy clenched his fist and said to the Franky Family members, "This isn't about money anymore. You hurt my comrade, and I'm going to grind you to dust!"Upon hearing this, the Franky Family members all burst out laughing."There are only five of you, but we have a whole group of people, and our equipment is much stronger than yours. Are you sure you want to fight us?"At this point, Luffy and Arthur didn't move, but Zoro and Sanji charged out first. Both attacked simultaneously, instantly knocking down many Franky Family members.It was then that the Franky Family realized how powerful these individuals were. They stopped mocking them and picked up their weapons, preparing to face the enemy.At this moment, the fat Franky Family member put on steel armor and said to Luffy, "With this steel armor, even a cannon can't hurt me."Luffy said nothing, slowly walking up to the fat Franky Family member."Gomu Gomu!!!"Luffy's arm began to move rapidly, hitting the steel armor with very little force.However, his attacks caused no damage to the armor.Arthur observed Luffy's attack closely, and sure enough, after a while, Luffy's fists, through constant friction, generated a large amount of steam, and his skin turned a tender red color."Gomu Gomu Rocket!"Bang!After the steam, Luffy's attack officially launched, and the steel armor was instantly shattered."Has Luffy grown too? This attack power is truly formidable," Arthur muttered to himself as he watched Luffy's attack.Immediately afterward, Arthur also began to act. Numerous small snakes appeared, instantly surrounding the Franky Family."Snake Tide!"A large number of white snakes quickly engulfed the entire Franky Family."What's going on? Why are there so many snakes?" one of the Franky Family members shouted.Arthur then heard continuous notifications of defeats and kills in his mind.The Franky Family stopped running around in panic and began to pick up firearms, launching attacks at the Straw Hat Crew."Let us give you a taste of the cannon!" A Franky Family member aimed a cannon at Arthur, and the cannon fired instantly.But Arthur paid no attention to the cannonball.At this moment, Zoro suddenly appeared in front of Arthur, his sword lightly slicing through the air, and the cannonball was easily split in half."How is that possible? Those cannonballs are made of steel. How can that swordsman split steel in half with a sword?" the Franky Family member shouted.At this, Zoro stepped forward again, swinging his sword once more, and the steel cannon was also instantly cut in half."It's just steel, why wouldn't it break?" Zoro smiled and said to the Franky Family.For a time, the members of the Franky Family and the Straw Hat Crew engaged in a fierce battle.The Franky Family's house finally couldn't withstand their fight and began to slowly collapse."Rumble, rumble!"Eventually, all members of the Franky Family were defeated by the Straw Hat Crew, and the Straw Hat Crew members walked out of their house.At this moment, Luffy touched his Straw Hat and said helplessly, "Their boss took our money. If we can't get it back, then we'll be in trouble."Then Zoro looked at Luffy and said, "Luffy!"Luffy waved his hand, looked at everyone seriously, then showed his signature smile and said to them, "I know what you mean. I've made my decision. We will bid farewell to the Going Merry here!"Arthur sat aside and sighed.He knew that Luffy's decision was also a painful one.But this was a decision that a Captain had to make.In fact, everyone had already realized this problem, and as a Pirate Crew, they were not playing house."Since it's the Captain's decision, then let's prepare a new ship to replace Merry and continue our voyage," Arthur said to everyone.Arthur had not told everyone about the ship's spirit; he intended it as a surprise for them.On the other side, Chopper was bandaging the injured Usopp. Because Usopp himself had no bounty, the Franky Family members did not try to kill him, which was one of the reasons Usoppsurvived.Sanji, standing by, lit a cigarette and said to everyone, "Since the Captain has made his decision, let's go back to the Going Merry to discuss our strategy, then buy a new ship. Anyway, Arthur still has a lot of gold, so we don't need to worry about money for now."Zoro also nodded.Then he looked at Arthur and said, "Do we still have a lot of gold?"Only Nami and Sanji cared about the ship's finances; the others had never worried about this issue."Quite a lot, but I don't know if it's enough to cure your sense of direction!""Arthur, you bastard!?"
Chapter 171 BreakupThe Going Merry.Usopp was already awake."Usopp, why did you have to act so tough? You went to fight all those people by yourself," Sanji said, taking a puff from his cigarette.Among the Straw Hat Crew, Usopp and Nami had the lowest combat power.Nami was very calm; her life definitely came before money.In the past, Arthur might have been included among those with low combat power.But after entering the Grand Line, Arthur's transformation was evident to everyone.He seemed to no longer be in the ranks of those with low combat power."I'm fine," Usopp said, then looked at Luffy."Luffy, did we get our money back?"Luffy sat on the table, a smile on his face, and shook his head, saying, "No, everything is uncertain until that guy named Franky returns."Arthur looked at Luffy's smile; he knew Luffy was enduring too much right now."I'm sorry, it's all my fault for being useless. If I wasn't so weak, how could I have lost the money?" Usopp said.At this, Luffy smiled and said, "It's okay, don't we still have 100 million Beli?"For a moment, everyone fell silent. Except for Usopp, everyone already knew the Going Merrycould no longer be repaired.They hadn't told Usopp yet because they were afraid he couldn't handle it.Although Usopp was timid and insecure, everyone knew he was also a strong-willed person, a common trait among the insecure."That's great! Can 100 million Beli fix the Going Merry? I heard this is the best shipyard in the world. Is our money enough?"Hearing Usopp's words, everyone fell silent once again.It was Luffy who spoke then. He pulled down his Straw Hat and said, "I've decided, we're going to replace the Going Merry and continue sailing.""What, Luffy? What are you talking about? Is it because we don't have enough money?" Usoppasked, feeling like he'd misheard Luffy's words.But Luffy didn't answer his question. Instead, he took out a shipbuilding book he had gotten from Iceberg and said, "No, our money can buy many ships."Arthur watched Usopp's expression slowly change. He knew Usopp had sensed the seriousness in Luffy's eyes."Luffy, what are you talking about? Why replace the Going Merry? You at least have to give me a reason! If there's no reason, how can I accept it? If it's because the money was lost and you're trying to spare my feelings, then you absolutely don't need to consider me!" Usopp said loudly, already losing control of his emotions.Everyone saw the agitated Usopp but remained silent. At this, Luffy shook his head again and said, "It's not about the money. If you really want to know the reason, it's that the Going Merry can no longer sail. All the shipwrights have told me."Luffy had stated the reason, but how could Usopp, who had the deepest bond with the Going Merry, accept this reason?"Luffy, the Going Merry is our companion! Instead of trusting those shipwrights, shouldn't you trust the Going Merry's sturdiness more? We've come all this way, and you should know the Going Merry can still sail!"Arthur sighed, looking at Usopp, who was about to lose his temper. He knew that no matter what Luffysaid now, Usopp wouldn't listen.What they needed now was calmness.However, given the current situation, they couldn't calm down."No, I've already decided," Luffy said again.Hearing Luffy's words, Usopp disregarded his injuries, stood up, and grabbed Luffy."Luffy, you scoundrel, the Going Merry is our most important companion! Don't talk down to me like some high-and-mighty Captain!""Usopp, calm down!" Arthur shouted.At this, Zoro patted Arthur's shoulder and said, "It's no use."Hearing Zoro's words, Arthur sighed again."Do you think I want to? Everyone is sad about this, why don't you understand? The shipwrights said the Going Merry can't take us to the next island anymore; she's tired!" Luffy continued."How can I understand, Luffy!"Seeing Usopp like this, Luffy, who was already heavy-hearted, also felt some anger.Luffy stood up and directly pushed Usopp to the ground."This is my decision. We have to change ships. If you're not happy with my attitude, then you..."Bang!Before Luffy could finish, Sanji kicked him away."Luffy, what the hell are you saying!" Sanji said."I'm sorry, I got a little carried away," Luffy said to everyone without getting up."No, he's right. Actually, Luffy, you haven't liked me being on your ship for a long time, have you? After all, I'm so useless and so far behind you monsters. And you're going to be the Pirate King. You all have such grand dreams, but I don't. Since you're abandoning the Going Merry, then abandon me too," Usopp said, slowly getting up."Usopp..." Nami and Chopper's eyes were already filled with tears."Usopp, what kind of nonsense are you talking about!" Sanji said."No, this is my decision. Since you're abandoning Merry, then I officially quit your crew today!" With that, Usopp started walking outside.Hearing Usopp's words again, Nami said to Luffy, "Luffy, stop him!"After speaking to Luffy, Nami looked at Arthur.On the other side, Arthur's eyes also had a hint of mist, but he said to Nami, "Nami, I respect the Captain's decision."Zoro nodded after hearing Arthur's words.In Nami and Chopper's hearts right now, Usoppmust be feeling incredibly miserable!But Arthur knew that the person with the heaviest heart right now wasn't Usopp, but Luffy, as the Captain."Arthur, what are you saying? Usopp is our important companion, isn't he?" Nami hadn't expected Arthur to make such a decision.Arthur rubbed his eyes, trying to make them look better, but after his vigorous rubbing, his eyes were instead bloodshot, looking as if he had just cried.At this, Zoro spoke for Arthur, "Nami, it's precisely because Usopp is our companion that we respect his decision."Subsequently, everyone went up to the deck, wanting to stop Usopp.But Usopp pointed at Luffy and said, "Monkey D. Luffy, right now the Going Merry is still your possession. Of course, she belongs to you, but tonight at ten o'clock, I will duel you here. If I win, you will hand the Going Merry over to me."
Chapter 172 Usopp vs. LuffyNight.Inside the Going Merry's cabin."Usopp still has many injuries. In his current state, can he really duel Luffy?" Chopper asked the group, worried.At this, Arthur hugged Chopper and said, "This is Usopp's decision. Since he's already made up his mind, there's nothing we can do to stop him..."Chopper became even more distressed after hearing this.Meanwhile, in another room, Zoro and Sanji were already arguing."Zoro, since you encountered the Franky Family, why didn't you deal with them sooner?" Sanji asked."Then why didn't you deal with them when you went out!"Arthur walked over, looking a bit flustered himself."Stop arguing, this isn't even the real issue. And since Usopp has already made his decision, then..." Arthur didn't finish his sentence.Everyone sighed.Yes, Usopp was the closest to the Merry.Arthur actually knew Merry's intentions. He had originally wanted to take out the Spirit Stone, but that wasn't the key to solving the problem. If he took out the Spirit Stone, things might become even worse.Even with the ship spirit present, the ship would no longer be the Going Merry.Bringing it out now would only increase their sadness.Sanji then went into the room, leaving only Zoro and Arthur outside."Was I too heartless about this?" Arthur asked.Zoro glanced at Arthur, then said, "You did the right thing! You are the Vice Captain. If you don't even trust the Captain's decision, then how can our ship continue to sail?"Arthur nodded, then took out the Spirit Stone and handed it to Zoro, saying, "This contains the Going Merry's ship spirit. Of course, the ship spirit isn't inside it right now. But once the Going Merry is completely destroyed, the ship spirit will enter the Spirit Stone in the form of an elf. You should keep this! I originally wanted to take it out and let everyone hear Merry's opinion, but I was afraid everyone would be even more heartbroken after seeing Merry."Abandoning a companion is inherently a difficult thing.Zoro nodded.Just then, Usopp arrived beside the Going Merry and shouted loudly to the people inside the ship, "Monkey D. Luffy, I've come to fight! Come out quickly, I want to duel you!"Everyone inside the ship heard Usopp's voice and came out."Usopp, stop messing around, come back quickly!" Nami shouted at Usopp.But Usopp didn't answer; instead, he looked at Luffy, the Captain.By now, everyone understood Usopp's decision."Luffy, go easy on him." Arthur reminded him before Luffy disembarked.Luffy, likewise, didn't answer Arthur's words, but instead leaped lightly, directly onto the ground.In everyone's eyes, how could Usopp possibly defeat Luffy? The difference in their strength was simply unimaginable."Luffy, don't underestimate me. I know you very well. This time, I will definitely defeat you," Usoppsaid.Luffy nodded, without a word."Monkey D. Luffy, you know I have 80 million subordinates. You will definitely be defeated by me!"Usopp said to the group."No, you don't. You're lying." Luffy said, pressing down on his Straw Hat.And just as Luffy spoke, a rotten egg flew towards him.Because Luffy wasn't prepared, Usopp's attack hit him directly in the face."So stinky, how can there be something so stinky?"However, just as Luffy was about to clean off the rotten egg, Usopp's attack came again. A bullet filled with chili powder went directly into Luffy's mouth."So spicy!"Flames shot directly out of Luffy's mouth."Usopp, can you be serious?" Luffy shouted."I've always been serious! Watch out for the ground, the ground is covered with my shurikens."At this, Luffy looked at the ground, and indeed, shurikens covered it."Hissatsu: Bursting Fire Star!"Just as Luffy looked at the ground, a gunpowder star wrapped with an Exploding Tag attacked Luffy.Boom!Luffy was sent flying by this blow and then lay on the ground. The shurikens on the ground directly cut many wounds on Luffy's body."You know, Luffy, this is my fighting style. If you don't get serious, you're going to lose!" Usopp said.At this moment, the Straw Hat Crew all saw Usopp's fighting style. Even someone as strong as Luffy was being toyed with."Actually, Usopp is also growing. It's just that his fighting style is different from ours. He's also very strong," Arthur muttered to himself.Below, Usopp continued to attack."Hissatsu: Bursting Shuriken!"Once they were far enough apart, Usopp launched shurikens with Exploding Tags. Luffy was in a difficult situation, with shurikens all over the ground and additional shurikens from Usopp, making it very hard to dodge.Bang bang!The explosions sent Luffy flying again.And at this moment, lying on the ground, Luffysuddenly smelled a strange odor.Luffy looked to the side and saw a shell emitting a strange gas."Luffy, you need to be careful now."Saying this, Usopp launched a fireball.Boom!!!!Loud explosions continuously rang out. The people on the Going Merry, who had initially been worried about Usopp, were now somewhat worried about Luffy.After the explosion, Usopp looked at Luffy, who was lying on the ground, and said, "Monkey D. Luffy, I know you won't be defeated so easily."After he finished speaking, Luffy stood up.This time, he also intended to get serious."Gomu Gomu Rocket!"Saying this, Luffy attacked Usopp.However, this time Usopp didn't dodge, but instead took out an Impact Dial."Thank you for the impact force!"Usopp smiled, then placed the Impact Dial on Luffy's forehead.Thump!Luffy again endured a huge impact, but Usopp, who had expected Luffy to fall, did not fall.Despite such a heavy blow, Luffy remained completely still.Arthur on the ship sighed and said, "Usopp has done very well to reach this level, but this battle is finally over!"As expected, Luffy's arm stretched out again."Gomu Gomu Bullet!"Luffy's punch landed heavily on Usopp's abdomen.This perfectly illustrates a saying: when facing the protagonist, the protagonist can be defeated countless times, but you can only be defeated once.After being knocked down, a mouthful of fresh blood spurted from Usopp's mouth, and he was knocked unconscious by Luffy's punch.The battle was over. Luffy once again touched his Straw Hat and said to Usopp, "Usopp, I was very happy during our time together. Thank you. Now, the Going Merry is yours to do with as you please. We are going to get a new ship and continue sailing
Chapter 173: Iceberg Assassinated"Usopp!"Seeing Usopp defeated, Chopper picked up his medical kit to treat him, but Arthur held him back."Chopper, you are not allowed to treat him!" Arthursaid.At this moment, Chopper's eyes were filled with tears, and he said to Arthur, "But Usopp is so seriously injured, he really might die."Then, Sanji, who was beside them, took a puff from his cigarette and said, "Usopp is a man. If he were to accept the enemy's favor in such a situation, he would rather die."Eventually, Chopper only left medicine for Usopp's wounds by his side, and then returned to the Going Merry.Arthur turned his head and said to everyone, "Since our captain has already given up on this ship, let's leave too!"Although everyone was a bit reluctant, they ultimately listened to Arthur. After packing their belongings, they entered Water 7.At this time, the Going Merry was just a ship, and the once lively ship was now unusually quiet, with only Usopp lying on the deck.He recalled various memories from the past. Although there was some reluctance, this was ultimately his own choice, wasn't it?On the way to the inn, Luffy was silent, his usual smile gone.The rest of the Straw Hat Pirates were somewhat dejected about Usopp's departure.Then Zoro slowly walked up to Luffy and said, "Luffy, I know your heart is heavy right now, but you are our captain. If you are lost, who should we believe?""But I'm really so confused right now!"This was the first time Luffy had ever said such a thing.Now, Robin of the Straw Hat Pirates was nowhere to be found, and Usopp had officially announced his departure from the Straw Hat Crew. The ship felt somewhat fragmented.Everyone didn't want to lose a comrade, but they also respected Usopp's choice.At the inn, the Straw Hat Crew experienced their most somber night.In the morning, everyone, who usually liked to sleep in, woke up early.On the rooftop of the inn, the Straw Hat Crew stood in silence."Is there still no news about Robin?" Arthur asked Sanji.Sanji shook his head."Everyone, I know you're all sad right now, but we still have to continue sailing, don't we? This isn't our destination, so we still have things to do, right?" Arthur said, looking at the dejected group.Hearing Arthur's words, Luffy came back to his senses and said, "Yes, we have to keep moving forward. In a while, Nami and I will go find Uncle Iceberg to build a ship, and then we'll discuss the rest."Everyone nodded. Arthur also planned to look around for a while, as building a ship would definitely take a long time, and he needed to find something to do during that period.Now that Arthur had Orochimaru's research knowledge, and since biological knowledge wasn't of much use at the moment, he planned to use his knowledge of mechs to try and create some practical items on the ship.This time, Arthur was not acting alone but with Zoro.Sanji and Chopper went shopping together, Luffyand Nami went to find Uncle Iceberg, and now Robin was missing again. Now that only Arthur and Zoro were left, Arthur simply asked Zoro to go shopping with him.After all, a new ship would need more things."Zoro, can you keep up a bit closer? Don't you know you have no sense of direction?" Arthur said, looking at Zoro, who had walked into an alley.Arthur now regretted bringing Zoro out. He had to watch Zoro like a child, otherwise, in the blink of an eye, he would be lost."How is that possible? How could I have no sense of direction?"Arthur sighed once again. Zoro not only had no sense of direction but was also stubborn, refusing to admit he was directionally challenged.Arthur grabbed Zoro's arm and led him forward, but they hadn't walked many steps before a newspaper fell to the ground.Arthur bent down and picked up the newspaper."Did something happen?" Zoro asked, looking at Arthur.Arthur nodded and said, "Indeed, something big has happened. Iceberg, the mayor of Water 7, was attacked.""Ah! That truly is a big deal. This Water 7 is not a small city."Arthur nodded, but this kind of thing had little to do with them.Wait?"I remember Iceberg is the person we need to ask to build our ship, right? If he's been attacked now, won't our ship's production be delayed?" Arthursaid, somewhat helplessly.Hearing this news, Zoro also nodded."It really is possible. If that's the case, we might have to stay in Water 7 for a bit longer.""But the environment here is also good. Staying a bit longer is acceptable," Arthur said, looking up at the clear blue sky.After all, the Pirate's journey was full of fighting and killing; such a peaceful life would be relatively more comfortable."Since we have so much time, I think we shouldn't go shopping anymore. You should come and train with me!" Zoro suddenly stood in front of Arthur and said to him.Because it happened so suddenly, Arthur didn't have time to react and directly bumped into Zoro."What are you thinking? Why train during such a leisurely time? Why not just get some good rest? Are you really a training fanatic?" Arthur said, rubbing his forehead helplessly."I am a man who will become the world's greatest swordsman! How can I slack off because of the present? If we are strong enough, even a Marine Admiral like Aokiji cannot stop our path forward!" Zoro said with a serious and earnest expression.Arthur nodded. He knew Zoro was right, but he just didn't want to move!Moreover, he had a system. If he could lie flat, why work hard?Arthur hadn't answered yet when Zoro suddenly grabbed Arthur's arm, wanting to take him back."It's decided then. Let's go train together! It's also good for you to meditate for a while; it's very good for your mental state!""..."Holy cow!You changed too quickly.You're not just trying to avoid shopping, are you?Or did I expose the fact that you have no sense of direction, and you feel so ashamed that you don't want to shop anymore?Seeing Arthur not speaking, Zoro continued, "I don't think Robin's situation will be that simple. We must quickly improve our strength!"Arthur broke free from Zoro's grip."...Then you go. I have things to buy."Subsequently, Zoro nodded and turned to leave without any hesitation."..."Why did it feel like this guy just didn't want to come out with him to shop?Never mind."Hey, Zoro, you're going the wrong way! Our hotel is in that direction!"