"Why can't we learn it at all…"
Usopp slumped over as if all the life had been drained from him, his entire body shrouded in gloom.
Not being able to learn such cool ninjutsu felt like losing several hundred million Beli—pure agony.
"Because our constitutions are different," Jin said. "I'm probably the last ninja in this world."
After saying that, he paused, then added,
"Well… a rather special kind of ninja."
Considering what Granny Kokoro had mentioned about Wano, Jin deliberately clarified.
Hearing this, the others didn't push the issue any further. Some things were simply matters of bloodline—there was no forcing them.
Nico Robin froze slightly.
She suddenly felt that Jin might have gone through something similar to her.
The last ninja…
Could it be that his homeland had also… been destroyed?
"Mm…"
Chopper's body suddenly twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes.
"Where… am I?"
"You're awake," Jin said with a smile. "How do you feel?"
"My body's really tired, but… I think I can still move."
As he spoke, Chopper climbed up and began checking himself. After a moment, he said,
"I remember now… I ate the Rumble Ball…"
"Yeah. You went berserk—but I stopped you."
"I see… thank you, Jin."
"No need to thank me. As long as you're okay."
Jin reached out and rubbed Chopper's head.
The feeling was surprisingly nice.
"You really scared us back then," Nami said. "Chopper, don't do something like that again."
"Sorry… I'll be careful," Chopper said, scratching his head.
After all, he hadn't had a choice at the time. Otherwise, he wouldn't have risked taking the third Rumble Ball.
"Eh?!"
Chopper suddenly looked around.
"Isn't this the Going Merry?! Why are we on the Merry?"
"That's… a long story," someone replied.
"But still…" Jin glanced at the ship. "Why did the Going Merry come to Enies Lobby?"
"Wasn't it already judged unable to sail?"
"I thought it had something to do with you…" Nami said.
Jin looked at her in surprise.
"Why would you think that?"
"When I first met you, it was near the Sea Train. I never even saw this ship."
That logic made sense—he truly hadn't seen the Merry before.
Seeing that Jin didn't seem to be lying, Nami became even more confused.
"If it wasn't you… then what happened?" she said.
"We searched everywhere and didn't find anyone else."
"It's like… it sailed here on its own. But that's impossible, right?"
For a ship to reach a destination, the environment alone was a massive problem.
On the Grand Line, every sea area had completely different weather. One moment could be calm, the next a raging storm.
Drifting to the right place by chance was already nearly impossible—let alone crossing the terrifying Aqua Laguna.
They had only made it through because of Jin.
So how did the Merry manage it?
"Long Nose, you remember what I told you before, right?" Franky suddenly said.
Usopp's gloom vanished instantly. He shot upright.
"You mean… the ship spirit?"
"Yeah. The ship spirit."
"Ship spirit?"
Facing everyone's puzzled looks, Franky calmly explained,
"It's a legend of the sea. If the crew truly cherishes their ship, there's a chance a ship spirit can be born."
"And this long-nosed guy here—he's actually seen the ship spirit of this vessel with his own eyes."
"So…" Franky swept his gaze around.
"I think the reason the Merry crossed Aqua Laguna and reached Enies Lobby… is because of the ship spirit."
Otherwise, there was simply no way to explain how the ship arrived on its own.
"Our ship… gave birth to a ship spirit?!" Sanji said in disbelief.
"Cherishing the ship…"
Usopp looked at the patched-up hull in silence, then his voice trembled.
"Merry…"
Had they truly taken good care of her?
If they had… then why had she ended up like this?
"Merry!!"
Chopper completely broke down in tears.
The Merry had crossed the deadly Aqua Laguna just to save them!
"I really, really love the Merry!!"
"Really?!" Luffy shouted excitedly. "Merry!!"
"Where are you, Merry?!"
"MERRYYYY!!"
Still lying on the deck, Luffy struggled desperately to get up—but couldn't.
In the end, he used his chin to inch forward across the deck, clearly trying to find the ship spirit.
"Even I've never seen a ship spirit before," Granny Kokoro said with emotion.
Though she hadn't witnessed it with her own eyes, she felt she had no regrets left in this life.
"…Hm?"
Jin suddenly sensed something. He turned his head toward the ship's cabin and narrowed his eyes.
This feeling…
"Don't waste your effort," Franky said.
"If she wants to see you, she'll come out herself."
"But…" he hesitated, then continued,
"Don't forget—this ship has already entered its final stage. Even with a ship spirit…"
"Shut up!" Chopper shouted angrily.
"Don't say that about the Merry! She's clearly fine!"
"If it weren't for the Merry, we wouldn't have escaped Enies Lobby at all!"
"You cold-blooded jerk!" Nami snapped.
"That's only how it looks…"
Franky wanted to explain further, but when he saw everyone's expressions, he rationally shut his mouth.
It was obvious—
To the Straw Hat crew, this wasn't just a ship.
It was a companion who had fought through countless life-and-death moments with them.
That realization stirred something deep within Franky—something he had never felt before.
"Merry…"
Zoro rested his hand on the railing, his heart unable to calm down.
"Is there really no way?" Robin asked softly.
"This ship… is it truly…"
"The keel is done for," Franky shook his head.
Even though he desperately wanted to repair the Merry for them, once the keel was broken, it was essentially a death sentence.
Replacing the keel was the same as building a completely new ship.
At that point… could it even be called repairing?
It was simply making a new ship altogether.
"…I see."
Robin let out a quiet sigh.
They had just escaped Enies Lobby—only to face something like this.
"Eh?"
"Where did Jin go?"
Everyone blinked.
Their attention had been completely on Franky just now—they hadn't even noticed when Jin disappeared.
At that moment, a childlike voice came from inside the cabin.
It sounded… like a little girl?
"Please… put me down. I don't want them to see me like this."
"Please…"
"No," Jin said, shaking his head.
"For everyone's sake, you ended up like this… how could I let you hide alone in the dark and wait for death?"
Merry's appearance made Jin's heart ache.
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