Perhaps it was the words of everyone that finally reached him.
In the end, Franky chose to follow his own heart and joined the Straw Hat Pirates.
"Leaving such an amazing ship in the hands of amateurs like you guys really makes me uneasy," he said.
"So… I guess I'll just have to become your shipwright myself!"
"That's awesome!!" Luffy burst out laughing in delight.
Franky wasn't the type to hesitate once he made up his mind.
Since he'd decided to board the ship, there was no need for any extra words.
Catching the luggage fired over by the Franky Family's custom cannon, Franky stepped onto the ship without another sound.
Just like what he once taught Zambai—
Once a man makes his decision, no more words are needed.
"Set sail!"
"Yeah!!"
As Jin activated his Water Release, the brand-new pirate ship was pushed into the sea, slowly heading toward the open waters.
But once they left the shoreline, a new problem surfaced.
"Hey, Straw Hat," Franky frowned.
"Are you really not going to wait for that other guy?"
"Usopp…"
Leaning over the side of the ship, Merry stared unblinkingly at the distant city, as if waiting for someone to appear.
"Ever since Sanji told me about what happened with Usopp, I stayed inside the house and didn't go out at all."
"Maybe… this is just his choice," Luffy said with forced cheer.
"Maybe he'll live just fine here on his own."
"Right? Ahahaha…"
He laughed lightly, but everyone could tell—
His heart was anything but calm.
Not just him.
The others felt the same.
"What's that guy thinking…?"
Jin frowned as he looked back toward the city.
Was Usopp really not coming?
BOOM!!
A deafening explosion echoed from afar, and Jin's expression darkened instantly.
"Everyone, get ready. All my clones have been destroyed!"
As he spoke, a warship's silhouette appeared on the horizon—
Garp's dog-head battleship.
"Luffy! It's your grandpa!" Garp shouted through a loudspeaker.
"Grandpa?!" Luffy yelled from the bow in disbelief.
"Didn't you say you wouldn't arrest me?!"
"Sorry about that, Luffy," Garp laughed loudly.
"Sengoku gave me a direct order—so I can't let you leave this place!"
"Prepare to sink to the bottom of the sea!"
"Bring me the cannonballs!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Luffy… is that guy really your grandpa?" Jin asked with a doubtful look.
"What kind of grandfather tries to kill his own grandson?"
Before Luffy could answer—
BOOM!
A cannonball exploded near the ship, the shockwave pushing it violently sideways.
"He threw it by hand?!" Sanji shouted in disbelief.
"So this is the power of the Marine Hero?! He's basically a human cannon!"
"That blast was way stronger than a normal shell!"
"Another one's coming!"
"Water Release — Water Formation Wall!"
BOOM!!
A massive curtain of water rose in front of the ship, barely blocking the incoming cannonball.
Nami finally let out a breath of relief.
"At least we can still block them…"
"Usopp!" Chopper suddenly shouted excitedly.
"Usopp's coming!"
"Usopp?!"
Merry jumped up at once, eyes shining.
"Where?! Where is he?!"
"He's running this way!"
"That's great! Usopp's coming!"
Merry said happily—she didn't want to lose a single companion.
"Haha, I wonder how they'll react when they see me," Usopp said with a grin as he ran through the streets.
"Merry's definitely waiting for me!"
"Ahahaha! Captain Usopp is back!"
But when he reached the shore—
The scene he imagined never appeared.
Instead, he saw the pirate ship growing farther and farther away.
Usopp froze.
"…Hey… what's this supposed to mean?"
"Did you really abandon me just because I didn't show up?"
In panic, he sprinted down toward the coastline.
"Hey, Chopper! I'm back! Aren't you happy?!"
"I'll promote you to vice-captain! Ahahaha!"
"Merry! The weather's great today! I'm back!"
"Hey—why aren't you saying anything?! Answer me!"
"Let's just call what happened before a misunderstanding, okay?!
We've known each other for so long—those words couldn't have been serious!"
"We're comrades, aren't we?!"
"Usopp's calling us…" Chopper said.
"Luffy, say something!" Merry pleaded anxiously.
"The ship's getting farther!"
"…Didn't hear anything."
"Didn't hear…?"
Merry froze.
As if realizing something, she turned toward the distant shore—tears filling her eyes.
"Usopp…"
BOOM! BOOM!
Several cannonballs struck again, blocked once more by Jin's water wall.
Spray splashed across the deck, but no one cared.
All their focus was on the shore.
"Why… why won't you answer me…?"
Watching the warship's attacks and the receding pirate ship, Usopp finally understood.
He had made a fatal mistake.
After doing something so hurtful, he had thought he could just pretend nothing happened.
That was exactly why Luffy and the others weren't responding.
If he didn't apologize—
They really would leave.
And now… this might be his very last chance.
Usopp collapsed to his knees.
Tears and snot poured down uncontrollably.
"I'M SORRY!!!"
"I'M SORRY, EVERYONE!!!"
His cry echoed clearly across the sea.
Everyone on the ship froze.
"I was too stubborn—I'm sorry!" Usopp sobbed.
"I said I was leaving… but can I take that back?!"
"Please—take me with you!"
"Let me be your companion again!"
"I'm begging you!!"
"I know I was wrong—please take me with you!!"
Kneeling on the shore, Usopp cried with everything he had.
"USOPP!!"
Chopper burst into tears, and Merry was no better.
Seeing him like that, Luffy suddenly smiled—
Then flung his arm forward with all his strength.
Usopp stared at the hand stretched out before him.
"Idiot! Grab my hand already!!"
"YEAH!!"
"…Those kids," Iceburg murmured, smiling from above.
For a moment, he felt younger again.
"Iceburg-san, will they be alright? That's the Marine Hero Garp…"
"They'll be fine," Iceburg said with confidence.
"I believe in them."
Only after the pirate ship truly flew away did he speak again:
"See? I told you."
"They… they flew away!!"
"Hmph. So you escaped my pursuit like that," Garp snorted—then burst into laughter.
"Ahahaha! As expected of my grandson!"
"Vice Admiral Garp, what about Fleet Admiral Sengoku?"
"Who cares? I did go after them!"
"Yes, sir!"
Aokiji shook his head helplessly.
If Garp had truly gone all out, one punch would've been enough.
But oh well—none of this concerned him.
Still…
Judging by their direction, the Straw Hats might run into Gecko Moria.
The man who was once defeated by Kaido.
He wondered—
What kind of expression would Moria make when he met a ninja?
Heh.
Interesting.
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