Chapter 136: Ralph, Are You Crazy?!
The Almighty Ralph!
He could single-handedly take on every role on the ship except for the captain.
But if he did that, he'd either work himself to death or have no time at all to deepen his bond with Lufia.
Just cooking, navigating, repairing the ship, and handling medical duties would keep him busy enough—where would he find time for romance?
Moreover...
Ralph looked at his companions on the deck.
These were the companions he wanted to have.
And they were the ones Lufia wanted, too.
Given her personality, if the ship only had Ralph on board, who knows what kind of trouble might arise.
Like what had just happened.
Everyone had clearly understood that those two animals were launching an attack.
Only Lufia, frowning with a pouty face, angrily questioned Ralph:
"Ralph! Why did you attack those interesting animals with bombs?"
The deck fell silent instantly.
Everyone turned to look at their captain, their expressions complicated.
Nami couldn't stand it any longer.
She walked over to Lufia and drilled her knuckles into Lufia's head:
"Lufia, if you're not going to use your brain, just donate it."
Nami said helplessly,
"Those two animals were clearly trying to throw bombs at us. Ralph was protecting everyone."
Lufia grimaced from the head-drilling, but after hearing Nami's words, she froze for a few seconds before suddenly understanding:
"Oh... I see."
She turned to Ralph, "Sorry, Ralph, I misunderstood you."
Zoro chuckled wryly nearby:
"What are we going to do with such a simple-minded, easily fooled captain..."
Thump.
Thump.
Lufia looked up, grinning carelessly, "Aren't you all here for that?"
Ralph smiled too.
He walked over to Lufia,
"Exactly. As the captain, Lufia just needs to lead us fearlessly forward. The thinking part is naturally left to us!"
After saying this, he turned to look at Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday huddled in the corner of the deck.
The two were still pale-faced.
"Our ship was attacked for no reason."
Ralph's voice carried a sense of pressure,
"Those strange animals... they weren't after you two, were they?"
The two trembled all over.
In their minds, the Unlucky Duo were already quite terrifying.
But as soon as they showed up, this Pirate took them out with a single shot—without even giving them a chance to throw their bombs.
These people were definitely not ordinary rookie Pirates!
"W-what are you talking about!"
Mr. 9 frantically waved his hands,
"We don't know those ferocious animals at all!"
"That's right, that's right!"
Miss Wednesday quickly chimed in,
"We've never even heard of them! This is the Grand Line—all sorts of strange and dangerous animals could pop up!"
They were desperate to distance themselves, and as they spoke, their eyes unconsciously drifted toward the main mast.
Two wanted posters were posted there.
One was for Monkey D. Luffy, with a bounty of 30 million Berries.
The other was for the nameless swordsman Ralph, with a bounty of 35 million Berries.
Their expressions instantly froze.
Bounties... in the tens of millions? And two of them on the same ship?
Baroque Works often dealt with Pirates, collecting bounties as operational funds.
But the two of them usually only handled small fry with bounties of a few million Berries at most.
Facing opponents with bounties in the tens of millions, and with just the two of them, they probably wouldn't even have a chance to resist.
Thud!
Mr. 9 fell to his knees.
"Thank you all for your assistance!"
He shouted with all his might, "Not only did you rescue us from the whale's belly, but you also brought us home! We will never forget this kindness!"
Miss Wednesday also knelt down, lowering her head until it almost touched the deck:
"We are truly grateful!"
This sudden display of gratitude left the Straw Hat crew at a loss.
Lufia was taken aback at first, then giggled:
"Oh, I didn't do that much!"
Seeing that these two knew how to be grateful and were so respectful, the Straw Hat crew suddenly thought:
These whale hunters don't seem so bad after all?
During the following voyage, Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday became exceptionally attentive.
They proactively guided Nami in adapting to the environment of the Grand Line, explaining the signs of various weather patterns.
"The weather changes in the Grand Line are completely unpredictable."
Miss Wednesday pointed at the sky,
"One moment it's sunny, the next it might..."
Before she could finish, Nami frowned and interrupted:
"As a Navigator, do you think I can't read the weather? Right now, it's clearly..."
Before she could finish her sentence.
A snowflake landed on the tip of her nose.
Nami froze.
More snowflakes drifted down from the sky.
At first, it was just a few scattered flakes, but soon, a layer of white quickly accumulated on the deck of the Going Merry.
"What... what kind of weather is this?!"
Nami widened her eyes.
Miss Wednesday smiled wryly:
"This is the Grand Line. Magnetic fields, climate, and ocean currents are all unpredictable. To sail here, you must stay alert at all times and keep a close watch on the Log Pose..."
Nami's expression grew serious.
She turned to warn her companions to be on high alert, but saw—
Lufia and Usopp were already playing in the snow.
"Take this! Gomu Gomu Snowball Barrage!!"
Lufia's arms swung rapidly through the air, shaping snowballs and hurling them at Usopp.
"Wahhh! That's not fair! Your arms can stretch so far!"
Usopp dodged while counterattacking,
"Take this—Sure Kill: Snow Star!"
Even Ralph joined the fray.
He didn't use his abilities, just casually exchanged snowballs with Lufia. The two chased each other around the deck, their laughter echoing in the snow.
"You idiots!"
Nami stomped her foot in frustration,
"Can't you all take this seriously? We're in the Grand Line now! It's dangerous!"
Sanji approached, his eyes turning into hearts:
"Miss Nami, I will absolutely follow your orders! Whatever you say, I'll do!"
Nami pointed at the snow on the deck:
"Then go clear the snow."
"Yes, Miss Nami!"
Sanji stood at attention and saluted,
"How long should this 'love snow clearing' last?"
"Until the snow stops!"
"Got it~"
And so, after experiencing bizarre weather—thunderstorms, gales, gentle spring breezes, and heavy snowfall—all within just a few days, the Going Merry finally arrived at the first island of the Grand Line.
...
Whiskey Peak.
Thick fog shrouded the coast, vaguely revealing giant cactus-like peaks.
As soon as the ship docked, Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday eagerly leaped over the railing.
"Everyone! Thank you for bringing us home!"
Mr. 9 shouted back, wearing an exaggerated smile.
"We'll go ahead to say hello and prepare to welcome you!"
Miss Wednesday also waved her hand.
After saying this, the two quickly disappeared into the thick fog.
The Straw Hat crew stood on the deck, gazing at the island shrouded in mist before them.
Usopp rubbed his arms, feeling that something was off:
"Their final words... why do they sound less like a farewell and more like a threat?"
Lufia, however, had a different opinion:
"What if they really are planning to hold a welcome ceremony for us?"
"How could that be possible!"
Everyone except Ralph spoke in unison.
Then they all turned to look at Ralph:
"Ralph, do something about Lufia's naivety!"
Ralph looked at Lufia's hopeful eyes, then glanced at the faintly visible town in the distant fog.
And then he smiled.
"This time, I'm with Lufia."
Ralph said, a hint of amusement in his tone,
"Want to make a bet? I bet there really is a welcome ceremony."
The deck fell silent for a few seconds.
Then, various voices erupted at once:
"Ralph, are you crazy?!"
"Have you been infected too?"
"Oh no, oh no, two naive people on the ship..."
Only Lufia happily jumped up and hugged Ralph's arm:
"Hehe! Ralph understands me best!"
In the thick fog, Whiskey Peak stood quietly.
And a grand "welcome" was quietly being prepared.