—Two days after Garp's arrival.
The sudden visit that had initially sent shivers down their spines was eventually accepted for what it was: the eccentric behavior of a grandfather coming to see his grandson.
Lively conversations were had with his friends Coby and Helmeppo, and Nami's eavesdropping on internal military information was likely just a charming quirk.
After a refreshing farewell with the two, the Straw Hats threw a massive party in a Water 7 pool, involving the townspeople in their revelry. Luffy, having magnificently squandered their ship funds, was subsequently beaten to a pulp by Nami.
They were once again informed that Franky was building them a new ship, and everyone decided to spend their free time as they pleased until it was completed.
The matter of Pedro and Zepo was also conveyed to Luffy. He reluctantly agreed after confirming two points: that it was dangerous for them to remain while their injuries healed, and that they would be sent to catch up as soon as they had recovered. No matter the circumstances, Luffy was resistant to the idea of leaving his crewmates behind… but it seemed he had judged that endangering the rest of his crew for their sake was not the right choice for a captain.
And now, in the present.
Luffy, Chopper, Usopp, and Robin were visiting the now-awakened Pedro and Zepo.
"Seems we made you worry. Sorry."
"Don't say that, Pedro! If anyone should be apologizing, it's me! If I hadn't been careless back then…"
"If you're going to say that, then I'm the cause of all this…" Robin murmured.
"None of that! If you're here to see us, you brought some fruit or something, right?"
"Sorry, I ate it on the way."
"You ate the get-well gift!?"
"Just kidding."
While Robin skillfully peeled an apple she had brought, Chopper re-examined the two. Caterina's treatment had been so perfect that Chopper had nothing to add, and he smiled, saying their progress was good. However, both had sustained terrible damage and even sitting up was a difficult task. Pedro, in particular, had his side gouged out. Chopper said it would take some time to heal.
"I see… well, I'll follow the doctor's orders. I'm lucky to be alive. Right, partner?"
"Absolutely. I was even prepared to die back then."
"Don't talk about dying so lightly! I was planning on bringing everyone back!!"
"…You're right. My apologies, Luffy."
After a brief pause, Pedro offered his apology, and Luffy crossed his arms, saying, "I forgive you."
In any case, this was a temporary farewell. They decided they should talk about everything they could, and so the six of them spoke at length, right up until the end of visiting hours.
When they told the story of how Garp, Luffy's grandfather, had suddenly appeared, Pedro and Zepo stared at Luffy's face in stunned silence. To pirates, Garp was like the Grim Reaper. Many pirates had been defeated by him and thrown into Impel Down. He must have earned a considerable amount of resentment, and for that reason, Pedro said with a serious expression, the existence of his family could be a weakness and should not be spoken of carelessly.
"It's not just that Dragon is your dad, but doesn't your family have a lot of enemies everywhere?"
"Well, that's got nothing to do with me."
"No, it's not nothing! Don't tell anyone else. Ever. Got it? It'll just cause unnecessary trouble."
Though Usopp warned him sternly, Luffy just laughed lightly, whether he was listening or not. Of course, upon hearing that information, Pedro and the others looked as if they might faint again.
"By the way, Komurasaki called the Witch of Twilight 'Mother,' but what's that about? She said they weren't related by blood."
"The Princess's parents passed away nearly twenty years ago. Lady Kanata took her in and is looking after her. The Princess's father… Lord Oden and Lady Kanata were on very bad terms."
"She took her in even though they were on bad terms…?"
"It probably means they acknowledged each other despite their poor relationship… probably."
"Well, that aside. The Princess was no longer able to stay in her country, so she left with a few of her retainers and took refuge with Lady Kanata. While she was training and studying various things to reclaim her country, I heard that the Princess was permitted to call Lady Kanata 'Mother'…"
Pedro and the others hadn't actually been present for it. She would occasionally appear out of nowhere and speak with the king of their country—the Mokomo Dukedom—so they would sometimes overhear things.
Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper said "Hmm," not seeming particularly interested. Robin already knew the circumstances and had nothing to say, so the conversation naturally shifted to the ship Franky was building.
"Let's put a statue on it! A huge one!"
"No, what are we going to do with something like that!? We should definitely load it up with lots of cannons…"
"But no one uses cannons besides Usopp. It's faster to just board and blow them away."
"You normally use cannons in a naval battle, don't you!? You're the weird one for just boarding and fighting right away!!"
"I'd really like the infirmary to be better."
"Ufufu, I've already put in a request for that. When someone gets injured, the ship's doctor treats them. The infirmary is important, isn't it?"
They stayed until they were finally kicked out by Caterina. Pedro and Zepo, who had laughed and been surprised and had generally been very busy despite being unable to move, were forbidden from having visitors for several days.
…
—The third day after Garp's arrival.
They had learned from Kokoro that the next island indicated by the Log Pose was Fish-Man Island, and had been warned about the Florian Triangle, a sea of evil that lay just before it.
Shipbuilding had also begun on the same day, but by that morning, the ship was already complete.
Following Kiwi and Mozu, who had come to fetch them, the members of the Franky Family, including Zambai, had gathered in front of the inn the Straw Hats were renting. It seemed they had rushed over after seeing today's newspaper.
"H-Have you seen today's paper!? If not, look at this right away! You guys have got some incredible bounties!!"
"Straw Hat" Luffy, 300 million Berries.
"Pirate Hunter" Zoro, 120 million Berries.
"Black Leg" Sanji, 77 million Berries. (Hand-drawn sketch due to failure to obtain a photograph.)
Led by the three, everyone had a bounty placed on their head, and they were all more than a little shocked. Sanji, with his hand-drawn wanted poster, and Chopper, with his bounty of 50 Berries despite all his hard work, were particularly devastated.
Though everyone had something to say, Zambai showed them another wanted poster, saying, "This is the main issue."
"Cyborg" Franky, 44 million Berries.
"Franky got a bounty too!?"
"It's not just Aniki. The amount is small, but Iceburg-san and Tom-san also have bounties on their heads. Even if they weren't rampaging, you must have done something to seriously anger the government at Enies Lobby, right?"
"Those two got bounties too!? I wonder if they'll be okay…"
"They should be fine, at least as long as they're on this island. Now that it's come to this, we'll have no choice but to have Twilight officially declare this their territory."
However, there was no mention of Twilight in the newspaper at all.
Everyone wondered what it could mean, but Robin surmised that some sort of political maneuvering had occurred between the government and Kanata. Now that they knew that even a commander, not just the captain, possessed enough strength to repel a Marine Admiral, they might have judged it too soon to publicly announce a severance of ties. Whatever the truth may be, the tides of the world were certainly shifting.
"And so, uh… I have a favor to ask. Could you take Franky-aniki with you?"
"Franky?"
"He's your boss, isn't he? Are you sure you're okay with that?"
"Of course, we've only ever done the work Aniki told us to do. Without him, we're just a bunch of thugs, but… he was originally the child of pirates. I heard he was abandoned by his parents a long time ago."
"But now that Water 7 is becoming Twilight's territory, wouldn't it be safer for Franky to stay here?"
Robin's words were perfectly reasonable, but Zambai shook his head. It wasn't that they were worried Franky would be captured because they were holding him back. Well, of course, they were worried about that too… but more than that, they remembered the true feelings he had let slip when he was drunk.
"His dream is to circumnavigate the world on a ship he built himself. So… even if you have to force him. Please take him with you!! If he stays here, his dream will never come true!!"
…
And so.
Having packed their things, the Straw Hats promised to meet Pedro and Zepo again and headed to where the ship had been built.
Near the ship, which was covered with a cloth for its unveiling, the foremen of the Galley-La Company were snoring away, and among them were Caterina and Franky. Iceburg was wrapped in bandages, but it seemed he could move around without much trouble and had been helping with the shipbuilding. Tom had thrown out his back and was resting at home.
"Aww! You're here!"
"I saw the paper. To think that all of you, though few in number, have bounties. You're finally big shots!"
"I'm blushing."
"Don't blush, don't blush. You do realize that with bounties this high, you'll be targeted more often, right?"
"Well, I never thought that I or Tom-san would get bounties."
"That's the problem, isn't it? It's fine for now, but in the future, we'll have to increase this island's defenses."
Just as they started talking freely, Franky silenced them all. It was the ship's unveiling. Wanting to make it a grand affair, he gave a theatrical cough and raised his voice, saying, "Look over here."
The foremen of the Galley-La Company—Paulie, Lulu, and Tilestone—woke up from the noise and looked toward Franky.
"I'm grateful to you all. Not just for letting me build this ship with the wood of the Treasure Tree Adam, but also for saving Tom-san and Iceburg, and for not handing over the blueprints to them."
Franky had taken a liking to the Straw Hats. That was why he urged them to board this ship and cross a thousand seas.
"You will one day become the Pirate King—if you are to become the crew of the Pirate King!! Then you will ride this ship, the King of a Hundred Beasts!!! That is the greatest support I can offer you!!!"
Behind the cloth that was dramatically pulled away was a ship that was considerably larger than the Going Merry. It was a type of ship called a Sloop. Based on a main mast sail, it used a fore-and-aft sail to catch the wind, allowing the helmsman to move the ship as they pleased. It was said that whether it lived or died depended on the skill of the navigator, and Nami smiled, saying, "This will be fun," as she steeled herself.
In addition, it was equipped with a locked refrigerator and a fish tank, responding to the crew's requests. It was a ship that Franky could proudly say was the best he had ever built.
"A ship this amazing, are you sure!?"
"Of course!! I was given the best materials and even paid! If I couldn't build the best ship with this, I couldn't call myself a shipwright!!"
"I see, thank you!!"
As they immediately boarded the ship and began to look around, Caterina and Iceburg called Luffy over. He had been quick to board, but the handover signature was important. Contracts were of the utmost importance, and without it, the ship could not be called Luffy's.
After Luffy quickly signed the contract, the two of them slapped Franky on the back. Franky, the cyborg who had once challenged a Sea King, lost spectacularly, and then modified himself with a wrecked ship, later remodeling himself with Caterina's help. His back, of course, was also modified with iron, so it was sturdy enough to hurt the hand that hit it. But that aside, he probably understood what the two of them wanted to say.
As if he had made up his mind, Franky stood before Luffy.
"Franky, thank you for the ship! It's the best! I'm going to become the Pirate King on this ship!!"
"Yeah! I'm the one who built it!! I'd be in trouble if you didn't become at least that!!"
"But our ship doesn't have a shipwright! Usopp has been in charge of repairs until now, but he's terrible at it!"
"Oi."
Usopp, who had been insulted by a stray bullet, couldn't help but retort from behind. But that, too, was a sentiment that was, in a way, natural for the two of them. If they had had a proper, skilled shipwright, perhaps the Going Merry would still be sailing today—they couldn't help but think.
That was why Luffy said it.
"My ship needs a shipwright!! So, become my nakama, Franky!!!"
It was a bold invitation, without a single thought that he might be refused.
Franky's eyes wavered beneath his sunglasses, and he was about to accept the bold invitation. But the livelihood of his crew depended on him. Mozu, Kiwi, and Zambai needed Franky's help to earn their daily bread. This island was unofficially set to become Twilight's territory. There were no safety concerns. Entrusting his dream to them was enough—or so he thought, and was about to open his mouth when Caterina and Iceburg slapped him on the back again.
"If it's about your underlings, you can leave them to this all-purpose genius. I'll give them work and teach them skills. There's no need to worry."
"Your dream is to 'board the ship you built, cross many seas, and see the day it reaches the end of the sea'—right? Don't worry about things here. Me, Tom-san, and Caterina will manage somehow."
"You guys…"
His worries were gone.
From here on, all he had to do was embrace his dreams and hopes.
The late-arriving Mozu, Kiwi, Zambai, and the entire Franky Family all pushed for Franky's departure.
Franky sniffled and looked up. If he looked down, sweat might just spill from his eyes.
"Straw Hat!"
"Yeah."
"Your ship is the best ship I've ever built! But it's a real shame for a ship not to have a decent shipwright!! So—I'll be your shipwright!! You got a problem with that!!?"
"Yeah!!"
Franky took Luffy's hand.
…
After that, the departure was swift.
They bid farewell to the gathered Kaie, Komurasaki, and Yuisheeze, and shook hands, hoping to meet again somewhere someday. They were friends who had fought side by side. It was a shame to part with them after having grown so close, but it couldn't be helped.
As they were exchanging their farewells, Sanji handed something to Caterina.
"…What's this?"
"I dunno. My mother gave it to me, saying it was 'for in case something happens'… but to be honest, I don't feel like using something so mysterious."
"I see. And you want me to look into it?"
"Yeah. I know it's a weird favor to ask… but you're the only one I could think of to ask."
"Not at all. I'm actually quite interested in Germa's technology! If I find anything… well, even if I don't, I'll have some kind of report for you by the time Pedro and the others rejoin you."
"Thanks."
Without his usual flirting, Sanji handed over the "bracelet," feeling as if he were disrespecting his mother's feelings, but also unable to trust his father in the slightest. He thought that since Sora had given it to him, it couldn't be dangerous, but considering what Judge had done, it was only natural for Sanji to be cautious.
Caterina looked at it with interest before putting it away in her pocket. She planned to investigate it later with Enel, who was staying on the island.
They launched the ship into the sea, raised the sails, and began to move away from the island.
"Setting sail~~~~!!!"
At Luffy's command, the ship gradually moved out to sea.
They waved to the people seeing them off, expressed their gratitude, and headed for the next island.
—And it was then that Garp's warship approached.
When he had reported to Sengoku, he had gone out of his way to say "because he's my grandson," which had angered him, and Garp, who was now tasked with returning to capture Luffy, was in a very bad mood. Coby and Helmeppo, who had just had a refreshing farewell, were also embarrassed.
"Ah~~, Luffy! This is Grandpa, this is Grandpa!"
"What is it, Grandpa!! You said you wouldn't capture me on this island!!"
"I'm sorry about that, but circumstances have changed. My apologies, but become seaweed in this ocean!!"
"Ehh!?"
For a grandfather to say such a thing to his grandson was far too cruel, but the Straw Hats felt a strong sense of familial connection in this selfish statement.
That said, their opponent was the "Hero" Garp, who had cornered the Pirate King numerous times. Knowing they had no chance in a direct confrontation, they tried to hastily pull their ship away. However, the warship was quite fast. The new ship—the Thousand Sunny—could not outrun it.
"Bring me the cannonballs!!"
Garp threw off his jacket and, grabbing a cannonball with one hand, threw it with all his might, like a baseball. It was a cannonball with far more power than one fired from a cannon. If they were to take several of these head-on, even their new ship would literally become seaweed.
"'Fist Meteor'… and 'Fist Meteor Shower,' where he throws a mountain of cannonballs like rain. If we get hit by that, a single ship won't stand a chance."
"Luffy-san…"
Once targeted by Garp, most pirates had no chance of escape. At this rate, their new ship would be shattered to pieces, and they wouldn't make it back alive.
But even so, Franky smiled fearlessly. He would show them the power of this ship.
"We'll use three barrels of cola to make the ship fly!! It consumes a lot, but we can fly for a kilometer. When it comes to escaping in a pinch, we've got it covered!"
Kaie stopped Komurasaki, who had been about to help, and left it to Franky. If they interfered carelessly, Garp's wrath might turn on Water 7. Even though she knew he wasn't that kind of person, the name of the "Hero" was too great to take such a risk.
"Here we go—Coup de Burst!!!"
The ship flew through the air with the recoil of the released air.
In an instant, they had escaped to a distance where even a warship could not catch up, a distance where even Garp's cannonballs could not reach. Watching the ship go, Garp snorted.
"Any complaints? This time, he really got away."
"…No, I don't think even Fleet Admiral Sengoku will complain about this."
Their next destination was Fish-Man Island. They also knew the place all pirates stopped before that. But even so, it would be difficult to keep them under surveillance for long. There were other hands to play now. Garp didn't know what Sengoku was seeing or thinking, but there was one thing that was clear.
"A big storm is coming. The storm that Twilight will cause will likely have a global impact… You all can't afford to be idle either."
""Yes, sir!!""
Coby and Helmeppo replied strongly, and Garp grinned. Whatever happened, he believed it was his role to connect the younger generation to the next.
…
—Near Water 7, the "Ice Sea Route," Lovely Land.
This sea area, where many icebergs and sea ice roamed, was full of obstacles and was a good place for wanted criminals to hide.
Its denizens were not wanted criminals—but a family of bounty hunters who targeted them, the Accino Family. They were a family of bounty hunters led by Don Accino, and were also famous as "flag freaks" who targeted the flags flown by pirates. They were highly skilled, and many of the pirates targeted by this family had been sold to the Navy. Don Accino's room was lined with countless pirate flags.
—That Accino Family was now in a state of devastation.
"Honestly, they really make you work for it."
Second daughter, Lil, captured due to lack of combat ability.
Eldest daughter, Arbell, and her husband, Salchow, both shot through the heart, deceased.
Third son, Hockera, died from internal injuries due to blunt force trauma.
Second and eldest sons, the twins Campacino and Brindo, died from blood loss due to severed limbs.
And the head of the family, Don Accino—weakened by the loss of a leg and an arm, but captured.
"Any injuries?"
"The one who fought Don Accino suffered some burns, but other than that, nothing in particular."
"We will return as soon as treatment is complete. Are you fine with that, Iris?"
"Yes~"
It had all started with Don Accino stealing a Twilight pirate flag. Stealing or damaging a pirate flag was tantamount to a declaration of war for pirates. It was synonymous with having one's pride wounded. Even so, Twilight had initially requested its peaceful return, but Don Accino had refused.
Two Valkyrie squads had launched an assault, resulting in this tragic state of affairs.
"As strong as ever."
"You have grown. I had intended to take down Accino with my squad, but to think you would defeat him single-handedly."
"We have to keep him alive to retrieve the Devil Fruit. If it were okay to kill him, we wouldn't have had any injuries."
"It can't be helped. An ability that creates heat has countless uses. Oi, don't forget to put the Seastone cuffs on him. We just need to keep him alive until we retrieve the Devil Fruit, but treat him to the extent that he won't die."
While the female leader was giving out instructions, the girl called Iris shrugged and sighed.
She was being given one job after another. Just when she thought the number of surprise attacks and assassination jobs had increased, now it was a capture mission. The more she could do, the more useful she would be to her superiors, but for the one being used, it was unbearable.
Suppressing the urge to complain that she wanted a break once in a while, she took out a Den Den Mushi to report to Kanata. After a few exchanges, she was connected to Kanata and gave a brief report of the incident.
"—That is all. Don Accino has been successfully captured, so we will proceed with the retrieval of the Devil Fruit."
'Good work, Iris. Sorry to do this to you again, but I have a job for you.'
"......Again?"
'Don't look so displeased. This one is more your style.'
"I don't want to work, though…"
Kanata ignored Iris's words and told her about the next job.
Iris furrowed her brow suspiciously and asked simply, "Is that really okay?"
'There is no problem. We have already parted ways with the government. There is no reason for us to hesitate.'
"If you say so… But since you're telling me about this job, does that mean I can have the Devil Fruit?"
'That was my intention. You should be able to master that ability. You can observe him using it before you kill him.'
"Hmm…"
Though she kept a straight face, a smile was playing on Iris's lips. She was going to get something she wanted. In that case, even if it meant more work, it was enough to motivate her.
Finally, Kanata gave her a warning.
'I do not want this to be known at this time. Eliminate as many witnesses as possible.'
"Yes~. Understood."
'…Don't get too carried away and fail.'
Kanata was slightly worried, but she had asked Iris thinking she would be fine. She thought it would be tactless to say anything more. She was told to submit a report on this matter later, and then the call was ended.
"Another job?"
"Yes, but I'm getting a Devil Fruit I've wanted for a while, so… this job is worth it."
"I see. Do you need help?"
"No. It's an assassination, so I'll go alone. Can I leave the squad to you?"
"Of course. I'll keep them busy here."
She had been told they needed a few reinforcements to strengthen their defenses after the Water 7 incident, but the Valkyries were under Kanata's direct command. Even Caterina couldn't move them without prior instructions. That was why they hadn't participated in the Enies Lobby raid… but with their help, the raid would have been much easier.
The Valkyries were, without exception, an elite force. They had mastered the Six Powers and Haki to a high level, and some were even ability users. Among them, only the exceptionally strong were entrusted with the position of squad leader. Iris, who stood shoulder to shoulder with the veteran women, was young but correspondingly strong, and was sometimes entrusted with leading a squad.
—Her next destination was the island lurking in the Florian Triangle, Thriller Bark.