Franky guided them to Tom's location in the city and, after explaining the situation, Tom willingly agreed. They moved to a cape where they could observe the Going Merry.
Sanji and the others, who had gone to buy ingredients, also returned. As the Straw Hat crew watched with bated breath, Tom shook his head with a difficult expression.
"... It's unfortunate, but I agree with Franky. Repairing this ship is impossible."
"..."
A heavy silence fell upon the group. They were prepared for this. Franky had undoubtedly predicted the same outcome beforehand, and they had anticipated that this was highly likely.
However, just because they had anticipated it didn't mean they could easily accept it. Usopp, who had a strong attachment to the Going Merry, clenched his fist, bit his lip, and spoke firmly.
"... That can't be true. There's no way the Merry can become useless like this!"
"Usopp..."
"I refuse to believe it! If you guys say it's impossible, then I'll fix it myself. I've fixed it on my own before..."
Against Usopp's vehement denial, Tom opened his mouth with a somewhat dignified expression.
"... Hey, lad. Haven't you realized it for a while now? That this ship has reached its limit?"
"Huh!?"
Upon hearing Tom's words, Usopp took a step back with an astonished expression. Seeing this, Tom smiled faintly. He lightly touched the Going Merry as he continued speaking.
"Franky's right. This ship is a magnificent vessel. It's not just about its construction and history; it's about who sailed on it and the journeys it undertook. That's what gives a ship its character. I've seen my fair share of impressive ships, but ones with such a distinguished presence are rare. The repairs may be amateurish, but I can sense the love for the ship. You're the one who did this, right?"
"Yeah..."
"You all love this ship, and this ship loves you back. Among you, the one who holds the strongest feelings for this ship is you, Usopp. Even if you're not a shipwright, you couldn't possibly have been unaware of the ship's limitations."
Usopp listened to Tom's perceptive words and slumped down onto the ground, releasing a sigh.
"Usopp, you..."
"... Yeah, I knew. I knew already... that the Merry had reached its limit..."
Nami and the others murmured as Usopp spoke. He began to talk about the mysterious presence he saw at Skypiea and the voice he heard at that time.
Tom and Franky had explained that it was the embodiment of a ship called the Climbataurman, existing only in ships that were genuinely cherished and ridden.
"... It's my speculation after seeing the ship. This ship probably didn't see as much use before it came into your hands. That's why it was able to give its all to you, experience various journeys together... to adventure alongside you. This ship must have truly been happy."
"But now, are you planning to make this ship, which has been so happy, unhappy in the end?"
"Are we going to make Merry unhappy?"
"Yes, this ship can't withstand any more journeys. If a miracle were to happen, it might reach the next island, but anything beyond that is absolutely impossible. The fact that it appeared as Climbataurman shows how much this ship loves you. When this ship, which cherishes you, can't carry you to the next shore... think about how regrettable that would be."
Listening to Tom's gentle words, Usopp remained silent, his head hanging down. After a moment, he looked up with a determined expression and asked Tom:
"Tom-san, tell me. What should we do with the Merry, our friends who have reached their limit?"
"Well, I can suggest three options... First, storage. Fortunately, there are plenty of places in this city to store a ship if you're willing to pay. But I don't recommend this. If you continue your journey, you'll eventually have to part ways anyway, and being confined without the ability to sail would be a pity for the ship as well."
With a resolute look in his eyes, Usopp asked for suggestions, and Tom proposed a few ideas.
"Next is dismantling. The advantage of this method is that salvageable wood and materials can be used for a new ship. Frankie here is skilled, and if you ask him, he can dismantle it neatly. Finally, while it's not done much these days... in the past, when a cherished ship reached the end of its life, sailors would give it a ceremonial send-off by returning it to the sea. It's a ritual to express gratitude and bid farewell to the ship that has served them. That's another option."
After a pause, Tom looked at the Straw Hat crew and continued:
"It's best to discuss and decide as a group. Fortunately, while this ship can't endure another journey, it won't break down just from floating here today or tomorrow. You have time to discuss. However, now is not the time to discuss."
"Why not?"
"Everyone is still processing my words and feeling somewhat shocked. Having a discussion in a negative state of mind won't lead to a good outcome. It's better to go out into the city, take a break, and shift your feelings before discussing."
The group agreed that discussing in their current state might lead to heated arguments due to differing opinions. Tom explained that they should take time to gather their thoughts.
They decided to wait at least one day before having the discussion. With that, Tom and Frankie left, and the remaining Straw Hat crew members formulated their plan for the immediate future.
Following Tom's advice, they decided to take a break and clear their minds. Nami handed out some money, and each member of the crew set off on their own in the city of Water 7.
As they moved from the cape where the Going Merry was docked toward Galley-La Company, Frankie scratched his head and mused to himself.
"Man, that blue comet..."
"Ha ha ha! Quite the spectacle!"
"It really messes with my head every time I hear about it. Who would believe that the true identity of the shooting star is 'a thrown bucket of seawater' from that monster..."
"That's the technique of Fish-Man Karate and Merman Combat. The scale is entirely different, though... tossing that much seawater, enough to create a massive hole in the ocean and pierce the clouds in the sky."
"Yeah, it's like they're designating a specific area in advance where no islands or anything are around, right? How many kilometers is that..."
"True, there's a pre-announcement that the government declares the surrounding area off-limits... but because they pinpointedly throw it to that location, it's truly something."
Frankie's words gained Tom's agreement. As for the Aqua Laguna countermeasure that Tom had requested in exchange for expanding the Sea Train, Spandam had resolved it using an incredible show of force by throwing a massive amount of seawater to an extremely distant location.
The principle was similar to Fish-Man Karate's Water Heart: Ocean Current Rend. However, due to Spandam's extraordinary ability, the scale was enormous. It resulted in a massive hole in the ocean and a blue comet shooting into the sky.
"... Seriously, that guy doesn't even need ancient weapons. With the ability to precisely hurl that amount of seawater over an incredible distance, that's practically a weapon in itself."
"Ha ha... You're right."
Of course, the residents weren't aware of this, and given the nature of the involved parties, neither Iceberg nor the Straw Hat crew could casually reveal it. Every time the topic came up, they couldn't help but wear expressions that were difficult to interpret.
***
Pochi, wearing an apron, was grilling meat on a wire mesh set up in an open space, while I hung my jacket on a chair, waiting for the meat to cook. This place provided facilities for barbecue, allowing us to enjoy it by bringing our own ingredients. Since we had the opportunity, we had bought various ingredients besides just meat, and that's how we were currently enjoying a barbecue.
Being in a city of water, the scenery was beautiful, and it wasn't too bad at all. For now, we had to deal with Aqua Laguna tomorrow, but today was a leisurely vacation.
As I pondered these thoughts, suddenly, my Observation Haki projected an interesting scene into the future. Ah, this could turn out to be quite interesting indeed.
Feeling a smile unconsciously forming on my lips, I called out to Pochi.
"Pochi, sorry to bother you, but could you buy a large amount of additional meat? Leave the wire mesh as it is."
"Understood."
Giving the instructions, Pochi took off the apron and disappeared to buy more meat. Just as she left, I heard an energetic voice.
"Wow, that smells amazing! Is this a restaurant?"
"...No, unfortunately, they provide the facilities here, but you have to bring your own ingredients."
"Huh!? Oh, is that so..."
Addressing the figure that had appeared right near where I was sitting, I called out while remaining seated.
"However, the fact that we've run into each other like this must be fate. If you'd like, would you care to join us for a meal?"
It was an unexpected encounter, but somehow, I was starting to find it enjoyable.
"Hey... 'Monkey D. Luffy.'"
Facing the man with a straw hat in front of me, I smiled gently.
***
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