Translator: PapaSmurf0700
On the deck of the Golden Merry, Luffy, Nami, and Zoro were introduced to Merry in her new form. Their reactions were a mix of shock and disbelief.
Luffy blurted out, "What? She's Merry?!!" Despite the initial surprise, the crew quickly decided to focus on their next goal instead of lingering in Mock Town. They all agreed to head directly to the other side of the island to find Mont Blanc.
Bai Ye explained Merry's identity to them, while Chopper eagerly shared the legend of the ship spirit and the full story behind Merry's transformation. Luffy, Nami, and Zoro initially looked puzzled—as if their expressions could be translated to: "I don't understand, but I'm amazed."
However, they soon accepted this new reality. Being the earliest members of the Straw Hats, their bond with Bai Ye and the Golden Merry ran deep, enhancing their acceptance of Merry as part of their crew.
Nami embraced Merry warmly, welcoming her wholeheartedly, which nearly drove Sanji wild with jealousy. Luffy excitedly talked with Merry and learned the ability to control the ship with his mind. His delight was palpable as he watched the ship's rudder move on its own, showering Merry with praises.
Zoro, on the other hand, gave Merry a strange, almost intimidating smile that nearly brought her to tears, earning him a swift punishment from Nami's iron fist. This scene sent Chopper and Usopp into fits of laughter, rolling around on the deck amused by the whole spectacle.
Finally, Bai Ye clapped his hands to gather everyone's attention. "Okay, everyone, let's have Merry lead us forward," he announced. Nodding to Merry and Nami, who had received a map of the island from Robin, Bai Ye gave the signal to set sail.
As the ship set off, Bai Ye contemplated the yellow paper with runes in his hand, realizing that these magical tools were no longer needed and could be retired. He had plans for the future of these paper soldiers, though there were still some issues to resolve.
Traveling to the other side of the island didn't take long, and soon the coastline came into view again. Luffy, sitting on the bow of the ship, gazed in awe at the approaching luxurious villas. "Wow, it's actually a villa! That Mont Blanc guy must be loaded," he exclaimed with a mix of envy and excitement, imagining the delicious feasts such a place might hold.
Zoro, arms crossed, glanced at Luffy with a slight smirk. "Idiot, look closer," he chided, not so much berating Luffy as dismissing the opulence of the villa.
Sanji joined in, his voice laced with a hint of disdain and a touch of irritation from being misled. "They said Mont Blanc was a dreamer. More like a pretender if you ask me," he commented, scoffing at the ostentatious display.
Both of them were unusually in agreement, united in their skepticism.
Chopper, puzzled by the conversation, piped up, "What are you guys talking about? Look at it..."
Before Chopper could finish, Luffy, who had jumped ahead to the island, shouted back in disbelief, "What?! It's just a board?!"
As it turned out, what they had seen as a luxurious villa was nothing more than a wooden board painted to look like one. The actual building was just a simple hut.
"This guy's a total cheapskate," Sanji concluded with a scoff.
Nami, thinking back on something, turned to Robin and asked, "Didn't you find some info on this guy?"
Robin nodded, "Yes, while the orangutan we met earlier spoke highly of him, all I heard in Mock Town was mockery and sarcasm."
Nami, undeterred by the negative comments from the pirates in Mock Town, felt this somewhat validated Mont Blanc's character as not being like them.
Curious, Nami asked, "So, what was the dream that got him exiled here?"
It was a casual question from Nami, but the answer Robin gave sparked an immediate interest. "It's unclear, but there are rumors of a massive amount of gold buried under Jaya Island..."
"Gold!!" Nami exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with excitement and greed.
Nami quickly followed up, "Are we sure there aren't any major pirates on this island?"
Robin's response was uncertain, "I can't say for sure."
But Nami wasn't disappointed. By now, her mind was already racing with visions of gold.
Nami dashed off the ship with urgency, her eyes scanning the terrain swiftly before pointing to a patch of land. "Chopper! Start digging, there's gold buried on this island!" she exclaimed with a gleam in her eyes.
Chopper, slightly baffled, tilted his head and asked, "Really? Can we really find gold just by digging?" Despite his doubts, he transformed into his reindeer form, his antlers ready to break the soil at the spot Nami had indicated.
Zoro watched Chopper begin to dig and couldn't help but voice a reminder to Nami, "You know, Bai Ye has already given us a ton of gold and jewels." It was true; the wealth they had acquired was substantial, making gold almost commonplace among their treasures.
Nami, however, was undeterred and shot back, "Zoro, there's no such thing as too much gold!" Her eyes were fixated on the potential treasure beneath their feet.
Usopp chuckled and patted Zoro on the shoulder, understanding Nami's relentless pursuit of wealth. "That's just how Nami is. You might as well get used to it," he advised, his tone a mix of amusement and resignation.
Meanwhile, Luffy had approached the house they had come to visit. Without any hesitation, he announced, "Hi, excuse me..." and pushed the door open to step inside.
Usopp, following closely behind, was quick to criticize Luffy's rashness. "Idiot, you're too reckless!" he exclaimed as he hurried after Luffy. "What if there are bad guys waiting to ambush us inside?!"
Luffy looked around the empty room, then turned to a flustered Usopp with a puzzled expression. "Huh? Usopp, you worry too much."
Usopp, frustrated by Luffy's nonchalance, retorted sharply, "It's called being cautious, Luffy! Don't you know that? You just rush in without thinking!"
As they bickered, Nami's voice suddenly carried from outside, her tone laced with excitement and urgency, drawing their attention away from their squabble.