Translator: PapaSmurf0700
Onboard the Golden Merry, Luffy had been keeping a keen eye on the frog. Suddenly, he burst out with excitement, "Ah, that frog seems to have stopped!" He rallied the crew, "Quick, take this chance to catch up!"
Even though Luffy's new course didn't align with the Log Pose direction, the crew, seeing how thrilled he was, didn't argue. They decided it was best to let Luffy lead the adventure.
After a spirited chase, they finally caught up with the frog. Surprisingly, the frog stood up on two legs near a platform with a building on it, making a gesture as if ready to block or challenge them. It looked quite serious, as if it was preparing to face a formidable opponent. This unusual behavior left everyone on the ship puzzled.
It was then that Sanji remarked, "Speaking of which, is that some kind of platform with a house here?"
Prompted by his comment, the crew noticed that the frog was indeed on a platform not far from the Golden Merry. Chopper, leaning over the edge of the ship, pointed excitedly, "Hey, everyone, look! That frog is actually standing on rails!"
Usopp, skeptical, glanced where Chopper was pointing, "Stop joking, Chopper. This is the sea; how could there be railroad tracks here?"
But as he caught sight of the faintly visible tracks under the water, his eyes widened in disbelief, "There really are!"
At that moment, Bai Ye added, "This is the railway track of the sea train. It's quite an interesting thing."
Nami, intrigued, started to ask, "Sea train? On a sea like this, besides ships, there couldn't be..." But before she could finish, a strange noise interrupted her from another direction.
"Woo! Woo!" The sound echoed.
The crew turned toward the sound and witnessed an astonishing sight. A large, black, iron contraption with multiple compartments, which looked nothing like a ship, was speeding in their direction.
Nami gasped in awe, "Wow! Is this the sea train?!" Her voice mixed with disbelief as she quickly realized the imminent danger. Swiftly, she waved her weather wand, using the wind to push the Merry away from the approaching train. Although she had never seen the sea train before, its imposing size and speed made it clear that they were dangerously close.
As predicted, the moment the train clattered past where the Golden Merry had just been, it generated a massive wave. Even from a safer distance, the Merry rocked from the impact, sending a tremor through the ship.
Amidst the chaos, Luffy shouted toward the frog, who was bravely standing its ground to face the train, "Hey! Frog, run away!! What are you waiting for?!" His voice was filled with urgency, but the frog remained steadfast, staring down the approaching behemoth as if believing it could actually stop it.
But it was clear that such a feat was impossible—Boom!
In the next instant, the train collided with the frog, sending it soaring through the air. The frog arced beautifully before it began its inevitable descent back towards the sea. All eyes were fixed on the frog as it hit the water with a plop and disappeared beneath the surface.
Chopper, watching anxiously, voiced his concern, "From this point of view, the injury on its body may be serious." His tone carried a hint of worry as he considered the potential damage.
Meanwhile, the sea train continued unphased, its speed unchanged, and it soon disappeared into the distance with a persistent "woo-woo" echoing behind it.
Just then, a little girl emerged from the room on the platform, drawing everyone's attention away from the sea and towards her unexpected appearance.
The girl standing on the platform had striking green hair styled into an unusual asymmetrical braid. She wore a white top paired with a horizontally striped short skirt and slippers similar to those Luffy often donned. However, what stood out the most was her lipstick—far too bold for her young age and slightly clashing with her overall look.
Next to her crouched a blue creature that resembled a rabbit. Together, they stared at the Golden Merry.
Before anyone on the ship could respond, the girl's eyes sparkled with recognition upon seeing the pirate flag of the Golden Merry. She turned excitedly and yelled towards the house, "Grandma, grandma, that idiot pirate group you mentioned is here!!"
Her shout carried across the water, catching everyone's attention on the Golden Merry. Luffy, pinching his nostrils, responded with a puzzled, "Huh? Idiot Pirates, who are you talking about?"
Usopp groaned in exasperation, "It's obviously about us, you idiot!!"
Luffy, stunned, exclaimed, "What!! Are you talking about us?!" Realization dawned on him as he slapped his palm with a look of sudden understanding.
Usopp, barely containing his disbelief, retorted, "Eh... Seeing you like this, I think that little girl is right."
Just then, slurred voices floated over from the direction of the station. "Really? Chimney," one voice said uncertainly, then added, "Is it the Straw Hat Pirates that the newspaper mentioned?" The tone was muddled, as if the speaker was under the influence.
As the voice faded, an old woman emerged in front of everyone. Her name was Kokoro, the stationmaster for Shift Station. Kokoro's hair, like the little girl Chimney's, was styled into two large green braids. However, while Chimney's braids pointed skyward, Kokoro's hung down, making her look much more conventional.
Kokoro also wore the same eye-catching lipstick as Chimney, though it was even more noticeable on her. She was dressed in what appeared to be a stationmaster's uniform, her round figure filling it out. Clearly, she was a staff member at this train station.
However, she clutched a wine bottle in her hand, giving off an air of unprofessionalism.
"Oh, it really is those guys," Kokoro said, her eyes lighting up as she spotted the Golden Merry. She called out to them with a grin, "Hey, you guys, are you interested in having a drink with the old lady..."
Before she could finish, Kokoro suddenly collapsed to the ground, as if overcome by drunkenness.
The crew of the Golden Merry looked on in a mixture of surprise and amusement, while Chimney seemed unfazed by her grandmother's antics.
As they watched Kokoro collapse, the Straw Hats exchanged incredulous glances, each thinking the same thing: how can she call us idiots?
Luffy, ever concerned, blurted out, "Ah, is the old lady asleep? She'll catch a cold."
At this, Usopp reacted as if someone had stepped on his tail. He whirled around, thumped Luffy on the back of his head, and exclaimed angrily, "Idiot, I've told you, no one sleeps on the ground like that!"
Usopp's outburst left Chopper and Merry both wide-eyed and taken aback. Chopper leaned over to Merry and whispered, "It always feels like Usopp is angry about something else."
Bai Ye, understanding the situation better, decided it was time to move on. "Okay, let's go first," he suggested calmly. "Whether it's the sea train or the frog we saw earlier, the old woman and that little girl probably know something about it."