Translator: PapaSmurf0700
As the Golden Merry made its way to Water 7, Luffy was excited to show off his second gear to Chimney, who couldn't help but laugh happily as she watched Luffy's body turn red and steam.
"Look at me!" Luffy exclaimed.
"Second gear!!"
Chimney responded with glee, "Hahaha, it's really steaming!"
Luffy, thrilled with her reaction, laughed along, "Hahaha, that's right, that's right!" He was pleased with the similarity to the steaming sea train.
Nearby, Chopper and Merry were equally captivated by Usopp, who had adopted a new heroic persona. "Sniper King! What a handsome name!" they exclaimed. "That's right, and this cloak is also very handsome!" "Usopp is great!!" they cheered.
Usopp, fully embracing his new identity, struck a cool pose with his arms crossed, his newly acquired red cloak billowing in the wind. "Hahaha, that's right! This is the new name I've chosen for myself!!" he declared proudly.
Usopp, however, couldn't hide a trace of bitterness as he continued, "My first bounty with the nickname Sniper Usopp wasn't domineering at all, but somehow it explained my position on the ship. And...and the second nickname was Elemental Gunner! It doesn't even have the word sniper!"
Determined, he announced, "So, I have decided to use the new, better name - Sniper King! From now on, please call me Sniper King Usopp!!"
Merry and Chopper erupted in excitement, "Yes!!" "Sniper King Usopp is the best!!" they shouted.
"Hahaha, by the way, guys, I also thought of a song [Sniper King], do you want to hear it?" and Usopp began to sing:
"I was born on Sniper Island~"
"A hundred hits and a hundred hits~"
"Lulu la la lu~"
"Even the mouse's eyes...ah!!"
Boom! In the midst of his enthusiastic performance, Usopp was abruptly hit on the head by a flying plate and fell to the ground, which sent Chopper and Merry into a brief frenzy of panic as they scurried around him.
And the instigator of this sudden incident was, of course, Sanji.
Sanji stood at the door of the kitchen on the second floor, his voice booming through the ship, "It's too loud, Usopp, you idiot!"
"You've interrupted Nami-san's afternoon tea time!!" His frustration was evident, but in a blink, his demeanor softened dramatically as he twisted toward Nami, presenting her with a drink and dessert. "Nami-san... This is the drink and dessert that I personally prepared for you, please..."
Nami acknowledged his effort with a quick nod, her response somewhat perfunctory: "Thank you, Sanji."
Sanji, ever the doting chef, beamed, "Haha, you're welcome, Nami-san."
Having briefly courted Nami, Sanji then called out to Robin, who was up in the observation deck on the mast. "Oh, by the way, Miss Robin, do you need me to bring up your coffee right now?"
Robin, engrossed in her book, responded by using her devil fruit ability. Suddenly, dozens of slender hands sprouted, forming a path from the observation deck to Sanji. Robin then appeared at the edge of the deck and called down to him, "No need to disturb yourself, Sanji. Just leave it to me."
"Okay, Miss Robin~" Sanji replied cheerfully, offering the coffee with both hands.
Then, turning his attention to Bai Ye, who was on the deck, Sanji asked, "Bai Ye, when will the mosshead finish his special training? Sister Robin is working hard in his place."
Robin quickly interjected, "No, it's not very hard."
Sanji, misunderstanding, exclaimed, "Did you hear that, Bai Ye! Sister Robin herself said it was hard work!!"
Robin looked puzzled, a clear question mark hanging in the air.
Bai Ye, catching a glimpse of Zoro in the rainbow mist, responded thoughtfully, "Although I don't know the exact time, it should be soon." His answer was not to placate Sanji but based on the intense aura he sensed from Zoro.
Sanji muttered to himself as he walked away, "Geh, I will wait for him to come out and settle accounts with him."
-----
Beside Bai Ye, Granny Kokoro, who was enjoying the spirit wine, burst into laughter. "Hahahaha, you people are really lively all the time!!" she exclaimed. "This kind of atmosphere really reminds me of another pirate group."
Bai Ye picked up on her hint and responded, "Roger... is it? Mr. Tom was Roger's shipwright, and since you were Mr. Tom's secretary, you must have met Roger's pirates."
Kokoro laughed heartily again. "Hahaha, you are really sharp, it seems the news in the newspapers were right."
Then, looking at Luffy and turning back to Bai Ye, she remarked, "On this ship, the real backbone is you, the deputy captain."
Bai Ye gently shook his head and corrected her, "The backbone has always been Luffy. I'm just here to help refine some plans." He had a clear understanding of his role: on this ship, Luffy was always the one calling the shots. Even if he ever disagreed with Luffy, Bai Ye knew the crew might not necessarily side with him. Not that Bai Ye ever entertained the idea of taking the lead.
Granny Kokoro, though appearing tipsy, had sharpness in her eyes. "Hahaha, the old woman knows what you mean. You really are similar to Mr. Rayleigh. Obviously very strong, and possessing a high enough IQ, but still willing to follow behind an 'idiot captain.' It seems you and that straw hat boy also have a deep connection, hahaha."
Bai Ye felt a pang of oddness hearing her words, stirring something within him he couldn't quite identify. So, Bai Ye quickly decided to steer the conversation elsewhere. "You followed us not just to introduce us to Mr. Iceburg, did you, Granny Kokoro?"
Kokoro chuckled heartily. "Hahaha, I do have some other plans."
Bai Ye, who had expected a bit of a verbal dance before she revealed her true intentions, found himself caught off guard. Will she reveal her real reasons now?
In the original story, Granny Kokoro had indeed recommended the Galley-La Company to Luffy, but it had been through a simple letter of recommendation. This time, however, Kokoro had chosen to accompany them to Water 7 herself. This unexpected change puzzled Bai Ye and made him curious about her overall intentions towards the entire Straw Hat Pirates.
Reflecting on this, Bai Ye couldn't help but feel a bit resentful towards Luffy's notoriously unreliable father. The plot seemed to be veering into uncharted territory, straying from the familiar paths of the story he knew, making him feel as though the original storyline was slipping away.
Just as Bai Ye was internally grumbling about Dragon, Granny Kokoro unexpectedly interjected, "Hahaha, there's really no need to inquire any further." Her next words caught his full attention. "Through the past few days, I have confirmed that the woman is indeed your crewmate."
The woman she referred to was Robin, who was quietly engrossed in a book on the observation deck.