Perhaps the group's words had convinced Franky, as he ultimately chose to follow his heart and joined the Straw Hat Pirates.
"Handing such a fine ship over to you amateurs makes me uneasy."
"So... I'll be your shipwright!"
"Awesome!" Luffy laughed heartily.
Franky wasn't one to dawdle either. Once he made his decision to join, there wasn't a single unnecessary word left to say.
Catching the luggage launched by the Franky Family's special cannon with a backhand, Franky boarded the ship without another word.
Just as Franky had once taught Zambai, once a decision was made, men didn't need many words between them.
"Set sail!"
"Whoo!"
With Meiser's Water Release Technique, the new pirate ship was pushed into the sea, slowly sailing toward the horizon.
But after leaving the coastline, a new problem arose.
"Hey, Straw Hat Boy, are you really not going to wait for that other guy?" Franky frowned.
"Usopp..."
Merry leaned over the ship's edge, staring unblinkingly into the distance as if hoping for that person to appear.
"Ever since Sanji told me about Usopp, I've stayed inside the house without going out."
"Maybe this is his choice," Luffy said, feigning nonchalance. "Maybe he can live just fine here alone."
"Right, guys? Ahahaha!"
Though Luffy's laughter seemed carefree, everyone knew he must be suffering inside.
And not just him—the others felt much the same.
"What's that guy thinking?"
Meiser frowned as he looked toward the city. Could he really have decided not to come?
BOOM!!
A deafening explosion echoed in the distance, and Meiser's expression darkened.
"Everyone, brace yourselves! My clones have all been destroyed!"
Even as Meiser spoke, the silhouette of a battleship appeared on the horizon—undoubtedly Garp's Dog-Head Battleship.
"Luffy, it's your grandpa!" Garp shouted through a megaphone.
"Grandpa?!" Luffy, standing at the bow, yelled in disbelief. "You said you wouldn't arrest me!"
"Sorry, Luffy, but Sengoku gave me a direct order. I can't just let you leave like this," Garp laughed. "So you're going down with the ship, kid!"
"Hey, bring me some cannonballs!"
"Aye, sir!"
"Luffy, is that guy really your grandpa?" Meiser asked skeptically. What kind of grandfather tried to kill his own grandson?
Before Luffy could answer, a cannonball came flying and exploded near the ship, the sheer force pushing them far back.
"Throwing cannonballs by hand?!" Sanji gasped. "Is this the power of the Navy Hero?! It's like a living cannon!"
"That's way stronger than a regular cannonball!"
"Look out, another one!"
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
BOOM!!
A massive water barrier surged in front of the ship, forcibly blocking the cannonball Garp had hurled.
Nami let out a relieved sigh—at least they could defend against it.
"Anyway, let's just run for now—"
"It's Usopp!" Chopper suddenly exclaimed excitedly, "Usopp is coming!"
"Usopp!"
Merry, who had been listless, immediately stood up, looking at Chopper with excitement. "Where? Where is he?"
"He's rushing toward us now!"
"That's great, Usopp is coming!"
Merry said excitedly—clearly, she didn't want to lose any of her companions.
"Haha, how will those guys react when they see me coming?" Usopp, walking down the street, grinned. "Merry must be really looking forward to my arrival."
"Ahahaha, Captain Usopp is about to return!"
With excitement, Usopp dashed toward the shore. But when he arrived, the scene he imagined didn't unfold. Instead, he saw the Pirate Ship sailing farther and farther away.
The sight stunned Usopp, leaving him momentarily unable to accept it.
"Hey, what's the meaning of this...? Did you really abandon me just because I didn't show up?"
An agitated Usopp, disbelief written all over his face, rushed down from the high ground toward the coastline.
"Hey, Chopper, I'm back! Aren't you happy?"
"I'll promote you to vice-captain as soon as I return, ahahaha!"
"Merry, the weather's great today—I'm back!"
"Hey, why aren't you saying anything? Answer me!"
"Let's just treat what happened before as a misunderstanding. We've known each other for so long—how could those words have been serious? We're comrades!"
"Usopp is calling us," Chopper said.
"Hey, Luffy, say something!" Merry also looked anxious as the Pirate Ship drifted farther away.
"Didn't hear you!"
"Didn't hear me?"
The little guy froze, as if realizing something, then turned to gaze at the distant coastline, tears welling in his eyes.
"Usopp..."
BOOM!!
Several cannonballs came flying, blocked once again by Meiser's Water Wall, but the splashes still reached the ship.
Yet none of them paid it any mind, still focused on defending against Garp's cannonfire.
"Hey, why is no one answering me?"
Seeing the occasional attacks from the distant Marines and the Pirate Ship gradually disappearing, Usopp, now at the shore, stood frozen.
Suddenly, he realized he had made a fatal mistake.
After doing something so terrible, he had thought he could just brush it off—that was probably why Luffy and the others were ignoring him.
If he didn't apologize, they might really leave him behind. And now... this might be his last chance to return to his comrades!
At this thought, Usopp fell to his knees, tears and snot uncontrollably streaming down his face.
"I'M SORRY!!"
"I'M SORRY, EVERYONE!!"
Usopp's desperate cries clearly reached the Pirate Ship, making Luffy and the others freeze.
"I was too stubborn, I'm sorry!" Usopp sobbed. "Even though I said I'd leave you... can I take those words back?!"
"Please, take me with you! Let me be your comrade again!"
"PLEASE!!"
"I know I was wrong—please, take me with you!!"
Kneeling on the ground, Usopp's face was drenched in tears, his voice filled with regret.
"USOPP!!"
Chopper was so moved that tears streamed down his face, and Merry beside him wasn't faring much better.
Watching Usopp bawling his eyes out, Luffy suddenly grinned before forcefully thrusting out his hand.
Seeing the outstretched arm before him, Usopp froze momentarily.
"Idiot, grab my hand already!!"
"Got it!!"
"These guys..."
Standing at a higher vantage point, Iceberg watched the scene with a smile, feeling as though he'd regained some youthful vigor.
"Mr. Iceberg, will they be alright? That's the Marine Hero Garp they're facing."
"Don't worry," Iceberg chuckled. "I'm certain they'll make it out alive."
Only after the Straw Hat Pirates flew away aboard their pirate ship did Iceberg remark, "See? I told you so."
"They... they flew away!!"
"Hmph. To think they'd escape my pursuit like this," Garp first snorted, then burst into laughter. "Ahahaha! That's my grandson for you!"
"Vice Admiral Garp, what about Fleet Admiral Sengoku...?"
"Who cares about him? I did my part!"
"Yes, sir!"
Aokiji could only shake his head in exasperation. Had Garp truly intended to capture them, a single punch would've been enough to take them down.
Oh well. None of his business anyway.
Though... The Straw Hat Boy's crew might encounter Gekko Moria in that direction.
Rumor had it Moria had been defeated by Kaido before. Wonder how he'd react upon seeing a ninja.
Heh. Interesting.