Chapter 161: Franky's Resolve
Water 7 - Abandoned Shipyard
Splintered wood littered the ground, and wind blew sand into faces.
Over the ruins, it was so quiet it felt as if nothing had happened.
Franky and the Franky Family leaned against the wreckage of a scrap ship, staring blankly at the battlefield before them.
The elite agents of CP9, who had terrified them and beaten them into submission just minutes ago, were now all lying on the ground!
Fukurou, Kumadori, Kalifa, Blueno... one by one, either unconscious or groaning in pain on the floor.
Even the strongest, Lucci and Kaku, had collapsed, bloodied and breathing weakly.
"These Marine brats... where the hell did they come from?!"
Franky's mechanical right arm trembled, his throat dry as sand, muttering to himself.
"Whose subordinates... are they?"
At that moment, Zoro flicked the blood off his blade and walked slowly toward the center of the battle circle, glancing at the unconscious Lucci. "Law, should we finish them off?"
Standing atop the ruins, Law looked up at him, expression unchanged, and simply shook his head. "No rush."
He walked slowly to Lucci's side, raising his hand to expand a pale blue ROOM. Space shimmered like a mirror, enveloping the area.
He pulled a special Den Den Mushi from his coat and gently pressed the call button.
The snail opened its eyes, its mouth clicking open. Kacha.
"Puru-puru-puru—Kacha."
Connection established.
Inside the silent barrier of the ROOM, no one but Lucci could hear the ensuing conversation.
To the outside world, it just looked like Law stood before Lucci, bending down to wake him up.
Lucci woke with a start, instinctively reacting. His fist, wrapped in Armament Haki, punched toward Law—
But a second later, his movement froze, his entire body stiffening.
The voice coming from the Den Den Mushi made his pupils shrink, his face draining of color instantly!
"This voice...?!"
Anger, wariness, fear, struggle—emotions surged across his face like a tide!
Outside the barrier, the Franky Family and Kuina's group watched in stunned silence. They saw the expression of CP9's strongest agent change drastically, until finally—he slowly lowered his head.
"...I understand."
His voice was hoarse and complex.
Then, Law nodded, put away the Den Den Mushi, and canceled the ROOM's silence, restoring sound to the area.
He spoke flatly. "Mission changed."
"You may go."
Dead silence fell over the surroundings.
Lucci stood up silently, not looking at anyone. He walked to the injured Blueno, woke him up, and whispered a few words.
Blueno's eyes shook, but he nodded solemnly in the end, forcing himself to open an "Air Door."
The two of them helped up their fallen comrades one by one, quietly stepping through the door, disappearing into the moonlight.
Vwoom.
The Air Door closed.
The entire process was silent, yet the pressure was suffocating.
The Franky Family looked at each other, unable to speak for a long time.
"Oi! Wait... they just left?!"
The square-haired sisters gasped, eyes full of shock.
"That expression just now... that Lucci looked like he was being 'ordered'!"
"Who on earth... could make all of them retreat?!"
However, Law offered no explanation. He simply turned, expanded his ROOM, and teleported instantly in front of Franky.
Expression calm, he took out the Den Den Mushi again, reconnected the call, and held it out to Franky.
"Franky. Someone wants to talk to you."
Kacha.
The snail opened its mouth.
Franky's expression changed. His body tensed up, instinctively taking a step back, staring at the snail as if it might bite him.
But when the first sentence came out of the Den Den Mushi—
"..."
His eyes snapped wide open!
He froze as if struck by lightning.
As the voice continued, his eyes widened further, pupils contracting rapidly. From shock to doubt, then to awe—emotions flipped on his face in seconds!
"You can really... do that? Really... but that thing is..."
He suddenly covered his mouth, looking around frantically. lowering his voice, he gritted his teeth and said tremblingly, "Alright! I accept!!"
The call ended.
Law put away the Den Den Mushi, and the ROOM slowly dissipated.
Franky clenched his fists tightly, raised his arms high, eyes shining—
"SUPER—!! THAT'S AWESOME!!!"
He was so excited he was moved to tears. The Franky Family beside him watched, dumbfounded.
In the distance, Zoro, Kuina, Ain, and Binz stood outside the circle, looking utterly confused.
Zoro's brow twitched. "Oi, Law, what the hell are you playing at?"
Kuina frowned, staring at him. "What kind of charades are you playing?"
Binz and Ain looked at each other, helpless.
"Again..." Ain sighed.
"Vice Admiral Roy's orders are always so mysterious," Binz smiled bitterly.
Law spread his hands, a slight curve on his lips. "Big Bro Roy said... I'm not allowed to tell you~"
The moonlight fell on his smile, and on the page of destiny that had quietly turned.
As Law's ROOM faded away, a wave of blue light receded. Zoro, Kuina, Ain, and Binz vanished from the wreckage instantly, as if they had never been there.
Leaving behind only the wind, the scars of battle—and a very confused Franky Family.
"Whoosh—"
As silence returned to the air, the square-haired sisters led the subordinates to crowd around Franky, their eyes full of worry and suspicion.
"Boss... are they really trustworthy?"
"Those Marine kids were terrifying one after another. Who are they really?"
Franky paused for a moment, then the corners of his mouth lifted into his familiar grin. He flashed a confident and exaggerated smile, his mechanical right arm clicking and transforming as he raised it high—
"Of course they're trustworthy! SUPER~!!!"
The surrounding hooligans blinked. "Boss lost it?"
Franky struck his signature pose, then changed his tone, lowering his volume as he leaned in to whisper to them:
"After all, he is..."
Hearing the whispered words, the group froze. Then their faces changed drastically, pupils shrinking as they gasped in unison: "SERIOUSLY?!"
"Oh my god... no wonder CP9 got wrecked!"
After a moment of disbelief, an explosion of long-suppressed joy and cheering erupted across the entire abandoned shipyard!
The anxiety, heaviness, and oppression that had permeated the air just moments ago were completely swept away.
Laughter, noise, and tearful cursing rang out, as if life had finally returned to this broken place.
Franky stood at the edge of the dock, gazing past the ruins toward the city illuminated by the night—
Water 7. Shimmering water, brilliant lights, like a dream.
He slowly lowered his head, his gaze firm as iron. "Tom-sensei... I will definitely protect your Water City."
"Whether with my fists or my steel."
The night breeze blew gently, carrying the familiar scent of sea tide and engine oil, brushing past his ears.
It felt as if the late master, somewhere above the distant waves, quietly replied:
"Mm."
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