Chapter 153: Galley-La Company! The going merry Sentenced to Death
Water 7's Dock 1.
This is the heart of the entire Water 7 and the pinnacle of shipbuilding technology in the world.
Countless muscular craftsmen are sweating on the scaffolding.
"Amazing! The people here all look so strong!" Luffy looked up at the huge semi-finished ships, his eyes shining.
To repair the going merry as quickly as possible, the Straw Hat crew came straight here.
"Yo, are you the customers who came to repair the ship just now?"
A young craftsman wearing a white baseball cap and having an iconic long, rectangular nose jumped down from a high place.
The expression on his face was very easygoing, and he was holding a saw in his hand.
One of the five foremen of the Galley-La Company, Kaku.
"I am Kaku, responsible for inspecting your ship. Since it's an 'appraisal,' I have to go to the scene to see it."
The next second, amidst the surprised gazes of everyone, he didn't walk towards the main gate but jumped directly towards a high-rise building hundreds of meters away.
"Whoa! He fell!" Luffy exclaimed.
However, Kaku's figure was like a light bird, jumping and shuttling at high speed between the intricate city rooftops.
Every landing was incredibly light, as if he were not bound by gravity.
"This kind of jumping power..."
Tatsuya thought to himself: "Moonwalk? As expected of a CP9 agent, hiding in a place like this to be a carpenter, it's truly a waste of talent."
Just then.
"Coo, coo."
A pigeon's cooing caught everyone's attention.
A tall man wearing a black suit with a pigeon wearing a tie standing on his shoulder was silently watching them.
He was also carrying a saw, but his temperament was out of place with the bustling craftsmen around him, appearing exceptionally cold and gloomy.
One of the five foremen, Rob Lucci.
"Who is that guy? There's a pigeon on his shoulder!" Luffy curiously leaned over.
That pigeon suddenly spoke, its voice shrill:
"I am Hattori! He is Lucci! What are you pirates doing here? Coo, coo!"
"Wow! The pigeon talked!" Luffy made a fuss.
At this time, the Crow, Clay, who had been staying on Tatsuya's shoulder, seemed to understand something.
It flew up and let out two "caw-caw" sounds, seemingly communicating with that pigeon.
"What? Clay, you said this pigeon is a ventriloquist master? It's actually that man talking?" Luffy looked shocked.
And in this commotion, Tatsuya did not laugh.
His gaze crossed over Luffy and stared fixedly at the silent Rob Lucci.
Under the shadow of that top hat, Lucci was also looking at Tatsuya.
The two's gazes met in the air.
...
A moment later, in the president's office of the Galley-La Company.
Everyone finally met this legendary figure of Water 7, the mayor and president of Galley-La — Iceburg.
This was a charming man, wearing a striped suit, with a small mouse named "Tyrannosaurus" lying on his shoulder.
"Repairing a ship?" Iceburg looked at this group of energetic young people, his mood seemed good.
"As long as you can afford it, Galley-La can repair any ship in the world."
"Money is no problem!"
Nami extremely generously slammed three heavy suitcases onto the table and opened the latches.
"Clatter —"
A full 300 million Berries in cash was piled up like a small mountain.
"Here is 300 million Berries!" Nami put her hands on her hips, her face filled with the confidence of a rich woman:
"Please use the best materials and the best craftsmen to fix our going merry! Also, reinforce it! And decorate it!"
"Whoa! What a big deal!" The surrounding craftsmen whistled.
Iceburg was also amused by this generosity: "Since that's the case, then we will..."
Just then, the office door was pushed open.
Kaku, who had returned, walked in, followed by a pale-faced Usopp.
"How is it? Kaku?" Iceburg asked.
Kaku took off his hat, holding a detailed inspection report in his hand.
He glanced at the expectant Luffy and Nami, finally shook his head gently, and sighed.
"..."
Iceburg took the report and quickly browsed through it.
As his gaze moved down, his originally relaxed expression gradually disappeared.
He put down the report, raised his head, and looked directly into Luffy's eyes:
"I am very sorry, Straw Hat Luffy."
"This ship... is beyond saving."
This sentence, like a thunderclap, exploded in the office.
The smile on Luffy's face instantly stiffened.
"Eh?... Mister, what are you talking about?" Luffy blinked, as if he didn't understand, "Beyond saving? What does that mean?"
"How is that possible!" Nami rushed forward, "We have money! Is 300 million Berries not enough? 500 million is fine too!"
"Just fix the keel! Even replacing a few planks would work!"
"This is not a matter of money, miss."
Iceburg stood up, his voice cold without a trace of warmth:
"The keel is the ship's spine. It runs from the bow to the stern, supporting the structure of the entire ship."
"Once the keel breaks, the ship is 'dead'."
He pointed to the data on the report:
"This going merry... its keel has completely snapped."
"It being able to persist in carrying you back from Skypiea, and even arriving at Water 7, is already an inexplicable miracle in the history of shipbuilding."
"However, miracles have limits."
"If you force it to go to sea, it will disintegrate on the sea surface in the next storm, or even the next turn."
"At that time, it will take all of you... to the bottom of the sea."
"No, it won't!!"
Luffy slammed the table and argued loudly: "The going merry is very strong! It won't sink! You must be a quack doctor! We are going to find other shipwrights!"
"Luffy!"
A hand pressed on Luffy's shoulder, stopping his outburst.
Tatsuya walked up. His face was also very ugly.
He looked at Iceburg, carrying a last glimmer of hope:
"Is there really... no way at all?"
"Even if... even if we use the legendary 'Adam Wood'? Even if we dismantle the whole ship and rebuild it? As long as we can save it..."
"I am a shipwright."
Iceburg interrupted Tatsuya:
"I never lie about the life and death of a ship; that is an insult to the craft of shipbuilding."
Iceburg pointed to the sea outside the window:
"A ship is a pirate's home, and also a pirate's life. To let a ship that has been'sentenced to death' and could fall apart at any time continue to sail..."
"This is not kindness; this is irresponsibility towards the lives of your crew."
"Do you want to watch your partners be buried at sea because of your indecision?"
Boom.
This sentence shattered the last bit of luck in Tatsuya's heart.
Reason told him that Iceburg was right.
As the Vice Captain, he must be responsible for the lives of everyone.
The going merry had already fulfilled its mission; forcing it to continue living would only lead to tragedy.
"What kind of joke is that!!!!"
A heart-wrenching roar erupted.
Usopp, who had been shivering in the corner, was now like an enraged lion, rushing up violently.
"The going merry is our partner!!"
Usopp's eyes were red, tears swirling in his eye sockets, but he stubbornly refused to let them fall:
"It carried us to so many places... It worked so hard... How can you abandon it like trash just because it's old and broken!!"
His reaction was abnormally intense, far beyond common sense.
Because at this moment, he didn't just see the going merry.
He saw himself, who was helpless when facing an Admiral at Long Ring Long Land.
He saw himself, who couldn't even fix a ship well and could only hold everyone back.
If "broken" means being "abandoned."
Then... will one day, I also be abandoned because I can't keep up with everyone's pace?
This deep fear and inferiority completely erupted at this moment, turning into an attack on the shipwright.
"What world's number one shipwright... it's all a lie!"
Usopp grabbed the money box Nami had placed on the table and held it tightly in his arms:
"In the end, you're just finding it troublesome! You just lack the skills! A bunch of second-rate craftsmen!!"
"Usopp!" Luffy shouted.
"I won't listen!!"
Usopp backed away, his eyes full of disappointment and determination:
"I won't abandon the going merry... never!"
"Since you won't fix it... I'll fix it myself!!"
After saying that, Usopp hugged the heavy money box, turned around, and rushed out of the president's office without looking back, disappearing at the end of the corridor.
"Usopp!!" Nami wanted to chase after him.
"Don't chase him."
Iceburg sat back in his chair coldly: "Let him calm down. Facts are facts."
The office fell into a deathly silence.
Luffy lowered his head, his Straw Hat covering his face.
Nami covered her mouth, tears falling silently.
Tatsuya looked at the direction Usopp left, a deep sense of powerlessness welling up in his heart.
Loving Book So Far Check Out 80+ Advanced Chapters At Pa Treon:
patreon.com/FicTonic1