Chapter 154: The Interrupted Ambush! The Weight of Two Hundred Million Berries
Water 7, Dock 1.
Huge cranes moved slowly overhead, the roar of meshing gears and the hiss of steam intertwining into an industrial symphony.
This was the holy land of shipwrights, where every plank and every rivet exuded the aura of world-class craftsmanship.
The gloomy atmosphere from just now, caused by the going merry being sentenced to "death," seemed slightly diluted by this bustling scene.
"Whoa!! Incredible! Is that giant saw automatic?!"
Luffy leaned over the railing, watching a giant Galleon being assembled below, his eyes shining once more.
Simple-minded as he was, he was always easily attracted by novelties, momentarily forgetting his troubles.
"That's the latest model of Steam Saw; it seems the technology here truly lives up to its reputation."
As he spoke, Tatsuya suddenly thought of something.
'When we left just now... did that guy Usopp take those two cases full of money with him?'
A full two hundred million Berries.
In this city of mixed crowds, where there were only craftsmen, bounty hunters, and ship-dismantling thugs.
A pirate with relatively weak combat power, wandering off alone with a fortune...
It was practically like having a label on his forehead saying "I'm a fat sheep, come slaughter me!"
"Not good!"
Tatsuya's expression changed abruptly; usually calm, he now showed a look of anxiety.
"Luffy!!"
Tatsuya grabbed the shoulder of Luffy, who was still watching the spectacle:
"Stop watching! Something's happened on Usopp's end!!"
"Eh? What's wrong with Usopp?" Luffy looked bewildered.
"No time to explain! Quick, come with me!"
Tatsuya pulled Luffy along, and the two of them dashed out of Dock 1 like arrows from a bow, sprinting in the direction Usopp had left.
...
Meanwhile, in a remote alleyway of Water 7.
This place was far from the bustling central streets, surrounded by piles of discarded ship parts and rusted iron plates, dark and damp.
"Huff... huff..."
Usopp was walking with difficulty.
He clutched the two heavy leather cases tightly in his arms; that was a full two hundred million Berries.
To him, this wasn't just money, but a heavy weight of hope.
The emotions that had erupted in the shipyard had cooled by now, leaving only endless confusion and fear.
"As long as I have this money... we can fix the going merry..."
Usopp lowered his head, muttering to himself as if brainwashing himself:
"As long as the going merry is fixed... everyone won't have to change ships... and I can keep being with everyone..."
"I'm not a burden... I can be useful too..."
Just then.
"Hee-ha! Finally caught this lone long-nose!"
"The big brother was right, this kid really is a big fat sheep!"
Several malicious voices suddenly rang out from all around.
Usopp looked up in terror.
Dozens of strangely dressed guys suddenly jumped out from the intersection ahead and the rooftops on both sides.
They wore strange armor and goggles, and some were even wearing tight suits that looked like squares.
The Franky Family.
This group of dismantling-house thugs entrenched in Water 7 lived by dismantling pirate ships and plundering pirates; they were the underground bullies of this city.
Leading them was a burly man wearing sunglasses—Zambai.
Behind him followed two strange sisters with square hairstyles—Kiwi and Mozu.
"Yo, kid."
Zambai carried a huge Zanbato on his shoulder, chewing gum, his eyes greedily fixed on the cases in Usopp's arms:
"I noticed you back at Dock 1.
"That's two hundred million Berries, right? Hand it over obediently, and we might consider only breaking one of your legs."
"If you don't... hee hee hee, we'll dismantle you into parts and sell you to the scrap yard!"
Usopp's pupils trembled violently, and his legs instinctively went weak.
But he glanced at the cases in his arms, thought of the going merry's broken keel, and thought of Luffy's disappointed gaze.
A surge of unprecedented courage welled up from within this coward's body.
"No... No way!"
Usopp took a step back, clutching the cases even tighter, his knuckles turning white from the effort:
"This is the money to fix the going merry! It's the dream of our entire crew!!"
"Even if I die... I won't give it to you bastards!!!"
"Sure Kill: Gunpowder Star!!"
Usopp suddenly pulled out his slingshot and fired a gunpowder pellet at Zambai.
"Boom!"
Smoke exploded.
"Now's my chance!" Usopp turned to run.
"Too naive! Long-nose!"
From the smoke, Zambai rushed out unscathed and kicked Usopp hard in the back.
"Pwah!"
Usopp cried out in pain and fell forward, but even as he fell, his hands still tightly protected the cases, using his body as a shield to press down on them.
"Beat him!!"
"Oh!!"
Dozens of Franky Family lackeys swarmed forward, iron bars and wooden clubs falling like rain.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
The dull sound of blows echoed in the alley.
"Ugh! Ah!!"
Usopp curled into a ball, blood flowing from his forehead and the corners of his mouth, staining the ground red.
But he was like a man possessed, letting the rain of attacks fall on him; even as his bones groaned, he absolutely would not let go.
This was the life-saving money for the going merry...
If I lose it... I really won't have the face to go back...
"Tch, what a stubborn guy."
Zambai was getting impatient.
He stepped forward, grabbed Usopp's hair, and lifted his blood-covered face:
"Hey, let go. Or I'll cut this hand of yours off."
Zambai raised his Zanbato high, the blade glinting coldly in the dark alley.
Usopp's consciousness was already blurred, but he still gritted his teeth hard, his eyes full of despair and stubbornness:
"Never..."
Just as the blade was about to fall.
"You bastards—!!!!"
A roar like a beast's bellow suddenly exploded.
Zambai was stunned, not even having time to turn around.
"Gum-Gum Bullet!!!!"
"Boom!!!!"
There were no fancy moves.
A fist wreathed in steam and fury, carrying a sonic boom, slammed solidly into the side of Zambai's face.
"Pugah!!"
Zambai's burly body was like it had been hit by a cannonball.
He flew sideways, smashing through two brick walls in succession, finally ending up buried in a pile of scrap iron, his fate unknown.
"Bi... Big Brother?!!"
The remaining lackeys were scared out of their wits.
"Who is it?!"
Before they could see clearly who had arrived.
Swish.
A cold light flashed through the narrow alley.
Tatsuya's figure descended from the sky like a ghost, his black trench coat fluttering.
Tatsuya was expressionless, his gaze cold as frost.
Holding his scabbard in his left hand, he moved through the crowd, each swing precisely hitting an enemy's carotid artery or jaw.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
No wasted movements.
In just ten seconds.
Except for the blown-away Zambai, the remaining three core members and dozens of lackeys all rolled their eyes and collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness instantly.
The elite ambush squad of the Franky Family was wiped out.
A deathly silence returned to the alley.
Luffy stood in place, his chest heaving violently, white steam still rising from his fist.
He didn't care about the enemies but immediately rushed to Usopp's side, carefully helping him up.
"Usopp!!"
Luffy looked at his blood-covered companion, his voice trembling: "Are you okay?!"
Usopp struggled to open one swollen eye; through his blurred vision, he saw two familiar figures.
One was Luffy, who had sent the enemy flying with a single punch—that was absolute power.
One was Tatsuya, who had instantly cleared the field—that was absolute skill.
They were unscathed.
While he...
"Cough, cough..."
Usopp coughed twice, spitting out some bloody foam. He tremblingly pushed the cases toward Luffy, forcing a smile on his face that looked worse than crying:
"Great... that's great... Luffy..."
"The money... is safe..."
"I... I'm Captain Usopp, after all... small fry like this... cough cough... are nothing..."
Luffy checked the cases; they were indeed intact.
He breathed a sigh of relief and gave a big smile: "That's great! The money's still here! You're amazing, Usopp, you actually managed to protect it!"
Tatsuya stood to the side, silent.
His gaze didn't fall on the money cases, but on Usopp's hands.
Even though the crisis was over, even though Luffy was right there.
Usopp's hands were still trembling violently.
Tatsuya's eyes darkened slightly.
He knew that trembling wasn't from pain, or even from the fear just now.
It was a deeper kind of self-negation.
If Luffy and Tatsuya hadn't arrived in time...
If that blade had really fallen just now...
'I would have lost the life-saving money for the going merry.'
'I can't protect the ship, and I can't protect the money.'
'In front of enemies like those monsters, I can't do anything.'
'I really am... a burden.'
Tatsuya could clearly read the shattered self-esteem behind Usopp's forced smile.
Looking at Luffy's innocent, smiling face, Tatsuya sighed in his heart.
'Luffy... sometimes, a light that's too bright will instead burn those around it.'
"Let's go back first."
Tatsuya stepped forward, unobtrusively blocking the view between Usopp and the fallen enemies, not letting him see the scenes that made him feel powerless:
"Chopper is still on the ship; we need him to treat your wounds."
"Let's go, back to the going merry."
Usopp lowered his head and allowed Luffy to support him, looking exceptionally lonely in the long shadows cast by the setting sun.
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