"I'm seeing it, but I can't believe it..."
"Yeah."
"Just who are these guys?"
The shipwrights stood in collective awe, their eyes wide with disbelief as they watched Lucas hold back the monstrous wave. The immense torrent, swirling and churning, obeyed his telekinetic control, retreating slowly as if by some spell. Murmurs broke out among the gathered crew of shipwrights:
"This is…unbelievable. I've never seen such power in all my years!" one exclaimed.
"By the gods, it's like watching the sea itself be under his command!" another added, voice trembling with excitement.
Nearby, Kokoro, slightly tipsy from her earlier indulgence, leaned against a weathered post with her grandchildren perched on her lap. She let out a hearty, drunken laugh that echoed over the chaos. "Oh, you must see this spectacle, kiddos!" she slurred joyfully. "If you think this is magic, just wait until you see my dancing—ha!" Her laughter was contagious, even drawing a bewildered smile from her wide-eyed grandchildren.
Chimney, her eyes sparkling with wonder, murmured in awe, "Wow… that's simply unbelievable!"
With the spectacle momentarily holding everyone captive in astonishment, the Straw Hats gathered together as Nami stepped forward, her expression resolute despite the turmoil around them. She quickly recounted the grim events that had unfolded. "Listen up, everyone," she began, her tone urgent. "Iceburg told us everything—Robin sacrificed herself to protect her friends. She made the choice to shield us, even if it meant sacrificing her own place with us." Her voice cracked with a mixture of sorrow and determination. "We now know the truth. She didn't betray us."
A heavy silence fell. Then, in a single powerful moment, the crew—his eyes burning with newfound resolve—stood as one. "We are going to save her, no matter what it takes!" Luffy declared, his voice echoing like a battle cry.
Amid the rising clamor, Luffy's eyes suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure at the docks. He pointed toward a man leaning against a rope ladder and bellowed, "Hey, rope guy! Got a boat you could lend us, or better yet, another sea train?"
The man, Paulie, frowned deeply. "It's not as simple as you think, Straw Hat!" he retorted sharply. "First of all, there's no other sea train, and second—no ship, not even our reliable Merry, can sail through this storm!" He paused, a hint of weariness threading his voice. "You'd be better off waiting until morning to set off again."
Nami stepped forward, her eyes flashing with indignation as the weight of their new predicament settled in. "Wait a minute!" she protested fiercely. In a tone reminiscent of the old tales—like those chronicled in the legends of Aqua Laguna and the notorious Enies Lobby—she spat, "I know exactly what kind of place Enies Lobby is! It's where the Gates of Justice stand tall, a place where those who are sent there never come back. Through those gate one can only go to the Marine headquarters or impell down a prison housing many notorious Pirates. We cannot afford to to let Robin be taken there!"
Zoro, ever curt, grunted as he crossed his arms. "What exactly are you saying, Nami?" he asked, his tone a blend of skepticism and concern.
Nami's eyes narrowed as she fixed her gaze on him. "I'm saying that we have to set sail in this storm—even if we don't know what awaits us at the Gates—We must at all costs, set out to save Robin before it's too late."
Her words hung in the stormy air, resonating with the hardened determination of the Straw Hats.
"Even so, I can't lend you a ship," Paulie grumbled, his arms folded and his face set in stubborn disapproval.
"Fine then! We'll have to take a ship by force!" Luffy declared, his voice booming with reckless determination.
"Wait a minute––don't we still have the Merry!?" Chopper piped up, hope flickering in his wide eyes. But before he could say another word, Lucas hushed him with a sharp whisper, "Shhh! It's getting to the good part." His eyes gleamed with mischief as he glanced over at Kokoro, who was already stepping forward, ready to break up the escalating tension.
"Alright, alright, break it up now!" Kokoro shouted, her voice firm yet playful, trying to restore order in the midst of rising chaos. "Paulie is right—there's no way you'll find a ship that can get you there in this mess."
"Tchh, then what are we supposed to do?!" Luffy bellowed, frustration radiating off him in waves.
"Wait a minute…" Nami interjected thoughtfully, her analytical mind kicking in. As she considered their dwindling options, her gaze suddenly tilted toward someone. "Now that I think about it, we really don't need a ship. In fact, we have a much better way to get to Robin." She looked pointedly at Lucas, whose features betrayed a brief flash of guilt before he tried to feign ignorance.
"Huh, really?" Luffy turned toward Nami, his eyes lighting up with pure joy at the prospect.
"Yeah, Lucas can open his portal thingys to where she is, can't he?" Nami continued briskly.
"Right, I forgot about that. I guess we won't be needing a ship after all—hehe," Luffy chuckled, clapping his hands together. "So, Lucas, hurry up and open a portal, would ya?"
At that moment, a group of shipwrights clustered nearby exchanged confused glances, not understanding what the Straw Hats were discussing. Their whispers filled the air:
"Did they just say they can skip a ship and teleport?" murmured one grizzled veteran.
"Is that code for something?" another remarked, eyebrows raised in astonishment.
"Well whatever it is, it's fine since we won't have to fight them." a third added.
Noticing the growing commotion, Lucas cleared his throat. "About that..." he began, then hesitated before adding with a slight pout, "Can't we just take the sea train?" His tone held a mix of playful suggestion and a hint of exaggeration.
"What do you mean, take the sea train? Time's not on our side here!" Nami snapped, her voice rising above the murmur of confusion.
Lucas pouted, conceding with a low murmur. "Fine, then. Stock up on food and whatever you'll need, and we'll set out as soon as possible." His voice had an uncharacteristic subdued tone, as if he were apologizing for tempering the excitement.
"What's with him?" Zoro grumbled, observing Lucas with a mix of amusement and irritation at his moody attitude.
"He talked about making a big entrance at Enies Lobby," Chopper chimed in, his small voice laced with both awe and confusion. "I guess this isn't exactly what he was expecting right now…"
The Straw Hats pressed onward. The plan was clear now: thanks to Nami's quick thinking, they no longer depended on a ship to get to Robin. Instead, they would rely on Lucas's abilities to bridge the gap between their fractured crew and their missing friend. The resolve in Nami's eyes and the cheerful determination in Luffy's voice set the tone.
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