One Piece: SSS-Rank Haki at Age Seventeen

A battered frog surfaced from the sea, performing the freestyle, steadily swimming toward a single direction.

Behind it, the Going Merry followed closely.

"Why are we sailing behind a frog's butt?" Zoro asked, leaning against the mast with his three swords in his arms.

"Don't you think that frog is interesting?" Luffy replied.

Everyone: "…"

Even though they were speechless, the captain's orders were absolute. So the ship continued sailing straight ahead.

"Stop!" Luffy suddenly shouted.

Ahead on the sea floated a buoy, and nearby stood a signal light planted in the water. It was currently red, buzzing continuously.

"What is that?" Usopp asked in confusion.

Suddenly—

Ding—Ding—Ding!

A loud bell rang out.

Then everyone saw it.

A train, spewing steam, racing across the ocean.

"Hey! What is that?!"

"A ship?"

"How could a giant chunk of iron move on the sea?!"

The crew instantly looked like frogs at the bottom of a well. Luffy sighed helplessly, feeling tired already. He decided not to bother explaining—surely someone would appear to explain it anyway.

Sure enough, they watched as the frog bravely stood in front of the oncoming train—

—and was instantly sent flying.

"There seems to be a station over there. Let's check it out," Nami decided.

The pirate ship approached the platform.

A little girl walked out. When she saw the Straw Hat skull flag on the ship, she shouted:

"Pirates! Granny, it's pirates!"

"What? Really, Chimney?!"

An old woman staggered out drunkenly. Looking at the Straw Hats, she said, "Alright—bring me the Den Den Mushi!"

Everyone immediately became alert.

"Ha—hello! Uh… what was I going to say…? I forgot!" the old woman mumbled, looking completely out of it.

"She's drunk…" someone muttered.

…

Soon the atmosphere changed as the NPCs began introducing themselves.

The little girl was Chimney, accompanied by a rabbit-like creature that was actually a cat named Gonbe, and the drunken old woman was Kokoro.

After chatting for a while, the Straw Hats continued toward Water 7.

The calm sea looked like a brilliant painting.

The sun rose from the horizon, casting a faint golden glow across the ocean. The sea resembled a massive mirror, reflecting the blue sky. Ripples shimmered under the sunlight, and when the breeze passed by, the light danced on the water like countless sparkling jewels.

Luffy sat on the deck and gathered the crew.

"Listen up, everyone. I've got a plan."

"First, we're going to repair the Going Merry. Even though we've done our best to protect her, she's taken quite a bit of damage."

"Mm-hmm." Everyone agreed.

"Second, we're going to recruit a shipwright. We'll find one in Water 7."

"A new crewmate?!" Chopper's eyes sparkled.

"They might not want to join a pirate crew," Zoro said. "Don't get excited too early."

"And finally… we're going to change ships."

Everyone froze.

"Hey, Luffy! Do you even know what you're saying?!" Usopp glared at him angrily.

"Hold on! I didn't say we'd abandon the Merry!" Luffy quickly explained. "But the seas ahead are going to get way more dangerous."

"So I'm thinking we build a big ship, and keep the Merry inside the ship's hold as our backup ship!"

Usopp blinked.

"Listen carefully," Luffy continued.

"I'll never abandon any of my friends."

"LUFFY!!"

Usopp burst into tears and rushed toward him—only to be kicked away instantly.

But he didn't mind. Instead, he hugged the Merry's mast tightly.

"Merry, don't worry! We'll definitely fix you!"

"…Thank you… everyone…"

A faint, ethereal voice seemed to echo from the ship.

The crew all smiled.

Looking at the distant silhouette of Water 7, Luffy grinned.

"Why are you thanking us? We're… friends, after all."

"Good thing we visited that station first," Nami said, holding the map Kokoro had given them. "Now we just have to find someone named Iceburg in Water 7."

She glanced at the map—

—and instantly froze.

Then she slammed it onto the deck.

"Can anyone actually read this?! It's on the same level as Luffy's drawings!"

Soon, the crew saw the magnificent Water 7.

The entire city resembled a giant fountain. Streams of water sprayed upward everywhere, canals flowed through the walls, and water surrounded the entire city.

"So beautiful!" the crew gasped.

Even Luffy was impressed this time.

As the ship slowly approached the city, a man riding a small boat waved and shouted:

"If pirates enter the city openly, it'll cause trouble! You'd better circle around to the back streets!"

"Got it! Thanks!" they replied.

The ship circled around.

Here, canals replaced the streets, creating scenery reminiscent of elegant water towns.

Soon, a restaurant owner sweeping outside shouted at them:

"No pirate ships allowed here! What are you doing—planning to rob us?!"

"No! We're here to repair our ship!" Nami shot back.

Following his directions, they docked at a remote cape.

"Lower the sails! Drop the anchor!"

"By the way," Nami wondered, "why aren't the people here afraid of pirates?"

"For shipyards, pirates are just another kind of customer," Zoro replied calmly.

"Or perhaps," Robin said with a smile, "even if pirates cause trouble, there are bodyguards strong enough to deal with them."

"Bodyguards… huh?"

Nami glanced at Luffy, who was currently playing around with Usopp.

"Alright! Luffy, Usopp! Let's go exchange money, repair the ship, and build a new one!"

The two immediately saluted.

"First take the gold out," Nami said, rubbing her forehead.

Soon the group set off.

"So I can't go with them…" Chopper sighed, leaning against the railing in disappointment.

"We can go out together later," Robin said gently.

It was clear she liked Chopper.

"Really? Will there be a bookstore?" Chopper asked excitedly.

Soon, Luffy, Nami, and Usopp arrived in front of a wooden house.

"Bull Rental Shop," Nami read the sign.

"Let's rent some Bulls!" Luffy said, dragging a huge sack inside.

"Shouldn't you ask what they are first?!" Nami ran in behind him with another sack.

Inside the small shop, an uncle sat reading a newspaper.

"Welcome! Looking to rent a Bull? Bulls are—"

"Okay, we'll take three!" Luffy said, raising three fingers.

Soon, three Bulls were brought out.

"That'll be 3,000 Berries," the owner said with a smile. Then he glanced at the sacks behind them.

"What's inside those bags?"

Luffy grinned.

"Gold."

"Haha, you're funny. Say whatever you like."

Then the shopkeeper was blinded by golden light.

Luffy had opened the sack.

"Can you give it to me?" the owner asked immediately.

"Like hell we will!"

"In that case… renting Bulls costs 5 million Berries!"

"The price just went up, old man!" Nami snapped.

In the end, they still paid 3,000 Berries, and received a tourist map.

Riding their Bulls, they headed toward the center of Shipbuilding Island.

As they sped down a steep slope—

"WOOOAH!!" Luffy shouted.

"AAAAAH!!" the other two screamed.

They flew off—

—and crashed straight through a rooftop into the commercial district, accidentally taking a shortcut.

Luffy strolled through the shopping street leisurely, holding a piece of Water Water Meat in one hand and the Bull's reins in the other.

Meanwhile, at the shipyard, a pirate crew was causing trouble.

"We asked you to repair our ship, but that price is ridiculous!" a masked man shouted, clearly trying to avoid paying.

The next second—

The shipyard workers moved.

In the blink of an eye, the pirates were instantly defeated.

"In a shipwrights' territory," one worker said coldly, "there's no reason to let pirates run wild."

Back on the Going Merry—

"WHAT?! Robin left?!" Sanji shouted.

"Yeah. She went shopping with Chopper," Zoro replied.

"So that means it's just you here?!" Sanji grabbed his head in frustration. "What a boring situation!"

"Agreed," Zoro said, closing his eyes.

"Fine! I'm going out to buy supplies too. Marimo, you watch the ship!"

"Suit yourself," Zoro muttered, already snoring.

Meanwhile, Luffy and the others finally arrived at the bank in the center of Shipbuilding Island…

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