Cover
Color Spread. The Going Merry is a red train and travels with the Straw Hat Pirates over tracks suspended in mid-air in front of a big, bright full moon. Birds circle the train as it passes over a land mass with a lighthouse.
Storyline
Water 7, Shipyard Island, Dock #1: Paulie, who tried to escape with the Straw Hat Pirates’s money, comes riding back in the Yagara Bull, coerced by Rob Lucci, master saw and wooden nailer, who has grabbed him by the ear. The dove Hattori on Lucci’s shoulder rebukes Paulie for not paying his debts with other people’s money. Iceburg apologizes for Paulie’s behavior to Nami, Luffy, and Usopp, but it is better if the matter is resolved among the craftsmen. Kalifa explains to them that the thieves are part of the Franky Family, who dismantle ships and are bounty hunters on the side. They specialize in pirates. Iceburg warns them strongly not to mess with the boss Franky. Meanwhile, Lucci and Paulie are back at Dock #1 with the two stolen suitcases and Hattori orders Paulie to apologize. The latter tries to get another 10% finder’s fee out of it and gets hit in the back of the head with a hammer by Lucci for doing so. Hattori apologizes because Paulie has lost his mind due to gambling.
Stinking angry, Paulie attacks Lucci with Rope Action: Bowline Knot Punishment, where he throws a rope around Lucci’s forearm and then spins him through the air to ram him into the floor. Lucci is able to intercept the attack though, ramming his fingers into the ground and standing in the air like a candle. Luffy doesn’t understand Paulie, as he was just done in by a pigeon. He demands that the pigeon handle its own affairs. Hattori lands on Lucci’s shoulder and apologizes. She introduces herself but promises herself, causing Nami to notice that Lucci is a ventriloquist. Luffy and Usopp are completely enthralled. After the argument dies down, Iceburg tells them that the craftsmen’s individual quirks don’t matter as long as they’re good workers. There are only five master craftsmen on each dock. Iceburg invites them into the dockyard to see everything. They enter a large place full of cranes and bustling activity. Mr. Iceburg is greeted warmly by all the workers and asked to help check the work. Luffy is amazed at Iceburg’s popularity, so Kalifa tells him that there used to be seven businesses in town, competing with each other. Iceburg united them five years ago and started the Galley-La company. He himself was and is a genius shipbuilder, respected by all the craftsmen for his skills.
Luffy immediately offers Iceburg to become his new crewmate, but he declines with thanks, offering to take any shipwright who wants to sail with them. He asks Luffy if there is a Nico Robin on his ship, to which he replies in the affirmative. Kaku returns and distracted by his arrival, no one notices the Franky Family, who sneak up behind Usopp and kidnap him along with the two suitcases. Nami notices Usopp’s absence, but since all the suitcases are still there, she’s not worried. They want to find out from Kaku how much it will cost to fix. After the survey, the ship must have had many adventures, which Luffy confirms by mentioning climbing mountains and flying in the sky with the The Going Merry. Kaku opens up to them that even with their technology, Galley-La can’t repair the ship. Even if they try, the ship won’t make it to the next island. The keel is pretty damaged. Sitting on the Lamb, Zoro, who Kaku had already told everything to, asks the ship if it really can’t go on.
Manga volumes | Water 7 Arc (Manga) |