On the rooftops, the battle between Usopp and Franky continued.
Usopp fired Firebird Stars one after another, each shot exploding against Franky's body and scattering sparks.
Franky retaliated with heavy punches, smashing the rooftop with devastating force.
"How long are you going to keep running?!" Franky roared.
He launched his fist forward like a missile—similar to Iron Man's gauntlet, except the fist was connected by a chain.
Usopp leaned backward, bending at the waist.
The punch brushed past his nose and smashed into a chimney behind him, shattering it instantly.
Usopp's face turned pale.
In the end, Haki originates from both physical strength and willpower. Usopp, a fragile sniper who had only recently awakened Observation Haki, was already nearing his limit.
Using it so frequently made him dizzy—he could barely stand.
Franky noticed imdiately.
"Hm?"
He threw another heavy punch.
This ti—
It hit.
Usopp was blasted away by Franky's iron fist. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he fell heavily from the rooftop.
He struggled to his feet.
Then he saw them—
The Franky Family underlings, glaring at him with vicious expressions.
They rushed him.
Punches and kicks rained down on Usopp as blood splattered everywhere.
Yet he didn't make a single sound.
Franky watched from the rooftop.
From the very beginning, this had never been a fair fight.
Usopp was a glass-cannon sniper with limited attack power, while Franky was a powerful cyborg.
Yet despite everything, Usopp never ran away.
That alone made him different from the other pirates Franky had encountered.
Franky's anger slowly faded.
Looking at Usopp—whose nose had even been bent out of shape—Franky suddenly shouted:
"Stop!"
The underlings froze instinctively.
Usopp collapsed into the pool of blood—
But the next mont, he forced himself back up.
Step by step, he limped toward the suitcase filled with money.
"Why?" Franky asked, confused.
"Why risk your life like this? Are pirates nowadays really willing to die for money?"
Usopp grabbed the suitcase tightly with his blood-covered hand.
Tears stread down his face as he shouted:
"You don't understand anything!!"
"This 200 million Berries is the money ant to save the rry!"
Usopp rembered clearly why Luffy had entrusted that money to him.
Even though they had extra money—
That belonged to Luffy's dream of building a new ship.
But this 200 million…
This was the money ant to save the Going rry.
This money absolutely cannot be lost.
That thought had never left Usopp's mind.
"Cough…!"
Usopp coughed up blood, but his eyes showed no fear.
As the ship's repairman, no one understood better than him how badly the rry needed this money.
Franky wiped away tears.
"That's… such a super moving friendship!"
"But I'm sorry," Franky said quietly.
"This 200 million is important to my dream too."
He raised his arms again.
"Strong Right!"
Usopp raised his slingshot with trembling hands.
This ti—
He would not retreat.
The incoming blast grew larger and larger in Usopp's vision.
Danger flooded his mind.
Far away, observing through Observation Haki, Luffy—who had been ready to intervene—finally relaxed.
Usopp closed his eyes.
rry… don't worry.
I'll protect it.
Suddenly—
A warm current surged through his entire body.
Crack!
The invisible shackles restraining him broke.
Usopp held the slingshot in his left hand and pulled the band fully back with his right.
Dark energy slowly wrapped around the ammunition.
Then—
He released it.
"Armant — Exploding Fire Star!"
The attack tore through Franky's Strong Right effortlessly.
Flas reflected in the eyes of everyone in the Franky Family—
And then—
A small mushroom cloud rose into the sky.
Usopp picked up the suitcase and limped slowly toward the Going rry.
anwhile, in a shadowed corner of Water 7's comrcial district—
"What exactly do you want, CP9?" Robin asked coldly.
"We only need you to help us with sothing," said a masked man.
He took out a Den Den Mushi.
"My superior will explain."
Buru Buru Buru…
The call connected.
"Long ti no see, Nico Robin."
"Allow to introduce myself. I'm Spandam, the commander of Cipher Pol No. 9."
"I need your help with sothing. Don't rush to refuse."
"For this mission, Admiral Aokiji personally granted a Golden Den Den Mushi capable of activating a Buster Call."
"You should be familiar with that, right?"
Robin's calm expression shattered.
"What are you planning to do?!"
"If you don't want your crew to die in Water 7," Spandam said smugly, "you'd better cooperate."
Robin fell silent.
"…Fine. I understand."
"What's the mission?"
Spandam laughed loudly.
"I knew you were smart, Robin!"
"You will assassinate Iceburg tonight, obtain the Pluton blueprints in his possession…"
"…and fra the Straw Hat Pirates."
"Pluton?!"
Robin's expression changed completely.
She never expected this to involve an Ancient Weapon.
Soon, the call ended.
"Prepare yourself," the masked man said. "You don't have much ti."
Robin didn't move.
"…Sorry."
"Our deal is void."
"I promised him… that I would never betray him."
"Even if it's only a lie… I won't do it."
Robin crossed her arms.
"Twelve Fleur — Clutch!"
Twelve arms suddenly sprouted from the masked man's body, restraining him.
"You think this can stop ?!"
"No," Robin said calmly.
"I just needed a mont to leave."
Hands sprouted from the walls like steps.
Robin leapt across them and vanished.
Seconds later, the man broke free, furious.
He called soone.
After explaining the situation, a cold voice replied:
"The plan remains unchanged."
"Tonight we take the Pluton blueprints—"
"And capture Nico Robin as well."
anwhile, Robin rushed toward the Going rry.
There's no ti.
I have to warn Luffy and the others.
At Dock No. 1, after hearing Luffy's shipbuilding requirents, everyone fell silent.
After a long pause, Iceburg spoke.
"Are you trying to build a ship…"
"…or a world-class warship?"
Luffy pouted.
He had only suggested so ideas inspired by science-fiction sky carriers from his previous life.
"Fine, we can remove so features," Luffy said.
"But the lightning-powered propulsion system and the ability to fly must stay!"
Iceburg rubbed his forehead.
"We'll try our best."
"But even if we manage to build a flying battleship, the power consumption would be enormous."
"Got it."
"There's another issue," Iceburg continued.
"Other materials are easy to obtain, but shipbuilding requires the Treasure Tree Adam."
"That's extrely rare."
"However…"
"Tonight, an auction at the Sabaody Archipelago will sell a massive Treasure Tree Adam trunk."
He handed Luffy an auction invitation.
"Just a reminder—the trunk alone will cost at least 1 billion Berries."
"With the other materials, this ship will cost no less than 3 billion."
"Got it," Luffy said seriously.
"Sabaody, right? I'll go imdiately."
"You could take the Sea Train," Iceburg suggested.
"But you might not make it in ti."
Outside the dock gates—
Nami walked beside Luffy.
"You really want to build a ship like that?"
"Three billion Berries…"
She was genuinely shocked.
Luffy smiled.
"For a pirate crew, the most valuable thing is always their ship."
"…Fine."
Nami sighed.
"Then the remaining money must be kept by ."
She flashed a sly smile.
"Sure, sure," Luffy laughed, gently patting her orange hair.
"Whatever you say."
Nami froze, her face turning red.
Luffy handed her a Den Den Mushi.
"After I leave, things here might get ssy."
"But I trust you all can handle it."
"If you can't—call ."
The next mont—
Luffy transford into a blue bolt of lightning and disappeared.
Nami stood there holding the Den Den Mushi, staring blankly at where he had vanished.
Then Luffy's voice echoed in her mind:
"By the way, repairing the rry costs 5 million Berries."
"Let Usopp upgrade her properly."
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