Chapter 413: Merry’s Awakening and the Pirate King’s Dream

With a twist of his neck, he got up, ready to charge at Sanji again.

“That’s enough!” Blackbeard stopped the rising Jesus Burgess.

“Straw Hat, what’s your purpose for going to sea?”

With such powerful strength, why was Luffy still wandering around the first half of the Grand Line? Blackbeard really wanted to know what was going through Luffy’s head.

In his eyes, Luffy was a pirate just as determined as he was. But with such strength, why was he still lingering in the first half of the New World?

What Blackbeard didn’t know was that Luffy had only just arrived at the front half of the New World not long ago. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have thought this way.

The reason Blackbeard was here in the first half of the Grand Line was to avoid being hunted and to recruit capable subordinates.

But the Luffy in front of him didn’t seem to be running from anyone. His crew was strong enough, too, which made the whole situation even more puzzling.

“Eh? A purpose?”

“I’m going to be Pirate King!” When it came to his reason for going to sea, Luffy instantly turned serious as he replied.

“What? Did you hear that? He actually wants to be Pirate King—that kills me!”

“Hahaha, are there really still people like this?”

“Right? Who still wants to become Pirate King these days? That’s hilarious.”

“If you want to dream big, why not say you’re going to take out the Celestial Dragons instead.”

People on both sides of the street erupted in laughter at Luffy’s declaration, as if his dream couldn’t possibly come true.

But as Luffy stood there, surprised by the reaction, Blackbeard spoke up slowly. “Not a bad idea at all.”

“A man’s dream never ends.”

“Enduring others isn’t a happy thing. Let the fools laugh all they want!”

“Anyone who wants to stand at the top faces baseless provocation.”

“Isn’t that right?”

Even Luffy himself didn’t expect the man in front of him to understand him so well.

It was the first time since he set to sea—apart from his own crew—that someone hadn’t laughed at his dream of becoming King of the Pirates.

Luffy didn’t answer. He simply watched as Blackbeard stood up.

“Zehehehehe!!!”

“Straw Hat, until our paths cross again.” Blackbeard, seeing Luffy remain silent, picked up a nearby bundle and left, taking Jesus Burgess with him.

The sheer strength of Luffy’s crew made Blackbeard abandon any ideas he might have had.

Given his current power—even with Jesus Burgess by his side—he wasn’t sure he could handle Luffy’s group, especially that blond guy. Just thinking about it gave him chills.

“Sanji, did you finish shopping for the ingredients?”

Nami called out to Sanji beside her.

They’d already bought the clothes they’d need for the next stretch. Chopper found some medical supplies, and Robin had picked up a few local storybooks for her history research.

Once Sanji finished shopping, they could head back to the ship.

“Of course, Miss Nami! Shopping’s already done.” Hearts filled Sanji’s eyes as he wiggled over to Nami’s side.

No one knew where he pulled it from, but suddenly Sanji had a massive bundle—over three meters tall—strapped behind him. It was filled with the support ingredients they’d need on the journey.

As for meat, this group really wasn’t lacking. Ever since Ye Fan supercharged the Going Merry, it could travel from one island to another in just three to five days.

No need to stockpile too much meat. Even if they ran low, all they had to do was hunt some Sea Kings along the way, enough to keep up with Luffy’s bottomless appetite.

When everyone returned to the shore, Zoro was still sitting on the deck, deep in meditation.

“Is it just me, or does the Going Merry look a little bigger?” Usopp stared at the ship, puzzled.

He knew Ye Fan maintained the whole ship, but no amount of maintenance should make it grow out of nowhere.

Usopp was right. Without some unnatural method, a ship shouldn’t just expand on its own—the keel could only be so large.

Even if Ye Fan could manipulate wood elements to modify the ship, he couldn’t stretch the keel on a whim. That would affect everything, and besides, there wasn’t nearly enough time.

But it all started last night. With Ye Fan’s hard work, the ship spirit Merry finally managed to emerge from the vessel.

Seeing the mute Merry, Ye Fan immediately poured energy from all eight elements into her, giving a full third of his own power—enough to leave him exhausted.

Merry, who in the original story looked like a child, instantly transformed into a youth, about fifteen or sixteen.

With the surge of energy, she could finally speak like a normal person. Her form was now half-solid, half-ethereal, able to shift between the two as she wished, but she still couldn’t leave the ship.

If the ship took serious damage, Merry would still die.

But it was this move from Ye Fan that made Merry’s form grow, letting her absorb wood elements and expand the ship to its proper size.

The Merry wasn’t done growing yet. Only when it reached three times its former size would it be complete—that was the energy limit.

“Hahaha, I have to say, this was all thanks to me. Everyone, get on board!”

With Ye Fan calling them, Luffy and the others climbed aboard with excited faces, eager to see what surprise he had in store.

Ye Fan went into the cabin first. In a moment, he returned with a little girl who bore a striking resemblance to Luffy.

“Luffy, is this your secret child or something?” Usopp dashed over to Merry, then glanced back and forth between her and Luffy with a shocked look.

But what really confused Usopp was Luffy’s age—it didn’t add up. How could he have a kid this big?

“What? Luffy has a secret kid?”

That line made Zoro, still meditating, snap his mouth wide open in surprise. He’d been on the ship all this time but never noticed a new person appear. How did Ye Fan pull this off?

As for whether this girl was really Luffy’s kid, Zoro wasn’t buying it. He knew exactly how old Luffy was.

He’s only seventeen. No way could he have a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old daughter.

Chopper ran up to Merry, curiosity all over his face. He placed his hoof on her wrist, and in the next second, his eyes bugged out, fur puffed up in shock, and he leaped behind Luffy.

“Wha… What’s going on?”

“She… doesn’t have any life!”

Chopper’s words made everyone turn to the boy standing at Ye Fan’s side.

Ye Fan had brought him over in person, so how could he not be alive?

But Chopper was hands-down the best doctor they had—if anyone could diagnose her, it was him. The problem must be with the boy himself.

Robin seemed to have thought of something. She quickly covered her mouth in shock. “I always thought things like this were just in books. I can’t believe I’ve actually seen it with my own eyes.”