Chapter 439: A Deal for the Going Merry

Luffy and Usopp, still stuffed from their feast on the island, somehow wandered right to the front gate of the Galley-La Company. There, they spotted Nami sitting at a café just outside.

“Nami, how’s the Going Merry doing?”

Luffy approached Nami, cheeks puffed out from all the food and both hands gripping two massive pork knuckles. Usopp looked a bit more compact, just weighed down by an enormous backpack almost taller than he was. Every wobbly step he took sent bits and bobs clinking and clanking—he was clearly carrying a lot.

“Oh, Luffy! The shipwrights here already went to check on the Merry. They should be back soon.”

Nami felt a bit bored. Robin had wandered off somewhere unknown, and she was the only one who could keep negotiating with the Galley-La Company people, which meant she couldn’t really leave. The longer she stayed, the more restless she felt.

Seeing Luffy and Usopp approach was a nice break—someone to talk to. Just as they sat down, a shadow dropped from the sky.

It was Kaku, returning to the shipyard after his inspection. He spotted Luffy and Usopp right away. His eyes narrowed for a second in the air, but he quickly regained his calm.

“Hey, Luffy, that’s the guy who checked our ship,” Usopp pointed out.

Spotting Kaku landing from above, Nami immediately pointed him out.

Luffy hurried over. “How’s the Going Merry? Can she be fixed up?”

Kaku replied, “That ship of yours must’ve been through some wild adventures with you all.”

Kaku had gone over every inch of the ship with care. The Merry was riddled with scars and patches. Even with all the reinforcement, it was right at the brink of falling apart.

Luffy beamed with pride. “Of course! We’ve taken her up into the sky and through all kinds of crazy stuff. That’s why we want her fixed up—stronger, bigger, maybe even a few more rooms. Patch up the railings, the deck, the works…”

Luffy rattled off a whole list of requests. Kaku nodded along, jotting notes down in his notebook.

Once Luffy finished, Kaku shut his notebook. “You’re in luck—the timing works out. The keel isn’t badly damaged. Sure, the ship’s a mess in a lot of places from all those adventures, but you’ve still got time to fix her. Take better care of your ship from here on out.”

“So the keel’s still mostly intact?” Barry stepped out from inside, his shipwright expertise clear.

“Yeah, take a look,” Kaku said, handing Barry the notebook filled with detailed observations of the Going Merry’s condition.

For a moment, silence fell over the group.

“Hey, old man, so what’s the verdict on Merry?” Usopp finally blurted, getting impatient waiting.

Barry set down the notebook and addressed Luffy and the others. “All your requests are doable, but it’ll take about fifteen days.”

“It’ll cost 150 million Berries.”

Hearing that the Merry could still be reinforced and remodeled, both Luffy and Usopp felt a huge wave of relief.

“I knew Merry would make it.”

“Had me worried for a second there—I really thought she might be beyond repair.”

With confirmation from Kaku and Barry, Nami stepped forward to hash out the contract, insisting Merry be remodeled and reinforced within fifteen days, including widening the hull by at least double.

Of course, there were plenty of other little clauses and conditions. Nami and the two shipwrights hashed out all the details.

Just as they wrapped up the agreement, a loud boom erupted from the Galley-La office. An explosion blasted through an upper floor, destroying the whole room in an instant.

“Uh-oh, that’s not good,” Barry muttered. He realized immediately—that was Mayor Iceburg’s room. Without another word, he dropped the contract and sprinted inside.

Barry’s signature was already on the contract.

“My apologies, Miss Nami. We’ll get straight to work on fixing your ship, but something urgent’s come up. Please excuse us,” Kaku said evenly. He knew exactly what had happened inside, so he bid farewell to Luffy and the gang and calmly headed in.

“What’s going on in there?” Luffy was dying to rush inside but Usopp yanked him back.

“Whatever’s going on, it’s none of our business. Let it be,” Usopp said. He wasn’t about to take any risks before Merry was fixed.

Until the Going Merry was back in shape, Usopp was dead set against getting messed up in anyone else’s business. He didn’t want some unexpected disaster halting the repairs.

Tap tap tap…

Suddenly, rapid footsteps approached from all directions. Everyone’s heads turned to see a crowd of reporters and cameramen racing in.

They quickly crowded around the gate, peppering the staff with questions and asking about Mr. Iceburg’s condition.

“Are the people in there really this popular?” Nami mused, half amazed.

She’d met plenty of people on their journey, but rarely anyone like Mayor Iceburg, with so many people rallying behind him.

Right then, music started playing behind the group. A curtain had appeared on the little bridge—they had no idea when—and behind it, three people danced to the beat.

“That music… it must be him.”

“No doubt. It’s that guy for sure.”

As Nami and the others exchanged puzzled looks, both citizens and shipwrights shot the curtain the same expression—total exasperation, like they were remembering some ridiculous stunt.

“Listen up, everybody!”

“No way, no one’s listening to you!”

“Get lost already!”

The more the townsfolk and shipwrights rejected the silhouette behind the curtain, the more worked up he got—almost like some overexcited weirdo.

“My name is…”

“I’m the greatest superman on this island—the secret hero of Water 7!”

“Everybody, call me Franky!”

“Super!!”

With a flourish, the curtain was yanked open. Franky and his two square-headed companions stuck their arms together, thrusting them overhead in a pose you couldn’t begin to describe.

His grand entrance sent the crowd of citizens and reporters into a panic—everyone dashed away as far from him as they could manage.

“Who the heck is that weirdo?”

Luffy, crouched on the ground watching Franky on the bridge, could only think, this guy had to be a total weirdo. Who else would show up in nothing but underwear?

“Luffy, didn’t he just say his name was Franky?” Usopp huffed. The guy had literally just introduced himself.

“Franky, today you’d better not start any trouble!”

Barry, who had gone to check on the mayor, suddenly reappeared at the door to help handle the crowd of reporters.

“Hey, Barry! Don’t be like that. I’m just here to see if Iceburg’s still alive or not! I’ve got nothing but good intentions, seriously.”

Franky bent his knees, sprang forward, and landed right in front of everyone.

“Hmph. Franky, you clown. Iceburg’s not dying anytime soon!”

“If anyone’s doomed, it’s you! I don’t have time to play with you right now, get lost,” Barry snapped, clearly not wanting Franky to stir up any more chaos.