On the eaves, the battle between Usopp and Franky continued!
Usopp's fiery stars hit Franky, splashing a shower of sparks!
Franky struck with heavy punches, hitting the eaves with critical blows!
"How long are you going to hide?" Franky's punch flew out, like Iron Man, but with a chain attached to his fist!
Usopp ducked his head and bent his waist; the punch grazed Usopp's nose and slammed heavily into the chimney, shattering it!
Usopp's face was a little pale; Haki ultimately came from physique and inner spirit. Usopp, a squishy marksman, had only just awakened Observation Haki! Such frequent use made him feel weak! He almost couldn't stand steadily.
"Hmm?" Franky keenly sensed this, threw a heavy punch, and then... it hit!
Usopp was sent flying by Franky's Iron Fist, blood continuously gushing from his mouth, and he fell heavily from the eaves.
Usopp struggled to get up, and then he saw... he saw Franky's subordinates, their faces filled with malice!
Then, Usopp was punched and kicked by the subordinates, blood splattering, but he didn't utter a single sound!
Franky stood on the rooftop, watching the disheveled Usopp. From the beginning, this wasn't a fair fight; the opponent was a squishy marksman with insufficient attack power, while he was a powerful cyborg. Yet, he didn't run away, which was different from the other pirates they had encountered!
Suddenly, Franky's anger seemed to vanish. He looked at Usopp, whose nose was even bent, with a complex expression, and roared at his subordinates, "Stop!"
Everyone subconsciously stopped. Usopp suddenly fell into a pool of blood, but the next second, he got up again! He limped step by step towards the distant briefcase containing the money!
"Why? Why are you rushing over without regard for your life? Do pirates nowadays value money more than their lives?" Franky was puzzled. What money could be more important than life?
"You... you don't understand anything!" Usopp's bloody hand gripped the briefcase tightly, tears streaming down like broken pearls, and he roared, "These 200 million Berries are Merry's life-saving money!"
Usopp clearly remembered why Luffy entrusted him with these 200 million Berries! Although there was extra money, that... that was Luffy's money for building a big ship!
'These 200 million Berries must not be lost!' This was Usopp's firm belief from the moment he received the money!
"Cough cough!" Usopp coughed up blood, but his gaze showed no fear. As the ship's mechanic, no one knew better than him how much Merry needed this money!
"What a super touching friendship!" Franky also shed tears!
"But, I'm sorry! These 200 million Berries are very important for my dream!" Franky once again charged up his Wind Laser, but its power seemed to have diminished somewhat!
Usopp tremblingly picked up his slingshot. This time, he would never retreat!
"Wind Laser!"
The attack enlarged in Usopp's eyes, and a dangerous aura spread through Usopp's heart!
Hundreds of miles away, despite the perilous scene, Luffy, who was ready to act at any moment, breathed a sigh of relief!
Usopp closed his eyes, 'Don't worry, Merry, I will definitely protect it!'
Suddenly, a warm current passed through Usopp's limbs and bones, "Crack!" The shackles that had bound Usopp... broke!
Usopp held the bow in his left hand and drew it to full tension with his right!
Slowly, black air currents wrapped around the projectile, and then, Usopp released his hand!
"Armament - Exploding Fire Star!"
The Exploding Fire Star easily tore through the Wind Laser, and the firelight grew larger in the eyes of Franky and his family.
Then, "Boom!" A miniature mushroom cloud rose!
Usopp, holding the briefcase, limped towards the going merry!
... In a shadowed area of Water 7's commercial district!
"What exactly do you want to do? CP9!" Robin's face was grim.
"We just want you to help us with one thing!" A masked man said, then took out a den den mushi, "Let my superior speak to you!"
"Buru buru!"
The den den mushi was answered, "Long time no see, Nico Robin! Let me introduce myself, I am Spandam, the direct superior of CP9! I want to do something that requires your help. Don't rush to refuse; to accomplish this, Admiral Aokiji gave me a golden den den mushi that can activate a Buster Call. I imagine you're not unfamiliar with it!" The person on the other end was very casual and annoying.
"What do you want?" Robin's calm was shattered, becoming somewhat hysterical!
"If you don't want your companions to be unable to leave Water 7, then behave yourself!" Spandam's tone was full of threats!
"Okay, I understand!" Robin sighed deeply, then asked: "What's the mission?"
"Hahahahaha, I knew you were a smart person, Robin!" Spandam laughed wildly, as if he could already see his future promotion, then commanded,
"You need to assassinate Iceberg tonight, obtain the pluton blueprint from him, and then... frame the Straw Hat!"
"Pluton!!" Robin's expression changed. She hadn't expected this matter to be related to an Ancient Weapon!
Soon, the call hung up, and the masked man said in a deep voice, "Hurry and prepare! Time is running out!"
But Robin showed no intention of moving, "I'm sorry, our agreement is void! I promised him I would never betray him! Not even falsely!"
Robin crossed her arms, "Twelve Bloom - Dazzle!"
Twelve hands grew from the masked man's body, controlling him in reverse!
"You think this can catch me!" The masked man finally reacted at this moment.
"No, I just want to leave!" On the wall, rows of hands appeared out of thin air. Robin leaped a few times and disappeared!
A few seconds later, the man broke free from his restraints, looking at the vanished Robin with anger!
He then made a call, and after a few minutes of explanation!
"The plan remains unchanged! Act tonight, first grab the blueprint, then capture her incidentally!" A cold voice came from the other end!
At this moment, Robin was rushing towards the going merry, 'Time is running out, I must quickly tell Luffy and the others!'
...Dock One,
After hearing Luffy's shipbuilding requirements, everyone fell silent!
After a while, Iceberg said in a deep voice, "Are you building a ship, or a world battleship?!"
Luffy pouted, wasn't he just asking for things like sky aircraft carriers from some sci-fi novels in his previous life?
"Alright then! Everything else can be reduced, but the Rayleigh drive I want cannot be omitted, and also flying!" Luffy said, taking a step back.
"We can try our best! But let me remind you, even if a giant ship that can fly is really built, the demand for electricity will be enormous!" Iceberg said in a low voice.
"Hmm!"
"Also, other materials are easy to find, but the adam tree needed for shipbuilding is very difficult to get. However, tonight at the Sabaody Archipelago auction house, there is a huge adam tree trunk!" Iceberg handed Luffy the auction invitation, "Let me remind you, this trunk is at least a billion Berries! Plus other things, this ship won't be completed without thirty billion Berries!"
"Understood, Sabaody, right? I'll go immediately!" Luffy said seriously.
"You can take the Sea Train! But you might not make it in time!" Iceberg suggested.
"Okay!" Luffy and Nami walked out of the dock gate.
"Are you really going to build a ship like that? Thirty billion Berries!" Nami was truly shocked.
"Hmm! The most expensive thing for a pirate crew must be their ship!"
"Alright!" Although her heart was bleeding, she still didn't stop him, "However, the remaining money must be given to me for safekeeping!" Nami revealed a sly smile!
"Okay, okay, I'll listen to you!" Luffy gently stroked Nami's orange hair. It was quite comfortable!
Nami, blushing, stood frozen in place!
Then Luffy took out a den den mushi and handed it to Nami, "There might be a lot of trouble after I leave, but I believe all of you can solve it! If you really can't solve it, call me!"
After speaking, Luffy transformed into a blue lightning bolt and departed!
Nami held the den den mushi, staring blankly at the departing Luffy!
"Oh, right, the quote for repairing the going merry is 5 million Berries. Have Usopp give the going merry a good upgrade!" Luffy's words echoed in Nami's mind!
PS: This time, it's not that the author deliberately abuses Usopp; it's just that Usopp has the most growth in Water 7! Moreover, as a sniper, Usopp has already been included in the combat power list! A strong Yonko Commander, this is the author's projected upper limit!
And to reach that point, he needs to put in a lot of effort. He is, after all, just an ordinary person. Without these efforts, Vice Admiral would be his peak!