Problems with Merry

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--xLOVEx--

Coby frowned. It shouldn't be possible. Ever since they got the Merry, he had been extremely careful, ensuring that not the slightest damage was done. "What kind of problems?" he asked, his voice calm but with a hint of concern.

Kaku nodded, acknowledging Coby's attention to detail. "The keel is mildly damaged," he explained. "But it's not due to your neglect. In fact, that ship is one of the best-cared-for vessels I've ever seen. It's clear you love your ship."

Luffy, always quick to defend his beloved Merry, looked at Kaku with confusion and concern. "So what's the problem, then?"

Kaku sighed, understanding the attachment they had to their ship. "The Going Merry wasn't designed or built for the challenges of the Grand Line, let alone the New World."

Luffy tilted his head, unfamiliar with the term. "New World?"

Coby quickly stepped in, explaining to Luffy. "The New World is the second half of the Grand Line, where things get a lot more dangerous."

Kaku continued, addressing the crew directly. "The keel is the spine of the ship. Once it's damaged, it's only a matter of time before the entire ship becomes unusable. No matter how well you take care of it, the keel can't be repaired or replaced without essentially rebuilding the entire ship."

Luffy's expression turned serious, the gravity of the situation beginning to sink in. "So… what are you saying?" he asked, looking at Kaku intently.

Kaku met Luffy's gaze, his voice steady. "I'm saying that it might be time to consider getting a new ship. The Going Merry has served you well, but she wasn't meant to last through the challenges you'll face ahead."

The crew fell silent, the weight of Kaku's words hanging in the air. They all had a deep attachment to the Merry; the ship had been with them through countless adventures. The thought of replacing her was hard to accept.

Luffy clenched his fists, clearly struggling with the idea. "But… we can't just get rid of her! The Merry is part of our crew!"

Coby was equally upset, but most of it was directed at himself. He had planned to suggest getting a new ship in a few days, even though the Merry was in top shape. He knew, just like Kaku, that the ship couldn't handle the challenges of the Grand Line, let alone the New World. But hearing Kaku say it out loud made him feel relieved, and for that, he hated himself.

The one who took it the hardest, though, was Usopp. He stepped forward, his voice trembling with anger and disbelief. "No. Merry is not weak. She carried us all the way here without a problem. You're lying just to get more of our money! You want to increase your sales!"

Coby, noticing Usopp's distress, put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. "Usopp, that's not what this is about. Kaku's telling us the truth."

But Usopp wasn't having it. He shrugged off Coby's hand, his eyes filled with desperation and frustration. "How can you say that, Coby? Merry's been with us since the beginning! She's part of our crew! We can't just abandon her like this!"

Luffy, who had been silent as the news sank in, clenched his fists. He wanted to defend Merry, to say she could keep going, but deep down, he knew they wouldn't have made it this far without her. The thought of leaving her behind was unbearable.

Kaku sighed, sensing the crew's reluctance. "I understand how you feel," he said, his tone more gentle. "But I've seen this happen before. A ship that's pushed beyond its limits will eventually break down, no matter how much you love it. You're going to need a vessel that can handle what's coming."

Usopp's anger flared again. "No! You're wrong! Merry isn't weak! She can still sail just fine!"

Coby stepped forward, trying to calm Usopp down. "Usopp, listen. It's not about whether Merry's weak or not. It's about what's ahead of us. We can't ignore the fact that the Grand Line is only going to get tougher. We need to be prepared."

Usopp locked eyes with Coby, his voice thick with emotion. "What are you trying to say? Merry is weak for the New World, so we leave her behind? I'm weak too. Will you leave me behind as well?"

Coby squinted, his patience wearing thin. "This isn't the time for your low self-esteem. This is a monumental moment for the future of the crew. Can't you see Luffy hates the idea too? But he knows to protect the crew, he has to make a tough decision that'll hurt him just as much as it'll hurt you."

Usopp's face twisted in anger, and before anyone could react, he swung at Coby, landing a solid punch that sent him flying. "Merry is the crew," Usopp declared, his voice trembling with rage and sorrow. He turned and walked away, still clutching the two briefcases full of money.

The crew stood in stunned silence as Usopp disappeared down the street. Coby, rubbing his jaw where Usopp's punch had connected, slowly got to his feet. Luffy's expression was hurt and determination, torn between his loyalty to his friends and the harsh reality they were facing.

Kaku sighed and turned back to Iceburg, who had been watching the scene unfold with a calm, unreadable expression. "It's not an easy thing to hear," Kaku said quietly. "But they needed to know."

Iceburg nodded. "The sea's unforgiving. They'll figure out what they need to do."

Luffy took a deep breath, his fists still clenched. "We'll talk to him later," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "Let's finish up here first."

Nami nodded in agreement. "We have a lot of money here, and we need to use it wisely. We'll make sure to get what we need for now."

Coby walked over to Luffy, rubbing his jaw. "Let's hear their offers, then we can talk with the rest of the crew. This isn't a decision we need to make today."

Luffy nodded, still visibly shaken, but he knew Coby was right. Together with Nami, they followed Iceburg, Kalifa, and Kaku into the Galley-La's Dock #1. As they walked through the large courtyard, they passed shipwrights hard at work, hammering away at ships in various stages of construction.

Iceburg gestured to the workers as they passed by. "As you can see, Galley-La Company isn't just about building ships. We maintain, repair, and upgrade vessels of all kinds. Our shipwrights are among the best in the world, and we take pride in our work."

Kaku added, "We deal with all sorts of ships here. From small fishing boats to massive galleons. Whatever you need, we can handle it."

Nami listened intently, taking in the details of their operation. "Sounds like you've got everything covered."

Iceburg smirked, clearly amused by her directness. "We're in the business of helping people get where they need to go. And if we can make some money along the way, all the better."

As they continued deeper into the building, they reached a large workshop where more shipwrights were working on intricate ship designs. The smell of wood shavings and varnish filled the air.

Just then, two men entered the workshop. One was a tall, muscular man with a orange-tented glasses on his head and a cigar in his mouth. The other was a man in a white tank top with a fedora, carrying a pigeon on his shoulder. The pigeon had a small tie around its neck and was surprisingly vocal.

"Oi, Paulie! Lucci! Where are you coming from?" Kaku called out as the two approached.

Paulie, the man with the glasses, glanced over at Kaku, then back at Iceburg. "We were just finishing up some work. Who are these guys?" He eyed the Straw Hats with mild curiosity.

"This is the Straw Hat crew," Iceburg explained. "They've come to us with a few requests."

The pigeon on Lucci's shoulder suddenly spoke up, causing Nami and Luffy to blink in surprise. "Well, well, pirates, huh? That's interesting," the pigeon cooed, its voice eerily calm.

Luffy was so amazed, as he turned to Nami and Coby holding their shoulders, "Guys! Pigeon, spoke!" Coby chuckled, while Nami was equally surprised, but stopped Luffy who was repeatedly tapping her shoulder, "I know! I was here too!"

Paulie crossed his arms, looking Kaku up and down. "Hold on a second. Kaku, weren't you with Franky's gang a little while ago? I could've sworn I saw your nose in the middle of a fight near the gate."

Kaku blinked in surprise. "What? I've been here all day, Paulie. You must be mistaken."

But Paulie frowned, scratching his head. "I could've sworn it was you… That's weird."

Nami and Luffy exchanged quick glances, both starting to piece things together. "Wait a minute…" Nami muttered, her brow furrowing in thought.

Only then did Luffy and Nami realize Usopp was in trouble. Coby already knew, of course. He had let Usopp walk away with 200 million berries for that reason. Without a word, Nami and Luffy dashed off, leaving the others behind.

Coby turned to Iceburg and the others, giving them a quick nod. "Thank you. We'll get in touch after we make a decision."

Iceburg and the shipwrights waved him off as he followed after Nami and Luffy, keeping his pace slower to avoid hinting his ability to Lucci, Kaku and Kalifa.

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