Chapter 69

Chapter 69 - What Happens When Tom Jumps Down from a Height

Adrian declined T-Bone's offer to have someone escort them out and decided to leave on their own ship.

Adrian and Rui Mengmeng were in charge of controlling the sails, while Artoria steered the ship.

Once the sails were properly raised and secured, there wasn't much for them to worry about. The rest was up to the helmsman. Artoria's steering skills were akin to riding, allowing her to handle any vehicle as skillfully as a horse.

Adrian suspected that as long as the weather was right, Artoria could probably sail the ship on the sea like drifting in a car.

As for Tom, he had already climbed up to the crow's nest, using the awning to observe the surroundings. It seemed like he had taken a liking to this position.

The dock for 59GR wasn't far away at all. They arrived shortly, thanks in part to Adrian's playful decision to let Artoria take them on a spin around the sea.

They didn't venture too far, as leaving the climate range of the Sabaody Archipelago would damage the Bubble Car.

The layout of 59GR's dock was somewhat similar to that of the Marine's harbor. It had a designated passage for ships to enter and exit. Inside was a well-organized circular bay, whether it was naturally formed or sculpted from the trunk of a Yarukiman Mangrove tree was unclear.

The dock had ten evenly spaced berths, some hosting ships under construction, some under repair, and there was even one berth specifically for dismantling ships.

Adrian had often jogged past the dock before, but he hadn't dared to enter and explore. He was afraid of disrupting Goodman's work. This was his first time stepping into the interior of the dock.

"Dock here, dock here!" As soon as they entered the dock, someone on the shore shouted commands.

Following the person's instructions, Artoria steered the ship and brought it to the shore, while Adrian and Rui Mengmeng dropped anchor and furled the sails.

Tom contemplated jumping down from the crow's nest, but his right foot tripped on the edge of the crow's nest, causing him to awkwardly descend headfirst.

"Tom." Adrian calmly extended his arms to catch him. His aim was accurate; with his current vision, he wouldn't miss.

Tom also seemed to think so. He regained his composure instantly, flipped in mid-air, propped one arm behind his head, and lifted one leg elegantly, preparing to land comfortably in his owner's embrace.

He even found time to light a cigarette, blowing out a round smoke ring.

As expected, Adrian's hands perfectly caught Tom's head and feet, but the middle part of his body... landed on the ground.

"Teacher Tom!" Rui Mengmeng exclaimed in shock.

"Tom!" Artoria hadn't seen anything like this before.

Even though Adrian had mentally prepared himself, he was still stunned. He had seen Tom squashed, stretched, and inflated like a balloon, but this was the first time he had seen him split into three pieces.

Tom looked up, observing the three humans' expressions and then turned to examine his own state in confusion.

(Please inhale before reading the following two words) "Huh-oh~~"

Tom inhaled sharply, and his head and feet detached from Adrian's hands, quickly arranging himself, taping his body together at the seams.

Rui Mengmeng couldn't believe her eyes, "Is... is that it?"

Tom nodded confidently. He didn't feel any pain anymore, so he should be fine, right?

Artoria approached cautiously, not entirely convinced. She inspected Tom, running her hands up and down his body, but couldn't find anything unusual. His aura felt just like usual, as if nothing had happened.

Adrian fetched a water bottle from the Bubble Car, the one he carried when he went out. He handed it to Tom, saying, "Take a sip and see?"

Tom obediently took a sip of water. Soon after, several thin streams of water trickled out from the seams of the tape, falling onto the deck.

"Is this even scientifically possible?" Rui Mengmeng's worldview shattered once again.

Artoria was growing accustomed to these situations. Adrian had mentioned that Tom had a sort of undying ability, and it seemed like he wasn't joking. However, this undying ability didn't quite match the images she had in mind.

Tom looked in astonishment at the water trickling from his body. Did he spring a leak?

Adrian patted Tom's head gently, "Stay calm. In a little while, once you stop leaking, you'll be fine."

"Hey, isn't that the owner of the tavern, Adrian?" The shipworker who had been commanding on the shore seemed to have been to the tavern before. He recognized Adrian at a glance.

However, he probably didn't witness Tom breaking apart and then piecing himself back together. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so composed.

Adrian waved from the ship, "Yes, it's me. Is Goodman around?"

"Of course, wait a moment." The shipworker turned around and yelled, "Goodman! Someone's looking for you!"

His voice was booming, reminding Adrian of his high school days, when he would shout like this to find someone from another class.

"I'm here!" Goodman's voice wasn't any softer.

"Thanks. If you're free, I'll treat you to a drink at the tavern. I owe you one for helping me out today," Adrian expressed his gratitude sincerely. It seemed he was willing to treat people to drinks today, probably due to his substantial earnings.

"That sounds great." The shipworker didn't say much more and went back to his own business.

Once Adrian and the others disembarked and reached the shore, Goodman approached, saying, "Adrian, it's been a while!"

"Yeah, why haven't you come to the tavern? Is Molly being too strict with you?" Adrian teased.

"It'll be a hundred years before she can boss me around!" Goodman spoke assertively, "She's been nagging about how you never come by our place."

"Haha, there's always various things keeping me busy. I'll drop by in the next couple of days. By the way, how's Bayer doing? Didn't you say you were going to take him on as an apprentice?"

"Today's his day off. Kids can't be too restrained." Having exchanged only a few words, Goodman's enthusiasm for boasting about his youthful exploits had waned a bit. "So, what brings you to the dock today? And what's the deal with this ship?"

Adrian recounted the events, emphasizing that there were 34 pirates in total. He wanted to make sure the number was clear, so it wouldn't get exaggerated to 3400 pirates.

At this point, Adrian thought it might be a good idea to spread some reputation. It would help deter some lowlifes from overestimating themselves and trying to mess with his cat.

Being discreet was fine; it allowed him to be a hidden force. However, being too discreet might lead to mistaken judgments and annoying situations.

"In any case, this ship isn't of much use to me. I might as well sell it. Just give me a fair price, Goodman. I'm not really in need of money right now."

Goodman swallowed a gulp of saliva. 34 pirates, with one of them having a bounty of over ten million berries. Frankly, with the lineup they had at the dock, they would probably be able to handle the situation. The shipworkers weren't to be underestimated in combat.

But this was Adrian and his small group of three humans and a cat. They claimed they could deal with this group?

"It seems you've acquired quite the extraordinary companions," Goodman exclaimed.

Adrian nodded, naturally they were extraordinary. After all, he was the weakest one at the tavern.