Carl's heart sank suddenly.
Those guys, do they really think the Straw Hats are pushovers?
The two Four Emperors' crews were likely making moves. The Shichibukai involved was probably Donquixote Doflamingo. As for the CP organization, was it CP9?
Did CP9 even have the strength to deal with the Straw Hats?
Carl frowned. Considering Rob Lucci's arrogance and Spandam's stupidity, CP9 might actually believe they could. But it just so happened that Spandam's bastard father, Spandain, was the one who murdered Robin's mother – a chance for Robin to get revenge.
"There's also the Eight Treasures Navy."
Their leader, Chinjao, must have come here to kill Luffy.
Chinjao was cunning.
If he couldn't defeat Garp, he'd aim for Garp's grandson.
But didn't Chinjao know that Luffy had defeated Katakuri? Or did Chinjao think he could defeat Katakuri, so he wasn't taking Luffy seriously?
As for Chinjao, Carl wasn't worried about any immediate crisis.
However, Carl was a little skeptical about the old guy's IQ. Wasn't he a fool after getting punched by Garp?
"Where's the Marines? No movement?" Carl asked again.
"The Marines haven't made any plans for Water Seven for the time being and seem busy with other matters. Even Akainu, who's been guarding the New World, has been recalled, as if something big is about to happen." Dragon's tone was worried.
This time, Carl's heart skipped a beat.
A possibility flashed through his mind!
Carl immediately said, "Uncle Dragon, please help investigate the movements of two individuals. One is Blackbeard Teach, and the other is Portgas D. Ace. If you find that the Marines are in contact with Blackbeard, please let me know immediately!"
"Okay! I'll arrange someone!"
Dragon must have sensed the anxiety in Carl's voice, but he didn't press for details, responding decisively.
Carl had actually hoped this wouldn't happen so soon, because the Straw Hats had stayed on the Boin Archipelago for a long time, and the timeline was a bit off. Even though CP9 hadn't made a move yet, it didn't mean Blackbeard hadn't captured Ace.
After Aokiji's invitation for Luffy to join the Shichibukai was rejected, the Marines might now be facilitating Blackbeard's entry into the Shichibukai!
So, Ace should have already been captured and was about to be handed over to the Marines.
The Summit War was about to erupt!
Inexplicably, Carl felt a sense of urgency.
Although the Straw Hat crew members had grown significantly stronger, they were still far behind when it came to facing the Marines. If they truly participated in the Summit War, there was no telling what might happen. If things went wrong, some of his companions might die!
After hanging up the Den Den Mushi, Carl thought carefully on the spot.
He might have overreacted earlier, but now that he calmed down and thought about it carefully, he didn't think the problem was that big.
The outcome of the Summit War rested on the shoulders of the top-tier fighters. Once the Straw Hats joined the battle, with two more Admiral-level fighters – himself and Luffy – the result would be very different, and he believed Whitebeard would have a much easier time.
Moreover, Zoro, Sanji, and Luffy weren't weaklings, so it shouldn't be a major issue.
As for the other crew members, the worst-case scenario was to have them guard the ship. Generally, those who attacked ships weren't experts, so they should be able to ensure their safety.
Carl analyzed a series of issues.
Although there might be many potential flaws, Carl felt that ensuring everyone's safety wasn't an impossible task. Of course, if there were more unforeseen changes in the Summit War, it would be hard to say.
While Carl was hidden away on the Den Den Mushi, the Straw Hats finished their morning workouts and went back to their own activities.
Koshiro continued to teach Tashigi swordsmanship, with Zoro still sitting beside him. The others formed their own groups and prepared to head into the city. They hadn't had much fun yesterday, but now that they were rich, they naturally wanted to enjoy themselves.
At this time, Kaku, with his distinctive cuboid nose, landed on the ship.
Zoro glanced over. "Oh, Usopp... Huh? No! Who are you?!"
The first thing he saw was the nose, so he initially thought it was Usopp, but he quickly realized something was wrong. This newcomer simply had the same long nose as Usopp.
Luffy was taken aback. "Huh? Usopp has two of them!"
Usopp smacked Luffy on the head with a hand chop. "How is that possible! That person isn't me!"
Even so, Usopp couldn't help but stare at Kaku, and the others were also curious. In contrast, Zoro and Law looked vigilant; after all, a stranger boarding their ship "might be hostile."
Kaku said, "This old man is the shipwright from Dock One of the Galley-La Company. Carl, the Great Lightning Swordsman, just arrived at the dock to place an order. He mentioned that the Straw Hats' ship was damaged. The foreman asked me to come and repair it."
Luffy grinned when he heard this. "So, Mr. Carl came to repair the Merry! Thank you!"
Zoro had a dark line on his forehead. "At his age, he calls himself an old man..."
Usopp also flashed a hearty smile. "Thank you so much for coming! To be honest, we've never had a professional shipwright, and I'm the one who usually does the repairs, and they're always a mess. I'll leave the Going Merry to you, Long-Nosed Shipwright!"
"...You yourself have a long nose!"
Everyone couldn't help but complain immediately.
Kaku didn't mind. "Then, let this old man take a look first."
After speaking, he began to inspect the ship. Although the crew didn't fully understand what he was doing, they could tell Kaku was very professional. His inspection was thorough, and he checked even the areas they usually overlooked.
Because it concerned the Going Merry, everyone stayed on the ship and didn't go into the city for the time being.
"It's checked."
Kaku put away his tools and said, "The damage to this ship is very serious.
From my perspective, the wood is likely rotten.
It might be able to sail in the Four Seas, but the winds and waves on the Grand Line are terrifying.
Ordinary wood can't withstand them at all."
This ship is well-maintained; otherwise, it would have been destroyed long ago!
Everyone was immediately shocked.
Unexpectedly, the Going Merry, which looked fine, was actually in such bad shape.
Usopp hurriedly said, "Please make sure to fix the Merry. It doesn't matter how much it costs; money is no problem!"
Even Nami, who was usually stingy, quickly added, "Yes, yes, money is no problem. We absolutely must repair the Merry!"
The others also nodded, looking eagerly at Kaku.
Kaku told them the truth. "It can definitely be repaired, and it won't cost much.
But what I'm about to say is just my suggestion; feel free to consider it.
The life of a ship is its keel, and the keel of this ship is actually made of ordinary material.
If it's repaired this time, the keel might be the next thing to break, and by then, this ship's life will come to an end."
"Can't the keel be replaced with better material as well?" Usopp asked.
"Replacing the keel isn't repairing the ship; it's rebuilding it. I've already said that the keel is the life of the ship!" Kaku replied seriously.
"However, the Merry and our memories..."
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