Standing before the shattered door, Luffy retracted his fist, grinning excitedly.
The sea breeze blew in their faces, filling the sails of the going merry.
"Woooooosh—!"
As the sails billowed, the going merry abruptly accelerated.
Cutting through the towering waves, it transformed into a silvery blur, speeding towards the sea shrouded in night!
...Vice Admiral Jonathan stood at the highest point of the Marine fortress, quietly watching the going merry sail away.
The corners of his mouth curved slightly upwards, a helpless yet meaningful smile gracing his face.
"Haha... so you still managed to escape..."
His gaze was profound, piercing through the night towards the distant horizon, his thoughts churning.
These brats... their strength far exceeded his imagination!
Especially Straw Hat Luffy, the Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki he displayed in that instant.
Coupled with the power of that punch just now... it was simply terrifying!
Jonathan couldn't help but recall the conjecture that had just formed in his mind... "What kind of game are the higher-ups at Marine Headquarters playing?"
"Why would they let Vice Admiral Garp's grandson become a pirate?"
"Straw Hat Luffy's growth rate is simply too astonishing, isn't it?"
"And the first mate of the Straw Hat Pirates, although he didn't make many moves."
"But with a bounty as high as Straw Hat Luffy's, he's also a young man not to be underestimated!"
He pondered for a moment, let out a soft sigh, and then a playful smile appeared on his face.
"Heh heh... Straw Hat, Monkey D. Luffy, Lin Ning, Zoro..."
"From this moment on, no matter how the higher-ups at Marine Headquarters plan their moves..."
"The Straw Hat Pirates have completely become a 'thorn in the side' of the entire Marine."
Jonathan gazed at the sea, his eyes deep, and slowly whispered—
"What lies before you is not a smooth path."
"Your future..."
"Will be targeted by more and more 'monsters'..."
The night wind howled, and the waves surged.
Among countless stunned Marine Soldiers, Jonathan stood on high ground.
Gazing at the distant starry sky, he gently shook his head, smiling and sighing—
"These guys... Heh heh, what incredible brats..."
The night was deep, the sea breeze gentle, and countless stars sprinkled across the boundless ocean.
The going merry finally broke free from the Marine fortress, which felt like a cage, and returned to the unrestrained open sea.
However—
Although the ship had finally escaped danger, the going merry was now in a state that was both amusing and exasperating—
The entire ship's cabin was completely filled with glittering gold, leaving almost no space whatsoever!
Whether it was the rooms, the deck, or even certain corners,
They were all crammed full of gleaming treasure, making it necessary to move cautiously even when walking.
In fact, even the going merry's waterline was already approaching its limit.
Forget about adding more gold; even one more person would cause the entire ship to sink completely into the sea!
And so—
Everyone had to gather in the kitchen, where there wasn't much gold, and sit around the table.
They enthusiastically discussed their grand plans for "wealth."
"Hahahahaha!!"
Golden light shimmered freely in the kitchen, and Nami's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Holding a fist-sized pure gold nugget, she turned it over and over in the candlelight, exclaiming with a satisfied look:
"The pirate's rule—of course, it's to divide the treasure equally!!"
As soon as she said this, the kitchen instantly erupted!
"Really?! We're dividing it equally?!"
Usopp looked surprised, his eyes seeming to ignite with countless Berries symbols.
He rubbed his hands excitedly and said:
"In that case, can I add a few more cannons to the going merry?!"
"Hahahaha!"
Nami nodded proudly, waving her hand grandly, her face full of generosity:
"Of course! We've returned with a full haul, so we definitely need to share it properly!"
In the kitchen, everyone began to fantasize about the "financial freedom" they were about to experience—
"Woo-hoo-hoo-hoo!!" Finally, it's here!!"
Luffy excitedly raised his hands, cheering loudly, his eyes full of anticipation:
"I've already decided!! I'm going to buy a super-giant bronze statue!!"
"A bronze statue??"
Everyone paused, then looked at Luffy in unison, their expressions confused.
Lin Ning couldn't help but ask, "Why would you buy a bronze statue?"
Luffy waved his hands excitedly:
"Of course—to make a giant statue and put it in the sea, so everyone will know 'I'm the man who will become the Pirate King!!'"
Everyone: "..."
Zoro curled his lip in disdain, picked up a bottle, and took a big swig, "Tch, what a waste of money."
"Hahahahaha!"
Chopper clapped his hands excitedly, his eyes full of longing:
"I want to buy so many, many medical books! The latest medical research, the most Advanced surgical techniques—I want to learn them all!!"
Sanji, meanwhile, seriously took out an abacus and skillfully moved the beads.
He began to precisely calculate the going merry's "Kitchen Investment Plan."
"New pots, Advanced woks, imported kitchen knives, top-grade wine glasses... Hmm, and giant mousetraps..."
Everyone: "???"
Usopp looked at Sanji in horror and couldn't help but ask:
"Hey, hey, hey! I understand everything before that, but what are the mousetraps for?!"
Sanji exhaled a smoke ring with a serious expression, and said in a deep voice:
"Of course, they're for catching those mice that steal food in the kitchen!"
As he spoke, he subtly glanced at Luffy... Luffy: "?????"
"Hey, hey, hey! What do you mean by that?!"
Luffy pouted and protested discontentedly.
"Hahahahaha!!"
The cabin immediately erupted in laughter.
Zoro, meanwhile, wore a satisfied smile, "This is great, the gold we get will definitely be enough for a good drink!"
Lin Ning leaned casually on a chair, looking at his excited companions, and smiled faintly:
"Even if we buy everything everyone wants... all this gold, we probably still won't be able to spend it all."
At this, Nami's eyes immediately lit up again.
She hugged the gold nugget in her arms tightly, a money-grubbing smile unique to her appearing on her face.
"Hahahahaha!!"
"This is the pirate life!!"
Inside the glittering kitchen, everyone was fiercely discussing the distribution of the gold, the atmosphere lively.
However, Nami suddenly spoke, announcing with a teasing tone:
"First, eighty percent of the gold is my personal savings."
"What?!!"
This statement instantly ignited everyone's nerves.
Usopp, Sanji, Zoro, Chopper, and even Lin Ning all cried out in surprise.
"Nami!! You greedy woman!!"