The Great Voyage: The Props Master on the Straw Hat Ship

"Thank goodness, you're all alright!"

Seeing that his companions were all safe and sound, Luffy breathed a sigh of relief.

"Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Usopp, Chopper, Niu, Robin, Franky, Brook..."

After counting the number of people, Luffy paused, then his eyes widened instantly.

One person is missing!!!

"Link, where did he go?!"

He roared there in a frantic manner.

Then he noticed that all his companions were looking at him with surprise.

"What kind of expressions are those?!"

"That's really strange~~~"

Sanji, stroking his chin, said, "It's rare to see Luffy accurately identify someone like that!"

"Yeah, in the past they would always leave someone out, then pat their arms contentedly and say, 'Everyone's here, brothers, let's set sail!!'"

Usopp was also there, seriously making sarcastic remarks.

"This kind of behavior is really not like Luffy!!"

Franky squinted, sizing up his silly captain.

"Perhaps the awakening of that form before also increased Luffy's intelligence?!"

Chopper asked, somewhat uncertainly.

But when he saw Luffy picking his nose and looking at them with a casual expression...

"..."

Well, ultimately he was just too young.

Chopper was speechless; Luffy was still the same Luffy from age 25, without the slightest change.

"If it were someone else, I might really have forgotten..."

Luffy chuckled, flicked the stuff out of his nostrils, and grinned.

"But I will never forget what Link said!!"

He rubbed his nose. "Without him, my voyage absolutely cannot continue!!"

Luffy declared emphatically.

Then, he paused, and immediately added:

"Of course, without any of you, my voyage would not be able to continue!!"

Yes, this is what Luffy truly thinks, and even others understand what Luffy means.

But after Link finished speaking, he suddenly said something that made everyone else wave their hands.

"嘁~~"

Everyone started to jeer.

"Hahaha."

Sabo and Ace, the two older brothers, were also laughing at Luffy, the captain who had no authority and was being mocked by his own crew.

"Alright, where is Link?!"

Luffy scratched his head, seemingly unconcerned, and continued to press for answers.

When this issue was brought up repeatedly, the expressions on everyone's faces became somewhat subtle.

Zoro and Franky, on the other hand, didn't seem to care; they were indifferent to the matter.

Brook's face was filled with longing and envy, while Sanji gritted his teeth in hatred, displaying a kind of impotent rage of sour envy and jealousy.

Nami's expression was slightly unpleasant, while Robin still wore a smile.

However, there always seemed to be something subtly off about that smile.

Usopp had a strong urge to gossip, but the thought of Luffy being emotionally clueless and completely impervious to reason immediately extinguished that idea.

Meanwhile, Chopper and Ayumu on his side were completely baffled, or rather, they were completely oblivious to the atmosphere.

"Link has gone to another warship."

Chopper answered honestly.

"He said that the Pirate Empress, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, helped us get these fifty naval warships, so he went to say hello to her and discuss the next steps."

Chopper himself didn't think there was any problem with it at all.

After all, the other party had done such a big favor, helping them successfully escape from the dangerous Marine Headquarters and providing them with such a way out.

Then it wouldn't be excessive to say hello or even properly thank the other party.

Moreover, they really need to make a good plan about what to do next.

After all, the navy certainly wouldn't let this go so easily.

It is also necessary to study where they go next.

That's what Chopper thought, and he felt it was perfectly reasonable.

but……

"Why does the atmosphere in the arena feel a bit off?!"

He was very perceptive and noticed the oppressive atmosphere emanating from the room, which made him feel a little uneasy. He couldn't help but shrink back.

A cute little deer face was filled with surprise and uncertainty.

"Really? Are you off to get down to business?!"

Luffy suddenly realized and tapped his palm with his fist.

The things Chopper mentioned were automatically categorized as important matters by this guy.

"If Link takes charge, everything will be fine!!"

Luffy said casually, expressing that he had even stronger faith in Link than in himself.

"Sanji, I'm hungry, I want to eat...Sanji?!"

Just as Luffy was rubbing his stomach, intending to have his cook prepare some hearty food, especially meat and bones, to fill his rumbling hunger...

But they found that Sanji was still gritting his teeth, and his anger was only getting more intense.

"What's wrong with him/her?"

Luffy asked Zoro, who was standing next to him.

"Were you injured on the battlefield? That's why you look so sad!"

"Who knows? Maybe he was beaten to the ground and realized his own weakness."

Zoro routinely uses his words to provoke Sanji.

"Shut up, you stupid green algae!!"

Sanji retorted without holding back.

He flashed a sharp-toothed grin, rolling his eyes, "I'm just envious... no, I'm worried that Link will let beauty distract him from his duties... that world's most beautiful face!!!"

No, that's clearly envy, isn't it?!

When the others saw Sanji's appearance, the same thought popped into their minds.

And it wasn't just jealousy anymore; there was also a lot of resentment mixed in.

"Yohohohoho!!"

Brooke also strummed the electronic keyboard in her hand, smiling with a hint of longing as she said:

"I really want to see what the world's most beautiful woman looks like~~~"

"While you're at it, talk to them again and see what styles and colors they like to wear if they're plus-size..."

Whoosh!

Before Brooke could finish speaking, a foot struck him squarely on the forehead, sending his entire skeleton flying.

Boom! !

It slammed solidly into the hull of the warship, producing a series of dull thuds.

"Yoho, yohoho... My bones are going to break..."

Brooke's body slowly slid off the edge of the boat and landed on the ground, where it twitched and spasmed.

"Humph!"

Seeing this, Nami snorted and withdrew her foot.

Swish!

Usopp, Chopper, and Ayumi all shrank back.

Yes, Nami's kick just now was quite powerful.

It was partly a way to vent anger and express personal emotions, a way to settle scores under the guise of public office...

Luffy, on the other hand, didn't seem to have much of an opinion about any of this, and even took it for granted at one point.

He, being rather oblivious, paid no attention to any of this and simply watched his fellow crew members interact.

It's wonderful to have family, brothers, and inseparable partners all around you, without any sense of loss or death!

Meanwhile, on another warship not far from this one...

Link, whom Luffy and the others were so eager to see, was not, as they had expected, conversing with Boa Hancock, the "Pirate Empress."

Instead, she stood in front of a man.

"After this war, I think you have a more comprehensive view now, right?"

Link smiled and said to Shiliu, who was constantly wiping his cigar in front of him.

"Ah~"

The latter replied without even looking up, "You guys are a very interesting group."

"It really does clash with our atmosphere, doesn't it?"

Seeing that Shiryu was about to finish his cigar, Link conjured another one out of thin air and flicked it at him.

"So your thoughts are still the same as before?"

"Of course!!"

Shiryu then raised his head and said without any politeness.

He took the cigar and lit it for himself with practiced ease.

"Throughout this war, I've clearly seen the immense potential possessed by the Straw Hat Pirates..."

Shiryu exhaled a puff of white mist, a smile appearing on his lips.

"Although there are some awkward aspects, I still feel that I made an absolutely correct decision!!"

Regardless of Zoro's extremely high swordsmanship, which allows him to go toe-to-toe with Mihawk.

It's still Sanji's incredible physical prowess that allowed him to defeat three vice admirals in a row!

And Usopp's almost superhuman sniping skills and his talent for Observation Haki, Nami's masterful control over the weather, Brook's Yomi no Uchiha (Sword of the Underworld), Chopper's multiple transformations, Robin's Kaleidoscope, and Franky's mechanical laser beam...

All of this made Shiryu realize the astonishing strength this pirate crew possessed, and beyond that strength...boundless potential!

How old are these people?!

Especially Zoro, he's not even twenty years old yet!

His mastery of swordsmanship was something even he felt a little wary of.

The crew members are so young, yet they possess such strength, and even more importantly, their captain.

To be honest, Luffy didn't fight that many times in this war, but every battle he fought left a very deep impression.