One Piece: The Template System-Chapter 132: Water 7 - 18

The collective gasp from the crowd at Dock 1 was enough to suck the air out of the harbor. The Thousand Sunny stood before them, a towering marvel of engineering and magic that completely redefined the concept of a pirate ship.

It was vast, carrying the sheer, intimidating presence of the legendary Oro Jackson, yet it possessed a vibrant, inviting warmth that perfectly encapsulated the spirit of the Straw Hat Syndicate.

"Well," Ben said, adjusting his glasses and looking at his dumbstruck crew. "Don’t just stand there on the dock. Let’s take the tour."

Luffy didn’t need to be told twice. With a joyous, ear-shattering whoop, he stretched his rubber arms, grabbed the railing of the main deck, and slingshotted himself aboard, his vibrant new red jacket fluttering in the wind.

Ace laughed, bursting into flames and rocketing up after his younger brother. The rest of the crew hurried up the gangplank, their eyes wide with unrestrained awe.

Iceburg, Kokoro, and Paulie stood at the base of the ship, shaking their heads in sheer disbelief at the architectural impossibility resting in their dry dock.

As soon as Ben stepped onto the deck, he clapped his hands together.

"Alright, everyone, gather around," Ben called out, his voice easily carrying over the excited chatter of the crew. "What you see before you is the culmination of Galley-La’s master craftsmanship, the Franky Family’s raw materials, and my... unique additions. Let me walk you through our new home."

Ben walked over to the ship’s railing. He patted the thick, polished golden-brown wood.

"The entire skeletal structure and hull of this ship are carved from the Treasure Tree Adam," Ben explained. "It is the strongest, most resilient wood in the world. However, recognizing the threats we will face in the New World, I decided to reinforce it."

Ben tapped his finger against the wood, sending a tiny pulse of mana into it. Suddenly, microscopic, intricate threads woven seamlessly into the grain of the wood began to glow with a faint, mesmerizing violet light.

"I used alchemy to weave pure Vibranium threads at a molecular level throughout the entire hull," Ben continued, watching the crew’s jaws drop. "Coupled with shock-absorbing enchantments and kinetic-reflection runes, the hull of the Thousand Sunny is virtually indestructible. Cannonballs will bounce off. Sea Kings will break their teeth. Even a direct hit from an Admiral’s barrage will have its kinetic energy absorbed and dispersed harmlessly across the Vibranium web."

"So... it’s a tank?" Usopp asked, his eyes practically turning into stars. "A giant, floating, indestructible tank?!"

"It is a fortress," Ben corrected with a smirk. "Follow me below deck."

Ben led the crew down a wide, elegantly carved staircase. Unlike the cramped, narrow halls of a standard pirate galleon, the interior corridors of the Sunny were astonishingly wide and heavily vaulted, owing to the spatial expansion runes Ben had meticulously carved into the doorframes.

They arrived at the lowest level of the ship, a room sealed by a massive, blast-proof Tungsten door. Ben placed his hand on a biometric scanner. The door hissed open, revealing a room bathed in a cool, pulsing blue light.

In the center of the room, encased in reinforced, transparent aluminum, was a massive, glowing Arc Reactor. It thrummed with a quiet, infinite power, spinning rapidly and casting a brilliant azure glow over their faces.

"The heart of the ship," Ben announced. "A localized, self-sustaining Arc Reactor. It runs on clean, infinite energy. It powers the ship’s internal lighting, the climate control, the automated defense turrets, the kitchen appliances, and, most importantly, the Gaon Cannon in the figurehead. We will never need wind if we don’t want it; the paddle wheels and thrusters can run indefinitely on this core."

"It’s beautiful..." Chopper whispered, mesmerized by the glowing blue ring.

"And that’s just the basement," Ben chuckled. He led them back up a level. "Now, for the utility deck."

He opened a set of double doors to the left, revealing a room that caused Chopper to immediately burst into tears of pure joy.

It was a Medical Bay that rivaled the top research hospitals of the modern world. The walls were lined with pristine, stainless-steel surgical tables. There were automated sterilization fields, an actual MRI and X-ray machine powered by the Arc Reactor, massive temperature-controlled pharmaceutical refrigerators, and a vast wall of glass cabinets fully stocked with every rare herb, antivenom, and medical supply Ben could conjure.

"It... it has everything," Chopper sobbed, running inside and hugging a high-tech centrifuge. "It’s so clean! It’s so perfect! I can cure anything in here!"

"You’re the Doctor, Chopper," Ben smiled softly. "You deserve a facility that matches your genius."

"I’M NOT HAPPY YOU’RE PRAISING ME, YOU BASTARD!" Chopper yelled, doing his signature happy noodle-dance across the sterile floor in his fresh new suit.

"Across the hall," Ben pointed to the opposite set of doors, "is the Mega Workshop."

Usopp kicked the doors open. His jaw unhinged, comically hitting the floor.

The workshop was a tinkerer’s paradise. It was massive, expanded by space magic to resemble an industrial hangar. It housed heavy-duty welding stations, a massive forge, precision laser-cutters, rows of high-end tools, and crates overflowing with raw materials—including scraps of Uru metal, Tungsten, and spare Arc Reactor parts.

"Usopp," Ben said, leaning against the doorframe. "You are our primary sniper and secondary engineer. With this room, you can upgrade or build your own specialty ammunition, and invent anything your mind can conceptualize."

Usopp fell to his knees, weeping openly. "I... I am unworthy... It’s too glorious. I’m going to build a robot. No, a laser-shooting robot that fires smaller, exploding robots!"

"Pace yourself," Ben laughed, ushering them back to the main staircase. "Let’s move to the residential and training wings."

They ascended to the mid-deck. Ben pushed open a set of ornate, dark mahogany double doors.

Robin gasped. It was a rare, genuine expression of pure shock from the normally composed archaeologist.

The Grand Library. It was a multi-tiered room that looked like it had been ripped straight out of a Victorian mansion. Spiral staircases connected three levels of massive, towering bookshelves. The scent of old paper, leather bindings, and polished wood filled the air. Soft, warm reading lamps hovered magically over plush leather armchairs and velvet sofas.

"I... I don’t understand," Robin whispered, walking forward as if in a trance. She reached out, her trembling fingers brushing the spine of a massive tome.

"I used my magic to recreate the entirety of the Alabasta Royal Library and the Drum Kingdom’s medical archives," Ben explained softly. "But that’s not all. I also used my Creation quirk to transcribe the technical manuals of advanced sciences and the historical texts from Ohara that you managed to preserve in your memory. Every book here is real. Every piece of knowledge is yours."

Robin didn’t say a word. She just sank into one of the plush armchairs, pulled a book titled Advanced Quantum Mechanics and the Application of Magical Runes off the shelf, and buried her face in it, a serene, unimaginably happy smile spreading across her face.

"We might not see her for a month," Vivi giggled, patting Robin’s shoulder.

As the crew filed out of the library, Zoro, thoroughly distracted by a particularly interesting potted plant in the hallway, turned his head for exactly one second. He confidently took a step to the right and walked through an entirely different door.

"Next, for our Navigator," Ben gestured across the hall, completely missing Zoro’s departure, and slid open a sleek glass door.

Nami stepped inside and gasped.

It wasn’t a standard charting room filled with rolled parchment and simple compasses. In the center of the dark room sat a massive, circular table projecting a glowing, three-dimensional holographic topographical map of the Grand Line.

"The Holographic Cartography Room," Ben explained, watching the blue light reflect in Nami’s eyes. "It ties directly into the ship’s radar and atmospheric barometers. It displays real-time weather patterns, ocean currents, and enemy ship blips. You can zoom in and out just by swiping your hands in the air."

Nami tentatively swiped her hand above the table. The glowing 3D map zoomed in flawlessly, projecting a perfect miniature of Water 7 and the surrounding ocean. Berry signs literally flashed in her eyes. "I can map the entire world with this... Ben, I could kiss you!"

"Hold that thought," Ben laughed. "Let’s check the Vanguard’s domain."

He led them further down the hall and showed them two heavily reinforced Tungsten doors side-by-side.

"On the left, the Gravity Chamber," Ben noted. "I’ve upgraded the runes. You can now increase the localized gravity up to 100G. On the right, the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Identical to the one we trained in, but permanently installed. If you feel like your Haki is rusting, step inside."

Sanji is adjusting his vibrant new suit jacket. "I need to test my kicks under 50G before the moss-head stinks up the room with his sweat. Speaking of which, where is the idiot?"

Leaving them to wonder, Ben led the rest of the crew to the upper deck, the main residential area.

"Prepare yourselves," Ben warned, opening the doors to the living quarters. "Because we are officially a Yonko-caliber crew, we should live like one."

The interior of the living quarters was nothing short of a five-star luxury hotel. The hallways were lined with plush, crimson carpets and intricate woodwork. Ben showed them the bedrooms. Each crew member had their own private suite, complete with king-sized beds featuring memory-foam mattresses, automated climate control, soundproof walls, and massive porthole windows that offered panoramic views of the ocean.

They passed a set of sliding wooden doors that radiated heat.

"The Spa and Sauna," Ben pointed out. "I created a localized hot spring. It features a massive cedar-wood tub, a dry sauna with Himalayan salt walls, and a steam room. Perfect for muscle recovery after intense combat."

Nami and Vivi linked arms, practically squealing in delight. "A private spa... on a pirate ship. We are never leaving," Nami declared.

Finally, Ben brought them to the crown jewel of the interior: The Kitchen and Dining Hall.

Sanji stepped into the room and immediately dropped to his knees.

The kitchen was an industrial, culinary paradise, expanded by runes to easily accommodate the Giants. There was a massive, ten-burner gas range, a dual-convection oven, a wood-fired pizza oven, and a massive, gleaming stainless-steel prep island.

"Before you cry over the pantry, look around you," Ben said, gesturing to the walls of the Dining Hall.

The walls weren’t made of wood. They were constructed of floor-to-ceiling, ultra-reinforced glass, holding back a massive, magically expanded saltwater tank. Schools of vibrant fish, tiny sharks, and glowing jellyfish swam through a pristine coral reef built directly into the ship’s architecture.

"The Infinite Aquarium," Ben announced. "The water constantly cycles fresh from the ocean outside. Sanji, you can catch fresh deep-sea fish directly from the lounge hatch."

As they admired the serene underwater view, a face suddenly pressed against the glass from the inside of the tank.

It was Zoro. He was completely submerged, holding his breath, his vibrant new green shirt floating around him like seaweed. He knocked angrily on the thick glass, glaring at the crew and gesturing wildly as if to say, ’How did I end up outside?!’

"HOW DID HE GET IN THE FISH TANK?!" Usopp screamed, grabbing his head.

Sanji burst into tears of laughter, pounding his fist on the table. "Leave him! Let him become part of the ecosystem!"

Ben sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "I’ll go fish him out of the maintenance hatch in a minute. Anyway, attached to the kitchen..."

Ben pointed to a sunlit, glass-enclosed room adjacent to the dining area.

"...is the Hydroponic Greenhouse. It simulates multiple climates simultaneously. Chopper, you can grow rare medicinal herbs in there, and Sanji, you have an endless supply of fresh produce, regardless of the weather outside."

Chopper and Sanji hugged each other, weeping tears of pure, unadulterated joy.

Ben then opened a heavy, vault-like door inside the kitchen itself. Inside was a massive, walk-in refrigerator and freezer, crackling with a magical stasis-frost.

"The stasis-lock pantry," Ben explained. "Time doesn’t move inside this room. You can store a fresh Sea King in here, and a year later, the meat will still be perfectly bloody. The vegetables will never wilt. The bread will never go stale. Furthermore, the pantry has a biometric lock. Only you, me, and Vivi have the passcode. Luffy cannot break into it at 3:00 AM."

Sanji stood up, his visible eye burning with absolute devotion. He grabbed Ben’s hands, shaking them violently. "You are a god among men, Magician. I will cook you the greatest meals the world has ever seen. I will build a shrine to you in the corner."

"I... I can’t eat the midnight meat?!" Luffy gasped in the background, clutching his chest as if he had been shot. "Betrayal! Mutiny!"

"Grow up, Luffy," Ace laughed, slapping the back of Luffy’s head. "Just ask the cook nicely."

As the group turned to head back out to the main deck, Luffy deliberately lagged behind. He stared hungrily at the heavy vault door. Checking to make sure Ben wasn’t looking, Luffy sneakily pressed his hand flat against the glowing biometric scanner.

BZZZT.

"Access Denied," Sunny’s cheerful, boyish voice echoed from a hidden speaker. "Identity: Meat Thief."

Before Luffy could even blink, a concealed compartment above the door sprang open. A giant, spring-loaded mechanical boxing glove shot out at lightning speed, punching Luffy squarely in the face.

"BWAH!" Luffy launched backward across the kitchen, flying perfectly into Sanji’s waiting arms.

Sanji smirked, immediately dropping his captain onto the hard tile floor. "Beautiful engineering, Ben."

"Now, for the exterior," Ben said, leading them back out to the main deck.

The main deck was covered in a perfectly manicured lawn of vibrant green grass. It felt soft and cool beneath their boots.

"A lawn on a ship is great," Ace noted, crossing his arms. "But it feels a little empty in the center."

"Watch," Ben smirked.

He walked over to a small control pedestal near the main mast and flipped a switch.

CLUNK. WHIRRRRR.

The center of the grass deck suddenly split down the middle. Massive, heavy Adam wood panels began to slide outward, retracting under the side decks. As the panels pulled back, they revealed a massive, deep basin lined with pristine blue tiles.

Then, the spatial expansion runes carved into the tiles activated.

The basin warped, stretching and expanding downward and outward into an isolated pocket of space. Fresh, crystal-clear water began to pump rapidly from the ship’s filtration system, filling the void.

In a matter of seconds, the center of the Thousand Sunny featured a massive swimming pool. But because of the expansion runes, it wasn’t just a pool; it looked and felt like a small, tranquil freshwater lake, complete with a shallow end for wading and a deep end for diving.

"A LAKE?!" Usopp screamed, grabbing his head. "WE HAVE A LAKE ON THE SHIP?!"

"Freshwater," Ben confirmed. "Perfect for bathing, swimming, or just relaxing. The water is constantly filtered and temperature-controlled by the Arc Reactor."

"CANNONBALL!" Luffy roared. He stripped off his vibrant new red jacket, leaving his shirt on, and dove headfirst into the deep end. Chopper immediately followed suit with a joyous squeal.

SPLOOSH! SPLOOSH!

They hit the water. And instead of swimming, they instantly sank like stones to the very bottom of the pool, twitching helplessly as their Devil Fruit curses kicked in.

"THEY’RE DROWNING!" Usopp shrieked.

Zoro, now dripping wet from his aquarium detour having just emerged from a hatch, let out a massive sigh. He jumped into the pool, grabbed both the paralyzed captain and the doctor by their collars, and easily hoisted them out, dropping them onto the grassy deck where they coughed up water.

Ben face-palmed. "Freshwater just means you don’t taste like salt when you drown. Standing water still paralyzes Devil Fruit users, you idiots! Stick to the shallow end!"

Luffy shivered, his clothes plastered to his skin. "C-cold..."

"Honestly," Ben muttered. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. "Siccatum."

A wave of warm, magical air washed over Luffy, Chopper, and Zoro. In an instant, the water evaporated harmlessly. Their vibrant new outfits, hair, and bodies were perfectly, comfortably dry and warm as if they had just stepped out of a dryer.

"Whoa! Magic towel!" Luffy cheered, instantly bouncing back to his feet.

Ben left them to their fun and gestured for the others to look up. Towering high above the deck, built into the main mast, was a large, dome-like structure enclosed in thick, reinforced glass.

"The Observation Tower and Crow’s Nest," Ben pointed up. "It’s not just a lookout post. It’s a state-of-the-art command center. It features long-range radar, atmospheric barometers for Nami to track weather anomalies, an enemy detection grid that scans for hostile signatures, and a localized sonar system designed specifically to track and deter aggressive Sea Kings."

"So nobody can sneak up on us," Zoro noted, nodding approvingly. "Good."

Ben clapped his hands again, drawing the attention of the crew.

"Now that you’ve seen the hardware," Ben smiled, "it’s time for you to meet the software. The newest, official member of our crew."

Ben tapped a small communicator on his wrist. "Sunny. You’re up."

From the hidden, high-fidelity speakers built seamlessly into the woodwork around the deck, a voice crackled to life. It wasn’t the robotic, customer-service voice from the dry dock. Ben had spent the last few days tweaking the vocal parameters, ensuring the AI fit the chaotic, familial vibe of the crew.

"Hi everyone!" The voice was bright, energetic, and undeniably cheerful. It sounded exactly like an eager, enthusiastic ten-year-old boy.

"I am the Thousand Sunny! Systems are at 100%! Hull integrity is flawless! Meat reserves are nominal, but could be higher! It is an absolute honor to be your ship, Captain Luffy!"

Because they had literally spent the last year being yelled at by Mini Merry—a ship spirit in the body of a mechanical little girl—none of the Straw Hats even batted an eye at the fact that their new ship was talking to them like a little brother.

"Shishishi! Hi Sunny!" Luffy waved, completely unfazed. "I’m Luffy! The man who’s gonna be King of the Pirates!"

"Nice to meet you, Sunny-kun," Nami smiled, waving at the main mast.

"Yo, Sunny," Zoro grunted, lifting a hand in greeting.

"Hello, Swordsman Zoro! Hello, Navigator Nami!" Sunny’s voice bounced around the deck happily. "I have optimized the climate control in the bedrooms, and I have taken the liberty of securely engaging the kitchen locks until dinner time to prevent unauthorized snacking! Boxing glove defenses are primed!"

"Good boy, Sunny!" Sanji cheered, lighting a cigarette. "You’re already my favorite!"

"NOOOOO!" Luffy wailed, sinking to his knees in despair.

"Merry," Sunny’s voice addressed the small girl, who was sitting on the railing with her arms crossed. "I have downloaded the combat protocols. Awaiting your tactical directives, Sister."

Mini Merry pushed her aviator sunglasses down her nose, a proud smirk on her face. "Not bad, brother. Keep that energy up, and we’ll rule these seas. Just remember, I’m the boss when Papa isn’t looking."

"Understood, Boss!" Sunny chirped.

The crew was basking in the absolute perfection of their new home when a sudden, chaotic noise from the docks below broke the peace.

"GET BACK HERE WITH MY SPEEDO, YOU BASTARDS!"

Luffy climbed up and walked over to the starboard railing, peering down at the dry dock alongside Ace, Zoro, Sanji, and Ben.

What they saw was a scene of utter, unhinged madness.

Sprinting down the cobblestone docks of Water 7 was the entire Franky Family—Zambai, Mozu, Kiwi, and a dozen other massive, heavily armed thugs. They were all crying waterfalls of tears, their faces contorted in a mix of profound sorrow and desperate determination.

In Zambai’s hands, waving like a bizarre flag of surrender, was a tiny, neon-blue speedo.

And sprinting furiously behind them, shaking his massive, cybernetic fists in the air, was Franky himself.

He was wearing his signature open Hawaiian shirt. His sunglasses were askew. His massive metal forearms were gleaming in the sun.

But below the waist? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. He was completely, entirely bottomless, his cybernetic enhancements proudly, horrifyingly on display for the entire city to see.

"GIVE ME BACK MY PANTS!" Franky roared, his voice cracking with rage. "THIS IS A VIOLATION OF MY HUMAN RIGHTS! I AM A RESPECTABLE CYBORG! A SUPER CYBORG!"

"WE’RE DOING THIS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD, ANIKI!" Zambai wailed, tears streaming down his face as he sprinted for his life. "YOU CAN’T STAY HERE! YOU HAVE TO BE A PIRATE!"

The women of the Straw Hat crew—Nami, Vivi, and Robin—walked over to the railing.

"Oh, good heavens," Nami shrieked, instantly covering her eyes with both hands. "My eyes! My eyes! My eyes! My eyes! My innocent eyes!"

"How... avant-garde," Robin noted, not looking away, a bemused smile on her face.

Vivi blushed furiously, pulling Caroo’s goggles down over the duck’s eyes. "Ariel does not approve of this public indecency!"

"HEY, STRAW HAT!" Zambai screamed, looking up at the majestic Thousand Sunny. With a mighty heave, Zambai threw the neon-blue speedo high into the air.

Luffy casually reached his rubber arm out and snatched the flying underwear out of the air.

Luffy stood on the railing, holding the tiny blue speedo in his hand, looking down at the panting, bottomless cyborg.

Franky skidded to a halt at the base of the ship, using his massive hands to desperately try and cover his lower half, his face burning bright red.

"Straw Hat!" Franky yelled, pointing a trembling finger up at Luffy. "Give those back! That is my favorite pair! They are aerodynamic!"

Luffy grinned his wide, signature smile. He held the speedo hostage.

"Franky!" Luffy shouted down. "You built this awesome ship for us! You helped us at Enies Lobby! You’re super weird, and you run around naked!"

"I AM ONLY NAKED BECAUSE MY FAMILY STOLE MY PANTS!"

"Join my crew!" Luffy declared, his voice ringing with absolute, kingly authority. "Be our shipwright! Sail on the ship of your dreams!"

The crowd on the dock fell silent. Iceburg watched from the sidelines, a small, knowing smile on his face. He knew Franky’s dream was to build a ship that could sail to the end of the world, and there it was, floating right in front of him.

But Franky gritted his teeth. He looked away, his expression turning stubborn.

"No," Franky grunted. "I can’t. I have my family here. I have to protect Water 7. I owe Tom-san that much. Now give me my damn speedo and get out of my city."

The Franky Family burst into fresh, hysterical tears.

"ANIKI, YOU IDIOT!" Zambai cried, falling to his knees. "YOU CAN’T STAY! YOU HAVE A 44 MILLION BERRY BOUNTY ON YOUR HEAD NOW! THE MARINES ARE COMING FOR YOU! IF YOU STAY HERE, YOU’LL BE ARRESTED OR KILLED!"

"Zambai is right, Franky," Iceburg stepped forward, his coat billowing in the wind. "You’ve built your dream ship. Now, you have to be the one to maintain it. Water 7 will be fine. I am the Mayor. I will protect this city. Your destiny is on the sea."

"I said no!" Franky yelled, trying to hide his own forming tears behind his sunglasses. "I ain’t leaving!"

On the deck of the Sunny, Robin sighed. She closed her book about ancient poisons and walked over to the railing, standing beside Luffy.

"He is being incredibly stubborn, Captain," Robin observed calmly.

"Yeah," Luffy frowned, tilting his head. "How do we make him get on the ship?"

Robin crossed her arms in front of her chest, her signature pose. A dark, terrifying aura seemed to radiate from her, a mix of her usual morbid humor and the sheer, unquestionable confidence of a woman who had spent a year dodging literal death.

"Allow me to offer a... persuasive argument," Robin said softly.

Robin focused her gaze on the bottomless cyborg below.

"Dos Fleur..."

Pink petals materialized out of thin air directly on Franky’s inner thighs. Two delicate, pale hands sprouted from his flesh, positioned perfectly, dangerously close to the cyborg’s most vulnerable, undeniably human anatomical features.

Franky froze. The blood drained from his face. He looked down.

"Hey..." Franky whispered, his voice trembling in sudden, primal terror. "What... what are those hands doing there? Hey, Nico Robin. We’re friends, right? We fought Spandam together. Let’s talk about this."

Robin offered a sweet, chilling smile.

"Grab."

Robin closed her fists.

"ORANGES!!!"

Franky’s scream was not human. It was a high-pitched, soul-tearing shriek that transcended language, echoing across the entirety of Water 7 and terrifying seagulls miles away.

The reaction on the dock and the ship was instantaneous, universal, and profoundly solemn.

Instead of merely wincing, every single male present—Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, Ace, Ben, Iceburg, the Franky Family thugs, and even the giant Oimo and Kashii—slowly and synchronously took off their sunglasses, goggles, or hats.

They stood in a perfectly straight line, placing their right hands firmly over their hearts, bowing their heads in a dead-silent moment of mourning for their fallen comrade. A single, distant seagull cried out, sounding suspiciously like a tolling bell.

Nami looked around at the impromptu funeral service happening on the deck. "Why are you all acting like somebody died?!"

Sanji kept his head bowed, a single, manly tear sliding down his cheek. He answered through gritted teeth. "A man’s soul just left his body, Nami-san. Show some respect."

Down on the dock, Franky was on his tiptoes, his eyes rolled back in his head, his cybernetic mouth opening and closing soundlessly as Robin maintained the agonizing grip.

"Robin!" Luffy yelled, his own legs squeezed tightly together, his rubber body trembling. "Stop! We want him as a whole shipwright! Don’t rip him off! I mean, don’t rip it off! Just... let him go!"

Robin uncrossed her arms, and the hands on Franky’s thighs dissolved into pink petals.

"I only squeezed once," Robin noted innocently, brushing off her dress. "He is being quite dramatic."

"THAT WAS NOT A SINGLE SQUEEZE! THAT WAS AN EXTINCTION-LEVEL EVENT!" Usopp shrieked from the floor.

Franky collapsed onto the cobblestones, clutching his battered pride, sobbing uncontrollably. The physical pain was immense, but the emotional dam had finally broken.

He looked up at Iceburg, who was nodding softly. He looked at the Franky Family, who were giving him tearful thumbs-ups. And he looked up at the Thousand Sunny, the ship he had poured his soul into.

"You guys..." Franky sniffled, wiping his nose with his massive forearm. "You really want a weirdo like me... to ride on that super ship?"

"We don’t want anyone else!" Luffy yelled down, grinning.

Franky stood up slowly, his legs wobbling. He threw his arms wide open, striking his signature pose, tears freely flowing down his face.

"THEN IT CAN’T BE HELPED!" Franky roared, his voice cracking with emotion. "I’LL BE YOUR SHIPWRIGHT! I’LL TAKE THIS SHIP TO THE END OF THE WORLD! SUUUUUUPER!!!"

The harbor erupted in deafening cheers. The Franky Family wailed in joy, hugging each other. Iceburg smiled, pulling his coat tight against the wind.

Luffy tossed the neon-blue speedo down. Franky caught it, quickly slipping it on, finally restoring his "dignity."

With a powerful leap, Franky launched himself from the dock, soaring through the air and landing heavily on the grassy deck of the Thousand Sunny.

"Welcome aboard, Franky," Ben said, extending a hand.

"Super to be here, Magician," Franky grinned, shaking it. He looked around the deck, taking in the Vibranium weave, the massive pool, the towering mast. "I’m gonna make this baby fly."

"I count on it," Ben smiled.

Ben walked over to the ship’s control console. He placed his hand on the throttle.

"Sunny," Ben commanded. "Disengage moorings. Spin up the Arc Reactor. Maximum thrust."

"Aye aye, Papa! Spinning up the Arc Reactor! Moorings detached! Maximum thrust engaging now! Hold on tight, everyone!" Sunny’s eager voice rang out.

A deep, powerful hum vibrated through the hull. The water around the Sunny began to churn as the massive paddle wheels, powered by infinite energy, spun them away from the harbor.

The Straw Hat crew rushed to the railings, looking down at the people of Water 7.

"THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, ICEBURG-OSSAN!" Luffy screamed, waving his straw hat wildly.

"STAY OUT OF TROUBLE, YOU IDIOTS!" Iceburg shouted back, waving his hand.

"ANIKI! WE LOVE YOU!" The Franky Family bawled, waving massive flags.

"TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES, MY FAMILY!" Franky cried, striking his pose one last time on the railing.

As the Thousand Sunny pulled away from the dock, moving with a speed and grace that defied its massive size, the crew stood together, looking out at the endless horizon. The hell of the Time Chamber was behind them. The ship of their dreams was beneath their feet.

"Next stop," Ben said, pulling out a Log Pose that was pointing steadily downward. "Thriller Bark."

The Thousand Sunny caught the wind, sailing toward the deep blue.