White clouds covered the sun. Shadows swept over the sea, and the sparkling surface gradually lost its shimmer as deep blue waves beat against the shore.
The steady rhythm of the waves went uninterrupted by any sound, making the silence aboard the ship all the more noticeable.
Kaku's words were delivered casually, yet they sent a chill through everyone who heard them.
He was merely stating objective facts, which only made them seem all the more cruel.
"The Grand Line's weather is unpredictable. You've made it this far, so I imagine you already understand that."
Kaku leaned against the railing and looked around at everyone gathered around him.
"If you sail these seas without a professional shipwright to handle routine maintenance, your ship's lifespan will naturally shrink dramatically."
As he spoke, he pointed at the mast and the triangular sail at the stern. "In your eyes, a mast is just a giant piece of wood, a sail is just a couple of sheets of cloth, and rigging is just a few ropes.
"But to a professional shipwright, every one of those things has its intricacies. Even each plank on the ship is completely different from the others, as far as I'm concerned.
"There are plenty of other factors, too, like the materials used and the craftsmanship. I'm sure you can understand what I mean."
When he finished speaking, a cool breeze swept past, chilling them to the bone. Everyone stared at Kaku in stunned silence.
Hearing this,
the others felt reluctant to accept it, but they could understand. They treasured the Going Merry, but that couldn't change what had already happened.
From the moment a ship was built, it began to age until it eventually died. People were the same. They and the Going Merry would both one day face