Early the next morning, at the Monkey Mountain Alliance's base on Jaya Island's east coast.
"Woohoo! The Merry is so freaking cool!"
Luffy excitedly jumped aboard the Merry. Thanks to the Monkey Mountain Alliance working through the night, the ship had already been modified.
The most noticeable additions were the enormous wings on either side of the ship, and the... chicken head at the bow?
Lina looked at the Merry. How to put it... it was hard to comment.
"Why'd you go out of your way to add that thing? It doesn't look useful at all." Lina couldn't help asking as he pointed at the bow. With that design, it was hard not to think of a certain old acquaintance.
He was just worried that when the Merry's spirit appeared, it wouldn't be fixing the ship but standing on deck, dancing and showing off its iron mountain lean.
Oh, damn it, that BGM was playing again.
"Enough. You'd better get going."
Cricket stood on the shore with a cigarette between his teeth. He called to the people aboard the Merry, "There's a good chance the Upward Sea Current will appear today, but we can't predict exactly when. Don't let it catch you out."
"Got it, old man! Bye-bye!"
Luffy, at the... chicken ship's bow, waved goodbye to Cricket.
Lina summoned his undead and got them to work as the Merry slowly left the harbor.
Ape-Human and Gorilla each escorted them with their pirate crews, accompanying the Merry until it had sailed more than ten kilometers out.
The sky, which had been clear and sunny, suddenly darkened at an incredible speed. In the distance, endless dark clouds stretched across the horizon, as if the world were coming to an end.
Ahead, the sea's surface was obscured by the clouds, and nothing