Ship Spirit: Merry

"Why can't I learn it...?"

Usopp seemed to lose all his strength, his entire body sinking into gloom.

Not being able to learn such cool ninjutsu felt like losing several hundred million berries. It hurt so much.

"Because our constitutions are different," Xi Yan said. "I'm probably the last ninja in this world."

Having said that, Xi Yan paused before adding, "Well, a rather special ninja."

Considering what Kokoro had said about Wano Country, Xi Yan deliberately added that last sentence.

Seeing this, the others stopped pressing the matter. Some things were inherited through bloodlines, and there was no way for others to force it.

Nico Robin froze for a moment. She realized that Xi Yan might have gone through something similar to her.

He's the only ninja left...

Could it be that his hometown had also... been destroyed?

"Mm..." Chopper suddenly trembled, then slowly opened his eyes. "Where am I?"

"You're awake." Xi Yan smiled at Chopper. "How do you feel?"

"My body feels exhausted, but... I think I can still move."

While speaking, Chopper climbed to his feet and began examining himself. After a moment, he said, "I remember now. I ate a Rumble Ball..."

"Hmm, you went berserk, but I subdued you."

"Is that so? Thank you, Xi Yan."

"No need to be so polite. It's good that you're all right."

Xi Yan reached out and rubbed the little guy's head. It felt quite nice.

"You really scared us back then," Nami said. "Chopper, don't do something so reckless again."

"Sorry, I'll be more careful," Chopper said, scratching his head.

He hadn't had any other choice at the time. Otherwise, he would never have risked eating a third Rumble Ball.

"Huh?!"

"Isn't this the Going Merry?" Chopper stood up after noticing his surroundings. "Why are we on the Going Merry?"

"That's a long story..."

"Speaking of which... why did this ship come to Judicial Island?" Xi Yan glanced over the Going Merry. "Wasn't it already declared unable to sail?"

"I thought it had something to do with you..."

Xi Yan looked at Nami in surprise. "Why would you say that?"

"When I first met you guys, it was near the Sea Train. I'd never even seen this ship before."

Since he had never seen it with his own eyes, that was fair enough.

Seeing that Xi Yan did not seem to be lying, Nami grew even more confused.

"If it wasn't you... then what happened?" Nami said. "We searched everywhere and didn't find any trace of anyone else."

"It was as if... as if this ship sailed here by itself. But how could that be possible?"

For a ship to reach its destination, it first had to account for the environment!

On the Grand Line, the weather in every stretch of sea was different. It might be calm here, only for raging winds and torrential rain to be waiting elsewhere.

Drifting to the destination on its own was basically impossible, let alone crossing the terrifying Gods of Water!

They had made it through the Gods of Water because of Xi Yan, but how had the Going Merry gotten here?

"Long Nose, do you remember what I told you?" Franky suddenly said.

Usopp immediately snapped out of his gloom and jumped to his feet. "You mean... a Ship Spirit?"

"That's right, a Ship Spirit!"

"A Ship Spirit?"

Facing everyone's puzzled looks, Franky explained without changing expression, "Ship Spirits are legends of these seas. When a crew takes especially good care of their ship, there's a chance that a Ship Spirit will be born."

"And this Long Nose has personally seen this ship's Ship Spirit!"

"So..." Franky swept his gaze around the area. "I think this ship crossed the Gods of Water and reached Judicial Island because of the Ship Spirit."

Otherwise, there was simply no way to explain why this ship had come to Judicial Island by itself.

"Our ship actually gave birth to a Ship Spirit?!" Sanji said in disbelief.

"Taking good care of the ship..." Usopp looked at the patched-up hull and fell silent. Then he said, somewhat choked up, "Merry..."

Had they really taken good care of this ship?

If they had, then why had it ended up like this?

"Merry!!"

Chopper burst into tears. The Going Merry had actually crossed those dangerous Gods of Water to save them?

"I knew I loved the Going Merry the most!!"

"Really?!" Luffy cried excitedly. "Merry!!"

"Where are you, Merry?"

"Merry!!"

Luffy, lying on the ground, struggled desperately, trying to stand up, but he simply could not do it.

In the end, he could only use his chin to move himself, inching across the deck as though he wanted to search for the Ship Spirit.

"Even I have never seen a ship that gave birth to a Ship Spirit before," Kokoro said with emotion.

Though she had not seen the Ship Spirit with her own eyes, she felt that she could die without regrets.

"Hmm?"

As though sensing something, Xi Yan turned to look toward the Going Merry's cabin, then narrowed his eyes.

This feeling is...

"Don't waste your energy," Franky said. "If she wants to see you, she'll naturally come out to meet you."

"But... don't forget that this ship has already entered its final countdown. Even with a Ship Spirit..."

"Bastard, don't talk about Merry like that!" Chopper roared. "The Going Merry is obviously fine! Why would you say something like that?!"

"If it weren't for the Going Merry, we wouldn't have been able to escape Judicial Island at all! You cold-blooded jerk!" Nami said.

"That's only how it looks..."

Franky wanted to explain further, but when he saw the Straw Hat Pirates' expressions, he wisely shut his mouth.

Clearly, in the hearts of the Straw Hat Pirates, this was not merely a pirate ship. It was a companion that had gone through countless life-and-death struggles alongside them!

This stirred a feeling within Franky that he had never experienced before.

"Merry..."

Zoro's right hand touched the railing, and his heart could not calm down at all.

"Is there really no way?" Nico Robin looked at Franky. "This ship really..."

"The keel is done for," Franky said, shaking his head.

Though he also wanted to help the Straw Hat Pirates repair this ship, once the keel was damaged, it was equivalent to receiving a death sentence.

Replacing the keel was the same as building an entirely new ship. But could that still be considered repairing a ship?

That would just be building a new ship from scratch!

"Ah."

Nico Robin sighed. She had not expected them to face something like this just after escaping Judicial Island.

"Huh?"

"Where's Xi Yan?"

The others blinked. Their attention had just been completely drawn to Franky, and none of them had noticed when Xi Yan disappeared.

Just then, a childlike voice came from inside the cabin. It sounded... like a little girl?

"Please put me down. I don't want them to see me like this."

"I'm begging you..."

"No." Xi Yan shook his head. "For everyone's sake, you ended up like this... How could I let you hide alone in a dark corner and wait to die?"

Merry's appearance made Xi Yan's heart ache!