Kokoro

"How is Usopp?" Li Ziming asked, looking at Chopper.

"He was still a little agitated, but his body was fine." Chopper shook his head. "I'm just worried Usopp might do something."

"I'll go talk to him," Luffy said seriously.

"Let me do it." Edward stopped Luffy. "This started because of me, so let me talk to Usopp."

"Then I'll leave it to you, Shorty." Li Ziming smiled. "Luffy, trust Edward and Usopp. Have faith in your crewmates."

"Okay, but I'm hungry. Sanji, do we have anything to eat?" Luffy's sudden change in tone left everyone looking at him helplessly. Soon, Sanji made several servings of fried mashed potatoes.

"Hey, hey! Look! There's a really strange frog out there!" Luffy shouted, chewing on mashed potatoes as he pointed at the sea outside.

"What's strange about a frog?" Zoro curiously went to the side of the ship, but the distance seemed too great for him to notice anything unusual. Or perhaps he simply refused to believe his own eyes. "Usopp, come take a look. That frog really does seem strange."

"That's right! It's a frog doing the freestyle!" Luffy shouted in shock.

"Freestyle?" Usopp said incredulously. "Are you kidding me?"

"No, it really is a frog that can swim freestyle." Li Ziming nodded. "Why isn't it using the breaststroke?"

"That's what you're hung up on?!" Usopp felt like he was going insane.

"Decided!" Luffy suddenly shouted. "That frog is interesting! So let's catch it!"

With Luffy giving the order, Usopp was also interested, Zoro was simply bored, Sanji's chef's spirit suddenly flared up, and Edward was equally intrigued. In an instant, they turned the helm and chased after the frog.

"What's going on?! Why did we suddenly change course?!" Nami ran out after sensing the shift in direction. "This isn't the way to Water 7!"

"They seem to want to chase a frog." Li Ziming shrugged.

"A frog?" Nami looked utterly bewildered. "What frog?" She raised the telescope in her hand to take a look. "There's no frog at all. I only see a strange lighthouse." She looked at the Log Pose on her wrist. "Strange, the Log Pose isn't reacting in this direction."

"Found the frog," Robin said, pointing everyone toward it.

"For frog, you can first use white wine to remove the smell, then coat it in flour and deep-fry it." Sanji had begun considering how to cook it.

"I want grilled frog!" Luffy exposed his reason for chasing the frog in a single sentence.

"So you want to eat it!" Usopp immediately called him out.

"Will you all stop already?!" Nami was nearly in tears. Having such an unreliable captain was truly a headache.

"Hm?" Sanji froze for a moment. "I think I heard something."

"Hurry! That frog stopped!" Luffy shouted anxiously.

"Sorry, but I think we need to turn around now!" Li Ziming suddenly said. "Edward, turn the ship around, quickly!"

"Okay!" Edward controlled his body and began moving away from the frog.

"What are you doing?!" Luffy looked at Li Ziming in dissatisfaction. "That frog already stopped! We were about to catch it!"

"But I think it would be better to ensure our own safety." Li Ziming rolled his eyes irritably, and then a massive steam-belching behemoth came rushing toward them.

"What is that?!" Everyone stared at the approaching object in shock.

"No, look at the frog!" Luffy shouted.

"It's about to get hit!" Usopp said in shock.

In the end, with no suspense at all, the frog was sent flying.

"Was that frog here for comic relief?" Zoro twitched the corner of his mouth. "Eating something like that would make you stupid, wouldn't it?"

"There seems to be someone by that lighthouse," Robin said.

"Alright! Let's go take a look!" Luffy said excitedly.

"Pirates!" a little girl cried. "Pirates are here!"

"Really, Chimney? Wait a moment!" An old woman came out, holding a bottle of alcohol.

"Are they looking for reinforcements?" Zoro had already prepared himself for battle.

"Burp? What do I want? I've already forgotten." Kokoro took a drink.

"Hahaha, Granny, you're really funny." Luffy laughed loudly.

"You're a pretty good kid too." Kokoro laughed as well. "You're pirates, huh? As long as you aren't train robbers, it's fine."

"A train?" Nami asked in confusion. "That was a train? Not a steamship?"

"That wasn't a steamship!" Chimney said with a smile. "It's called the Sea Train, Puffing Tom. It uses steam for propulsion and travels along tracks."

"Tracks?" Nami asked curiously.

"Yes, the tracks are located where the sea isn't too deep." Chimney pointed to the faintly visible tracks beneath the water. "Every Sea Train follows fixed tracks to carry passengers, and sometimes cargo as well."

"There really are tracks." Luffy stared at the tracks beneath the sea in amazement.

"Tom?" Robin seemed puzzled by the name.

"He was probably the greatest shipwright around. He designed and built the Pirate King's ship, and he designed the Sea Train too." Li Ziming gave a simple introduction. "We're heading to Water 7 this time. If possible, it would be best to find Tom's apprentices. Their craftsmanship is among the best in all of Water 7, and they may have some solutions to Shorty's problem."

"You're looking for Franky and Iceburg?" Kokoro seemed quite familiar with the two. "But it'll probably be difficult to get those two boys onto your ship. Still, I can give you a letter of introduction. If you take it to Iceburg, he won't join you, but at least you'll get a discount when buying or repairing a ship."

"Really? Thank you so much, Granny." Nami's eyes shone as she looked at Kokoro excitedly.

"Here, take these." Kokoro took out two sheets of paper. "One is a letter of introduction, and the other is a map of Water 7. The Log Pose needs a week to fully record Water 7's magnetic field, so you can enjoy yourselves there for a while. But Water 7 is huge, and without a map, you could get lost."

"Thank you, Granny!" Luffy said excitedly. "Do they have tasty meat there?"

"Haha, it'll definitely satisfy you!" Kokoro looked at Luffy with amusement. "Have a safe journey, boys!"

"Yeah, then let's set off for Water 7!"