One Piece: Surrounded at Marineford? Just kidding!

Chapter 516: The Route! Elbaf!

Meanwhile, the deck was bustling with activity!

Franky was shirtless. His heavy mechanical arms carried two enormous alloy water tanks, filled with highly purified filtered fresh water. He strode towards the lower water storage area.

Chopper, carrying the medical kit, sprinted after Franky. His little hooves pounded the ground. He clutched the supplies list tightly, muttering rapidly to himself. Emergency medications were inventoried.

Nami stood at the entrance to the navigation room. Her left hand gripped a detailed nautical chart, her right hand clutched the supply manifest. Her brows were furrowed in a deep frown. Her gaze was fixed on the compass. The sea breeze tousled her long orange hair, but she paid it no heed. Her pen frantically calculated the freshwater consumption ratio. Food supplies were confirmed to be correct. She grabbed a red pen. The tip pierced the back of the nautical chart. A blood-red circle formed.

"Heading to Elbaf"

These words were strangled with a red thread. The unknown route was set.

Luffy leaped onto the lion's bow. He jumped and hopped around like a monkey. His straw hat swung wildly behind his head. He cupped his hands into a megaphone shape. He roared madly at the deck. "Wake up, Zoro! Where's Sanji's meat?! Usopp, get over here!" Saliva flew everywhere.

The kitchen door slammed open. Sanji burst out carrying a giant silver tray. Grilled sea monster meat sizzled and dripped with oil. The aroma of the meat was explosive. Sandwiches were piled up like a small mountain. Sanji circled around Nami and Robin frantically. His eyes turned into giant red hearts. His sweet, cloying voice boomed.

(♡´౪`♡)

Special black tea is served. Luffy's nostrils twitch. His rubber arm instantly lengthens. His five fingers spread wide. He grabs the largest piece of meat with bone in the center of the tray.

Sanji didn't even turn his head. He swung his right leg wildly backward. The sole of his black leather shoe imprinted on Luffy's face. *Thud.* Luffy flew backward, rolling three times on the deck. He clutched his swollen cheek and screamed. Sanji pulled his leg back. His leather shoe creaked on the deck. Those who sneak food before dinner will die.

Zoro leaned against the mainmast, arms crossed, his three swords clutched tightly. He was snoring loudly when Luffy slammed his fist into the ground. His brow twitched. He opened his left eye a crack, rolling his eyes in disgust. He shifted his position. The snoring resumed. Brook sat cross-legged on an empty barrel, set up his violin, and began to play. The bow scraped against the strings, and a short farewell tune poured forth. The notes shattered the sea breeze, tearing apart the deathly silence of the anchorage.

Few people were seeing them off on the shore. The three stood side-by-side. Chen Ye was in the center, his hands shoved tightly into the pockets of his black coat. Vegapunk was on the left, his fingers rapidly tapping on a metal instrument. Rocks was on the right, arms crossed, nostrils flared.

Vegapunk stepped forward, approaching the gunwale of the Sunny. He swung his arm wildly at Nami. Nami leaned out halfway. Vegapunk tossed the beacon, about the size of a palm, through the air. Nami clasped her hands together. Thud. The beacon slammed into her palms. It was dead heavy. The silver-gray alloy casing was icy cold. The tiny circuitry was densely packed. The central indicator light was blindingly red.

Vegapunk roared at the top of his lungs. He demonstrated its use on the spot. He pulled out a spare beacon. *Thud.* He slammed it hard onto the scrap metal plate. The red light flashed wildly. Three seconds later, the green light came on. The old man's face was ashen. He had memorized this rule by heart.

The Elbaf Sea is a death trap. Piles of old-fashioned machinery. The seabed is a metal graveyard. Magnetic interference can tear everything apart. Approach rashly. Shipboard equipment will burn instantly. Permanent pointers will be rendered useless. The propulsion system will absolutely explode.

Vegapunk gave a death order. Upon encountering metal debris, first attach a beacon. Green light: Proceed. No light: Get out of here. Anyone who gambles with their life will die. Nami held her breath. She tucked the beacon into her inner pocket. She nodded emphatically. This was a get-out-of-jail-free card from Future Island.

Usopp caught the words "Elbaf." His eyes gleamed. The land of giants. His ultimate dream. He pounced on the ship's railing like a mad dog, hands on his hips, chest puffed out, the cowhide swaying loudly.

His thin chest pounded with a deafening roar. "I am the warrior of the sea! The entire island of Elbaf will kneel in welcome! The giants will acknowledge me as their king! A feast of roasted meat will rage for ten days!" He danced with abandon, spittle flying everywhere. He commanded eight hundred giants in a charge. His voice shattered the clouds. He had gone completely mad.

On the shore. Rocks' eardrums throbbed with pain. He jerked his head. A glint in his eye transformed into a blood-red blade, aimed straight at Usopp. The murderous intent was like a tsunami crashing against the shore. The oppressive aura of the old-era overlord exploded. The air froze into ice.

The boasting was abruptly cut off. Usopp's throat tightened. His hair stood on end. His legs trembled violently. Cold sweat soaked his back. He gulped, swallowing hard. His neck shrank back. He scrambled and crawled, shrinking tightly into Nami's shadow, not daring to peek out even half his head.

The deck erupted in chaos. Laughter ripped the roof off. Luffy clutched his stomach, rolling on the floor, tears streaming down his face. Sanji pointed at Usopp and unleashed a torrent of abuse. Franky snorted out two streams of high-pressure cola. Zoro woke up with a start again, staring intently at Usopp. He let out a cold sneer, closed his eyes, and went back to sleep.

The laughter subsided. Chen Ye approached the coastline. His gaze pierced through the void, fixing on Luffy at the bow of the ship. His voice was extremely low, yet it resonated like thunder.

"How is the recovery going?"

Luffy's spine instantly straightened. His right fist clenched tightly. Thud. Thud. A heavy blow to his chest. The muffled sound echoed. His white teeth flashed.

"Of course you can fight if you've had enough meat."

A ferocious glint flashed in their eyes. Future Island's critically injured forces were wiped out. Peak combat power returned.

Chen Ye nodded. His gaze swept across the area, then landed on the middle of the deck. Ace stood still, his sleeveless jacket fluttering in the wind. He distanced himself from the noise, his eyes fixed on the coastline.

Their gazes collided mid-air. Ace remained silent, his chin slightly raised. Chen Ye's gaze shifted downwards, sweeping over Ace's right arm. The once-raging fire patterns were now lifeless, replaced by dark red markings branded onto his skin. The heatwave had completely subsided.

Chen Ye saw through everything. The aftershocks of the father-son conflict were forcibly suppressed. Roger's shadow was firmly etched into his bones. He hadn't let go, but he could carry on. Chen Ye remained silent.

The final handover began. Robin approached the ship's railing. Vegapunk snatched the sealed bag from his assistant's hand. He held it high, forcefully thrusting it into the air. It was a thick piece of parchment, sealed tightly with blood-red wax.

The old man's noodles were taut.

"Shoveled out of the World Government's waste pile"

The Elbaf Scrolls. A table of ancient scripts. It's all inside. The ashes of history are all contained within.

Robin caught the tray with both hands. His fingertips tightened. The weight was immense. *Snap*. The sealing wax seal shattered instantly. The yellowed paper was pulled out. A twisted ancient rune pierced his pupil. His eyeballs spun wildly. The scholar's blood boiled completely.

The paper was stuffed back into the leather bag and locked tightly in a specially made shockproof and waterproof bookcase. Robin nodded emphatically. She would tear these words apart on the sea route. The Straw Hat crew would be the first to dig up Elbaf's bones.

Preparation complete. Franky assumes a horse stance. His eyes are glued to the engine compartment pressure gauge. The needle is locked on the green zone. Arms are suddenly raised high. Steel muscles collide. A super posture is formed. Chest bulges.

"SUPER sets sail"

The stern thrusters ignited. Boom! A deafening roar tore through eardrums. A violent surge of thrust exploded forth. White waves sprayed from the long tube. Seawater was brutally ripped apart. The ship was propelled forward like a cannonball.

Nami held her command position, swinging her right arm wildly.

"Setting Sail"

Zoro and Sanji's arms bulged with veins. Thick ropes were pulled taut. Crash! The giant mainsail crashed down. A gale instantly filled the area. The canvas stretched taut like a fully drawn bow. Both engines were at full power.

Jinbe pounded the helm with all his might. His hands gripped the wooden handle tightly. His feet were nailed to the deck. The vibrations from the current crashing against the hull traveled through the wood grain. With a burst of strength from his arms, the helm spun wildly. The ship forcibly broke free from its berth.

The warship crashed into the deep sea. Luffy went completely mad. He climbed onto the lion's head, hanging upside down, his arms flailing wildly towards the shoreline.

Goodbye

The sound waves shattered the air. A flock of white gulls were startled. Wings that blotted out the sky rose into the air, circling the Sunny tightly.

The deck was a scene of chaos. Ace stood like an isolated island, his feet rooted to the spot. He neither cried out nor waved. He stood there like a dead man.

The ship violently spun, cutting into the deep-sea channel. Ace raised his right arm, his fingers gripping the brim of his orange hat tightly, pressing down forcefully. His gaze swept across the boiling sea, fixed on the shrinking island.

The metal building reflected a blinding white light. Memories of flesh and steel were splattered there. Ace gritted his teeth. No tears. No anger. Only deathly silence.

At the edge of the coastline. Chen Ye's eyes flashed like lightning. He saw right through Ace's knuckles, which were white as he fiddled with the brim of his hat. His obsession hadn't subsided. Chen Ye shut his mouth tightly. Silence was the greatest respect he could show this young beast.

The Sunny rapidly shrank, becoming a black dot, and was eventually swallowed by the horizon.

Vegapunk turned and left. Without a second thought. He clutched the data panel tightly, rattling off weapon specifications. He strode away. The furnaces in the engineering section were still burning.

Only two people remained on the shore. The wind howled like knives. Chen Ye stared intently at the horizon. Without turning his head, he uttered a curt statement.

"Straw Hat Luffy, we'll meet again soon."

The volume was extremely low, yet it sounded like iron nails hammering into a wooden board. Locke abruptly tilted his head, his fierce eyes fixed on Chen Ye's profile. His impatience vanished completely. His nerves tightened instantly. Chen Ye's blade had already turned. The force field's meat grinder had officially begun.