Chapter 417

Franky stepped back in astonishment.

"So it's a talking manatee after all..."

"How rude. Although I am old, I am still a mermaid," Kokoro Granny said. "Hurry up and check on these little ones."

Robin and Franky immediately rushed to check on them.

They discovered that all of them had miraculously survived and were not seriously hurt. They were merely still unconscious, as if they had suffered some tremendous shock.

Franky nodded silently in his heart; he thought he could understand that feeling.

Afterwards, the group gradually woke up.

Zi Zi Busheng shook his head and then covered his forehead with his hand. He felt as though he had just had a very terrible nightmare.

The newly awakened Zi Zi Busheng heard them discussing the matter of mermaids. Although they strongly denied having seen any bizarre scene just now, Kokoro Granny ruthlessly stated the fact that she herself was a mermaid.

"When a mermaid passes thirty, her tail fin splits to adapt to life on land... it is a very mysterious race. If you have the chance to visit Fish-Man Island, you will understand," Kokoro Granny said.

"Is that so? It is said that if a cat lives for a hundred years, its tail splits into two, and it cultivates into a demon!" Usopp said.

"Oh... so you are a cat demon?" Sanji suddenly realized.

"Do not compare me to it! Can you not even say thank you?" Kokoro Granny shouted.

Only then did the entire crew properly and respectfully say thank you.

Nami and Chopper turned their heads, saw Robin, and flew at her.

"Robin!" Chopper cried uncontrollably.

"Robin! It's great! We finally made it! Are you okay, Robin?" Nami asked with concern.

"Hmm... thanks to you all... thank you everyone," Robin said with a smile. "By the way... is Sima Di okay? I remember hearing her cry for help..."

"Oh, Sima Di is fine. Zoro and Sanji arrived in time to save her..."

"And me! The great Usopp!" Usopp interjected.

"Alright, alright, and... anyway, three people went to save Sima Di."

"Why didn't you mention my name!" Usopp complained.

"Really? But you are all awake, yet Sima Di..." Robin cast a worried gaze toward the distance.

Nami turned back and saw that Sima Di still looked unconscious.

"Ah! It's true!"

With Chopper on her head, Nami rushed over to check Sima Di's condition. But since Chopper could not move, Nami followed Chopper's instructions and could only determine that Sima Di was still alive.

Zoro fixed his gaze on Sima Di, feeling somewhat worried.

Come to think of it, when they first arrived there, Sima Di's condition was not very good. Although she looked normal later, her pale complexion could not be hidden.

Besides Zoro, everyone else wore the same worried expression.

"I should have kept a better eye on this guy. Sima Di is not Luffy; she not only loves to cause trouble but is also incredibly weak..." Nami looked at Sima Di with worry.

Seeing everyone caring so much for Heart, Zi Zi Busheng could not say what he felt inside. Was it happiness? Jealousy? Or some other emotion...

"Do not worry. She is not the type to be easily defeated," Zi Zi Busheng thought for a moment and finally spoke up. "She only suffered a mental attack from Bu Weiss, so she has been unconscious for a longer time."

"Oh... so that is how it is. That puts my mind at ease."

Nami breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time felt something was off.

The guy speaking now, she remembered seeing him during the confrontation with CP9. So...

"You are one of CP9, aren't you! How did you end up here!" Nami roared. "So... you are Sima Di's distant cousin?" Nami pointed at Zi Zi Busheng.

Zi Zi Busheng knelt on the ground and nodded seriously, while the face that had looked quite handsome just a minute ago was now beaten black and blue.

"Such a ridiculous excuse! Who would believe that!" Nami shouted.

Usopp seriously counted on his fingers.

"Um... the doctor White on Skypiea is Sima Di's distant cousin, the uncle in Water 7 is Sima Di's distant uncle, this CP9 named Zi Zi Busheng is Sima Di's distant cousin... ah, and there is also a possible acquaintance who is an assassin."

"Sima Di knows so many people~ She must be a big shot from some great family, right? I heard only people from great families have so many distant relatives?" Chopper sighed, his mind already picturing Sima Di wearing a glittering noble gown.

"Very likely." Usopp nodded in agreement with this hypothesis. "That 'Heart' thing must be her title or something. Isn't it true that not every princess has some strange title to show her status?"

Not only did the wanted poster for Sima Di have the two characters "Heart," but Usopp had also clearly heard Zi Zi Busheng refer to her as "Heart" just now.

"Perhaps Sima Di ran away because she was dissatisfied with the marriage arranged by her family. If so, please let me become Sima Di's guardian knight!" Sanji's pink hearts in his eyes pounded. "Ah~ Nami too! Robin too! I am willing to become your knight!"

"Get serious!" Nami punched him. "Whether what this guy says is true or false is not yet certain, so what are you all blindly guessing about!"

"Nami... you are as full of energy as always..." Sima Di held her extremely aching head and sat up.

While unconscious, Sima Di had vaguely heard various complaints, followed immediately by Nami's roaring. The sounds of various battle bombardments did not wake Sima Di, but Nami's shouts made Sima Di jolt again and again, finally returning to a fully awake state.

"Buru buru, buru buru—"

The Den Den Mushi rang without warning.

This was the Den Den Mushi on the escort ship, and its telephone line should be the same as other warships.

"Might as well get some information from the Navy first..."

Franky said this and picked up the phone, but in fact, both his voice and his hands were already trembling.

"Report! The reception of Navy officers and soldiers on Enies Lobby is complete. Escaped pirates, including giants, totaling about fifty, were found in front of the main gate! They have all been killed under concentrated artillery fire! Currently, there are no survivors left on the main island!"

"Second Warship reporting! The courthouse and Justice Tower in the southeast of the island, and the underground passage leading to the Bridge of Hesitation, have been completely destroyed! The only remaining attack target is the Bridge of Hesitation."

Listening to the Navy's announcement, Franky stood frozen in place, unable to move.

Just now, when Robin asked about their situation, Franky had laughed loudly and said not to worry, but at this moment, Franky could say nothing at all.

"They... Franky's comrades and the shipwrights of Galley-La..." Zoro gazed at the island where beacon fires were rising everywhere.

"Hyouzou must be with them too..." Kokoro Granny's voice was melancholy.

"Sodom and Gomorrah too... everyone..." Chopper, lying on the deck, sobbed uncontrollably.

"Can people die so easily?" Nami's words seemed to be asking someone else, yet also asking herself.

"On the map... you can't see people... they just coldly erase a small island from the map! That is the Devil's Decree!" Robin lowered her head, her expression unreadable, but her tightly clenched fists said everything.

"Why... why are you all making such faces?" Zi Zi Busheng turned to look at everyone. "This doesn't look like the Straw Hat crew at all..."

Zi Zi Busheng's words made everyone's expressions turn to shock.

"Hey! You! To you, they are just insignificant strangers! That's why you can say such cold words!" Usopp was somewhat angry.

"Usopp, calm down." Sima Di advised.

"Sima Di..." Usopp looked at Sima Di with confusion.

"Don't worry. Those guys won't die that easily. None of them are cowards, but none of them are fools either. They won't just wait stupidly for the cannon fire to kill them."

To Robin and Franky, Sima Di's words sounded like simple comfort, but to the others, they carried an incredible magic. Usopp, in particular, instantly believed Sima Di's judgment.

"That's right. That group of guys won't die that easily. After all, they are the ones who once defeated me, the great Usopp." Usopp nodded solemnly.

"Although your words sound like comfort, I've decided to trust you once." Franky said with a smile.

Sima Di and Franky had hardly interacted; counting the confrontation at the courthouse, this was only the second time. Yet Franky felt this person possessed an incredible composure, even more calm than Robin.

"In that case... let us wait for his return before that guy Luffy finishes the battle." Sima Di said. "Zoro! Sanji! Usopp! Zi Zi Busheng! The attack on the direction of the Zhiqiao is left to you!"

"We understand."

The four answered, simultaneously leaping off the ship, standing at the head of the Zhiqiao, ready for battle at any moment.

"Nami! Robin! Franky! We'll take care of the ship! Any problems?" Sima Di asked.

"Of course, no problem!" Nami took out her Clima-Tact, fixed it, and held it across her chest.

"Leave it to me! Super~" Franky also struck a combat stance.

"Ahhh... I want to join the fight too..." Chopper complained.

Robin looked at Sima Di, who was smiling confidently, and suddenly felt that something had changed within him, though she couldn't articulate what that change was.

"Robin? What are you still hesitating for? You aren't fighting alone anymore, are you?" Sima Di said with a smile, his eyes curved into crescents, shining with a strange light.

Robin paused for a moment, then immediately smiled as well.

"I understand, First Mate."

That's right, none of us are alone anymore...

When Sima Di felt the Navy was about to arrive, he took out two shells and tossed them into the air.