The Warehouse Under the Bridge

Smoke from the burning Galley-La Headquarters carries far across Water 7. Watching from atop Blueno's Bar, Kokoro tells Chimney and Gonbe that her instincts were right and that the buried weapon should never have existed at all. On the streets below, a disguised Rob Lucci leads CP9 in tracking down where Franky has gone, cornering members of the Franky Family who refuse to talk and instead promise to teach the intruder a lesson.

Inside the riverside hideout, Franky, Mozu, and Kiwi are in tears, baffling Usopp, who asks what has set them off. Franky admits he was moved by how Usopp stood alone to defend the Going Merry. The two replay their earlier feud over the stolen cash in a joking back-and-forth, and Franky declares the score settled before inviting Usopp to join the Franky Family. Usopp turns him down, saying his heart still belongs to piracy, which only makes Franky weep harder. Franky then warns of Aqua Laguna, the yearly surge tide bearing down on them, and explains that Water 7 sits over a sunken island whose waters keep rising. Their talk drifts to the Sea Train, the Puffing Tom, and the master shipwright Tom who built it.

Out in the city, Lucci's group overpowers the Franky Family and extracts Franky's location, then sets off toward the hideout. Back at the warehouse, Mozu and Kiwi ask Usopp what he intends to do once the Merry is patched up, and he speaks of sailing back home. Franky shuts the idea down: having brought the vessel in himself, he inspected it and found Galley-La's grim verdict accurate. The ship simply cannot make a voyage. When Franky moves toward the Merry to break it down for parts, Usopp plants himself in the way, ready to fight.

The chapter falls within the Water 7 Arc. Its cover belongs to the Animal Theater run, showing Sanji strumming a guitar at the shore as a whale leaps behind him. Key beats include CP9 learning Franky's whereabouts, Franky confirming Galley-La's assessment of the Going Merry, and his offer to dismantle the ship, which leaves Usopp furious.