[Pirate] I! Orochimaru! I will never split! Chapter 080

The raging flames consumed the Going Merry, tongues of fire licking at every inch of the hull, black smoke billowing upwards. The mast, adorned with the Straw Hat flag, crashed down… Tears streamed uncontrollably from everyone’s eyes.

As the flames died down, they saw Orochimaru slowly walking out of the water, holding a child.

The child possessed long, silver-white hair, dazzling and radiant like stars twinkling in the night sky. His eyes were like the deep ocean… His small body was tightly wrapped in soft clothing, resting quietly in Orochimaru’s arms. [Image→]

P.S. I posted a compilation of Merry on my circle.

Usopp gazed at the child, recognizing him with just a single glance—it was Merry!

Nami, Usopp, and Chopper, stepping past the still-crying Luffy, gathered around Orochimaru. Usopp cautiously extended his hand, “Merry…”

Merry nodded, extending a chubby little hand towards Usopp.

Usopp, holding Merry, looked at Orochimaru, somewhat at a loss, “Why isn’t Merry speaking?”

“It hasn’t adapted to its new body yet, so it won’t speak for now. It’ll be fine in a few days,” Orochimaru extended a finger and gently poked Merry’s chubby cheek, a faint smile on his face.

Nami snatched Merry from Usopp’s hands, holding him high, and said with a joyful expression, “Kawaii!! Orochimaru, is Merry a boy or a girl?”

Orochimaru paused slightly, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes, “Shouldn’t ship spirits be genderless…?”

Sanji’s cigarette suddenly dropped from his hand. He stared blankly at Orochimaru, his mouth slightly agape, as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard. For a moment, everyone stood frozen, their expressions varied. Franky’s jaw dropped.

A moment later, a collective twitch appeared at the corners of their mouths, and they all displayed expressions of helplessness and speechlessness.

Nami’s eyes widened, and she roared furiously at Orochimaru, “There’s no such thing as a genderless being in this world!!! Get some common sense!!! What are you going to do about Merry later?!” Her voice echoed across the entire coast, as if to shock Orochimaru awake!!

Orochimaru clutched his aching ears, feeling a little wronged. Was gender really that important?

Before Nami’s roar, Robin took Merry, thoughtfully covering Merry’s ears. Such a fragile child shouldn’t be startled.

Nami’s roar woke up the still-crying Luffy. Looking at the group, Luffy was very angry.

“I’m telling you guys!!! Merry is already gone! Why are you still playing around here?!”

Before he could finish his sentence, Robin pointed to the child in her arms, “Luffy… look here… this is Merry… it’s still alive.”

Robin briefly explained Orochimaru’s experiment. Luffy cried and laughed… then ran to Orochimaru, grabbing Orochimaru’s neck and shaking him.

“You cunning snake!!! You wanted to deliberately see me cry, didn’t you!!! It was the same with Sabo back then!! You’re too much!”

Orochimaru was somewhat shocked, looking at Luffy.

“You actually figured that out… Aren’t you an idiot?”

“Orochimaru!!!!” Accompanied by Luffy’s roar, the group bickered and played their way back to Water 7.

In the quiet little house, Luffy was sleeping in a chair.

Orochimaru lay bonelessly on the sofa, kneading Merry in his arms, feeling a bit listless.

Sanji and Zoro stood side by side. Zoro wiped plates and handed them to Sanji for washing.

Nami watered her beloved tangerine trees. After a few days at Orochimaru’s place, Nami felt the tangerine trees looked a bit wilted.

Chopper took Robin to the bookstore where they were forced to separate before, buying the books they wanted.

Usopp adjusted his new slingshot, occasionally hitting Luffy with rubber pellets.

The afternoon hours were so peaceful that the author felt like crying… (҂ ꒦ິヮ꒦ິ)

“Ooh~ Are you all super energetic?” Franky bumped the door open with his butt, striking a bizarre pose with the Square Sisters.

“Franky… what’s with your sudden entrance?” Sanji complained about Franky disturbing this warm and peaceful moment.

“Listen up!” Franky looked at the group seriously, “I have something very important to say.”

Franky pushed his sunglasses onto his head and sat on the ground.

“On a certain war-torn island, the people of History Island launched a war filled with cannon fire. Everyone on the island died, and the entire city became ruins. But a huge tree still stood there, unyielding no matter what happened. People quickly rebuilt the city and country around the tree. There are only a few such strongest trees in the world, and they are called the Treasure Tree Adam.”

Chopper tilted his head in confusion, “A tree? What about it?”

“A part of this tree is occasionally traded on the black market. Although I really wanted it, it’s a treasure worth two hundred million, so I never managed to get my hands on it. I didn’t expect a group of pirates with a huge sum of money to appear at this time—that’s you guys,” Franky spread his hands helplessly, then lowered his head with an unclear expression, clenching his fists.

“I once decided not to build ships anymore, but I still want to follow that man, the one I’ve always looked up to as a role model.

By the time I came to my senses, I had already drawn the ship’s design. My dream is to use the Adam Treasure Tree to build a dream ship that can cross any sea.

I’ve already obtained the treasure tree, and I have the design. Next, I’m going to build this ship.

So, once it’s finished, will you be able to sail the seas on the ship I build?”

Chopper stammered, “Th-that…”

Sanji and the others were flattered, “You… you’re going to give us that ship?”

“That’s right. There’s nothing happier than letting people I admire ride it. Besides, the money came from you anyway.

The ship of Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King, who was the only one to sail around the world, the Oro Jackson, was also built from this tree. I will definitely build an amazing ship with it to show you.”

Orochimaru glanced at the solemnly promising Franky, then casually tossed a large lump of gold over. “Build it… use the best materials.”

Franky swallowed, looking at the lump of gold… “Are you guys that rich?”

Everyone nodded in unison, “Yes… very rich.”

“Yosh!!! Then leave it to me with confidence!! What do you all need! Remember to tell me!”

Everyone happily celebrated the new ship. Orochimaru suddenly shivered, sitting up abruptly, looking at the wall opposite Luffy with horror.

“Orochimaru… what’s wrong?” The group looked at Orochimaru, whose pupils were dilated and face was pale, their nerves tense. They all looked in the direction of Orochimaru’s gaze.

With a loud bang, the wall shattered, and a Marine wearing a dog-head hat suddenly appeared in everyone’s sight.

“You must be the Straw Hat Crew! I’ve come to see that captain, Monkey D. Luffy, and that so-called ‘seductive’ ninja, Orochimaru!!!” The Marine’s voice carried a grinding, resentful tone.

The Marine looked at the guy sitting in the chair, sleeping with snot bubbles coming out of his nose, and laughed. “Hmph, still as incorrigible as ever.”

With a flash, he appeared in front of Luffy, who was behind the wary group, and punched Luffy into the floor.

“Get up now, old man!!!”

The wronged Meow-san is lying flat online… Recently, there have been over 100 fewer people urging updates… It must be the persimmon’s data that’s wrong, boohoohoo.

So… I humbly beg for updates, advertisements… My darlings… It’s October 1st… Please come back soon~ Boohoohoo.