Chapter 436: So, What Exactly Did That Guy Go There For?

"Perona was captured?"

Usopp stared dumbfounded at Chopper and said, "She’s using Nami’s body right now, a Logia type. How could she be captured?"

Could it be that among the enemies this time, there was a strong one who could use Haki?

"It was Seastone Chains," Nami said with a grim expression. "They appeared beside us at some point and then used Seastone Chains to tie up Perona."

They were so fast that we didn’t even have a chance to react.

"This is my fault..."

Chopper lowered his head and said, "Even though they were so huge, I didn’t notice the shadows of those two until they were right in front of me..."

"It’s because you’re using Sanji’s body," Franky said.

If Chopper were using his own body, he could have detected the enemy earlier through his sense of smell.

But unfortunately... he was using Sanji’s body.

This time, Chopper just nodded without saying anything more.

Just as Franky said, if he had been using his own body, he could indeed have detected the enemy’s traces earlier.

"Do we know who came?"

"No idea."

Nami said, "We only know they looked like beastmen."

Maybe a combination of the Giant Race and beastmen?

"First centaurs, and now beastmen?" Usopp said frantically. "Why are all these weird guys showing up?!"

What the hell is going on here?!

"It seems they’ve been watching us for a long time," Nico Robin said with a frown.

That’s probably why they were able to seize the opportunity to strike.

"And what about this Brownbeard?" Luffy turned to look at Brownbeard and said, "Why didn’t they rescue him too?"

He remembered Brownbeard saying something about his master definitely coming to save him, so why didn’t they take him away this time?

Was there no time?

Or are they planning to wait until next time?

"No, the ones who came had no intention of saving him," Chopper glanced at the unconscious Brownbeard and said. "Their real goal was our lives and these children."

"Then why is he unconscious?"

"This..."

Recalling what had happened earlier, Chopper said, "According to that Caesar, Brownbeard is no longer useful, so he was taken out by the enemies who came this time."

"Huh?"

"He was taken out by the enemies who came this time?" Merry said, dumbfounded. "But he really admired that so-called master, why..."

Could it be that because Brownbeard was captured by us, he was abandoned?

That guy named Caesar is really terrible.

No matter what, he shouldn’t attack his own people.

"It seems this guy named Caesar is a twisted person," Nico Robin said.

Upon hearing this, everyone else fell silent.

Yes.

Someone who would attack his own people can indeed be considered a twisted person.

"Absolutely cannot hand the children over to someone like that!" Chopper exclaimed passionately.

Otherwise, whether these children could grow up safely would be a serious concern.

"Perona being taken away is also very worrying," Usopp said with a furrowed brow. "Who knows what they might do to her."

Speaking of which, what about Nami is worth researching?

A Logia type body?

"Perhaps that scientist named Caesar is interested in Nami’s body that can undergo Elemental Transformation," Nico Robin said. "Hopefully she hasn’t been chopped into pieces."

Usopp: ??

Nami: ..

Usopp looked at Robin speechlessly, wondering what she was saying at a time like this.

Meanwhile, Nami began to shed tears and said, "Robin... don’t scare me like that..."

That was her body after all!

If it were chopped into pieces, her body would probably die.

And if that happened, Perona inside her body might die along with it, which was the last thing she wanted.

"Don’t worry," Luffy, who had been staring at the sky outside, said. "I’ll definitely get Perona back."

With that, Luffy quickly dashed outside, adding, "I’ll leave the children to you all. I’ll be right back."

"Wait, Luffy!"

Franky called out, "Are you planning to go alone?"

"That’s right," Luffy nodded without hesitation. "I’m enough on my own."

If too many people went, it might leave this place vulnerable to a sneak attack, so he intended to go alone.

That way, there would be no danger here.

"That won’t do," Nami said. "We can’t let you go alone."

Luffy’s strength was indeed formidable, but this time they were facing an enemy who liked to use underhanded tricks, so someone had to go with him.

Hearing this, Luffy frowned and said, "I can handle it."

"Still not allowed."

After saying this, Nami turned to her companions and asked, "Who will go with Luffy?"

"I’ll go," Merry raised her hand.

"No."

Luffy shook his head without hesitation. "If the enemy uses that strange poison gas again, we’ll need you to blow it away with your wind, so you can’t come with me."

Although he didn’t know what that poison gas was, he at least knew Merry’s wind could counter it.

So Merry had to stay here.

Hearing this, Merry frowned slightly, but she couldn’t find a way to argue with Luffy.

After all... she was indeed needed here.

"Then who will go with you?" Usopp asked.

"I’ll go," Franky said, raising his head proudly.

"You?"

Everyone immediately turned their attention to Franky, then showed somewhat helpless expressions.

Without his own body, how much use could Franky be?

"Don’t underestimate me, you guys," Franky said with a frown. "Even though I’m not using my own body, Chopper’s keen sense of smell is still here!"

"I might even be able to find Perona’s trail outside."

Oh, right, Perona was using Nami’s body, so they should look for Nami’s scent instead.

"That’s right!" Usopp’s eyes lit up. "Using Chopper’s sense of smell might help us find those guys."

As long as they could locate those guys, Luffy should be able to take them down!

"Wouldn’t it be faster to use my wind to find them?" Merry raised her hand.

At these words, everyone fell silent.

Indeed, if Chopper’s sense of smell could be used in this place, then Merry’s wind should be even more effective.

Thinking this, Nami spoke up, "Then Franky and Merry should go with Luffy."

"But what if the enemy uses poison gas?" Luffy frowned.

He didn’t want anything to happen to his companions here.

"Don’t worry, the enemy probably won’t use something like that," Nico Robin said. "After all, the children are still here."

As for hypnotic gas or the like...

With her here, there wouldn’t be any situation where everyone was knocked out by hypnotic gas.

Seeing that Nico Robin had said so, Luffy didn’t refuse any further.

"Then it’s decided," Franky nodded, then turned to Chopper and said, "Chopper, give me that bean you often eat—the one that lets you transform into a monster."

"What bean..." Chopper explained somewhat helplessly, "That’s a Rumble Ball."

"The name doesn’t matter, just give it to me quickly."

But Chopper didn’t immediately go to get the Rumble Ball. Instead, he looked seriously at Franky and said, "The Rumble Ball is a very dangerous drug. You might not be able to control it."

That thing required strong willpower to master; otherwise, the body would go berserk!

"What nonsense are you talking?" Franky said. "With my super spirit, I can definitely handle it."

"Alright, no more chatter. Give it to me quickly."

He didn’t believe he couldn’t control that thing, so... let super him turn into a super monster to save Perona!

Hearing this, Chopper pursed his lips. Did it have to be this way...

"Hey, Franky, hurry up," Luffy, who had already walked outside, shouted. "We’re leaving."

Merry, standing beside Luffy, was also looking at Franky, signaling him to hurry up and follow.

"I know."

Franky waved a claw without turning his head, then looked at Chopper as if to say: No more nonsense, just give it to me.

"Fine, I give up..."

Chopper sighed helplessly, then walked over to Franky, crouched down, and began rummaging through his pockets.

"Huh?"

"!"

"This thing was in my pocket all along?!" Franky was dumbfounded.

If he had known, why would he have said all that to Chopper? He could have just reached into his pocket!

"That’s Chopper’s possession, after all," Usopp said helplessly. "So it’s only natural it’s in your pocket."

Hearing this, Franky twitched his mouth. He just hadn’t thought of it.

"Listen carefully," Chopper, holding the Rumble Ball, looked seriously at Franky and said, "You can only take one!

"And, the monster transformation from the Rumble Ball lasts three minutes. After that, you won’t be able to keep fighting, so you must use it carefully, preferably at a critical moment."

"Alright, I understand."

Franky nodded, then reached out and took the Rumble Ball Chopper handed him.

As for the others?

Chopper put them away.

"You must remember what I said," Chopper added. "If possible, use the Gentle Force Enhancement I showed earlier. That’s the most..."

Chopper hadn’t even finished speaking when he saw Franky put the Rumble Ball into his mouth.

And then... he turned into a monster!

"Owooo!!"

"Super!!"

"?"

"!!"

Watching Franky strike his signature pose, Chopper was utterly dumbfounded.

"You ate it too early, you idiot!"

He’d said the Rumble Ball was meant for crucial moments—what was the point of eating it now, you moron!!

The others were also staring at Franky in shock, clearly not expecting this idiot to swallow the Rumble Ball so quickly.

"Hey, Franky, hurry up," Luffy, who was watching the distance from outside, shouted, "Let’s get going sooner..."

"Boom!!"

Before he could finish, a colossal figure charged out of the cave.

"?"

"!!!"

Staring at the sudden appearance of the gigantic monster, Luffy and Merry were both stunned.

Wasn’t that Chopper’s Monster Point? Why was it being used already?

"Hey, Franky, why are you..."

Before Merry could finish, she noticed Franky lifting an enormous rock and charging toward them, his expression looking utterly ferocious.

Merry: ??

Though she didn’t understand what was happening, Merry instinctively sensed danger and activated her wind powers to yank Luffy up, swiftly retreating backward.

The next moment...

"Boom!!"

The massive rock smashed into the spot where Luffy had just been, leaving him completely dumbfounded.

"Hey, Franky!" Luffy stared in disbelief and said, "Why are you attacking us?"

Unfortunately, Franky was in no state to answer his question, only roaring wildly.

"Owoo!"

"He... has he gone berserk?" Merry said, stunned.

From the looks of it... it seemed a lot like the berserk state Meiser had described to her before.

"Hey, Merry, get out of here!!"

"Right!"

Though she had no idea what this idiot Franky was up to, the priority was to get away from here first.

Thinking this, Merry activated her ability and flew forward with Luffy.

As for Franky?

Upon seeing the two flying ahead, he roared and chased after them.

And this entire scene was witnessed by their companions who had just emerged from the cave entrance.

"He really did go berserk!" Chopper said, somewhat frantic.

What on earth was this idiot doing?!

"So, what exactly did Franky go out to do..." Usopp twitched his mouth.

They’d been counting on him to use Chopper’s nose to locate the enemy, but he went berserk the moment he stepped out.

This was pure nonsense!

"This idiot," Nami also said with a headache, watching the distant figures disappear, "He really knows how to cause trouble."

Nico Robin nodded in agreement upon hearing this, saying, "He truly is a hindrance of an idiot."

Clearly, Nico Robin was extremely disdainful of Franky in his current state.

Yes, as disdainful as one could possibly be.

"So what do we do now?" Usopp said with a pained expression, "Should I go after them?"

If he activated his maximum speed boost, he should be able to catch up to Luffy and the others.

"No need."

Chopper shook his head and said, "The Rumble Ball’s effect only lasts three minutes. After three minutes pass, everything should be fine."

"Three minutes?"

Usopp was taken aback for a moment, then frowned and said, "Didn’t you just say that after three minutes, he wouldn’t be able to move? If I remember correctly, that’s exactly what you said."

"That’s right."

Chopper nodded and replied, "But at least he won’t be causing trouble for Luffy and the others anymore."

Usopp: "..."

Usopp was rendered speechless.

What a way to put it—"won’t be causing trouble for Luffy and the others."

So... what exactly did that idiot Franky go and do?!

That fool!!