One Piece: Bai Ye Deputy Captain of the Straw Hats

Translator: PapaSmurf0700

Even though Luffy has shown signs of maturing—like resisting the urge to sneak food while everyone sleeps, and making an effort to stay awake during Bai Ye's strategic discussions—his true nature hasn't changed much. Whenever a new adventure beckons, Luffy's simpler, excitable side takes over completely.

So, it was no surprise that as soon as Nami rallied the crew to set out, Luffy had already disappeared from sight, his enthusiasm getting the better of him. Quickly, Nami and Usopp took the helm of the vehicles Black Rhino and Brachiosaurus, organizing the group for the journey ahead. Nami, with her strong sense of leadership, took Sanji and Zoro with her, the only crew member who could keep those two in line. Usopp drove with Robin and Merry as his passengers. Chopper, meanwhile, climbed aboard Franky's transformed Chariot Form.

Bai Ye declared he didn't need a vehicle. "I'll just fly there on my sword!" he announced confidently, soaring off with a flourish.

As the crew made their way across the rugged lunar landscape, thanks to Franky's thoughtful engineering, the ride was surprisingly smooth, sparing everyone from motion sickness. They suspected Luffy might have already reached the explosion site due to his typical head start in such situations.

However, to their surprise, after a lengthy ride, they found Luffy standing by a shallow pit, not far ahead. Spotting his friends, Luffy's face lit up with a grin. He waved them over and then called out to Chopper with an urgent tone, "Hey, Chopper! There's someone here who looks hurt!"

Without waiting for a response, Luffy bounded excitedly around the impressive machinery that had brought his crewmates. His energy was infectious, and despite the seriousness of the situation, it was hard not to feel a jolt of excitement at his undiminished spirit for adventure.

When Chopper learned someone might be hurt, his doctor instincts kicked in. "Someone's injured?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Approaching the shallow pit, he spotted a figure smaller than himself sprawled on the ground. "From here, he doesn't look much different from the folks back home," Chopper mumbled as he jumped down to offer aid.

The figure wore a military uniform and a green helmet, a flintlock rifle discarded nearby. Because the figure was face down, Chopper couldn't see his face. As he turned the body over, Chopper murmured, puzzled, "It's odd, isn't it? A child in battle?" But then he saw the figure's face, complete with a thick beard. "Could it be dwarfism?" Chopper wondered aloud.

He began to examine the injury, only to exclaim in shock, "Hey everyone, come and see this!" His voice echoed with urgency.

The crew gathered quickly, peering into the pit. Chopper pulled back the figure's clothing to reveal a gaping hole in the stomach, exposing a tangle of wires and circuits that sparked intermittently. "He's not human; he's a robot," Chopper announced, taken aback by the discovery.

Luffy looked confused, scratching his head, "Hey, is it Franky?"

Usopp rolled his eyes, exasperated. "Just because it's a robot doesn't mean it's Franky," he retorted.

Zoro scanned the area, his expression serious. "Doesn't look like this damage could cause that big blast we heard."

Sanji stroked his chin, musing, "So, the explosion we heard earlier must have come from somewhere else, right?"

BOOM!

Before they could ponder further, another loud boom resonated, clearer and closer than before, halting their conversation and heightening the tension in the air.

Frankie listened intently to the distant sounds and remarked, "It's kind of odd. That explosion doesn't sound like it's from a fight; more like something being deliberately blown up."

Bai Ye chimed in, speculating, "If this really is Fairy Vearth, could others have gotten here before us?"

Robin nodded, adding, "It's quite possible. If we could reach here, others might have found other ways too. Maybe they've already started scouring the ruins for treasure."

At the mention of treasure, Luffy and Nami's eyes widened in unison. "What!!" they exclaimed together, a rare moment of agreement between them. "Everyone, let's get moving!"

Just as the group prepared to leave, Franky held up a hand. "I want to stay," he declared. "I'm worried about this robot. I'm going to try to fix him." He gestured towards the damaged robot beside him.

Chopper quickly volunteered to help. "I'll stay too," he said, reasoning that since he arrived on Franky's chariot, it made sense to stick together.

After giving Franky and Chopper some quick instructions, the rest of the group resumed their journey. With the other vehicles full, no one was willing to give up their seat, which left Luffy to join Bai Ye on his flying sword, much to Luffy's dismay. This seemed to annoy Bai Ye, prompting him to fly even faster.

The two were the first to reach the next destination. Luffy, clutching tightly onto Bai Ye in the sky, couldn't contain his excitement upon seeing what lay before them. "Wow!! This is so cool!!" he shouted joyfully.

Bai Ye nodded in agreement. Even though he was familiar with the story, the reality of seeing it all firsthand was still thrilling.

Not far from where Bai Ye and Luffy stood, they could see a ship that looked similar to the Sunshine Merry in its sky form, grounded nearby. The ship's design included two quirky, top hat-shaped structures on its hull, giving it a unique and striking appearance.

This vessel had no sails or oars, and its only propulsion seemed to be a jet tube at the stern. It looked like an advanced version of Franky's wind cannon, but far more sophisticated and potent, possibly even outmatching the power of the Coup de Burst.

For Bai Ye and Luffy, the ship itself was a marvel, but the scene unfolding around it was absolutely astonishing, amplifying their amazement exponentially.

Beside the ship stood a gigantic machine, cylindrical and imposing, its purpose unclear. Next to this massive device, a creature resembling a catfish, almost the size of a Sea King, used its slender arms, clad in white gloves, to support the machine. This sight was surreal in its own right.

Around the machine bustled a variety of odd creatures, each engrossed in their tasks. Further away, a group of what appeared to be more authoritative beings were embroiled in a fervent discussion, their animated gestures indicating the intensity of their debate.