Sitting outside the flaming wreckage, Nami leaned against a broken beam, her arms crossed and her gaze contemplative. Lucas and Iceburg sat near her, listening as Iceburg recounted Robin's actions. He spoke slowly, describing how Robin had steeled herself to make this sacrifice, choosing to protect her crew at the cost of her own freedom.
Nami's expression softened, a hint of relief washing over her features. "So… she really did it for us," she murmured, her voice almost a whisper. It didn't erase the sting of Robin's departure, but knowing her intent brought some comfort.
"Uh, wait—where's Sanji and Chopper?" Lucas asked suddenly, breaking the reflective silence. He glanced around, realizing their absence.
"Oh, them? They went to look for the others. After the shipwrights formed groups, some were sent to find Zoro and Luffy, and the others are helping put out the fire," Nami replied. Her tone carried a hint of exasperation as she added, "Weren't you paying any attention?"
Lucas scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Guess not."
Nami sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Anyway, now that we know Robin didn't betray us, we need to find the others and chase after her," she said, her voice carrying newfound determination.
Iceburg, who had been quietly observing them, was taken aback. He had expected the Straw Hats to give up on Robin after learning the truth, but their resolve to bring her back was unwavering. It left him speechless for a moment.
Lucas stood up, brushing off his coat. "Well, guess we should get going. I've healed you up for the second time, Iceburg, so try not to go around injuring yourself again, okay?" He shot the man a playful smirk before turning serious. "Oh, and if you could, we'd like to borrow a ship to follow the sea train."
Iceburg nodded slightly, though his gaze lingered on the group, still trying to process their loyalty to Robin.
Nami and Lucas left Iceburg behind as they set out to find Chopper and the shipwrights. Their search led them to the other side of the city, where a group of shipwrights worked in teams, navigating the streets and coordinating efforts to locate Zoro and Luffy.
They found Chopper with Paulie, who had taken charge of a small group of shipwrights. Chopper stood on his tiptoes, peering down an alleyway as Paulie barked orders at the others.
"Chopper!" Nami called out, waving as she approached. "Thank goodness, there you are!"
Chopper turned at the sound of her voice, relief flashing across his face. "Nami! Lucas! Did you find anything?"
"Not yet," Lucas said. "But we're here to regroup. Any word on Sanji?"
Paulie adjusted his tie and turned toward them, his usual gruff demeanor apparent. "Yeah, he stopped by earlier. Said he was asking for directions to the sea train. I assume he's already making his way there."
Nami perked up at the mention of the sea train. "That's perfect! Can you take us there?"
Paulie hesitated for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I'll take you there, but you better be ready for whatever comes next," he said, his voice laced with warning. "The fire and all this chaos aren't gonna make it easy."
"Don't worry," Lucas said with a faint grin. "We're always ready."
Paulie gave a curt nod. "Alright then. Let's move."
As Paulie led Nami and Lucas toward the sea train, the remaining shipwrights continued their search for Zoro and Luffy. Chopper stayed behind with them, his little hooves skittering as he darted between the shipwrights, determined to locate their missing crew members.
"This way, hurry!" Paulie barked as they twisted and turned through narrow streets and crowded paths, his urgency pulling Nami and Lucas along at a breakneck pace. The city's labyrinthine layout made the task even more chaotic, their surroundings blurring together as they raced toward their goal.
Nami huffed, trying to keep up with Paulie's relentless pace. Her frustration boiled over as she threw a sharp look at Lucas. "Wait a minute… Can't you just teleport us there?! You're literally capable of bending space or something, aren't you?" She raised her eyebrows, her tone laced with impatience.
Lucas hesitated for a moment, scratching his head as if caught off guard. He sighed heavily, knowing that he was deliberately stalling to allow events to unfold in line with the bigger picture. "Huh? Right, I guess…" he muttered, clearly not eager to cut corners. But with Nami's glare practically boring a hole through him, he finally gave in.
Rolling his eyes dramatically, Lucas transformed into XLR8 in a flash of blue light, his sleek, agile alien form now standing where he had been. "Fine, fine. Hang on." Before Paulie could even react, Lucas picked him and Nami up, rushing ahead in a blur so fast the world around them seemed to freeze.
Paulie's eyes widened in disbelief, his hands gripping Lucas's shoulder tightly. "Wha—what the hell is happening?! What *are* you?!"
Lucas ignored him, racing across the streets faster than the wind. Within moments, they arrived at the docks, only to find their goal—the sea train—had already departed.
Nami gasped, her heart sinking. "It's gone… The sea train—it's already left!" she exclaimed, panic creeping into her voice.
Lucas shifted back into his human form, rubbing the back of his neck as he scanned their surroundings. "I'll scout around—hold tight," he said. His body blurred again into XLR8, vanishing from sight as he darted off to gather any clues.
Moments later, Lucas reappeared, holding up a crumpled piece of paper. "Hey! Found something—looks like Sanji left a note."
Paulie crossed his arms, still trying to process Lucas's otherworldly abilities, but he stayed silent as Nami snatched the note from Lucas's hand. Her heart pounded as her eyes scanned the words. She gasped softly, her hand trembling.
She read aloud, skipping the overly romantic bits. "'I've gone after them—don't worry about me. I'll make sure she's safe.'" Nami paused, her voice catching. "Sanji… He really went after them," she said, relief mingling with anxiety. "He followed them onto the sea train…"
Before they could even fully process the news, a sudden roar echoed across the city. Water rushed in from every direction, flooding the docks as Aqua Laguna arrived with terrifying force. The massive wave surged toward them, swallowing everything in its path.
"Hold on!" Lucas shouted, transforming into XLR8 once more. Grabbing Nami and Paulie, he sped back toward the others, his movements a blur as he dodged rising waves and collapsing structures.
Back at the rendezvous point, the group reassembled, their relief short-lived as they searched desperately for Zoro, Luffy, and Chopper. Nami spotted them first, her voice breaking as she yelled out through the chaos.
"Zoro! Chopper! Luffy!" she cried, tears streaming down her face as she waved frantically.
The three were barely visible, their silhouettes fighting to stay above water as the enormous wave loomed closer. Luffy rushed ahead, carrying both Zoro and Chopper, determined to reach safety. But the force of the wave was too overwhelming, threatening to pull them under.
As panic spread among the crew, Lucas made his move. His body shimmered as he transformed into his ultimate form: Ultimate Gravattack. His spherical alien body pulsed with energy, glowing brightly as he shifted the gravitational forces around him. Planting himself firmly in the path of the wave, he created a barrier of dense gravity that held the water at bay.
The wave slammed into the barrier with relentless force, but Lucas stood his ground, his ultimate transformation stabilizing the water and giving the crew precious time to regroup.
"Everyone, move—now!" Lucas roared, his voice booming through the chaos as the gravity shield holding off the Aqua Laguna.
The Straw Hats scrambled to higher ground, their fear momentarily replaced with awe as Lucas held the wave at bay, his strength and resolve unmatched.
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