Xiaohu followed Mr. Iceburg to an abandoned warehouse. Inside sat the very first Sea Train—the runaway Sea Train, the Rocketman.
"Is this the experimental prototype that preceded the Tom-built Sea Train?"
"Yes, it has been sitting idle for a long time. I wonder if it can still run."
Mr. Iceburg brought out his toolbox to inspect and make repairs, while Xiaohu assisted him nearby. Fortunately, the Rocketman's propulsion system was still functional, and after some patching up here and there, it was almost ready.
As the repairs finished, Xiaohu heard footsteps approaching from outside. Stepping out to look, he saw the Straw Hat Pirates, Granny Kokoro, and her granddaughter Chimney.
"Iceburg, it's so good to see you alive. Your appearance here means you had the same idea I did," Granny Kokoro said.
"Yes, the Rocketman is already repaired. I've also prepared the fuel, so we can set off at any time," Mr. Iceburg wiped the sweat from his brow.
Meanwhile, Straw Hat Luffy and the reindeer stared at the Rocketman with shining eyes: "So cool!"
"Yo, little Xiaohu, long time no see. You've grown more reliable."
"Long time no see, Granny. Chimney has grown taller, too. Are you here to escape the tsunami in Water 7 again this year?"
"No, I'm here to drive this big hunk of metal. It brings back memories," Granny Kokoro took another swig of her flask and chuckled cheerfully.
Xiaohu looked over at Mr. Iceburg with surprise. Mr. Iceburg smiled faintly: "Granny Kokoro and Master Tom were old acquaintances. The construction of this Sea Train also had Granny's help."
Before Luffy boarded the train, Xiaohu spoke up, "Luffy, I previously mistook you for assassins and wronged you, and I apologize. I've also heard about Nico Robin; she was taken away without resisting for your safety. Do you intend to waste her good intentions now?"
Luffy adjusted his straw hat: "No matter what, we are definitely bringing Robin back. As for anyone who stands in our way, we'll just blast them away." Xiaohu smiled and said, "Then let's go!"
And so Xiaohu, the Straw Hat Pirates, Granny Kokoro and the others, along with Franky's followers who had caught up from behind, set off together toward Enies Lobby.
The Rocketman roared forward at high speed. Several tsunamis rushed toward them, but Luffy and Zoro combined their strength to smash them apart. Meanwhile, Xiaohu kept his eyes on the progress of the Gale Collection quest. Ever since boarding the Sea Train to leave Water 7 and charging through the tsunamis, the speed at which the gale wind was being collected grew faster and faster.
"Hey, monster granny, make that train go faster!" the Straw Hat Boy called out.
"Heh heh, you don't need to tell me. The Rocketman is already running at overspeed; I couldn't control it even if I wanted to," Granny Kokoro said, taking a swig of liquor.
"Eh? Really?"
"Hahaha, that makes it even more fun!"
Just as Xiaohu watched the Gale Collection progress reach 99%, a commotion broke out inside the carriage. It turned out that Paulie and two other foremen had boarded the train at some point, and Paulie was blushing as he scolded Nami for changing her clothes out in the open.
"This carriage is only so big, where else am I supposed to change? If you don't want to look, close your eyes!"
"You... do you have any shame left at all?"
"What business is it of yours?!"
Amidst the noisy bickering in the carriage, the Gale Collection quest was finally completed.
"Quest: Collect residual gale winds completed. Wind Spirit Bead is about to be synthesized. Wind Spirit Bead synthesis complete and has been distributed."
"Triggered collection quest: Gather the Five Spirit Beads; Time limit: None; Current progress: 1/5."
"Wind Spirit Bead?" Xiaohu paused in astonishment, then retrieved a brilliant, multicolored bead from his inventory. Holding it in his hand, he could clearly feel its surging and pure energy.
Legend had it that Goddess Nüwa condensed four great natural forces—water, fire, thunder, wind, and earth—into five spiritual forces. These forces were absorbed by the colorful stones Nüwa left behind after patching the heavens, becoming the Five Spirit Beads, the most powerful forces in the mortal realm. During the Primordial War, Nüwa even defeated the Five Spirit Demons and sealed them within the spirit beads to provide them with a continuous source of power.
Rumor had it that the Five Spirit Beads could not only absorb natural forces but also summon divine entities. However, when Xiaohu tried summoning the Wind God, there was no reaction at all. Yet, as another tsunami rushed toward them from ahead, Xiaohu brandished the Wind Spirit Bead, and the hurricane was instantly sucked into the bead.
"Eh? Why did the tsunami suddenly vanish?"
Luffy and Zoro, who had been preparing for a major brawl, stared in confusion as the massive wave in front of them slowly subsided.
"Hahaha, without the tsunami, our path ahead is even clearer. Robin, wait for us!"
Though quite puzzled, the optimistic Straw Hat Pirates simply brushed it aside and pressed onward with renewed fighting spirit.
Returning to the carriage, Xiaohu thought for a moment and said to Paulie and the others, "Paulie, Lulu, Tilestone, hand over your weapons and I'll forge them for you."
"Forge them?"
"Yes, an artifact-crafting technique taught by my master. It can make weapons much sturdier and sharper." Taking the weapons handed over by Paulie and the crew, Xiaohu began carving inscriptions onto the blades.
"Can something like that actually be done?" The Straw Hat Pirates crowded around with curiosity. Then they watched as Lulu took back his newly forged saber and, with a single wave of his hand, cut clean through a steel cable.
"Sugoi!"
"Idiots! That rope is connected to the Franky Family, pull them back in!"
Another round of chaos ensued. The Straw Hat Pirates managed to pull the Franky Family members back aboard with great difficulty.
"Um, could you take a look at this weapon for me?" Xiaohu raised his head to see Nami holding out a stick-like weapon toward him.
"This is the Clima-Tact. Can it be forged like you said?"
Zoro glanced over and asked offhandedly, "Nami, did you change your weapon?"
Nami replied, "Yeah, Usopp upgraded this Clima-Tact for me with Dials after we came back from Skypiea." Zoro said in surprise, "Is that so? It's Usopp's..."
Nami suddenly said with a very sorrowful expression, "That's right, it's his posthumous work..." "Hey, cut it out, he's not dead!"
Xiaohu smiled, took the Clima-Tact, and examined it closely: "Hmm? It seems there are devices inside that can store and release energy?"
"That's right, they're Dials from Skypiea."
"Dials?"
Nami explained, "Yes, they're a specialty of Skypiea. Different Dials have different functions. For my weapon, Usopp used Wind Dials and Heat Dials, which can release wind energy and thermal energy."
"There's also... a spirit talisman inside?" Xiaohu was surprised to find that the spirit talisman he had sold to Nami had also been installed inside.
"Ah, I figured putting it in there might produce some unexpected results."
Xiaohu understood. Dials could gather energy and release it, while spirit talisman could also absorb energy and cast spells through this weapon... This young woman certainly had quite an imagination.
At this thought, Xiaohu couldn't help but look up at Nami. With that look, however, he noticed something special: "Nami, are you sensitive to the spiritual energy in the air... um, what I mean is, have you always been very sensitive to changes in nature's climate since you were a child?"
"Huh? Yeah, I'm a navigator, of course I have to be sensitive to climate changes. This is my talent."
After hearing this, Xiaohu was certain in his heart that Nami likely possessed a special constitution. He remembered a type of physique that cultivators envied the most: the Innate Spirit Body. Those born with an Innate Spirit Body had a high natural affinity for spiritual energy, could gather the spiritual Qi of heaven and earth without cultivation, and found practicing the Five Elements arts twice as effective with half the effort. Nami, having never cultivated, couldn't control spiritual Qi, which was why he could occasionally sense the spiritual energy leaking from around her body.
"Hey, shipwright, why don't you become my crewmate?" Straw Hat Boy Luffy watched as Xiaohu made hand seals, causing the weapon to flash repeatedly. Although he couldn't understand it, it looked pretty awesome.
Xiaohu paused: "A crewmate? Thanks for the kind offer, but I don't want to be a pirate."
"What's wrong with being a pirate? The freest people on the ocean are pirates! And I am going to become the King of the Pirates one day!"
"Cut it out, you haven't even rescued Robin yet, and you're already thinking about recruiting crewmates. Still, we really do need a shipwright. Why don't you consider it, young man?"
"Nonsense! Xiaohu is one of us at Galley-La Company, how could he ever become a pirate with you lot?!"
"Hey, we don't even have a ship right now, it's way too early to talk about that."
Watching the Straw Hat Pirates and Paulie's group bickering noisily, Xiaohu found it funny that despite a major battle looming, they showed not a shred of fear and were instead full of fighting spirit. He couldn't help but think to himself, "What a childish bunch."
"By the way, I'll charge each of you 5 million Berries for the weapon inscriptions."
"What?! You're charging money too?! We don't want it anymore! Profiteer! Give us a refund!" Paulie and Nami had unusually formed a united front.