I, Kizaru, only came to the chat group after I became invincible

Chapter 456 Let's go!
"How did you do that?" he asked Wayne.

“We have a craftsman on board who specializes in pumice,” Wayne explained. “He studied it for several years before mastering how to use it correctly.”

"Can I see him?" Franky asked, intrigued.

“Of course.” Wayne called over a thin man wearing glasses. “This is Tony, our chief craftsman.”

"Hello." Tony looked at the powerful pirates with some nervousness. "How can I help you?"

“Tell me how to use the pumice,” Franky said directly. “How do I install it to make the boat fly?”

Tony glanced at Wayne, and after receiving a nod from the captain, began to explain in detail.

“The placement of the pumice stones is crucial,” Tony said. “They must be evenly distributed across the bottom of the boat to ensure that every part experiences the same buoyancy. Otherwise, the boat will tilt or spin.”

"Mmm." Franky took notes diligently.

“Secondly, there’s the amount of pumice,” Tony continued. “Too little, and the ship won’t fly. Too much, and it will rise uncontrollably, which is dangerous.”

“Then how do we determine the right quantity?” Franky asked.

“We need to accurately calculate the ship’s total weight, and then determine it based on the buoyancy of the pumice.” Tony pulled out a notebook filled with various data and formulas. “This is the culmination of my years of research.”

"That's incredibly professional!" Franky exclaimed. "You're a true genius craftsman!"

Tony was a little embarrassed by the praise, but a proud smile appeared on his face.

After several hours of effort, all the pumice stones were removed from the three pirate ships. These black stones were piled up on the dock, forming a small hill.

"Wow, that's a lot!" Chopper exclaimed, looking at the pile of pumice. "That should be enough, right?"

“Let me calculate.” Franky took out his tools and began to measure the total weight and buoyancy of the pumice stones.

But the calculation results were somewhat disappointing to everyone.

“Not enough,” Franky said, shaking his head. “These pumice stones can only lift the Thousand Sunny to a height of about thirty meters, and only for a very short time.”

"What?" Nami exclaimed in surprise. "Not even enough pumice for three ships?"

“Yes,” Franky explained. “The Thousand Sunny is much heavier than their pirate ships. Our ship uses a large amount of Adam Wood and has many special devices, making its total weight at least three times that of a single one of their ships.”

“And how high would it take to reach Skylawara?” Robin asked. “How many pumice stones would be needed?”

“According to Captain Wayne’s description, Sky Lavala is at an altitude of about one thousand meters,” Franky calculated. “To reach that altitude and remain stable, we would need at least three times the current pile of boulders.”

“Three times?!” Usopp exclaimed. “Where are we going to find so many pumice stones?”

Everyone fell silent. They had thought that getting these pumice stones would solve the problem, but they hadn't expected it to be so much more difficult.

“Captain Wayne,” Borsalino asked the pirate captain. “Are there any other sources of ballast around here?”

“Well…” Wayne hesitated for a moment, then said, “Actually, there is.”

"Where?" Luffy asked immediately.

“Underwater.” Wayne pointed to the sea near the camp. “There are large veins of pumice on the seabed in this area. Some of the pumice we’ve collected over the years was salvaged from the seabed.”

"There are pumice stones on the seabed?" Robin asked, somewhat surprised. "Then why don't you continue collecting them?"

Wayne's expression turned serious: "Because it's too dangerous."

"Danger?" Zoro became alert. "What do you mean?"

“A gigantic sea monster dwells in that seabed,” Wayne said, his voice trembling with fear. “We call it the ‘Abyssal Crocodile.’”

“Abyssal Crocodile?” Sanji frowned. “That doesn’t sound very friendly.”

“Absolutely not friendly!” Wayne emphasized. “That was the most terrifying sea creature I’ve ever seen!”

“How big is it?” Franky asked.

“At least a hundred meters long!” Wayne gestured. “Its entire body is covered in hard scales, and its teeth are as sharp as swords!”

"One hundred meters?" Nami swallowed hard. "That's really big."

“And it has a very violent temper,” Wayne continued. “Any creature that gets close to the seabed mineral vein will be attacked by it.”

"Has anyone been attacked by it?" Robin asked.

“Yes.” Wayne’s expression turned sorrowful. “Two years ago, we had a team of divers go down to collect pumice. Suddenly, a giant abyssal crocodile appeared, and only three of the twelve men escaped.”

“How did the three survivors escape?” Borsalino asked.

“It was pure luck,” Wayne said. “The abyssal crocodiles were devouring the others when they swam to the shallows. The monster didn’t seem to like getting close to the surface, so it didn’t pursue them.”

“Since then, we haven’t dared to go to the seabed anymore,” Wayne sighed. “We can only collect the pumice fragments that fall from the sky.”

“But that would be too slow,” Tony added. “The pumice veins on the seabed are incredibly rich; if we could mine them safely, we could collect in a day what we’ve accumulated in several years.”

"Collect several years' worth in a single day?" Franky's eyes lit up. "Doesn't that mean we only need to go down once to get enough pumice?"

“Theoretically, yes.” Tony nodded. “But the problem is the Abyss Crocodile.”

"I'll go defeat it!" Luffy declared without hesitation. "It's just a giant crocodile, isn't it?"

"Luffy, don't underestimate your opponent," Borsalino warned. "Underwater combat is completely different from land combat."

“That’s right,” Wayne agreed. “Underwater, humans move slower, and breathing becomes a problem. But that monster is the master of the water; its speed and strength are greatly enhanced.”

“Furthermore,” Tony added, “according to survivors, the Abyssal Crocodile was not only incredibly strong, but also extremely intelligent. It would use the underwater terrain to ambush its prey.”

“This is indeed a problem,” Zoro pondered. “Underwater combat is very disadvantageous for us.”

"What should we do then?" Nami asked worriedly. "If we don't collect the materials, we won't be able to reach Sky Lavala."

They fell into deep thought. Reaching Sky Lavala was their goal, but now they faced a huge obstacle—they had to collect shimmering stones from the dangerous territory of the sea monsters.

“I have an idea,” Robin suddenly said. “We don’t necessarily have to defeat that sea monster.”

"What do you mean?" Luffy looked at her in confusion.

“We can distract it,” Robin explained. “If we can lure the Abyss Crocodile elsewhere, we’ll have time to collect the crystals on the seabed.”

"That's a great idea!" Nami's eyes lit up. "But how do we distract it?"

“We need bait,” Sauron said. “A bait that will attract its attention.”

"I can be bait!" Luffy raised his hand. "I'm a fast swimmer!"

"You can't swim, how are you going to do it?" Usopp teased. "Don't forget you're a Devil Fruit user; you'll lose your powers if you go into the water."

“Ah, right.” Luffy suddenly remembered. “And we need someone who can move freely in water to act as bait,” Sanji said. “That way we can escape if necessary.”

“Then I’ll do it,” Borsalino said slowly. “I’m the fastest, and I can maintain a certain level of maneuverability even in water.”

“But Uncle Kizaru, you’re a Devil Fruit user too,” Chopper reminded him.

“I have a way of dealing with that.” Borsalino smiled mysteriously. “As long as I’m not completely submerged, I can still use my abilities.”

“But the seabed is at least tens of meters deep,” Nami frowned.

“I can create a platform of light,” Borsalino explained. “It will be more difficult underwater, but it can be done in a short time.”

“This is too dangerous,” Robin said worriedly. “What if something goes wrong?”

“It’s alright.” Borsalino patted her on the shoulder. “I’m a former Marine Admiral; I can handle this kind of danger.”

“What about the rest of us?” Franky asked. “How are we going to go down and collect pumice?”

“That’s easy to solve,” Tony said. “We have diving equipment, and I know the exact location of the vein.”

"It's settled then!" Luffy declared. "Boltelino will lure the sea monster away, and the rest of you will go down and collect the pumice!"

“Wait, there’s another question,” Nami asked. “How do we know if that giant abyssal crocodile is there now?”

“It’s always been there,” Wayne said confidently. “That seabed is its territory; it almost never leaves.”

“But sometimes it rests deeper in the ground,” Tony added. “If we’re lucky, it might not find us right away.”

“But we can’t rely on luck,” Borsalino said. “We have to be prepared for it to happen at any time.”

"Is there anything I need to prepare?" Sanji asked.

“Diving gear, lighting equipment, and collection tools,” Tony listed. “We have all of those.”

"Then what are we waiting for?" Luffy couldn't wait any longer. "Let's set off now!"

“Let’s eat first,” Sanji said. “We need to be fully energized for such a dangerous mission.”

“Yeah, right!” Luffy immediately agreed. “I’m starving!”

Under Sanji's arrangement, the pirates prepared a sumptuous dinner. Although they were in the enemy's camp, the atmosphere was not tense. Wayne and his men had fully accepted reality and even volunteered to help prepare for tomorrow's diving operation.

"These pirates are quite pragmatic," Zoro commented.

“They’ve witnessed our strength firsthand,” Sanji said. “They know resistance is futile.”

“And we didn’t make things difficult for them,” Robin added. “We even paid for their buoyancy stones, which is quite rare among pirates.”

After dinner, everyone began to seriously prepare for tomorrow's operation. Tony took out all the diving equipment and checked that each piece was working properly.

“This equipment will keep you underwater for an hour,” Tony explained. “The oxygen tanks are full, and the snorkel has been checked.”

"Is an hour enough?" Nami asked worriedly.

“That should be enough,” Tony said. “If we work quickly, we can collect enough pumice in half an hour.”

"Where is the mine located?" Franky asked.

Tony unfolded an underwater map. "This is a map of the seabed we drew. The pumice vein is here," he said, pointing to a location on the map. "The water is about fifty meters deep; it's a good place to dive."

"Where do the Abyss Crocodiles usually roam?" Borsalino asked.

“Mainly in the trenches surrounding the veins.” Tony pointed to a dark line on the map. “That trench is bottomless; it’s its lair.”

“In other words, I need to attract its attention in that area.” Borsalino understood.

“Yes, but be very careful,” Wayne said earnestly. “That monster is incredibly fast and extremely ferocious.”

“I will be careful.” Borsalino nodded.

"Then we'll set off first thing tomorrow morning," Luffy concluded. "Everyone, get some rest and be well-rested!"

That night, the Straw Hat Pirates stayed in the guest rooms of the pirate camp. Although the environment was simple, it was better than sleeping on the deck. Wayne specially arranged the best rooms for them, treating them with the utmost respect, as if they were honored guests.

"These pirates know how to behave," Nami commented.

“Because they know that if they anger us, the consequences will be severe,” Zoro said.

It was late at night, and most people were already asleep, but Robin was still awake. She sat by the window, looking at the dark sea outside, feeling uneasy.

"Can't sleep?" Borsalino's voice came from the doorway.

"Mr. Kizaru is still awake?" Robin turned to look at him.

“I’m getting old, I don’t sleep much.” Borsalino came in and sat down by the window. “Worried about tomorrow’s operation?”

“A little,” Robin admitted frankly. “Underwater combat is dangerous enough, but then there’s that sea monster.”

“Don’t worry,” Borsalino said slowly. “I will protect everyone.”

“But you’ll also be in danger,” Robin said, looking at him. “As bait, you’ll face the greatest threat.”

“There’s nothing we can do about it,” Borsalino smiled. “In a team, someone always has to take on the more dangerous tasks. And I just happen to be the most suitable person.”

"Why?" Robin asked.

“Because of my speed,” Borsalino explained. “Even in water, I can move at the speed of light. While I can't move as freely as in the air, escaping is still no problem.”

"I hope everything goes well," Robin said softly.

“Yes, I will.” Borsalino stood up. “Get some rest; we have a tough battle to fight tomorrow.”

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight shone on the sea, the Straw Hat Pirates were all up and ready to set off.

"Is all the equipment checked?" Franky asked to confirm.

“No problem!” Chopper said, carrying a specially made small oxygen tank. “My equipment fits perfectly!”

“I’m all ready here too.” Robin checked his wetsuit.

"Let's go!" Luffy was still very excited even though he couldn't go into the water.

A small boat carried them to the area Tony indicated. Wayne and Tony followed, intending to provide support from the boat.

“This is it,” Tony said, pointing below the surface. “The pumice vein is just fifty meters down.”

(End of this chapter)