The Blind Brawler [ Roronoa Zoro X OC]

Chapter 57: The Salvage Crew

Usopp spent a little over an hour preparing for the dive. With Chopper's help, he set up a pulley system on the deck to secure a set of lifelines connected to funnels. I discovered that the funnels were meant to be used as a communication line as Usopp tested the setup. Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji were busy putting on the diving suits that Usopp created.

The captain laughed excitedly, his voice reverberating through the suit, "This is adventure! I know I've done more dangerous things, but I can't remember what."

I heard Zoro groan as Sanji began to call out, "Nami, I swear to find you the answers you seek or I will refuse to return!"

"I'll hold you to that," Nami answered cheekily.

"You'll be safe," Usopp assured them, "Those barrels are my special design. They've never been busted!"

I frowned as I turned to Usopp, "Hey, are you sure these are going to work? Don't barrels usually float?"

"Well, normally, yes," Usopp started, "But with the right counterweight, they should still sink no problem."

I hummed, unconvinced, but the three men walked up to the ship's railing anyway. Nami spoke calmly, "Good luck. Be careful. We'll be pulling for ya," I heard Luffy's excited grunt as he leapt off the railing, followed closely by Zoro and Sanji.

After a moment, Chopper spoke up, "This is Chopper here. Can you guys call off?"

"This is Luffy, and there's a ton of monsters down here!" My captain's voice came from one of the funnels on the pulley system.

A frown curled my lip at his report, only for my concern to grow more as Zoro's voice spoke up next, "We're on a nest of giant sea snakes."

"This is Sanji, and they're staring at me," The chef was the last to call in, his voice sounding uncomfortable.

"Keep going," Nami demanded firmly.

Usopp spoke in a strained voice, "They could die."

"They'll be fine, Usopp. Don't worry," She dismissed his concern with a nonchalant tone before becoming more stern, "And Chopper, hold that brake tightly."

"Right!" He answered with a determined grunt.

Usopp still seemed uneasy, "I'm so glad they didn't make me go."

I crossed my arms as my brow furrowed in concern, "I'm starting to wonder if I should have gone."

"Don't be silly, Kaori," Nami chirped, "You said yourself that you wouldn't be much help looking for information down there. The guys can handle this."

The distant shrill of a whistle caught my attention, followed by the crashing of symbols. Confused, I turned to the sound as it got louder, "Hey, do any of you guys hear that?"

The sound grew louder and was joined by voices chanting together. It took me a moment to make out what they were saying as the whistles and symbols continued to clash, "Sal-vage... Salvage the sea!... Sal-vage... Salvage the sea!"

"What's all that noise," Usopp asked, puzzled. I heard the click of his goggles as he tried to get a better look at whatever was approaching us.

Whatever it was grew louder as it grew closer until it was right beside us. A gruff man's voice called out in a commanding tone, "Company, halt!"

"Aye, aye, sir!" A chorus of voices answered him. The symbols and whistles all stopped and I frowned, "I don't know what is going on, but if these guys are attacking us, we're in trouble. The guys are all still in the water!"

"Are we on top of the place where the ship sank?!" The commanding voice from before called out.

"Aye, aye, Captain, sir!" The chorus responded again.