Chapter [246]

Inside the whale, the crew of the Going Merry looked around, trying to adapt to their new reality. The lights danced softly on the cave walls, reflecting on the calm waters. The ship was stationary in a sort of internal lake, surrounded by rocky formations. At the center, something peculiar stood out: a small island with a single house, illuminated by an unidentifiable light source.

"Luffy, this is crazy!" said Usopp, pointing at the island with a trembling finger. "We're inside a whale, and there's... a house? Who builds a house here?"

"I'm going over there!" replied Luffy without hesitation, already jumping off the ship onto a small improvised raft near the Merry. "Someone interesting must live there!"

"Wait, Luffy!" shouted Nami, crossing her arms with a serious expression. "You don't even know what you're going to find. We can't just go without thinking!"

"Let him go," said Riser, calmly stepping off the deck. He observed the house with a thoughtful look. "At the very least, it'll give us some answers."

Zoro, who had just finished cleaning his swords, stood up and adjusted his headband. "Answers? You're acting like you know exactly where we are. Care to explain, Riser?"

"It's nothing much," Riser replied with an enigmatic smile. "I just know some stories about Laboon. But nothing that wasn't already on our path."

"You always act like you know everything," said Alvida, crossing her arms while casting a skeptical look at Riser. "If there's something we need to know, why not tell us instead of keeping us in the dark?"

"Because the truth reveals itself at the right moment," he answered, shifting his gaze to the island. "And I think we're about to discover something interesting."

Luffy rowed happily toward the island on the makeshift raft, completely ignoring Nami's warnings and the crew's worried looks. The tranquil atmosphere inside Laboon felt surreal, but something in the air hinted that things wouldn't be as simple as they seemed.

SPLASH!

Suddenly, a powerful wave shook Luffy's raft, sending water splashing everywhere. A deep sound echoed through the cave, followed by the movement of something gigantic emerging from the depths.

"Was that... a giant squid?!" screamed Usopp, pointing with wide eyes at the tentacles rising from the water, each with suction cups the size of barrels.

"I knew this would go wrong!" exclaimed Nami, gripping the Merry's helm tightly. "Luffy, get back here now!"

"What was that?!" asked Luffy, looking back just as one of the enormous tentacles rose into the air, ready to strike him. "Wow, this is amazing!"

WHAM!

The tentacle struck the raft forcefully, splitting it in half and throwing Luffy directly into the water.

SPLASH!

Luffy fell clumsily, his arms flailing as he sank rapidly. His inability to swim, courtesy of the Akuma no Mi, became painfully evident as he disappeared underwater.

"Sanji!" yelled Nami, her heart racing. "Luffy's sinking! Do something!"

"I'm on it, Nami-swan!" replied Sanji, leaping impressively off the deck. "Geppou!" He propelled himself through the air with a rapid sequence of kicks, moving as if he were floating, reaching Luffy just before he was completely swallowed by the depths.

Sanji grabbed Luffy by the collar, his face strained with effort as he kept his balance in the air. "You really need to stop getting into trouble, Captain!" he grumbled, propelling them both back to the surface.

Meanwhile, the massive squid tentacle descended again, this time targeting the Going Merry.

"Zoro! Now would be a great time to do something!" screamed Usopp, clutching the mast as the ship rocked violently.

Zoro stood firm, gripping his swords. "Leave it to me." With determined steps, he approached the railing, his blades gleaming under the strange cave light. "Santoryu... Tatsumaki!"

WHOOSH!

A whirlwind of slashes flew from Zoro, striking the giant tentacle with precision. The sound of blades cutting through flesh and suction cups echoed through the cave, and the tentacle immediately recoiled, leaving a trail of dark blood that stained the water.

"Good work, Marimo!" shouted Sanji, now hovering in the air with Luffy in his arms.

"Stop talking and get Luffy to the island," replied Zoro, landing back on the deck and sheathing his swords. "I'll handle the rest here."

Sanji snorted but wasted no time. "Hold on tight, Luffy. I'm taking you to the island, and nothing will stop us."

"That was awesome!" said Luffy, grinning widely despite being soaking wet. "Did you see that, Sanji? The squid was huge!"

"You almost drowned, idiot," replied Sanji, rolling his eyes as he continued hopping through the air toward the island. "But yeah, it was huge. Now shut up while I take care of this."

From the deck, Riser watched the scene with an intrigued look, while Alvida crossed her arms, clearly impressed. "This crew is complete chaos," she muttered, shaking her head. "But somehow, they always pull through."

Riser smirked slightly, his eyes fixed on the destroyed raft and the squid's tentacles disappearing into the depths.

Sanji landed with Luffy in front of the small house on the island, still holding the captain by his collar. The house's door creaked open slowly, revealing an old man with white hair and a long beard. He wore a worn sailor's hat and a simple tunic, but his eyes carried a liveliness that belied his age.

"Who the hell is causing all this commotion inside Laboon?" asked the old man, his tone gruff and suspicious as he looked at Luffy and Sanji. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep this place stable?"

Sanji dropped Luffy, who fell backward on the ground, laughing. "Ahahahaha! Who are you, old man? This house is really cool!"

"My name is Crocus," the old man replied, crossing his arms and casting a critical look at Luffy. "And this 'cool house' is what keeps Laboon alive. You brats do realize you're inside a whale, right?"

Sanji adjusted his suit, visibly annoyed by Luffy's carefree behavior. "Crocus, is it? So, you're responsible for this giant whale? Can you explain why it swallowed us?"

Crocus let out a deep sigh, as if the question was a personal offense. "Laboon swallows anything that seems interesting. He's curious, and you're definitely noisy enough to catch his attention."

Luffy sat up, wiping the water off his face with his hands. "Laboon? That's the whale's name? He seems friendly, even though he's so big!"

"Friendly?" Crocus replied, raising an eyebrow. "Laboon isn't just any animal. He has a past and carries scars you can't even imagine."

Meanwhile, the rest of the Going Merry crew began rowing toward the island, with Nami leading the group.

Nami pointed at Crocus as soon as they landed. "You're the one taking care of Laboon, right? Why does this whale have so many scars?"

Crocus looked at Nami for a moment, then at the rest of the crew. "Those scars are marks of a difficult past. Laboon was abandoned by those he considered friends. Since then, he's been fighting to find a purpose. He bangs his head against the Red Line because he believes he'll one day find the ones who left him behind."

Usopp shivered, hugging himself. "That's so sad... Does he really do that because he misses them?"

"Yes," Crocus answered, his tone somber. "You can laugh and joke, but Laboon is a creature with deep emotions. He's not just a giant whale. He's a friend who was betrayed."

Luffy remained silent for a moment, showing a rare serious expression. "So he wants to reunite with his friends. That's amazing, but also really sad."

Sanji lit a cigarette, exhaling smoke thoughtfully. "And you? What's your role in all this? Why are you taking care of him?"

Crocus gave a bitter smile, looking up at the ceiling of his house. "I take care of him because someone has to. Someone has to make sure he keeps living, even when the whole world has abandoned him. You might think I'm just a crazy old man, but I know what it means to carry something as heavy as Laboon's hope."

Zoro, who had been silent until then, crossed his arms. "So, you're the only thing standing between Laboon and the world that hurt him. Sounds like a lonely job."

"It is," Crocus replied with a faint smile. "But I don't mind. Someone has to do it."

The crew remained silent for a moment, reflecting on the old man's words. However, the tranquility was broken when Luffy suddenly stood up, as enthusiastic as ever.

"I have an idea!" he exclaimed, with a wide grin. "Let's make a deal with Laboon. I want to fight him, but not as an enemy. I want him to know he'll never be alone again!"

Crocus raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You want to do what?"

"Trust me!" Luffy said, raising his fists. "Laboon will understand! And if he has new friends, he won't need to bang against the Red Line anymore!"

Sanji sighed, placing a hand on his forehead. "You always have the most absurd ideas, but somehow, they end up working."

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