WHALE

This page is a full-color version of the previous title page. The chapter title "WHALE" is not visible here, but the illustration is identical in composition. Buggy the Clown is on the left, his face painted with blue and red markings, wearing an orange and yellow hat. Monkey D. Luffy sits in the center on the black whale, wearing his red vest, blue shorts, and straw hat, smiling broadly. Smoker is on the right, with his white hair, smoking two brown cigars, wearing a dark green jacket with thick fur trim. The whale, Laboon, is black with a network of light brown, crisscrossing scars over its rounded head. The background features a pinkish hue with white action lines and bubbles, giving a vibrant, dynamic feel to the scene.

Inside the stomach of the giant whale, Sanji and Usopp stand on a wooden platform, looking out at a bizarre sight. Sanji, smoking a cigarette, points ahead and says, "A FLOWER!?" Usopp, standing next to him, corrects him, "WAIT, NO! IT'S A PERSON!" In the distance, a small island with a house and palm trees is visible. Suddenly, with a loud "DOOM!!" sound effect, a large figure emerges from the water onto the island. It's an older man with a distinctive appearance: he wears glasses, has a thick beard, and sports a unique headpiece that looks like flower petals. He is shirtless, wearing a dark vest, a striped loincloth, and sandals. He is effortlessly dragging a massive giant squid out of the water with a thick rope. Sanji and Usopp watch in shock. Usopp wonders, "WHAT'S WITH HIM......WAS HE JUST FISHING OR DID HE DO THAT TO SAVE US?" Sanji notes, "THAT OLD MAN TOOK OUT THAT GIANT SQUID WITH ONE BLOW!" Zoro is also seen in a small panel, gulping nervously as they observe the imposing old man.

Sanji, losing his patience, yells across the water at the old man, "SAY SOMETHING!" The old man sits calmly in a lawn chair on his small island, reading a newspaper. Usopp, panicking, aims a cannon from their ship and stammers, "I-I-IF IT'S A FIGHT YOU WANT, T-THEN YOU'VE GOT ONE! WE HAVE A CANNON ON OUR SIDE!" The old man slowly lowers his newspaper and glares intensely at them. A menacing aura surrounds him as he speaks with a deep, rumbling voice, "DON'T, OR SOMEONE MIGHT END UP DEAD..." Sanji, unfazed, challenges him, "OH? AND JUST WHO WOULD THAT BE...?" The old man stares back with a serious expression and simply replies, "ME." Sanji's face contorts in extreme anger and confusion as he screams, "YOU!?" at the unexpected and absurd response.

Sanji is furious, his face comically distorted with rage as he yells, "THAT GRAMPS THINKS HE CAN MAKE A FOOL OUT OF ME...!?" Zoro, standing calmly beside him, says, "NOW, NOW, DON'T GET SO WORKED UP." Sanji demands, "HEY OLD MAN. WOULD YOU MIND TELLING US JUST WHO YOU ARE, AND JUST WHERE THIS PLACE EXACTLY IS? IT'S COMMON COURTESY TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF BEFORE ASKING OTHERS QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW?" The old man replies calmly, "MY NAME IS CROCUS, THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER OF TWIN CAPES. I'M 71 YEARS OLD, A GEMINI, AND TYPE AB BLOOD." Sanji, momentarily disarmed, says, "SORRY ABOUT THAT." Zoro adds, "OH RIGHT..." Then Sanji realizes what just happened and explodes in anger again, screaming, "NOBODY MINDS IF I KILL HIM, RIGHT!?" while Zoro tries to calm him down. Crocus then addresses their question, "YOU'RE WONDERING WHERE THIS PLACE IS? YOU FIRST TRESPASS IN MY PRIVATE RESORT AND THEN START MOUTHING OFF WITH THAT ATTITUDE!? DOES THIS PLACE LOOK LIKE THE STOMACH OF A MOUSE!?"

Usopp, shocked by Crocus's revelation, stammers, "S... SO THEN WE REALLY MUST'VE BEEN SWALLOWED BY A WHALE. I DON'T WANNA BE DIGESTED! WHAT DO WE DO...!?" Crocus calmly points towards the horizon and says, "IF IT'S AN EXIT YOU WANT, IT'S RIGHT OVER THERE." Sanji and Usopp look in the direction he's pointing and exclaim, "YOU CAN GET OUT OF HERE!? WHY IS THERE AN EXIT INSIDE A WHALE'S STOMACH?" They look closer and notice something strange. Usopp says, "AND HOW IS IT THAT A DOOR'S FLOATING IN THE SKY? NO WAIT... IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY, THE SKIES, AND THE CLOUDS... ARE ALL JUST A PAINTING...!" A wide shot reveals the massive interior of the whale. The sky and clouds are indeed painted on the curved walls of the stomach, and a large set of double doors is built into the wall. The Going Merry is floating in the water below. Usopp realizes, "THE INSIDE OF THE WHALE'S STOMACH HAS BEEN PAINTED OVER!" Zoro asks Crocus, "JUST WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING IN HERE ANYWAYS!?" Crocus replies, "THAT'S JUST MY WAY OF HAVING A GOOD TIME." Zoro sighs, "JUST LEAVE HIM BE. WE'VE FOUND AN EXIT SO LET'S JUST GET OUT OF HERE." Suddenly, a loud rumbling sound interrupts them, and Usopp yells, "WHAT'S THAT!?"

Nami, looking at the water, realizes the danger they are in. "SO THEN THIS OCEAN IS ACTUALLY STOMACH ACID!? IF WE STAY HERE ANY LONGER THAN THIS, OUR SHIP WILL BE DISSOLVED!" Usopp points out another detail, "LOOK! THAT'S NO ISLAND EITHER! IT'S A SHIP! AN IRON ONE AT THAT, TOO!" referring to the island Crocus was on. The rumbling continues, and Usopp demands, "HEY! WHAT'S GOING ON! GIVE US AN EXPLANATION!" Crocus looks up with a serious expression and says, "SO HE'S STARTED AGAIN, HAS HE..." Sanji asks, "WHAT!?" Crocus explains, "THIS WHALE, HAS STARTED BASHING HIS HEAD AGAINST THE RED LINE AGAIN...!" The crew is shocked. Nami remembers something, "NOW THAT HE MENTIONS IT... I REMEMBER THAT WHALE'S FOREHEAD WAS COVERED IN SCARS...!...AND HE WAS BELLOWING UP AT THE SKY!" Usopp asks, "WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?" Nami, looking concerned, concludes, "IT MEANS HE'S SUFFERING...!"

The scene shifts to the outside, showing the massive black whale, Laboon, violently thrashing in the water and letting out a deafening roar, "BUOOHHHHH!" The impact creates huge splashes and tremors. Inside the whale, the crew feels the violent shaking. Usopp, holding onto his hat, deduces, "I GOT IT...! HE MUST BE TRYING TO KILL THIS WHALE FROM THE INSIDE! WHAT A NASTY WAY TO KILL SOMETHING...!" Sanji, keeping his balance, says, "WELL, IF THE MYSTERY'S BEEN SOLVED, LET'S LEAVE ALREADY. WE'LL BE DISSOLVED IF WE HANG AROUND ANY LONGER. THAT'S RIGHT. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST WHALING AND IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE OBLIGATED TO SAVE THIS WHALE, EITHER. SO LET'S JUST GET OUT OF HERE." The crew prepares to make their escape as the violent tremors continue to rock the Going Merry.

Meanwhile, in a different part of the whale, Luffy is tumbling down a long, narrow, metallic tunnel, bouncing off the walls and screaming, "AGHHHHH! WHAT'S GOING ON!?" At the end of the tunnel, a large metal door stands closed. In front of the door stand two mysterious figures. One is a man with curly hair, wearing a crown, a dark suit with a ruffled shirt, and holding a bazooka. The other is a woman with blue hair tied in a ponytail, wearing a patterned top and shorts. The man says, "ALRIGHT, WE'VE SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED TO INFILTRATE THIS FAR INSIDE! LISTEN UP, MISS WEDNESDAY. BEYOND THIS DOOR IS THE WHALE'S STOMACH, AND THAT OLD MAN IS PROBABLY INSIDE AS WELL. OUR MISSION IS TO ELIMINATE THAT GEEZER...!" The woman, identified as Miss Wednesday, replies, "YES, MR. 9. THIS WHALE IS OUR TOWN'S SWEET HONEY, AFTER ALL." Mr. 9 adds, "THIS IS ALL FOR THIS WHALE!" They stand ready, weapons in hand, preparing to breach the door.

Luffy continues his chaotic descent, sliding down the metal tunnel. He hits a bump, flies into the air, and crashes headfirst into a wall with a loud "CLANG!!" He groans, "AHH, MY HEAD IS SPINNING! WHAT!? A DEAD END!?" He falls down a shaft and lands with an "OOF!" and an "UGH!" He finds himself sitting in a shallow stream of water flowing through a wider tunnel. He looks around, confused, "IS THIS AN OCEAN OR A RIVER? LOOKS LIKE A WATERWAY OF SOME SORT... WHAT IS IT THIS TIME?" He starts sliding down the waterway, yelling, "AGH, I'M SLIDING DOWN!" Back in the whale's stomach, the Going Merry is being tossed around by the violent waves caused by the whale's thrashing. Sanji says, "HEY, IF THIS WHALE KEEPS ON RAMPAGING LIKE THIS, IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO EVEN REACH THE EXIT! WELL IF WE DON'T HURRY, OUR LIVES AND LUFFY'S WILL BE IN DANGER." Zoro adds, "HE'S NOT INSIDE WITH US. I SAW HIM ESCAPE OUTSIDE THE WHALE'S MOUTH!"

Suddenly, Crocus dives headfirst into the churning stomach acid with a splash. Usopp yells in shock, "AH! THAT OLD MAN JUST JUMPED IN!" Sanji asks, "WHAT'S HE TRYING TO DO!?" Usopp panics, "HE'S GONNA GET HIMSELF DISSOLVED!" Crocus is seen swimming powerfully through the acidic water, heading towards the large painted doors in the distance. Zoro observes, "HE'S SWIMMING TOWARDS THE EXIT. WE SHOULD HURRY UP AND MAKE OUR WAY TO THE EXIT BEFORE THE WHALE GETS ANYMORE VIOLENT." The Going Merry is shown rocking violently amidst floating debris, including a large skeleton. Sanji agrees, "AGHH! WE'VE GOT NO CHOICE BUT TO ROW!" The crew scrambles to navigate the ship through the treacherous, acidic waters as the whale continues its rampage.

Back at the metal door, Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday are preparing to open it. Mr. 9 says, "OK, MISS WEDNESDAY. ON THE COUNT OF 3-2-1 BABY, I'M OPENING THE DOOR. SO DON'T LOSE YOUR FOCUS!" Miss Wednesday replies, "ROGER, MR.9. READY WHEN YOU ARE." Suddenly, they hear a loud scream echoing from behind the door, "AGHHHH!" Luffy is shown sliding rapidly down a ladder towards them, yelling, "I CAN'T STOP I CAN'T STOP! PLEASE STOP ME!" Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday look confused. Miss Wednesday asks, "W-WHO'S THAT, MR.9!?" Mr. 9 replies, "I HAVE NO IDEA, MISS WEDNESDAY!" The screams get louder, "AGHHHHHH! AGHHHHHH!" In the next panel, Luffy crashes through the door with tremendous force, sending Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday flying out into the open air of the whale's stomach. The impact creates a massive explosion of debris. The Going Merry is visible in the water far below the doorway.

Luffy is falling through the air, having burst out of the doorway high up on the wall of the whale's stomach. He sees his crew on the Going Merry below and yells, "GUYS! YOU'RE ALRIGHT! WELL IN ANY CASE, JUST HELP ME OUT!" Zoro looks up and says, "L-LUFFY...!?" Meanwhile, Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday are also plummeting towards the acidic sea. Mr. 9 screams in terror, "OH NO, MISS WEDNESDAY! BELOW US IS A SEA OF STOMACH ACID!" Miss Wednesday screams back, "NOOOOOOO!" The three of them fall rapidly towards the churning, dangerous waters below, while the Going Merry struggles to stay afloat amidst the massive waves caused by the whale's continued thrashing.

On the Going Merry, Usopp points up at the falling figures and yells, "THERE'RE TWO OTHER WEIRDOS ASIDE FROM LUFFY...!" Zoro, focused on their captain, says, "FORGET ABOUT HIM. SAVING LUFFY COMES FIRST." Usopp then notices something else, "HEY! THAT OLD MAN'S RUNNING AWAY!" Crocus is seen climbing up a ladder on the side of the metal structure. The scene cuts to the outside again, showing the massive whale, Laboon, continuing to bash its scarred head against the towering Red Line. The impacts create huge shockwaves and loud booming sounds. Suddenly, Crocus's voice echoes from inside, shouting, "STOP IT, LABOON."

Inside a mechanical room within the whale, Crocus is operating a large winch system. He says to himself, "I DON'T HAVE MUCH SEDATIVES LEFT. LOOKS LIKE I NEED TO GO MAKE SOME MORE..." He speaks into a microphone or speaking tube, his voice echoing out to the whale, "STOP HURTING YOURSELF." Outside, Laboon continues to roar, "BUOOHHH!" and rams its head into the Red Line, causing more damage to itself. Blood spurts from its wounds. Crocus's voice continues, "THAT WALL BEFORE YOU SEPARATES THE OCEANS OF THE WORLD. YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO BRING IT DOWN EVEN IF YOU KEEP ON BASHING IT UNTIL YOU DIE...! SO PLEASE STOP, LABOON." Laboon lets out a softer, mournful sound, "BUOOHHH...." as it floats in the water, its head heavily scarred and bleeding.

The violent shaking stops. On the Going Merry, Nami looks around and says, "THE WHALE SEEMS TO HAVE CALMED DOWN..." The crew is gathered on the deck. Luffy is sitting on the railing, while Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday are tied up on the floor. Sanji asks them, "WELL? JUST WHO EXACTLY ARE YOU GUYS...!?" Miss Wednesday whispers to her partner, "M...MR.9, THESE PEOPLE ARE PIRATES." Mr. 9 replies nervously, "Y-YES I KNOW, MISS WEDNESDAY. BUT THEY SEEM UNDERSTANDING ENOUGH." Luffy looks over and asks, "WHO'S THAT OLD MAN?" Usopp replies, "OH, HE'S BACK..." Crocus has returned to his small island. Suddenly, Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday stand up, still tied together, and declare loudly, "I WON'T LET YOU LAY EVEN A SINGLE FINGER ON LABOON, FOR AS LONG AS I LIVE!"

Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday, having freed themselves, leap into the air. They both aim bazookas downwards and laugh, "FUFUFU... OH... BUT WE'RE INSIDE THE WHALE NOW... IT'LL BE ONLY TOO EASY, TO BLAST A HOLE IN ITS STOMACH!" As they fire their weapons simultaneously, they shout, "WE WON'T LET YOU INTERFERE IN OUR WHALING BUSINESS ANY LONGER!" Crocus, seeing this from his island, yells, "DAMN ROGUES...!" He leaps from his platform, diving directly into the path of the incoming bazooka blasts. A massive explosion engulfs Crocus as he takes the full force of the attack with his own body. Usopp watches in horror and yells, "THAT OLD MAN TOOK THE BLAST WITH HIS OWN BODY!"

Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday land back on their feet, laughing arrogantly. "OHOHOHOHO! CEASE YOUR FUTILE RESISTANCE! JUST TRY TO PROTECT THE WHALE IF YOU STILL CAN! BUT IT WON'T STOP OUR TOWN FROM USING THIS WHALE AS OUR FOOD!" Nami is confused and asks, "WHAT... SO THEN, HE'S BEEN PROTECTING THE WHALE...!?" Usopp adds, "WHA... WHY IS THAT OLD MAN...?" Sanji wonders, "WHAT'S GOING ON!?" Crocus is shown heavily injured and groaning, "GUH!" Luffy, his face shadowed with anger, cracks his knuckles and says, "I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON BUT I'LL KNOCK THESE GUYS OUT FOR NOW!" In a swift motion, Luffy grabs both Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday by their heads and violently slams them together with a loud "GAKON!!" knocking them both out instantly.

The scene settles down. Crocus is now sitting in his lawn chair on the island, bandaged up. The crew stands before him, with Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday tied up on the ground nearby. Crocus begins to explain, "THIS WHALE IS AN ISLAND WHALE, FOUND NORMALLY IN WEST BLUE. IT'S THE LARGEST SPECIES OF WHALE IN THE WORLD. THIS ONE'S NAME IS LABOON. AND THESE TWO ARE ROGUES FROM A NEARBY TOWN... THEIR GOAL IS TO HUNT LABOON, BECAUSE THE MEAT FROM LABOON CAN FEED THEIR TOWN FOR 2-3 YEARS. BUT I WON'T ALLOW THAT!" He continues his story, "AS FOR WHY LABOON KEEPS ON BASHING HIS HEAD AGAINST THE RED LINE, AND BELLOWS WHILE FACING REVERSE MOUNTAIN... THERE'S A REASON FOR ALL THAT TOO. LONG AGO, WHILE I WAS MINDING MY BUSINESS AS A LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER, A CERTAIN GROUP OF FRIENDLY PIRATES CAME DOWN REVERSE MOUNTAIN. AND FOLLOWING THEIR SHIP WAS A LITTLE BABY WHALE. THAT WHALE WAS LABOON."

Crocus continues his tale, with flashback panels illustrating his words. "IT SEEMS THAT LABOON HAD ACCOMPANIED THEIR JOURNEY IN WEST BLUE, BUT FEARING THAT GRAND LINE WAS TOO DANGEROUS, THEY LEFT HIM BEHIND OR SO THEY THOUGHT. NORMALLY, ISLAND WHALES ARE KNOWN TO SWIM TOGETHER IN PODS, BUT TO LABOON, THOSE PIRATES WERE HIS POD MEMBERS." A panel shows a small Laboon following a pirate ship. "THEIR SHIP WAS DAMAGED WHEN THEY ARRIVED SO THEY STAYED HERE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS TO FIX IT. I BECAME QUITE GOOD FRIENDS WITH THEM DURING THEIR STAY. AND SO, ON THE DAY OF THEIR DEPARTURE, THEIR CAPTAIN ASKED ME, 'COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE CARE OF LABOON FOR 2-3 YEARS?'" Another panel shows Crocus shaking hands with the pirate captain. "'ONCE WE'VE SAILED AROUND THE WORLD, WE'LL COME BACK FOR HIM NO MATTER WHAT.' UNDERSTANDING THEIR INTENT, LABOON PATIENTLY WAITED FOR THEM HERE." The final panel shows the pirate ship sailing away, leaving a small Laboon behind with Crocus.

Crocus finishes his story, his expression somber. "SO THAT'S WHY HE KEEPS ON BELLOWING EVEN TODAY... AND BASHING HIMSELF AGAINST RED LINE... HE STILL BELIEVES HIS FRIENDS WILL COME BACK..." Nami, Sanji, and Usopp listen intently, realizing the tragic truth. Crocus adds, "THAT'S RIGHT... IT'S BEEN OVER 50 YEARS SINCE THEN..." A large panel shows the massive Laboon outside, rearing up in the water in front of the towering Red Line, letting out a heartbreaking, deafening roar, "BUUUOOOOOHHHH!" The scars on its head are a testament to its decades of futile waiting and self-inflicted pain.

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