Adventure in the Country of Sand

A close-up shows Luffy panting heavily, his tongue hanging out, as he grips a wooden walking stick. He groans, "UGHH...". Below, a wide shot depicts the vast, rolling sand dunes of the desert under a blazing sun. Sound effects indicate the intense, sizzling heat radiating from the sand.

The Straw Hat crew trudges through the desert heat. Usopp, leaning on a stick, complains, "CAN'T EVEN... SWEAT ANYMORE...". Luffy, panting with his tongue out, groans, "UGHH... I'M ROASTING UP...". Sanji, walking behind them, says, "Just hearing it is tiring me out...! Can you please stop panting like that, Luffy!?". Luffy is dragging Chopper on a small wooden sled. Chopper, lying flat, says, "I'M DONE FOR... I'M FINE WITH THE COLD BUT THE HEAT'S NO GOOD...". Nami points out, "It's because you're so fluffy." Usopp suggests, "Maybe you oughta take off your fur coat?". Chopper angrily yells back, "YOU MAKIN' FUN OF ME JUST 'CAUSE I'M A REINDEER!?". Usopp recoils, screaming, "GYAAA! MOOOONSTEEER!". Luffy yells at Chopper, "CHOPPER! I'M NOT GONNA PULL YOU IF YOU TURN BIG!". Meanwhile, Sanji smokes a cigarette and observes Vivi, saying, "...You seem to be holdin' up pretty well, Vivi." Vivi, wearing a hooded cloak, replies, "Well, I was born and raised in this country." Sanji looks around and asks, "Man, what is up with all these hills?". Vivi clarifies, "It's like I'm hiking up a mountain here...".

Vivi explains the terrain to Usopp: "This is a very old desert. Some of the larger sand dunes here reach over 300 meters." Usopp is shocked, his jaw dropping: "T-three hundred!? I thought this was a desert, not a mountain range...". Luffy holds a small water barrel to his mouth, saying, "WATER...". Vivi cautions him, "Remember, Luffy. One gulp, just enough to moisten your throat." Luffy replies, "RIGHT...". However, Luffy takes a massive gulp, his cheeks bulging comically as the sound "GULP!" is heard. Usopp yells, "THAT'S WAY TOO MUCH!". Luffy spits the water out in a spray: "PFFFFT!". Usopp angrily demands, "GIVE ME SOME WATER! YOU JUST HAD LIKE, 13 GULPS!". Luffy argues back, "NO, YOU HAD YOUR TURN BEFORE HIM! IT'S MY TURN TO DRINK NEXT!". Usopp retorts, "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR! I SPAT OUT THE WATER 'CAUSE OF YOU SO IT DOESN'T COUNT!". Luffy yells, "DOESN'T COUNT, MY ASS!". Nami, exasperated, yells at both of them, "PLEASE STOP FIGHTING! YOU'LL ONLY TIRE YOURSELVES OUT EVEN MORE!".

Luffy eagerly suggests, "Hey Sanji, let's open up that special 'Pirate Lunchbox' now!". Sanji refuses, "No. Not until Vivi says ok." Vivi, looking exhausted, says, "Vivi, let's have lunch already. I don't have any strength...". Nami apologizes to Luffy, "I'm sorry Luffy, but we're only a quarter of the way to Yuba right now." Luffy argues, "Well that's a pretty stupid reason. Haven't you ever heard of the proverb, 'EAT WHEN THE STOMACH GROWLS.'" Usopp scolds him, "Hey, don't just make up stuff now." Vivi smiles kindly and proposes, "Alright, how does a break at the next rock we walk by sound?". Luffy cheers enthusiastically, "Woohoo! To a rock we go!". The crew continues walking across the vast dunes. Luffy looks around eagerly, asking, "Rock? Where are you, rock...?".

Luffy is now dragging a massive pile of the crew's luggage, tied together with rope, across the sand. He pants heavily, "SO HEAVY... HEAVY... AND HOT...". Zoro, walking ahead, remarks, "Hey, it's not our fault you lost at rock-paper-scissors and have to carry all our stuff." Sanji adds, "Make sure not to drop our bags!". Luffy groans, "UGHH...". Suddenly, Usopp, looking through his goggles, spots something and yells, "AGHHH! ROCK SIGHTED AT 12 O'CLOCK!". Luffy's eyes widen in excitement: "REALLY!?". Shouting "BREAK TIME!", Luffy dashes off at incredible speed, leaving a massive cloud of dust in his wake. Usopp is stunned by his sudden burst of energy, exclaiming, "HOLY CRAP, HE'S FAST!".

Luffy reaches the shade of some large rock formations and drops the heavy luggage with a thud. He slumps against the bags, sighing in relief, "FINALLY, A SHADE! AWWW... IT FEELS GREAT!". As he rests, he notices a group of birds lying motionless on the ground nearby. He looks closer, "Hmm?". Luffy suddenly turns and runs back out into the sun towards the rest of the crew. Usopp sees him coming and asks, "Huh? Why's he running back here?". Luffy waves his arms and yells, "GUYS, COME QUICK!". He reaches them, panting, and says, "There're some injured birds over here! Chopper! You've gotta help them!". Chopper immediately agrees, "O-okay, I'll be right there!". Vivi, however, looks alarmed and realizes something. "INJURED BIRDS? COULD IT BE...?". She yells out, "NO, LUFFY! WAIT!".

Luffy stands in the shade of the rocks, looking shocked. He yells, "AGHH! OUR STUFF IS ALL GONE!". The spot where he left the luggage is completely empty. He adds, "AND ALL THE BIRDS THAT WERE HERE JUST A MOMENT AGO ARE GONE TOO!". Vivi explains the situation to the dismayed crew: "Those were swindle-herons. They trick passing travellers to steal their luggage for food and water." Nami sighs, "It's my fault for not warning you earlier...". Usopp is furious, yelling, "HERONS PRETENDING TO BE HURT...!? WHAT A FLOCK OF SWINDLERS!". Sanji calmly notes, "Yes, Hence the name." An editor's note at the bottom explains that "heron" in Japanese is a homonym with "swindle", explaining Sanji's comment.

Sanji furiously grabs Luffy by the collar, yelling, "THERE WERE 3-DAYS' WORTH OF SUPPLIES IN THERE! AND YOU JUST HAD TO LOSE IT TO SOME DAMN BIRDS OUT OF ALL THINGS!". Luffy yells back, grabbing Sanji's collar, "HOW THE HELL DO YOU EXPECT US TO SURVIVE WITHOUT ANY FOOD OR WATER IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS DESERT!?". Sanji retorts, "OH, SO YOU'RE DUMBER THAN A BIRD NOW, IS THAT IT!?". Luffy snaps, "WHAT WAS THAT!?". Zoro, sitting calmly in the shade, interrupts them, "PIPE DOWN, YOU TWO!". Zoro continues, "Let's rest here for a bit. The heat's making you all lose your temper so just cool your heads in the shades here....We'll be able to reach Yuba by night, right Vivi?". Vivi confirms, "Yes. Since Yuba's an oasis town, all we have to do is hold out until then. Losing those supplies won't be the death of us." Sanji agrees, "So let's just forget about what happened, lest we tire ourselves out even more. We'll head out again after 10 minutes of rest." In the background, the swindle-herons are seen running away across the dunes, carrying the crew's bags. Luffy spots them and screams in rage, "AGHHHHHH!".

Luffy sprints after the fleeing birds, kicking up sand. He yells, "DAMMIT! GIVE BACK OUR STUFF!". Nami calls out to him, "NO, LUFFY! DON'T CHASE AFTER THEM! YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO GET YOURSELF LOST!". Usopp joins in, "NAMI'S RIGHT! AND YOU'LL ONLY TIRE YOURSELF OUT!". Sanji watches him go and mutters, "...Idiot." Suddenly, Luffy is seen sprinting back towards the group, screaming in terror, "AAAAA AGHHH HHHHH HHHHH HHHHH!". A massive cloud of dust follows close behind him. Usopp, exasperated, asks, "WHAT IS IT THIS TIME!?".

Nami points at the approaching dust cloud, realizing, "He's being chased by something!". Vivi recognizes the threat and gasps in shock, "It's a Sandora Monitor Lizard!". A gigantic, terrifying lizard with a massive open mouth full of sharp teeth bursts from the sand, chasing closely behind Luffy. Usopp screams in panic, "IT'S HUUUGE!". Sanji calmly prepares to fight, noting, "Let's set aside the fact that there's a camel running beside him for now while we take care of this...". Zoro draws his swords, remarking, "Just what kind of star was he born under to be fated to so much trouble...". Luffy, running for his life, curses, "DAMN THIS LIZARD...".

Sanji, Zoro, and Luffy launch a coordinated attack against the giant Sandora Monitor Lizard. Sanji leaps into the air and delivers a powerful kick to the beast, shouting, "ÉPAULE... SHOOT!" (Shoulder Shoot). Zoro steps forward, swords drawn, and unleashes a spinning slash, yelling, "TATSU... MAKI!" (Dragon Tornado). Luffy stretches his leg back and swings it forward in a sweeping kick, yelling, "GOMU GOMU... WHIP!". The combined force of their attacks strikes the giant lizard simultaneously. The massive creature is defeated, collapsing onto the sand with a heavy thud. Nearby, the camel that was running alongside Luffy stands unharmed, watching the scene.

The crew stands over the defeated giant lizard. Nami remarks, "To think they'd go so far against a poor animal...". Sanji agrees, "Yeah, you really gotta sympathize with the poor beast when it's up against those 3...". Usopp asks eagerly, "Hey Sanji, we can eat this, right!?". Sanji confirms, "Yeah, looks like it." Luffy cheers, "Great! Perfect time for a lunch too!". Soon, they are cooking large chunks of lizard meat on a flat rock heated by the sun. Luffy marvels, "WHOA, LOOK!". Sanji explains, "The rocks out here are a nature's frying pans!". Usopp points to the camel resting nearby and asks, "So... What's up with this camel?". Luffy replies with his mouth full, "I dunno. I was busy chasing those birds earlier but they flew away, And before I knew it, there was this big lizard in front of me chasing after this camel. That's about when I started running back here." Chopper, able to understand animals, translates for the camel. "It doesn't look like a wild camel, Especially since there's already a saddle on it and all." Usopp realizes, "Hey, that means we can ride it!". Nami adds, "Oh, that'll be useful. It looks like up to 2 people can ride on it." Luffy approaches the camel, saying, "Alright, then I'll just...". Before he can finish, the camel bites him on the head. Luffy yells, "AGH!". Usopp asks, "WHAT'S UP WITH THIS CAMEL?".

Chopper translates the camel's explanation: "'I'm a harmless camel passing-by. I must thank you for saving my life back there just now.' 'Now, although I can give you humans a ride...' 'I'm not the type to give males a ride.'...Is what he just said." Angered by this, Sanji, Usopp, and Zoro immediately start beating up the camel, yelling, "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK JUST SAVED YOUR WORTHLESS ASS BACK THERE!?". Nami intervenes, petting the bruised camel affectionately. "Oh, I'm sorry that these bandits are treating you so badly. There, there. You're a good boy, aren't you? Now what should I call you?". The guys offer suggestions. Zoro says, "Idiot." Sanji says, "Dumbass." Usopp says, "Octopus." Luffy suggests, "How about, 'Eyelashes?'". Nami sweatdrops, "I think that was the weirdest name suggested yet." Nami and Vivi mount the camel. Nami says, "Vivi, get on!". Vivi hesitates, "No, I'm fine. I can still walk some more." Nami insists, "Oh, just get on. We should be able to reach Yuba a little sooner now that we have a camel." Sanji and Usopp watch them, glaring at the camel and thinking, "Perverted camel."

Nami and Vivi ride off on the camel, now named Eyelashes. Nami calls out, "LET'S GO, EYELASHES!". Luffy runs after them, yelling, "HEY, WAIT FOR US!". Nami looks back and warns them, "Hurry up, you guys! If you guys keep lagging behind, you might not survive the desert, you know?". Sanji, struggling in the heat, yells, "ARE YOU FOR REAL!?". Small text next to him reveals his inner thoughts: "Oh, you're still just as lovely when you're being cruel, Nami!". Suddenly, Luffy starts acting erratically. He runs around wildly with his mouth wide open, screaming, "TSUNAMI ALERT!". Usopp is confused and alarmed, asking, "WHAT'S GOTTEN INTO YOU, LUFFY?". Sanji sighs in frustration, "OH, FOR THE LOVE OF...! WHAT IS IT THIS TIME?".

Chopper realizes what's wrong with Luffy and panics, "Ahhh! Crap, maybe it's because of that...!". Sanji asks, "Because of what?". Chopper explains, "I tried to stop him but Luffy ate some weird cactus around here along with the lizard meat." Usopp holds up a round, spiky plant and asks, "You mean this one here?". Chopper confirms in horror, "Yeah, that's the one! OH NO! THIS IS THE MESCAL CACTUS! HALLUCINOGENS ARE MADE FROM IT!". Usopp yells, "WHAT!?". Luffy, completely hallucinating, screams wildly, "ALRIGHT GUYS! LET'S COMBINE OUR STRENGTH AND BLOW IT AWAY! GOMU GOMU...". Chopper quickly acts, shooting Luffy in the neck with a tranquilizer dart. Luffy instantly falls asleep, snoring. Chopper says, "Tranquilized!". Sanji gives him a thumbs up, "GOOD JOB, CHOPPER!". Usopp points ahead and yells, "OH CRAP! THAT DUMB CAMEL'S ALREADY ALL THE WAY OVER THERE! C'MON! WE'VE GOT TO CATCH UP TO THEM!".

The crew continues their trek through the desert. Sanji and Usopp are now dragging the unconscious Luffy by his arms across the sand. As they walk, they pass by various desert wildlife, including a large, spotted frog and some small, fast-running creatures. Later, Luffy wakes up, looking confused with question marks around his head. Nami and Vivi continue to ride ahead on the camel. As time passes, the sun sets, and the sky turns dark. The crew is shown walking in silhouette under the moonlight, continuing their journey through the cold desert night.

The crew walks through the dark, windy desert. Usopp shivers, "It's finally night...". Sanji notices the change, "What's with the sudden drop in temperature?". Vivi explains, "That's normal. It can reach sub-zero temperatures in the desert at nighttime." Usopp is shocked, "SUB-ZERO!?". Suddenly, Vivi points ahead, "Over there! I think I can see something!". Nami asks hopefully, "Are we finally here at Yuba!?". Luffy, shielding his eyes from the blowing sand, complains, "I can't see with all this sand blowing in my face...". Vivi listens closely to a sound in the distance. "What's that weird rumbling sound...?". Her expression turns to one of concern and shock as she realizes, "...SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT WITH THE TOWN!".

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