One Piece Chapter 22: YOU ARE A RARE AND PRECIOUS ANIMAL TOO

YOU ARE A RARE AND PRECIOUS ANIMAL TOO. This chapter has 29 searchable pages. Opening and key page summaries: The title page of Chapter 22, titled "YOU ARE A RARE AND PRECIOUS ANIMAL TOO," features Monkey D. Luffy happily pounding mochi in a large wooden mortar alongside several rabbit-like creatures wearing hats and goggles. Out on the open sea, the small pirate ship sails smoothly under a clear sky. Monkey D. Luffy stands proudly on the deck, raising his straw hat high in the air and shouting with joy, "IT'S FIXED...!" Meanwhile, Roronoa Zoro lies fast asleep on the wooden deck nearby. Nami hands the mended straw hat back to Luffy, explaining that she simply stitched up the cuts and warns him not to poke it too much. Luffy enthusiastically thanks her, but immediately pokes a finger right through the fresh stitches. Realizing his mistake, he mutters, "Uh oh..." as Nami's face contorts in anger. She furiously stabs him in the face with her sewing needle, prompting Luffy to scream in pain. When Luffy protests, Nami points out that physical blows don't hurt his rubber body, so she has to use a needle. Luffy cheerfully agrees that this makes sense. Zoro wakes up, complaining about the noise, while Luffy loudly declares that he is hungry. Luffy begs Nami to share some food, but she scolds him and Zoro for going to sea completely unprepared without food or water. Zoro sits in the background chewing on a small scrap of food. Suddenly, Luffy spots an island ahead. Nami warns him that the island is unpopulated and useless, but Luffy suggests they check it out to find new crew members and search for food. Nami sighs in exasperation as Luffy admits she was right about them having no plans. The ship docks at the shore of the isolated island. Luffy leaps off, declaring that they have arrived, but notes that there is nothing here but forest. Nami reminds him that it is an uninhabited island, so finding new crew members is highly unlikely. Luffy ignores her and calls out to Zoro to join them. Zoro remains fast asleep on the ship, snoring loudly. Luffy tries to wake him, but Nami pulls him back, saying they should let Zoro rest since he is still recovering from his injuries. Luffy agrees and decides to explore the forest instead. Nami warns him that the forest is full of poisonous snakes and wild beasts. As they walk, they encounter a bizarre creature that looks like a fox with a rooster's comb and tail feathers, leaving them both thoroughly confused. Luffy grabs a snake with long rabbit ears, calling it a weird rabbit, while Nami points out that it is actually a mutant snake. Next, they spot a large pig with a lion's mane, which Luffy mistakes for a lion. Nami comments on how bizarre the forest is. Suddenly, a booming voice echoes through the trees, warning them to stay back and get out. Luffy and Nami look around in confusion as the voice introduces itself as the forest guardian. The mysterious voice demands to know if they are pirates. When Luffy cheerfully confirms they are, the voice orders them to leave immediately or face the "forest judgement." Luffy dismisses the threat and walks forward, trying to locate the speaker. The voice warns him again, shouting, "Receive the forest judgement!" Later page summaries: Gaimon breaks down in tears, asking if the chests are empty. Nami gasps in realization. At the top of the hill, Luffy sits quietly next to the five wide-open, completely empty treasure chests. Gaimon weeps, realizing that the treasure had already been taken by someone else before his crew ever found the map. Nami is devastated for Gaimon, pointing out the tragedy of him guarding empty chests for twenty years. Suddenly, Luffy bursts into loud, cheerful laughter. He tells Gaimon not to be disappointed, pointing out that meeting them after twenty years is a great thing, and jokes that if it had been thirty years, Gaimon might already be dead. Luffy then invites Gaimon to join his crew and search for the One Piece together. Gaimon is deeply touched by the invitation but politely declines, stating that he wants to remain on the island as the forest guardian. He explains that over the last twenty years, he has grown to love the strange hybrid animals on the island and wants to stay to protect them from poachers. Luffy smiles and calls Gaimon a rare and precious animal too, which makes Gaimon jokingly threaten to kill him. Gaimon admits he feels relieved now that the burden of the treasure is gone, and he can live more comfortably. He wishes Luffy luck in finding the One Piece and building a great crew. Luffy and Nami wave goodbye as they set sail, leaving Gaimon happily surrounded by his hybrid animal friends. The narration box notes that the boats are sailing toward the Grand Line once again.