As a prehistoric island trapped in time, Little Garden brimmed with danger. From the colossal dinosaurs that ruled the food chain to the deadly insects hidden in the underbrush, every inch of the jungle pulsed with silent threats. One misstep could spell disaster.
Venturing deeper into the dense foliage, Leo and Vivi proceeded with caution. The towering trees loomed overhead like ancient sentinels, their branches swaying ever so slightly with the whispering wind. Somewhere nearby, Luffy and his companions forged ahead, pushing through the thick jungle brush with boundless curiosity.
Rustling sounds occasionally echoed around them, but the moment any creature spotted the Straw Hats, they would flee silently, wary of the unnatural intruders.
Suddenly, an excited shout broke the stillness.
"Hey!! Look at this!!"
Luffy's voice rang out, filled with excitement, as if he had discovered some priceless treasure. He stood knee-deep in a shallow stream, grinning widely as he held up a massive shell—nearly the size of a human head. Long, twitching tentacles protruded from the opening.
It definitely wasn't a normal seashell.
"It looks like an octopus shell. Let's call it… Octopus Shell!" Luffy declared proudly, naming the creature on the spot without a second thought.
"This..." Vivi approached swiftly, riding her mount with urgency. Her face was etched with concern as she examined the strange object. "It looks more like a nautilus fossil..."
"It probably is a nautilus," Leo added thoughtfully, studying the shell with intrigued eyes. "I didn't expect it to look exactly like it does in the illustrations."
Although Leo had seen such shells in comics and textbooks, witnessing one up close was a surreal experience. The wriggling tentacles, however, made his skin crawl.
Suddenly—
Oh~~~
A deep rumble erupted from the jungle, like thunder rolling across the land. The sound sent shivers down their spines.
From the shadows of the trees, a massive head emerged—reptilian, ancient, and powerful.
"Why are there Sea Kings on land?" Luffy wondered aloud, adjusting his straw hat with a puzzled expression.
"That's… a dinosaur!!" Vivi gasped, her eyes wide, pupils quivering.
"Dinosaur?!" Luffy's jaw dropped in awe, and his eyes sparkled with excitement. "Cool!!"
Without another word, he sprinted directly toward the enormous beast.
Leo watched him with an amused expression, a soft smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Luffy's energy was infectious—he had a knack for bringing joy to everyone around him.
But Leo's smile soon faded. His instincts were sharper than most. He quickly scanned the surrounding jungle. After confirming there was no immediate danger, he slipped away quietly, disappearing into the trees with practiced ease.
Vivi, too shocked to notice Leo's departure, remained frozen as the dinosaur stomped forward. It towered above her, casting an enormous shadow across the ground. Despite knowing she was in the Cretaceous-era wilderness, seeing a real dinosaur in the flesh still overwhelmed her.
Her entire body trembled—not from the cold, but from a primal fear that all humans instinctively shared when faced with a colossal predator.
And then she saw something that made her heart drop.
"Wait... Is that Luffy?! Why is he climbing onto the dinosaur's head?!"
"Don't climb up!!" Vivi shouted in horror, cupping her hands around her mouth to amplify her voice.
But Luffy didn't listen. In a flash, he had scaled the dinosaur completely.
"Ho ho!" Luffy laughed joyfully as he steadied his hat and stood triumphantly atop the dinosaur's head. The view from the top was breathtaking. In the distance, a volcano puffed out eerie green smoke, and several gigantic caves gaped along the nearby cliffs.
From up high, the wild beauty of the island unfolded before his eyes. Giant ferns and colorful alien plants covered the land, forming a vibrant, untamed paradise—truly living up to the name Little Garden.
"It's so beautiful," Luffy murmured. "The scenery is amazing. I wanna eat lunch here…"
"Luffy, it's dangerous! Even if it seems peaceful, it's still a dinosaur!!" Vivi called out, her voice tight with worry.
"Don't worry! It's been eating grass the whole time," Luffy replied casually, pointing to the beast's mouth. "I don't think it even noticed me."
He turned back with a wide grin and added, "Shh! Don't distract me now!"
Ah—
Bang!
Before Luffy could fully finish his proud sentence, the dinosaur suddenly lifted its head—and swallowed him whole.
"He got eaten!!" Vivi screamed, her hands covering her mouth in disbelief. Her mount, startled by the sudden action, whinnied and reared slightly.
But just as panic settled in, something incredible happened.
Shing!
In a flash, the dinosaur's head was sliced clean off by a sword as large as a ship's mast. Blood sprayed into the air, and from the gaping neck, Luffy flew out—covered in saliva and yelling in shock.
A massive hand reached out and caught him gently before he could hit the ground.
"Hahaha! What a lively fellow! He seems like a fun guest!" bellowed a booming voice.
The giant Dorry stood tall, gripping a gigantic blade in one hand and holding Luffy in his other palm. His massive beard swayed as he laughed heartily.
"W-wow! You're huge! Are you… human?" Luffy asked in awe, standing up shakily.
And then, without warning, he collapsed on the spot, fainting with a blissful smile on his face.
Back on the ground, Vivi could only stare in disbelief at the towering warrior.
When she turned to look for Leo—her trusted companion—she realized with growing frustration that he was nowhere to be seen.
"Seriously?! He left me alone here?!"
Although she knew Leo wasn't the type to abandon his allies, leaving a girl behind in a prehistoric jungle without saying a word felt a bit too much.
No wonder Nami always said Leo was stingy, black-hearted, and held grudges. Vivi had never believed it before.
But now? Now she wasn't so sure.
Still trembling, she kicked her mount forward, hoping she could catch up with the others—or at least find safety before something else showed up.
"Gahahaha! I'm Dorry, the strongest warrior in Elbaf!" the giant declared proudly, laughing even louder. He hadn't introduced himself in such a grand way in a long time.
"I'd like to invite you to my camp. You can eat this dinosaur—it's delicious!"
"Okay! I want barbecue!!" Luffy responded, regaining consciousness just in time to shout in delight.
---
Meanwhile, on the Going Merry...
"Hey! Wine? I think we still have some barrels left on board," said Nami, looking up at the towering figure of Brogy, another giant warrior.
She forced a polite smile and added, "Wait a moment. I'll ask Sanji to bring some out."
"Hahahaha! Thank you! I'll trade you some fresh barbecue!" Brogy grinned broadly, clearly thrilled at the idea of drinking wine again after so long.
"I just killed a dinosaur this morning—its meat is tender and full of flavor!" he added with a grin.
"Really? That sounds great," Nami replied, her eyes sparkling. "But you know what I like even more than meat? Treasure!"
Brogy chuckled without judgment. "Of course there's treasure. This island has been around for over a century. Most people who came here never left. Their treasure remains."
Nami's greed shone like the morning sun. "Sanji! Hurry up! I'm going treasure hunting!!" she shouted toward the cabin.
"Coming!!" Sanji emerged with several barrels of wine, curious himself after overhearing Brogy talk about dinosaur meat.
Despite having access to Leo's collection of exotic and rare ingredients, Sanji had never tried cooking dinosaur before. His eyes gleamed with anticipation.
---
Deep in the Jungle...
Far from the excitement, in a hidden part of the island, stood a massive structure shaped like a candle.
Inside the wax house, Mr. 3 sat comfortably, sipping black tea from a fine porcelain cup. He looked utterly relaxed as he watched the jungle through the window.
From time to time, he blew gently on his tea, a smug smile on his face, as though everything was unfolding just as he had planned.
Knock, knock.
A knock came at the wax door.
It wasn't aggressive. Instead, it was polite and deliberate, as if a refined visitor were standing outside, waiting patiently to be invited in.
A voice followed.
"Is anyone inside? I'm coming in~"
"I'm just a lost traveler… This island is terrifying. Can you open the door and let me in?"
Mr. 3 raised an eyebrow, his grip on the teacup tightening slightly.
He set it down slowly, a shadow crossing his face.
Someone had found him.
And now, the real game was about to begin.
Ãdvåñçé 60 çhàptêr àvàilàble óñ pàtreøn (Gk31)