"What should I do? Where can I buy a Log Pose?" Nami asked, a hint of desperation in her voice. As the ship's navigator, if her skills were useless, the Log Pose was their only hope. Besides, she was incredibly curious about how the strange device worked.
"If you want to buy one, you'll have to go to a nearby island," Crocus replied. "But without a Log Pose, you can't even get out of here. Fortunately, I happen to have one I can give you." He took the Log Pose from his wrist and handed it to Luffy. "I'm old and don't plan on going to sea anymore. And I've lived with this big guy for a long time; I've grown attached to him. Since you want to be the King of the Pirates, I'll help you out."
"Thank you so much, sir," Nami said, taking the device from him.
"Remember," Crocus added, "when you get to the next island, you have to let the Log Pose record the island's magnetic field. Otherwise, it will just keep pointing here."
"Okay, thank you so much," Luffy and the others said, nodding in gratitude.
"Alright, let's go," Nami said, clapping her hands. She couldn't wait to try it out.
"Okay, but first, we have to get out of Laboon's body," Sanji said, looking at the enclosed space around them.
"That's simple," Luffy said with a grin, turning to Moonlight. "Moonlight, let's go back the way we came." They had gotten in because of Moonlight; it was only natural that he would be the one to get them out.
"Hey, Luffy, what are you planning?" Usopp asked, a bad feeling creeping into his stomach. Go back the way they came? Did that mean they had to go through that terrifying experience all over again?
"Luffy, don't be reckless! That will hurt Laboon!" Nami cried out, turning to Moonlight. "Moonlight, you can't listen to him!"
"Yeah, Luffy, don't mess around," Sanji added, exhaling a puff of smoke.
"Don't worry, it won't happen this time," Moonlight said, shaking his head as he closed his eyes. "Observation Haki." Picture after picture flooded his mind, and soon, he had found an exit. "Alright, let's go."
The crew, their trust in him absolute, nodded and boarded the ship. Before they left, Zoro didn't forget to grab Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9. They were dangerous, and leaving them here would only cause trouble. Faced with the intimidating swordsman, the two of them didn't dare to resist. But as they were pulled onto the ship, a conspiratorial glint flashed in their eyes, unnoticed by the crew.
Moonlight, his Haki fully extended, could see through Laboon's body as if it were transparent. He quickly found the way out: the whale's blowhole. Whales had to surface for air every twenty minutes, and when they did, they would expel a massive stream of water. That was their exit.
"Here it comes!" Moonlight shouted as the water around them began to surge.
"Alright!" Luffy and the others cried out in unison. The Going Merry was lifted by the current, and a bright light appeared before them.
"I see it! It's the sky!" Usopp shouted, having been the first to spot it with his spyglass.
"Great! We're getting out!" Sanji and Nami cheered. After being trapped in Laboon's stomach for so long, they could finally see the outside world again. This was the Grand Line.
"Let's go!" Luffy shouted from the bow, his voice filled with an irrepressible excitement.
WHOOSH!
The current intensified, and the Going Merry shot out of the blowhole, soaring into the blue sky. Below them, the endless sea stretched out, and Laboon's triumphant cry echoed through the air.
"We're out!" they all cheered, a sense of relief and exhilaration washing over them.
BOOM!
A dull crash sounded, and their excitement vanished. Laboon was ramming his head against the Red Line again.
"Laboon!" they all cried out.
"His body is already riddled with holes, especially his head," Nami said, her voice filled with a sad concern. "If this continues, I'm afraid he'll die." Thinking of what Crocus had told them, they all fell silent. No matter how strong a whale's body was, it was nothing compared to the massive, rocky continent of the Red Line. To hit it with his head... it was a slow, agonizing suicide.
At that moment, Luffy's arm shot out, grabbing onto Laboon's body, and he launched himself towards the massive whale. "Gum-Gum... Pistol!" he shouted, his fist slamming into Laboon's face.
The whale roared in pain and anger, and with a powerful swing of its tail, it sent Luffy flying into the rocky wall of the Red Line. But Luffy quickly bounced back, his arms stretching out like a pendulum. "Gum-Gum... Bell!" he yelled, and his head slammed into Laboon's.
"Luffy, what are you doing?!" Nami cried, her voice filled with a mixture of anger and confusion.
"Luffy! Are you trying to kill Laboon?" Usopp shouted.
"Hey, this is a bit too much," Sanji said, lighting a cigarette.
"Hehe, that whale did suck you into its stomach," Mr. 9 sneered. "Anyone would be angry. A pirate, especially." It would be best if he killed the whale; that would save them a lot of trouble. Miss Wednesday said nothing, but she had a feeling something else was going on. Though it was their first meeting, these pirates didn't have the usual hostility. And though Luffy's attacks were fierce, there was no murderous intent behind them. He wasn't trying to kill Laboon.
Zoro, too, was silent, a thoughtful look on his face. He vaguely understood what Luffy was doing. After all, besides Moonlight, he had been the first to join the crew, and he knew his captain better than anyone.
Moonlight simply sat down, with no intention of intervening. In all their time together, who had Luffy ever killed? Not the wicked Captain Kuro, not the cruel Don Krieg, not even Arlong, who had trapped Nami in a nightmare for years. No, Luffy had never taken a life. He just moved forward in his own way.
The battle between Luffy and Laboon raged on, and soon, both of them were covered in bruises.
"Moonlight! Zoro! Stop him! If this goes on, Laboon will really be killed!" Nami pleaded, her eyes filled with a desperate anxiety.
But Zoro, like Moonlight, simply sat down.
"Hey, what are you guys doing?!" Usopp cried, his own anxiety rising.
Sanji put out his cigarette, his face a mask of grim determination. If the other two weren't going to stop him, then he would.
"Stop it, Sanji," Moonlight said, his voice calm and steady. "Everyone, since you've boarded this ship, you've accepted Luffy as your captain. We have to trust him."
Moonlight's words hung in the air, and the crew fell silent. He was right. They had all accepted Luffy's invitation, and he was their captain. Why wouldn't they believe in him? They had all willingly left their homes to go to sea with him. Why?
Thinking of how they had all met Luffy, they each broke into a smile.
"Luffy invited me to join his crew so I could become a brave warrior of the sea," Usopp said, his eyes glowing with a newfound confidence. "In that case, I believe in my choice, and in the captain I've chosen to follow."
"Although this guy rescued me from Arlong and gave me my freedom, that's not the reason I joined his crew," Nami added, a reminiscent smile on her lips. "The real reason I joined is because I believe that by sailing with him, I can achieve my own dream."
Sanji took a long drag from his cigarette. "When Zeff told him to take me with him, he refused. He said I had to be willing. I joined this crew for the All Blue. And for Miss Nami, of course. But the most important thing is that I believe Luffy can become the King of the Pirates. That's why I left the old man."
The three of them sat down, their eyes fixed on the battle between Luffy and Laboon, their trust in their captain absolute. The five of them—Moonlight, Zoro, Nami, Sanji, and Usopp—sat side by side, watching Luffy, who was now covered in bruises, a proud smile on their faces. The morning sun rose, its golden rays spreading across the shimmering sea, illuminating the five of them in a warm, harmonious glow.
"These people..." Mr. 9 trembled, nearly dropping the batons in his hands. He had never seen anything like it. This kind of trust... it was something a killer like him had never experienced.
"Are they pirates? Are there really pirates like this in the world?" Miss Wednesday stared at them, completely bewildered. She was used to the intrigue, betrayal, and brutal killing that was so common among pirates. She had never seen a crew like this.
BOOM!
Luffy and Laboon collided one last time, and Luffy was sent flying. He landed on a nearby rock wall and shouted, "Hey, listen up! My name is Monkey D. Luffy, and I'm a man who's going to be the King of the Pirates! I know your story. I have to leave now, but you've seen my strength. I'll come back for you, and I'll bring the people you're waiting for with me. But until then, you have to stay here and behave, understand?"
Laboon was stunned, staring blankly at the man who had just been beating him so fiercely.
"Luffy!"
"That guy!"
"So that's it!"
"Haha!"
The five of them laughed. Sure enough, Luffy was still the same old Luffy.
Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 stared at him, their faces a mask of disbelief. Had he really fought that massive whale just to prove he was strong enough to make a promise?
"Haha," Crocus said, walking out from behind a rock, a smile on his face.
"Alright, did you hear that? If so, then you'd better remember me and this mark," Luffy said, picking up a paintbrush and drawing the Straw Hat jolly roger on Laboon's scarred head. "This is our flag. Listen up, I'll be back soon. And when you see this flag again, I'll bring back the people you're waiting for."
Laboon let out another cry, but this time, he didn't ram his head against the Red Line. He was afraid of damaging the mark. It was clear he now believed in Luffy.
"Alright, Moonlight, Zoro, Nami, Sanji, Usopp, let's go!" Luffy shouted to his crew.
"Yes, Captain!" the five of them replied, boarding the Going Merry and sailing away. Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9, having no other choice, hurried to follow them on board.
"Trust them, Laboon," Crocus said with a smile, watching them go. "I have a feeling they'll succeed."
Laboon nodded, a newfound peace in his massive eyes as he watched them disappear over the horizon.
"Is this the Grand Line? It's so beautiful," Nami said, her voice filled with a sense of wonder as they sailed away from the Twin Capes, following the direction of the Log Pose. The sea was an endless, unprecedented blue.
"It really is different," Usopp agreed, looking around excitedly.
Sanji was in the galley, cooking. Zoro was sleeping. Luffy was sitting on the bow, and Moonlight was on the observation deck, practicing his swordsmanship. Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 were in the cabin, bored and watching the sea.
"Strange... what's that cloud?" Nami wondered aloud, her eyes fixed on a strange-looking cloud that was floating towards them. At first, she didn't think much of it, but then her expression changed. "No way... how is this possible?"
But it was too late. The cloud was already upon them, and snowflakes began to fall from the sky. In the blink of an eye, a heavy snowstorm had descended, turning the sea into a winter wonderland.
"Is it snowing?" Usopp asked, looking at the snowflakes melting in his hand.
"No, it can't be. It's the wrong time of year," Sanji said, confused, as he came out of the galley with a tray of food.
"Whoa, it's snowing! It's snowing!" Luffy cheered, completely unconcerned with the month. He just thought it was interesting.
"It really is snowing," Moonlight commented, pausing his training for a moment. "Is this the changeable weather of the Grand Line?"
"What an incredible sea," Nami sighed. But as she looked up, she saw another cloud approaching. A moment later, a torrential rain began to fall, accompanied by lightning and thunder. Rain, thunder, lightning, and snow... all at the same time? This weather was too confusing.
"Hehe, what's all the fuss about?" Mr. 9 laughed, seeing their bewildered expressions. "This is the Grand Line."
"That's right," Miss Wednesday added with a smile, pointing to the Log Pose. "No matter what happens on this sea, there's nothing to be surprised about. And you don't have to worry. As long as you have this, you'll have a clear direction and can follow the current to the next island."
"Oh, right, we have the Log Pose. There's nothing to worry about," Nami said, breathing a sigh of relief.