"Quickly lower the sails—we're going to follow the current into the entrance!" Nami shouted urgently.
Usopp stared ahead in terror. "That entrance gate is way too small, isn't it? The ship's gonna crash! You guys need to think of something!"
Sanji barked angrily, "Sandy, Luffy, and Zoro, you three bastards! The ship's about to crash and you're still drinking tea!"
Sandy shot Sanji a disdainful look. "What's with all the shouting? Damn it, chill!"
"Space Field…"
Sandy instantly used his ability to shift the ship's position, narrowly avoiding disaster.
The massive gate whooshed past, leaving everyone stunned.
Sanji recovered first, grabbed Sandy's collar, and yelled, "You bastard! You could've done that earlier! I nearly died of fright, do you know that?!"
Zoro laughed. "Sandy, your ability's really handy."
Sandy grinned smugly. "Of course. Genius abilities are just built different."
Luffy pouted. "What's so great about it? My rubber powers can stretch and shrink too!"
Sandy snapped, "Shut up, you stinky Rubber! I don't need to turn into a pile of rubber to look cool."
Luffy shouted back, "The Rubber Devil Fruit is the coolest!"
Sandy: "Cool my ass, trashy Rubber!"
Luffy: "What did you say?!"
Duang! ×2
Nami sighed helplessly. "Can you idiots stop messing around? The danger isn't over yet! Everyone, take this seriously!"
The moment came and went fast. Luffy and Sandy soon stood shoulder to shoulder, watching the waves vanish behind them.
Because the ship was sailing upward, everyone felt an unfamiliar heaviness, like their bodies were being pulled down.
"Wow, what a beautiful view!"
"Do you guys feel weird too?"
Cough cough. "I've got motion sickness pills here. One million Belly per pill," Sandy said with a grin.
"Stinky Sandy, do you think we're pigs?!"
Just as everyone was enjoying the ride, the ship suddenly shot upward with momentum. They had reached the peak of the path.
"Ah!! What's happening? The ship's flying!"
"We're doomed! We're all gonna die!"
"Luffy! Sandy! Do something!"
Sandy rolled his eyes. "Everyone hold on to the railings! This is normal, damn it…"
"Ahhhh!!"
"Ohhh! What an incredible current! So interesting!"
"Interesting my ass! Hold on tight or you'll get thrown off!"
The ship plummeted from high above. Everyone went from heavy to weightless in seconds—like a roller coaster from hell.
It was so intense it made people scream for their mothers.
As the ship stabilized on the downward current, Sandy's Observation Haki detected a massive presence below them. That could only be the legendary Laboon.
Whatever it is, if it blocks us, I'll cut it down.
Sandy stepped to the front of the ship, ready to fight.
Zoro frowned. "Sandy, what are you doing? Is there an enemy?"
"Yes," Sandy answered calmly. "There's a giant whale down there. If I don't cut it, we're gonna crash right into it."
"Don't just cut recklessly!" Luffy said, stepping in front of him. "There's always another way."
"Yeah!" Usopp shouted. "Why do you always want to cut things now?"
"You guys don't understand how big that whale is…" Sandy muttered.
Then, a deafening sound wave rang out—the whale's cry.
The entire crew covered their ears in pain.
Maybe Luffy, with his gift of hearing the Voice of All Things, sensed the whale's loneliness. He refused to let Sandy attack.
Sandy sighed. "Since you all object, then be ready for what happens next! How are we stopping the ship? If not, we're crashing!"
Zoro tilted his head. "Can't you just teleport the ship away?"
Sandy facepalmed. "Have you ever studied conservation of momentum? Ft = Δmv. If I stop the ship instantly, the impulse will tear it apart!"
Luffy clapped. "Ohhh, so that's the incredible conservation of momentum!"
Nami punched him squarely on the head. "You idiots, stop joking! We're about to crash!"
Sandy smirked. "Relax. Once we're inside the whale's stomach, if there's no way out, I'll just make a hole in it."
Then, with a cheeky grin, he wrapped his arm around Nami's waist. "Don't worry, Nami dear. If the whale wants to eat, it'll eat them first. Once it's full—"
"Sandy!!" Nami yelled, cheeks flushing in both anger and panic. "Now's not the time for jokes!"
Sanji, seeing Sandy hold Nami, burst into flames. "SANDY!! LET HER GO RIGHT NOW!!"
Before anyone could do more, the whale's mouth opened wide—
and the ship was swallowed whole.
Inside the Whale's Stomach
"Ohhh, so this is what it's like inside a whale? So cool!"
"Wait, why is there a blue sky and seagulls?"
"They must be painted on!"
Nami shouted, "Why are you guys admiring the scenery right now?! Think of a way to get out!"
Sandy pointed at a small island nearby. "Someone's gotta live there. Chill out. First priority—barbecue!"
He pulled out a fish from his Space and skewered it on his sword, roasting it like nothing was wrong.
The moment Luffy smelled food, everything else flew out of his brain. "Sandy's barbecue isn't as good as Sanji's… Sanji, barbecue! Barbecue!"
Nami smacked her forehead. "I swear to—"
Sanji sighed, "Miss Nami, since we can't do anything right now, why not eat first?"
Zoro plopped down next to Sandy. "Sandy, toss me a beer."
"Sandy's beer is the best," Luffy cheered. "It's ice cold and refreshing!"
"Give me one too," Nami muttered, finally giving in.
Sandy smirked. "Not screaming for help anymore, huh?"
Nami twisted his ear. "You jerk."
Sanji collapsed on the deck dramatically, pounding the planks. "Damn you, Sandy! I'm so jealous!"
The fire crackled as Sandy roasted the fish. Just then, the door to the house on the small island slowly opened…