The sea had calmed.
Not completely—but enough for the crew to finally catch their breath after crossing Reverse Mountain.
The storm was now behind them.
Its distant rumble fading into nothingness.
Ahead—
Silence.
Heavy.
And something far more unsettling.
The massive shape in the distance remained still, rising from the ocean like a living cliff.
Unmoving.
Watching.
No one spoke for a few seconds.
Then—
"…That's a whale?" Nami said slowly.
Her voice lacked confidence, uncertainty creeping into every word.
Tashigi tightened her grip on her sword, her knuckles whitening slightly.
"That's not a whale…"
Kaya nodded faintly, her gaze fixed ahead.
"…It's too big."
The creature's sheer size made it hard to comprehend. Its body stretched across the horizon, its presence overwhelming in a way that no ordinary sea creature could ever achieve.
Even the waves around it seemed quieter.
Subdued.
Respectful.
Or afraid.
Nami took a small step back, instinctively.
"Kael…"
Her voice dropped slightly.
"…Are you sure that thing won't attack us?"
Tashigi didn't say anything, but her stance had already shifted—feet planted, shoulders squared, ready.
Kaya remained still, but her fingers tightened slightly around the railing, betraying her unease.
Kael stood at the front of the deck, his gaze fixed on the massive whale.
Calm.
Unshaken.
Like he was looking at something familiar.
"…Relax," he said quietly.
"It won't harm us."
The three women looked at him.
His tone wasn't uncertain.
It wasn't even particularly reassuring.
It was simply… certain.
Unquestionable.
Kael's eyes lingered on the whale's head.
The scars.
Deep.
Old.
Layered over each other like marks carved by time itself.
His gaze softened, just slightly.
(Sigh… those injuries…)
(You've really suffered a lot… haven't you?)
The thoughts reached them.
Nami blinked.
"…Suffered?"
Tashigi frowned slightly, her attention shifting back toward the whale's head.
Kaya narrowed her eyes, focusing more carefully this time.
Those scars—
They had noticed them earlier.
But they had assumed something else.
Fights.
Territorial clashes.
The natural brutality of the sea.
But now…
Looking again—
They felt different.
Not wild.
Not chaotic.
Repeated.
Deliberate.
"…Those aren't from battles," Kaya murmured, her voice quiet but certain.
Tashigi's grip loosened slightly.
"…Then what…?"
Nami didn't say anything.
But her fear had paused.
Just for a moment.
Because if Kael was right—
Then this creature wasn't some mindless monster.
They didn't get time to think further.
A deep sound echoed across the sea.
Low.
Heavy.
Like something vast shifting beneath the water.
The whale moved.
Slowly—
Its massive head tilted.
And then—
Its mouth began to open.
The ocean itself seemed to part as the enormous jaws revealed a dark, cavernous interior.
Endless.
Silent.
Hungry.
Silence lasted half a second.
Then—
"IT'S OPENING ITS MOUTH?!"
Nami's voice shattered the calm completely.
Panic surged back instantly.
"WHY IS IT OPENING ITS MOUTH?!"
Tashigi stepped back, instinctively raising her guard.
"Is it going to—?!"
Kaya froze where she stood.
"…Swallow us?"
The answer came immediately.
The current began pulling them forward.
Relentless.
Straight toward the whale.
"WE'RE BEING SUCKED IN?!"
Nami grabbed her head in full panic mode.
"This is insane! This is insane!!"
She started running in circles across the deck, completely losing composure.
"Kael! Do something! You always have a plan!!"
Without warning—
She jumped.
Straight onto him.
Climbing up like her life depended on it.
"DO SOMETHING!!"
"WE'RE GOING TO DIE!!"
She grabbed his hair.
Hard.
Kael winced slightly, his expression tightening for a brief second.
"…Nami."
She wasn't listening.
"WHY IS IT ALWAYS LIKE THIS WITH YOU?!"
"We just entered the Grand Line!!"
"We can't die in the first five minutes!!"
Kael sighed.
Then reached up, grabbed her by the waist, and pulled her down with controlled ease.
He placed her firmly on the deck in front of him.
"Calm down."
"I am calm!!" she snapped immediately.
She was absolutely not calm.
Kael looked at her for a second.
Then spoke in the same steady tone.
"We're not in danger."
Nami froze.
"…What?"
"Just trust me."
The words were simple.
But they carried weight.
Unshakable weight.
Nami stared at him.
Her breathing was still uneven.
Her hands still slightly shaking.
But—
She stopped running.
Behind her, Tashigi and Kaya exchanged a quick glance.
If Kael said it—
Then it had to mean something.
Even if—
Even if they were literally about to be swallowed by a whale.
The current pulled stronger.
The massive shadow consumed their view.
The light around them dimmed rapidly.
The inside of the whale's mouth loomed closer—
Vast.
Dark.
Unavoidable.
None of them spoke now.
Fear still lingered.
Uncertainty remained.
But they didn't panic again.
Not completely.
Because Kael was still standing there.
Calm.
Unmoved.
And just like that—
The Sovereign Gale crossed the threshold.
The light vanished.
And the Sylvarion Pirates were swallowed whole.
Darkness swallowed them.
For a brief moment, there was nothing—no wind, no sea, no sense of direction.
Only silence.
Then—
Light returned.
Soft.
Diffused.
Almost… natural.
Nami blinked, her eyes adjusting slowly.
"…What?"
Tashigi lowered her sword slightly, confusion overtaking her caution.
Kaya looked around, her eyes widening with every passing second.
"This is… inside the whale?"
They stood on solid ground.
Not flesh.
Not anything remotely resembling the inside of a living creature.
It looked like a small inland sea.
Water stretched calmly before them, reflecting a pale sky overhead.
A sky.
Inside a whale.
Nami slowly turned in a circle, her mind struggling to process what she was seeing.
"How is there a sky here…?"
Tashigi frowned deeply, clearly unsettled.
"This doesn't make any sense."
Kaya pointed ahead, her hand slightly trembling.
"More importantly…"
Her voice carried clear confusion.
"…why is there a house here?"
A small structure stood not far from the water's edge.
Simple.
Wooden.
Completely out of place.
Like it didn't belong in this world—let alone inside a whale.
Kael chuckled under his breath.
Their reactions were exactly what he expected.
"Welcome to the inside of Laboon."
Nami snapped her head toward him instantly.
"You sound way too casual about this!"
Kaya moved closer to Kael unconsciously, her hand lightly gripping his sleeve.
"Kael-san…"
She pointed carefully toward the house.
"…there's someone inside."
Nami froze.
"WHAT??"
Tashigi stiffened again immediately.
"There's actually someone living there?!"
Kael nodded once.
"Yeah."
As if on cue—
The door creaked open.
An old man stepped out.
He held a newspaper in one hand, walking slowly toward a nearby chair.
His posture was relaxed.
Almost lazy.
But his presence—
Heavy.
Oppressive in a quiet, suffocating way.
His gaze lifted toward the crew.
Sharp.
Unblinking.
Like he had already sized them up in a single glance.
Nami immediately shrank back.
Kaya moved behind Kael without hesitation, still clutching his sleeve as she peeked out cautiously.
"…He looks dangerous."
Tashigi didn't hesitate.
Her sword slid out completely this time.
Her stance lowered.
A thin line of sweat ran down her temple.
They didn't know what they were facing.
And that alone made it worse.
Kael, on the other hand—
His lips twitched slightly.
(Here comes the OG ragebaiter…)
(Sigh… I should prepare myself.)
The three women heard it.
Prepare?
Even Kael?
Their tension spiked instantly.
How strong is this old man?
And what the hell is a ragebaiter?
Nami swallowed nervously.
Then, forcing herself forward, she puffed up slightly.
"L-Look, old man!"
Her voice wavered despite her effort.
"I don't care who you are, but if you try anything funny—"
She quickly pointed at Kael.
"M-My captain here won't forgive you!"
"He's a big-shot pirate!"
Kael just shook his head slightly.
(Typical Nami.)
Crocus looked at her.
Silently.
Then spoke in a low, serious voice.
"Don't try to use violence with me, little girl…"
A pause.
"…or someone will die."
Nami froze.
Then immediately retreated behind Kael again.
Kaya, already there, gripped his sleeve tighter.
Tashigi flinched.
Her sword raised instinctively.
"Y-Yeah? And who would that be?"
Crocus replied without hesitation.
"Me, of course."
Silence.
One second.
Two.
Three.
Kael turned his head slightly.
Then—
"Pfft—"
He covered his mouth, shoulders shaking.
(This was already funny in canon… but it's even worse in reality.)
Nami snapped.
"WHAT?? YOU?!"
Kaya tried to calm her, though she herself looked completely thrown off.
Tashigi frowned.
"…Are you playing with us?!"
Nami exhaled sharply, forcing herself to regain composure.
She stepped forward again.
"Alright, old man."
"Who the hell are you?"
"And where exactly are we?"
Crocus looked at her.
Still serious.
"It's basic manners to introduce yourself first if you want something from someone."
Nami paused.
Then nodded.
"…Oh."
"Right. Sorry."
She straightened slightly.
"My name is Na—"
"I am Crocus."
He cut her off without missing a beat.
"I'm the keeper of the Twin Cape lighthouses."
"I'm 71 years old. Gemini. Blood type AB—"
Nami snapped.
She grabbed Kael's sword in one motion.
"I'm going to kill this bastard!!"
Kael laughed and took the sword back smoothly, sliding it back into its sheath.
"Alright, calm down."
He stepped forward casually.
"Yo, Crocus-san."
"It's a pleasure."
"I'm Kael Sylvarion, captain of the Sylvarion Pirates."
He tilted his head slightly.
"But could you stop messing with my crew?"
"Their patience isn't that great…"
He glanced sideways.
"…especially this orange-haired one."
Nami's head snapped toward him.
"WHAT did you say?!"
Crocus nodded slowly.
"Hmm. Alright."
"I'll stop."
He folded his arms.
"You want to know where you are, right?"
Kael smirked faintly.
"We already know we're inside an Island Whale."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"What I want to know is something else."
"The story behind those scars on its head."
The three women immediately turned toward Crocus.
Curiosity replaced their frustration.
"…You know about that?" Kaya asked quietly.
Tashigi frowned.
"Are you sure he does?"
Nami crossed her arms.
"I don't trust this old man."
Kael didn't look away from Crocus.
"He knows."
That was enough.
They didn't fully trust Crocus—
But they trusted Kael.
Crocus studied him for a moment.
"…How do you know there's a story behind those scars?"
Kael shrugged.
"Lucky guess."
Behind him—
Three pairs of eyes rolled in perfect sync.
Crocus frowned slightly.
"…Lucky guess?"
A brief silence followed.
Then he exhaled.
"…Alright."
"I'll tell you."