Chapter 79: Island Whale Laboon! The Fifty-Year Vow!
"A... A whale?!"
"We have to stop!!! We're going to crash!!!"
Usopp grabbed the railing, tears and snot flying everywhere as he screamed like a stuck pig.
The going merry dove rapidly down the torrent of Reverse Mountain.
At the only exit, that black "mountain"—an Island Whale of absurdly large proportions—was opening its abyss-like mouth and letting out a deafening roar.
"Wooooo—!!!"
The current was too fast; there was no way to stop!
"Damn it! We'll be smashed to pieces!!"
Luffy lay on the bow, watching the whale's giant mouth get closer and closer. In his desperation, he suddenly jumped toward the main cannon on the deck.
"There's no other way! I have to use that!"
Luffy lit the fuse, and at that critical moment, he aimed the cannon at the whale's teeth.
"Fire!! To stop the ship!!"
"Boom—!!"
A solid cannonball shot out with immense recoil.
With the help of this powerful reaction force, the going merry, which had been like a runaway horse, saw its speed instantly plummet.
The hull shook violently. Although a direct, crushing impact was avoided...
"Crack!"
A crisp snapping sound rang out.
The expression on Luffy's face instantly froze.
The going merry's most precious "Special Seat"—that cute sheep-head figurehead—had snapped off and flown away, unable to withstand the sudden braking and impact.
"Aaaah!! My Special Seat!!" Luffy cried out, clutching his head.
However, an even greater crisis arrived.
The cannonball had hit one of the whale's giant teeth square on.
While it was like a tickle to such a giant beast, it was undoubtedly a provocation.
"Wooo!!!"
The whale Laboon was enraged.
It suddenly snapped shut its mouth, large enough to swallow islands, and swallowed the going merry along with the surrounding seawater in one gulp!
"Aaaah! We're going to die!" Nami couldn't help but turn back and hug Tatsuya's neck.
She looked at Tatsuya's still-smiling face and couldn't help but scream, "What are you smiling for?!"
"Damn it! Is it over before it even began?!" Zoro gripped his swords, his face full of frustration.
...
Darkness.
Endless darkness.
Just when everyone thought they were dead.
"Eh? Is that... the sky?"
Nami rubbed her eyes, looking at the scene before her in disbelief.
The going merry was now floating on a calm sea.
Above were blue skies and white clouds, and there were even seagulls flying.
Not far away, a small island with vintage buildings stood quietly in the middle of the sea.
"Are we... saved? Where is this?" Usopp was completely dazed. "Weren't we eaten?"
"No... that's a painting."
Tatsuya stood on the deck, activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and pointed at the "sky":
"Those clouds and birds are all painted on the stomach walls. This... is the whale's stomach."
"Stomach?!" Everyone was shocked.
The going merry slowly approached that "island in the stomach."
On the island, under a parasol, sat a robust old man wearing a strange petal headpiece.
He was holding a newspaper, staring sharply at the intruding Straw Hat crew.
The atmosphere suddenly became extremely heavy.
The old man didn't say a word, just stared at them intently.
"Special Move... Prolonged Stare!" the old man muttered to himself.
Zoro, creeped out by the stare, rested his hand on his sword hilt, the veins on his forehead bulging.
"Hey, old man! What exactly are you trying to do? If you don't speak... I'll kill you."
The old man put down the newspaper, still expressionless, and calmly uttered a few words:
"Then someone will die."
Zoro was stunned, his eyes turning even fiercer. "Are you talking about me? You're too arrogant!"
The old man calmly pointed at himself:
"No, me."
..."
"Then speak clearly, damn it!!!"
Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp instantly grew fangs and glared, collectively yelling at the old man.
In this atmosphere full of deadpan humor.
"Rumble—!!!"
Suddenly, the entire space shook violently.
The previously calm sea of stomach acid instantly surged with massive waves, and the going merry was tossed up and down like a toy.
The island was also shaking violently, as if a magnitude 12 earthquake was occurring.
"What's happening?! Is it an earthquake?!" Nami screamed, hugging the mast tightly.
"Wooooo—!!!"
The whale's painful and sorrowful roar came from outside.
Crocus's expression instantly became serious.
He no longer paid attention to the crew, turned to pick up a giant syringe, and prepared to jump into the sea.
"Is it starting again... Laboon."
"It's hitting its head against the Red Line! I have to give it a sedative!"
Hearing this, Tatsuya's eyes flickered.
He used Chakra to stick to the violently shaking deck, his body as steady as a mountain.
"Hitting the Red Line? Such suicidal behavior..."
Tatsuya looked up, his crimson Three-Tomoe Sharingan slowly spinning, his gaze seemingly piercing through the stomach walls to see the giant beast's restless soul.
Beneath those violent actions was a thick, inseparable sadness.
"It's not just simple madness..."
Tatsuya whispered to himself, "This big fellow... is crying."
Watching Crocus prepare to dive, Tatsuya suddenly spoke:
"Wait."
He walked to the ship's edge, looking directly at the muscular walls that were trembling violently from the impact.
"I don't know if it will work completely, but this big fellow's emotions are too intense."
Tatsuya performed hand seals, and the Chakra in his body surged toward his eyes.
Hum—
An invisible mental wave radiated from Tatsuya, accompanied by the eerie red light of the Sharingan, instantly spreading out.
This wasn't an offensive Genjutsu, but a mental suggestion conveying feelings of "calm" and "peace."
It was like a pair of gentle hands, softly stroking the whale's restless and pained nerves.
Laboon, who had been frantically hitting the Red Line, suddenly paused for a moment.
In its cloudy, giant eyes, it seemed to see a tranquil sea.
"Eh?!"
Crocus, about to dive, stopped in his tracks and looked at the black-clad youth on the ship with a face full of surprise.
"What did that red-eyed brat... do?"
"Laboon actually... hesitated?"
Although this soothing only lasted a short time for the massive Island Whale, it was already enough to be shocking.
Just then.
Flutter—
A black Crow flew up from Nami's shoulder and soared toward the sky.
Clay spread his wings, utilizing the ability to communicate with all animals after eating the "Echo-Echo Fruit," and shouted toward the vibrating stomach walls:
"Caw caw!! Big guy!! Stop hitting it!!"
"It hurts, doesn't it! Everyone is watching you! Be quiet!!"
This clear bird call seemed to reach Laboon's ears.
Crocus's mouth fell wide open this time, and even his glasses almost fell off.
"A... A talking Crow?!"
"These brats... who on earth are they?"
Under the dual effect of Tatsuya's Genjutsu soothing and Clay's verbal communication.
Combined with the sedative shot Crocus followed up with, the giant whale finally calmed down slowly.
The storm in the stomach subsided.
...
After some commotion, everyone arrived at the island in the stomach.
Crocus sat in a chair, looking at these peculiar young people, sighed, and slowly began to tell the story of this whale—Laboon's past.
"That is a whale that has waited for fifty long years..."
He spoke of the former companions named the "Rumbar Pirates," and the promise of "we'll come back for you after we circle the Grand Line."
Fifty years had passed.
There had been no news of the companions.
But this stubborn whale always believed that its companions would return.
It kept hitting the Red Line with its head, trying to break down this wall to find its companions on the other side.
Even if it beat itself bloody and bruised.
"It's still waiting... even if hope is slim."
After hearing this story, there was silence on the going merry.
"Boohoo... so pitiful..."
Nami covered her mouth, tears flowing uncontrollably.
Usopp was crying even harder, with tears and snot everywhere. "Fifty years... is this a man's promise! Laboon... you're a real man! No! A gallant whale!"
Even Sanji and Zoro fell silent, their eyes filled with respect.
Only Luffy remained.
He lowered his head, reaching up to pull down his Straw Hat to cover his eyes.
No one could see his expression clearly.
Only Tatsuya noticed that the corners of Luffy's mouth were turning up slightly—the expression of having made some kind of decision.
"What a stupid whale..."
Luffy said softly.
Then, he suddenly raised his head, grabbed the huge broken mast, and charged toward Laboon's stomach wall.
"Since it's so painful... let me find some new fun for you! Heeheehee!"
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