Suddenly appearing with a woman in his arms and telling his crew she'd be their new nakama? Luffy's gut told him that wouldn't go over well. Just look at Nami's expression.
That look, as if he were trash, seemed to question whether he'd been out kidnapping women.
If Nami and the others found out he'd made Vivi cry by... disciplinary means, he'd definitely face condemnation from his own crew.
So Luffy decided to change the subject. Just as he was pondering how, it was like a pillow delivered to a drowsy head—his Kenbunshoku Haki keenly detected movement ahead.
"Hey, who are you?"
Shouldn't that be my question?
Nami followed Luffy's gaze. An old man emerged from the house ahead.
He was an old man with hair styled like a crocus flower, wearing glasses, his expression fierce.
"Hey, isn't it polite to introduce yourself before asking for someone else's name?"
Luffy thought that made some sense.
"My name is Monkey D. Luf—"
Before he could finish, the old man spoke faster. "My name is Crocus. I'm the lighthouse keeper of Twin Capes. Age 71, Gemini... and I was once a pirate too."
Luffy's fist clenched. The local pirates in the Grand Line were really rude!
But Crocus's words were somewhat useful.
Don't be fooled by this place looking like a resort with scenery, seagulls, and an island—it was all Crocus's own handiwork. Even that small 'island' was a specially coated ship.
"Anyway, the door is over there. If you want to leave, hurry up and go."
Crocus pointed to a door ahead.
Merry didn't much like this place either, because the ship was constantly soaking in the whale's stomach acid.
Just then, the whale's interior began to convulse violently.
"Dammit, it's starting again?" Crocus stood up, his expression grave.
"Ah, this whale is crying again," Luffy said, looking up.
Crocus's eyes widened. "You can sense Laboon's emotions?"
He stared at the straw hat on Luffy's head. For a moment, it felt like he was seeing a familiar figure from the past.
That man also used to babble excitedly about being able to hear things.
The Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.
Everyone else on the ship thought Roger was nuts. Crocus had thought so too at first. But after leaving the Pirate King's ship and returning to Twin Capes, spending so much time with Laboon... sometimes he, too, seemed to be able to hear Laboon's voice and sense its emotions.
"I remember now. Straw Hat kid, you're that super rookie pirate from the East Blue, aren't you?" Crocus stood up, trying to recall. "A pirate supernova with an initial bounty of fifty million Berries."
Anyone listening might think Crocus was Luffy's devoted fan, listing his deeds like a checklist: single-handedly destroying the Buggy Pirates, punching through Marine warships, effortlessly annihilating the Arlong Pirates even while in the sea...
The beginning of the story was somewhat familiar, but the further it went, the more unrecognizable it became. Even Luffy, the person who lived it, found it a bit absurd. I'm a Devil Fruit user; how could I annihilate the Arlong Pirates at sea?
This was the magic of journalism.
The Marines always exaggerated when describing particularly vicious pirates.
Crocus's expression turned serious. He remembered Vivi quite well. "So, you're with that woman? Is your target Laboon, too?"
"What do you mean by 'with her'? We don't even know her!" Nami was the first to refute.
"No, in a sense, this old man is right."
Luffy stuffed Vivi and Merry into Nami's arms. "Nefertari D. Vivi. From today on, she's our nakama."
"Eh?! ×N"
"And this big whale, Laboon, is too."
"Huh?!" This time, it was Crocus's turn for his jaw to nearly hit the floor. He couldn't follow Luffy's train of thought and couldn't help replying, "Laboon already has its own nakama."
"Where are they?"
Crocus's mouth opened and closed. "Now... there's a very high probability they're dead."
That place, the Grand Line... even Roger and his crew were pushed to the brink multiple times... The Marines, rival pirates, disease, extreme weather, and most importantly, strength!
For an ordinary pirate crew to circumnavigate the globe and return here? Too difficult.
In the Grand Line, that terrifying sea, none of the usual rules apply. Seasons, weather, currents, wind direction—it's all a chaotic mess...
When fear takes hold of a person's heart, emotions, promises... everything gets thrown aside.
That pirate crew broke their promise.
Exiting the whale's stomach.
Laboon, injected with a sedative by Crocus, had calmed down.
Luffy looked up at the whale towering into the clouds, its head covered in scars, its eyes filled with sorrow as it gazed at the Red Line.
"Laboon has never accepted the fact that they won't return. Losing the meaning of its wait is more terrifying to it than anything."
Experiencing something like that once is enough.
Crocus stared at Luffy. "So..."
"So, let's just give Laboon a new hope."
Luffy was growing more and more fond of this giant whale the more he looked at it.
Just like with Vivi.
At first, it might have just been the Nakama Day countdown pushing him. But the more he learned, the more he discovered their admirable qualities.
"What do you mean?"
Crocus looked at him strangely, a bad feeling rising in his heart. "What are you planning?"
"I said I want Laboon to be our nakama..." Luffy repeated, then shouted, "Merry!"
"Okay~" Merry ran over from beside Nami and excitedly handed Luffy her own mast.
I'll dismantle myself!
Merry understood Luffy all too well.
"Merry?!"
Nami was horrified. She yelled,
"What on earth have you been teaching her?!"
Luffy had already rushed onto Laboon's head.
Then, a giant appeared.
"Gomu Gomu no... Giant Flower Arrangement!"
Laboon's expression was roughly this:
(╥╯﹏╰╥）
Luffy could clearly sense Laboon's emotions.
The constant ramming was just a release. Laboon had grown numb to the pain. How many years had it been since it started ramming the Red Line?
Luffy felt Laboon was like him, both striving to fulfill a promise. Just like how he would return the hat to Shanks when they met again.
"So, we won't die. Because I have the best nakama in the world, the world's best navigator."
"...Even if you say that." Nami glanced at the equally dumbfounded Vivi beside her and scratched her head in irritation.
"After we sail around the Grand Line, we'll come back for you. Then, let's go on an adventure together."
Luffy had an idea.
So what if it was a four-hundred-meter whale?
Not possible now doesn't mean not possible later.
After sailing around the Grand Line, they'd come back for Laboon... and then, take it into the Grand Line, that vast ocean!
***
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