[Chapter Size: 2713 Words.]
Third Person POV
Beginning of the grandline.
...
...
As Black Pearl descended the current with fearless speed once again, the sensation of adrenaline took over the ship as if they were riding the very waves of the sea. The increasing speed made the wind whistle in the crew's ears, adding a touch of excitement to the air.
Luffy, unable to resist the thrill, headed to the bow where the breathtaking spectacle unfolded before him. The captain, with his characteristic smile, enjoyed the view as the wind tousled his hair, and excitement reflected in his bright eyes.
Caught up in the atmosphere, Usopp couldn't contain his enthusiasm and joined the captain at the bow, letting out a "Woo-hoo!" that got lost in the speed of the wind. Shirahoshi, still enchanted by the unique experience, also joined the celebration as the last clouds drifted away, revealing the wonders of the vast ocean before them.
As the Black Pearl descended through the current with impressive speed, the sight of the first kilometers of the Grand Line became more restricted. The distant islands that once dotted the horizon began to disappear as the ship descended further.
Emerging from the last clouds on the horizon, the crew caught a glimpse of the grandeur awaiting them in the first moments. However, the excitement was momentarily interrupted when the ship entered a vast area of turbulent waters. A kind of mist formed by water droplets lifted by the current enveloped the Black Pearl, obscuring the view and turning the experience into something like being under a waterfall as the ship continued its descent.
The crew, now surrounded by the aquatic curtain, could barely see beyond the ship's outline. The sound of roaring waters filled the air, creating a vibrant and electrifying atmosphere. The feeling of being enveloped in the aquatic storm provided a unique thrill, as if they were sailing through the very essence of the ocean.
Even with the temporarily obstructed vision, anticipation and excitement continued to grow among the crew. The steep descent created an even more thrilling and adrenaline-pumping sensation as the scenery unfolded dynamically and unpredictably before them.
However, the joy was soon interrupted by an imposing shadow rising in their path, partially blocking the entrance ahead. The water, stirred by the current, created a spectacular display, and the crew watched in surprise as the imposing presence revealed itself.
"Hey! What is that?" exclaimed Bepo, capturing everyone's attention as the shadow grew before them.
"What is that? It's enormous!" exclaimed Usopp, unknowingly observing the colossal shadow of Laboon ahead.
"A mountain? Why is it at the entrance?! There was nothing like this in the manual Luffy gave me!" questioned Nami, perplexed, while examining the gigantic cetacean.
Hugo, with curious eyes, commented: "This is out of the ordinary. We didn't expect to find something like this here."
Shirahoshi, still frightened, murmured: "That shadow is scary. What's happening?"
Reiju, always curious, observed: "I've never seen anything like it. Is it an unknown sea monster?"
"Calm down; that's a whale." Luffy said.
"What?! A whale, so huge!" Nojiko spoke.
"How do you know, Luffy?!" Kuina asked.
..." Luffy didn't answer yet, still looking at the shadow behind the water curtain.
"So, this is Laboon..." Luffy murmured softly, recognizing the whale guarding the entrance to this remarkable place as in the original work.
As the Black Pearl approached the imposing figure of Laboon, Luffy, realizing the significant presence of the whale, took command. "Guide the ship from here; I'll take care of that whale in front of us!" He gave the order with the unwavering confidence of a captain who trusts his comrades. Using the power of his mythical Zoan, wings began to grow inside his jacket, extending outward like an emblem of his unique ability.
With a quick and precise movement, Luffy took flight using the Soru technique, moving at a speed 40 times faster than normal with the new extension of the Moa Moa no Mi. He became a flash, an instantaneous presence that surprised and fascinated everyone on board as Luffy entered through the water particles, leaving a cutting sound and a hole in them. He was so fast that the path was cleared by him, giving everyone a clear view of everything in front of them, including the whale in the middle of the way.
Flying toward the majestic whale before them, Luffy looked like a legendary figure, leading his crew fearlessly.
Luffy's eyes, full of determination, were fixed on the vastness of Laboon as his body carried a fiery aura, releasing the phase 2 of his Zoan, indicating the incredible strength that was about to be unleashed. The muscles in his arm contracted, demonstrating the concentration of power flowing through his body as he approached the enormous shadow.
When he was just a few meters away from it, he changed his speed and unleashed his strength to 40 times more, raising his closed fist backward, ready to strike.
[Moa Moa no Mi: Strength, apply 40 times!]
"Get out of the way!" Luffy spoke quietly as he made contact with the whale that kept its eyes on the sky. He punched it with a Soru impulse to gain even more speed, as speed can be equal to force in the laws of physics.
The crew, watching from the deck, witnessed the scene with looks of astonishment. The quickness with which Luffy approached and prepared for the punch. Usopp, Nami, Hugo, and the other crew members could hardly blink in the face of the captain's speed and audacity in punching that whale.
"Hey! Is Luffy planning to punch that thing?!" Nami growled incredulously.
"Luffy?!" Reiju even let her cigarette fall from her hands.
"What does the captain plan to do?!" Bepo shouted.
"This is madness!" Usopp cried out.
"He can't be serious, can he?" Lami said with unbelieving eyes.
..." Hugo had a wry smile, looking intrigued by the situation but also somewhat disbelieving.
Nojiko, with her hands over her mouth, her eyes reflecting surprise and concern, couldn't completely believe what she was seeing.
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!*
The thunder echoed through the skies, reverberating across the ocean as Luffy's powerful hand connected with Laboon's gigantic figure in the middle of its belly. The punch, devoid of flames to preserve the whale, generated a shockwave that spread through the water, shaking all nearby structures. The colossal creature, with 400 meters and its 2800 tons of mass, was propelled out of the water in an impressive display of Luffy's punching strength.
The water around the whale was thrown in all directions, creating a curtain of glistening droplets under the impact. Laboon, normally imposing and immobile, soared through the air like a rising column of water, suspending momentarily before beginning its descent back into the ocean.
While the crew aboard the Black Pearl witnessed the spectacle, their expressions varied between surprise, bewilderment, and fascination. Everyone watching had wide-eyed stares, almost popping out of their skulls, as their mouths expanded in disbelief at this whale flying after receiving a punch. The power manifested by Luffy, capable of moving a 2800-ton creature with a single punch, was a demonstration of the Straw Hat Crew's leader's magnitude.
BWOOOOOOOORRRRR!
The sound echoed across the seas like a deep lament, a mixture of surprise, pain, and resonance, conveying the intensity of Luffy's punch impact on the immense whale Laboon. The roar echoed like a symphony of emotions, resonating in the water and in the hearts of those who witnessed this dramatic encounter.
*BOOOOM*
The sound of water bursting with the impact of its body was deafening.
As Laboon returned to the water, a wave came from its impact, but it didn't seem to bother the Black Pearl. Now closer to the entrance of the Grand Line, it sailed through the turbulent waters. Luffy's extraordinary feat marked the beginning of his journey in the Grand Line, leaving a lasting impression on the memories of everyone on board.
"The captain is a monster!" Usopp shouted in despair, his wide-eyed eyes couldn't believe the display of power he had just witnessed.
"Hey... is this the power of the group leader?! Luffy-San is stronger than anything I've ever seen in my life!" Hachi had wide eyes, his expression a mix of surprise and shock at Luffy's overwhelming blow.
"Luffy-Sama is so strong!" Shirahoshi exclaimed, her eyes shining with admiration at the captain's show of strength.
"You can't just say he's merely strong; he's a monster!" Usopp repeated comically.
"Damn, he's outdoing me!" Yamato spoke, a hint of frustration mixed with respect in her voice. Even as the vice-captain, Luffy's strength impressed her.
"Hey hey, humans can do that, shouldn't it be possible?!" Nojiko was surprised, her expression reflecting disbelief at Luffy's extraordinary ability.
"How can Luffy be this strong!" Kuina also exclaimed incredulously, her eyes fixed on where Laboon sank and on Luffy hovering over the water.
"No wonder he's not afraid of anything, look at this power!" Hugo commented, his voice reflecting a mix of shock and admiration at his captain's impressive feat.
"He always surprises..." Reiju murmured with a approving smile, her expression reflecting respect for Luffy's power.
"I can't believe someone like him came from the East Blue. I was afraid of Arlong and claimed that fish-men were much more powerful than humans, but now I see how I was a frog at the bottom of a well..." Nami said, her eyes fixed on Luffy's figure, as her captain was truly a monster.
"Captain, you're the best!" Bepo said excitedly.
"Did you see that, Bepo? Luffy really has some weight to his arrogant words!" Lami exclaimed, her eyes now shining with admiration as she watched Luffy.
"Never seen anything like this..." Zoro commented, scratching his head as he processed Luffy's display of power.
"There's something special about Luffy, for sure." Nojiko was amazed, her voice reflecting a touch of reverence.
While other crew members had their own thoughts and reactions, Laboon surfaced in the water with a furious roar, the waves rising like a defiant roar to see who attacked him. The whale looked all around, searching for this aggressor; it was the same Laboon from the anime, with 400 meters and a head full of scars from colliding thousands of times with the rocks of the Grand Line over the last 50 years.
"I'm here, Laboon! Come on, let's fight!" Luffy said, with his animated and determined expression, waiting for the whale to retaliate.
It didn't take long for Laboon, seeing Luffy and hearing his words, to have its eyes seem furious, going straight for Luffy at that moment.
"Hahahahahaha! All right, let's fight!" Luffy laughed and advanced to meet the two parties.
With his punch again increased 40 times, he collided with the head of the furious whale at that moment. The impact echoed like an underwater thunder, sending waves through the water and creating an intense reverberation that echoed in the hearts of those witnessing this unique scene.
*BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!*
The thunder made them both step back, despite Laboon having an advantage due to its weight being thousands of times greater than Luffy's; the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates did not retreat in this clash.
"Again!"
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!
Laboon, with its colossal head, furiously lunged towards Luffy. Its strike was like an unstoppable train, an immense force. Luffy, with a serious expression, awaited the imminent impact. At the last second, he delivered a powerful punch that met Laboon's head squarely.
BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!
The impact caused waves to rise, creating a curtain of water around the two combatants. Laboon, despite its immense mass, recoiled slightly in the face of the force of Luffy's punch. The sound of the collision reverberated through the area, echoing like thunder in the Grand Line.
BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!
In response, Laboon, not giving up, launched itself again at Luffy. Its massive head aimed at the captain of the Straw Hats with renewed fury. Luffy, resilient, anticipated the attack and, at the crucial moment, responded with a precise headbutt, colliding with Laboon's immense forehead.
BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!
The energy released by the fourth impact was palpable, creating an aquatic explosion that seemed to paint the scenery with suspended water droplets. The fight between Luffy and Laboon continued, each clash leaving its mark on the surface of the sea at the entrance of the Grand Line.
*BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!*
*BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!*
*BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!*
*BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!*
At one point, Luffy seemed to be at a disadvantage, getting thrown back like a rocket, colliding against the Red Line, the mountain, which immediately created a significant impact with Luffy's body, even knocking down rocks ten times larger than the Black Pearl.
"Hey hey! Look at this! If that falls on our heads, we're dead!!!" Usopp, Bepo, and Shirahoshi shouted in fear, seeing the enormous rocks falling from the Grand Line where Luffy exploded with his own body.
*Boom!*
The giant rocks fell next to the Black Pearl, while Nami used her wind to prevent the rocks from damaging the ship.
"BE CAREFUL!!" Nami growled to where Luffy had entered the mountain, and Laboon waited for his opponent to emerge.
An explosion came from that place, and Luffy emerged from the wreckage with a smile on his face. Despite having a line of blood on his forehead, he seemed excited and flew again towards Laboon.
Laboon also attacked him, but Luffy seemed to have the upper hand this time.
While the rocks were still falling from the mountain near the Black Pearl, Laboon flew back again with a cry after losing an impact with Luffy. But the fight was far from over.
*BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!*
*BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!*
*BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!*
*BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!*
*BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!*
*BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!*
*BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!*
After Black Pearl moved even farther away, Luffy continued to fight the whale for half an hour, making everyone just watch in fear of that battle.
Whale and a winged human were colliding with each other during that time, each punch was an explosion on the water's surface. Sometimes Luffy collided with the mountain, sometimes Laboon took a punch from Luffy and flew out of the water.
The Black Pearl remained in a corner, trying to avoid the fight between Luffy and the whale, which seemed to be at a stalemate with neither side giving in.
"Hey hey, is Luffy still fighting that thing?!"
"He's even transformed, but he's matching its strength, and the giant whale without unleashing those flames of his!"
"Incredible!"
"Hey, we have to get out of here; the sea is all stirred up because of their fight."
"Tsk. You're right; this fight isn't for us."
"There's a lighthouse over there; head in that direction and wait for the captain to finish the fight since he probably doesn't want us to intervene."
After half an hour of intense battle, someone finally won, Laboon was visibly battered, unable to withstand Luffy's successive attacks. The grand whale, whose resistance and power were admirable, finally succumbed to the Straw Hat Captain's unstoppable determination.
The scene was one of victory for Luffy, with Laboon, now knocked out, peacefully floating in the water. Luffy's expression was triumphant, but also respectful of the incredible creature he had just fought. As he hovered over the whale, a mix of feelings could be seen on his face – joy for the victory, but also respect and gratitude for Laboon and an interesting fight as he entered these waters.
The crew members watched with admiration and relief as their captain not only faced but also overcame one of the remarkable creatures of the Grand Line.
Luffy returned to the ship, which was now near the lighthouse.
"Hahahaha. That was amazing; I loved that fight." Luffy laughed as he approached his ship, he was exhausted but excited, not in such a bad state as the others, so he could celebrate his epic battle.
"That was amazing, Luffy! I can't wait for us to train!" Yamato spoke with a smile.
"Hey, Luffy! There's a door opening on the side of the whale!" Nojiko suddenly spoke with her finger in a direction, where Laboon was still unconscious, a metal door was opening on its side, and a strange island that was actually a ship was coming out with an old man and two people tied to its feet.
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[Chapter Size: 2720 Words.]
Third Person POV
Beginning of the grandline.
...
...
The silence enveloped the scene, interrupted only by the gentle sway of the waves and the distant murmur of the wind. Laboon, knocked out, floated on the water's surface with an "X" in his eyes.
Suddenly, an unexpected sound pierced the tranquil atmosphere: the creaking of a door opening echoed like a dissonant note, capturing the attention of onlookers. Nojiko, the first to notice the disturbance, pointed towards the sound, his eyes focused on a peculiar opening on the side of the colossal whale.
"Hey, Luffy! There's a door opening on the side of the whale! How is that possible?" exclaimed Nojiko, drawing the others' attention to the unusual scene. The crew's gaze turned in the indicated direction, revealing not just a door but a true surprise emerging from the depths of the whale, starting with a strange shadow taking on colors.
A floating island, or rather, a peculiar ship, revealed itself, sliding out of his body as if emerging from a secret passage. The scene took on a surreal aura, linked to the presence of an elderly man aboard and two human figures tied to the ship's feet observing the unfolding spectacle. The Black Pearl was near the lighthouse at this moment, after the battle between the pirate captain and the whale, while the island with the elders and the bound duo approached. Old Crocus, navigating his peculiar mobile island, slowly approached the crew. On the deck, all the Straw Hats observed with curiosity, pondering how someone could emerge from inside a whale, a clearly living being.
As the mobile island approached, details became clearer. Crocus, the man with intense eyes and a face marked by traces of blood, stared at them firmly. The two figures tied to the ship's feet, one crowned and the other with blue hair, showed signs of injury as they lay unconscious. The distance between the vessels diminished, and Crocus stopped about 30 meters from the Straw Hats' ship, examining the entire crew, with his gaze particularly fixed on Luffy at this moment, displaying a look of surprise, recognizing the straw hat he hadn't seen in a long time. His gaze conveyed a mix of recognition and confusion in understanding what was happening.
A few moments earlier, Crocus was immersed in his peaceful activity of squid fishing inside him, in the scenario he had created to relax while caring for the whale. But his moment of relaxation was abruptly interrupted when he noticed the colossal whale being struck by a tremendous blow, causing him to shake. Although he could initially attribute the impact to Laboon's usual folly in insisting on hitting the Red Line, he knew this time was different. His cries of pain and surprise directly confirmed this intuition.
"What's happening?! Who's doing this?" Crocus shouted, but his only answer was the sounds and cries of anger and sorrow from Laboon. As chaos unfolded outside, Crocus could sense the intensity of a struggle with him. After all, he had been on the ship of the king of the pirates; even as a doctor, he could recognize a fierce battle merely by the sounds produced outside Laboon and his laments. He initially believed it could be those two fools who had been bothering him for weeks, but he also knew they didn't have the capability to cause what he was feeling.
The continuous bursts and Laboon's agitation shook his small boat violently with each exchange of blows outside, causing him various injuries as he was tossed from side to side. In the midst of this chaos, those two fools he initially suspected appeared, falling from one of Laboon's entrances near his boat. They were visibly injured and pitiful, with their heads bleeding, as they fell unconscious when they finally appeared before the old doctor.
"Laboon is unconscious?" He quickly stood up once things calmed down, a line of blood streaming down his forehead. The first thing he did was retrieve the fallen agents from the water to prevent them from drowning and tied them up.
After opening the doors within Laboon, Crocus finally stepped out to see what was happening. He noticed the pirate ship with a Jolly Roger bearing a straw hat, one he recognized quite well. The last time he had heard news about its current owner, Monkey D. Luffy had killed a king in the East Blue.
After checking on Laboon, he sighed in relief and began heading towards the ship. As Crocus continuously stared at the approaching ship, a palpable tension filled the air. Despite being an elderly gentleman, his figure exuded an intimidating aura, and all the Straw Hats began preparing for a possible confrontation, feeling the gaze of the old, injured man. The imminent fight loomed, revealing that, despite the doctor's calm appearance, he was someone who wouldn't hesitate to face challenges to protect Laboon.
Then, the old man broke the silence for the first time, maintaining the same intensity in his gaze. "Who did this?" His voice resonated calmly yet threatening, traveling across the entire sea area. His eyes narrowed as they fixed on Luffy, intensifying his gaze on the individual in front of the crew, and he spoke again before anyone could respond. "Was it you? Did you do this to Laboon?"
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"Scary!" Shirahoshi, Bepo, Usopp, Hachi, and Megalo jumped at the exclamation of fear. Chouchou bared his teeth, while the rest of the crew prepared for a fight. Only Luffy remained calm, arms crossed. "Yes, it was me," Luffy replied after this strange scene change that the old man could create.
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"The whale is my friend. Do you want to fight me too? Someone might die." The old man replied with a somber tone but showed no fear. "And who would that be, old man?" Reiju appeared on the side and asked curiously with her cigarette, wanting to know why this old man seemed so confident in killing Luffy after seeing his captain destroy a whale with just punches.
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"I, of course."
"YOU? WHAT WAS ALL THIS ATMOSPHERE THEN, OLD MAN!?" Reiju roared incredulously at the unexpectedly bold answer from the old man. "Hey, calm down, let me try talking to him." Lami spoke, putting her hand on the cook's shoulder and went to the ship's edge. "Hey, old man, who are you?"
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"It's not polite to ask someone's name before introducing yourself first," the old man said. "Oh, sorry. My name is Trafalgar D..."
"I am Crocus, seventy-one years old, Gemini sign, blood type AB."
"..."
"WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS GUY!?" Lami wanted to advance to hit that old man right now, trying to draw her sword with a comical face, while Reiju held her back. "Hey, calm down!" exclaimed Luffy, trying to bring some order to the situation.
Now Luffy took his first steps to talk to the old man, seeing this, the old man sighed and asked his question. "May I know why you hit Laboon?" Crocus asked, his voice calmer with an intrigued look without all that tension.
"So that's the whale's name," Nojiko commented. Luffy smiled at this. "Because I plan to recruit him and wanted to see his strength!" Luffy announced shamelessly, maintaining his characteristic smile. "Hm?"
"?!"
"Did I hear that right?"
"Luffy plans to recruit a 400-meter whale..."
"Imagine how Black Pearl would look with him..."
"WHAAAAAAT??????????????!!!!!!!!!!" A collective scream echoed from the ship; even the old man fell to the ground at that moment.
"HEY, BRAT, YOU CAN'T JUST SAY YOU'RE GONNA RECRUIT HIM!" Crocus exclaimed, incredulous.
"Don't worry, old man, I can handle him. I've got a plan!" Luffy spoke confidently.
"I don't understand this madness, but it's better to wait for Laboon to wake up. After all, you just knocked him out." Crocus commented, still stunned by the situation, while all the crew exchanged perplexed and confused looks at their captain's revelation.
The old man approached the side of the ship and went to the port, making sure to take the two captives with them, still unconscious.
Black Pearl went along, and they ended up disembarking as well. Luffy joined the old man without further hostility.
"You've got quite a different group here..." The old man looked at the members of this crew with intriguing eyes.
'I saw the mermaid in the newspaper... But a Mink, a fish-man among them, a woman with horns, and even a dog and a shark, what a peculiar group...' Crocus grumbled internally.
"Mr. Crocus, my name is Monkey D. Luffy, and this is my crew." Luffy introduced himself.
"Hohoho. I already know you; you've been quite famous lately, even killed a king in the East Blue." He spoke calmly.
"True, but you're outdated staying inside this whale. I've got my face plastered in the newspapers again, but anyway..." Luffy said but quickly changed the subject, looking towards the whale.
"Tell me about the whale and tell me his story, why does he have so many scars?" Luffy asked calmly; he already knew the background story of that animal, but still asked. As a potential future crewmate, his nakamas should know too, and it's better if they hear it from someone else.
The 16-member crew quickly had an attentive look at the old man; everyone could see the whale with its injured forehead, leading to various questions to themselves.
Crocus looked at Luffy and sighed deeply before starting, his eyes filled with old memories as he looked at the knocked-out whale in the sea. "Over 50 years ago, a pirate group called the Rumbar Pirates appeared here. They brought with them a small whale named Laboon."
"50 years?!" Kuina frowned at that.
"Yes, 50 years." Crocus repeated, with a melancholic expression, looking at Laboon floating on the water's surface. "Laboon... She has grown so much since those days. When the Rumbar Pirates left him here, she was just a little whale. A charming and playful baby. And now, look at him."
He paused while still observing the colossal knocked-out whale. "Laboon belongs to the sperm whale species, a unique race that inhabits the waters of the West Blue. Its most distinctive feature is the distinct shape of its head and the enormous fins that make it unmistakable; it is the largest whale species in the world."
Crocus sighed, recalling the last 50 years. "Since then, Laboon has been growing constantly. She has become a majestic giant, but his journey has not been easy. She has the habit of banging his head against the structure in front of us, intending to break through it."
"What? Why does the whale do that?" Alvida asked somewhat intrigued by this behavior.
"Laboon has had a broken heart for a long time, a pain that she carries and is marked in his scars, not just physical ones..." The old man replied in a sad tone.
"Over 50 years ago, a pirate group crossed the Reverse Mountain with a small whale cub; their goal was to venture into the world's most chaotic waters, but they realized they couldn't take Laboon with them. So, they made a deal. They would leave Laboon at the lighthouse here until they returned, which should happen in three years."
"But they never came back, did they?" Nami intervened, already anticipating the answer.
Crocus nodded sadly. "Exactly. We never saw that group again or heard of them. I tried to warn Laboon, but the whale was stubborn. Laboon still denied reality and wanted to wait for them. And for over 50 years, Laboon has been banging his head constantly on the Red Line, trying to break it, seeking to reach the New World on the other side, hoping to reunite with the Rumbar Pirates, the lost friends..."
"Is this serious? How hasn't she died doing this madness? You treat the whale, are you a doctor?" Lami asked.
"Yes, I am a doctor, and I was also a pirate for some years. And about Laboon..."
Crocus's expression reflected compassion as he continued the narrative. "The pain Laboon endures runs deeper than words can express, and the visible scars are just the tip of the iceberg. They bear witness to an endless wait, a desperate search for companions who will never return. And now, here he is, fallen and lonely. It's ironic to note how, for a long time, I haven't seen him so serene, without shedding tears for the absence of his old comrades, while she remains unconscious after you hit him..."
Crocus shook his head sadly. "It's painful to see him like this, incessantly seeking something that may never happen. And now, she's here, knocked out by your actions. I hope you have a good reason for this, Monkey D. Luffy, because Laboon has suffered enough."
The Straw Hat crew listened in silence, respecting Laboon's sad saga. Even the winds seemed to wither in the face of this heavy narrative.
Yamato, with a serious look and a touch of empathy, added, "Laboon, I understand the loneliness you've felt for so long. The story we've heard is truly sad. I imagine the pain you must have felt."
Shirahoshi, with his shy and compassionate voice, murmured, "Oh, Laboon-sama, I'm so sorry you've gone through so much suffering. Bauaaaaaa," she began to cry.
Megalo, the shark, expressed his support with tears. "Shaky Sharky..."
Bepo, the polar bear Mink, with his affectionate and tearful manner, said, "Laboon's story is moving," with tears in his eyes.
"That's a sad story, Laboon. I can imagine your pain..." Usopp looked at Laboon with compassion as he shared the expression with Bepo.
"Woof..." Chouchou cried.
"This is really sad..." Nami commented empathetically.
"Your story is heart-wrenching." Nojiko also couldn't help but speak.
Some members of the Straw Hat crew expressed their empathy for the sad whale, while others remained calm and silent, understanding the whale's tragic journey.
Luffy, who stayed silent throughout Crocus's narration, had a serious look. He said, "We're recruiting him. We're going to help him achieve what he's been searching for so long."
Many crew members looked at Luffy with a gleam in their eyes.
"Captain, well done!"
"Thank you, Luffy-Sama!"
"Woof Woof!"
"Luffyyyy!!!"
Crocus looked at Luffy; his eyes showed some recognition. "I don't believe this is possible because I've never been able to convince him to stop hitting the wall for decades, but deep down, I hope you succeed, young man. I hope you can give Laboon a reason beyond banging his head against the Red Line every day since she will eventually die like this."
"Hahahaha. I have a plan; don't worry. We'll wait for him to wake up, and you'll be surprised." Luffy spoke with confidence.
"Speaking of waking up, these two captives have started to awaken." Luffy announced, now looking at the man and woman moving before opening their eyes.
The two captives, previously inert, began to move slowly, as if emerging from a deep sleep. First, it was the man, whose eyes blinked open to reality. His initial expression was confusion, but quickly turned into a mix of surprise and caution as he realized the environment around him.
Next, the woman, with blue hair tied behind her head, began to regain consciousness as well. Her eyelashes fluttered before opening her eyes, which seemed to contain a mixture of confusion and suspicion. Her gaze met Luffy's, who observed with curiosity and maintained a smile in the face of the newly awakened's reaction.
Luffy looked closely at the woman with a small smile, as she was the woman who would be part of some of his plans to start his ascent in the Grand Line.
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