Bab 50: Laboon
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Soon, the ship slowed down near the giant creature, with Luffy's seat, the figurehead, gently bobbing at the whale. Coby, perched at the bow, narrowed his eyes as the colossal shape loomed ahead.
Luffy, unfazed by the massive creature in front of them, clambered onto the figurehead and stretched his arms, trying to get a better look. "Is that big thing really a whale?" he asked, his voice filled with curiosity rather than fear.
"Yeah, it's a whale, Luffy," Coby replied calmly, his gaze fixed on the massive creature before them. The whale's sheer size dwarfed the Going Merry, its enormous form casting a shadow over the ship.
The crew gathered on deck, their expressions ranging from awe to fear. Usopp trembled as he looked at the creature. "A whale that big? We're doomed!" he exclaimed, clutching his slingshot tightly.
Coby glanced back at Usopp, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Relax. Just don't provoke it," he advised casually.
Suddenly, the whale's eye opened, and it slowly turned its gaze towards the ship. The massive eye, larger than the Merry's entire deck, focused on them with an almost human-like curiosity.
Coby stared at Laboon, squinting slightly. He wanted to see if the events would unfold as they did in the original timeline. Would Laboon swallow them if Luffy didn't punch its eye, or would something else happen? Coby was going to follow the plot regardless, but this was a test, a curiosity he wanted to scratch.
The Going Merry floated silently before the giant whale. Luffy stood at the ship's bow, craning his neck up to get a better look. "Whoa, that's one big whale!" he said, almost excitedly.
Laboon's massive eye shifted towards the ship, his expression reflecting a deep sorrow rather than anger. The whale's gaze lingered on the crew, and Coby wondered if this might be different. But as the tension built, Laboon opened his mouth wide, letting out a mournful cry that echoed across the sea.
As the whale's mouth opened, the suction from the intake of air and sea was too powerful for the ship to resist. The Going Merry began to slide forward. "It's happening!" Coby shouted to the crew, already securing himself to the ship's railing with one hand other holding Nami.
The ship was pulled inside, the world around them turning dark as the ocean water rushed in with them. The crew braced themselves for impact as they found themselves in the belly of the beast.
Coby stood up, brushing off the water that had drenched his clothes. "Well, I guess that answers that," he muttered to himself with a hint of satisfaction. Even without Luffy's punch, fate had pulled them into the whale's stomach.
"Is everyone okay?" he called out, glancing around at the rest of the crew who were picking themselves up.
The interior of Laboon's stomach mirrored what Coby expected from the anime: the artificial sky, the greenery, the strange house belonging to Crocus. Coby glanced at Luffy, who was already charging forward, fists raised. "Oi! You stupid whale! Spit us out!" Luffy's voice echoed around them as he prepared to do what he always did—punch his way through the situation.
Suddenly, a giant squid suddenly emerged from the sea, its massive tentacles aiming to engulf the ship. Luffy, Zoro, and the others readied themselves for battle, but before they could make a move, dozens of harpoons whizzed through the air, piercing the squid with deadly accuracy. The giant creature thrashed violently before succumbing to the assault, its lifeless body being dragged towards a small house on the island ahead.
The crew stared in bewilderment at the scene, their eyes locked on the mysterious old man who had emerged from the house. He wore a pink, flowery shirt and seemed entirely unbothered by the massive creature he had just slain. His expression was one of dead seriousness as he plopped into a beach chair and casually opened a gazette, ignoring the shocked crew before him.
Sanji's temper flared at the man's indifference. "Say something!" he yelled, his voice dripping with irritation.
Usopp, fueled by nervous energy, chimed in, brandishing his slingshot in a shaky hand. "I-if it's a fight you want, t-then you've got one!" His voice wavered as he continued, "We have a cannon on our side!"
The old man remained stone-faced, his gaze never leaving the pages of his gazette. "Don't," he said, his voice calm but carrying a warning edge. "Or someone might die."
Sanji narrowed his eyes, sensing danger but refusing to back down. "Oh, and who will that be?" he retorted, his voice challenging.
The old man responded simply, "Me."
Sanji looked like a keg that was about to explode, "You mean yourself?"
Zoro stepped in beside Sanji to calm him down. "Now, now, don't get so worked up," he advised. Turning to the old man, he asked, "And just who are you, old man? Would you mind telling us where exactly this place is?"
Sanji grumbled under his breath, "That gramps thinks we can make a fool out of me...!"
The old man finally looked up from his reading, his gaze locking onto Zoro's. "It's common courtesy to introduce yourself before asking others questions, you know?" His voice carried a hint of admonishment, though his expression remained unreadable.
Zoro, feeling the old man was right, apologized. "Oh, right. Sorry about that."
Crocus, despite having just reprimanded him, immediately started his introduction. "My name is Crocus, the lighthouse keeper of Twin Capes. I'm 71 years old, a Gemini, and type AB blood."
Zoro's face contorted in annoyance as he muttered, "Nobody minds if I kill him, right?" His hand instinctively reached for his sword, but Sanji quickly placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head.
Before Zoro could protest further, Coby stepped forward, chuckling lightly. "Now, now, Zoro," he said. "I doubt any of us could kill Crocus-san. After all, he was the doctor on the Pirate King's ship." Coby's eyes gleamed with respect as he turned to Crocus and offered a salute. "My respect, Crocus-san."
Crocus's eyes widened slightly at the recognition before his lips curled into a small smile. "Ah, so you know your history, do you? You are not another rowdy group of pirates." He regarded Coby with curiosity and amusement. "Not many your age would."
But soon, he realized the others were looking at him and Coby in the same bewilderment. Nami was the first to speak, her voice a mix of disbelief and curiosity. "C-Coby, don't joke around."
Luffy, with his mouth wide open, pointed at the old man, "He was on the Pirate King's ship?"
Coby smiled, enjoying their reactions. "You bet your ass he was. He's a legend in medicine. I bet he's inside this big whale to treat it too, am I right, Crocus-san?"
Crocus nodded, a faint smile crossing his face as he acknowledged Coby's sharp observation. "You're right, young man. I'm here to care for Laboon. He's been through a lot, but I won't let him suffer any longer."
Zoro, leaning against the ship's railing, gave Coby a sideways glance. "You sure know a lot of stuff, don't you?"
Coby shrugged casually. "I just pay attention."
Sanji, who had been smoking quietly, finally spoke up. "So, what now? Are we just going to sit around inside this whale?"
Crocus looked at the crew, then gestured towards the entrance of his strange home. "Why don't you come inside? We can talk more comfortably there."
As they followed Crocus into his house, Luffy's excitement only grew. He kept glancing at the massive walls of the whale's insides, clearly impressed by the surreal environment.
Once inside, Crocus began to explain Laboon's tragic story. The giant whale had been abandoned by a group of pirates at the Twin Capes, and since then, Laboon had been ramming his head into the Red Line, trying to leave the Grand Line. As Crocus shared this, Luffy and Usopp teared up, deeply moved by Laboon's sorrow. Meanwhile, Coby quietly slipped out of the house. Only Nami noticed his departure, as the others were too engrossed in Crocus's tale.
Outside, Coby watched the acidic sea around them. He didn't have to wait long before two human figures plummeted toward the water. Recognizing them as Vivi, or Miss Wednesday, and Mr. 9, Coby sprang into action. Without hesitation, he extended his arms using "Gomu Gomu Pistol" and wrapped them around the pair, yanking them to safety on the island before they could hit the sea.
Crocus and the others emerged from the house just as Coby pulled the duo ashore. The old man's frown deepened as he recognized the two as the hunters who had previously tried to kill Laboon.
As Laboon's restlessness grew, the whale began ramming its head harder against the Red Line, causing the ship to shake violently. Crocus jumped into the acidic water, swimming swiftly towards the steel stairs embedded in Laboon's stomach lining. He climbed the stairs and prepared the sedative shot to calm the creature.
Meanwhile, Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9, who had been watching the crew sprang into action. They pulled out two bazookas, their target clear—the very walls of Laboon's stomach. The plan was to kill the whale from the inside.
Crocus, having just emerged from the stairs, saw the danger. He rushed forward, ready to shield Laboon with his own body. But before they could fire, a punch connected with Mr. 9's head, sending him sprawling to the ground. Simultaneously, Coby wrapped his arms around Vivi's waist, detaching his hand mid-movement to execute a swift disarm. Vivi's bazooka fell harmlessly to the ground as she blushed at their sudden closeness, while Nami, watching from a distance, frowned in jealousy.
With the immediate threat neutralized, Crocus directed the crew to the large door at the side of Laboon's stomach. "The exit is through there," he said, gesturing with a nod.
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