One Piece: The Saiyan Pirate

Chapter 55: Into the Heart of Laboon

The Going Merry drifted deeper into the dark abyss of the whale's throat, swallowed by a relentless current that left the crew holding their breath and clinging to whatever they could find. Every creak and groan of the ship echoed, amplifying the oppressive blackness that enveloped them. Panic set in as the shadows seemed to close around them, their world reduced to the fragile wood of their ship, surrounded by walls of living flesh.

"This… this can't be happening!" Usopp wailed, his voice shaking. "We're really gonna die in here, aren't we?!"

"Stop panicking!" Nami barked, though her own hands gripped the railing tightly, knuckles white. "We just have to hold on and wait—"

"Hold on for what?!" Gin retorted, his voice tense, his eyes darting around in the darkness. "We're inside a giant whale. There's no way out of this!"

Suddenly, a strange brightness pierced the darkness, and the ship burst forth from the depths into an entirely new world. The crew squinted as their eyes adjusted, taking in the unbelievable sight before them. Where there should have been the whale's insides, they found themselves sailing under a clear blue sky, puffy white clouds that appeared to be drifting lazily above. The water was calm, as if sparkling with sunlight, and off to the side lay a tiny island.

The island itself was peculiar—almost whimsical. A handful of trees dotted the landscape, and a single, modest house sat on the shore with a small, worn beach chair beside it. The scene was quiet, idyllic, and completely surreal.

"Where the hell are we?" Zoro muttered, scanning the surroundings with narrowed eyes.

Sanji tilted his head, bewildered. "Is… is this heaven?" he asked, his gaze sweeping from the island to the perfect sky.

"Or maybe the Grand Line just got a whole lot stranger than we thought," Nami replied, trying to make sense of it all.

Usopp's face went ashen. "Maybe… maybe we really did die," he stammered, his voice filled with dread.

"Great, just great!" Nami grumbled, her fists clenched in frustration. "We barely made it to the Grand Line, and I didn't even get to live my life. All I wanted was to get rich and relax on a beach somewhere, and now we're dead!"

Sanji, eyes twinkling, sidled up to her. "Ah, but Miss Nami, you make such a lovely angel," he said with a smirk, giving her an exaggerated, dreamy look.

"Can you cut it out with all that nonsense?" Zoro barked, rolling his eyes. "Focus, everyone! If we're still alive, we need to figure out where we are and how to get out of here."

Gin stepped forward, his tone commanding. "Enough," he said, silencing the others as he pointed toward the tiny island. "Look over there."

Following his gaze, the crew turned their eyes to a figure moving across the sand, heading toward the beach chair. The figure was an older man with a peculiar appearance, dressed in an open yellow shirt with blue flowers, red-striped shorts, and a pair of bright red flip-flops. His hair was wild, shaped like a tulip and sticking out in all directions, with a strange flower pinning it on one side. He had a small pair of round glasses perched on his nose and held a newspaper, which he unfolded as he lowered himself onto the beach chair, completely nonchalant about the ship now anchored just offshore.

"What… is this guy?" Usopp asked, staring in disbelief.

"Maybe he's some kind of spirit," Nami whispered, raising an eyebrow. "Or… maybe he's the Devil?"

"A god, perhaps?" Sanji suggested, already intrigued by the man's laid-back aura.

Goku, who had been watching with a mix of fascination and excitement, adjusted his straw hat and stepped forward, taking the lead as captain. "Only one way to find out!" he said confidently, and before anyone could stop him, he cupped his hands and called out across the water. "Hey, old man! Who are you?"

The man slowly looked up from his newspaper, his expression calm but slightly annoyed at the interruption. He adjusted his glasses, squinting at the crew with mild interest. "Where are your manners, boy?" he replied with a raised eyebrow. "It's common courtesy to introduce yourself first."

Goku paused, scratching his head. "Right, sorry. I'm Monkey D. Goku, captain of the Straw Ha—"

"Name's Crocus," the old man cut in abruptly, lowering his newspaper and speaking over Goku's introduction. "Keeper of the Twin Capes lighthouse. Born under the Sagittarius sign, blood type B. Enjoys reading newspapers and long swims inside Laboon. I built this little retreat myself," he continued, waving a hand around at the surreal landscape.

Goku blinked, taken aback by the man's sudden rambling. The rest of the crew exchanged bemused glances, unsure whether to laugh or be wary.

"Uh… thanks for sharing," Goku said, slightly annoyed but doing his best to keep his cool. "But can you tell us where exactly we are?"

Crocus chuckled, folding his newspaper. "Oh, that's easy. You're inside Laboon."

The crew collectively blinked, stunned by the revelation.

"Wait, Laboon?" Nami asked, her voice laced with disbelief. "Is that… the name of the whale?"

Crocus nodded. "That's right. Laboon's been here for decades, and I take care of him from the inside. He's no ordinary whale, you see." His tone softened, as though speaking of an old friend. "He's got a good heart."

"Is there an exit?" Gin asked, cutting through the conversation with a practical question.

Crocus grinned, gesturing with a finger toward the far end of the sea where a set of massive metal gates glinted in the sunlight, half-hidden by the gentle waves. Next to the gates, a ladder rose from the water, climbing up to a small platform where a submarine-style door was built into the side.

"Of course, there's an exit," Crocus said, chuckling. "I built this whole setup myself, inside Laboon. Even installed that door over there."

The crew turned to stare at the gates, their mouths dropping open in collective shock. They couldn't believe they hadn't noticed it before. Zoro slapped his forehead in frustration. "How did we miss that?"

"Yeah, how could you not see something so obvious?" Nami shot at Zoro, irritation clear in her voice.

"Me? You're the navigator! Aren't you supposed to be looking out for stuff like that?" Zoro shot back.

Usopp interjected, trying to defend himself. "It's not my fault! I was a little preoccupied with, you know, trying not to get eaten alive."

"Stop blaming each other," Sanji sighed, though he couldn't resist a smirk at the ridiculousness of it all. "None of us saw it, and now here we are, so let's just deal with it."

"Could we all stop bickering and focus?" Gin said, his voice calm but insistent. "We're wasting time here."

Just then, a faint sound echoed from the direction of the metal gates. A creaking sound, low and metallic, sent a shiver through the air as a wheel on the door turned with a slow, deliberate motion. The noise was harsh, grating as the door inched open with a loud metallic screech. The crew held their breath as the heavy door swung open.

From the shadows within, two figures emerged. The first was a young woman, her footsteps light but purposeful as she stepped onto the platform. Beside her was a young man, taller and broader, carrying a large bazooka slung over his shoulder. Both figures radiated an aura of confidence and intent as they gazed toward the Going Merry, taking in the sight of the crew now standing tensely on the deck.

Goku's eyes narrowed as he watched the two figures with a mixture of curiosity and wariness, a surge of adrenaline building as he prepared himself for whatever was coming. And as the rest of the crew stood behind him, poised and ready, they knew that this encounter was bound to lead to something unexpected.

[A/N: Read 15 to 20 chapters ahead available on patreon.com/saiyanprincenovels]