(Before we enter Crocodile's arc, let me say this in advance: Roman is going to get beaten up! This is a major turning point in the story. —And by the way, there'll be a lot of Straw Hat crew battles coming up. It's possible an entire chapter might pass without Roman appearing at all... Of course, I'll do my best to keep it fresh.)
Aboard the Golden Merry.
"Luffy, it's all your fault for eating all the bait!"
"Didn't you eat some too?"
As Luffy and Usopp bickered noisily, Vivi came over and asked,
"Did you catch any—?"
"Ahhh! Why are you using Fast Runner as bait!?"
"Quack, quack!"
The poor running duck cried out for help.
"We wanted to catch a shark."
"A Sea King would work too."
Thud! Thud!
One punch each sent Luffy and Usopp sprawling across the deck. Growing more and more like a Straw Hat, Vivi clutched her aching forehead. Then, something unusual ahead caught her attention.
"What is that?"
Hmm?
The White Knight at the helm shifted his gaze, switching from artificial idiocy to Roman's control.
"That thing..."
"Nami, take a look outside. What is that?"
Inside the Golden Merry's cabin, Roman tapped the "book" before him with his finger. Nami sat beside him with her eyes closed, a card painted with an eye pressed to her forehead.
"Hmm... It's just ordinary water vapor."
Though she was seated inside the cabin, Nami explained as if she could see everything happening outside. This was because she was using the Scouting Paper Cranes Roman had released around the ship to "observe."
"It's a natural phenomenon caused by lava erupting from an underwater volcano. In a few thousand—or tens of thousands—of years, a new island might form here..."
Through the White Knight, Roman relayed Nami's explanation