And so, after their charge up the waterfall and brush with the whirlpool, the Sunny Merry finally made it safely through the treacherous Inland Lake.
When the ship's keel settled firmly on a shore covered in strange white sand and stones, Ronan's Group officially set foot in the Land of Wano!
A dense, peculiar forest stood beside the shore, its trees bearing branches and foliage as rugged and vigorous as pines and cypresses.
Everyone anchored the Sunny Merry behind some secluded rocks and secured it.
"We're finally here! Come on, come on, let's go exploring!"
Unable to contain his excitement, Luffy was the first to jump off the ship. Rubbing his hands together eagerly, he was about to charge into the deep, shadowy forest.
The others readied their weapons as well, preparing to explore this unknown country.
However, they had barely taken a few steps when a dull, violent tremor suddenly shook the ground.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The tremors rapidly drew closer, as though a heavy armored vehicle were barreling out of the depths of the forest!
"What is that?!"
Zoro's gaze sharpened, and he immediately gripped his sword hilt.
"ROAR!!!"
Accompanied by a wild, thunderous roar, the towering ancient trees along the shore were brutally smashed apart.
Before everyone's astonished eyes, a terrifying beast as large as a three-story building burst out of the dense forest in a cloud of dust!
It was a strange creature resembling a cross between a lion and a dog-a komainu!
Its body was covered in strange fur that billowed like flames. Its legs were thick as pillars, and its sharp fangs gleamed chillingly in the sunlight.
The enormous komainu seemed to be fleeing something. It charged blindly out of the forest, unable to stop its own momentum, and its massive body slammed into