Pirates: I Open Susanoo with the Barrier-Barrier Fruit

The continuous bursts of high-intensity power had made a thin trickle of blood seep from Daddy's nose.

The other crew members watched Daddy with concern. Dezaya and Nami wanted to go over and tend to him, but the savage expression on his face and the bulging veins and muscles made them afraid to disturb him.

El Drago had already rushed to the bow and begun charging up. The newcomer Eric had also run to the bow. He didn't want to die either.

"Captain! Open a hole! I'm gonna blast this damn mountain out of our way!"

Light glowed in Sonic El Drago's mouth as he shouted anxiously at Daddy. The wind blades on Cyclone Eric's fingers were also ready to fire.

At the moment, the two of them were the only ones with powerful ranged attacks. Most of the other crew members were melee fighters.

In the midst of his high-intensity exertion, Daddy forced himself to spare a sliver of concentration and open a small gap in the barrier. A fierce gale immediately rushed in, nearly blowing over Nami and the other weaklings on the crew.

Sonic Cannon!!

Scythe: Great Wind Blade!

A sonic laser beam and a gigantic, transparent blade of wind blasted toward the black mountain ahead.

Rumble! Whoosh!

"Woooo!!"

A tremendous wail rang out. The black mountain began to roll and rise, revealing a huge eye and mouth.

Only then did the Big Daddy Pirates realize that the black mountain was actually a living, enormous Island Whale.

Daddy was also nearly exhausted. He had finally slowed the pirate ship, but the current was still rushing along at tremendous speed, forcing him to keep up his desperate effort to slow them down. He had no chance to deal with the Island Whale.

"Grrr!!"

The Island Whale Laboon's pained wail turned into an angry roar. It was going to smash the pirate ship that had dared to hurt it to pieces. Its massive mouth gaped open, revealing huge, razor-sharp teeth that gleamed menacingly. This whale was no pushover.

Just as Daddy was about to give up slowing the ship and let them crash straight into the whale, the enraged, thrashing Laboon suddenly fell quiet and, in the blink of an eye, dove beneath the sea.

The Dreadnaught Sabre finally shot out of Reverse Mountain's rapid downhill current and entered the Grand Line.

"We survived!!"

The Big Daddy Pirates' crew shouted excitedly. Daddy was already so exhausted that he sat down where he stood and began gasping for breath.

This was the most exhausting day he'd had since setting sail.

It was a hundred times more exhausting than taking on the East Blue Overlord Krieg's pirate crew!

"Captain! We made it into the Grand Line!!"

The crew shouted excitedly, letting out all the pent-up joy of having survived.

But the next moment, a huge shadow stirred beneath the surface. The enormous Island Whale rose out of the water again. Its eye alone was as big as the Dreadnaught Sabre.

"Look out!!"

Everyone immediately prepared for battle. The Island Whale was simply too enormous. Beside it, they seemed impossibly small. This was a colossal whale measuring a full four hundred meters long.

Daddy stood up again, though his muscles were still trembling a little. He faced the whale without a trace of fear.

The Island Whale Laboon seemed very calm now, its eyes clear. It no longer looked enraged as it had before.

It must've been given a sedative by Crocus!

One glance was all it took for Daddy to figure it out. The ship's doctor from the Pirate King's crew was probably inside Laboon's belly right now, wasn't he?

Crocus was not only a skilled doctor; he had also managed to modify Laboon's insides so he could live inside the whale.

"Laboon! I know you can understand me! I know where Brook is! Tell Crocus to come out and meet me!!"

Daddy called out to the enormous Island Whale, Laboon, with a slight smile. He wondered if he could coax the Pirate King's doctor onto his ship.

With Crocus, a seasoned veteran, aboard—even if he left once they reached the Florian Triangle—the Big Daddy Pirates' chances of making it safely through this stretch of the Grand Line would improve beyond measure.

Crocus was not only a master physician; he also had impressive sailing experience and fighting ability. He had even traveled through the Grand Line and the New World with the Roger Pirates, and visited Laugh Tale!

A treasure of a crewmate like that was truly irresistible to Daddy!

"Woooo!!"

The calm Island Whale Laboon grew excited the moment it heard Brook's name. Not even the sedative in its body could suppress its excitement!

The massive waves rocked the Dreadnaught Sabre, and everyone aboard watched the rampaging whale nervously.

"Quiet, Laboon! Don't you want to see Brook again?!"

Daddy shouted angrily. Sure enough, the moment Laboon heard him, it calmed down. Its enormous eyes gazed at Daddy, full of longing and hope.

Just then, as if sensing Laboon's call and its turbulent emotions, a bald old man appeared atop the whale's head. A flower grew from his scalp; he wore glasses and a pink shirt patterned with yellow and green flowers.

He carried several harpoon-like weapons on his back. The moment he appeared, his cold, expressionless gaze made the atmosphere grow oppressive.

His powerful presence drew beads of cold sweat from Kuro of a Hundred Plans, Zoro, and the other crew members. They felt as if they could hardly breathe!

So strong!!

He was undoubtedly a mighty fighter!!

"Hey, Crocus! Rein in your presence! Don't scare off the new generation!"

Daddy stepped to the front and met Crocus's cold gaze head-on. An intangible force rose from him as he faced Crocus's presence!

Daddy didn't think the old man would be easy to deal with. Crocus had traveled with the Roger Pirates all the way through the Grand Line and reached the final island. There was no question about his strength.

Back when the Roger Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates fought for three days and three nights, Crocus had taken part in the battle and fought to the very end. He hadn't suffered any serious injuries or been worn out, either.

After returning to Twin Cape, he had hunted giant octopuses, swum in Laboon's stomach acid, and taken Baroque Works' explosive cannonballs head-on without a scratch.

And he had lived in safety at Twin Cape, the entrance to the Grand Line, for so many years. His many feats made it clear just how formidable Crocus was.

"Kid! You know my name? Have you been to the Grand Line before, or do you have an elder in your family who's been here?"

Once Crocus let go of his cold expression and imposing presence, he immediately became a capricious old man.

"It's my first time. I don't just know your name; I know the history you share with Laboon, too!"

Daddy replied calmly, then activated his Observation Haki to sense the Pirate King's doctor and gauge his strength.

"Using Observation Haki on someone without permission is rather rude!"

Crocus smiled. He hadn't expected to meet a rookie pirate who knew Haki at Twin Cape, the starting point of the Grand Line. It was something he had never seen before.

But then he quickly realized what the boy had said. He knew the history Crocus shared with Laboon?

How old was this kid?

Crocus had left the Roger Pirates more than twenty years ago and returned to Twin Cape to resume his post as lighthouse keeper and look after Laboon. The kid hadn't even been born back then!