The Sword Cleaves the Rocket Launcher!

Zero felt that the man before them had to be over seventy, but looks could be deceiving. To think he could still hunt giant octopuses at that age—no wonder he was a man who had once followed Roger!

He glanced at everyone, then simply sat down and began reading the newspaper, earning a round of complaints. Later, he introduced himself as Crocus, the keeper of Twin Capes.

Crocus also questioned how they had ended up here, and Nami and Usopp began to panic a little.

Zero reassured them, "Since that guy was able to build a house here, he must have lived here for some time. We should be fine."

"Then... how do we get out?"

Faced with Usopp's question, Zero pointed at Crocus, who was reading the newspaper nearby. "Ask him!"

When they asked Crocus how to leave, he straightforwardly pointed to a huge iron gate not far away and said the exit was there. Everyone complained once again about why there was an exit like that inside a whale.

Usopp also realized then that this world was fake. The sea above them, the white clouds, and the blue sky had all been painted.

They prepared to leave, but the Going Merry suddenly began rocking again. Crocus explained that Laboon was currently slamming his head against the Red Line!

Nami remembered the many scars on the whale's head. Usopp guessed that Crocus might be using some method to hunt the whale, while Roronoa Zoro and the others said they did not want to meddle.

Suddenly, Crocus jumped into the gastric fluid.

Usopp asked what he was trying to do. Being corroded by gastric fluid was dangerous, but Zero merely shook his head and pretended not to know.

Before long, Crocus appeared again and climbed the stairs by the iron gate, seemingly headed off to do something.

Luffy's voice suddenly rang out from midair.

"Everyone, so you were all here?"

Everyone looked over. Three figures streaked through the air. Aside from Luffy at the back, the other two were unfamiliar faces.

Zero thought back. Those two seemed to have rather influential backgrounds. One was the princess of Alabasta, and the other was Crocodile's subordinate.

Everyone pulled all three of them aboard.

Crocus appeared again at that moment. His expression visibly darkened when he saw the two of them, and he warned them not to set their sights on Laboon.

The two ignored Crocus's warning. Instead, they somehow produced rocket launchers and prepared to fire shells at Laboon's stomach wall.

Zero shook his head. Startled Dragon left its sheath!

Clang!

The two suddenly felt the weight in their hands lighten. Then, before their astonished eyes, the rocket launchers split in two and fell onto the ship with two loud clatters. Seeing that they still intended to do something, Zero stepped forward and knocked them both unconscious with the sword sheath!

"Zero, nice work! I didn't like the look of those two either, but you beat me to it! Hahaha!"

Luffy patted Zero on the shoulder. Zero agreed, though he felt a little sorry for Vivi, who was still acting.

On the island.

Crocus was explaining to everyone why Laboon rammed the Red Line and roared at Reverse Mountain.

Apparently, a pirate crew had arrived at Reverse Mountain back then. Before setting off, they asked Crocus to look after Laboon for two or three years. They promised to return for Laboon after completing a circuit of the Grand Line, but fifty years had passed since then.

Zero knew that nearly everyone in that pirate crew had perished. Although one person still remained in this world, he had eaten the Revive-Revive Fruit and become a neither-living-nor-dead skeleton.

Hearing this, everyone sighed at the danger of the Grand Line. They found it even harder to understand that Laboon had waited here for fifty years.

Later, with Crocus's help, the Straw Hat Pirates left Laboon's body.

When Luffy heard that Crocus had once been a pirate ship's doctor, he considered inviting him to join. Naturally, Crocus refused, since he was no longer young.

Later, through their conversation with Crocus, everyone learned another cruel fact: that pirate crew from fifty years ago had fled the Grand Line. They all began condemning the crew. Only Zero and Luffy leaned against the railing, silently watching Laboon.

Zero suddenly spoke. "Hey, Luffy. Do you think that pirate crew really ran away?"

Luffy tilted his head. "I don't know."

"I see."

"That guy is really pitiful!"

"Yeah. What are you going to do?"

"Me? I want to do this..."

As he spoke, Luffy ran onto the Going Merry under Zero's gaze, snapped off a mast with brute force, then ran along Laboon's body to its head and viciously drove the mast into it!

Aoo!

Laboon cried out in pain. Luffy's companions were all bewildered, unable to understand why he had done such a thing. Only Zero had already guessed Luffy's intentions, and a silent smile appeared on his face.

Laboon flew into a rage.

It rammed Luffy into the Red Line. Even when Luffy charged at it again, it sent him flying once more. In no time, Luffy was covered in wounds.

Until—

"It's a draw!"

Luffy raised his hand and made an appointment with Laboon for their next duel. After he completed a circuit of the Grand Line, he would return to fight it again. It had to wait for him!

Laboon let out a joyful cry.

Later, to keep Laboon from ramming the Red Line again, Luffy simply painted a Straw Hat skull on its head and told it to protect it well.

Laboon nodded, indicating that it would definitely keep its promise.

When everyone returned to the Going Merry, Zero ran up onto Laboon's head and began telling it about Brook.

"Laboon, do you know? Your companions didn't run away. They fought bravely! And do you remember Brook?"

Perhaps because it had heard a familiar name, Laboon became somewhat excited.

"Brook ate the Revive-Revive Fruit and is somewhere on the Grand Line right now. He will become our companion someday. When we come back here, you'll see him again. But he has become a skeleton now, so be careful not to crush his bones when the time comes! Hahahaha!"

Zero knew that Laboon should be able to understand him, so he said nothing more and turned to jump down from its head.

Laboon watched Zero board the Going Merry, and the corners of its eyes grew moist once more...