Just ten minutes earlier, everyone had still been fighting desperately against a storm that loomed like a wall of black clouds. In the end, with Nami and Vivi leading the way, they had no choice but to plunge straight into it and hope for the slightest chance of escape.
They had thought they were dead. But when their ships broke through the storm, the darkness cleared and the sun appeared, they found themselves on a clear, calm sea like the Calm Belt. Pirate ships floated across its mirrorlike surface, while countless bubbles of every size rose from the water with soft gurgles.
"Where are we?"
The pirates stared at one another, then at the tranquil sea around them. Some even reached out to touch the water, only to be stopped by their friends.
After all, nearly a month on the route to Laugh Tale had shown them just how dangerous these waters were.
Countless people had lost their lives through a moment's carelessness!
Aboard the Going Merry, which had led the fleet, Nami and Vivi struggled to make sense of the wondrous sight.
Nami held out a finger and felt the air around her.
"There's wind!"
Vivi relaxed too.
"It looks like we're safe. I just don't know where we are."
Just then, Luffy spotted something as he looked around. He scrambled onto Nami, startling her.
Nami angrily grabbed his cheeks and pulled.
"You idiot! What are you doing? You scared me to death!"
But Luffy excitedly pointed at the Log Poses on Nami's wrist and shouted.
"Nami, look at the Log Poses..."
At Luffy's prompting, everyone aboard turned to look at Nami's wrist.
The four Log Pose needles, which had originally pointed in the same direction, now all pointed toward one place: the point at their center.
Stranger still,