Laboon

Actually, if they had a better option, they would not need to set out from Reverse Mountain at all. After all, that would mean taking a long detour.

However, their technology was still underdeveloped. Seastone was crucial for sailing the seas in this world, because with it, one could pass directly through the Calm Belt.

But they did not have any, so they could only proceed step by step from the starting point.

If they could cross the Calm Belt, they could enter the Grand Line directly and would not need to worry about so much.

This time, Barlow still served as the ship's navigator. Ever since he had gone from being a pirate to their navigator, he had completely abandoned his dream of piracy. After all, only here could he enjoy a peaceful, high-quality life.

The sea was nearly identical to when they had first set out. The waters of the Four Seas were quite calm, with no obstacles in their way.

When they arrived at Reverse Mountain once more and saw the seawater flowing upward before them, they could not help but feel shocked again. It truly was a sight that overturned one's worldview.

"Tell Barlow to slow the ship down when we descend into the Grand Line. There may be something ahead that we never expected to find!"

Nova instructed Junhe beside him.

"Understood."

Standing there, Nova wondered whether he would encounter that enormous whale. That creature had been here fifty years before the official story began, so it had to still be in this place now.

Although no one else understood, when the ship began speeding along the route into the Grand Line, everyone's eyes widened.

Before them was a fish larger than their entire ship. Though only its head had emerged from the water, from afar, the thing truly looked like a mountain.

"Your Majesty, be careful..."

Junhe instantly leaped to the bow and readied himself to attack.

Nova was speechless. They had finally encountered the first character to officially appear in the story, yet Junhe was acting like this.

"Get down. Stop making such a fuss over nothing!"

Nova shouted directly at Junhe.

Junhe froze for a moment. Then he recalled Nova's earlier order to inform Barlow while they were climbing the mountain, and it was as if he understood something at once.

He hurried to Nova's side and asked in confusion, "Your Majesty, did you already know there would be such a huge creature here?"

"We'll talk when we get closer. I'm also rather curious about just how big this thing is." Nova smiled faintly.

Because they had prepared in advance, Barlow had already begun slowing the ship as it started descending. Thus, when they were still fifty or sixty meters from the enormous whale, the ship gradually came to a stop.

Everyone aboard ran to the side of the ship and stared at the enormous creature in astonishment.

Just one of its opened eyes was already comparable to half their ship.

"Wow... this thing is really huge!" Gogoya could not help but exclaim as they drew close to the massive whale.

Shock filled everyone else's eyes as well.

Many of them had practically never left their own seas. Aside from Barlow and his group, who had likely wandered through many places, the King's Guard Nova had brought along all looked like country bumpkins seeing the world for the first time.

Even Nova, their king, could not suppress the excitement in his heart when he saw such an enormous creature.

When he had watched the anime before, he had never had much of a concept of this whale. But now that he was seeing the real thing, he finally felt just how small he was.

"Your Majesty, this thing really is huge!"

Junhe stared fixedly at the creature ahead.

"Of course it's huge. This is the largest Island Whale in the entire sea. Though it is not the largest creature in this world, it is still among the very largest," Nova said.

"Woooo..."

Just as they were admiring it with great interest, the Island Whale suddenly let out a cry. For such a massive creature, the vibrations from its voice stirred up waves across the sea.

The Eberle, so close to it, felt as though it were about to break apart.

"Your name is Laboon, right?"

Standing at the bow, Nova shouted at the enormous whale.

The moment Nova finished speaking, the giant whale's previously lifeless eyes slowly turned toward them.

The others aboard shuddered at the sight, and many were so frightened that they did not know what to do.

If the thing opened its mouth, it could swallow their ship whole.

When Laboon looked at Nova, he moved his head slightly. Yet that alone stirred up the seawater, nearly sending the small ship crashing into the mountain wall.

Had Barlow not reacted quickly, they would probably have fallen into the sea by now.

"Your Majesty, you know this creature?" Gogoya asked Nova in surprise.

"I wouldn't say I know him. I've merely heard of him before," Nova said with a smile.

After hearing that, Laboon seemed to grow a little excited. But what pirate entering the Grand Line from the Four Seas would not know him?

This place was, after all, a necessary passage. As long as they were pirates from the Four Seas, there was probably no one who did not remember this giant creature!

As if in response, Laboon raised his enormous head completely above the surface. A whale as large as an island truly gave off an overwhelming sense of pressure.

Everyone aboard now focused their gazes on their king. After all, he had drawn the creature's attention. If they were not careful, they might all end up in its belly.

Watching Laboon blink, Nova did not understand what he was saying, but he could at least grasp some of it.

"You don't need to wonder. I heard your name elsewhere. I was simply curious about you. Do you want to put to sea with me? We could also look for the person you want to find."

Nova shouted from the bow.

Although Laboon was a whale, he could understand human speech.

At present, Nova had not yet gained the ability to hear the voice of all things. That required Observation Haki to reach a certain level.

But Nova believed it would not take him long to reach that level. Communicating with a whale, at least barely, should not be too difficult.