Luffy slipped his gun back into its holster and spread his arms.
Before either of the intruders could even blink—
CRACK.
Two ropes of crackling electricity shot from his palms, snapping through the air like living serpents. They wrapped around the man and woman mid-motion, yanking them clean off their feet.
"AHHH—!"
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?" the woman screamed as both of them were ripped forward and slammed hard onto the deck of the Going Merry.
Luffy flicked his wrist.
Most of the lightning dispersed instantly, leaving only tight bindings around their torsos and legs—enough to hold them, not enough to kill them.
Crocus emerged through the metal doors behind them, walking up the steps with his usual grumpy stride.
"Now," Zoro said, stepping closer with a hand resting on his sword, "who are you two?"
Sanji was already kneeling beside the woman, hearts in his eyes.
"Mademoiselle, are you injured? Your fall looked terribly painful—"
The woman glared at him.
Everyone else ignored Sanji completely.
The whale's stomach waters had calmed. The violent shaking was gone. Laboon's massive presence felt… quieter. Resting.
"You parasites are still here!?" Crocus barked from the stairs.
"The old man's back," Usopp muttered.
Crocus pointed a shaking finger at the bound pair. "I told you before—and I'll say it again. As long as I'm breathing, you will not hurt Laboon!"
The two captives suddenly started laughing.
Low at first.
Then louder.
They straightened—despite the bindings—grinning through the pain.
"You don't get to order us around, old man," the woman said coldly.
"We were sent here to kill that whale," the man continued. "And this time—"
CRACK.
The electric ropes surged.
Both of them convulsed, screaming as a violent shock ran through their bodies. The smell of ozone filled the air. They collapsed again, twitching.
"Put socks in their mouths," Luffy said calmly. "They're loud."
Usopp obeyed instantly.
Luffy turned toward Crocus.
"Can we leave now?" Luffy asked. "I'd rather not have my ship slowly dissolved while we're talking."
Crocus studied him for a moment, then snorted.
"Fine. Follow me."
Without another word, Crocus jumped back into the stomach acid and swam toward the floating island. The island itself began to move—slowly drifting toward the massive metal doors embedded in Laboon's flesh.
"Why does a whale have a canal inside it?" Usopp asked weakly.
"Creative medical practice," Crocus replied. "You don't care for an island whale. You adapt."
The doors opened.
Light flooded in.
They sailed through the canal and out—blinded for a moment by the sudden sun.
The sea stretched wide and blue.
Twin Capes.
The ship anchored beside the lighthouse, and the crew disembarked onto solid ground, relief washing over them.
"Sanji," Luffy said, stretching. "Lunch."
Sanji straightened immediately. "On it."
Thirty minutes later, plates of food filled the ground—steaming, rich, fragrant. Even Crocus raised an eyebrow.
"This is excellent," Nojiko said honestly.
"Anything for you, my beloved Nojiko!" Sanji declared.
Luffy poured whiskey into two glasses, sliding one toward Crocus.
"So," Luffy said, sitting down. "What's Laboon's story?"
Crocus took a slow sip.
"Laboon is an island whale," he said. "One of the largest creatures in the world. Native to the West Blue."
"The two idiots you caught earlier were hunters," Crocus continued. "A whale this size could feed an island for years."
Johnny frowned. "So why does he keep smashing his head into the Red Line?"
Crocus' gaze shifted toward the sea.
"Because he's waiting."
Everyone fell quiet.
"Laboon followed a pirate crew from the West Blue," Crocus said. "They sailed together for years. When they reached Twin Capes, their ship was too damaged to continue. They stayed here for months."
Crocus' voice softened.
"When they finally left… they promised him they'd return."
"How long ago?" Nami asked.
"Fifty years."
Silence.
"That's insane," Usopp whispered.
Zoro crossed his arms. "They're dead."
"Maybe," Crocus said. "But not the way you think."
"They turned back," Crocus continued. "They abandoned the Grand Line. Chose safety."
Nojiko clenched her fist. "That's unforgivable."
"That's cruelty," Johnny muttered.
Crocus nodded slowly. "Laboon knows. I told him everything."
Luffy stood.
He walked toward the cliff edge, staring down at the immense whale floating below.
"A soul waiting for friends who never came back," Luffy said quietly.
Then—
BOOM.
A bolt of lightning slammed down onto Laboon's head.
The whale roared, pain and fury echoing across the sea.
"I WANT TO FIGHT YOU, STUPID WHALE!" Luffy shouted.
Everyone panicked.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Nami screamed.
Crocus spun around. "ARE YOU INSANE!?"
Luffy turned, eyes sharp, grin wild.
"If he's going to destroy himself waiting," Luffy said, lightning crackling around him, "then I'll give him something better to wait for."
He faced Laboon again.
"Fight me," Luffy declared. "And when you win—"
The sky darkened.
"—I promise I'll come back."
The whale roared again.
Not in pain.
But in challenge.