Through the massive hooks that were now embedded into the hull of the ship, air started to enter, and the room they were in began to fill up. Mario and the others managed to stand on the wooden deck as the water was pushed out, dripping and splashing around their feet.
"Whoa? What is this?" asked Luffy, stabilizing himself on the floor. Zorro did the same, one hand already resting on one of his swords out of habit.
"I can't believe so much air can be pumped into the ship," said Zorro, glancing at the rising bubbles still escaping through cracks in the wood.
"Someone is really trying to lift it," smiled Mario, thinking about a certain monkey.
"So did you find anything?" asked Zorro while trying to squeeze water from his pants.
"Nah. If it's not wet, then it crumbled from the water pressure," said Luffy, pulling off his makeshift diving suit—a barrel and some weighted rocks tied with rope. "Ah! Finally, fresh air!"
If you only knew, thought Mario.
"So what now?" Luffy didn't even finish asking when the door burst open with a splintering crack.
"WHO IS GOING AROUND CAUSING TROUBLE ON MY TURF?!"
Into the room burst Masira. Spiky brown hair, muscular build, orange cargo trousers, and a face that was almost like a monkey's. His eyes were wide with fury, veins bulging at his temples. He was furious.
"Ah… a monkey…" said MONKEY D. Luffy.
The irony.
For a moment, silence. Then Masira blinked. His furious expression flickered.
"You really think I look like a monkey?" His attitude changed in a blink—from rage to something almost wounded. He touched his own face, confused. "No, wait—what the hell are you doing?! I asked—"
But quickly, he snapped back to furious, stomping one heavy boot on the deck. "WHO ARE YOU AND WHY ARE YOU IN MY SHIP?!"
"Ah…" Luffy wanted to start, but Mario put his hand over the captain's mouth before another "monkey" could escape. Zorro was already gripping his swords, shoulders tensed. Martio caught his eye and shook his head slightly—no. Zorro clicked his tongue but eased his grip.
"We are pirates," Mario said calmly, meeting Masira's glare without flinching. "This ship almost fell on our heads while we were sailing. So we thought to investigate it."
Mario knew Masira's fiery temper, but he also knew the heart beneath the bluster. The Saruyama Alliance. Especially Mont Blanc Cricket. His story was heart-wrenching but also heartwarming at the end. And Masira… Masira was loyal to a fault.
Masira crossed his thick arms, squinting at them. "Pirates, huh? And you just happened to be sailing under a falling ship?"
"Straw Hat Pirates," Luffy said, pushing Martio's hand away with a grin. "I'm gonna be the King of the Pirates."
Masira stared. Then, slowly, a grin cracked his monkey-like face—half amused, half dangerous.
"King of the Pirates, eh? In my waters?" He cracked his knuckles. "Alright. Let's see if you've got the guts to back that up."
Luffy was ready for a showdown, cracking his knuckles with a wide, eager grin. His rubber arms stretched briefly behind him, already coiling for a Gum-Gum something-or-other.
But Mario stepped between them, arms spread wide.
"That is enough." His voice was calm but carried weight. "We don't want any trouble. We wanted to see if there are some clues on how to get to Skypiea."
The moment Mario mentioned Skypiea, the look on Masira's face changed entirely. The fury drained away, replaced by something raw—almost vulnerable.
"You know about the flying island?" Masira asked, his voice dropping to an urgent, almost desperate whisper.
"Yeah, we found a map…" Mario continued carefully.
"A MAP? WHERE?" Masira lunged forward, grabbing Mario's shoulders. His eyes, once blazing with anger, were now pleading—like a man who had been searching for something his entire life.
I know that look, Mario thought. Cricket's dream passed down to him.
"Calm down. We'll show—"
Mario didn't manage to finish.
The ship lurched.
Sharp. Violent. Upward.
All of them fell to the floor—Luffy tumbling like a ragdoll, Zorro catching himself with one hand, Masira slamming hard against a broken barrel. The whole ship creaked and groaned, wood screaming in protest. Water splashed sideways. Chains rattled.
Mario steadied himself, eyes wide, cold sweat running down his spine.
The damn TURTLE.
It's gonna eat us.
He didn't wait a second longer.
"Rankyaku!"
He spun, hand slicing through the air. A compressed blade of wind erupted from his hand, blasting a massive opening into the hull. Wood splintered outward. Cold, dark seawater immediately began rushing in, greedy and fast.
"Everyone, RUN!" Mario screamed.
The water hit Luffy's legs—and just like that, the future King of the Pirates went limp, arms dangling, face pale. Devil Fruit weakness. His head lolled back, eyes half-closed.
"Wait—!" Masira reached out, confused, almost betrayed.
"We need to get out first, unless you want to end up as turtle food!" Mario grabbed his captain, hooking one arm under Luffy's, inhaled deeply, and plunged into the icy sea.
The cold hit him instantly—like needles stabbing every inch of skin. But he'd endured worse.
"Soru."
He kicked against the water itself—once, twice—each strike propelling him forward like a torpedo. Bubbles screamed past his ears. The pressure squeezed his lungs. Behind him, through the murky deep, he saw it:
A massive turtle. Easily the size of a small island. Its jaws were wrapped around Masira's ship, lifting the whole vessel like a child's toy. Wood cracked like bones. The turtle's ancient, sleepy eyes blinked slowly as it chewed.
Mario glanced to his side. Zorro was there—swimming with raw, furious strength, one arm pulling an unconscious Luffy's other side. Even the first mate looked flabbergasted, jaw tight, eyes wide.
Good. He's fast.
The surface wasn't far. Mario kicked harder.
"Soru!"
Another burst of speed. His lungs burned. His legs screamed. But he broke through the surface like a launched cannonball, gasping, dragging Luffy with him.
He maneuvered mid-air—twisting his body—and landed hard on the Merry's deck, rolling to absorb the impact. Luffy flopped beside him like wet laundry, completely limp.
"Mario! Thank God!"
Nami's voice cracked. She ran and slammed into him, wrapping her arms so tight she nearly knocked the air out of his lungs.
"I thought you became food!" she gasped into his shoulder.
"Yeah… me too." Mario coughed, patting her back.
Everyone stared at the massive turtle now slowly chewing the remains of the ship. Wood crunched like dry biscuits. The turtle's throat bulged with each swallow.
Masira was nowhere to be seen.
Mario wasn't worried for him, though. That man had survived worse. Probably. Hopefully.
As if the giant turtle wasn't enough of a shock, the world began to change.
A massive fog rolled in—thick, white, and unnatural. It swallowed the sun in seconds. The sky darkened to a bruised grey. The air grew cold and heavy.
And then, in the distance, massive dark figures emerged. Silhouettes. Towering. Unmoving.
"Wha—Wha—Whaaaat is that?!" Usopp's voice rose to a shriek. His legs were already shaking.
Even the turtle looked frightened. It stopped chewing, its ancient head turning toward the fog, eyes widening.
"MONSTEEEEEEERS!"
Everyone except Mario scrambled. Usopp grabbed an oar. Nami grabbed another. Even Zorro grabbed a rope and started pulling. Their paddling was frantic, uncoordinated, desperate. The Merry turned sharply, speeding away from the fog, from the figures, from the terrified turtle.
"Wait, guys, that is not—" Mario tried.
Hopeless. They were already paddling like their lives depended on it—farther and farther away from the turtle and the scary "giants" looming in the mist.
"GO FASTER!!" Usopp screamed.
"I'M GOING AS FAST AS I CAN!" Sanji shouted back.
"THEN GO FASTER THAN THAT!!"
Mario watched them for a long moment. The Merry cut through the waves, fleeing shadows that weren't even chasing them. Luffy groaned softly on the deck, still limp. Nami was shouting navigation tips at Sanji, who was shouting back insults at Zorro. Chopper had turned into his heavy point and was paddling with a broken oar.
"Sigh…" Mario leaned against the deck railing, shaking his head. He ran a wet hand through his hair and glanced back at the fog one last time.
"Well… it doesn't matter." He said it quietly to himself, almost smiling.
The fog swallowed Masira's ship whole. The giant turtle dove deep, disappearing beneath the waves. And the Straw Hats paddled on—away from danger, toward their next mistake.
Typical.
***
Everyone sat on the deck, panting heavily after paddling like crazed monkeys. Limbs trembled. Lungs burned. Even Zorro looked exhausted.
They exchanged stories between gasps—what happened on the surface while Mario and the others were underwater.
"Today was one hell of a strange day," Sanji said, lighting a cigarette with shaky hands.
"A huge galleon drops from the sky," Zorro added, still wringing seawater from his haramaki.
"The Log Pose started pointing up," Nami said, staring at the needle like it had betrayed her.
"And then some weird monkey shows up to salvage the ship," Usopp shuddered.
"But a huge turtle swallowed the whole sunken ship!" Chopper's hooves were still trembling.
"Day became night," Robin said calmly, though her eyes lingered on the distant fog.
"And finally, monsters ten times larger than giants appeared…" Luffy finished, grinning despite nearly drowning.
"It was fun," said Mario.
"ARE YOU INSANE?!" everyone shouted in unison.
Mario just laughed heartily, tilting his head back, inhaling the beautiful sea air. His lungs filled with salt and freedom.
Now off to Jaya.
His smile faded slightly as he turned toward the horizon.
Now… how should I deal with Bellamy?
A dark thought. An evil smile crept across his face—the kind that made even Robin raise an eyebrow.
Oh you have no idea what's coming.