The Strawhats temporarily paused their training as they were welcomed by the wary villagers carrying weapons.
As Apis explained that Luffy and others are good pirates, only then the villagers lowered their guard. They then expressed their worry for Apis and well... their next course of action was the same as in the original story where the Strawhats got invited by the Village Chief.
(A/N : I don't know if the Village Chief is Apis' grandfather or not. Take it as it is.)
Luke and Billy the duck also prepared to follow Luffy and others which puzzled Liz.
"Hm? Come on, have some fun. The ship is safe here." Luke said as he proceeded without waiting for Liz to respond.
Liz hesitated before she also followed along. Luke was right. Always staying on ship also bores her a bit.
At night time, Apis took all the steamed buns that the Village Chief prepared for the Strawhats. When Luffy and Nami found out about Apis' little secret, the two gathered the Strawhats at morning leaving the Village Chief alone who was dozing off.
Turned out that Apis was keeping an old dragon on a cave, a Millennial Dragon named Grandpa Ryu. She also reveals that she's a Devil Fruit Holder which she can communicate to every animals she met.
Everyone except Luke was surprised to see a giant feathered-like dragon silently laid on the ground while it's eyes were seemingly glaring at the Strawhats.
As Nami explained the situation, the Strawhats finally saw the light as to why Apis got captured by the Marines.
A high official of the marines was obsessed of the bones of Millennial Dragons. Legends says that, if one creates elixir made out of bones of a Millennial Dragon, consuming the elixir can achieve immortality.
Apis was seen having a nail-like pendant in her that is suspected to be a part of Millennial Dragon, so she got captured and to be questioned for as to where are the rest of it's part.
Meanwhile, Apis has another aim. That is to find the Lost Island where it's the home of Grandpa Ryu. She wanted to fullfil the wish of the old dragon and be buried to it's home.
As everyone expected, Luffy agreed to the request since he's able to talk with Grandpa Ryu.
However, there wasn't a single clue unless the venture the sea to find this legendary Lost Island.
Clue...
Everyone stared at Luke at the corner simultaneously. Even though it's an impossible quest, Luke should be able to provide a clue or two.
"Right! Luke! You should know about the Lost Island, right? Please help Grandpa Ryu!" Apis lunged at Luke's embrace as she cried.
She have known Grandpa Ryu for a long time and she knew how sad it is for him to be left alone without friends.
That is why she never left Grandpa Ryu's side for too long. She always kept him company to tell him story about her little adventures.
"Just travel East of Warship Island. That's all I can say." Luke had a soft spot for little girls because of his love for his daughter.
"Let's go! Grandpa Ryu! We'll be able to let you return home again!" Luffy exclaimed in excitement.
Luke created a floating mattress made out of cloud for the old dragon.
In the original story, Grandpa Ryu died while being bombarded with cannon. If Luke will do something to save the old dragon, the moral lesson in the end will be lost.
Luke just treat himself as a bystander in the Lost Island Journey. He's also pretty occupied on what kind of Special Homies to set for his five rings.
He's proficient in guns and brawl in his previous world. Since Usopp uses slingshot, he will use a Special Gun Homie that can shoot unlimited air bullets. A convenient way to be a low key pirate since he want Luffy to take all the limelight.
The golden ring will transform into a gun just like Napoleon of Big Mom. And he will also prepare some bullets like sea stones to counter Devil Fruit Holders.
Luffy and others continues to find clues one by one without any help from Luke. In the end, they came to a standpoint with Commodore Nelson Royal of the Marines.
Luffy and others fought side by side against the marines.
In the end, Luffy defeated the marines and found out that the Lost Island was actually a part of Warship Island that will only resurface every one thousand years.
Grandpa Ryu indeed survived, but his life is already fleeing away. Unlike the original story, the old dragon properly expressed his farewell to Apis before leaving the world.
Nami also found out that Lost Island is the graveyard and birthplace of the Millennial Dragons while Apis' ancestry are the original caretakers of these migrating creatures.
Commodore Nelson died by the hands of his own hired mercenary, Eric and witnessed by all the marines around. Then Luffy defeated Eric with a punch that crippled him for life.
With this small episode ending, Luffy and others bade farewell to Apis as they are now heading to the grandline.
A day later, the Strawhats finally entered Grand Line through reverse mountain.
Luke noticed that Going Merry is starting to show it's vulnerability. Soon enough, it will be put on fire.
Truth be told, of all the One Piece sad moments Luke watched, it's the Going Merry's retirement that moved him the most.
Anyway, Luke was only waiting for Going Merry's soul to fully develop and extract it when the time is right. Going Merry's soul manifested because of the Strawhat's love and care to it in the original story.
...
The Strawhats met with a giant whale that block the entrance of the grand line.
After Luffy provoked it for damaging the Going Merry, they instead got swallowed by it. The only difference this time is that, Luffy bravely entered inside the whale's stomach together with the Strawhats.
Luke felt the scene familiar as he also entered a sea king's stomach before.
Laboon's stomach was decorated by paint that serves as the skies and clouds. Everyone noticed it naturally since they are now proficient in observing things.
"There's a person in that little hut." Nami pointed at the little island as they waited for the person to go out.
Then, an old man exited the small hut as he glared at the Strawhats. His glare was so intimidating that gives tension to the air.
Luke at the back of the ship was trying hard not to laugh. This is one of the iconic scene where the Strawhats unknowingly met one of the crewmember of Gold Roger Pirates.
The old man introduced himself in the end. His name is Crocus, caretaker of the whale named Laboon and also lighthouse keeper of the Reverse Mountain.
"Luke? Do you know this old man?" Nami was right beside as she also felt intimidated by the old man before. So she treated Luke as her shield. She had a feeling that Luke knew this old man.
Everyone stared at Luke as if it became a routine.
Luke's lips twitched in annoyance. Still, he stood up as he slightly bowed to the old man,
"It's an honor meeting you here, Sir."
"Sir?!" The Strawhats never saw Luke acting so polite to an old man. They were dying to know who this old man was.
Crocus' eyes flickered as he stared at Luke. He asked, "You know me? That's odd. I've been living in this whale's stomach for years now."
Luke sat down as he ignored the Strawhats.
When the Strawhats was about to inquire further, the whale suddenly went on a rampage and smashed it's head at the wall of redline which causes it's stomach to produces chaotic waves.
Crocus immediately entered a secret room and did his job to calm the rampaging whale down.
Before everyone could relax, two invaders pointed a weapon at the stomach wall. Their aim is to kill the whale through it's insides.
"No!" Crocus saw this and jumped to prevent any damage on Laboon's stomach.
BOOOM!!
"Old man!" Luffy and others got worried when Crocus took a direct hit.
"Bubble?" Everyone saw that Crocus was encased by energy bubble from Luke as they heaved a sigh of relief.
As for the two invaders, Luke also encased them and brought them to the Strawhats for their judgement.
Meanwhile, Crocus led the Strawhats outside Laboon's stomach through a passage designed by him and they finally went back to surface again. Later on, he explained Laboon's story and it's intention for destroying the red line wall.
Apparently, a pirate group made a promise to Laboon that they will reunite again as they didn't want the little whale to accompany their journey because of how dangerous the grand line was. However, at present time, that promise was made 50 years ago.
The Strawhats finally understood that Laboon have strong indenial about the pirate group returning home to the other side of the seas which blocked by red line, a huge land straightly encircled the world and separating the seas into two parts.
Due to Laboon's gigantic size, he's now unable to fit the Reverse Mountain's sea stream.
Luke saw that Luffy just showed a poker face. If the latter showed this kind of expression, it means he's planning something reckless again.
And he was right. Luffy broke Going Merry's main mast as he strucked Laboon's fresh injury. The two fought and Luffy showed the whale that he was strong and can survive the Grand Line. Luffy promised that when they meet again, they will resume the fight.
Laboon was finally moved and found a new goal by trusting Luffy.
Meanwhile, instead of Luffy, Luke secretly snatched the log pose of Mr. 9. While Nami got the log pose from Crocus.
Mr. 9 and Ms. Wednesday begged the Strawhats for a ride to their hometown, Whisky Peak since Mr. 9 lost his log pose which approved by Luffy.
"LET'S GO!! SET SAIL!!" Luffy excitedly exclaimed.
Finally, the Strawhats started to sail the Grand line!