Author: Xiao Yifeng
Translator: PapaSmurf0700
"Something seems a bit off here," Nami voiced her suspicion, her eyes narrowing as she observed from aboard the Golden Merry, which was swiftly descending from Reverse Mountain.
Curious, Usopp, who was standing next to her, asked, "What's the matter, Nami?"
"Logically speaking, once we come down from Reverse Mountain, we should be greeted by an endless expanse of sea," Nami explained, her finger pointing forward through the layers of clouds and mist at the exit of Reverse Mountain. She continued with a puzzled expression, "But why is there a massive cave in sight?"
Upon hearing Nami's observation, the rest of the crew on the ship also started to realize that something was indeed amiss, particularly with the cave that was becoming more visible to them.
"Hey, hey, hey, this has got to be some kind of joke!" Usopp exclaimed in disbelief.
As the Golden Merry continued its descent, the Straw Hat crew finally got a clear view of what lay within the cave. "That's... that's a whale's mouth!" Usopp blurted out, panic evident in his voice. "We're going to be swallowed whole!"
"Hahaha, this looks like it could be fun!" Luffy, undeterred and amused, laughed heartily, his straw hat pressed firmly against his head. "Let's go check it out!"
"Idiot!" Zoro retorted, attempting to kick some sense into Luffy. He knew that getting in might be easy, but getting out could be a whole different story.
"Hey, Bai Ye, is there any chance you could use your Qimen skills to alter the course of the Golden Merry?" Sanji inquired, pointing towards a gap next to the whale's mouth.
Bai Ye shrugged, "Given our current speed on water, my Qimen techniques won't make much of a difference."
They were dealing with the suction power of an Island Whale, the largest whale species in the world of One Piece. In this situation, Bai Ye's Qimen technique would indeed be futile. However, Bai Ye wasn't panicking. After all, he was familiar with the original story and knew what to expect.
So, he simply reassured the crew, "Since we're already here, why not take a look inside?"
"Are you out of your mind?" Nami and Usopp exclaimed in unison, their faces filled with disbelief. They couldn't help but think, "It's official, our once dependable deputy captain has now been swayed by Luffy's crazy ideas!"
In this unexpected turn of events, with Luffy bubbling with excitement, Bai Ye maintaining his composure, and the rest of the crew gripped by fear, the Golden Merry found itself engulfed by the whale. Soon after, they discovered a hidden cavity within the whale's stomach, where they spotted a "ship" floating amidst the gastric juices.
On this ship was a quaint house, from which emerged an elderly man, his hair gray, wearing glasses and a saffron-colored hat. He ambled over to a recliner beside the room, picked up a newspaper, glanced briefly at the Straw Hat crew, and then proceeded to read his newspaper.
Eventually, his gaze landed on Luffy's beaming face, prompting him to remark, "I didn't expect you to arrive here so soon. The so-called arrogant overlords of the East Blue, the Straw Hat Pirates."
Hearing this, Luffy tilted his head in confusion, "Huh? Arrogant overlord of the East Blue? Who's that?"
Usopp, standing nearby, muttered under his breath, "He's obviously talking about us, you dummy!"
At that moment, the old man introduced himself, "My name is Crocus. I oversee the Twin Cape Lighthouse. I'm 71 years old, a Gemini, and my blood type is AB."
Almost simultaneously, Nami and Usopp voiced their confusion, "Did anyone ask? And why on earth are you sharing such personal details? Who cares about your blood type?"
"Hahahaha, what an interesting old man," Luffy chuckled, clearly amused and taking a liking to Crocus.
Crocus, standing up and looking intently at Luffy, asked in a solemn tone, "Straw Hat, do you aspire to become the Pirate King? Do you wish to follow in the footsteps of Gold D. Roger?"
Upon hearing this, the smile on Luffy's face faded, replaced by a serious expression. He pressed his straw hat down, shading his eyes, and then, lifting his head, declared, "I want to be like Roger because my goal is to become the Pirate King and find the One Piece!"
Luffy was a person of conviction, especially when it came to his dreams.
"Is that so?" Crocus responded, nodding in understanding. He was just about to add something when suddenly, the gastric juices surrounding them began to churn violently.
"Laboon is ramming against the Red Line again," Crocus observed, before abruptly leaping into the gastric juices.
"Hey, hey! That guy just jumped in! He's going to be completely dissolved!" Sanji exclaimed, taken aback by Crocus's unexpected action.
Crocus, remarkably unharmed, swiftly navigated to a passage he had crafted within Laboon's body. There, he administered a sedative to Laboon, effectively calming the giant whale.
Returning from the depths of Laboon, Crocus not only guided everyone to an iron gate within the whale's interior but also shared the poignant tale of the Rumbar Pirates and their deep connection with Laboon.
In the original story, there was an iconic moment here, but since the Golden Merry had endured minimal damage, Luffy did not resort to the drastic measure of piercing Laboon with the ship's main mast. Nevertheless, Luffy forged a renewed vow with Laboon, assuring the whale that he would indeed return, and in return, Laboon would cease its relentless head-butting. This pact seemed to delight Crocus, who subsequently engaged in amiable conversation with the crew.
"Wait, are you a ship's doctor?" Luffy exclaimed, his surprise evident. "Would you consider joining us on our sea voyage?"
Nami, grabbing Luffy's head in exasperation, interjected, "Luffy, I've told you before, stop inviting people on a whim. Besides, we have Bai Ye's medicinal pills, don't we? With those, we shouldn't have to worry about falling ill."
Bai Ye gently corrected her, "Well, that's not entirely accurate. My pills are primarily for healing; they don't necessarily serve as a substitute for a ship's doctor. I can't monitor your health in real-time; I can only provide a pill once someone is already sick. This reactive approach puts us at a disadvantage at sea."
Bai Ye held no illusions about the limitations of his abilities, especially when it came to his medicinal pills. Despite his proficiency with pills ranging from sixth to ninth rank, relying solely on them was a tad optimistic. Additionally, Bai Ye didn't want his abilities to preclude Chopper, a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user with the ability to transform into a human or human-reindeer hybrid, from joining the crew.
On one hand, who could resist the charm of a talking raccoon? On the other hand, Bai Ye had specific plans in mind that required Chopper's unique skills. Should his hypothesis prove correct, they might even unlock the mysteries surrounding Devil Fruits.
While engaged in the task of grilling fish, Crocus addressed Luffy, laughter in his voice. "Hahaha, I've grown old and my yearning for adventure has faded away. Even my own journey across the seas was rather uneventful."
Interrupting the moment, Bai Ye chimed in with a knowing smile directed at Crocus. "Well, if one can describe a journey to the very end of the Grand Line as 'uneventful', then I'm afraid there's no such thing as an exciting adventure in this world."
His words hung in the air, leaving the four Straw Hat members utterly astonished. If Bai Ye's implication was accurate, then the old man before them held a significant past.
Usopp couldn't contain his surprise, exclaiming, "Could he actually be a former crew member of the Pirate King?!"
Luffy, equally shocked, questioned, "Is the old man really that powerful?"
Usopp could only think to himself in frustration, "Are you really that dense?"
Intrigued by Bai Ye's insight, Crocus looked up, his gaze piercing as he posed his question to Bai Ye, "How do you know about my past?" His curiosity was evident, wondering how this stranger had unveiled a chapter of his life that he had kept so well concealed.