The Going Merry struck Laboon head-on.
The world shattered into water and force.
A wall of black flesh met the bow, softened only by a last-second surge of shadow shielding. The ship bounced violently, the deck rattling beneath their feet. Spray exploded in every direction.
But Laboon's mouth was already open.
The Merry slid upward with the recoil—and dropped straight into the whale's maw.
Everything went dark.
The silence was suffocating.
No waves.
No wind.
Just the creak of wood and the sound of water dripping… somewhere.
For several seconds, no one moved.
The only light came from the faint blue of the system interface flickering in front of Luffy.
[Impact Absorption: 67% Success]
[Ship Damage: Superficial – Structural Integrity: 91%]
[Environment Status: Unknown – Darkness Maximum]
[Recalculating Threat Zone…]
Then—
A groan from the side.
Usopp was flat on the deck, one leg tangled in rope.
"Are we dead?"
Sanji coughed. "If this is death, it's damp and smells like fish."
Zoro sat up and rubbed his shoulder. "Still breathing."
Nami lifted herself from the helm, her hands trembling slightly. "What… what was that?"
Luffy stood slowly.
His shadow unraveled from around the ship like a protective cocoon, melting back into the wood.
"We're inside it," he said simply.
The others stared.
"…Inside the whale?" Usopp squeaked.
Luffy didn't answer. He just opened the system again.
[Internal Scan Initiated – Organics Confirmed]
[Host: Laboon – Island Whale Class]
[Chamber Type: Oral Cavity]
[Atmosphere Stable – Temperature 28°C]
[Exit Route: Unavailable]
[Tissue Density: Non-Lethal. Navigation Possible.]
Sanji pulled himself to his feet, glancing at the dark sea surrounding them. "So, we're… floating in a whale's mouth?"
Zoro crossed his arms. "A whale that let us in on purpose."
"Or one that didn't care we were there," Nami muttered.
Luffy looked forward.
Far into the dark, several soft lights flickered like lanterns hanging in mid-air.
And beyond them—a faint mist that moved like breath.
He pointed. "We're not alone."
The Merry moved forward, guided by a soft current.
No one said a word.
Water lapped gently against the hull, oddly calm after the chaos of the climb.
As they moved deeper into the cavity, more lights came into view—floating orbs that pulsed faint yellow, hung on long metal frames anchored into the walls of the chamber.
Then came the pier.
Wooden and reinforced with steel, it jutted out from a strange scaffold system mounted into the side of the whale's internal structure. Mechanical arms, half-disassembled cannons, and what looked like rusted fishing equipment lay in neat piles.
And at the end of the pier, standing still—
Was a man.
He leaned on a tall harpoon, its tip resting gently on the dock.
His hair was short and white, his face lined and calm. He wore a tattered coat with a long-forgotten Marine insignia on the sleeve.
He looked up at the ship.
"You're late," he said.
Zoro stepped forward, hand resting casually near his sword. "And who the hell are you?"
Luffy didn't flinch.
He watched the man closely.
The system answered before he did.
[Scan Complete – Name: Crocus]
[Former Occupation: Marine Medical Officer – Grand Line Post]
[Current Role: Grand Line Gateway Guardian]
[Status: Neutral – Alert Level: Low]
"His name's Crocus," Luffy said. "He watches the entry point."
Crocus raised an eyebrow. "You're well-informed for someone who just arrived."
Luffy gave a faint grin, saying nothing.
Nami stepped down toward the rail, brows furrowed. "You're really living inside a whale?"
"It's the safest place on the Grand Line," Crocus replied.
Usopp gulped. "That's… not comforting."
Crocus opened his mouth to say something else—
Then the chamber shook.
Low.
Heavy.
Like the heartbeat of something vast.
The Merry bobbed slightly in the water as the interior trembled.
Crocus's expression changed.
He turned sharply and pointed toward the inner fog. "Get off your ship. Now."
"What?" Sanji asked.
"Another ship," Luffy said.
All eyes turned forward.
In the fog, something moved.
A sail.
Then a mast.
Then a black ship emerged—sharp, sleek, and low to the waterline.
Its figurehead was carved like the open jaws of a shark. Its sails were pitch-black, and every cannon along the port side was already aimed.
Luffy narrowed his eyes.
The system confirmed it.
[New Contact: Pirate Vessel Detected]
[Identification – Affiliation: Unknown]
[Threat Level: Moderate – Weapons Armed]
[Distance: 190 meters and closing]
Nami's voice was tight. "Those cannons—"
"Are pointed right at us," Zoro finished.
Sanji struck a match, shielding the flame from the dripping mist. "Let me guess. Welcome to the Grand Line?"
Luffy took a step forward.
The shadows curled behind him.
The cannons gleamed ahead.
[End of Chapter 97]
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