48. Laboon

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"Hey! Shall I show you a giant whale" Anos said while Looking at the sky.

"A Whale?" Haruya said with confusion.

"Yes! His name is laboon" Anos said with a bored voice.

"Inform Them to head towards Reverse Mountain" Anos spoke with interest.

"Yes! Your majesty" Haruya hurried to inform his majesty's order.

As they arrived Near the Mountain. The twisting climb of the seas, battling against the current, always seemed like an absurd, almost impossible task.

After all, it felt like avoiding a significant detour, only to dive headlong into an even greater challenge.

The ship creaked under the pressure, its sails full as they ascended the mountain.

The windless zone is notorious for being infested with Sea Kings, where normal ships could be easily destroyed.

The sea wind howled as the ship climbed the impossible waterway, its prow cutting through the water as if it were slicing through solid rock.

The crew braced themselves, knowing that their journey was still long and fraught with danger. This time, the navigator on the ship was still Barlow.

He had been with them for some time, though his origins as a pirate were still a part of his past.

Since giving up his life as a pirate, Barlow had found a new purpose in guiding this crew, his once-grand dreams of treasure and conquest now a distant memory.

Having tasted the quiet life, he now preferred life on this ship, away from the chaos of the New World.

After all, there was a kind of peace in navigating the seas, a rhythm that even the wildest waters couldn't break.

The wind in his hair and the constant hum of the sea beneath him was different from the violence of piracy but no less exhilarating.

The sea ahead looked calm, almost identical to when they had set out.

There were no obstacles, just the smooth stretch of water leading up the mountain, which seemed to vanish into the clouds.

But they knew better than to trust appearances. This was Reverse Mountain, after all a place where the seas flowed upwards, defying logic and nature.

Upon arriving at Reverse Mountain again, the crew found themselves once more staring in awe.

No matter how many times they had witnessed it, the sight of water flowing uphill never ceased to amaze them.

It was a phenomenon that subverted the laws of physics, a force of nature that seemed to exist solely to challenge their understanding of the world.

"Tell Barlow to slow the ship when we descend," Anos ordered Haruya, his trusted second-in-command. "There may be something unexpected ahead."

Haruya nodded, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon for any signs of danger.

The thought of what might be waiting for them at the base of the mountain lingered in his mind.

Anos stood still at the helm, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, his thoughts wandering to the stories he'd heard about the Laboon.

His mind drifted to one particular legend the massive whale, a creature said to have roamed these waters for over fifty years, ever since the official story began. Would they encounter it today? He wondered, a faint smile playing on his lips.

As the ship picked up speed, its sails catching the strong winds that pushed them towards the Grand Line, the crew's anticipation grew.

Their eyes widened as the sea stretched out before them, vast and endless. The horizon held mysteries they had yet to uncover.

Then it appeared.

At first, it was just a dark shape beneath the waves, a shadow too large to be a normal sea creature. The crew began to murmur among themselves, uncertainty tingling in the air.

But as they drew closer, the shape became clearer a massive fish, larger than their entire ship.

Though only its head breached the surface, it looked like a mountain rising from the depths of the ocean.

"Your Majesty, be careful..." Daiki leapt to the bow of the ship, his hands gripping the hilt of his sword. His body was tense, every muscle ready for action.

Anos, standing tall and confident, was unfazed by the sight. He seemed more amused than anything.

After all, this was the first major creature from the official storyline that they had encountered. Seeing Haruya ready for battle so quickly brought a chuckle to his lips.

"Come down, it's fine! Stop worrying!" Anos called out, his voice carrying over the deck.

Daiki, startled by Anos's easy demeanour, paused for a moment before recalling Anos's earlier instructions to inform Barlow. It clicked Anos had known about this whale all along.

Haruya quickly approached Anos, still slightly confused. "Your Majesty, did you know this creature would be here?"

"We'll talk about it when we get closer," Anos replied, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. "I'm curious to see just how big this thing is."

The ship slowed as Barlow expertly adjusted the sails and began the descent.

Thanks to the preparations, they gradually came to a stop about fifty or sixty meters from the enormous whale.

The crew gathered at the ship's edge, staring in awe at the creature before them. It was truly gargantuan its eyes alone were as big as half their ship.

"Wow… this guy is enormous!" Suzu, one of the younger crewmembers, exclaimed. Her voice was filled with a mixture of fear and amazement as she gazed up at the whale.

Even the seasoned sailors among them couldn't hide their astonishment. Many of them had never ventured beyond their home seas, and the world beyond the horizon was still a vast unknown.

Only Barlow and a few others had travelled far and wide, seeing the wonders and dangers of the ocean.

But even they had never seen something like this up close.

Anos, for all his regal composure, felt a thrill of excitement deep in his chest.

Seeing this enormous creature in person was different from watching it on a screen.

The sheer scale of the whale, Laboon, made him feel small in comparison.

"Your Majesty, this thing is massive!" Daiki muttered, his gaze never leaving the whale.

"Well, it's the largest island whale in the sea," Anos replied, his tone almost casual. "It might not be the biggest creature in the world, but it's certainly up there."

"Woooooooooo…" The whale's low, rumbling cry echoed through the sea, sending waves rippling outwards.

The sound alone caused their ship, the Tempest, to shudder under the force. It was as if the very ocean was responding to the whale's voice.

The crew braced themselves, clinging to the ship as the waves rocked them.

For a moment, it felt like the ship might be torn apart by the sheer power of Laboon's voice.

"Your name is Laboon, isn't it?" Anos called out from the bow of the ship, his voice steady and clear.

The massive whale, its dull eyes slowly focusing, turned towards them.

The crew collectively held their breath as Laboon's gaze settled on them, its enormous eyes scanning the ship.

The sheer weight of its attention was enough to make even the most seasoned sailors nervous.

If Laboon opened its mouth, it could swallow their ship whole, crew and all.

The thought crossed everyone's mind, a silent, unspoken fear hanging in the air.

As Laboon tilted its head, the slight motion sent waves crashing into the ship.

The Abri groaned under the pressure, nearly smashing into the rocky cliffs of Reverse Mountain.

If it weren't for Barlow's quick reflexes, they would have been capsized right then and there.

"Your Majesty, do you… know this creature?" Suzu asked, her voice trembling slightly as she glanced between Anos and the massive whale.

"I wouldn't say I know him," Anos replied with a grin. "But I've heard of him."

Laboon, sensing something familiar in Anos's words, seemed to calm slightly.

Its massive head loomed above them, casting a shadow that engulfed the entire ship.

The crew, still on edge, watched in silence as the whale's curiosity seemed to grow.

Anos, watching the creature intently, could feel its emotions.

Laboon was not just some mindless beast. It was a living being with thoughts, memories, and a purpose.

He might not have the power to hear the voice of all things yet but he didn't need it to understand Laboon's longing.

"You don't need to doubt me," Anos said, his voice soft but sure. "I've heard your name, Laboon. I know why you're here. And if you're willing, I can help you find what you're looking for."

The whale blinked slowly, its massive eyes filled with something that resembled hope.

Laboon, almost after fifty years of waiting, seemed to understand that Anos wasn't just any sailor passing through. He might be the one to end its lonely vigil.

Anos, still smiling, watched as the great whale's excitement grew. He didn't need to be able to hear the voice of all things to know what was coming next. This was the beginning of something great.

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