Chapter XIV: From Mystery Whale to Sake Summit

On a certain island in the Grand Line, numerous pirates camped out lazily in a dark forest. The officers of the pirate crew all looked up as one of their crewmembers came running frantically. "Captain!" he shouted fearfully. The man he was addressing handed him a drink as he ran up, and the frantic man quickly chugged it before continuing. "Captain! Ha-Haw-Hawk-Eye—" the man froze as he felt a looming presence behind him, and quickly dashed off to the side.

"You sure are complacent, camping out on an island such as this," the intruder said calmly.

The pirate captain looked up at the man, fighting off a persistent headache. "Yo, Hawk-Eye. I'm not feeling well today. You come for a duel?"

"I have lost interest in dueling with a one armed man such as yourself." Mihawk said. "I merely came here to tell you of some very interesting pirates I met. They reminded me of a story you once told me, about an interesting little kid in an unassuming village." He pulled out two wanted posters.

"Is that…?" Yasopp trailed off.

"No way…" Lucky Roo said.

Red-Haired Shanks stared down at the wanted posters in his hand before he looked up, a mad grin etched across his face. "So, you've finally come, Luffy."

The storm continued as the Going Merry took full advantage of the wind and shot towards the southwest. Nami was looking down at the Grand Line map they'd acquired in Orange Town with a troubled expression. "This doesn't make sense. I thought the rumors were just that, but according to this map, they're completely true."

"Rumors?" Luffy asked. "Oh, you mean about the mystery mountain."

"Sure," Nami replied, not really paying attention as she tried to puzzle out their next course of action. She called everyone inside for a meeting about what to do next, and when everyone gathered around, she set the map down on the table. "So apparently, the entrance to the Grand Line is a mountain," she began.

"A mountain?" Usopp asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"Exactly," she said. "I didn't believe it myself at first, but all signs point to the intersection of the Grand Line and the Red Line as the entrance. It's called Reverse Mountain.

"So, what? Is there a cave that we have to go through? Do we just ride the currents?" Sanji asked.

"You're partially right," Nami said. "There is a current, but it's supposed to take us up the mountain." Usopp looked at her skeptically.

"How is our ship supposed to climb a mountain?" he asked, trying not to sound disbelieving.

"Because it's a mystery mountain," Luffy said with conviction.

"But why can't we just enter directly from the South?" Usopp asked.

"Technically we could," Zoro cut in, "But there are certain reasons why we should go through the entrance."

Nami shook her head. "The entrance is the only way. Otherwise anyone could go to the Grand Line. Most people who try don't even make it there."

"Oh, that's right," Sanji said. "I heard entering the Grand Line was really dangerous, but entering through the Calm Belt is almost impossible."

"Well, in that case, you better adjust our course to the west, because the storm we're in is about to end," Luffy commented, looking out the window. Nami's eyes widened in horror and she frantically started turning their ship towards the west. When she got back, she was sweating nervously.

"That was close. We almost went into the Calm Belt," she said.

"What's the Calm Belt?" Usopp asked.

"The Calm Belts are two strips of sea that surround the Grand Line. There's never any wind, so if you go there, you're stuck. It's also a nesting place for some of the world's largest sea kings, which makes it impossible to cross. That's why not just anyone can enter the Grand Line."

Zoro just smirked. "Well, we're not just anyone." He gestured to Luffy. "When are you gonna learn not to underestimate our captain?" Nami turned questioningly to Luffy, who scratched his head.

"I guess I could get a sea king to give us a ride," he said nonchalantly. Several eyes widened at this.

"And how would you do that exactly?" Sanji asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, that's right, you weren't there when Luffy explained it," Zoro said. "Basically, 1 in a million people in the world can awaken an ability called Conqueror's Haki. It allows you to challenge other sentient beings to a clash of wills, and the being with the stronger will wins. Usually this ends in the Conqueror winning, but strong willed people and even some other intelligent creatures can resist the power. Luffy is an awakened Conqueror, so taming sea kings isn't out of the question."

The Straw Hats all seemed equally taken aback by this information. Sanji, to his credit, took the explanation without blinking until the mention of taming sea kings. "But like Zoro said, there's a reason why we need to go through the entrance," Luffy said. They all looked at him curiously. He pointed at them, as if in reprimand.

"Listen up! We have to go through the mystery mountain because it's cooler that way!" Nami and Usopp face faulted, and even Sanji lost his composure at that.

"Well, there's that too," Zoro said. "But we also have to keep our pride intact. It wouldn't look good if our crew took the easy way in."

Nami was starting to get annoyed. "All right," she said. "Can you guys think of one logical reason why we should enter through the front?"

"We just gave you two!" Luffy protested. At the menacing look on her face, he went on, "But if you must know, normal means of navigation don't work in the Grand Line. If we entered through the Calm Belt, we'd just be stranded in the middle of the sea without a Log Pose."

"Log Pose?" Nami asked curiously.

"It's the special type of compass used in the Grand Line." He pointed at the compass in Nami's hand. "That won't work in the sea we're going to. It'll just spin around randomly."

Nami looked extremely disconcerted at this. "So, then, how is a Log Pose any different? If a normal compass can't lock onto the earth's magnetic field, how will a special compass do it?"

"Ah, well you see…" Luffy paused. "Basically the way it works is…" Another pause. "It's a mystery compass." Nami's patience was being pushed to the limits now, but she sighed and let it go.

"Well, I'd rather not ride on a sea king to be honest. So, we can get this mystery compass if we go through Reverse Mountain?" Luffy nodded, and Nami's eyes narrowed. "How do you know so much about this?" she asked suspiciously. Luffy blinked.

"Ah, that's simple," he answered, before raising his fists to his waist. "I'm going to be the Pirate King!" There was a loud crash as Nami's fist connected with Luffy's face, sending him bouncing off a wall and back into a seated position in front of her. Luffy looked at her in surprise.

"What? Got something to say?" she growled. Luffy just continued to stare at her. After about 10 seconds, a giggle escaped him. Then that giggle turned into a loud snort, followed by a full on fit of hysterical laughter. Nami looked annoyed, Usopp looked confused, Sanji looked infatuated, and Zoro, unbeknownst to the other three, just gave a small smile.

It was a little while longer before Luffy's voice caught everyone's attention. "There it is! Mystery mountain, dead ahead!" Everyone looked at the scene in front of them in awe. Sanji whistled. Even Zoro looked impressed. He'd only seen the sight twice before.

"It's huge! I can't even see the top past the clouds," Usopp commented.

"All right, everyone, that current is the entrance to Reverse Mountain!" Nami yelled over the rushing waters.

"The sea is really flowing up the mountain," Sanji noted calmly.

"Use the rudder to turn us toward the current," Zoro instructed. "Once you feel resistance, stop pulling. Otherwise, it'll just break."

"But then how will we keep ourselves from crashing?" Usopp asked nervously.

"We'll take care of it," Luffy said. He rolled his arm in his sockets as he walked towards the ship's railing along with Zoro.

Usopp and Sanji rushed to do as they were instructed, directing them as close as they could to the narrow path before the resistance became too much. Usopp and Nami looked on nervously as the ship headed towards the corner of the entrance. They would crash at this rate.

"One Sword Style…360 Caliber Phoenix!" Zoro shot a wind cannon at the wall they were heading towards, and the ship immediately turned toward the mountain before veering off a little to the left. A blunt Rankyaku from Luffy brought it back dead center, and the current started pulling them up the mountain faster and faster. The Straw Hat Pirates took in the once in a lifetime experience (or in Luffy and Zoro's case, twice in two lifetimes) before they finally reached the top and peered down at the clouds below. "Luffy, you feel that?" Zoro asked. Luffy nodded at the presence they both felt. It could really only be one thing.

"Grand Line, dead ahead!" Luffy shouted. The current started bringing them down at speeds faster than then they had endured on the ride up, and soon, a loud, deep, unidentified sound reached their ears.

"What was that?" Nami asked. "The wind?"

"Get ready," Zoro said.

"R-ready? For w-what?" Usopp stuttered.

"Hey, there's a mountain in the way!" Sanji yelled. "I don't think that's supposed to be there!" They looked toward the coming disaster with wide eyes.

"That's no mountain," Luffy said calmly. "It's a whale."

"It's too big to be a whale!" Nami insisted.

"Doesn't matter what it is. We're gonna crash into it!" Sanji shouted.

"Zoro," Luffy called. Zoro nodded and walked towards the front of the ship.

"360 Caliber Phoenix!" he yelled as he let off another wind blast. He made it duller and more spread out this time so as to not hurt Laboon. The wind caused the Going Merry to come to a stop in front of the whale as the current ended. For a moment, all was calm as the Straw Hats looked on with trepidation. Soon, it became clear that the whale hadn't noticed them. Good. Now they just had to get out of here without drawing any attention to themselves…

"Whaaaaaale!"

Or not.

"Heeeeyy! Whaaale! Down here whale!" Luffy shouted at the top of his lungs as he jumped and waved his hands in the air.

"Are you trying to kill us!?" Nami and Usopp shouted as he continued to try to catch the attention of the mountain-sized creature that could sink their ship quite easily. "Cut that out!"

Luffy stopped shouting and pouted. A few seconds passed before the whale's gargantuan eye shifted and landed on them. "It sees us!" The whale opened its mouth and started sucking water in. Their ship started to go with it. Nami and Usopp cried hysterically, Sanji offered to hold Nami in his arms, Zoro yawned tiredly, and Luffy laughed mirthfully, not even bothering to hold on to anything, before the wind from the suction launched him from the boat. It wasn't long before the rest of the crew was sucked inside the whale's mouth along with the Going Merry. The whale closed its mouth, and the world went dark.

"So, what do you think?" Usopp asked.

"I think we were eaten by a whale," Sanji answered.

"Yeah, definitely eaten by a whale," Usopp confirmed.

"So, then…what is this place?" They all took in the scenery, from the innocent looking sea and the clear sky above to the small island in front of them.

"Is it a dream?" Sanji asked.

"Yeah, must be a dream," Usopp answered.

"So, then, that's a dream island," Sanji nodded towards the island.

"Yep, dream island," Usopp replied. Suddenly, a giant squid rose out of the water, threatening to capsize their ship.

"Dream squid?" Sanji speculated.

"Dream squid," Usopp confirmed.

…

"Dream squid!" Usopp screamed, as Sanji got ready to take preemptive action against the creature. Before he could jump up to kick it though, a trio of harpoons shot through its head, and it fell back into the water. The Straw Hats looked at the new arrival in apprehension. His gaze seemed to tear through their eyes to their very minds. He continued staring at them menacingly for about 10 seconds before Sanji got frustrated.

"Aren't you gonna say something!?" he shouted. The man just continued staring at them wordlessly.

"What, y-you wanna fight old man?" Usopp stuttered. "We have a cannon! Don't make us shoot you!"

The man's gaze intensified. "Don't, or someone will die," he said quietly. Usopp shrieked.

"Oh, yeah? And who would that be?" Sanji asked challengingly. The man's intense gaze shifted to him before he answered.

"Me."

"The fuck!?" Sanji shouted. "Bastard, messing with me," he grumbled as he walked forward. Zoro held him back, and then called out.

"Hey, who are you anyway? Are we inside the whale right now?" The other three looked at him as if he was insane. How could they be inside the whale?

The man's gaze shifted to Zoro. "Before you ask another's name, it is common courtesy to introduce yourself first," he responded.

"Oh, right," Zoro said. "Well, I'm—"

"My name is Crocus," the man interrupted. "I am the watchman of the lighthouse to the Grand Line. I am 71 years old and my sign is Pisces. My blood type is—"

"Hey, can I kill him now?" Sanji asked as the man continued, the information getting less and less relevant.

"He still hasn't told us where we are," Usopp said.

"Like I said, we're in the whale's stomach," Zoro said. "That sky is a painting." Their eyes squinted as they took a closer look. Now that he mentioned it, the seagulls weren't even moving…

"Why is there a painting of the sky inside a whale's stomach?" Usopp asked.

"I get bored," Crocus said simply.

"Well, how can we get out of here?" Sanji asked, finally getting to the point.

"The exit's over there," Crocus said, pointing at a large, barred metal door.

"There's an exit!?" Nami shouted.

"Actually, there are two, but I suspect that you'll find this one preferable," Crocus said.

"So, what, do you live here or something?" Usopp asked curiously. "Does that make you some kind of whale hermit?" Crocus' gaze intensified again, threatening to pierce through into Usopp's soul. "Stop doing that!" Usopp shouted. The man started to pout.

"You just don't appreciate a good running gag, do you?" he asked.

"Your gag is tripping over itself in its attempt to keep running," Sanji commented.

"At least I have a gag," Crocus retorted.

"I'll gag you both if you don't shut up soon," Zoro said in an annoyed tone. It was then that the entire sea they were in seemed to start swaying, and they had to hold on so as to not fall into the whale's…stomach acid. Nami shuddered at the thought. Usopp asked what was going on, and Crocus explained that the whale was bashing its head against the Red Line in an attempt to break through. Suddenly, there was a crash coming from above, and Luffy started falling from the sky along with two strangers that he was carrying for some reason. He took a few steps through the air before he landed on the Going Merry and set the two down.

"Hey, what's up guys?" he asked.

"How did you get here!?" Usopp and Nami shouted.

"I used Geppo to reach the top of the whale. There was a latch at the top that led here," Luffy answered.

"This sure is a strange whale," Usopp commented. "Come to think of it, why is there light in here? Shouldn't it be complete darkness inside a whale's stomach?"

"It's a mystery whale," Luffy concluded with his arms crossed.

"What is Geppo?" Nami asked.

"Basically, it lets me fly." It was then that the two strangers he brought down with him jumped to their feet, declaring that they were here to kill the whale and use it as food for their town. They pulled out two bazookas, and Crocus looked like he was getting ready for a fight, before Luffy punched them both and knocked them out cold.

Crocus suddenly disappeared and after a while the sea stopped swaying, so they were able to get out to the open sea through the exit. Crocus came and met them out there.

"Hey, Crocus," Sanji began. "Why does this whale hit its head against the Red Line? It must know that it can never get through that way."

Crocus took on a sad expression as he looked up toward the whale. He explained the whale's past and it's promise with the pirate crew that brought it here. He went on to say that it had been 50 years since then, and that the crew was either dead or not coming back. Luffy wanted to disagree as he thought of Brook, but didn't say anything. Once Crocus finished his explanation, Luffy looked up at Laboon with a determined expression.

He shot off the ship using Geppo until he was hovering directly over Laboon's head. "Gomu Gomu no…Rifle!" His spinning fist rammed into one of the scars on Laboon's head, and the whale cried out in pain. He quickly became hostile and rammed his head against Luffy, who flew back into the Red Line with a loud crash. Luffy quickly rebounded and continued his assault. "Gomu Gomu no…Pistol!" He hit Laboon's eye dead center, and the whale got angrier, attempting to ram him again, but Luffy dodged, jumping up high into the atmosphere before landing back on the mountain.

The whale started to come in for another headbutt, but Luffy held his hand out. "Enough," he said. The whale surprisingly stopped, looking at him in confusion. "It's a draw," Luffy said. Then he smiled. "I'm pretty strong right? I'll bet you'd like to fight again. We have to know who's stronger after all." Laboon continued staring at him curiously. Luffy pointed at him. "Three years! Wait here for us for three years, and by then we'll have sailed around the world and come back to see you." Luffy's grin widened. "I'll even bring one of your crewmates so they can see you too!"

At these words, Laboon raised his head to the heavens and let out a loud cry of agreement. Luffy quickly scribbled a poorly drawn mark of the Straw Hat Pirates on his head. "All right, this mark symbolizes the promise between us. Until we return, don't do anything to ruin this mark." The whale nodded to convey that it understood. With that taken care of, Luffy jumped back onto the Going Merry, where Nami was talking to Crocus about a Log Pose.

"So, it's a compass that records the unique magnetic field of a specific island and points in that direction?" she asked eagerly.

"That's correct. And in appreciation of what you've done," he said as he gestured to Luffy, "I think I'll just give you one so you can start your journey." While Nami was thanking Crocus for the trouble, the two strangers that Luffy had knocked out suddenly woke up. They quickly took off in their ship, yelling that they had to get back to Whiskey Peak, but that they'd succeed next time.

"Well, that's quite the coincidence," Crocus said as after they left. "This Log Pose happens to be locked onto the same island they're going to." Nami took it and handled it carefully, scanning it with curious eyes. So, this is what we'll be using to navigate from now on.

"Great! Then we can start there," Luffy said happily. "At that, uh, Sake Summit place."

"Whiskey Peak," Crocus corrected.

"Yeah, that." With their next destination decided, the Straw Hats set off for their first island of the Grand Line. "Remember our promise, whale!" Luffy shouted as they set off. Laboon let out a loud cry as the ship pulled away from the Red Line.