Chapter 179 Long Ring Long Land

Translator: PapaSmurf0700

Nami exhaled deeply, relief washing over her. "Finally, it's quiet."

After a frantic chase, the sea monkeys had finally ceased their mischief. It's undeniable that in these waters, creatures like Sea Kings were the true rulers. Bai Ye found himself contemplating the recent chaos. The enormous wave triggered by the monkeys was of a scale he imagined not even Whitebeard could summon. It underscored why Poseidon, known as the king of the sea, was termed an ancient weapon—possessing the power to command Sea Kings!

Bai Ye mused that unless he could seclude himself for millennia, facing down so many Sea Kings alone would remain a fantastical notion.

Usopp, who had been pondering on the deck, broke the silence with a concern. "You know, I'm still thinking about that ship Luffy spotted. No captain, no navigator, no pirate flag, not even a hint of a pirate's spirit. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"

Zoro, freshly roused by Chopper, grumbled a response, "Maybe they ran into some trouble at sea. Could be their captain met a grim fate at the hands of rival pirates."

But Usopp wasn't convinced and shot back, "That doesn't add up. I took a good look at that ship. There were no signs of battle, nothing. It's as if everything that makes a pirate ship alive was just... gone. It's bizarre."

Zoro didn't argue further, sensing the weight in Usopp's words, "Guess there's no use speculating now. Whatever happened to them, it's out of our hands."

Nami, observing the stable conditions around them, speculated, "The temperature and humidity here are very steady. We must be close to the next island." She then looked up at Robin, who was perched on the observation deck engrossed in a book, and called out, "Robin, can you see the island from up there?"

Robin closed her book and replied calmly, "I've seen the island for a while now."

This revelation startled Luffy and Usopp, prompting them to exclaim in unison, "Why didn't you mention it sooner?!" Usopp, looking particularly betrayed, added, "Robin, you can be so secretive. When you spot an island, you should tell us..."

As he spoke, Usopp gestured towards Luffy, who immediately caught on and energetically announced, "Crew, to the island we go!" His voice boomed across the ship, filled with excitement.

"Woo-hoo!" Usopp cheered, then looked back up to Robin, "Come on down, Robin, join the fun!"

But Robin, shifting her gaze to Nami, interjected with a cautionary note, "There's a thick fog surrounding the island."

Ignoring Usopp's plea, Nami picked up on Robin's warning, "A dense fog? That could be tricky. Chopper, could you check our path ahead?"

"Right away!" Chopper responded eagerly.

As Robin descended from the observation deck, she was met by a stern-looking Luffy, who said, "Robin, do you know how much we all look forward to discovering new islands?"

With a slight nod, Robin apologized, "I'm sorry, I'll be more prompt next time."

Luffy quickly shrugged off any upset, flashing a forgiving smile. "That's okay then, no worries!" His mood lightened just as the Golden Merry edged closer to the island.

As soon as the island came into view, Luffy's excitement couldn't be contained. He beamed, shouting with glee, "This place is awesome, fantastic!" His eyes lit up as he took in the sprawling prairie ahead. "Crew, we've got an adventure waiting for us on the island!"

Without waiting for a response, Luffy leapt from the boat, vanishing into the lush greenery in moments. Usopp, Merry, and Chopper, not far behind, scurried after him, calling out, "Hey Luffy! Slow down a bit!"

Nami shook her head in mild frustration. "I'll never get used to their impulsiveness," she sighed as she watched the others dash off.

Zoro, who was already gathering his gear to disembark, chimed in casually, "The island seems deserted, probably safe."

Sanji, striking a match to light his cigarette, nodded in agreement. "I'm going to see if there are any unique ingredients to find," he mused, intrigued by the culinary potential of the unexplored land.

Robin, her gaze fixed on the vast expanse of the plain, voiced a note of caution, "It's so open... I wonder if there are any inhabitants at all."

In that moment, something clicked for Bai Ye as he suddenly remembered what was on the island they were approaching.

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The archipelago known as Long Ring Long Land is unique, formed in a circle with ten tiny islands linked together. Due to the island's peculiar geographical traits, the animals residing there have unusually elongated forms! When Luffy and his crew landed, they encountered some extraordinary sights: a stretched-out dog, a white bear that towered nearly three meters high, and even seagulls with wings far longer than the norm.

Interestingly, humans live here too, though they appear quite normal in comparison to their elongated animal counterparts. The islands connect during low tide, allowing the inhabitants to migrate from one island to the next. However, by the time the Straw Hats arrived, the island had been vacated, with residents having moved on some time earlier.

There was, however, one man left behind—Tonjit. He had been stranded atop stilts for a decade because he was too scared of heights to descend. Over the years, the bamboo stilts had grown to an incredible length, imprisoning him high above the ground. The abundant vegetation on the island, thankfully, prevented him from starving.

Luffy and the crew came to Tonjit's rescue with a well-placed flying kick, helping him safely to the ground. It was then that Tonjit discovered that Shelly, a white horse he had raised since childhood, had also stayed on the island, loyally waiting for him for ten years. This reunion touched Tonjit deeply and brought tears to the empathetic eyes of Luffy and his friends. There's nothing Luffy values more than the bonds of enduring friendship.

When Tonjit finally mounted Shelly to ride once again after so many years, Luffy watched them gallop away, his laughter echoing across the island, filled with joy at the sight.

Such peaceful moments often attract trouble. It seemed inevitable that some misguided souls would soon appear, eager to disrupt the happiness and stir up conflict...

Bang! The sound of a gunshot echoed through the air shortly after Bai Ye and his crew landed on the island. Zoro's hand moved instinctively toward his sword as he remarked, "Sounds like it came from the direction Luffy and the others went."

Bai Ye responded promptly, a hint of anticipation in his voice, "Let's go check it out. Whoever fired that shot, it likely means Luffy and the crew have run into some trouble." He knew well that whatever was happening, it involved a character with quite an unusual appearance.