Now that they had finally shaken off the Marines, the weight hanging over everyone’s heads had lifted.
The Straw Hat Pirates gathered on the deck in celebration.
“Come to think of it,” Usopp said, leaning back on his hands, “why were those Marines chasing us so relentlessly?” Apis pressed a fist against her chest.
Her body trembled as she lowered her head, unable to meet anyone’s eyes.
“…It was probably because of me.” Nami immediately knelt in front of her and gently placed both hands on her shoulders.
“Don’t blame yourself, little one.
We’re pirates.
They were probably after our bounties.” Seeing that his careless remark had upset Apis, Usopp hurriedly pointed a thumb at himself.
“That’s right!
I’m a fearsome pirate worth 5,000,000 Berries!” “No…” Apis clenched the hem of her dress tightly.
“You’ve all been trying so hard to protect me…” Tears streamed down her face.
“I’m Apis, from Warship Island.
Before this, I was captured by the Marine 8th Fleet.
I escaped during the storm…
They must have been trying to catch me.” She looked like nothing more than an ordinary little girl.
Why would the Marines go to such lengths to capture her?
What secret was she hiding?
“I…
I originally wanted to ask the Marines for help…” Apis sobbed.
“But they imprisoned me instead.” Nami opened her mouth, intending to ask what kind of help she had been seeking.
Before she could speak, Dazai gently placed a hand on her shoulder, silently stopping her.
“We’ll take you home.” Luffy walked over and placed his treasured straw hat on Apis’s head.
Apis looked up, holding onto the brim with both hands.
“Even after hearing all that…
you’re still willing to help me?” Luffy smiled.
“If I want to help someone, I help them.” “What else is there to think about?” Turning back toward the crew, he grinned.
“The captain’s made his decision.” Zoro smirked.
“We just follow it.” The others nodded in agreement.
Apis wiped away her tears and bowed deeply.
“Thank you, everyone!” Just as the atmosphere became warm and cheerful again, Dazai frowned at the motionless sail.
“…There’s no wind.” “He’s right.” Zoro looked up.
“We haven’t moved at all.” “No wind?!” Nami grabbed her head.
“Don’t tell me…” “We’ve drifted into the Calm Belt!” “So what if there’s no wind?” Luffy asked.
Having sailed alone in nothing more than a tiny rowboat before meeting everyone else, he had absolutely no understanding of sailing.
Nami sighed and pulled out a sea chart.
“We’re approaching the Grand Line.” She pointed to the areas bordering it.
“The Grand Line is surrounded on both sides by the Calm Belt.” “There isn’t even the slightest breeze here, and the sea is completely still.” “For sailing ships that rely on wind…” “It’s one of the most dangerous places in the world.” “Luffy…
do you understand now?” “Oh…” “So there’s no wind.” “The old man must’ve been talking about this place!” “Then we’ll just wait until the wind comes back.” “You still don’t get it!” Nami shouted.
“The whole point is that there is never any wind here!” “I understand why it’s called the Calm Belt…” Zoro said thoughtfully.
“But why is everyone so afraid of it?” “Because there’s another reason—” Nami began.
“Because of this?” While everyone else had gathered around Nami, Dazai had wandered over to the railing.
He stared at the enormous shadow beneath the Going Merry.
The moment he spoke— Rumble!
The Going Merry lurched violently.
Massive waves erupted all around them as something colossal rose from beneath the sea.
The ship was lifted high into the air…
Balanced atop the head of an enormous seahorse-like Sea King before slowly sliding down toward the creature’s nose.
“AAAAAH!” Everyone’s faces turned pale.
Several gigantic, bizarre-looking Sea Kings surrounded the tiny pirate ship.
Nami clung desperately to the mast, tears streaming down her face.
“This is their nesting ground!
Giant Sea Kings live throughout the Calm Belt!” “That’s why nobody sails through here!” “What do we do now?” Sanji braced himself against the deck.
“For now…” Zoro stiffened.
“Don’t move.” “They’ll probably dive back underwater eventually.” Not good.
Dazai quietly rested a hand on the pistol at his waist while watching the monsters.
“No way!” Usopp cried out.
Unfortunately…
His voice attracted the attention of a gigantic golden frog-like Sea King.
The creature suddenly leaped.
The Going Merry tilted violently.
Apis was thrown into the air.
She was about to fall straight into the monster’s open mouth.
Dazai instantly drew his pistol, disengaged the safety, and fired.
Bang!
The bullet struck the Sea King’s eye.
The monster instinctively shut it.
At that exact moment, Luffy stretched out his arm, caught Apis around the waist, and swung her upward.
Suspended in midair, Apis stared at Luffy’s stretching arm.
“Luffy…” “Are you a Devil Fruit User?” “Yep!” Luffy blinked.
Apis suddenly noticed something.
“Luffy!
Swing me down again!” Although he had no idea what she was planning, Luffy trusted her without hesitation.
He swung her downward.
Nami’s eyes nearly popped out.
“Luffy!
What are you doing?!” “No idea!” Dazai glanced downward.
He immediately understood Apis’s plan.
Without a word…
He quietly moved somewhere safer.
Apis landed directly on top of the giant seahorse Sea King’s nose.
She immediately grabbed hold of one of its enormous nose hairs.
As Luffy retracted his arm— Rip!
The gigantic nose hair was pulled clean out.
Apis flew safely back onto the Going Merry.
“…What did she just do?” Zoro asked in disbelief.
“She pulled out its nose hair.” Luffy answered matter-of-factly.
“If she did that…” Sanji froze.
“Hold on tight.” Dazai calmly secured himself to the railing with bandages while kindly warning everyone else, who still hadn’t processed what had just happened.
Less than half a second later— The unimaginable pain reached the Sea King’s brain.
Its enormous eyes filled with tears.
Then— “AAAAAAACHOO!!” The Going Merry was blasted away like a pebble.
It skipped wildly across the surface of the sea again and again.
Everyone bounced violently with every impact.
Only Dazai remained comfortably secured to the railing, watching the chaos with sparkling eyes.
“How exciting~” “I’m going to kill you!” Clinging to the railing while trying not to throw up, Zoro finally recovered enough to grab Dazai by the collar.
“I warned you.” Dazai raised both hands innocently.
“I told everyone to hold on~” “You knew exactly what was going to happen!” Zoro snapped.
“And you waited until the last possible second to tell us!” He had completely figured out Dazai’s habit of enjoying other people’s misfortune.
“Did I~?” Dazai turned his head away, whistling as though nothing had happened.
After giving him one last glare, Zoro let go.
Dazai promptly fell flat onto the deck.
He calmly dusted off his clothes and stood back up as if nothing had happened.
“At least we’re out of the Calm Belt.” Seeing the sails billowing with wind again, Nami finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“All right!” Luffy leaped onto the Going Merry’s sheep figurehead.
“Next stop—Warship Island!” Apis jumped happily.
The rest of the crew exchanged resigned looks before returning to their stations and setting sail once more.
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