Jinbei pressed on through the seemingly endless current, always drawn by the intensifying light that beckoned from the other side. Strangely, the very same forceful current that had once pulled them into the abyss now cast them ashore outside the massive maelstrom.
After a long struggle, the helmsman successfully guided his captain and the unconscious Oracle to the surreal surface.
The former Shichibukai gently laid both bodies on the peculiar, mirror-like surface, which seemed liquid but remained mysteriously dry. As their bodies rested the enigmatic reflective ground, a myriad of bubbles emerged from their touch, each holding inside images akin to memories, rising towards the heights and bursting into minuscule sparkling particles of light. The luminous fragments converged upon the core: a colossal, star-like, casting a radiant glow over the cool-hued landscape.
In his desperation, Luffy ingested bunch of water while attempting to breathe where no air was to be found, thus weakening his vital signs. Jinbei sprang into action, performing chest compressions until he successfully expelled all the water from Luffy's system.
"Thank you, Jinbei," he gasped weakly, with his tongue hanging out, as he slumped down trying to catch his breath. "I thought I was done for."
"You're welcome, Captain," said the relieved Fish-man, ready to attend to the other unconscious individual
"Oi Jinbei, look!" Strawhat pointed at the woman who kept convulsing.
The Fish-man had no time to ponder the reasons for that sudden reaction. He swiftly turned around to reposition the woman, ensuring she wouldn't be harmed by the incessant violent convulsions wracking her body.
The way her body contorted appeared to be beyond ordinary convulsions. Her limbs twisted in unnatural ways, defying the limits of her physiology. The bandages on her head could no longer contain the strain, tearing apart completely and revealing her face. It was a horrifying sight as her jaw hung grotesquely dislocated, causing her skin to tear from her lips up to her cheekbones.
From the gaping maw of the Oracle' dislocated jaw, a massive cloud of black ash poured forth, spilling from her now emaciated and frail form.
The ash cascaded weightlessly upon the mirrored surface, creating an eerie contrast to the ever-shifting landscape surrounding them. The once-reflective surface now morphed into an otherworldly anemone-like purplish flora.
The two pirates remained entranced by the surreal spectacle unfolding before them. The peculiar cloud, which had previously been an inky, reflectionless mass, transformed into a shimmering cascade of fine white sand. The sandy particles danced through the air, mingling and merging to give birth to radiant orbs of light, like tiny celestial stars.
The luminescent particles converged and congealed, shaping four distinct limbs that assembled into an amorphous entity that stood still, as if awaiting an opportune moment.
Soon, it began to emit subtle vibrations, causing its form to ripple and undulate as air molecules compressed and decompressed, generating visible sound waves. The creature released a haunting melody akin to a whale's song, its harmonious notes intertwining with palpable vibrations in the atmosphere.
Luffy found the creature's melodic tones oddly familiar as he gazed in sheer astonishment at the sand-like being. Right before his eyes, it split into two, enveloping the remnants of the woman. The creature merged around her, encasing her corpse within a solidifying shell.
"Oi! Give her back!" Yelled the captain, rising to his feet as he approached the strange, amorphous creature. However, as he drew near, it entered the depths of the underworld.
"WAIT!" Luffy shouted, running after the strange being.
"STOP, RUFFY KUN!"
The captain stumbled, putting pressure on his head as his vision blurred due to the blood flowing from his eyes. The sudden disappearance of the strange being caused Luffy to use his Observation Haki to identify it, worsening his perception of his surroundings as it was an area where everything around was pure energy.
"REMEMBER WHAT DOCTOR TERK SAID, DON'T USE HAKI!," Jinbei warned his captain who, even with the disadvantage of his blurred vision, continued on his way ahead, hoping to run into the being at some point.
The captain shook his head, trying to rely on his sight once more. He placed his hand on the surface, which strangely reflected his movements the opposite way. With a sudden impulse on his feet, he pumped the blood in his body, making to run through his veins like a torrent, turning his skin into a pinkish tint, that was enveloped in steam. His sudden form, increased his speed exponentially.
"Gear Second!"
"LUFFY-KUN, COME BACK!" Jinbei called out, ready to pursue his captain. However, his decision wavered as he felt a powerful gust of air behind him, heralding the arrival of the swordsman, who had just made it ashore. Making the helmsman choose between following his impulsive captain or waiting for the rest of his crew to surface, ensuring their safety if any of them had trouble breathing due to their extended underwater exposure.
The group of pirates did not take long to appeared after the green haired. Determined to find life on the other side, they didn't resist the powerful current but harnessed their strength and skills to navigate it swiftly. reaching their goal to surface as quickly as possible to avoid losing consciousness due to oxygen deprivation.
The eight pirates and the hero were disoriented, coughing up water as they urgently sought to regain their breath after their turbulent journey through the powerful maelstrom. Gradually, they began to regain their awareness of the world around them.
The place they now found themselves in was an enigma, where a cool breeze contrasted with the warm surface beneath them. As they cautiously walked, they noticed that their body temperatures left behind bright white imprints, gradually shifting to colder hues.
The unusual environment seemed to defy gravity as their hair appeared to levitate; yet upon closer examination, they realized the bewildering truth –They were upside down within the inner continental crust.– The underworld, as they knew it, was in fact: The hollow interior of the Earth.
The unknown to man land, was illuminated by a mysterious ultramarine blue roots that gradually shifted into frigid aquamarine hues... Those roots seemed to sprout from the ground, resembling peculiar petrified trees adorned with intricate white veins. What was even more baffling was that these veins underwent a transformation, shifting from a solid to a liquid state. They dripped upwards into the heights, only to disintegrate into brilliant fireflies that contributed to the radiance of a grand white star, illuminating the entire landscape.
The profound silence was occasionally disrupted by the rumbling of colossal chunks of earth breaking off and ascending into the heights, which upon making contact with the shinning energy orbs, they came to an abrupt stop in midair, forming floating islands suspended in the purplish "sky," adorned with delicate pink hues.
When each small firefly that touched down on these islands, a new and peculiar lifeform emerged on their surfaces, giving rise to curious, twisted plants.
The little reindeer, stood up and ventured towards an unfamiliar type of grass that resembled anemones, waving graciously and moving like floating hair with a life of its own. His curiosity drove him to reach out and try to touch them, but the closer he got, the more those eluded him, hiding under the surface and leaving him standing on what appeared to be a watery mirror, which in he could see his reflection with something unusual that caught his eye.
"WAIT, CHOPPER, IT COULD BE DANGEROUS!" Ussop issued a warning, concerned as he observed the doctor inching his head closer to his own reflection.
Chopper noticed a discrepancy in the location of the metal plate on his antler… It appeared on the right side of the reflection, while the metal plate was on the left.
"An inverted reflection?" He thought moving his right hoof, observing how his reflection moved the opposite hoof, causing him to shiver, before he knew what was happening. "NO WAIT... IT'S A PERFECT REFLECTION." He understood that his reflection was precise, unlike the mirrors that do it in an inverted way.
"What are you babbling about, Chopper." The sniper was taken aback, with his anxiety rising as he witnessed the doctor's puzzled behavior.
The reindeer inherent curiosity drove him to make contact with the mirroring surface, which reacted by creating a bubble containing a memory. He gazed un awe at the image inside, witnessing himself creating his first Rumble Ball.
"WOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The doctor couldn't contain his excitement and astonishment. "You all have to check this out!" He bounded back towards his nakama in his reindeer form, jumping joyfully with his hooves tapping the water-like surface. As he did, numerous joyful memories from his life emerged.
"Are these the memories that flash before your eyes before you die?" Robin inquired; her tone tinged with an eerie morbid curiosity.
"Robin, don't say such creepy things." Nami cried a bit frightened, trembling clinging to her Clima-Tact.
"Are we dead?" Sanji asked, with a hint of surprise in his voice.
Intrigued by her surroundings, the archaeologist lowered her body, resting one knee on the ground, and gently caressed the surface. Her touch created a bubble containing a memory of a pivotal discovery in her journey—the Poneglyph of Skypiea.
The conversation with the Shandians during that moment was vivid, and the image within the sphere was crystal clear. The curious brunette touched the memory bubble, reexperience the significant event in a matter of seconds as the bubble bursted, becoming energy particles that continued it course, thus forming part of everything.
The underworld was both mysterious and extraordinarily beautiful. The pirates found it challenging to reconcile this serene, enchanting environment with the dangerous reputation it held. Moreover, the life that radiated from every object and corner of the underworld made it difficult to gauge the strength and location of any potential inhabitants.
"STOP ADMIRING THIS PLACE!" The swordsman scolded.
Zoro's relentless efforts to sense his captain's presence eventually took a toll on him. He struggled to maintain his balance, his body wracked with pain and incessant migraine. Despite his determination not to fall, the ceaseless strain caused his eyes and nose to bleed profusely, creating a crimson river.
"Stop it Marimo, you're going to damage your brain even more!" Warned the cook. However, Zoro remained undeterred, continuing to walk in his pursuit of Luffy's energy, despite the lack of results.
"Nami-swan, we still have the Vibre Card?"
"Yes, but… The vibe card is not moving." She said, looking at the paper on her hands that, for the first time, remained still.
"Jinbei... Where is Luffy?" Zoro turned towards the helmsman with most of his shirt dyed red.
"He went in that direction," Jinbei replied pointing ahead. The swordsman, still bleeding from his eyes and nose, nodded and advanced in the opposite direction.
"YOU IDIOT, YOU WENT THE WRONG WAY!"
"TCH!"
"Zoro, please stop," the adorable reindeer pleaded, clinging to his companion's leg and successfully halting his relentless pace. "I need to check your condition. You're losing a lot of blood. It's not safe for you to try to use Haki here."
"Let me go Chopper, we need to look for Luffy."
Both pirates continued their light scuffle while the rest engaged in a conversation with Jinbei about the situation and contemplated the best course of action to take.
In contrast, All Might remained at a distance from the group, closing his eyes and trying to take advantage of his limited Haki, hoping the side effects wouldn't be too severe given his inexperience with the skill. The energies around him were almost imperceptible due to his weak presence. He could only "hear" the monstrous trio clearly and, faintly sense some formations in the surroundings, with the most prominent being the large sphere of light that served as the "Sun," as well as the orbs heading in its direction.
The hero concentrated on the direction Jinbei had indicated and struggled to perceive the faint presence of the captain, who was moving away rapidly, following an even more imposing presence than Luffy's.
"YOUNG USOPP, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU ARE BARELY ABLE TO USE THE HAKI, DIDN'T YOU?"
"Is that another one of your lies Usopp-san?" Questioned the skeleton.
"No, this time it isn't I swear it!"
"IF HE'S A BEGINNER LIKE ME, HE'LL BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE YOUNG LUFFY PRESENCE."
"What are you trying to imply, old man?
"LEAD THE WAY!"
The hero, still in his muscular form, rested his weight on his knee and hands, assuming a running stance. He thrust his front leg forward with such power that the shockwave from his sudden departure illuminated the surroundings. The strange ground, along with the covering vegetation, disappeared, creating a mirror-like surface that reflected everything on it. For then, the small terrestrial anemones reappearing, sprouting from the surface in a lighter color, marking a path for the pirates to follow.
"Jinbei, Baka Marimo... protect Nami-swan and Robin-chawn," ordered the blond, accelerating his pace through the air and disappearing in a matter of seconds.
The air pressure from the pirate powerful kicks affected the roots, illuminating the path around him. He could see the hero moving swiftly through the heights, jumping between floating islands and redirecting his trajectory after each takeoff.
"Hey old man, where are we going?!"
"AH! YOUNG SANJI, YOU MANAGED TO CATCH! THAT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
"Don't belittle me just because I wasn't born with powers like you!" The pirate argued, as if he were engaged in a heated exchange with Zoro.
"HAHAHA, I'M NOT UNDERESTIMATING YOU. YOU DON'T NEED THEM."
"THE POTENTIAL OF THESE YOUNGSTERS IS TRULY INCREDIBLE."
"Can you see them?" Asked as he noticed how the hero kept moving in the heights towards a specific direction.
"HE'S NOT THAT FAR." He replied, giving a final jump from the floating island to the ground, causing the surrounding flora to hid after the impact.
The pirate followed the hero's lead, allowing gravity to pull him to the ground. But soon, he noticed how, instead of descending to the surface with Toshinori, he was propelled upwards. Understanding why the hero was navigating among the floating islands.
"Skywalk!" In a series of mid-air leaps, the cook reached the side of the burly blond.
"YOU COULD'VE MENTIONED THAT THERE IS NO GRAVITY WHEN YOU'RE NOT IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND!" The cook complained annoyed, with sharp teeth showing.
"I'M SORRY, I ASSUMED YOU HAD ALREADY FIGURED IT OUT." Toshinori replied apologetically, a drop of sweat running down his hair.
"Gomu Gomu noooo!"
Both blondes followed the captain's sharp cries, managing to spot him in the air, his arms coated with Armament Haki as he prepared to land on a nearby island to continue his assault.
"HAWK GATLING!"
The young pirate unleashed a torrent of blows, creating a dazzling display that bathed the surroundings in brilliant white and soft purples.
Both men quickened their pace, incredulous at what they were witnessing, especially the hero who was completely unfamiliar with the young captain's formidable combat skills.
The speed at which the pirate delivered his punches was so astonishing that only a trained eye could hope to follow his movements. Toshinori had to admit he was thoroughly impressed by the young man's abilities, but it was the opponent that left him greatly perplexed… A white, sandy-like creature moved gracefully, evading each blow with precision; The enigmatic entity seemed to handle the woman's body as though it were a floating object, expertly guiding her to safety.
The relentless assault of the jet was suddenly halted by two well-placed kicks from the cook. Sanji's strike intercepted both of his captain's fists, redirecting them to the side to cease his barrage. "LUFFY YOU IDIOT! YOU'RE GOING TO HURT HER!"
"Sanji! Don't interfere! I haven't landed a single blow yet. This is the most I've managed to stop it.
With the abrupt halt in the captain's attack, the white sand began to encase the unconscious body, forming a sphere that rolled steadily away from the trio.
"Where do you think you're going?" Sanji's curly eyebrow twisted in anger. "COLLIER STRIKE!"
The cook coated his leg in Haki Armament, engulfing it in flames as it whirled through the air at breakneck speed to increase his power, managing to reach the sphere with a powerful and scorching kick that didn't manage to connect, as the sand unexpectedly dissipated at the last moment, leaving the Oracle exposed to the blond's fiery leg.
In the nick of time, All Might thrust himself between the two, absorbing the full force of the attack with his arm and body. The colossal impact caused excruciating damage to the symbol of peace, rendering his arm completely numb, as his legs resist to desist.
Despite the searing pain, the hero staunchly refused to yield and used his sturdy torso to protect the white-haired woman, who lay on the ground, her face even more emaciated than before, almost unrecognizable due her totally disfigured face, that made part of her skull visible.
"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?" All Might pronounced quietly with difficulty as he gazed at her in sheer horror. "IS SHE EVEN ALIVE?"
"Shaggy, you were able to withstand Sanji's kick!" the captain applauded with a big smile, patting the fainting hero on the back, who still couldn't take his eyes off the body lying on the ground, where the anemones seemed to want to absorb it.
"All Might..." Sanji approached embarrassed, scratching the back of his neck, he seemed to have difficulties to pronounce his words. "Thanks... For stopping me... If you didn´t prevented me from...
"I'M JUST DOING MY DUTY, YOUNG SANJI." He replied with his bright smile, offering him his hand which the cook hesitated to hold.
The short moment of peace between the two blonds was exploited by the creature that snatched the woman's legs, dragging her into the depths and subsequently encasing her in an eight-limbed armor, continuing on its path without altering its course.
"AAARGH YOU IDIOT! WHY DIDN'T YOU SECURE HER FIRST?!"
"I GOT DISTRACTED!"
"More than forty years of experience, my ass!"
"It doesn't matter, with the three of us it will be easier Shishishi." Luffy said, as he encircled both of them with his arms.
"IF THE THREE OF US ATTACK SIMULTANEOUSLY, WE CAN FORCE IT TO DISINTEGRATE AGAIN WHILE IT'S CARRYING HER, AND CAN GET HER BACK!"
"Yosh!" Luffy said, getting ahead of both blonds.
"CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT… WHENEVER HE RESPONDS THAT WAY, SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS... ISN'T IT?" The hero nervously inquired, recognizing the cook's reaction.
"Just focus on protecting the lady..."
"SHAGGY, HOLD THAT SPIDY-THING" Ordered the captain, plummeting upwards, while biting his arm coated in Haki.
The hero had no doubt about the young captain's leadership and immediately obeyed his direct command. He used both arms to grasp the amorphous creature, while attempting to pierce its armor with his hands, with no success.
"Gomu gomu no..." Straw Hat's massively pumped arm blocked the radiance of the shinning core, rendering the fiery glow of his colossal fist dominant.
"Wait, Luffy, you might hurt them!" Sanji shouted in alarm.
"MIGHT, WHAT?!" The blond questioned, now confused, as he watched Luffy's massive arm approach.
Due to the shock, All Might involuntarily spit out blood and reverted to his skeletal form.
"RED ROC!"
The eight-legged sphere disintegrated once more, transforming into a mystical creature with enormous ears, long legs, and hollow sockets where its eyes should have been.
Before All Might could regain himself to prevent the attack, the mystical being seized them both by their clothing and carried them away like a predator, and continued to move swiftly to evade the captain's attack, which incinerated everything in its path.
As the flames were extinguished, the elements crystallized, transforming the surroundings into a petrified, transparent remnant of their former state. Luffy, at mercy of gravity, extended his arm to reach Sanji's shoulder, and reached his nakama side.
"Where's Shaggy?" Luffy inquired, to which Sanji simply pointed at the creature advancing along the clear path, bearing both weakened individuals on its snout. "EEEHHH! IT ALSO TOOK SHAGGY!" Exclaimed in despair, clutching his hat in shock.
"Well, now we must rescue the bag of bones, too." Sanji commented with a hint of distaste, running along Luffy behind the entity.
The two pirates watched what seemed to be the creature's destiny... In the distance, they noticed a river with water of various cold hues, each color flowing in its own stream without blending, creating a psychedelic effect akin to an oily film.
The mystical being stopped right before the river, as its head split into two parts, each holding one of the individuals. Its right side gently lowered All Might to the ground, but the left one unceremoniously tossed the woman straight into the river.
Once more, the creature dissolved into an intricate dance of radiant particles, mirroring the luminous energy that enveloped its surroundings. It anticipated the pirates' approach, morphing itself into an uncanny replica of the captain, being the only difference, its colorless, gleaming silhouette.
Sanji didn't hesitate, preparing to leap into the river and rescue the woman. Yet, the radiant Luffy's copy intervened, grasping his feet and flinging him away.
Meanwhile, All Might remained on the shore, an observer of the mysterious, almost overprotective actions of the enigmatic creature. There was an air of ambivalence – the creature didn't seem to harbor ill intent, yet the submerged woman faced a perilous predicament in the depths of the river. If she still was alive, the encroaching lack of oxygen would soon become a pressing threat.
Nevertheless, this didn't deter him from making an earnest attempt to dive into the river, but the luminous replica of the captain stood resolute, staunchly obstructing his path.
"Shaggy, don't stop!" Luffy cried out, launching an attack toward the replica's head. However, the figure once more dissolved, skillfully avoiding the strike.
"We must save her before she drowns!" Sanji insisted, trying to reach the Oracle. However, the creature maneuvered under him and solidified its legs, anchoring him to the ground and impeding his movements. "What in the world? This is too heavy!" He grumbled as he struggled to move and jump, eventually collapsing to the ground.
A part of the amorphous figure that had ensnared Sanji disintegrated, reshaping itself into a diminutive rendition of the captain. Its face kept distorting like a static signal interference while waving its hands.
"WAIT! IT'S TRYING TO COMMUNICATE!
"He can try again, once we've rescued the lady from the deeps!" Sanji declared, making another attempt to free himself from the entangling anchor, succeeding this time through a powerful display of strength from his legs.
The remaining energy regrouped itself, now taking the form of the scrawny hero, who seemed to be the only one to understand it. The copy mimicked the blond's slouched stance and then pointed with his radiant hand to the hump on his back, signaling for him to straighten his posture with his forehead held high.
"HE IS A THINKING BEING!"
"STOP YOUNG LUFFY! YOUNG SANJI!" He tried to restrain both pirates who were heading to attack toward the newly copied form.
"GET OUT OF THE WAY, CHEAP IMITATION OF THE OLD PERVERT!" Sanji yelled as he launched himself at high speed, causing the surrounding flora to retreat and the illumination to dim under the blazing power of his leg.
"HEY!"
The creature, for the first time, refused to move as it saw the blond charging directly at itself, instead of going for the woman.
"Diable jambe... Gill Shot!"
His fiery leg managed to connect the impact with Yagi's copy's face, and the fire dissipated into purple embers that continued their ascent into the air until they vanished. However, this did not deter the blond from pressing on with his attack, greatly infuriated by the fact that the creature remained unfazed by the collision of his kick, as his assault did not affect the creature in the least.
"IT DIDN'T AFFECT IT," the hero exclaimed in surprise, recalling the sheer force behind the blond's powerful kicks.
"Sanji!" the captain shouted anxiously from above, preparing his attack, as he witnessed his comrade falling and clutching his leg.
"That hurt like hell," complained the cook as he ran his hand up and down his leg. The pain was intense, but there were no signs of broken bones.
The jet had inflated both arms, cloaking them in Armament Haki and stretching them out, poised to deliver a powerful blow while taking advantage of the distraction caused by Sanji.
"GOMU GOMU NOOO…"
After witnessing Luffy's hands drastic transformation, the creature completely disappeared, absorbing particles from its surroundings to increase its size. A mound of sand sculpted a robust and elegant body, complete with four long limbs, a small tail, and a long neck, culminating in the head of a fennec with large ears and empty eye sockets.
After witnessing Luffy's hands drastic transformation, the creature completely disappeared, absorbing particles from its surroundings to increase its size. A mound of sand sculpted a robust and elegant body, complete with four long limbs, a small tail, and a long neck, culminating in the head of a fennec with large ears and empty eye sockets.
This mystical beast had the ability to shape-shift at will, but remained white, unable to mimic colors. Sensing the captain's intentions, the great fennec laid down with its ears flattened, preparing to absorb the impact, anxiously wagging its tail and scratching the ground with its front paws to create memory bubbles, which were ingested, landing two on its empty eye sockets, allowing the creature to finally see the image of the persistent pirate directing his powerful attack straight at it.
"LUFFYYYYYYY!" Shouted the bewildered Straw Hats, who had managed to follow the glowing path they left behind, only to find their captain ready to attack.
"WAAAAAH - WHAT'S THAT?!" Usopp and Chopper exclaimed, their eyes and teeth almost popping out of their bodies as they beheld the massive creature firmly defending its territory against the captain's menacing transformation.
"Sanji kun, Toshinori, what's going on?" Nami asked confused by the scene.
"GRIZZLY MAGNUM!" Luffy's massive arms struck the sturdy creature, propelling it with tremendous force. Disintegrating after traveling half a kilometer to prevent straying too far from its intended target.
"Sanji!"
"Roger!" The cook obediently followed his captain's order, plunging into the river to retrieve the body. The captain relaxed on the reflective ground upon seeing his comrade enter the water. However, his moment of peace was abruptly shattered by an agonizing, heart-rending scream.
Sanji resurfaced, disoriented, swimming aimlessly, desperately trying to reach the shore, letting his screams of pain echoing relentlessly through the air.
"The hell is happening?"
"SANJI?!"
"PERVERT COOK!"
The mystical beast, which had sacrificed the length of its limbs to form wings, dove into the water and swiftly caught Sanji, only to gently release him on the shore in front of his comrades.
The blond was bewildered, appearing frantic and disoriented, as if he believed he was still submerged in the river. It took him some time to gradually grasp his surroundings and realize that he was no longer in that river.
"Sanji, what's wrong?!" Chopper anxiously examined the cook's body but couldn't find anything unusual. However, the blond's complaints kept him on high alert for any abnormalities.
"I feel like my body is melting," Sanji confessed weakly, running his hands over his body. He withdrew his hands as he felt the sensation of his skin peeling away in layers, eventually focusing on his face and pressing it in desperation.
"Sanji-kun, listen to me! You are fine," Nami tried to reassure her comrade. She placed her hands on his, gently restraining him from scratching his skin.
"ONLY A FEW SECONDS IN THE RIVER AND HE HAD THAT REACTION..."
"WE MUST GET HER OUT!"
"Who?" Franky questioned.
"YUE... SHE'S AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RIVER.
"Could it be? Maybe... Maybe it's not the right thing to do."
"What, Robin?" Chopper asked, as his curiosity piqued.
"The river of souls... The diary Terkchak was talking about mentioned a stream of energy capable of completely healing a body."
"IT IS SO PAINFUL THAT NO ONE IS ABLE TO ENDURE IT," Toshinori remarked as he assisted Sanji, who had been temporarily blinded after entering the water.
"Then, that thing is trying to repair the damage," the cyborg remarked, to which the creature nodded its head insistently.
"So… You're a good guy?" asked Luffy with a dumb face and arms crossed.
The fennec walked amiably to the captain's side, lay down on his side, and leaned against him. Pointed towards the river, directing the captain's attention toward the water, waiting patiently and never stopping its tail from wagging on the ground.
"I can't imagine the pain she must be going through," Nami said as she sat down and hugged her legs.
"Her condition is so deplorable that I doubt she is even conscious enough to feel it," admitted the reindeer.
They all gathered at the riverbank, waiting for the body to emerge, chatting about how unusual and mysterious the underworld was. While Chopper attempted to jump upwards and levitate but failed, as their bodies seemed had finally resented the change in gravity.
The cook, for his part, had finally ceased scratching his eyes, believing he had lost them due the fiery sensation, and had been completely blind for minutes.
"This is not how I imagined it at all."
"How did you imagine it, Usopp?" Chopper asked curiously.
"I don't know, I thought there would be demons and fire."
"Well, it doesn't look like that, but the water burns you alive... I dare say much worse than that," the cook explained, looking resentfully at the river.
"Actually, the underworld just means the world under the earth," explained the archaeologist.
"That makes sense," the pirates said in unison.
"Where the spirits of the dead go."
"Oi, oi, you must give the complete information," Zoro and Usopp waved their hands in complaint.
Not far from their comrades, the captain was playing with the ground, tapping his hands to create bubbles filled with amusing memories. This caught the attention of Usopp and Chopper, who joined him enthusiastically.
"How do you do that, Luffy?"
"I don't know, I just touch the ground, and they come out."
"Mmmm... What memory comes to my mind?" the cook wondered curiously, joining the unruly youngsters.
"Oh yeah!" His question was answered by touching the surface, drawing a mocking smile on his face.
A medium-sized bubble was created with the image of the swordsman kneeling, surrounded by a depressive aura. "I'm sorry I was born," Zoro's voice could be heard in the most pathetic tone he could muster.
It was the swordsman's unusual behavior that caused Usopp and Chopper to burst into laughter, while Zoro growled in annoyance.
The fennec disintegrated taking Sanji's silhouette, using his hands to pop the bubble and absorb the emotions and memory of the situation, rolling on the ground simulating laughter, but emitting vibrations instead as he couldn't laugh like the others because he lacked vocal cords.
"YOU TOO?!" Zoro shouted, red in annoyance, when he realized that, out of everyone present, the creature shapeshifted into the one who annoyed him the most.
"Hey, Shaggy, come on, do it!" Luffy began to childishly tug on Yagi's arm, inviting him to share his memories.
"Yes, All Might, we want to see!" Chopper joined in.
" MY LIFE ISN'T AS INTERESTING AS YOU THINK..." He tried to dissuade the trio, who kept insisting.
"Boring"
"Party pooper"
"You decrepit old man," The captain booed with his thumb down, sticking out his tongue like his companions, causing the hero to sprout a vein of annoyance.
"OI!" A drop of sweat ran down his forehead.
Toshinori placed his hand on the surface to create a liquid-like mirror that he threw toward the trio. The drops that fell to the ground levitated before landing and inflated into large bubbles, displaying his heroic deeds, with each of them witnessing different memories.
"Wooooooah man, you're amazing!" Usopp continued to compliment the blond, observing how fearless he was in adverse situations. On the other hand, Chopper remained silent, both impressed and somewhat frightened by the memory he had witnessed.
"Sugooooiii!" Luffy was more than excited, with his eyes sparkling like stars.
"Oi, Shaggy, jump into that river and fight me!"
"YOU WANT TO KILL HIM, IDIOT!" Barked the sniper, giving his captain a slap in the head.
"But I just want to fight with him... He's too strong, Shishishi."
"No, Luffy, he might not be able to take the river and die before he heals," the doctor snapped out of his trance, attempting to dissuade the persistent captain.
The hero's spirits sank after the Chopper' words, displaying an attitude of defeat in front of the group. Toshinori had before him the potential cure for his condition, the source that could regenerate his body. Yet, he feared that his fragile body might succumb to the excruciating pain and that he would lose his life.
Yagi sensed the puzzled looks from the pirates and tried to pretend that he didn't care. "NEVER MIND, I HAVE DR. CHOPPER'S MEDICINE TO HELP ME," he said with a strained smile.
" DON'T MESS WITH ME, JERK, hehe~ Don't think that you flatter me, ~ asshole~, It won't work~ " he replied cheerfully, dancing and waving his arms around like jelly.
"PFFF! HE CAN'T HIDE HIS FEELINGS" Yagi chuckled
As time passed, Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, Sanji, and Brook played with the creature, making it transform into ridiculous requests. Sanji started by asking it to become Nami, but Chopper quickly interfered by requesting antlers. Franky unexpectedly joined the game, asking cannon for arms, while Luffy insisted on having an elephant trunk and Usopp ended the game by asking for the body of a snail.
The guardian fulfilled all of the odd requests in a single grotesque form, much to the horror of the one who had initiated the game out of pure perversion. Sanji and Brook were utterly disgusted, while the trio couldn't stop laughing at the monstrous entity they had created and the horrified expressions on the faces of the two perverts.
A menacing shadow suddenly appeared behind the six culprits, and they turned around with a shudder, seeing Nami infuriated. She was incensed at the sight of the grotesque being they had turned her into, and dished out blows relentlessly, leaving them dazed and reeling from the flurry of punches she had rained down upon them.
"I DIDN'T KNOW MISS NAMI WAS SO STRONG."
"Just don't make her angry," Jinbei advised, with a bead of sweat running down his curly hair.
The navigator returned, appearing more relaxed but not entirely satisfied. She turned to the guardian who, in an attempt to evade the punishment, altered the appearance of her captain. This only made the navigator's job easier, prompting her to strike him as well, causing her to end up hurting her hand, which was then checked by the doctor.
"That didn't seem like a good idea," Usopp mocked.
"That's what you get for being violent," Zoro added.
"SHUT IT!" Nami retorted angrily, with her sharp teeth on full display and a tear running down her eye.
"You always have the option of healing your hand on the river," Robin suggested.
"Does it hurt a lot, Sanji-kun?"
"Please, Nami-san… Don't try it," the blond's words made her uneasy.
The glowing white copy of the captain approached the riverbank enthusiastically, lowering his body mass to stretch its arm into the river and retrieve the young woman's body. Finally, pulling her to the shore.
The bandages covering her head were completely shredded, revealing her translucent skin with various transparent layers that made up her body; veins, bones, cartilage, brain, eyeballs were all visible, as if a anatomical school model had come to life.
Gradually, the translucency of her skin waned, returning to its clear hue with gentle rosy undertones. Her peaceful countenance, once marred by scars, now revealed itself unblemished.
The fresh wounds, which had commenced at the corners of her mouth, slowly faded, seamlessly merging with her skin, leaving her visage entirely devoid of marks.
Chopper approached to check her health but was stopped by the creature, which disintegrated completely to transform into a huge bristling hyena with giant fangs, pushing back the doctor who was just a few inches away.
"But I want to help her," he nervously commented, with his voice trembling.
"DOCTOR CHOPPER... IT SEEMS SHE STILL HOLDS A GRUDGE FROM HER LAST EXAMINATION," Toshinori mentioned, approaching the menacing hyena. He observed how the huge animal calmed down in his presence, allowing him to make contact with it. Toshinori managed to rest his hand on the snout of the creature, gently diverting it away from the doctor.
"THIS IS THE GUARDIAN SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT… THE ONE THAT HAS BEEN LIVING INSIDE HER FOR SIX YEARS..." He explained amused, since everything suddenly started to made sense. "IT WON'T HARM US AS LONG AS WE'RE NOT A THREAT... IT ONLY WANTS TO PROTECT HER."
Toshinori then placed his hand und Toshinori gently placed his hand under the young woman's nostrils, sensing her clear and steady breaths. This brought a profound sense of relief to the hero.
He then proceeded to unbandage her arm to check her pulse and immediately noticed the miraculous disappearance of her shattered wrists and all the scars that had once marred her arm.
Her body had healed completely, leaving her free of any marks. Her pulse was regular for the first time, and her breathing had returned to normal. Physically, everything appeared to be in perfect order. However, her body remained unresponsive.
"What's wrong, All Might?" asked Chopper, who still wasn't allowed to approach.
"SHE IS FINE, HER BODY MUST BE EXHAUSTED BY THE ABRUPT CHANGE SHE UNDERWENT TO RESTORE HER ORGANS AND TISSUES."
The guardian disintegrated creating a cloak under her to return to its fennec form, as he considered more visually pleasing and functional to carry the body on his back, starting to walk in an unknown direction.
"Oi! Where are you going?!" Luffy exclaimed, standing up and following the creature as it turned its back on them and continued on its way.
"If you understand, answer us!"
"It can't talk, Chopper-san," Brook corrected.
"HOLD ON!" Luffy shouted.
"We can't let it take her; she knows how to get us out of here."
All Might continued to follow the giant Fennec without questioning its motives.
"Oi oi, All Might, you can't just follow that thing... Get back here," Usopp ordered, pointing to the ground and trying to appear brave, while his captain walked alongside him.
"Luffy! You too?!"
"That thing is our friend; it won't hurt us," Luffy said with a bright smile, unclasping his hands behind his neck.
"LET'S GO!"
"Luffy-san, you really should stop trusting everyone so easily," The skeleton sighed wearily, joining the group as they set off together into the unknown.
Sundancer here:
I hope I have managed to convey what I wanted to describe. It can be challenging to explain something new, specially in another language.
