After skipping episode 62's opening and recap, they were greeted with, "The First Line of Defense? The Giant Whale Laboon Appears."
"A giant whale?" Toru said as Koda perked up with interest.
"And they've just entered." Hizashi can't help but to let out a laugh.
The Going Merry entered the layer of clouds as the crew felt a great thrill, but Zoro seemed to sense something, looking around. There was a loud honk, but Nami passed it off as the wind, believing there must be a lot of unusual landforms.
"It's never the wind!" Sero exclaimed, shaking his head. "Don't use horror movie logic."
The noise came again as a dark ball appeared in the distance. Usopp tried to use his goggles to see better as Sanji called out that he sees a mountain up ahead. Even when Nami worried, Luffy didn't really care.
"I mean, if you don't want to crash into it..." Todoroki said.
"It's the whale, isn't it?" Katsuki sighed.
"Do you understand what it's saying?" Toru asked Koda.
Koda shook his head. Since this is an anime before quirks, there's no way for these whale sounds to actually voice what the whale is saying.
Nami said that after passing the Twin Capes, it should be nothing but ocean.
Once they exited the cloud layer, they screamed in horror, realizing they're heading towards a giant whale.
"That is a giant whale!" Denki shouted in surprise.
"...And he's so scarred up." Koda softly said, feeling bad for the animal.
The whale wailed as the Straw Hats didn't know what to do. Luffy suggested that they fight it, but of course they can't do it. Nami have hopes that he doesn't notice them, and Zoro reminded them they need to do something before they run into it. He ordered that they get through on the left, but the rudder is broken. Zoro ran to help them, just as Luffy got an idea.
"They've just entered the Grand Line! Give them a break!" Toru shouted to the cosmos.
Zoro, Usopp, and Sanji tried to pull on what's left of the rudder as hard as they could, but the ship would't budge. Nami stared at the giant whale, wondering if this is it.
BOOM!
The ship's front cannon shot at the whale. The impact of the blast shot the ship back slight as Nami tried to regain her footing. It was revealed that was Luffy's idea.
There was a sigh of relief washed throughout the room, through Koda did let out a surprised squeak at the impact on Laboon. Jiro patted him on the back in comfort, telling him that the whale seems to be okay.
"That is pretty clever." Izuku commented on.
The Going Merry slowed down much more considerably, but once it bump into the whale, it ended up breaking the Merry's figurehead off with a loud CRACK. It was sent flying over a traumatized Nami, and once it landed, Luffy let out a scream of horror for his special seat.
The whale barely even reacted to what happened, giving them the chance to row out of here until it let out a great howl that seemed to send shockwaves. Still, they tried to paddle despite the noise.
Momo let out a sigh of relief. "All they need to do is row and they'll be-"
Luffy came up onto the deck as Nami looked at him in confusion. The rubber boy yelled at the whale for breaking his special seat, then he punched right in the eye.
"YOU MORON!" The Straw Hats and the audience yelled out at the same time.
"Dumbass, you're going to get yourself killed!" Jiro exclaimed, trying to comfort a crying Koda.
There seems to be a pause for them until the whale's massive eye suddenly looked down at them.
Luffy tried to pick another fight with the whale, Zoro and Usopp kicked him down before he could.
"Goddamn it, don't pick a fight with a giant whale that's a billion times your size!" Sero shouted.
The whale angrily groaned, opening its massive mouth to reveal his large teeth. The rushing water pulled into his mouth was like a strong current, pulling their ship in.
"Shit!" Kirishima cursed as the others became anxious in the Straw Hats' fate now.
Luffy managed to stumble right off of the ship, and before he hit the water, he stretched his arm's to the whale's teeth, then launched himself to the whale's head. As he climbed up, his crew was sucked on until the whale unceremoniously closed his mouth.
The students and teachers blinked.
"...Okay, what now?" Mina asked.
Luffy took a breather on top of the whale's head, but soon, he got angry, punching the creature's blubber, demanding that he spit his friends out.
As the whale started to dive into the water, Luffy resorted to stomping, shouting how he and his friends are suppose to go an adventures together... until he noticed a hatch attached to the whale.
"...Wait, is it actually a submarine?" Denki asked as Koda felt slightly better at the idea of it not being real.
"Why the hell would a submarine need a mouth?" Katsuki rolled his eyes.
"Aesthetics?"
"They're really committed to the whale bit?" Mina suggested.
Katsuki facepalmed.
Though the Going Merry was swallowed by the whale, the crew were in front of an island, surrounded by sky, much to their confusion.
...
"...W-What?" Toshinori vocalized everyone's confusion.
Zoro thought they were in a dream while Nami wondered what're the island and house doing there.
Soon, a giant squid popped up from the water.
"Oh, come on, give them a break!" Jiro complained as Mineta murmured something about some 'tentacle action.'
Usopp and Nami ran as Zoro and Sanji prepared to fight, but before the battle could begin, three harpoons came out of the house and stabbed the giant squid, killing it.
Students let out startled yells as Koda felt bad for the creature.
Sanji and Zoro hoped it was a person who did this as Usopp and Nami were afraid for their lives until they wondered what happened with Luffy.
Now, with Luffy, it's another story. He appeared to be in some passageway, wondering why all of this is in a whale.
"So, wait, is the whale actually a giant submarine?" Ocahko asked, absolutely flabbergasted about all of this.
Back to the rest of the crew, they saw an old man with a flower headpiece exit out of the house. After the eyecatches, the old man pulled in the ropes, appearing in the light. They don't know if the man is here to just fish or save them. They stared at him as the man stared back intensely... until the old man sat down in his lounge chair, and Sanji yelled at him to say something.
The students snickered at the comedic bit.
"Geez, calm down, Sanji." Jiro chuckled, shaking her head.
All the way in the back, Usopp threatened that they will fight him. At this, the old man's eyes glared, staring them down as there were dramatic angle shots.
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The old man told them to not, or else someone will die.
Usopp and Nami were terrified as Sanji asked who's going to die... and the old man said it was himself.
The snickering turned more into chuckles at that.
"W-What is this?" Hizashi laughed.
Zoro told him to calm down, but Sanji thought the old man was mocking them. The swordsman asked for where they are and who he is.
Once again, the man intimately glared at them as there were more dramatic angle shots (actually, they might be the same ones).
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The old man told him that he should introduce himself before asking questions. Zoro agreed, trying to be civil, but when he attempted to, the old man, Crocus, did the introducing instead, telling them his name, his occupation, his age, his star sigh, his blood type-
"Can I cut him!?"
That chuckling had turned into laughter throughout the room.
"How long it this going to last?" Izuku asked, though he isn't complaining.
Crocus thought it was rude of them for barging in on his private resort, asking if it looks like they're in the belly of a rat.
"Wait, it's actually a whale?" Momo said in confusion as the laughter died down.
"But what about the sky?!" Mineta added onto that confusion.
Nami didn't want to be digested, which caused Crocus stared them down with dramatic angle shots once again.
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"Would you cut that out?!"
"Haven't you guys heard of the 'repeating gag'?"
"That was a gag?!"
The laughter came back.
"Wait, I thought that was a bad thing." Hizashi said.
"But there's the rule of three." Aizawa reminded him with a bit of a smirk.
Crocus pointed over to the exit, which looks like a floating door. Nami questioned why there even is an exit in a whale's belly, or that the door is in the sky.
"I mean, it's either the door or the other way." Sero said as the others tried to comprehend a door in the sky.
"Don't be gross!" Jiro shouted at him, hitting his arm.
Usopp told her to look carefully, seeing how everything is painted inside the whale's stomach. Crocus simply calls it a 'doctor's playful mind.'
"He must have a whole lot of time to just paint a whale's stomach." Iida said.
"And a lot of confidence since that means they're floating in stomach acid." Shoji added.
"But how is it so well lit?" Momo questioned.
The crew plans to get out of here, but the waters suddenly started to rock violently. Crocus noticed 'it' started as Nami could see his island is actually a ship made of iron, reminding them that the Going Merry will melt in the gastric acid.
Usopp demanded for an answer, and Crocus told them that the whale, Laboon, has started to bash his head against the Red Line.
Students, especially Koda, let out shouts of surprise, seeing Laboon do this.
"W-Why is he doing that?" Koda became teary eyed from seeing the whale abuse himself.
Nami remembered Laboon's terrible scars and his howling, realizing he's suffering. She and Usopp thought the old man was trying to kill the whale from the inside.
Zoro told them that they should get out before they're digested as Sanji believed they have nothing to say about his whale hunting nor have the obligation to save the whale.
"T-That's terrible!" Toru shouted as Koda continued to cry, too upset that Laboon could die in such a horrible way and they didn't want to do anything about it. Jiro pat his back in comfort.
"They're not heroes." Aizawa reminded them; a fact that know well enough.
"Still, that's really awful, letting Laboon die like that." Momo muttered.
Somewhere in Laboon's body, two people, a woman with long, blue hair in a ponytail, and a man with 9s on his cheeks, held up their bazookas as the Straw Hats had problems nearing the door.
Suddenly, the old man swam into the gastric acid.
"What are you doing, old man?" Katsuki can't help but to ask.
Luffy screamed, bouncing around the passageway until he found himself in some water channel. When the 'building' started to tilt up, the rubber boy fell down.
The man-woman duo, Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9, were discussing their plans to eliminate the old man as they need the whale for their town.
"Whoa, wait, are we dealing with spies now? Because I don't think 'Wednesday' or '9' are normal family names." Denki said.
"And what are they going to do with Laboon?" Koda quietly asked, even more worried for the whale's safety.
Usopp saw Crocus come out if the water and climb up the metal ladder, but Zoro is more focused on how they open the doors.
Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday were planning on opening the doors until they saw Luffy running towards them, unable to stop. Luffy ran out the door, pushing himself and the two right off the platform and into the gastric acid.
"Well, thank god it's not that acidy." Toru let out a sigh of relief.
Nami saw Crocus disappeared into the door, but Zoro want to focus on Luffy first.
With Crocus, there was an intense look on his face, telling the whale to stop, as Laboon continued to smash his head into the Red Line. With a giant needle, Crocus gave the creature a 'little' sedative, reminding himself to make more. He reminds the whale that even if he hits the Red Line until he dies, it won't break.
Koda only calmed down a bit since Laboon won't hurt himself for now, but he can't help wondering on why Laboon need to go to the other side of the wall.
The crew were glad the whale calmed down, but they have to deal with the two, demanding who they are. Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 could see they are pirates. At first, they thought of simply talking to them will work, but Crocus appeared, telling the two that he won't let them lay a finger on Laboon as long as he's alive.
The Straw Hats were confuse as Mr. 9 revealed that they want to take down the whale, aiming their guns at the walls. Cannonballs came out, but before they hit the wall, Crocus jumped, taking the hit.
"Old man!" "Crocus!"
"H-He protected Laboon." Koda softly said.
From this selfless action, the Straw Hats understood he was trying to protect the whale the whole time.
The two told them that it's pointless to resist, they'll turn the whale into food for their town.
"Is fishing not enough?!" Ochako shouted at the two as Koda let out a frightened squawk.
Luffy bonked their heads together... because he just felt like hitting them.
"Thank you, Luffy." Koda let out a sigh of relief.
Later, when Crocus is back on his island, he thanked Luffy, but asked why he did it. Luffy simply claimed that he just doesn't like the duo.
As Usopp tried to pull Luffy down the tree, Nami asked who these people are, and what Crocus doing inside the whale. Crocus said the two were some thugs of a nearby town after whale meat. If they killed the whale, they would had fed the townspeople for at least 2-3 years.
"Well, he is a big whale." Denki shrugged.
"But that doesn't make it right to eat him!" Toru shouted at him with Koda quickly nodding along.
Crocus claimed that Laboon is an island whale, the world's largest whale that only live in the West Blue. There is a reason why he keeps hitting the Red Line and howling towards Reverse Mountain, and that's because Laboon is a whale with a human heart, and he's been devotedly waiting for a certain pirate group for 50 long years.
"To Be Continued."
"50 years?" Izuku gaped.
"Noooooo! It's going to be another sad animal story!" Toru cried as Koda paled a bit.
After skipping episode 63's opening and recap, they were met with, "A Promised Between Men! Luffy and the Whale Vow to Meet Again."
"Yes!" Kirishima cheered, happy to hear there will be a happy ending to this.
Crocus decided to tell them Laboon's story.
50 years ago, Crocus was on his duty as a lighthouse keeper as usual when one day, some pirates came down Reverse Mountain and entered the Grand Line. With them was a small whale and that was Laboon.
The girls awed and cooed, seeing little Laboon chirp.
Crocus explained that the pirates had been traveling with Laboon, but they planned on leaving him in the West Blue since the Grand Line is extremely dangerous. Still, the whale followed them.
Island Whales usually travel together as a group, but Crocus suspected that Laboon felt like he was a member of that pirate crew.
Since their ship had broken down, they stayed at the cape for several months, so Crocus and the pirates became good friends. Because of that, on the day of their departure, their captain asked him to take care of Laboon for 2-3 years. He was confident that they'll go around the world and come back here, asking Laboon to wait for them since the Grand Line is dangerous.
Laboon tried to follow them, but at the captain's call, he was reminded of their promise.
The Straw Hats can't believe that Laboon have been waiting for 50 years just for that crew. Nami asked if that's why he continue to hit himself on the Red Line, which Crocus said yes to.
"No! Why did he have to get a sad backstory too!?" Mina cried, adding on to the used tissue collection on the floor.
The Straw Hats sailed through the canal in Laboon's body, which Zoro is surprised that Laboon is still alive. Sanji wondered if it's also past of his 'playful mind,' but Crocus corrected him that it's a 'doctor's playful mind' since he is a doctor and he ran a clinic on the cape a long time ago. While it was only a few years, he was also a ship's doctor.
Luffy asked if Crocus could be their ship's doctor, but Crocus told them that he doesn't have the energy to do reckless things anymore.
"...like swimming through stomach acid and taking two giant bullets?" Denki pointed out.
"Still, I doubt he could do that everyday," Izuku said. "Especially if they're going through more dangerous adventures in the future."
Sanji and Nami realized why he's in the whale, to give him treatments from the inside since it's impossible to do so from the outside with Laboon's size.
Koda gave the old man a quiet thank you, happy that he isn't a whale hunter.
Crocus opened the door for them, allowing them to see the real sky. Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 woke up, just as Usopp said that those pirates are sure making Laboon wait for them. Sanji reminded him that this is the Grand Line and those pirates are pretty much dead. No matter how long Laboon waits, they're never going to come back. Nami agreed since the Grand Line would had been even more chaotic and terrible than it is now. Usopp tried to be more optimistic since they don't know for sure, touched by Laboon's story. Crocus wished for the same, but he knows that reality is cruel.
Everyone bowed their heads, recognizing what he said is true.
As much as Koda wish that Laboon's crew is alive, maybe still stuck somewhere on the Grand Line, he doubts that even one member is alive after 50 years in the dangerous sea.
Crocus was able to confirm that those pirates ran away from the Grand Line, but Usopp can't believe it. From Nami, she said that would mean they had to go through the Calm Belt alive. Even if they're alive, they're probably never come back here because of so many things. As Crocus said, "Common sense is useless in the Grand Line."
"B-But that's awful!" Toru cried.
"But it might be true, despite how dark and hopeless it sounds." Tokoyami looked at the floor, frowning.
Nami asked why he haven't told Laboon, but Crocus did in the past. Laboon refused to believe it, and since then, Laboon had been howling at Reverse Mountain and started slamming his body against the Red Line. He probably thought that his friends'll come back from the other side of the wall anytime now.
"Oh Laboon..." Momo sniffled, creating another box of tissues.
Crocus knows that if Laboon had accepted his words. then that means there's no point in waiting and that's what he's afraid of. Laboon's from the West Blue, and there's no way of going back there now. Those pirates are his only buddies and hope.
While Sanji knows that Laboon is a poor whale, he asked if Crocus was betrayed in a way. He believes the doctor have done enough for Laboon already, but Crocus could see from the whale's scars that if he continues to hit his head, he'll die. He can't stand by and watch him die now.
"How are they going to save Laboon?" Ochako asked.
"Is that even possible?" Iida sighed.
Suddenly, Luffy ran, carrying the mast up Laboon's head.
"...What are you doing?" Izuku asked as confusion hit the audience.
"Gumo Gumo no..." Luffy stabbed the mast right into Laboon's bleeding wound. "...Ikebana!"
"Sweet Jesus!" "Luffy!" "Straw Hat!" "Are you trying to kill him?!" "He has suffered enough!" "Don't put him out of his misery!"
Of course, Koda horribly cried at this, absolutely confused on why Luffy would do this to the whale.
The crew realized that was the main mast of their ship.
Laboon roared out, shaking the ocean around them. The whale jumped in the air and crashed into the cape, scrapping the mast off. Crocus worried that Luffy could had gotten killed, but Nami tried to reassure him that he can't be crushed to death.
Laboon and Luffy fought each other, much to the others' confusion, but before Laboon crashed into him once again, Luffy called it a draw.
"Huh?" Several students called out.
Laboon stopped as Luffy placed his hat back on his head. He said he is strong and that Laboon wants to defeat him. Their fight isn't over, so they have to fight again. While Laboon's friends are dead, Luffy declared himself as his rival forever, and they have to fight again in order to decide who is stronger. Luffy promised that after going around the Grand Line, they'll come back to see him again.
Laboon teared up, letting out a much more pleasant howl.
"Luffy, thank you." Koda smiled, happy that he've given him hope.
"Though we do not appreciate you almost stabbing his brain!" Toru quickly added.
After the eyecatches, it was revealed that Luffy have painted his jolly roger on Laboon's head, in his usual messy style, as a symbol of their promise, so Laboon can't remove it by hitting his head.
"Oh, that's a clever idea." Ochako said, impressed.
While repairing the ship, Usopp noticed Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 are gone while Nami wondered who they are in the first place.
In the sea, it was revealed the duo are in the water. Mr. 9 asked what they are going to do now, and Miss Wednesday said that they should go back and report to the boss since their estimated mission completion time has long passed. If they didn't, they'll make them out to be traitors. Since they don't have their weapons anymore, they'll have to go back to their office and start over.
"I have a feeling the crew will have to face their organization in the future." Todoroki said.
Mr. 9 reached into his coat, but he's missing something.
On the Going Merry, Luffy noticed something that was like a combination of a watch, compass, and an orb, as Miss Wednesday yelled at her partner for losing the log pose, something they can't go to their town without.
"Log pose?" Izuku repeated in confusion, noting the design.
In the sky, Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday were terrified of the Unluckies, Mr. 13 and Miss Friday, who are an otter-vulture duo.
"What the-"
"I thought we've already established that One Piece is a strange world and I doubt that's the strangest thing we'll see."
Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday attempted to explain, but the Unluckies have sent a bomb after them.
On the cape, Nami stretched out her body, finally drawing up the plans for the Grand Line journey. She placed down her compass, which kept spinning.
"Is there something about the Grand Line's magnetic field that caused the compass to do that?" Izuku asked, then his eyes widen. "Wait, is that what the log pose is for?"
While Sanji cooks, Usopp angrily repairs the mast, yelling at Zoro, who was sleeping, to help him out.
Nami let out a terrified scream. Luffy told her to quiet down while Sanji came to her side with the sliced up fish.
The navigator thought the compass is broken, seeing how it isn't pointing to any direction. Crocus noticed that they came here without no knowledge.
As he said before, common sense is useless in this sea. The compass is not broken, but rather, the islands in the Grand Line contains lots of magnetic minerals. Furthermore, the currents and winds don't have constancy, a scary thing for a navigator.
"So, that's the reason." Izuku nodded while some of the other students looked confuse, especially about magnetic minerals.
While Luffy eats the food, Nami and Usopp are panicking about their adventuring. Crocus explained that they need a log pose to travel around the Grand Line. The log pose is a special compass that record magnetism and it has an unusual shape, which Luffy raised up the log pose he've found.
Nami punched him in the face, asking why he has one.
"Oh geez, Nami, the guy just found it." Mineta raised his hands in defense as if she would punch him any second now.
Luffy simply explained that the two 'weirdoes' dropped it on the ship. He asked why she hit him, and Nami said to just go with the flow.
Nami grabbed the log pose, seeing there's no dial face. Crocus explained that by recording the magnetism of two islands pulling against each other, they can find the route to the next island. It's the only thing you can depend on. You need to pick one out of seven magnetisms produced by Reverse Mountain, but no matter which island, those magnetisms will eventually pull against each other and link themselves to one route. The name of the island at the end of the route is... Raftel, and the only one in history who confirmed the island is the King of the Pirates. A theory is that maybe One Piece is there, but no one has been able to reach there.
"If that's the case, then I'm guessing it must be absolutely difficult if no one else has found the island by now." Mina said.
When Luffy claimed that they'll know the One Piece is there once they get there, there was a certain look in Crocus's eyes.
The rubber man let out a sigh from eating all the food already, including the bones.
"What was that?" Katsuki said, raising any eyebrow towards Crocus.
"He've been there for 50 years. Maybe Luffy reminds him of someone." Kirishima suggested, sounding a bit hopeful.
Nami said that they have to take care of the log pose. Just in time for Sanji to kick Luffy for eating all the food, causing the sudden force to break the log pose.
There were facepalms everywhere.
"Goddamn it, we only had that thing for a few minutes!" Katsuki complained.
"The most unluckiest and yet the luckiest crew ever." Aoyama sighed, shaking his head.
Nami kicked them to the ocean as a punishment as Usopp panicked over their most important tool. Luckily for them, Crocus can give them his as a thank you.
"What did I tell you?" Aoyama mused.
Laboon was able to bring Luffy, Sanji, Mr. 9, and Miss Wednesday in. The two groups noticed each other as Sanji helped the blue haired woman to her feet.
Mr. 9 asked for a favor, and one jump cut later, the crew were told that Whiskey Peak is the place the two live, and the two were hoping the crew would bring them there since their ship is busted.
"I don't know. Sounds like it could be a big trap." Denki said.
"And you tried to kill Laboon!" Ochako quickly argued.
Nami thought they were asking for too much since they tried to kill Laboon. Usopp asked what those two are. Mr. 9 claimed he's a king, but Nami could tell that's a lie.
They can't tell who they are, but they really want to go back to the town. They don't want to be secretive, but the motto of their company is 'mystery,' so they can't tell them anything.
Even at a mention of a favor, Crocus told them to not trust the duo.
"That's pretty obvious." Todoroki said.
"But I guess those two are really desperate for a ride that they might not do anything." Ojiro could only hope.
Nami mentioned they broke their log pose, which caused the two to get angry at them until the navigator also mentioned that they also have one Crocus gave them. At this, Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 continued to beg, but then Luffy causally said that they can ride with them.
Usopp asked if they should even trouble themselves to take these shady people. Luffy told him to not worry about the small things, but Crocus remind them they can only choose the route here, the starting point. Luffy told them to set sail, but Miss Wednesday asked for his name.
"Me? I'm... the man who'll be King of the Pirates."
Crocus continued to smile as miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 tried to hide their laughter, thinking he's just a stupid pirate.
"But it'll become true!" Kirishima quickly argued.
"Yeah, yeah, we know." Mina snickered.
As the sun sets, Crocus told Nami that the log must've been stored, asking if it is pointing at the same direction as the map. Nami could see it's pointing at Whisky Peak.
They have their thanks and goodbyes as the crew sailed off to their destination.
Watching them off, Crocus wondered if they're the pirates that they've been waiting for all this time, seeing how Luffy can have such an uncanny air about him. He asked Roger what he thinks.
"To Be Continued."
"...What?" Izuku pretty much spoke out their surprise.
"Oh my god, he knew Roger!?" Kirishima excitedly exclaimed. "That's who he must be reminded of!"
"But what does it mean? That they're the pirates they've been waiting for?" Iida asked, stoking his chin.
"A mysterious destiny?" Denki could only guess.
AN: Sorry for the wait and that it's only two episodes. My laptop is kind of broken, and it's still sort of is, but I'm still able to write out chapters and stories, so I'm glad that I can get this out.
