s it really a coincidence? Izuku thought to himself. That man sounds so much like... All for One. He can''t deny how familiar that character's voice is, but he has to remember there can't be a connection between the two. One Piece was made well before AfO came around, and Izuku doubted that AfO, if he did somehow existed in the pre-Quick era, would be voicing some character randomly.
Izuku shook his head. Let's just focus on One Piece today.
He could only hope that there aren't any deeper moments with that character; moments that would alarm him and Toshinori.
Onto episode 147, Class 1-A skipped the opening, recap, and title to see Bellamy's crew still mocked the Straw Hats. The commotion can be heard by the townspeople outside as Nami was confuse on why Luffy and Zoro won't fight them.
Sarquiss was saying that they're playing smart since they know they're up against strong opponents, though it's a disgraceful move.
Anger flared up within the students, listening to the others' reasonings on why this is happening, that the Navy was just being generous with Luffy's bounty.
Be the better man. Be the better man. Kirishima reminded himself, though there were inklings of bitterness when Bellamy claimed that Luffy has no pride.
Bellamy kept on pushing and pushing Luffy, even spitting right in his face.
Horrified looks appeared on the students' faces, seeing how the Bellamy Pirates kept pushing them to the point of slamming Luffy's face into the window, blood on the glass shards.
Izuku himself can't stand to look at the scene, wincing awfully at everything Luffy was going through and yet he was able to handle it. Without fighting back.
Everyone could remember how Shanks was able to stand up against the mountain bandit leader, but this was another level.
Sarquiss asked Nami how much to buy her, seeing that she won't move forward into the new era with these guys.
The girls let out loud gawks, glaring at the blue haired man for such a thing.
Nami was insulted by that, of course, saying that she's too good for a team of small fried like them. Still, she was laughed at, insulted by the Bellamy Pirates like before.
Nami dragged Luffy and Zoro outside, frustrated by the whole thing.
"The sky island exists."
Toshinori held his breath, seeing that the stranger is back.
Nami stopped in place to see the man enjoying his pies.
The man asked why she's so angry. Luffy and Zoro won the fight.
Luffy stared, remembering Shanks and Ace.
The man complimented on their nerves of steel, as Luffy and Zoro stood up. Luffy met with the man's gaze.
"The new era they're talking about is crap! The era where pirates have dreams will be over, they say?! Huh?!" He slammed down his bottle of rum, making a loud BOOM! "People's dreams... don't ever end!"
His eyes widen from the man's words, from how encouraging they sound from a voice Toshinori despised. It felt like a contradiction, but right here, right now... this man seems similar to Luffy in a way: a believer of dreams. Yet there was something that held Toshinori back from thinking they're the same, maybe it's the way Luffy wasn't smiling at the stranger despite what he had said, despite the fact that someone is on his side. Was it because of that cherry pie scene? Or could he sense something about this man?
Does he know something that I don't? Toshinori wondered. He can't tell if there's something truly wrong here, or if it's because he just wanted to justify his uneasy feelings towards the stranger who happened to sound like his despised enemy. ...Similar and yet different, where have I heard that before?
"Isn't that right?!"
The two stared at each other, even as the townspeople ridicule them, laughing at them.
"They can go ahead and laugh at us. When you aim high, you sometimes come across fights not worth fighting. Isn't that right?!"
"Like what Shanks has taught Luffy before." Iida noted, but it didn't bring any comfort for Toshinori and Izuku.
In fact, it made their stomaches feel sick to hear such a familiar voice be so encouraging.I zuku's chest tightened at them in fact. Out of all people, it had to come from you.
Zoro told them to go, but Luffy held his gaze on the man, who apologized for holding them up, hoping they can go to the sky island.
As the man left, so did Luffy.
Nami wondered who he is, wondering if he might've known something about the sky island. Luffy corrected her, saying that it's not 'he.' From Zoro, it's probably 'they.' Nami was confused, wondering if there were others with him.
Everyone looked at each other, about as confused as Nami.
"They?" Izuku repeated as Toshinori's eyes widen. Like Nami, their minds first thought that the man could be in a crew, but with the way it's framed, it doesn't seem to be the case; that Luffy and Zoro could be referring to something else.
Even those two knew there was something off about him, Toshinori thought, but that doesn't ease his mind at all. This has given the stranger a possibly sinister edge now, that he's more important that Toshinori hoped he would be. But what do they mean by 'they?' How do they even know 'they?' Did they just sense 'they?'
Back on the Going Merry, Usopp was repairing the ship with Chopper helping him. The sniper knows that he's not a shipwright, but Chopper cheered him up by saying that he's quite handy.
"Yeah, you created the Clima Takt." Toru reminded him.
"But the ship's not looking that great." Kirshima slightly winced, seeing all those wooden boards.
Sanji suggested that they get a new ship, but Usopp got angry at him since it was from Kaya. Still, it's dangerous to keep traveling on a ship like this.
"He is right." Iida agreed. :We don't know the day Merry will fall apart."
"I'm sure once we fine an actual shipwright, Merry will be fine." Aoyama hoped.
Still, Usopp refused, demanding that the cook help with the repairs, though Sanji thought it was more like patchwork.
Students laughed when Usopp made a funny face at him, especially when Chopper joined in... and even more so when Sanji claimed that they don't want food.
Sanji was about to go back to the kitchen when he saw a certain cymbal playing crew coming their way.
"Oh god, it's them." Katsuki complained.
After the eyecatches, Sanji, Usopp, and Chopper were shock to see Luffy and Zoro wounded. Later, as Chopper repaired the two, Usopp wanted to know about the monster they've faced, though Luffy reassured it was from a bunch of pirates. Still, Nami was frustrated about the whole thing, even when she told them not to fight beforehand.
"To be fair, I wanted to floor that town too." Jiro admitted with some other students agreeing as well.
When Chopper asked about the sky island, he was frightened by Nami's reaction, who was absolutely angry about the whole thing... to the point that Usopp pretended to be dead, and Chopper went into Guard Point.
"Nami, you're scaring poor Chopper." Mina scolded her, though the others did laugh.
Robin came along, asking why she's so upset. Sanji welcomed her as Luffy asked if she went somewhere. She claimed that she got some clothes and information about the sky island.
"Well, at least you had a much better time compared to those three." Katsuki groaned.
As Nami turned her anger towards her, Chopper jumped into the water with Zoro saving him.
"Chopper, no!"
Usopp asked Robin to leave Nami alone for now, but the older woman showed Luffy a map of the island they're on, Jaya Island.
Robin explained that the X on the map is where a man who doesn't blend in Jaya lives. The man's name is Montblanc Cricket, a man who talked about dreams and was driven out of this town.
"Well, as long as he isn't like those guys, then he's fine." Sero said.
"Though it he does know something about the sky island, shouldn't he just be there already?" Denki asked.
"Maybe something's tying him to Jaya." Ochako suggested.
Luffy wanted to go, but Usopp believed they should reconsider, but was soon distracted by what's going on with Zoro and Chopper.
On another ship, an orangutan-like man had used the search sonar by singing a microphone, sending shockwaves. This allowed his men to detect movement, like the school of fish they want to eat for dinner. Through this, they were also able to find a small sailing vessel.
"I'm going to call bullshit if these guys aren't related to the first money crew in some way." Katsuki said.
"It's mostly that they are related." Izuku sighed.
The Straw Hats soon came across this strange crew, as Usopp and Chopper pointed out that this is the salvager from the island, though Luffy wouldn't mind seeing him again.
The orangutan man showed himself. Luffy asked what species he is, and the man claimed to be human.
"So you ate a Devil Fruit?" Sero asked.
"I mean, Masira was able to float in the ocean, so maybe no?" Toru guessed.
The Shojo Pirates were angry for their captain, Shojo-
"You guys need better names." Katsuki said.
"I don't think you, of all people, should be saying that." Jiro said.
-as he's the big boss of the Shojo Pirates, and the king of undersea search. Shojo tried to calm his crew, though he noticed the Straw Hats are pirates, asking if they know that Crocodile was defeated.
"Oh, they know alright." Denki smugly said.
"But what's your point?" Kirishima asked the monkey man.
Luffy asked if he wanted to become a Shichibukai, and Shojo bragged that he haven't cut his hair in his entire life, which Luffy thought was stupid.
Shojo tried to calm his crew, though he was obviously insulted by that, which Luffy didn't care about. He just wanted to go, but Shojo claimed that this area is his turf, so they have to pay the toll.
"Well, Nami's not going to like that." Ochako sighed.
Usopp realized that Shojo talked like Masira, though Luffy hasn't noticed before.
Shojo demanded on what they know about Masira, and when Luffy told him that they kicked Masira out, Shojo was furious that they would do that to his brother, and he wants revenge.
"Brothers? They're brothers?" Kirishima said.
"I was expecting that from the beginning." Todoroki claimed.
"Of course you were." Izuku let out a frustraated sigh.
Luffy told him that Masira is still alive, but Shojo unleashed his Havoc Sonar, causing the ship's boards to break apart and people to fly away.
...Shojo's ship that is.
"I mean, that is impressive." Jiro admitted.
"Still needs to work on his aim though." Hizashi snickered.
Nami had the crew move the ship as Usopp noticed that Shojo's sound waves has reached the Going Merry, trying to keep the boards down.
"Merry, no!" Toru shouted as they saw Merry's body being torn up.
As quick as possible, the crew moved Merry out of Shojo's reach.
Meanwhile, in one of Mock Town's pubs, people were talking about a pretty lady asking for Cricket's whereabouts, saying how bold and strong she is, though they wondered why she wants to know about Cricket.
One man explained that the big monkey brothers' turf is the sea around there, though if you have something to do with that old geezer, you'll catch his stupidity.
Though the students felt insulted by such childish logic, Denki pointed out, "Wait, does that Cricket and the monkey brothers are working together?"
"Maybe he'll understand that this is just a misunderstanding." Momo hoped.
"But maybe he'll have a kindred spirit with Luffy." Kirishima said. "He'd probably like someone who would believe him."
Soon, the Bellamy Pirates heard that the woman is probably after his gold bullion, which caught their interest.
"To Be Continued."
"Of course, Bellamy has to ruin everything!" Toru complained.
Onto episode 148, they skipped the opening, recap, and title to see Usopp repairing the ship, which Zoro suggest that they replace the ship. Of course, Usopp refused, and Luffy reassured that the Going Merry is an important part of the team. Usopp would had cried, but Luffy accidentally broke a part of Merry.
"Merry, no!" Mina cried out.
"I'm going to be surprised if the ship survives after this adventure." Aizawa said.
"Don't be like that." Hizashi let out a small laugh.
"Though, you do have to admit that Merry has took quite a beating since entering the Grand Line." Toshinori said.
The crew headed to the east of the island to Montblanc Cricket, which Luffy and Usopp were absolutely amazed by the size, but Zoro told them to look more closely. Sanji though that Cricket was being vain.
"What? What's wrong with it?" Denki asked as the others squinted their eyes in examination.
Luffy got in the island to discover that the palace was just a board, hiding half of a house.
"Oh my god, really?" Hizashi's body shook with laughter.
Nami asked about the man's dreams. While Robin doesn't know the details, she does know that he believes there's a huge amount of gold in Jaya. Of course, Nami was excited, having Chopper dig up the ground.
"I doubt it will be that easy." Jiro sighed.
"But Cricket has that gold bullion, so maybe it does exist!" Ochako's eyes sparkled at the idea of gold.
Luffy already decided to enter the house, but was met with no one, and Usopp scolded him from doing so, saying that the guy could be dangerous.
"He's right!" Iida agreed.
"Straw Hat can handle him." Katsuki rolled his eyes.
Soon, Nami found an old picture book titled 'Noland the Liar.' Usopp thought it was a cool title.
"Of course you would." Jiro sighed.
Sanji recognized the title, which Nami claimed the book was published in the North Blue, which lead the cook to tell them that he was born in the North Blue. Usopp said that's news, having believes that he was from the East, and Sanji corrected by saying that he grew up there.
"North Blue?" Izuku repeated in confusion, flipping through one of his notebooks. "That... should be impossible. The Red Line and the Calm Belt basically makes it impossible for that to be the case."
"Wait, what's the Calm Belt?" Denki asked, raising a hand.
"It's basically the two borders that surround the Grand Line, where there are no winds or ocean currents. Because of that, no ship could go through, and the Sea Kings use it as a nesting ground." Momo said, looking through her phone.
"Fuck that shitty filler!" Katsuki cursed.
"The only way Sanji could come from the North to East is if he crossed the Red Line, which we've seen before is not possible by normal means." Izuku said, scowling a little.
"But what does it mean?" Ochako asked.
"I... don't know. It just doesn't make sense, but it's such a specific detail that I feel like it can't be a mistake."
"Maybe a reason will be revealed later." Aoyama guessed, and Izuku could only hope so.
Nami ordered Chopper to stop digging, much to his shock.
Sanji explained that 'Noland the Liar' is a famous story in the North. It's a fairy tale, but he've heard that Noland actually existed long ago.
It took 400 years ago, and a man named Montblanc Noland lived in a North Blue country. The explorer always talked about his incredible adventures, though the villagers couldn't tell if they're true or not. One day, he told the King about a mountain of gold on an island, so the King sailed to sea to sea if the story was true, but the island Noland claimed only had a jungle, so Noland was sentenced to death for lying. His last words were: "That's right! The mountain of gold sank in the sea!" Others were dumbfounded, but no one believed in him as until his very death, Noland continued to lie.
Students frowned as Denki put it simply, "Well, that was dark."
"It's not like the Grimms' fairy tales were light either." Jiro pointed out.
"Wait, Montblanc Noland?" Izuku realized.
Bellamy laughed, realizing that Cricket is a descendant of Noland.
The man told him that after 400 years, Cricket is looking for the gold on this island in order to clear his ancestor's name. Bellamy found it ridiculous that Cricket would believe he could do so by bringing some gold pieces.
The audience glared at the blond as Izuku could barely meet his eyes.
Luffy was looking at the sea, noticing it was bubbling at the surface, as Nami compared Noland to Usopp, which the sniper took it as an insult.
"To be fair, Noland does sound a lot like him." Mineta shrugged.
"Maybe he's also a descendant of Noland." Todoroki quickly theorized.
Luffy fell into the sea, and Usopp tried to save him, but a man fell out of the waters, insulted that they would relax at someone's house without permission. Besides, the sea in this area is his turf!
"Oh, that's definitely Cricket." Jiro could already tell.
Sanji ran in, ordering Usopp to grab Luffy. The man thought they're after the gold, attacking him with kicks, but when Sanji stopped him, the man pulled out his gun and shot him in the face.
"Sanji?!" The students screamed out in shock and worry at the smoke hitting his face, though they relaxed when they saw the cook was fine.
Still, the man continued to shoot at him, but Sanji dodged them to the best of his abilities.
Zoro soon came in, but the man collapsed as Usopp saved Luffy from the waters. The rubber man claimed that he saw bubbles coming out of the water, then suddenly a chestnut appeared, but that chestnut was actually a guy, and dragged him into the water.
"Are we sure we should trust Cricket now?" Momo asked.
"We need to go to the sky island. I'm sure we can brushed this aside." Kirishima let out a nervous chuckled.
Even when the man did all of that, the crew repaired him. Chopper claimed it to be caisson disease; a sickness that divers sometimes get, but it doesn't usually become a longstanding condition. Due to a lack of decompression when surfacing from the seabed, the nitrogen dissolved in the blood gets released quickly and form gas bubbles at that time. Since the gas bubbles expand inside and outside of blood vessels, they cause problems to blood flow, muscle, and joints.
Luffy simply called it a bizarre phenomenon.
"That part I understand." Denki said.
Chopper guessed that the man must have kept diving everyday without a break, but Nami wondered why. One thing for sure, Chopper knows that it will cause death as there was a closeup of a picture of Masira, Shojo, and the man.
"Well, I was right." Jiro commented on.
Masira and Shojo ran side by side towards the gunfire, barging in on the Straw Hats. They demand on what they're doing to the old timer, but Luffy clarified that they're just looking after the guy, so they should go somewhere else. Usopp and Chopper panicked, claiming that they're not going to hear them out, but the monkey brothers were moved to tears by their kindness.
"Alright, that's way more easier than I thought." Sero said.
After the eyecatches, the groups were able to talk. Masira explained that the Saruyama Alliance, though the brothers sleep on their ships most of the time because the house is too small for them.
Usopp wondered why the monkey brothers and Luffy are getting along, and Zoro guessed that they're probably related to each other.
Todoroki snapped his fingers. "That's a good theory."
"No, it's not. He's joking." Izuku quickly said.
The three monkeys told each other tales until Chopper came i, saying that Crickey is coming around.
As Shojo kicked Masira into the sky, Luffy entered the house to ask the old diamond-head something. Cricket apologized for the trouble he caused since he though they were after his gold, which got Nami excited.
Luffy asked how they could get to the sky island. The man laughed that they would believe in it.
"Hey, I thought you would understand." Mina pouted.
Luffy asked if there's really no sky island, though the old man claimed that no one knows that for sure. Well, he does, but the man called a legendary liar, and his family became a laughing stock forever.
Luffy looked at Usopp.
Students snickered, though Izuku cast his eyes downward.
The man remind them of the tale "Noland the Liar." As Luffy looked at Usopp again, the others realized that Cricket is related to Noland, though the man doubts there's a drop of blood in his body. Although the Montblanc family was driven out of the country and has kept a low profile, people continued to denounce the family to this day... but no one in the family hates him.
Chopper asked why, and Cricket claimed that Noland was an extraordinary honest person. His last excuse in the picture book was about the gold that sank in the sea. Though there was a stupid-looking face drawn there, in reality, he shed many tears and died a regrettable death.
Students shivered at the contrast, imaging a real man behind that smiling face.
Noland claimed that the island he reached was Jaya, and there couldn't be a way for the gold to be an illusion. He insisted that the ruins had submerged due to crustal movements. but everyone thought he was making excuses out of desperation. So Noland was executed in front of laughing onlookers, and only 'Liar' remained.
"That's so cruel." Momo held a hand to her mouth.
Usopp thought that he was looking for the city of gold to clear the Montblanc family name, but the name shoot a bullet at him. He claimed that his distant ancestor had nothing to do with him, asking how a kid would feel about being laughed at by strangers just because he's the descendant of an idiot. That's how he grew up.
Izuku held his gaze on him, gripping onto his notebook.
He had told them that many of his family tried to restore his family's honor, though all of them went mission. He was so ashamed of them, that he ran away and became a pirate, not that he wanted to. He just wanted to escape Noland's spell, but ten years ago, his ship reached Jaya by accident, and he felt that it was destiny. His crew split off, refusing to search for the gold with him.
"Even his crew left him." Denki said in disappointment.
He told himself that it was fine no matter what. It's not like he wanted to prove his innocence; it's a duel between him and his ancestor. He wanted to set the record straight.
Usopp cried for the drama, and Luffy asked about the monkeys. Cricket simply claimed that the monkeys are fans of the picture book.
There were students who let out snickers at the simple reveal.
It was about 5-6 years ago when the monkey brothers heard a rumor about him, so they barged in, saying that they believe in Noland's gold.
Back then, he just dived and searched along everyday, but when they came in and became his underlings without his permission, they honestly made him feel relieved.
"Oh, you're a big softie, old man." Jiro teased.
Usopp still cried, learning of their camaraderie.
Luffy asked about the sky island. The man only claimed that the witness is Noland the Liar, pulling out a logbook, though it doesn't say he did.
He tossed the 400 years old logbook to Nami. Reading a passage, she described Noland's adventure and how his crew discovered a ski-like one person boat called a waver. Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper excitedly came to her side to listen. Nami wanted one, but the three told her to keep reading.
"Wait, is it a jet ski?" Momo asked.
"Whoa, are the sky islands that advance?" Toruu exclaimed, impressed.
"We won't know until we get there!" Sero grinned.
From the logbook, she mentioned a skyfish, which caught Sanji's attention.
"Would they be like the flying fish?" Koda softly wondered as the others looked absolutely interested in the sky island.
One thing to get from the logbook is that it mentioned "the sea in the sky."
Cricket could hear the crew's excitement, walking back to the monkey brothers. He asked if they like them, because he could see they want to go at any cost, though Shojo mentioned that there's only one way up, and if they try on their own, they'll get killed immediately!
That's why Cricket want to lend them a hand.
"What is this method?" Iida asked.
"Shoot them out of a cannon?" Denki jokingly suggested.
Out at sea, Mihawk looked at Luffy and Zoro's updated bounties, and smirked.
"To Be Continued."
"No, you can't end it like that!" Toru shouted.
"We still have the next episode." Ojiro reminded her.
Onto episode 149, they skipped the opening and title to see Cricket telling the Straw Hats everything he knows about the sky island. He explained that there's a strange phenomenon that occurs in the waters, which Luffy and Usopp figured to be that time night came,, and some monsters appeared. Cricket told them to forget about the giants-
"How the hell are we going to forget about giants?!" Sero shouted.
-and know that when the sudden nightfall comes, it's actually shadows of extremely compact clouds. Nami thought he meant cumulonimbus clouds, which the others called him stupid for, but Cricket corrected them, saying that they're cumuloregalis clouds; they pile high into the sky but produce no air currents or rain, and they can block the sunlight. There's a theory that cumuloregalis clouds are fossilized clouds that have floated in the sky for thousands and thousands of years.
Nami though that's ridiculous, though Luffy concluded them a mystery clouds, which Cricket agreed.
"Exactly." Denki snapped his fingers as if he understood the whole thing.
"But fossilized clouds?" Aizawa skeptically said.
"I mean, I thought we already established the weather in the Grand Line is weird." Hizashi sighed.
"But... fossilized clouds?"
Cricket thought that if a sky island really does exist, then that had to be the only possible place. Luffy told his crew to go above the clouds, Nami reminded them that they don't know how to get there.
One beating later-
"Jesus Christ." Mineta shivered, seeing Luffy and Usopp's bruises from said beating.
-Cricket claimed that the real problem is the method to get up there. The Knock-Up Stream is a current that shoots into the air, so it could theoretically take you to the sky. Chopper thought it would be a simple trip, though Nami mentioned they would end up smashing back into the ocean. That's when Cricket told them that the timing is key, though the Knock-Up Stream is a natural disaster that normally should be avoided.
Nami asked how does a water current rise into the sky. Cricket could only guess, but there's one possibility there: Underneath the sea floor are large cavities where se water seeps into, and the heat below the earth would turn that water into steam, causing pressure to cause an explosion that can send the sea flying into the sky for a minute.
"It sounds so possible that I could almost believe it." Toru said.
"Really?" Katsuki raised an eyebrow.
"I mean, it kept throwing around science-y stuff that it sounds plausible!"
"This is why we do research." Iida sighed.
Nami couldn't believe it, but Cricket told them that the explosion changes location each time and occurs five times a month.
Usopp was shock, but Cricket acknowledged that trying to describe a grand natural phenomenon is foolish. Still, the sniper thought it sounds impossible, and it doesn't help that Cricket added that if they miss, they would slam down into the ocean and shatter.
Usopp told the others to give up, but Luffy still wants to go. Usopp remind him of Merry's state. Hell, even in mint condition, it wouldn't stand a chance.
"I mean, it would kill Merry." Mina slowly nodded.
"And everyone else!" Ojiro quickly added.
Usopp seem insulted by Cricket's words, but reluctantly agreed. Still, Cricket will have Masira and Shojo help and strengthen the ship.
Nami remind Luffy that they only have one day left, then the Log Pose will point to another island, which Usopp gleefully agreed. He assumed it would take months for the stream, but in actuality, it'll appear tomorrow afternoon.
"Welp, we're going!" Denki grinned.
Usopp doesn't believe they'll make it on time, so Cricket told them to quit. Then the sniper accused him of lying, asking him why he's being so nice.
"Usopp," Aoyama scolded.
He thought it just seems too perfect for all of this to happen, especially since he's Noland the Liar's descendant.
"Usopp!" Others soon scolded him as well for insinuating such a thing.
Masira, Shojo, and Sanji interrupted the moment by bringing up dinner.
Usopp was worried that Cricket would fight him, but instead he told him that whenever 'midday night' is confirmed in Masira's turf, cumuloregalis clouds appear in the southern skies the next day, the Knock-Up Stream will probably be active tomorrow somewhere south of here.
"Oh..." The other students said in some understanding.
Honestly, he's glad to have met fools like them, so they should have some food at his place and take it easy... as comrades.
As the other enter Cricket's home, Nami told the sniper that they just need to trust in luck, but Usopp asked if he's miserable and cowardly.
"Yes." Katsuki quickly said.
Nami added 'stupid' to the list, telling him to apologize, so Usopp ran up to the old man and apologize for what he've done.
Students laughed at the overdramatic act, but what was exciting was when they saw the two crew were already having a party.
Though Robin was in her own corner, reading the logbook, Cricket quoted a line that got everyone's attention: "I saw gold... in the skull's right eye!"
That was the last thing Noland wrote. Then he was executed the same day.
"How... sinister." Tokoyami commented on as the others looked at each other, worry about what that means.
It made no sense. Cricket wondered if it's the name of a city, or an allusion to his own death, and there's nothing following it. Still, that's why they dive; they have a dream on the sea floor!
...and soon the Bellamy Pirates found their location.
"No!" "Goddamnit!" "He can't keep ruining the mood."
After the eyecatches, Cricket read a passage from the logbook about how Noland heard strange bird calls and the sound of a very large bell coming from the forest, and how that gold bell seemed like it was showing off the prosperity of a city long past. They thought they knew everything, but experiencing the civilization left them speechless.
The students were in awe, especially when Cricket showed the gold, bell-shaped ingots that were found on the sea floor.
"So it does exist!" Ochako's eyes gleamed.
"If that was the case, then everyone would had believed it." Iida sighed.
Shojo claimed that it doesn't prove its existence because you can find that much gold in any old ruin, but Robin pointed out that there was a civilization in this area since ingots are made to have standardized weights, which means they were used for trade.
"So it must exist!" Toru emphasized.
Cricket had Masira showed them a gold stature of the bird that made the strange calls. Sanji asked if they're symbols of old Jaya. Cricket isn't sure, but he guessed that they were part of some sort of model. It's called a South Bird, and they still exist on this island.
Masira was about to say something about them, but he, Shojo, and Cricket suddenly remembered that they need to get to the Southern forest to catch the bird.
"Why? I'm sure they know where south is." Denki said.
"Except for Zoro. He'd probably think going south means to go down." Jiro said.
Usopp and Sanji asked why, and Cricket told them that the Knock-Up Stream is located directly south of the cape, and by using the bird's behavior, they'll find it since no matter what, their bodies will always indicate the direction accurately. Without it, they won't get the chance to go to the sky island.
"Oh, now you tell us!" Katsuki complained.
The Straw Hats ran off for the forest. Though Usopp complained, they were given nets as Cricket, Masira, and Shojo work on their ship, telling them to catch one South Bird before down.
In the jungle, the crew searched for the birds, trying to figure out where to find one. Then they heard a weird call.
"Jesus Christ, that is a weird call." Jiro nearly jumped out of her seat.
They decided to split up into three groups since they have three nets. Into one group, Luffy and Chopper searched to beat up some birds.
"P-Please don't." Kosa looked alarmed at that.
Usopp told him not to as the sniper went after Nami and Sanji, while Zoro and Robin went off on their own.
With Usopp, Nami, and Sanji, they attempted to listen for it, thought Usopp's attempt to call for it ruined their chance. Sanji caught him in a net in annoyance, but Usopp noticed something on Nami.
Aizawa was quick to use his quirk on Hizashi, so he could let out a non ear bursting scream at the spider's appearance.
Nami and Sanji hide in some bushes, absolutely grossed out, but Usopp was honestly happy to see it, practically treating it like a pet.
It doesn't help Nami and Sanji's case when it started to rain spiders on the two.
"Maybe we should get a specialist to help you on your... bug problem." Toshinori offered.
"H-Hey, these are just some fictional bugs. I can handle that." Hizashi said, though his shaking told otherwise.
Nami and Sanji were absolutely grossed out... and it doesn't help that there were moths and centipedes behind them.
Toshinori covered Hizashi's mouth as the students laughed at Nami and Sanji's scaredy cat behavior.
"We should definitely try to find someone." Aizawa sighed.
Robin heard the screams as Zoro cut down a big centipede.
"Alright, I can understand why they're so scared." Toru soon found herself understanding.
Robin thought he shouldn't kill everything, though Zoro said it attacked him, turning away.
...Then Robin pointed out he's walking down the path they took.
Students snickered as Denki said, "Was that always a thing with him?"
"I mean, the reason why Zoro became a pirate hunter is because he doesn't know how to get back to his village." Izuku pointed out.
"...Oh."
Soon, she heard the bird's call, telling Zoro to watch out for the quagmire. Zoro seemed to be ticked off, but he soon fell into said quagmire.
With Luffy and Chopper, the captain has found an atlas beetle, saying that atlases and hercules are the most admired bugs in the world.
"Oh, that brings me back." Izuku smiled as some of the other kids seemed to be reminiscing as well.
Chopper asked if beetles or the One Piece is better, but Luffy couldn't decide.
The two soon came across a miyama beetle. Luffy tried to catch it, but to no avail. The two tried to chase after it, but a South Bird dropped a beehive in front of them.
"Are South Birds evil?" Mina gasped, seeing it has dropped another beehive on the two.
Chopper noticed, hearing it say that he'll kill them for invading the forest.
"Geez, that bird is evil!" Ochako gaped as Koda looked absolutely appalled.
Soon, the Bellamy Pirates were face to face with Cricket and the monkey brothers, who weren't happy to see them, but they were confident that they could beat them. Bellamy himself didn't seem to mind the challenge.
"To Be Continued."
"Cricket might be able to beat him." Kirishima hoped.
"But could he when he still has the caisson disease?" Iida wondered.
"And Bellamy definitely is ruthless." Momo added, worrying everyone else on what's going to happen to Cricket and his gold.
AN: Do you think that cerberus/multiple souls in Blackbeard's body theory is actually true? Or is it the fandom just over thinking it? I mean, we still have a long way to go until the series is over.
Still, it makes me so excited for future events with Blackbeard and how Toshinori and Izuku would react to them, especially Marineford.
