Staring up at the massive elephant before them, everyone was struck with awe.
No one could have imagined that such an enormous creature could exist in this world.
"Hey—!"
Just as the crew remained frozen in shock, Luffy scrambled to the bow of the ship and shouted loudly at the giant beast.
"You idiot, do you have a death wish?!"
Nami's sharp teeth flashed as she stormed forward, hammering Luffy on the head with a furious scowl.
"Don't cause trouble! Something that big—just a single movement could stir the currents into tidal waves! Do you want to kill us all? If you provoke it—"
She stopped mid-sentence, her words dying in her throat.
The colossal sea elephant… had stopped moving.
The color drained from every face aboard the Sunny. Cold sweat ran down their temples.
Compared to this gigantic creature, their ship was nothing more than a speck. If the elephant so much as sneezed, their ship—and their lives—would be obliterated.
"Shishishi… don't worry. It told me it won't hurt us."
Luffy grinned as if nothing were wrong, that same carefree laugh rolling from his lips.
"As if we'd believe that!!"
The whole crew roared at him in unison.
"Shishishi…"
Unfazed by his crewmates' outburst, Luffy kept smiling. Then he suddenly asked, "Hey, don't you guys wanna go up there and take a look?"
"What?"
Everyone blinked, caught off guard.
And before they could process what Luffy meant, the giant elephant turned its head. Its massive trunk stretched down toward the Thousand Sunny, curling around it.
"AAAAHHH!!"
"We're gonna die!!!"
The crew's screams echoed as they were lifted from the sea.
"Shishishi… it's fine! It's just inviting us up."
Luffy's grin never faltered. Just moments ago, for reasons he couldn't explain, his mind had connected with the elephant's. He felt its thoughts—and its goodwill.
The others, of course, had no idea. To them, Luffy's words sounded like madness. But with the sheer pressure radiating from the creature, none of them dared resist.
And so, in the blink of an eye, the Sunny was hoisted aloft and gently set down atop the elephant's back.
There, an ancient city sprawled across its surface.
The crew, still shaken, gazed wide-eyed at the sight.
Robin's eyes gleamed as a memory from her studies surfaced. She recalled mention of such a place in ancient texts—
The eternal wandering island… Zou.
Her chest tightened with excitement. She had never imagined she would one day set foot on the legendary land itself.
"Hehe… it seems Luffy wasn't wrong. It really was only inviting us up here. This island…"
Robin shared her knowledge of Zou with the others.
When they learned that this island had existed for over a thousand years, every one of them was left stunned, unable to believe it.
But reassured there was no danger, they eagerly disembarked from the Sunny.
"Who are you people?"
The question came from a towering, canine-like figure that appeared before them. From all around, others emerged as well—humanoid figures with animal traits.
"Whoa…"
Luffy's eyes sparkled like stars. It was the first time he had seen the Mink Tribe.
But the moment the Minks felt Luffy's strange gaze, their friendly looks hardened into something much more hostile.
"We're pirates," Robin calmly stepped forward, speaking in her usual composed tone. "That elephant brought us here. We mean you no harm."
"We know," said the towering canine in sunglasses. "Otherwise, Zunesha would never have carried you to its back."
"I am Duke Inuarashi, ruler of this country."
His eyes lingered on the straw hat perched atop Luffy's head, and for a brief instant his expression faltered.
That hat. That smile…
A memory long buried stirred within him.
It was uncanny—how much alike they were.
"For Zunesha to bring humans up here of its own will… that hasn't happened in ages," Inuarashi said gravely. "You may remain here for a time. But our destination is Wano. So I advise you to leave before then."
"Eh?!"
The Straw Hats shouted in unison, startled.
"Old man, you're going to Wano too?!" Luffy's eyes lit up. "We're headed there ourselves! We just don't know the way."
Lady, lady…
Nami clenched her fists, dying to smack him again, but with strangers present she held herself back.
Inuarashi hesitated. He wanted to dissuade them, but certain truths could not be spoken aloud. For the sake of a certain person's plan, he simply nodded and agreed to let them stay.
"This city… was it attacked recently?"
As they walked, Robin noticed the fresh scars on broken buildings and asked curiously.
A flicker of embarrassment crossed Inuarashi's face.
He recalled the time that "great one" had descended and accidentally destroyed parts of the city. The memory left him speechless.
"…Just an accident," he answered lightly, brushing it off.
Soon, the Minks arranged food and lodging for the Straw Hats.
For Zou, a roaming island-nation that had long been isolated, news of outsiders stirred great curiosity. Before long, nearly all of the Minks had gathered around their guests' quarters.
A grand banquet was quickly underway.
While Zou rang with music and laughter, elsewhere—the Wano region—was under a very different shadow.
The World Government—and even Imu—had seemingly gone mad, dispatching the entire Giant God Legion.
Several warships, each vast as a moving island, surrounded the seas like a blockade.
Why such overwhelming force?
Because intelligence revealed that Onigashima had become the second relay base for Ghidorah's forces. All wartime supplies were routed through there, bound for other fronts.
The World Government's goal was clear: cut off this vital supply line, no matter the cost, and seize it for themselves.
Break the enemy's supply chain, and half the war would already be won.
Everything had been proceeding smoothly—until a mysterious man appeared.
The situation instantly grew far more complicated.
"…Dragon."
Several Army Generals of the World Government glared at the familiar figure before them, their faces dark with hostility.
Unlike the famed Navy Admirals, the Army's Generals were less known to the world. But their rank meant their power was beyond question.
And Dragon knew them well. For years, it had been these very men who stood against him on the battlefield.
"Heh… so, you really intend to crush this route?"
Even Dragon felt cold sweat trickle down his back.
Ghidorah's help had indeed made him stronger. But before him now loomed not only elite Army Generals—
—but also the terrifying might of the Giant Gods.
Pls drop some power stones supper me at my
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