Chapter 2: The Sound Beneath the Trees
"W-wait…"
Nami's voice shook as she stared at Gaimon. "A-are you telling the truth?"
The image burned in her mind—an eye, massive and watching, hidden in endless darkness. Her hands tightened around her staff.
"An eye as big as the sun?" Zoro scoffed, though his expression was serious. "You've got to be kidding."
Gaimon slammed his fist against the inside of the treasure box.
"Shut up!" he snapped. "What do you know about what I saw?!"
His breathing was heavy.
"I saw it," he said again, slower this time. "I clearly saw it."
The forest answered with a distant cry—low and slow, like something breathing far away.
Then—
"Shishishishishi…"
Luffy laughed.
Everyone turned to him.
"I wanna see it," he said, eyes shining with excitement.
The air felt heavier.
Gaimon stared at Luffy in disbelief. "A-are you serious?! Even after I warned you?!"
His voice cracked as he shouted, "Are you really going just for treasure?! Don't you cherish your life?!"
Luffy shook his head.
"Not for the treasure," he said simply.
"For adventure."
He paused.
Then his smile faded.
"…And I can hear it."
Silence fell over the beach.
"Hear what?" Nami asked quietly.
Luffy turned toward the forest. His gaze was calm—but focused.
"Someone is crying," he said.
"And weeping… deep inside the forest."
A chill ran through them.
"That's impossible," Nami whispered.
Zoro exhaled slowly and stepped forward. "If you're going," he said, "then I'm going too."
Nami hesitated. Fear twisted in her chest—but the thought of treasure burned brighter.
"…I'll go," she said. "No matter what."
Gaimon looked at them one by one.
He didn't shout anymore.
He didn't try to stop them.
He simply closed his eyes.
"…Good luck," he said quietly.
"And please… be careful."
The forest waited.
The three of them turned away from the shore.
Each step toward the forest felt heavier than the last.
At the edge, the trees rose like walls—thick trunks twisted together, roots crawling over the ground like sleeping snakes. The sunlight behind them faded as soon as they crossed the line between sand and soil.
The forest swallowed them.
The air inside was warm and damp. Leaves brushed against their shoulders as they moved forward. Somewhere above, branches creaked slowly, as if bending under unseen weight.
Then they saw them.
Animals—rare ones.
A tall giraffe-like beast with striped blue fur stood quietly between the trees, watching them with wide, gentle eyes. Small foxes with crystal-like horns darted across the path, their footsteps silent. Bright-colored birds with three wings rested upside down on branches, their feathers glowing faintly in the shade.
Nami slowed her steps.
"…I've never seen creatures like these," she whispered.
A massive turtle with a forest growing on its shell passed them slowly, moss hanging from its sides. It didn't react—just kept walking, deep into the trees.
Zoro frowned. "They're not hostile."
Luffy smiled. "They're cool."
As they went deeper, the animals began to change.
The colors faded. The movements became slower. Some creatures watched from behind trees, eyes wide and nervous. Others fled the moment they sensed the trio's presence.
The sounds of the forest grew quieter.
No birds.
No insects.
Only their footsteps.
Nami noticed claw marks on a tree—deep, wide, and fresh.
"…Something scared them," she said.
The path narrowed. The trees grew closer together. Roots blocked the ground, forcing them to step carefully.
Then they stopped.
Ahead of them, the forest dipped downward.
The air beyond was colder. Darker.
A low, hollow sound drifted from within—soft… broken… almost like breathing.
Or crying.
Luffy took a step forward.
"This is it," he said.
The deeper forest waited.
Luffy stopped.
He stared at the trees ahead of them.
They stood close together, their branches weaving into one another, covering whatever lay beyond—like a dark veil hiding the heart of the forest.
"…It's there," Luffy said quietly.
He closed his eyes.
The forest seemed to breathe.
Luffy tilted his head slightly and focused, shutting out everything else—the wind, the ground beneath his feet, even the presence of Nami and Zoro behind him.
At first, there was nothing.
Then—very faintly—
A sound.
Not a growl.
Not a roar.
A voice.
"…It's singing," Luffy murmured.
Nami blinked. "Huh?"
Zoro looked at him like he had lost his mind. "You serious right now?"
But Luffy didn't laugh. He didn't smile.
He just listened.
They stood there in silence.
One minute passed.
Then another.
As they slowly moved closer to the center of the forest, the sound grew clearer.
Nami froze.
"…Wait," she whispered. "I hear it too."
Zoro's eyes widened slightly.
The voice drifted through the trees—soft and smooth, like water flowing over stone. It wasn't loud, yet it filled the air completely.
It sounded like a goddess singing.
The melody wrapped around them, gentle and warm. Their hearts felt lighter. Their breathing slowed.
Nami's mind drifted.
She remembered sunny days at sea. Laughter. Warm wind. The sound of coins clinking in her hands.
Zoro felt his shoulders relax. Old memories surfaced—quiet nights, clear skies, moments without battle.
They didn't understand the words.
But they didn't need to.
The voice felt like it was telling them to stop.
To rest.
That everything would be alright.
They stood still—listening.
And the deeper forest listened back.
.
.
.
.
.
.
To be continued