Chapter 145: Red Line Again
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--xLOVEx--
Days passed as the crew continued to work hard. Their training sessions were balanced with moments of rest and adventure, typical for the Straw Hat Pirates. They sailed through a bizarre area where candy rained from the sky, leading to Chopper staring down a sea raccoon with such intense hatred that even the raccoon seemed confused.
"That raccoon..." Chopper muttered darkly, eyeing the creature as it scampered off the ship, seemingly unaware of the bloodthirsty intent directed its way.
They also passed through a perfectly round rainbow, something none of them had ever seen before, and navigated the dangerous Sea Serpent Currents that could twist and churn ships like toys. Luffy found the experience thrilling, while Usopp nearly threw up over the railing.
As the days ticked by, they finally found themselves approaching the Red Line once again. The massive wall of red stone loomed ahead, a stark reminder that they had circled halfway around the world. The realization hit them all at once—they were halfway to their goal.
When they arrived at the Red Line, the crew ran into a familiar issue, though this time it was the opposite of what they had experienced before. Back when they had left Alabasta, the Log Pose had pointed skyward, leading them to Skypiea. Now, it pointed downward, toward the depths of the sea.
Coby was the first to speak up, standing near the helm. "Fish-Man Island is 10,000 feet under the Red Line."
Franky, who had been busy readying the Shark Submerge for exploration, froze at the revelation. "Wait, what?!" He scratched his head, staring at the Log Pose with wide eyes. "This baby can only go 5,000 feet! We're not making it with the submarine."
Coby nodded, confirming the issue. "Yeah, even your sub won't make it that deep."
Nami furrowed her brows, crossing her arms as she glanced between Coby and the Log Pose. "Then how the hell are we supposed to get to Fish-Man Island? It's not like we can swim that far."
"There's only one way," Coby replied, turning to face the entire crew. "We'll have to coat the ship."
Sanji, who had been leaning against the mast, blew a puff of smoke and asked, "Coating? Like what? Some kind of waterproof paint?"
Coby shook his head. "Not exactly. It's a process done on Sabaody Archipelago. They use a special resin that creates a bubble around the ship, allowing it to travel underwater without getting crushed by the pressure."
Luffy's eyes lit up, clearly intrigued by the idea. "Underwater bubble ship? That sounds awesome!" His excitement was as infectious as ever.
Brook swayed a bit. "Yohohoho! A ship in a bubble? That sounds quite elegant, like a floating ballroom beneath the sea."
Franky, still somewhat shocked by the depth issue, rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Okay, so we need this coating. How long does it take to get it done?"
Coby shrugged. "It depends, but we'll have to find a skilled coater. It's not something you can just do on your own."
Nami let out a sigh, rubbing her forehead. "Great. Another detour. Where's this Sabaody place?"
Coby gestured vaguely toward the horizon. "Probably somewhere over there."
Usopp, his voice laced with doubt, spoke up. "Probably?" He squinted, not exactly feeling reassured.
Coby shrugged. "Grand Line's unpredictable. I don't know the exact location, but we'll figure it out using the Red Line as our guide."
Nami, standing next to the helm, nodded. That was true. So long as they could follow the Red Line, they wouldn't get lost. But before they could get any further, Coby had something he needed to do. Without saying anything more, he began unbuttoning his shirt, his fingers working quickly as the crew looked on in confusion.
"What the hell are you doing?" Sanji asked, irritation evident in his voice as he noticed Nami and Robin eyeing Coby with a bit too much interest. Sanji clenched his teeth in annoyance, clearly disliking where this was going.
Coby stretched his arms, flexing a bit as he casually tossed his shirt aside and walked toward the edge of the ship. "I'm going to check something out."
"Check what, exactly?" Zoro asked, one eyebrow raised as he leaned back against the ship's railing.
Coby didn't answer immediately. Instead, he cracked his neck and looked out at the sea. Camie and Pappag were still inside the Sea Monster's stomach, and they hadn't been able to rescue them yet. He figured he could at least try to locate the creature.
He reached the edge of the ship, his bare torso catching the attention of Nami and Robin once again. "You're not seriously thinking of diving in there, are you?" Nami asked, crossing her arms as she watched him with mild concern.
Coby just smirked. "Nah, just gonna see if I can find anything interesting."
With that, he hopped over the railing and dove into the ocean, the water splashing up as he disappeared beneath the surface.
The crew gathered at the edge, watching as Coby vanished into the depths. "He's insane," Sanji muttered
Luffy laughed, clearly enjoying the spectacle. "Coby's always up for some crazy stuff!"
Brook chimed in with his usual cheer. "Yohohoho! I do hope he returns safely. Though, if he doesn't, we'll have another skeleton to play music with! Yohohoho!"
Under the surface, Coby swam swiftly, his body cutting through the water. Using Geppo underwater wasn't as simple as it was in the air, but his control over his movements was trained enough to get him where he needed to go. His eyes scanned the dark depths, searching for any sign of the Sea Monster.
After a few minutes of searching, Coby spotted a massive, dark shadow moving slowly through the water. It was the Sea Monster. He swam closer, narrowing his eyes to get a better look. The creature was enormous, its massive form casting a dark silhouette against the dim light filtering through the surface. It looked like a bunny mashed with a giant fish.
"Found you," Coby muttered to himself, his lips curling into a smirk. Then drew the creatures attention. He swam upward quickly, breaking the surface of the water near the ship.
Luffy spotted him first. "Oi, there he is!"
Coby grabbed onto the side of the Sunny, hoisting himself up with ease. His wet hair clung to his face as he looked up at the crew. "I found a Sea Monster. It's just beneath us. Luffy, it looks delicious, let's beat it."
Although the others were confused by Coby's announcement, for Luffy, that was all the motivation he needed. "Alright!" Luffy grinned, cracking his knuckles as he prepared to take on the creature.
As the Sea Monster surfaced, its massive jaws wide open, aiming for Coby, Luffy shot forward. "Gomu Gomu no Pistol!" His fist extended, rocketing into the creature's stomach. The impact was immediate. The Sea Monster's body shuddered violently, and with a loud gagging noise, two figures were ejected from its mouth, landing with a heavy thud on the deck of the Thousand Sunny.
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