Chapter 103

The Straw Hats end up inside the whale, where they find an old man called Crocus living in the whale's stomach. After introducing himself, Crocus explains about the whale Laboon.

The Whale

The Going Merry has entered a weird place: a lake with an island in the middle of a whale's stomach. However, the weirdest part is the old man on the island with his flower-like hairs and annoying attitude. His name is Crocus and is the caretaker of the Twin Cape lighthouse. He reveals to the crew that they are, in fact, in the stomach of the whale who appears to have been "customized." They can leave the whale through a door which Crocus been constructed in the stomach wall. Suddenly, the stomach lake becomes rough. Crocus once again gives the explanation—the whale is hitting his head against the Red Line which has given him numerous scars over the years.

Meanwhile, Luffy also enters the whale strange inside as well as two mysterious characters, Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday. Due to the whale's behavior, the three of them soon land in the whale's stomach too. They rejoin the others who are trying to escape. Crocus has disappeared into a special room where he can inject sedative to calm the whale through a gigantic syringe. The whale becomes calm once more and the Straw Hat question the 2 mysterious guests. As it appeared, they want to kill the whale. Crocus and Luffy prevent them from doing any harm to Laboon.

Finally, taking advantage of the whale's better mood, Crocus explains his story. He belonged to a pirate crew who stopped by the cape to reach the Grand Line. Due to the danger of the sea, they asked Crocus to take care of Laboon until they returned. The two of them have stayed here waiting since their departure... 50 years ago.

Mission 84

Surrounded by WISE agents, Winston answers Fiona's demand to surrender the stolen files. As an agent approaches him to tie him up, he offers the Westalis agents to take his bag and let him go. Fiona, knowing the files are not on the bag, orders the agent to check him completely, finding the files in his jacket. After obtaining the files, Fiona refuses to release Winston, aware that he has memorized their contents. However, in that instant, he jumps up, moves his arms back in front, and uses his binds to put the agent in a chokehold, taking him hostage.

Winston tells Fiona to drop the gun and threatens to kill the agent, but Fiona responds that they were all prepared to die when they came to Ostania. As the Agent disguised as Gascoigne arrives on the scene, Winston throws the hostage at Fiona, takes his knife to free himself, then escapes by jumping down the fence to the level below and into a nearby sewage pipe. Fiona chases after Winston. Thinking of Loid and remembering the words she told Winston earlier, Fiona tells herself she is ready to give up her life for this mission. She imagines herself dying in Loid's arms in a noble sacrifice but quickly throws that idea away after imagining him being consoled by Yor, and concludes that she must live on if she wants to be with Loid.

Meanwhile, in the sewers, an exhausted Loid (still disguised as Yuri Briar) makes haste to a safe zone. He then hears the approaching footsteps of someone being pursued. The noise suddenly stops, and to Loid's surprise, Winston emerges from behind, launching an attack. Not being in the best condition to fight, Loid attempts to deceive Winston by maintaining his guise as Yuri, but Winston sees through the facade after hearing Loid's similar footsteps earlier. After realizing he has encountered Twilight, Winston decides to unmask him, leading to a fierce confrontation between the two.

Hearing the struggle, Fiona rushes towards the fight and is astonished to find Winston with a beaten and unconscious "Yuri Briar." Fiona refuses to believe this is Twilight, but Winston's taunts make her realize it is him. Before Winston can remove Loid's mask, Fiona, overcome with complete rage, stops him with an intimidating stamp of her foot.

Chiron

Chiron is a being of conflicted duality. Two opposites in one form. For all appearances, he is a centaur, bearing the torso of a man, and the body of a horse. Brutish, crude, and violent, the centaurs are not civilized creatures. Yet, Chiron is a scholar, a poet, an astrologer, and a teacher. And for all the wonder and glory of the world he tries to impart upon his illustrious students, Chiron, it seems, must constantly teach them the art of war.

Fame and legend are the hallmarks of his pupils. Perseus, who beheaded Medusa, Ajax, who battled bravely against Troy, and Achilles, who Chiron practically raised from infancy, all are figures of renown. But it is for their acts of violence, not art or science, for which songs are sung of these heroes. Chiron would prefer the world a more contemplative place where mankind adored nature and kindled bonds of friendship over scholarly discussions.

Though, to his wizened eyes, the brink has been reached and the world he finds so fascinating tilts toward annihilation. Set aside are his books and scrolls, the easel and brush, and taken up are his bow and armor. On thunderous hooves Chiron gallops to the field. To save all that he holds dear, Chiron, the Great Teacher, will go to war.

Patchy epilogue

Patchy returns to greet the audience. After a totally random outburst in which he tells the audience to walk the plank, he announces that they are going to read a fan letter. Unfortunately, Potty shows up, adorned with a burning fuse from an unplanned explosives stunt. Potty and Patchy are blown up and the latter decides to close the show.

Chapter 5

Winter fog swallowed Ganesha's temple.

Though Ares could see little, he trusted Izanami to lead him here; a squat, white temple, arches adorning all four sides. Deep braziers flickered energetically, burning away the fog but illuminating closed ornate doors on each side. Atop the temple rested a placid statue of the elephant faced God, eyes closed in peaceful repose, painted gold by the shimmering corona of the eclipsed sun.

"Here," Izanami proclaimed, gesturing with a gnarled fingernail. "Anubis hides within."

Ares marched over, dragging the demon with him. A mailed hand pushed against the intricately decorated door, but it did not budge. Ares pushed again, exerting the full force of his mighty strength, yet still the door did not yield. A third time he heaved, both muscled arms straining, but his efforts were in vain.

"Why does it not open to me?" Ares roared.

"Because the path is blocked," answered a voice from above, cool and calm as a breeze. It was no statue atop the temple, but Ganesha himself, God of Obstacles.

Ares gnashed his teeth. "You conceal Anubis from me , the God that murdered my father! Open these doors or you shall know my wrath!"

"Your path is blocked," Ganesha's voice remained steady. "For your journey is flawed. This is a day of decision, Ares. Two roads lie before you. One continues within this temple, and to your vengeance, but concludes with the destruction of the world. You will incite fire and ash, slaughter innocents, and destroy the very things you hold dear. The other road leads away, home, where you may mourn your father, forswear revenge, and lead every God from every Pantheon and all the mortals of this world in an age of unprecedented peace."

Ares chewed the prophetic words. His decision came easily. "Too far have I come to give up now, when my prey is so close. I am no God of Peace. I am the God of War!"

To Izanami he gave one command. "Burn it."

Gleefully, the demon toppled each brazier, scattering sweltering coals across the temple walls. Smoking cinders danced with the fog as flames crawled up the walls and the white arches blackened.

Ganesha was gone and the doors were opened.

Anubis leapt from the smoking temple interior, coughing from his jackal maw. Ares was on him instantly. They rolled and wrestled until Ares came out on top, blade drawn, pointed tip hungrily inching down toward Anubis' chest while the God of the Afterlife strained to keep his death at bay.

"Your father," Anubis panted. "I did not kill him. By now, you must know this."

"It no longer matters," Ares put his full weight on the blade pommel, shoving the steel through his enemy. "All that matters is my vengeance." Without further word, Anubis went limp.

Izanami crept forth, blackened with soot as the temple burned high behind her. "It is done," she whispered. "You made an oath."

"I did," Ares rose from his slain foe. "And I will keep it. You are free."

Silken ribbons fell away. Izanami's cackle vanished into the fog.

Ares watched the temple burn.

Oda Eiichiro

It seems that giraffes clean their ears with their tongue. They said so on TV. I had a friend that could pick their nose with their tongue but ears, that's incredible. Ears, just incredible.

キリンは舌で耳のそうじをやるそうだ。テレビで言ってた。舌でハナクソほじる友達はいたけど耳はすげえ。いや耳はすげえ

Chapter 104