Chapter 105

Crocus tells Nami about the Log Pose and how the Straw Hats will need it to navigate through the Grand Line. Luffy acquires a Log Pose that Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday left on their ship, but breaks it while fighting with Sanji; however, Crocus gives them another one out of gratitude to them. With their Log Pose lost, Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday can no longer get to Whisky Peak and report to their boss. They plea for the Straw Hats to take them to Whisky Peak, and the crew reluctantly agrees to set sail for there.

Log Pose

Luffy finishes painting his crew's Jolly Roger on Laboon's forehead as a symbol of his promise to come back and fight the whale again. Meanwhile, Nami charts out the navigation route, Sanji prepares some fish for cooking, and Usopp tries to make repairs on the Going Merry while Zoro sleeps. Suddenly, Nami screams, and as the crew takes a break to eat, she reveals that her compass is spinning around all over the place. Crocus is surprised at their lack of knowledge of the Grand Line, and reveals that the presence of minerals on the islands affects the ocean's magnetic fields. Not only that, but the winds are very unpredictable. He states that they will need a Log Pose, which is a special type of compass that records the magnetic field. Luffy ends up having one, to Nami's surprise, and he reveals that Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday had left it on their ship.

Crocus states that with the Log Pose, they will have to record the magnetic field interaction while on each island before they can move on to the next. There are seven possible magnetic field paths they could travel down, with each one of them leading to Laugh Tale, the legendary island at the end of the Grand Line. Usopp wonders if One Piece is located on Laugh Tale, and Crocus states that it is likely, but not confirmed. Luffy ends up eating all of the food Sanji made, and he kicks Luffy for eating the food he made specifically for Nami. However, he unwittingly sends Luffy slamming into the Log Pose, destroying it. Nami kicks Luffy and Sanji into the ocean and wonders what they are going to do now, but Crocus says he will give them one out of thanks for helping Laboon.

Meanwhile, Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday spy on the Straw Hats, confirming that they had left their Log Pose with the crew. Without it, they could not return to their town, and would face the wrath of their boss if they fail to report. They prepare to take it by force when the Unluckies, Mr. 13 the sea otter and Miss Friday the vulture, come flying in. Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday desperately attempt to make excuses, but the Unluckies drop a package-shaped bomb onto them, blowing them into the ocean. They come back up to shore at the same time and place as Luffy and Sanji, and Mr. 9 requests for the Straw Hats to take them to Whisky Peak. The Straw Hats are suspicious of them and want to learn more, but they assert that their organization necessitates their secrecy, offering to pay them back if the Straw Hats help them. Nami mentions that they had broken the Log Pose they had stolen from them, stunning them, before reassuring them about the one Crocus gave them. Crocus cautions them about choosing to go to Whisky Peak and its route, but the Straw Hats are confident as they say farewell to him and Laboon. As he watches them go off, Crocus wonders to Roger if these are the pirates they were waiting for.

Mission 86

After defeating Winston, Fiona prepares to move in for the kill but is stopped by Loid, who has just come to. After they tie up the unconscious Winston, Fiona worries about when exactly he woke up and if he heard her speech about her love for him to Winston, grimacing in embarrassment at the thought of it. On the other hand, Loid sees Fiona's upset look and assumes it is because he lost, and he admits that he might be losing his edge. Fiona asks if the wound on his arm was from Winston, but Loid states that it was from Yuri, who he says he was unable to finish off due to how it could affect Yor and hinder Operation Strix. Knowing that he framed his analysis as part of the operation so she could not object to it, Fiona thinks to herself how Loid played dirty.

With the SSS approaching at any time, Loid wants to leave but cannot carry both Winston and the injured Fiona. Suddenly, Gascoigne appears behind Loid, but it is quickly revealed to be the WISE Agent who has arrived to help. Exiting the sewers, the Agent carries Winston while Loid carries Fiona on his back. While the two banter, Fiona internally screams to herself about being carried by Twilight.

The WISE agents leave Shellbury undetected and discuss how they have succeeded in protecting their country's intelligence assets in Ostania by catching Wheeler, although it was not a clean win after losing their mole in the SSS. The Agent invites Loid out for a drink when they return to Berlint, but Loid declines, explaining that he left home under the pretext of a work emergency and must be home soon. He shares with the other agents his squabble with Yor, saying he is having trouble reading her feelings. Sensing an opportunity to steal the wife role, Fiona proposes going home with Loid, but she is quickly shut down because of her injuries and sent home.

Returning home, Loid thinks about how long of a day he has had, then shifts his focus to worrying about how to handle Yor's grievances. To his surprise, Yor welcomes him home with a smile, which relieves Loid so much that he falls to his knees. After making up an excuse for his facial injuries, Loid asks about Anya, who Yor says fell asleep as soon as she got home after having so much fun and suggests Loid do the same. Wanting to correct what happened earlier that day, Loid tries to apologize to Yor for his failings, but she explains that she only made up gripes to appear normal to her co-workers. Astounded, Loid loses the energy to act or think and completely collapses to the ground.

The weary Loid asks Yor to take over his share of housework for the next two days, which she happily agrees to. Loid asks why she is so happy, and Yor tells him that what she really wants is to be able to take care of Loid and have him rely on her a little. She tells Loid that he does not have to be perfect all the time and admits to being happy when he asked her for help. While Loid thanks Yor for telling him that, he thinks to himself how he has become aware of his weaknesses and, after fighting Winston, reminds himself that he must be perfect in order to survive the world he lives in.

Suddenly, Yuri bursts in to see Yor, and Loid quickly gets up. After the men share their alibis for getting injured, Loid decides to make tea, but Yuri notices Loid's right arm twitch in pain, the same arm that he shot Twilight with. Remembering his theory that Twilight could be someone close to him, Yuri suspects Loid might be Twilight. He rushes to Loid, rolling up his sleeve and checking his arm, but finds nothing. As Yor questions his actions, Yuri backs off, remembering how Twilight has disguised as people Loid is not close to. After hurrying Yuri out of the house, Yor tells Loid to get a shower and rest, which he thanks her for.

In the shower, it is revealed that Loid disguised his wound. Loid realizes Yuri must have figured out his injury just by watching him and that he cannot be underestimated. Loid reminds himself that once a seed of doubt takes root in someone else, it will spell the end for a spy, and he tells himself to pull himself together. Heading out of the bathroom, Loid smells something burning and worries that Yuri might have returned after acting on his suspicions. However, the burning was from Yor, who attempted to iron Loid's shirt but accidentally set it on fire. Thinking about how hopeless things might be after all, Loid collapses to the floor in exhaustion.

Hades

Inevitably, death sends everyone to Hades, God of the Underworld. In the end, he always gets his way.

Eldest son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea, Hades was swallowed by his father as an infant along with five other siblings. Zeus, the youngest brother, escaped this fate and freed them once he'd grown strong enough to battle Cronus. Together, the six siblings defeated the Titans and banished them to the dark realm of Tartarus. Now the reigning Gods, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades drew lots for dominion. Hades drew the Underworld.

Of the few that have entered the Underworld and come back, all speak dismally of the place, never wishing to return. Yet Hades, himself, rarely leaves the subterranean realm, constantly seeking ways to grow the numbers of the dead.

When he desired a wife, Hades captured the radiant Persephone, daughter of the Goddess Demeter. Concealed in the Underworld, none could reach her, so Demeter cursed the land with a great famine. The other Gods pleaded with her to end it lest she destroy mankind, but she would not relent until her daughter was returned. Hades finally let Persephone leave, though not before feeding her pomegranate seeds. Having consumed the fruit, she was bound forever to Hades and required to return to her husband once per year to eat of the seeds again. This, it is said, is a time of mourning and the cause of winter.

While many fear death and view it as evil, in truth, Hades endeavors only to keep balance. He is stern but fair. As God of the Dead and the Underworld, he views his authority on this matter absolute, forbidding anyone to leave his realm and growing wrathful when disobeyed or when someone tries to cheat death or steal from him.

For everyone, death is unavoidable and service to Hades inevitable. Even the Gods.

Welcome to the Chum Bucket

On Thursday night at the Krusty Krab, Mr. Krabs tells SpongeBob that he is off to play poker against Plankton in a card game during closing time. He is shocked that Mr. Krabs would risk losing anything to an unscrupulous character like Plankton. Mr. Krabs confidently explains to SpongeBob that Plankton is the worst card player in Bikini Bottom by losing all the card games every Thursday night for fifteen years.

The next morning, however, Mr. Krabs sadly informs SpongeBob that he lost, and the wager of the card game from the previous night has been SpongeBob's employment, because Mr. Krabs bet his contract. SpongeBob initially thinks that Mr. Krabs is joking, and tries to enter the Krusty Krab, but Mr. Krabs stops him and tells SpongeBob that he no longer works there. A shocked Squidward runs out to confirm the news. A gleeful Plankton arrives to spirit SpongeBob away to the Chum Bucket, all the while laughing and gloating at Krabs' defeat and admitting to deliberately losing the card games in order for Krabs to slip up. At the Chum Bucket, Plankton cruelly orders SpongeBob to make him a Krabby Patty immediately and threatens to remove SpongeBob's brain and put it in a robot version of the sponge if he refuses to obey Plankton's order.

However, SpongeBob finds himself unable to work in the Chum Bucket's cold, laboratory-like kitchen and misses the Krusty Krab as Mr. Krabs sadly regrets to losing the card game with Plankton and betting SpongeBob's contract in the first place. Meanwhile, Plankton notices SpongeBob's sadness and starts considering putting his brain in the robot. Karen warns him said idea never works and suggests to Plankton that he must show SpongeBob compassion and understanding. This way, he will give Plankton what he wants. Plankton takes Karen's advice and goes to great lengths to improve SpongeBob's working conditions, eventually converting the Chum Bucket kitchen into an exact replica of the Krusty Krab kitchen. As time goes on, however, SpongeBob begins to catch on to Plankton's ruse, and decides to pull a trick of his own, turning his humble requests into increasingly selfish demands, eventually refusing Plankton's order altogether.

After being fed up with SpongeBob's insulting revaltions and neglecting to control his temper, Plankton takes out SpongeBob's brain and implants it in the robot, confident that this will now have his order fulfilled. The SpongeBob Robot, however, still refuses to make Plankton a Krabby Patty, and Plankton breaks down, finally having enough. Just as Mr. Krabs, still worried about losing SpongeBob, is about to close the Krusty Krab for good, a crying Plankton comes over and begs him to take SpongeBob back, saying that he cannot stand him anymore. Mr. Krabs quickly hides the closed sign and initially refuses, but Plankton begs him and his enemy accepts while asking for money and Plankton gladly complies while admitting that he cheated on the card game anyway. Mr. Krabs then flings a happy-crying Plankton back to his restaurant.

Afterwards, SpongeBob's brain has been restored, and Mr. Krabs welcomes him back and encourages him to get back to cooking. SpongeBob fools Mr. Krabs that he still does not feel like working, but when SpongeBob is given one tense glare from Mr. Krabs, he quickly changes his tune saying "I mean, I'm working all day for free, my treat!" A satisfied Mr. Krabs finishes the episode replying "That's what I thought you said."

Chapter 7

A soundless night entombed the Roman countryside.

Rows of tents marked the Greek Army's campground on its march North. Cooking fires burnt to embers, mounts fed and tied, only the watchmen remained awake. Alone in her tent, Athena found no rest. Ra's vision of Asgard plagued her.

"The end draws near," he'd said. Was she already too late?

The still darkness did nothing to put her at ease. No wind tugged at the tent flaps. No crickets sang to the stars. This night seemed almost unnatural.

A bloodcurdling cry shattered the silence. Athena burst from her tent, spear in hand. Black shapes, once shadows, now given life of their own, turned on those that cast them, hacking with black blades or ramming with dark spears. These were the same monsters Athena had seen at Hel's command in Asgard.

At the edge of the camp stood a lone Ice Giant, frozen beard reflecting ghostly moonlight.

"TO ARMS!" Athena called, breath misting in the cold air. "Douse all fires! Beware your own shadow!"

Without waiting, she hurtled for the Frost Giant. Soldiers answered from their warm beds, weapons in hand, snuffing torches to the dirt and dumping filled buckets across the cookfires. Anything to remove light. But with guile the shadows set tents aflame, conjuring larger, more violent shades between the tongues of light.

Leaping at the giant, Athena buried her spear through his chest. A mere annoyance to the giant. With a massive fist he snatched Athena from the haft of her weapon and held her aloft, squeezing her between fingers the size of trees.

Ravens cried as dozens descended upon the giant. Free hand swinging, the birds were too small for him to catch as they pecked his face. Dropped, Athena fell to the earth. She fell at the feet of Nox.

Face concealed beneath a metal mask, dress black enough for the space between stars, Nox stood against the giant with only a pale candelabra, lit with tiny otherworldly flames. Raising a gloved hand, she drew the darkness to her. Clawing at the dirt, the killer shadows were unwillingly pulled to her like the eye of a vortex. They were swallowed in the blackness of her dress, consumed by the embodiment of night.

Once absorbed, Nox cast the shadows forth like a swarm of insects, swirling and scratching at the Frost Giant. He flailed and cried in agony, to no avail. The night devoured him and he fell.

Athena gained her feet and collected her spear. "You have my thanks, Lady of the Night," though Athena was the daughter of Zeus, Nox was a primordial creature. One to be feared.

"I do not require it," Nox replied, voice like a whisper from a tomb. "This is a night of unnatural making. From Asgard it came. From the birth of Ragnarok."

Athena gestured to the soldiers repairing the camp after the assault. "I take this army North to defend Thor and his people."

"You will spend their lives in doing so," Nox warned placidly. "Asgard is fallen. Another darkness, this from below, rises from the East. From your home."

"What darkness?" Athena asked.

"Were I you, Manerva the Wise, I would march this army to Greece. They will only die in Asgard, but may stand a chance against Pluto." Without further word, Nox unraveled into the night.

Athena wrestled with the warning. Both Ra and Nox spoke of Asgard's fall, and now Greece was in danger, it seemed. Her men watched her, eyes wide. Wordlessly, they urged her to guide them home, to see their families and protect their children.

Turning North, Athena shed a tear. "I'm sorry Thor, my friend. I will not be there to aid you."

Diary of Koby-Meppo

Vol.19 : "Morgan Alone"

コビメッポ奮闘日記vol.19「モーガン一人」

Oda Eiichiro

Staff member F-san became our hero when he captured the giant moth that invaded the office.

スタッフのFさんは仕事場に侵入したでかい蛾を捕まえて、みんなのヒーローになった

Chapter 106