Reborn as Luffy The Pirate King's Return

As the Going Merry was swallowed whole, the crew braced themselves for what they thought would be a harrowing experience. Instead of being crushed by powerful muscles or drowning in digestive fluids, they found themselves entering a vast, artificially constructed chamber inside the massive whale. The moment the ship settled on the water's surface within, everyone was stunned by what they saw.

The chamber was enormous, its ceiling painted like the sky, complete with clouds and a soft glow that mimicked sunlight. The artificial island within, complete with green grass and a small wooden cabin, was a sight none of them had expected.

"What... what is this place?!" Usopp gasped, looking around in sheer disbelief.

"This is inside the whale?" Sanji added, raising an eyebrow as he lit a cigarette. "How the hell does a whale have an entire home in its stomach?"

"I think it's man-made," Nami observed, scanning the area. "The sky isn't real, but whatever material they used to make it, it's impressive."

Luffy, grinning as always, ignored the confusion and excitement from his crew. He had his sights set on the small wooden cabin on the island. "Let's go meet whoever lives here!" he announced before vanishing with a sudden burst of speed.

"Luffy!" Nami yelled, but he was already gone, using Soru, one of the Marine Six Styles, to reach the cabin within seconds.

The rest of the crew had no choice but to take a small rowboat and paddle toward the island, wondering what kind of eccentric person would set up a home inside a whale.

When Luffy reached the wooden cabin, he found an old man lounging on a Hawaiian chair outside, wearing a bright floral shirt and a pair of sunglasses. The man casually turned a page in his newspaper, seemingly undisturbed by Luffy's sudden arrival.

Luffy tilted his head and grinned. "Hey, old man! I'm Monkey D. Luffy, and this is my crew!"

The old man, Crocus, briefly glanced up from his newspaper. His eyes locked onto Luffy's straw hat for a moment, something flashing through his gaze, but he said nothing and went back to reading.

Luffy pouted. "Oi, don't just ignore me! You live inside a whale! That's super cool!"

Crocus sighed. "Hmph. Another loud one." His tone was indifferent, but there was an edge of amusement in his voice. He then closed the newspaper, setting it aside. "So, what brings you brats here?"

Before Luffy could answer, the rest of the crew arrived, their expressions filled with curiosity and slight suspicion.

"Are you the one who built all this?" Nami asked, stepping forward with her arms crossed.

Crocus nodded slowly. "Yes. I take care of Laboon. This place was made to help manage his... habits."

"Habits?" Usopp asked cautiously.

"Swallowing ships," Crocus answered simply. "Laboon tends to eat anything that annoys him. You got lucky this time."

Sanji let out a breath of relief. "Great, so we're not whale food."

"Who's Laboon?" Luffy asked, tilting his head.

Crocus sighed again but leaned back in his chair. "A whale who's been waiting for someone... for over fifty years."

The moment those words left his mouth, the crew fell silent. Even Luffy's usual carefree grin softened slightly.

Before they could ask further, a loud BOOM echoed through the chamber. The island shook slightly from the impact. Everyone turned to see two figures standing atop a nearby rock formation, both holding bazookas aimed at Laboon.

"Oi, oi!" Usopp panicked. "What the hell are those guys doing?!"

"They're attacking Laboon!" Nami shouted.

Luffy's expression darkened as he turned to Crocus, but the old man remained seated, his face impassive.

"Those idiots," Crocus muttered. "They don't understand what they're messing with."

"Then I'll deal with them!" Luffy declared, cracking his knuckles. His crew stood ready beside him, prepared for battle.

"Wait." Crocus raised a hand. "Let's see how Laboon reacts first."

The two intruders, grinning with arrogance, fired another round at Laboon's massive form. The explosion rang through the chamber, sending ripples through the water. But then—

Laboon roared.

The deafening sound shook the very walls of the chamber, making even the intruders hesitate. The massive whale, as if waking from a long slumber, moved with surprising speed. His eyes, filled with pain and anger, locked onto the ones attacking him.

The battle inside Laboon's stomach was just beginning.