They broke the surface just past the Red Line, the horizon stretching endlessly before them. Nami held up the New World Log Pose, watching the three needles dance wildly in different directions.
Luffy's grin stretched wide as he looked over the Log Pose, barely hesitating. "Let's go with the one that's moving the craziest!" he declared, pointing to the needle spinning at a wild angle.
Nami raised an eyebrow. "You mean the most dangerous one?"
"Exactly!" Luffy replied, thrilled. "We're here for adventure, right?"
As the Thousand Sunny cruised through the New World's rough waters, the crew quickly got a taste of how wild this place was. Massive flames blazed right on the ocean's surface, fierce winds howled across the deck, and waves the size of mountains lurked on every side. Nami's face was tense, her eyes darting between the blazing sea and the Log Pose until they reached a burning island.
"Oh, this is insane," she muttered, her fingers tight on the railing as she scanned the skies. "The New World really isn't kidding around."
Just then, a faint sound echoed through the ship—a thin, muffled wail. It grew louder, taking on the distinct high-pitched cry.
Nami froze, glancing around. "Did anyone else hear that?"
Luffy's ears perked up. "Hey, what's that crying sound?"
The source of the sound became clear as they reached the room. On the table, the Den Den Mushi was wailing, its eyes squeezed shut as it sobbed.
Luffy crouched down in front of it, scratching his head. "Why's the Den Den Mushi crying?"
Coby chuckled, leaning against the door. "That's a distress signal, Captain. Someone's calling for help."
Luffy's eyes widened, his face lighting up with excitement. "So if I pick it up, I can talk to them?"
Before Luffy could reach for the receiver, Robin quickly grabbed his arm. "Wait, Luffy. There's a high chance this is a trap set by the Marines. If you answer, they'll know exactly where we are."
But would Luffy be Luffy if he cared about traps? He grabbed the receiver without a second thought. "This is Luffy, the man who's going to be the Pirate King!" he declared, his voice loud and clear.
The voice on the other end choked out through panicked breaths. "Help! We need help! It's so cold… we're being cut... samurai… someone help us!"
The whole crew went silent, listening intently as the desperation in the voice sent chills through the room. Usopp stepped forward, squinting at the Den Den Mushi like it could give him answers. "Did they say… cut?" He looked around, uneasy.
Luffy, unfazed, leaned closer to the Den Den Mushi. "Where are you?"
The voice wavered. "We're near an island in the New World, Punk Hazard… the cold's killing us… " Another gasp escaped. "Please, anyone!"
After saying that, the Den Den Mushi suddenly spat a splatter of blood, causing it to shudder before the connection cut off. Usopp yelped, his face turning pale. "He got sliced up too!"
Chopper's eyes widened in terror. "Did that snail just bleed?!" He glanced around, shaking.
Luffy rubbed his chin, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "I don't know… I feel like there's a situation here."
Usopp shot him a look. "Of course there's a situation, you idiot! That guy just got murdered right on the line!"
Robin remained calm, watching the whole exchange with crossed arms. "It could be an act to lure us in."
Zoro, however, was focused, his brow furrowing as he caught onto one specific word. He turned to Coby and Brook. "Samurai?"
Brook nodded. "Indeed, Zoro-san. 'Samurai' is the title given to the swordsmen of Wano Country. The country's isolated, closed off from outsiders, and isn't even part of the World Government. The warriors there are… quite formidable, to say the least. Even Marines avoid the place."
Usopp shivered, gripping his slingshot as he imagined the worst. "You've gotta be kidding me! Those guys are strong enough to keep Marines away?"
Franky crossed his arms, eyeing the burning island in the distance. "But they didn't say Wano. They said 'Punk Hazard.'"
Robin nodded thoughtfully. "That island," she said, nodding in its direction. "It must be Punk Hazard, assuming they used a Baby Den Den Mushi. It wouldn't have reached this far if it wasn't close."
Luffy's face lit up, a wide grin splitting across his face as he punched a fist into his palm. "Alright! Let's go save 'em!"
Nami, Chopper, and Usopp all jumped back, voices rising in alarm. "No way!" they shouted in unison, faces pale at the thought.
But it was already too late. The instant Luffy's mind locked onto something, there was no turning back. Luffy waved off the hesitant faces around him, already fired up to charge into the strange island. "Alright, let's go! Punk Hazard's calling us!"
"Whoa, hold up, Captain." Usopp stepped in, his voice filled with concern. "Not everyone needs to jump into whatever mess is over there. Some of us can hang back on the Sunny, yeah?"
"Yeah! That place looks freaky," Nami added, her arms crossed. She eyed the burning landscape. "Why do we all need to go?"
As the crew eyed the flaming island on the horizon, Usopp shakily suggested, "Why don't we draw sticks to decide who has to go?"
Nami nodded quickly. "Yeah, the ones who draw the short sticks will go ashore, and the rest can stay on the Sunny. No need for all of us to jump into whatever nightmare is over there."
Just as Franky was about to pull out some straws, Coby stepped forward, crossing his arms. "Nah, we're all going," he declared.
Since he was who he was, Coby had no trouble convincing everyone to join the expedition to Punk Hazard. In the original timeline, the ones who stayed behind on the ship had ended up on the other side of the island anyway. And, if it played out like before, Law would likely switch Sanji and Nami's bodies, which Coby had zero intention of allowing. No man, no matter the situation, would end up in his women's bodies.
Nami quickly summoned a thick cloud over the flames, creating a arching pathway for the crew to sail the Mini Merry toward the island, bypassing the worst of the scorching heat. The mist drifted over the burning patches, the steam rising as it cooled the flames, giving them a safe trail forward.
Coby thought about skipping over to the other side of the island to speed things up but quickly decided otherwise. There was a dragon on this side, and he wasn't about to miss that. As the Mini Merry sped through the cloud pathway, flames flickered on both sides, sending embers into the air. Usopp gripped his seat, looking around nervously. "Are we really going toward that dangerous island?" he muttered, eyes darting to the flames.
"Yep!" Luffy grinned, nearly bouncing in his seat. "I bet it's fun!"
As soon as they got on the island, the crew wasted no time peeling off their heavier clothes. The heat was intense—enough to make everyone sweat within seconds. Chopper was panting, already clutching his fur coat in his tiny hands, while Usopp fanned himself with his hat.
"Damn, it's hot as hell here!" Sanji muttered, rolling up his sleeves and loosening his tie.
"Why's everything gotta be on fire?" Usopp complained, pulling off his bandana.
They trudged forward through the burning landscape, until they reached a tall, barbed metal gate blocking their path. Big warning signs plastered across it read: "MARINE FACILITY – WORLD GOVERNMENT PROPERTY. KEEP OUT."
Nami raised an eyebrow, nodding at the signs. "Looks like a Marine base. Think anyone's still here?"
Zoro smirked, crossing his arms. "Only one way to find out. We're going through."
Luffy, without a moment's thought, stretched his arm over the top of the gate and flung himself over, landing on the other side with a laugh. "Hurry up!" he called, waving them over.
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