Chapter 36: Rare Animal Island and The Weirdo in the Box
The Going Merry passed through a stormy area and finally arrived at the legendary "Treasure Island."
Just as the rumors said, the entire small island was shrouded in a thick layer of white mist.
Dense jungle loomed in the mist, appearing gloomy and eerie.
Everyone disembarked and walked deep into the island along a weed-choked path.
*Gulp...*
Carrying his pack, Usopp lagged at the very back of the group, trembling with fear.
He gripped his slingshot tightly with both hands, his eyes like those of a startled rabbit, cautiously observing every rustle in the grass around him.
Suddenly, from a clump of bushes by the side of the road, a giant man-eating plant filled with sharp teeth abruptly stuck its head out and opened its bloody maw toward the passing Usopp.
*Snap!*
"Waaaaaah!!!"
Usopp was scared out of his wits by this sudden attack and let out a blood-curdling scream, jumping three meters high on the spot.
The people in front immediately stopped and looked back alertly.
"Is there an enemy?!"
Nami reacted the fastest; shrinking her body, she instantly and skillfully hid behind Tatsuya, poking her head out to look back.
However, there was no enemy.
They only saw Usopp standing there, his body swaying frantically in an extremely distorted and strange posture, cold sweat pouring down.
"Ah... ahaha... it's nothing, it's nothing!"
Seeing everyone looking at him, Usopp stiffly retracted his movements and forced out a smile.
"I thought the atmosphere was too dull, so... I danced a bit to lighten the mood! Hahaha, isn't it interesting?"
The group turned back speechlessly and continued on their way.
Walking ahead, Nami lowered her voice to hide her previous panic and said:
"Hey, do you guys know? It's said that an incredible treasure sleeps on this island. Many pirates have come here looking for it, but..."
"Everyone ended up running away because of extreme fear."
"Extreme fear?"
Luffy, walking at the very front, turned around and picked his nose with a curious look.
"They were scared off? Just how much fear are we talking about?"
Nami's voice grew even lower, and her eyes looked gloomily at Tatsuya beside her, trying to see a hint of fear on the face of this always-smiling Vice Captain.
"For example... a pirate suddenly turned into a wild boar face in the middle of the night,
"And someone's beard grew longer and longer, eventually turning into a snake-like living creature that strangled them to death..."
"You're... you're kidding, right..."
Behind them, Usopp's face turned pale as he heard this, his teeth chattering as he gripped Zoro's shoulder tightly.
Tatsuya looked at Nami's vivid performance and couldn't help but laugh.
He kept a straight face and spoke in a flat tone:
"Ah, how terrifying. So scary, I'm practically dying of fright."
*Thump!*
A vein popped on Nami's forehead, and she swung her hand to punch him in the arm.
"You weren't scared at all!! That was so half-hearted!"
"Haaa—"
Just then, Zoro, who was being gripped by Usopp, let out a huge yawn, tears welling in the corners of his eyes.
"Ah, I'm hungry and so sleepy. I'm going to sleep."
As he spoke, the swordsman actually fell straight to the side, lying directly on the ground full of weeds and unknown insects.
In less than three seconds, the sound of snoring rang out.
*Zzz— Zzz—*
Usopp watched this scene dumbfounded, his jaw nearly hitting the ground.
"He... he can fall asleep in such an eerie place?! Just how big is this guy's heart?!"
Nami also sighed helplessly, holding her forehead.
"How are his nerves even wired... what a freak."
Tatsuya ignored their antics, his red eyes calmly scanning the surrounding mist.
In his perception, many presences were quietly approaching in the surrounding jungle—presences belonging to wild beasts.
"We really are surrounded... it must be those Rare Animals..." Tatsuya thought to himself.
Just then, Luffy, who was scouting ahead, suddenly stopped and squatted by a tree, shouting excitedly:
"Hey! Tatsuya! Look at this! There's a snake with long ears here!"
Tatsuya was about to turn and look.
Suddenly!
"Get out!!"
An old but powerful voice boomed as if from the sky, echoing throughout the forest.
"Ah!!"
Usopp, whose nerves were already strained, could no longer take it. His legs went weak, and he collapsed directly onto the ground.
Nami also screamed in fright and, as if by reflex, pressed herself tightly against Tatsuya again, clutching his arm.
"W-who is it?!"
Luffy, however, wasn't afraid at all. Instead, he shouted toward the tree canopy above, "Oh! Are you up there?"
"How can you still be smiling! That's a god!"
Nami shouted at Tatsuya in a breakdown because she noticed that this guy still had a smile hanging on his lips.
"Get out! I am the guardian deity of this island!!"
The voice rang out again, filled with anger and majesty.
"If you want to live, get out now! Humans are not welcome here!"
"Guardian deity?" Luffy tilted his head.
"That's right! It seems you are pirates! If you want treasure, stop dreaming!"
"Ah! I'm Luffy, the man who will become the Pirate King."
"Luffy! Now is not the time for that!!" Usopp shouted from the ground. "That's a god! You'll be struck by divine retribution!"
The voice in the canopy snorted coldly.
"Humph, as expected of arrogant pirates... In that case, accept divine punishment! Watch me... Eh?!"
That majestic voice suddenly turned into a cry of surprise, and the subsequent words were forcibly cut off.
Because Tatsuya had appeared by the bushes at some point and lifted the "source of the voice" hiding in the grass with one hand.
"Hello there, Lord Guardian Deity."
Tatsuya looked at the little thing he was holding with a smile.
The people below looked at him and immediately cried out in shock.
"What is this?!"
They saw that what Tatsuya was holding was actually a strange old man stuck inside a treasure chest.
He had explosive green hair, short limbs, and his whole body looked like a box with hands and feet.
"Whoa!! It's a Box Man!!"
Luffy's eyes instantly sparkled with admiration. "So cool!!"
Gaimon, suspended in the air, frantically shook his short legs that couldn't reach the ground, struggling and shouting:
"You... who are you?! Let go of me!!"
Seeing his struggle was futile, Gaimon became embarrassed and angry, roaring toward the depths of the forest:
"Minions! All of you, come out! Bite them to death!!"
"Roar—!!"
With his command, countless eyes instantly lit up in the mist.
Immediately after, many peculiar-looking "Rare Animals" rushed out from all directions, surrounding everyone.
There was a giraffe walking on two legs, a sheep with a huge mouth like a hippo, and a fox with a rooster's comb...
"Whoa!! What are these!!" Usopp scrambled away in terror.
Gaimon laughed triumphantly in Tatsuya's hand.
"Humph! See that! These pirates who offended me were all turned into this appearance by my divine power! If you know what's good for you, let me down quickly!"
However, his intimidation clearly targeted the wrong people.
"Whoa! They look delicious!"
Instead of being afraid, Luffy picked up a small pig with a lion's head near his feet. Looking at its plump and tender body, he started drooling.
"It looks so tasty, it's all meat!"
Nami looked at these strange animals and couldn't help but swallow her saliva.
"Tatsuya... you should let him go first..."
"You bastards!!"
Gaimon was exasperated. Seizing the moment when Tatsuya was distracted, he suddenly opened his mouth wide and bit down hard on Tatsuya's wrist.
*Hiss.*
Tatsuya frowned. Although the skin wasn't broken, this old man's teeth were quite good.
He loosened his grip.
"Ouch!"
Gaimon fell to the ground, but he reacted extremely quickly, rolling away like a ball before roaring:
"Humph! Accept my judgment! Divine punishment descends!!"
As soon as he finished speaking.
*Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!!*
From the dense forest above, a large number of wooden spears and giant stones suddenly shot down—obviously traps set long ago.
"Danger!!"
Tatsuya's eyes narrowed.
"Body Flicker Technique!"
His figure turned into an afterimage.
He first appeared beside the still-oblivious Usopp and unceremoniously raised a foot.
"Off you go!"
"Ah!!"
Usopp let out a scream as he was kicked flying, landing precisely in the arms of a giant panda that looked like a soft cushion, completely unharmed.
Immediately after, Tatsuya's figure flashed again, appearing beside Nami.
He scooped her up in a princess carry and performed a light roll toward an open space in the distance.
*Thud, thud, thud!*
Several sharp wooden spears stabbed heavily into the spot where Nami had just been standing.
Tatsuya knelt on one knee, holding the shaken Nami in his arms, having easily evaded this wave of traps.
On the other side.
*Thump!*
A giant rock slammed squarely onto Luffy's head.
"Ouch!"
The rock shattered, and Luffy's head was flattened for a moment before snapping back like rubber.
"Close call, that almost hit my meat." Luffy was still tightly clutching that Lion-Headed Pig.
At this moment, Gaimon, who had rolled to a safe zone and looked back to check the results, stared with wide eyes, his jaw nearly dropping to the ground.
"These... these guys... who on earth are they?!"
One can teleport, and the other's head is harder than a rock!
"Ah! Monsters!!"
Gaimon shrieked, his short legs moving so fast they left afterimages as he fled toward the depths of the forest.