One Piece Manga Chapter 104

Crocus helps the Straw Hats leave the whale. He tells them that he is a doctor and that he modified Laboon to heal him from the inside. It also explains why the whale hits its forehead on the Red Line wall. Laboon believes his old crew will return as promised. Crocus knows they are most likely dead. He already told the whale, but Laboon doesn’t want to listen. Luffy pulls the mast of the Going Merry and fights Laboon. Everyone thinks Luffy has gone mad, but Luffy’s actions become clear when he stops fighting and makes a new promise with Laboon; both are strong and can’t decide a winner yet. Luffy conquers the Grand Line and returns so they can finish their fight.

The Straw Hats are amazed at the construction Crocus has made inside Laboon. Crocus reveals that he used to be a doctor and worked in a clinic and on a ship. This prompts Luffy to ask him to join his crew as a medic, but Crocus refuses, saying that he is too old.

After leaving Laboon, the crew wonders what to do with Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9. Crocus tells them to dump them in the ocean, which they do. When Luffy asks who these people are, they realize that such a pirate crew could be useful to their organization and decide to leave after warning them to prepare and threatening Crocus that he will be back soon for the whale.

As Luffy begins to wonder where Laboon’s crew are, Sanji tells him that they are most likely dead. Crocus tells them that they did not die, but merely abandoned their quest just like Laboon because they were afraid of the great danger of the Great Line. Usopp thinks about how the promise made to Laboon was so accidentally lost. He then goes on to explain how he tried to explain the situation to Laboon, but Laboon didn’t believe a word he said, and that’s when he started hitting his head on the red line with his habit.

After hearing the story, Luffy decides to do something seemingly strange. She breaks the mast right off the Going Merry. She then runs over to Laboon’s head and nails him with it. The whale, screaming in pain, immediately retaliates. Laboon crushes Luffy’s head on the rocks. After a short fight, Luffy declares the match a draw, which will have to be resolved in the future. So Luffy made a new promise to Laboon that they would meet again when they sailed past the Grand Line to settle their fight once and for all. Luffy’s move made everyone happy and gave Laboon a new reason to keep living.