Chapter 228

Cover
Volume: 25 Pg.: 27

Hatchan's Sea-Floor Stroll (Final) Vol. 40: "Grand opening of Takoyaki '8'"

Hatchi, Keimi and Pappug leave with a new boat towards new adventures.

Quick Summary
Saruyama Alliance decides to help the Straw Hats reach Sky Island.

Long Summary
The chapter starts with Masira and Shoujou meeting up with each other. Shoujou is surprised that Masira is alive and Masira asks why, but Shoujou ignores him. They both heard the gunshot so they wonder if something happened to Cricket. They burst inside the house to find the Strawhats nursing Cricket. The 2 are confused while Chopper, Nami, and Ussop panic and the others continue to do whatever they were doing. Masira and Shoujou holler asking what they are doing. Luffy tells them to get lost since they are nursing the old guy, and Usopp and Chopper yell that wild animals don't porperly listen to you, but the two cry saying that the Strawhats are good guys, to Usopp and Chopper's shock.

Masira and Shoujou have a nice talk together with Luffy. In this talk, it is revealed that they are called the "Saruyama Alliance". Zoro and Usopp wonder why Luffy blended in the group, and conclude that they are all alike species. Shoujou is impressed that such a little squirt like Luffy would be able to kick away Masira, and Luffy says it was pretty easy and Shoujou would probably be able to do it as well, so Shoujou kicked away Masira to see how easy it is, and agrees. Chopper comes to report that Cricket woke up, and Luffy goes to ask something. Cricket thanks them and said he thought they were gold-hunter idiots. Nami hears this and her eyes turn into Beli signs, but Usopp tells her to stop. Luffy asks Cricket how to go to sky island, which he laughs about, making Nami want to punch him, but Usopp stopped her, saying he is a patient. Luffy asks if sky island doesn't exist, and Cricket replies that he knows a person who said it exists, but that person was a famous big-time liar whose decsendants all are the laughingstock of the world. At this, Luffy stares at Usopp who is shocked and denies him. Cricket says that there is a story called "Norland the Liar". Luffy looks at Ussop again, who denies him.

Cricket reveals he is the decsendant of this Norland and that this is the place where the story took place. He explained that noone in his family ever hated Norland since he was actually a "very honest person". He says that even though in the book his face looks stupid, Norland actually died crying sadly and desperatly tried to make everyone belive him. Cricket furiously asks if they know how it feels like to be laughed by people you don't even know. He just wanted to become free from the mocking of everyone, and became a pirate. But 10 years later, he and his crew came across Jaya and Cricket decided to find the "gold" Norland talked about. Because of this choice, Cricket's crew went seperate ways with him and he has been looking for the gold underwater since. He says that this is a duel with the person who messed up his life. Usopp cries at the good story, and Luffy asks how he got to know the monkey people. Usopp says Cricket probably had another man-to-man drama with them, but Cricket says that they are just fans of the"Norland the Liar" book. Nami comments on the simple connection between them. Cricket explains how they formed the Saruyama Alliance 5~6 years ago, while the 2 "monkeys" have a friendly fight outside. Luffy says that he just wants to know how to go to sky island, and Cricket hands Norland's actuall log book for Nami to read. Nami and the others read exitedly and see that Norland wrote as if Sky island normally exists. Everyone is overjoyed, and Cricket walks quietly out of the house to talk to the Saruyama Alliance. Cricket asks if they like the Strawhats and they ask why. He says that the Strawhats seem to extremley want to go to a sky island, and the 2 "Monkeys" comment that they would die on their own. The chapter ends with the Saruyama Alliance deciding to help the Strawhats.

Plot Points

 * The Saruyama Alliance agrees to help the Straw Hat Pirates reach Skypiea.

Returning Characters

 * Straw Hat Pirates
 * Luffy
 * Zoro
 * Nami
 * Sanji
 * Usopp
 * Chopper
 * Saruyama Alliance
 * Montblanc Cricket
 * Shoujou
 * Masira

Anime Episode
Episode 148