Cave Island

Cave Island
Statistics
Japanese Name:	洞窟島
Romanized Name:	Dōkutsu Shima
English Name:	Cave Isle
First appearance:	One Piece Unlimited Cruise 1: The Treasure Beneath The Waves
Region:	Paradise
Affiliates:	Great Tree

The Sunken Dark Path in the Sea: Cave Island is an island in Paradise. It was created by the Great Tree for the ordeals that the Straw Hat Pirates chose to participate in. It was later reformed into either Memory Island, Wetland Island, or Floating Island.

Cave Island was the fourth island the Straw Hat Pirates visited in One Piece Unlimited Cruise 1: The Treasure Beneath The Waves.

Geography

On the surface, Cave Island is a barren rock isle with various sharp or flat gray rock formations covering its landmass and a gaping black cave on the coast that leads into an underground network of caves and tunnels. Its underground layout is very similar to that of the Cave Zone from Popora's homeland.

The initial portions of the tunnels and caves on Cave Island actually feature openings in their walls and ceilings into the sea above. However, the sea water in those locations are somehow held back from entering those spaces, suspended like windows into the sea. This allows not only travelers to see coral reefs on the other side, but also sunlight to enter the caves, enabling flora like grass, flowers, and trees to grow within those areas. Around Cave Island though, the suspended water masses often become less frequent sights. Instead, there are large caverns and narrower tunnels through the underground. Many of those locations have both big and small waterfalls flowing through them too, many of which pass through holes in the cavern floors, underground lakes, and large and short stalagmits and stalactites, the smallest of the latter of which will drop down from the ceilings at the slightest vibration. Smaller caves in particular also feature terraced reefs that form steps or surfaces to climb. Deeper inside the undergrounds, other forms of flora that can be found include surprised mushrooms and fungi that produce toxins. In the most distant part of Cave Island's underground though is a cavern with a lake of magma featuring red-hot rock spires in it and magma falls, resulting in the ground having turned burned red and gaining cracks in it leading into said magma. Around that lake are the burned out remains of trees, and when interacted with by Gaburi, a series of platforms into the lake will appear, leading to the island's first ordeal tree.

Along the walls inside Cave Island are what appears to be differently colored branches of crystalized and sparkling coral, some of which illuminate their respective caverns with sparkles of light. In addition, there are shallow water pools throughout the caves and tunnels where giant sea anemones and tall mysterious seaweed that lash out at a passerbyer grow. In the center of the island's underground is also a large hole with a black abyss at its bottom where the island's second ordeal tree resides, with rocks that explode when approached or attacked on the ledge around it.

The paths throughout the underground of Cave Island wind and twist around both above and below each while intersecting each other at various times, creating a very complex network. Many of the tunnels through Cave Island are as well blocked by purple stone walls that a pickaxe can only penetrate from the other side where the rock is much softer. In the southern parts of the island's region is also a fishing spot.

Enemies

The following enemies are encountered on Cave Island:

• Mud Puppets
  • Bazooka Marines
  • Bomb Pirates
  • Knuckle Soldiers
  • Marine Leaders
  • Mass Soldiers
  • Nishiki Agents
  • Pistol Pirates
  • Rifle Agents
  • Saber Pirates
  • Sword Soldiers

Portgas D. Ace and Marshall D. Teach are the island's bosses, and the Evil Guardian is the island's secret boss.

History

One Piece: Unlimited Cruise

The Treasure Beneath The Waves

Cave Island was constructed by the Great Tree after Luffy agreed to take part in her ordeals in return for a present. The Great Tree proceeded to throw a giant seed into the sea, which turned into Cave Island and rose up to the surface. When the Straw Hat Pirates eventually made landfall on Cave Island, they only found a hole leading underground. As the crew discovered the possibility of the hole leading into hell, various reactions were made; Zoro was interested in the idea, Brook was indifferent about going there (as he had already been to hell), and Usopp refused to enter, forcing Zoro to drag him with them. Meanwhile, Luffy was fired up about going and psyched Gaburi up for their trip.

The Straw Hat Pirates find Cave Island's first ordeal tree.

As the Straw Hat Pirates ventured deeper underground, Luffy got the feeling that he been there before, but was largely ignored by his friends. Eventually arriving in the most distant part of the caverns, the Straw Hat Pirates had Gaburi use his powers to make the island's first ordeal tree, and a path to it, appear in the magma while Zoro and Sanji knocked away any stray debris. That tree produced a seed that turned into a copy of Portgas D. Ace, who had an uncontrollable urge to challenge the Straw Hat Pirates to a fight. Luffy readily accepted the challenge, but Gaburi was confused about why Luffy was willing to fight someone whom he seemed to get along with. As Zoro explained that it was because they were men, Gaburi wondered if Ace was a good or bad guy. In the end, Luffy admitted that Ace was neither a good or bad guy, before realizing that he was someone who makes you feel good. Amused, Ace fought the crew, but was defeated and turned back to a seed, which Gaburi converted into treasure. In the aftermath, Franky offered Luffy a shoulder to lean on over his brother's absence, but Luffy turned him down, making Franky all emotional.

Cave Island's second ordeal tree rising from the island's dark abyss.

Traveling back to Cave Island's center, the Straw Hat Pirates had Gaburi summon an ordeal tree from the black abyss below them and a path to it. Interacting with the tree, it released a seed that turned into a Blackbeard lookalike. As Blackbeard expressed gratitude at seeing Luffy, during which Usopp and Chopper got the chills from his presence, Blackbeard announce his intention to kill them all for the sake of his ambition, leaving Gaburi frozen in fear. Nami asked Blackbeard to elaborate on his ambition, to which the latter explained that now that he had the ultimate power, he wanted Luffy's head on a platter. When Luffy flatly refused to him have it, Blackbeard began fighting the crew. However, he was still defeated and turned into a seed that Gaburi turned into a treasure. Afterwards, Nami noticed how frightened Gaburi appeared, who admitted that he had never thought that there were humans as amoral as Blackbeard. However, while Robin admitted that there were people who killed for their own gain out in the world, she assured Gaburi that there plenty of good people out there too and that the crew would protect him. Reassured, Gaburi confirmed to the Straw Hat Pirates that they had finished all the ordeals and that they now had to pick up their present on Central Island, prompting the crew to head there.

Awakening of a Hero

After Gaburi sacrificed his body to save the Straw Hat Pirates from the Doom Guardian, Cave Island got transformed into either Memory Island, Wetland Island, or Floating Island.

Wildlife

Moles reside in the central tunnels within Cave Island while fire scarabs rest on dead trees within the island's magma cavern. Meanwhile, lightbulb fireflies can be found on the island's flowers and lantern trilobites reside in or near the island's shallow water pools.

In Cave Island's underground pools are scissor shrimps, butterflyfish, superstar starfish, and panda sharks.