The second episode of One Piece season 2 commences at the base of Reverse Mountain, a treacherous waterway that serves as the sole gateway to the Grand Line. This perilous journey is fraught with peril, as a wrong angle can lead to shipwreck and potential doom. Nevertheless, the crew, led by Luffy's Gum Gum powers and Usopp's keen eye, navigate through the treacherous waters and avoid countless shipwrecks.
As they make their way through, they face their most daunting challenge yet - a whale's mouth. Upon awakening, Luffy finds himself on a mysterious island where a giant whale, Laboon, smashes its head against the cliffside. The crew soon joins Luffy and is aided by Crocus, who manages to tranquilize the whale. However, Luffy refuses to leave without his crew, determined to rescue them from Laboon's belly.
Inside Laboon's belly, the Straw Hats explore the unfamiliar surroundings with confidence, knowing that Luffy will help them escape. Their search leads them to an encounter with Mr. 9 and Miss Wednesday, both members of Baroque Works.
Meanwhile, in Loguetown, Tashigi and Captain Smoker report to Garp, who is en route to Marineford Headquarters but stops by to check on them. Garp discusses the current situation in Alabasta, which is on the brink of civil war after the princess' disappearance. The missing princess is rumored to have something to do with Baroque Works. Garp orders Smoker to capture the operatives alive to question them about the situation. Their leader is the elusive Mr. Zero, also known as Sir Crocodile.
Smoker wishes to pursue Luffy into the Grand Line, but Garp believes they will not survive the journey. Instead, Smoker is redirected to Alabasta to prevent the Revolutionary Army from gaining supporters and overthrowing the World Government.
Back at Reverse Mountain, Crocus agrees to lend a helping hand to Luffy and dives deeper into Laboon's past. The whale was once friends with the Rumbar pirates, a pirate crew that set sail for the Grand Line, leaving Laboon behind but vowing to return for him. All this time, Laboon has been waiting patiently, bashing his skull against the rock repeatedly in a desperate attempt to break through the Red Line, though it's clear that it's futile. If he continues, Laboon could end up injuring himself. Since then, Crocus has remained as a guardian, helping Laboon and any other pirate crews that may come across his path. Luffy recognizes Crocus's good intentions and sets out to assist them.
As Luffy and Crocus work together to help, the Straw Hats reluctantly agree to collaborate with Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 to find a way out. Luffy heads over to speak personally with Laboon while this is happening. He sings to the massive whale and offers him a new glimmer of hope to cling to. It works, and Luffy paints a big jolly roger logo on Laboon's skull, telling the whale not to bash his head anymore and to wait for their return.
Meanwhile, Nami begins to lose faith, especially after Miss Wednesday earlier mentioned needing a Log Pose to navigate the Grand Line. However, Crocus explains that a Log Pose is relatively simple in theory. It measures the magnetic field between islands and after spending some time there, it resets, allowing them to move on to the next. The timing can vary depending on the island they step on. For now though, Crocus agrees to help them out, while Tashigi decides to accompany Captain Smoker too.
