One Piece Chapter 228

Cover

Hatchan’s sea walk, last part: Octopus pies at sea. You can see the ship setting sail, Hatchan happily preparing pies, Camie and Pappag swimming alongside, and the catfish waving goodbye in the background.

Storyline

Jaya, Mont Blanc Cricket’s hut: Masira and Shoujou poke their heads into the hut screaming and ask their boss if everything is okay, they had heard the gunshots earlier. Spotting the Straw Hat Pirates in the shack, they want to beat them up, but become friendly when Luffy explains they are tending to Mont Blanc Cricket. They later have a chat outside. The shack is the monkey gang’s headquarters. Shoujou and Masira find it too small, so they mostly sleep on their ships. Cricket finally wakes up, apologizing first for his greeting, assuming they were just after the gold. Luffy wants to know from him how to get to Sky Island. Cricket laughs at this. He knows someone who believes it, but he’s only known as a liar.

We are talking about Mont Blanc Noland, the great-great-great-great-grandpa of Cricket’s grandpa. Because of Noland, the Marons were ostracized and even today they are laughed at. Cricket, however, does not think he is a liar. In the book, Noland says the last sentence with a silly grin, Cricket thinks he is desperate. According to him, Noland believed in a shift in the earth’s crust that caused the island with the golden city to sink into the sea. Cricket doesn’t seek the gold to save Noland’s reputation. He nearly shoots Usopp when asked about it. Many of the Marons over the years have tried to save their family’s reputation, Cricket just hated his family and wanted to escape it. That’s why he became a pirate.

Ten years ago, his ship ran aground on Jaya. Cricket calls it fate and wanted to end the whole Noland story once and for all. He’s been diving for the gold every day since, not for Noland’s reputation, he’s fighting the one who ruined his life. Before he dies, he wants to know the truth. The monkeys are Noland fans who showed up six years ago in search of the golden city. Cricket has been their captain ever since. Luffy asks again about Sky Island. He gets the log book from Mont Blanc Noland. Nami reads that 400 years ago, on 6/21/1120, Noland’s ship set out from Vila in sunny weather heading east-northeast. There is mention of a ski like boat, ‘Waver’. This is said to be from Sky Island, as is a Sky fish Noland saw at a merchant. The Straw Hats rejoice at the confirmation of Sky-Island’s existence. Cricket asks Shoujou and Masira outside what they think of the guests, since they want to go to Sky-Island. Cricket decides to help the Straw Hat gang.