Summary:
The Straw Hats are confused by their new predicament, trapped by a massive island of Thriller Bark in a massive pair of lips and watching the ghost disappear back to its “home”. Robin realizes that the mechanism for the island is locked as the Thousand Sunny approaches the island that Brook ran to. Everyone is scared or confused about the trip to the island except for Luffy who wants to go out and catch the ghost from earlier. Sanji and Robin bring Luffy his important “Pirate Bento”, with Robin being one of the few interested in their latest escapade.
Without stopping them, Franky decides to further explain the Soldier Dock system regarding their new ship and the potential they held within them and what could be held later. When they are asked to open it on Channel 2, they reveal the Mini Merry II, their former Going Merry, resurrected as a shopping vessel. Nami, Usopp, and Chopper ride it while Franky explains the other uses of Soldier Dock, including the Waver and some submarines, and the empty potential in Dock 4.
Moments after leaving, the Mini-Merrys do not return as Nami unexpectedly screams from the island, with the remaining Straw Hats unable to track them from the ship. Suddenly, Sunny’s anchor drops by itself and an invisible being enters the ship through the hatch. The creature fiddles, first with Luffy’s face and Zoro’s swords, making beastly noises. Fearing the unknown, Sanji tries to leave the ship, but is immediately thrown back onto it. But the “invisible creature” attacked Robin in the strangest way and tried to grab and lick her. The Beast pushes the ship away as they leave, with the Straw Hats continuing to struggle over whether or not to go save the others.
Meanwhile, the Mini Merry trio run ashore and land right on the Thriller Bark. Nami tries to apologize but gets none of it out of fear of Usopp and Chopper. But before the trio can regroup too easily, they encounter a large Cerberus, a creature with two dog heads and a fox head. The trio flees, scared and confused by the beast, with Chopper further enraged by her fox head. Running up the stairs, the trio end up in the forest, where they try to hide from Cerberus. But they hide in a tree and instead encounter Hildon, a bat-like creature who is trying to find the monster that is chasing them. Hildon offers to ride in a prepared carriage to the mansion of a doctor named Hogback, a name Chopper immediately recognizes.