Mont Blanc Cricket

While they were doing their usual business, Cricket and the rest of the Saruyama Alliance heard the sound of the golden bell of Shandora, having been rung by Luffy.[4] This beautiful sound was accompanied by a large shadow of Luffy melting into the clouds (it was proof that the golden city Noland found was real and that it was in the sky).

With this proof, Noland wept tears of joy at finally knowing the truth and realizing that the Straw Hats were still alive after using the Knock Up Stream to reach Skypiea. The Saruyama Alliance rejoiced, now certain that the golden city was indeed in the sky.

Cricket decided to stop searching the sea and move on. However, before leaving, he invited the Saruyama Alliance to follow him in a new dream. They accepted wholeheartedly. Together they ventured out to pursue a new dream.[5]

Jaya's Bow Years later, while Masira and Shoujou were on guard to keep everyone away, he met the Straw Hat Pirates, who discovered that the man was searching for the city of gold and had found some gold, though he was diving into the sea incorrectly several times and would die if he continued. Later, he stayed behind to watch Luffy's ship alongside the Saruyama Alliance, but was beaten by Bellamy and his crew, who were also searching for the gold. He had a brief fight against Sarquiss, but despite Sarquiss being an agile opponent, he wasn't strong enough against Cricket and was easily defeated. However, when Bellamy entered the battle, the Saruyama Alliance was easily defeated.

From childhood, Cricket was constantly ridiculed by everyone because of the shame associated with his ancestor's (Noland's) history. Ashamed of his family, Cricket ran away from home and became the captain of a pirate crew. He didn't want to be a pirate, though; he just wanted to escape the curse that came with the Mont Blanc family name. However, ten years before his introduction, Cricket and his crew accidentally arrived at Jaya (the island where Noland found the City of Gold and the island many of Cricket's family members failed to find). Standing on the shore where the City of Gold was supposed to be, Cricket decided to accept his fate and find out, once and for all, if Noland's City of Gold really existed. His team, however, disagreed with his decision and left him alone on the island. Alone, Cricket decided to live in a house near the shore and began diving in the waters surrounding Jaya in his search for the City of Gold.

He didn't care whether it existed or not, or even whether Noland was innocent. He simply decided to keep doing it, driven by the ambition that, before he died, he would settle the matter once and for all.

Five or six years before the story begins, two fans of the fairy tale Noland the Liar suddenly arrived in Jaya and proclaimed themselves followers of Cricket without his permission. These two followers, Masira and Shoujou, truly believed that the city of gold existed. Although they were noisy and quite annoying, Cricket allowed them to help him in his quest and accepted them as his adopted children.

Cricket can dive to great depths and is a professional diver. This ability was inherited from his ancestor Noland, who also dived to great depths, which led to him contracting a decompression sickness. Cricket is also an expert in martial arts, surpassing Sarquiss and matching Sanji, before succumbing to decompression sickness. In combat, he takes an unusual fighting stance and attacks with kicks.

He is also the leader of the Saruyama Alliance, so he commands the crews of Masira and Shoujou. He possesses great stamina, demonstrated by repairing the ship after Bellamy's crew gave it a beating. These skills can be attributed to his long career as a pirate, as he is a young veteran from the time of Roger. When he encountered the Straw Hats, he attacked them with a pistol. His aim is unknown, but it's safe to assume it must be good.

Cricket is very determined and somewhat stubborn. He is cheerful at times, but not like his ancestor. He believes that people should pursue their dreams, even when others laugh at them, considering it romantic. However, because of his lineage, he was the target of much ridicule and suffered a hellish youth from which he escaped.

Despite wanting to ignore his Norland lineage and forge his own path, Cricket is, deep down, unable to ignore the stories and accusations surrounding his ancestor. He longs to prove that Norland wasn't a liar, demonstrating the existence of the City of Gold. He goes so far as to dive into the sea every day, though he claims it's all right whether the city exists or not, as he doesn't feel he owes anything to someone who has been dead for over four hundred years. When the Straw Hat Pirates first met him, Cricket was apathetic, withdrawn, and carefree.

Although he may seem apathetic, Cricket is kind and considerate. He didn't mock the Straw Hats for wanting to go to a place whose existence wasn't even certain, guided by ancient tales from someone considered a liar. He also helped them prepare their ship, giving them the mechanisms to fly and indicating the area and time when the Knock Up Stream would occur. He also didn't mind that Masira and Shoujou wanted to follow him because of their fascination with the stories about Norland. He doesn't like to involve outsiders in his affairs, as seen when he tells Luffy not to get involved in his problems after Bellamy and his crew attack him and steal all his gold, and Luffy was on his way to get revenge, arguing that he should be concerned about his journey to the sky island.

After Luffy defeated Enel and rang the Golden Bell, Cricket was seen beaming and smiling, knowing that Noland had always told the truth, freeing him from his hellish past. He was also relieved to learn that the Straw Hats were safe.

Cricket is middle-aged, muscular, and has blond hair. He has a large chestnut on his head, inherited from his predecessor (Noland). He wears dark purple tracksuit bottoms with a white stripe down each leg and a rope around his waist. He wears neither a shirt nor shoes, due to his ongoing diving explorations. He is seen smoking a cigarette. On his left arm, Cricket has a tattoo of a chestnut with the word "Maroon" written through it. Twenty-four years before his appearance, he had a short beard.