Under the lighthouse at Twin Cape,
Everyone lay sprawled across the grass, gasping for air.
"Phew, we're saved..."
The moment the melody of "Binks' Sake" echoed beneath the dome, Laboon finally calmed down. Taking that opportunity, everyone escaped from its belly and returned to the open sea.
Nami crouched in front of Laboon and carefully explained everything about Brook.
Laboon's eyes widened. It looked left and right at Nami, then exchanged a glance with Crocus, confirming it was all real.
"Woooo—!"
It let out a long wail and immediately dove into the water, furiously swimming toward the depths of the Grand Line, desperate to find the friend it had been waiting nearly fifty years for...
"Wait up, Laboon!" Crocus quickly stopped him. "Give me a little time to pack up, and I'll head out with you!"
"Eh?" Nami pouted. "I thought you and Laboon were going to come with us?"
There's no doctor on board anyway—maybe she could try tricking the old man first!
"What a silly thought, old man has a ship of his own!" Crocus held his forehead. "Little girl, we just met and have barely built any rapport—acting all reluctant like this is too fake! Besides, Laboon is heading straight for the Florian Triangle. That's a different route from yours. Do you think it looks like it can wait for you?"
Well, that's true. Nami pouted, realizing she couldn't coax the old man. She sniffled—but the tears were gone instantly, like flipping a switch.
Crocus averted his eyes, unable to watch, and stroked his chin in thought.
Speaking of which...
That boy Shano mentioned the Florian Triangle. If he remembered right, that's the territory of one of the Seven Warlords—Gecko Moria?
Could it be that Brook had his shadow stolen by Moria, which is why he's trapped there and unable to leave? That seems like the only logical explanation.
Now this was a bit troublesome.
This old body of his might not be able to handle it... Crocus frowned and entered his cabin to rummage around. He eventually took out a slightly trembling piece of paper.
"This is... a Vivre Card?" Nami leaned in curiously. "I've seen it in books before, but it's my first time seeing a real one! Gramps, who does it belong to?"
"He's been retired for many years now—no need to mention names."
Crocus shook his head. "Anyway, he's a powerful guy. I'll go find him. Haven't seen him in years. We'll catch up, and I'll see if he can help."
If that man agreed to lend a hand, recovering Brook's shadow should be no problem.
But Crocus still had a lingering doubt.
Where had that singing come from just now?
C-Could it be... a ghost haunting Laboon's belly?
"Oh, you mean that?"
Shano raised something shaped like a conch shell. "I picked up this Tone Dial two years ago. Probably dropped from Sky Island. It's got some songs stored in it, including Binks' Sake."
"So it was you!!!" The old man nearly fell over. "Why didn't you say something sooner! I really thought it was a ghost! Just the thought of living with one for so many years without noticing nearly gave me a heart attack!"
"You didn't ask."
Shano rolled his eyes and put the dial away.
Of course, it wasn't something he picked up—it was something he bought years ago from the system shop for 100 points.
—It looked like a regular Sky Island Tone Dial, but it was actually a limited edition One Piece-themed MP3 player.
It came preloaded with hundreds of thousands of songs and had a powerful external speaker. Shano tested it once at the top of the mountain—at full volume, the sound scared the entire Cocoyasi Village into thinking there was an earthquake, sending everyone running out of their homes.
When he first bought it,
Shano used to listen to it after training sessions to relax and ease muscle fatigue.
This time, in a moment of inspiration under urgent circumstances, he searched the song library and found Binks' Sake.
He figured this farewell song that Brook once played for Laboon had a high chance of calming the whale.
If it didn't work?
Well, he had the next track lined up—"LOVE Theme from TIGA" to send Laboon off in peace.
Don't ask—Sky Island tech. If Enel can build a spaceship to the moon, what's a fancy music player?
He sat by the shore, gently petting Laboon. The whale seemed to understand that he was the one who had found Brook's trail and floated there obediently, letting him pat away.
The side effects of its self-destructive charge began to show—Laboon felt something strange in its mouth. It smacked its lips a few times and—plop—spat out several loose teeth.
Shano moved quickly. Seeing no one looking, he unhesitatingly picked up the nearest tooth and activated Sacrifice.
[You sacrificed Laboon's tooth. Gained 400 points.]
That high!?
And it actually worked?!
Shano suddenly thought back to the Sea King and Mohmoo from back then. Tsk, he should've harvested something before letting them go.
But compared to Laboon, those two were just small fry—probably not even worth much. Now that he was flush with points, he didn't really care anymore.
"Hey, gramps! Gramps!"
A noisy voice called out behind him. Shano turned his head.
It was Nojiko and Nami. They finally remembered that this man had once sailed with Roger all the way to Raftel.
While he was packing, the two flanked him like curious little chicks and started bombarding him with questions:
"Gramps, where is Raftel, exactly?"
"Don't remember."
"Does ONE PIECE really exist?"
"Sort of."
"What treasure did Roger hide back then?"
"He didn't hide it. He found it."
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"Ughhh, I knew you'd give answers like that! Then at least tell us some less important juicy gossip!"
"That I can do."
"Roger's two tufts on his face—were those mustaches or nose hairs?"
"..."
Crocus's temple vein popped. "Why would you ask me that?! Doesn't your ship's cook have the same thing? Ask him!"
"They're clearly mustaches, dammit! Who the hell grows nose hairs that thick?!" came Zeff's furious voice from outside. "So what if I forgot to add salt to your food last time we were in the Grand Line? You gonna hold a grudge forever, old man?!"
...
Listening to all the shouting, Shano lay back on the grass again, crossing his legs leisurely and enjoying the view of Reverse Mountain above.
Until Crocus finally finished packing and, carrying a heavy bag, approached him.
"Shano, my boy," the old man said seriously, "even though your crewmates are all weirdos—oh, except that quiet black-ponytailed girl—you really helped Laboon this time. Which means you helped me too."
"I don't like owing people. So, is there anything I can do for you?"
"Hmm... maybe there is."
Shano thought for a moment. "I actually enjoy collecting keepsakes from legendary figures. Since you were Roger's ship doctor, do you have, say... Roger's kidney? Oden's oden skewer?"
"Of course not!!"
Crocus's face darkened. Now he finally understood why all the guy's crew were like that. "I'm a real doctor, not some back-alley butcher working with the underworld!"
And what the hell was 'Oden's oden' supposed to mean!?
"Still, your request isn't hard to fulfill."
Crocus went inside and came back with a worn straw hat. "Jabba visited me a couple of years ago and forgot this on his way out. I probably won't get the chance to see him again, so I'll give this to you."
Jabba?
One of Roger's right-hand men? The guy as famous as Rayleigh? The one who could stir a giant vat with a toothpick?
That was an unexpected haul!
Shano's eyes lit up. He quickly sat up from the grass and took the hat.
"Of course, this little memento doesn't clear the debt fully. So I'll also point out a hidden danger on your ship—consider that my real repayment."
"A danger?"
Shano looked back at the Fallen Twilight with confusion.
What danger? The ship looked perfectly fine. Adam Wood lived up to its name—after all that, it was still completely undamaged.
"Not the ship," Crocus narrowed his eyes. "I mean someone hiding on the ship."
"At first, I thought they were one of your crewmates. But I asked that girl Nami just now—she said you only have five people and one dog, all here now. That means the one who's stayed on the ship all this time... can only be an infiltrator with bad intentions."
There's someone else... on the Fallen Twilight?
Everyone was shocked.
They didn't even react to Arlene barking furiously at Crocus in protest. In an instant, they all drew their weapons and surrounded the ship from all sides.