Check out advanced chapters on : patreon.com/Veni_V
---------------
Luffy glanced between the Statue of Liberty in his hands and the mast of the Going Merry. After a moment of contemplation, he made his decision. Gripping the statue tightly, he charged toward Laboon.
Laboon, the massive whale, had a deep wound on his head, blood seeping from the injury. Without a second thought, Luffy planted the Statue of Liberty upside down into the wound.
"Rubber-Rubber Pillar!"
The moment the statue's raised hand entered Laboon's wound, the whale let out a pained cry, roaring in frustration. Laboon thrashed violently, his entire body leaping out of the sea before crashing back down with immense force. Then, with a mighty headbutt, Laboon struck Luffy dead-on, sending him flying.
The Straw Hats and Crocus stared at the scene, their jaws hanging open in disbelief.
"Luffy…" Crocus muttered, his voice thick with concern.
Nami, noticing Crocus's distress, waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry. Luffy won't die just because he got crushed. He's made of rubber!"
Crocus raised an eyebrow, unconvinced, but before he could respond, Luffy climbed back to his feet. Though battered and bruised, he grinned as if nothing had happened.
The fight between Luffy and Laboon escalated into a chaotic struggle.
Though Luffy's rubber fists collided with Laboon's massive body, the blows had little effect against the whale's sheer size. Left with few options, Luffy focused on attacking Laboon's eyes and the wound on his head.
This only made Laboon angrier.
Blow after blow, Laboon retaliated with unmatched power, repeatedly sending Luffy hurtling through the air. The battle continued for over ten rounds, and it was clear to everyone watching that Luffy was at a severe disadvantage.
Usopp scratched his head, utterly baffled. "What in the world is Luffy trying to do?"
Ikki, observing the chaos with a small smile, replied, "He's trying to help the whale."
"Help it?!" Usopp exclaimed, his confusion only deepening.
The rest of the Straw Hats exchanged equally puzzled looks.
The fight finally reached its conclusion when Laboon sent Luffy crashing against the wall once again. This time, however, Luffy didn't get back up to attack. Instead, he stood tall and grinned at Laboon.
"A draw!" Luffy declared.
Laboon, despite his anger, paused and blinked, his massive eyes filled with confusion.
Luffy, still smiling, continued. "I'm strong, right? You want to beat me, don't you?"
Laboon tilted his head, listening intently.
"Well, we haven't decided the winner yet! So we'll have to fight again! Your old friends may be gone, but I'll be your opponent now. We'll fight again after I've circled the Grand Line!"
Laboon's eyes filled with tears. Luffy's words struck a deep chord, reminding him of the promise made long ago by the Rumbar Pirates:
"We'll come back to get you after we've circumnavigated the Grand Line, Laboon."
The Straw Hats stood in silence, finally understanding Luffy's intentions. Crocus, watching the scene unfold, smiled warmly.
"This boy…" Crocus murmured. "He really does carry the will of Roger."
Luffy walked toward Laboon, holding a paintbrush in one hand and a can of paint in the other. His plan was simple: to mark Laboon's head with the Straw Hat Pirates' Jolly Roger, a symbol of their promise to return.
Before Luffy could start, Ikki stepped forward and blocked him.
"You idiot!" Ikki scolded. "If you paint over that wound without treating it, aren't you afraid it'll get infected?"
Luffy scratched his head, confused. "Uh… I didn't think about that."
Ikki sighed and raised his hand. A glowing aura surrounded him as his flying teigu appeared behind him. Hovering in the air, Ikki flew to Laboon's head and used Sky Dragon's Magic to mend the whale's injuries.
Laboon cooed softly as the pain eased, his massive eyes looking at Ikki with gratitude.
While using his sky magic to heal Laboon, Ikki spoke softly, his tone gentle. "You don't have to be so hard on yourself, Laboon. Brook is still alive."
The name "Brook" sent a shockwave through Laboon. His massive body, which had been calm moments ago, began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Don't get too excited!" Ikki said quickly, weaving magic designed to soothe the soul. The calming energy washed over Laboon, easing his trembling. As Laboon settled, the wound on his head was nearly healed.
Ikki floated back down to the ground and addressed the giant whale directly. "Brook is alive. But... he's stuck somewhere on the Grand Line and can't return to you right now. I promise, though, I'll help bring him back to you."
Crocus's eyes widened in shock. "Boy, what did you just say? Brook—with the afro—is still alive?"
The disbelief in his voice was palpable. After all, Crocus had traveled the Grand Line with Roger's crew and had long ago confirmed that the Rumbar Pirates had perished.
Ikki shook his head with a solemn expression. "I wouldn't say he's alive in the traditional sense... but he isn't dead either."
"What do you mean?" Crocus asked, his brow furrowed.
Ikki explained, "Brook ate the Revive-Revive Fruit. Its power lets its user come back to life once after death. After everyone in the Rumbar Pirates died, Brook was reborn—but as a living skeleton. He's still alive, in a sense, but he's been trapped in the Devil's Triangle ever since, unable to leave."
The revelation stunned Crocus. He remained silent for a moment, absorbing Ikki's words.
Nami broke the silence, curiosity lighting up her face. "Ikki, how do you know all of this? If I'm not mistaken, the Rumbar Pirates' tragedy happened fifty years ago!"
Ikki shrugged nonchalantly. "I just do," he replied cryptically.
Crocus, having heard Ikki's explanation, let out a long sigh. If Brook truly had the power of the Revive-Revive Fruit, it made sense. He nodded slowly, coming to terms with the possibility that Brook was still out there.
Laboon, however, was the most affected. Upon hearing that Brook was alive and had even made new friends, Laboon's heart swelled with joy. His massive body flipped and rolled in the sea, mimicking the carefree movements he once made while sailing with the Rumbar Pirates as they sang their songs.
To prevent Laboon from continuing to ram into the Red Line in his despair, Luffy climbed atop Laboon's head and painted the Straw Hat Pirates' Jolly Roger over the newly healed wound.
The design was crude and messy—hardly an artist's work—but Laboon was overjoyed. The mark was a new promise, a symbol of hope.
The arrival of Luffy and Ikki had given Laboon something precious: a reason to keep waiting.
Crocus watched the scene with a warm smile. "You've done something wonderful for him," he murmured.
With Laboon's problem resolved, Nami turned her attention to a pressing issue. She decided to remain at Twin Capes for a little while to consult with Crocus about navigation in the Grand Line.
Though Nami was a prodigious navigator, all her knowledge was based on the seas of the Four Blues, where the rules were simple and predictable. The Grand Line was an entirely different beast.
As she prepared to speak, Nami noticed something alarming: the compass she was using was spinning wildly, its needle refusing to settle in one direction.
"The compass isn't working!" Nami exclaimed. "It's going in circles—I can't tell north from south, east from west!"
Crocus chuckled knowingly. "I take it you didn't do your homework before coming here, did you?"
The crew stared at him in confusion, prompting him to explain.
"In the Grand Line, the islands are rich in unique mineral resources, which disrupt normal magnetic fields. That's why traditional compasses won't work here. To navigate, you'll need a special tool called a Log Pose."
"A Log Pose?" Nami asked, intrigued.
Crocus nodded. "A Log Pose records the magnetic field of each island you visit. Once the recording is complete, it will point you to the next island. Without it, you'll never make it through these seas."