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1 Bonus Chapter will be uploaded for every 50 Power Stones or 1000 Collections.
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Before Auguro and the others could speak, Crocus immediately said, "Laboon is about to crash into the Red Line! Be careful not to let your ship be overturned!"
With that, Crocus returned to the lighthouse to tinker with his sedative device. After every one of Laboon's impacts with the Red Line, he had to use the device to treat the whale.
Auguro immediately shouted, "Senior! I have a way to make Laboon stop hitting the Red Line forever!"
Crocus froze, then asked excitedly, "Are you telling the truth?"
He had been at the lighthouse for decades, and Laboon had been crashing into the Red Line for decades. Laboon's forehead was already covered in scars, big and small. If this continued, the Red Line would be fine, but Laboon itself wouldn't last much longer!
Auguro smiled confidently, used a Shunpo to flash above Laboon, and yelled:
"Laboon! Stop immediately! I know the whereabouts of the Rumbar Pirates!"
Moo!
Sure enough, Laboon let out a long cry, and its body, which had been charging toward the Red Line, suddenly halted. Its huge eyes fixed on Auguro, and its cry was filled with surprise and urgency.
Crocus was also stunned. His expression then turned to one of doubt. The Rumbar Pirates were a crew from fifty years ago. This young man was barely in his teens; how could he know about events from so long ago?
Auguro ignored these thoughts and spoke directly to Laboon.
"First, I have unfortunate news for you! The Rumbar Pirates were wiped out by another pirate crew decades ago!"
Hearing this, Laboon immediately let out a massive, sorrowful wail. Fifty years of waiting, only to receive tragic news!
Crocus also fell silent. He had long suspected this outcome. After fifty years with no word, destruction was the only logical reason.
However, Auguro immediately continued, "But you are lucky! One member of the Rumbar Pirates survived! His name is Brook, a musician! You should remember him!"
Laboon, who was sinking into grief, instantly became agitated upon hearing this news. Its massive body thrashed in the sea, splashing countless waves.
"Young man! Even if someone survived back then, fifty years have passed. Wouldn't Brook have died of old age by now?" Crocus couldn't help but interject. He didn't want Laboon to experience another crushing disappointment.
Auguro nodded. "That's true, but that guy, whether by luck or misfortune, ate the Yomi Yomi no Mi (Revive-Revive Fruit)!"
"This Devil Fruit is useless while the person is alive, but when the user dies, they can resurrect once and gain mastery over their soul power! After that, the user is virtually immortal!"
"Unfortunately, Brook's soul got lost on the way back. By the time it found its body, the body had decomposed into a skeleton, so he is currently living as a literal skeleton!"
Crocus was astonished by the story. Resurrection, near-immortality. These were things countless people dreamed of! It was a pity that Brook got lost at the crucial moment and couldn't live in a normal human form. No wonder Auguro said he didn't know if it was luck or misfortune.
Crocus then asked, "If Brook is still alive, why hasn't he returned to visit Laboon?"
Auguro answered, "He is trapped in the Thriller Bark in the Florian Triangle (Devil's Sea), confined by the ability of the Warlord of the Sea, Gecko Moria."
Hearing that his master was trapped, Laboon immediately grew anxious and, without a second thought, was about to ram the Red Line again to rush to Brook's side.
Auguro quickly soothed him.
"Calm down! Although he is trapped, his life is not in danger!"
"I will go and rescue him myself when the time comes!"
Auguro hadn't originally planned to intervene personally. But then he remembered Gecko Moria's base of operations: the Thriller Bark itself was a valuable asset!
An island-sized super-giant pirate ship—wouldn't that make a perfect secret base in the Grand Line?
Leaving such a resource in the hands of that lazy, obese Gecko Moria was a waste!
Furthermore, Gecko Moria's Kage Kage no Mi (Shadow-Shadow Fruit) was not a low-quality fruit; the user had simply misused its potential. Auguro might even be able to exchange it for a legendary-tier draw ticket later!
With such a major benefit at stake, rescuing Brook could easily be done along the way.
"Haha! Laboon, you can finally rest easy! You can't keep crashing into the Red Line! Brook would be heartbroken if he returned and found you all injured!"
Crocus was overjoyed. If an ordinary person claimed they would rescue someone from a Warlord of the Sea, it would be considered suicidal.
But Crocus was extremely proficient in Observation Haki. He could keenly sense the unusual, oppressive pressure emanating from Kuchiki Rukia and Matsumoto Rangiku. With that level of power, rescuing one person might not be a major issue!
Crocus didn't realize that Auguro's true goal was to eliminate Gecko Moria entirely! Saving Brook was merely a bonus!
After Crocus's heartfelt persuasion, Laboon finally settled down. It gently nudged its forehead against Auguro. Auguro understood the gesture, placing his right fist against its forehead in a solemn promise.
"I guarantee that I will rescue Brook!"
The promise of the Soul King carried immense weight!
Laboon happily dove back into the sea, and Crocus warmly invited Auguro and his crew into the lighthouse for hospitality.
"I truly thank you all! If it weren't for you, that child Laboon would have continued crashing into the Red Line, and I fear he wouldn't have lasted many more years!" Crocus raised his cup, offering a sincere expression of gratitude.
Auguro returned the toast.
"You're too kind, Senior! I simply couldn't stand by and watch Laboon, so loyal and devoted, die for nothing!"
"Besides, I also have something to ask of you, Senior!"
Crocus took a hearty gulp of wine and declared, "No problem! You helped Laboon. As long as it is within my power, I will help you!"
Auguro said, "I am about to enter the Grand Line, but I don't have a Log Pose. I was hoping you could gift me one."
He paused, then looked intently at Crocus.
"Furthermore, I also wish to request your guidance on Observation Haki!"
Crocus paused his drinking motion and smiled wryly.
"As I thought, you knew who I am! That makes sense. After all, if you know the fifty-year-old, forgotten Rumbar Pirates inside and out, how could you not know about an old man like me?"
"Haha! The doctor of the Pirate King Gol D. Roger is hardly 'just an old man'!"
At this revelation, Kuchiki Rukia and the others remained unfazed, but Nami was visibly startled.
"The... The Pirate King's doctor?!" How could such a prominent figure be working as a simple lighthouse keeper here?
Crocus waved his hand.
"That was decades ago. It's hardly worth mentioning now."
He then grew serious. "I can give you a Log Pose right now! But teaching you Observation Haki may take some time!"
"No problem! I only need you to teach me the basic entry, Senior. I will handle the rest of the training myself!"
Auguro wasn't demanding that Crocus dedicate two years to him, like Rayleigh did for Luffy. After all, Luffy's true power-up came from "Teacher Kaido"!