Reaffirming Vows, Two Tales Unfold

On the land next to the Twin Cape lighthouse.

"Is it okay to just let those two go?"

Nami was a little uneasy. This kind of letting the tiger return to the mountain seemed...

"Don't worry, they'll be back soon."

Faced with Roman's calm words, the others were all confused. Roman didn't intend to keep them in suspense and directly spread out his palm:

In his palm was something that looked like a 'watch'. However, unlike a flat wristwatch, it was a spherical glass orb, with a slightly trembling needle inside.

"Log Pose."

Seeing their curious faces, Roman had to continue explaining.

"Many islands in the Grand Line have powerful magnetic fields, so ordinary compasses are completely unusable here. You need this special Log Pose to navigate..."

"It can 'record' the magnetic force between islands and point the way to the next island..."

Oh~~~ X3

Nami, Usopp, and Sanji nodded repeatedly at Roman's words, wearing expressions of "I learned something." The old man on the other side glanced at Roman:

"I didn't expect you to know so much about the Grand Line."

"Are you the 'Navigator' of this ship?"

Faced with Croccus's question, Roman shook his head and pointed to Nami, who was awkwardly chuckling beside him.

"She's our Navigator. As for me—"

He touched his chin and thought for a moment before finally giving himself a clear position.

"I'm the ship's 'Babysitter'."

???

"When people get old, hearing loss is normal..." Croccus sighed with his hands behind his back, prompting the embarrassed Nami to quickly change the subject.

"Roman, why do you have this 'Log Pose'?"

"It's very simple, I took it from that man named Mr.9 just now."

???

"Ah, this..."

Nami was speechless. That was stealing, right? It was stealing! She never thought Roman, with his honest appearance, would steal her role...

"We saved them, so it's only fair to take some compensation, right? Or are you planning to continue sailing with a compass that points in all directions?"

"It's not too much, not too much..."

As the saying goes, it's better to let one's friends die than to die oneself. If it weren't for those two 'kind people,' the Straw Hat Pirates would have been drifting at sea... But speaking of the Straw Hat... It's been a while since Luffy's antics, and that's not scientific—!??

"Roman, tell us, that's an illusion, right? I saw Luffy..."

On the giant whale Laboon in the sea nearby, a figure clinging to a mast was speeding along! Roman nodded seriously.

"It's not an illusion, what you saw is indeed Luffy himself."

Compared to the shocked Nami and Usopp, Zoro, Sanji, and Roman were already somewhat 'immune' to Luffy's behavior. They even had the leisure to chat.

"What is that idiot planning now?"

This was Sanji, holding a cigarette.

"I don't know, maybe he wants to climb a mountain for fun?"

This was Zoro, holding the three swords at his waist.

"But, he's carrying the Golden Merry's mast, isn't he—"

"Yes, the main mast at that."

Usopp, with the best eyesight, nodded. Everyone was speechless, and the scene became very cold. Until Luffy, who had already reached the mountaintop... the whale's head, completely invisible from below, let out his signature:

"Gum—"

?!

"Hiss, that guy wouldn't be..."

"Pistol!"

"Bwooooh~~~!!!!!"

No need to look, just hearing the giant whale Laboon's cry was enough to know that Luffy was up to his antics again! And he had likely attacked the whale...

Boom boom boom!

The giant whale suddenly "crashed" towards the land where they were, like a collapsing mountain! Because on its head, a figure firmly grasping the mast inserted into its wound left it helpless.

"You bastard~~"

"You're going to get us killed!"

"Run!"

Facing the giant whale crashing down, Roman instantly spread his wings and swept Nami away! Usopp, in tears, was still clinging to his feet, while Sanji and Zoro were already running for their lives. Finally, before the giant whale Laboon could hit the land:

Boom!

A deafening sound, a true earth-shattering tremor! Amidst the flying dirt and rocks, there was a "splat."

"Hey, hey, hey, kid!"

While the others were still reacting, old man Croccus, looking anxious, prepared to rush forward as if his grandson had been pinned! — But Roman immediately stopped him with his paper.

"Don't get excited, old sir, that guy won't die from blunt force!"

It's just Laboon~~ Think about it, even Kaido's iron club couldn't bring him down later...

As expected, as Laboon lifted its head, Luffy, who had just been 'flattened,' got up and immediately used Gum-Gum Pistol on the whale's eye. The giant whale cried out in pain, shook its head, and sent Luffy flying again!

Splat!

He was smashed directly into the lighthouse where Roman and the others had retreated, sliding down slowly like a mural! Facing the enraged giant whale and the confusion of everyone, the young man named Luffy stood up and shouted at Laboon.

"We're tied!!!"

What the...

"I'm strong, right? We didn't decide a winner, we have to fight again!"

"Your comrades are dead, but I'm your opponent!"

"After we circle the Grand Line, we'll fight again!!"

Fifty years passed, and Laboon's wait had long since lost its meaning; now, only pain remained. However, Luffy once again gave his waiting 'new meaning.'

Whether friends or 'opponents,' whether human or whale, as long as there is hope, one can persevere and live on!

"Just casually asking others to wait for you, what a selfish guy!"

Although Roman was complaining, there wasn't a hint of impatience. While Luffy was often unreliable, he was incredibly dependable at crucial moments.

"Hmph, that's our captain."

Zoro, Sanji, Nami, and Usopp, some standing, some squatting in the background, watched Luffy make a promise with the whale Laboon, their lips curved into smiles.

"Alright, let's get ready to set sail."

After removing the mast from the whale's head and reattaching it to the Golden Merry, and also repairing the broken sheep figurehead, it was time for everyone to set sail. But before that, just as Roman had said:

"Please, take us with you!"

Looking at the man and woman who had returned and were now kneeling before them: Mr.9 and Miss Wednesday, the two who had tried to kill Laboon earlier.

"Dream on, you guys wanted to kill Laboon earlier~~"

"By the way, who are you guys?"

Facing Usopp's question, the man with the crooked crown answered with utmost seriousness.

"I am a prince."

However:

"Liar!"

Even Usopp didn't believe in such a pathetic prince.

"In short, we can't reveal our identities, or we'll die~~~"

"We don't want to do this sneaky stuff either, but the 'Company' has regulations..."

"Is that so?"

Nami, with a 'naive' expression, readily agreed to their request.

"We can let you on the ship, but we only have a regular compass..."

"Wh-what, are you guys here to die on the Grand Line!!"

"Making us grovel, so you can't even get anywhere—"

The two who had been kneeling in supplication stood up in anger!

"Ah, we just found something good," Nami said, taking out the Log Pose Roman had given her, looking 'innocent.' "So you guys don't want to ride our ship~~"

"Your Magnificence is generous, just consider us..." x2

The two prostrating themselves were in tears!

That's our pointer!

"Get on the ship."

Facing the two being toyed with by Nami, Luffy casually made the decision.

Since the captain had spoken, no one would object. Soon, after bidding farewell to Laboon and the old man Croccus guarding the lighthouse, the group set sail.

As the Golden Merry gradually sailed away, the old man's expression grew increasingly serious.

"Is this the person we've been waiting for?"

"He's quite a spirited boy, wouldn't you say, Roger?"

After speaking, he turned and looked in the direction of the lighthouse behind him.

"So, why did you stay behind?"

"As expected, I couldn't hide it from a senior,"

With a calm voice, Roman slowly walked out from behind the lighthouse. On the departing Golden Merry, a 'Roman' was diligently steering the ship!

"A puppet created by a Devil Fruit ability?"

Facing the sharp gaze of the old man named Croccus, the 'Roman' below the lighthouse spread his hands.

"Seen through in an instant,"

"As expected of King of the Pirates Gol D. Roger's ship doctor."