Helpless Xi Yan, Another Awkward Fellow

Seeing Nami Sanji, everyone burst out laughing. This guy is still the same as ever.

"Hmph, just as I thought Perverted Kappa." Zoro scoffed.

"What do you know, you Green Algae Head?!"

"Anyway, I'm better than Perverted Kappa like you."

"You bastard, do you want to fight?!"

Sanji, fully recovered, sprang up and clashed head-on with Zoro, beginning a fierce bullfight.

"Hehehe, you two have such a good relationship," Brook said with a chuckle.

"Who's close to him?!" X2

"Don't mimic me!" x2

"Hmph!" X2

"Don't worry about them," Xi Yan said with a smile. "This is their daily routine; you'll get used to it."

Ever since joining the Straw Hat Pirates, he'd discovered that those two couldn't stand not fighting every day.

Although the reasons for fighting are varied and numerous, they all ultimately boil down to a few sentences.

"Yohohoho, that's really interesting."

"The powers of Devil Fruit are truly bizarre," Franky said, stroking his chin. "They can not only revive people, but also make skeletons grow hair."

"Ah, this hair isn't because of Devil Fruit," Brook said, grabbing a handful of his hair. "It's just my naturally afro."

"After death, the body turned into a skeleton, but the hair was preserved?"

"It's surprising, but it's true," Brook laughed. "It's probably because my hair roots are quite strong; even if I become a skeleton, my hair won't disappear."

"Yohohoho~"

"Is this something that can be explained by hair roots...?" Nami retorted.

Even if a normal person's hair were to remain after their body turned into a skeleton, it wouldn't be preserved so perfectly.

This guy is clearly not normal.

"Anyway, the hair was stored," Brook said. "That's something to be thankful for."

He's now a skeleton, and if he loses even his most iconic afro, he won't be able to recognize Laboon.

So he was extremely grateful that he was able to be resurrected with his hair still intact.

"Your hair is quite unique."

"Yo-ho-ho-ho, hair like it's been hit by a bomb, an afro!" Brook stood up and raised his hands.

"Oh!"

"Afro!"

Watching Luffy fooling Luffy with Brook, Nami sighed and rubbed her forehead. He was acting just like a child.

"Haha, Brook is really funny."

Sitting on the stool, Merry swung her legs, rested her chin on her hands, and looked at Brook, finding him very interesting.

"Yohohoho, you're so cute too~"

After being praised by Brook, Merry became a little embarrassed.

"Um?"

Leaning against the wall, Xi Yan suddenly noticed a detail: why wasn't Brook's reflection seen in the restaurant's special glass Water tank?

"Hey, Brook."

"What's wrong?"

Why don't you have a reflection?

Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned for a moment, and then they followed Xi Yan's finger and were immediately dumbfounded.

"Really, he really doesn't have a reflection!"

The glass reflected the images of everyone in the Straw Hat Pirates, but Brook was nowhere to be seen, as if he didn't exist at all.

This astonishing discovery startled Usopp so much that he jumped up.

"Hey, you're not a vampire, are you?!" Usopp exclaimed in horror. "Looking closely, you don't even have a shadow!"

"What?"

"So it wasn't because of the Revive-Revive Fruit), but because you turned into a vampire?!"

Usopp and Chopper immediately huddled together, trembling as they picked up an exorcism tool and aimed it at Brook.

"There's no shadow? That's amazing!" Luffy exclaimed in shock.

"Isn't there something slightly off about what's causing your surprise...?"

"Everyone, please don't get agitated." Brook pulled out a chair, sat down again, and said, "This is a long story."

As he spoke, Brook picked up a glass of water from the table, took a sip, and his expression was... somewhat content?

Although I don't know why, that's just the feeling this skull face gives off.

"Hey, aren't you being a little too calm?!" Sanji roared, opening his shark-like mouth. "Give me a proper explanation, you bastard!"

If this bastard dares to deceive them, they wouldn't mind beating him up; after all, he's already had his fill.

"Yo ho ho ho, that's really strict."

After chuckling, Brook said seriously, "Actually, turning into a skeleton and not having a shadow are two completely different things..."

Usopp stared nervously at Brook, afraid that the guy would just admit he was a vampire.

To find out what happens next, please stay tuned for the next episode.

"Tell me now, you bastard!"

Nami slammed a wine glass at Brook's head, giving him another big bump.

"Hehehe, you're really feisty."

"Hey, how come this guy can grow a lump?" Usopp exclaimed in shock.

Really?

Chopper was dumbfounded when he saw the huge bump growing on the other person's afro. Could a skeleton really grow flesh?

At that moment, Chopper, as a doctor, felt his worldview being shaken.

"We'll talk about the long bag later. Tell me quickly how you lost your shadow," Sanji urged.

"Ah, it's because of a man," Brook said. "Years ago, he stole my shadow."

"Huh?!"

"Is this even possible?!"

"Even a skeleton like him can move, so it wouldn't surprise me if his shadow was stolen," Zoro said.

"It's the power of Devil Fruit," Nico Robin said.

Only Devil Fruit User could do something like that.

"Yes, it's the power of Devil Fruit." Brook put down his tea and said in a heavy tone, "The other party used powerful Devil Fruit power to strip me of my shadow, which also deprived me of the ability to live in the sunlight."

But you're still alive, aren't you?

"That's because I haven't been exposed to sunlight," Brook said seriously. "If I were exposed to sunlight, I would die."

"Sunshine..." Xi Yan thought for a moment and said, "I think I understand what you mean."

He knew several people who played with shadows, and having read some information about the Ino-Shika-Cho, he had some further speculations.

I wonder how this ability to manipulate shadows compares to the Shadow Imitation Technique.

"What's the meaning?"

Luffy looked at Xi Yan in confusion, wondering why he didn't understand at all.

"An object blocks the straight-line propagation of light, preventing it from reaching the target area, thus creating a shadow," Xi Yan explained. "And without a shadow, the light appears to pass directly through your body."

"Simply put... it's as if you don't exist!"

"This rule could potentially lead to your disappearance, am I right?" Xi Yan said this last sentence while looking at Brook.

"This gentleman is quite clever," Brook said with a smile. "Indeed."

"Just as I cannot reflect my own image in glass, I cannot block out light."

"If exposed to direct sunlight, my body will be scorched and eventually turn to ashes."

"This is the price of being rejected by the sun!"

"So now I've not only lost all my companions, but I'm also a skeleton rejected by the sunlight!!"

"You're so pitiful..."

Even so, I survived! Yay!

Brook laughed heartily, as if that could dispel the pain in his heart.

This scene brought tears to Little Merry's eyes.

"Poor skeleton..."

"Oh ho ho ho, what a kind little girl," Brook said with a gentlemanly bow.

"But don't worry, I'm really happy today!"

"Yohohoho!"

Looking at Brook's overly optimistic attitude, no one could manage a smile.

"For decades, I've drifted alone on the sea, reminiscing about the past in solitude." Brook suddenly lowered his head and said, "Without sails and a destroyed rudder, I can only drift with the current."

"I... I'm so lonely!"

"If it weren't for my deep-seated obsession, I probably would have died long ago."

"But... it's really great to have lived this long, and it's so wonderful to have met you all!"

"Yohohoho~"

"If I could still shed tears, I would definitely cry tears of joy!"

"Yohohoho~"

This time, although Brook was laughing, everyone could tell that he was crying.

It's just that because the other party is just a skeleton, they can't shed a single tear.

"Please don't be sad, everyone. I'm already very happy to have met you all." After Brook finished speaking, he turned to Luffy and continued, "Mr. Luffy, you just invited me to join the Straw Hat Pirates, right?"

"Yes."

"Thank you, I'm really happy, very happy!"

He was genuinely happy that Luffy treated him sincerely and didn't look at him, a moving skeleton, with strange eyes.

But precisely because of this, he couldn't betray the other party.

Thinking this through, Brook said seriously, "Mr. Luffy, I'm glad you invited me, but... please forgive me for declining!"

"Huh?!"

Why?

Luffy was dumbfounded. Hadn't he just agreed? Why did he suddenly refuse?

"Didn't I just say that my shadow has already been taken away?" Brook explained. "Even if I leave with you, I'll be killed by the sun sooner or later."

"So I plan to stay here, waiting for the day I meet that man again and reclaim my shadow!"

At this point, Brook paused for a moment, then continued, "If I could meet you all again at that time, and if you were still willing to accept me, then I would join..."

"What are you talking about?!" Luffy slammed his hand on the table and stood up, interrupting, "Why are you being so formal? Aren't we already comrades?!"

"Didn't you say someone stole your shadow? Tell me where they are, and I'll get it back for you!!"

Brook was stunned when he saw Luffy's serious Luffy; he hadn't expected the other to say something like that.

They've only just met, and Mr. Luffy is already willing to challenge such a terrifying enemy for him...

At that moment, Brook felt Luffy's unique personal charm!

"Mr. Luffy, you really are a good person." Brook raised his hand and clutched his chest, saying, "If I still had a heart, it would be pounding wildly right now."

"But... Mr. Luffy, please forgive me for not being able to tell you, but I cannot drag you all into this abyss as well."

Someone like him is enough on his own; Mr. Luffy clearly deserve a brighter future.

He couldn't be so selfish as to ask the other person for help.

"Is it because the enemy is very strong?" Xi Yan raised an eyebrow.

From the moment Luffy uttered those words, he knew Luffy wouldn't give up. This guy is a stubborn mule; once he sets his mind on something, he'll never turn back.

Given the chance, he would definitely choose to help Brook reclaim his shadow!

Therefore, he needs to know more intelligence, which will be beneficial for the upcoming operations.

No, I can't say.

"Can't I even say my name?"

"Hey hey hey, I know you guys are good people, please don't risk your lives for me," Brook said. "Besides, I don't even know where he is, and whether I'll ever meet him in this lifetime is a question."

"Why..."

Xi Yan sighed, turned to look at Nico Robin beside him, and said, "Another awkward guy."

The mature woman simply smiled and said nothing.

Aren't there enough awkward guys in the Straw Hat Pirates?

"Hey hey hey, let's not talk about that anymore." Brook chuckled and said, "It's rare to be this happy today, so I'll sing a song for everyone."

"Hey, you can actually sing?"

"I'm a musician, you know, I'm very good at playing instruments!"

"What?! You're a musician?!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly. "Then you absolutely have to join us, you bastard!!"

He had wanted a musician as a partner for a long time, and now that he had finally found one, how could he let it go?

"Yohohoho, let's not talk about that. Let me play a piece for everyone first..."

Before Brook could finish speaking, he froze on the spot, then began to tremble, as if he had seen something terrifying.

"What's wrong with you?"

"A ghost... a phantom!!"

Brook was terrified when he saw the ghost emerge from the wall.

The ghost, controlled by Perona, grinned as it emerged from the wall and hovered in the air, staring down at the people below.

Now that this ship has been swallowed up by their Thriller Bark, there's no need to keep eavesdropping; just come out and scare them!

This is one of the things she enjoys doing!

"Ah!!"

"A ghost!!"

"Wow... that's amazing!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly.

"Is it Ship Spirit?"

"This doesn't look like Ship Spirit at all..." Xi Yan said warily, looking up at the sky. "But do ghosts really exist in this world?"

"Could it be another Devil Fruit User?"

After hearing Brook's account of those events, Xi Yan felt that the existence of Devil Fruit like Ghost was not impossible.

After hearing Xi Yan's words, the ghost in the sky glanced at him with obvious surprise, then left without saying a word.

This change startled Xi Yan for a moment, then he narrowed his eyes and said, "Such a humane look."

Could this really be Devil Fruit User?

"Boom!"

As the other ship departed, the Thousand Sunny suddenly shook, immediately eliciting gasps of alarm.

"What... what's wrong now?!"

"I don't know, could it be an earthquake?"

"Idiot, we're at sea, how could there be an earthquake!"

"Damn it, could it be...?"

Brook's expression changed, and he immediately ran outside. When he saw where he was, he froze.

The familiar sight immediately made Brook realize that he had once again arrived in Gecko Moria's territory!