Crocus and Laboon

Aboard the Yanhuang.

The Going Merry was anchored beside it.

The Straw Hat Pirates and Crocus, the Pirate King's ship's doctor, were all celebrating with the Moya Adventure Group.

"No wonder Laboon hasn't been ramming the mountain these past two days. He must have accidentally swallowed Luffy and the others, and you treated him, Senior."

Moya took a sip from his glass and looked at Crocus with an expression of sudden understanding.

Crocus looked over Moya's crew: El Drago, Bartolomeo, and Mao Xiong. But when he saw Buggy, Buggy seemed not to recognize him.

Yes, even though Moya had specifically told Buggy to greet Crocus and act as if he knew him, Crocus had still sensed something odd about Buggy.

A trace of gloom flashed in Crocus's eyes.

This Moya was no simple man. A memory-related Devil Fruit? He had actually done something like this to Buggy. Unforgivable.

He definitely wasn't the person Roger had been waiting for. He wasn't as pure-hearted as Luffy. He was an ambitious man who stopped at nothing.

"The Log Pose for the Whisky Peak route is gone, but I still have one or two for other routes."

Old man, so you've figured it out?

As expected of the doctor who served aboard the ship of the Pirate King. On top of his extraordinary medical skills, he wielded a harpoon with practiced ease and mastered both types of Haki. His strength was on par with an average Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral.

He had guarded Twin Capes for over fifty years. In the Sea Circle Calendar year 1470, he parted ways with Brook and promised to look after Laboon.

In 1494, Roger invited him aboard. In 1495, they fought a great battle against the Golden Lion's fleet. In 1497, Roger reached the end of the Grand Line and became the Pirate King. In 1498, Roger turned himself in.

Apart from the more than three years he spent with Roger, Crocus had been at Twin Capes the rest of the time. For over fifty years, he had watched new pirates arrive from the Four Blues—and remained completely unscathed.

His experience and strength were not to be underestimated.

Moya considered it and came to the conclusion that he probably couldn't beat this old-looking Crocus right now.

Even if the whole crew ganged up on him and won, they would suffer heavy casualties.

"Then give us an ordinary Log Pose. We'll pick a route at random ourselves."

Moya smiled insincerely. He had been prepared for this situation.

"Senior Crocus, could my ship's doctor, Kaya, take a look at your medical books and copy some of them?"

"That's fine. I have some medical books I don't need much. You can have them."

Crocus could tell that Moya and his crew were not to be trifled with. Moya was ambitious, but he was also a promising pirate of this era.

"Senior Crocus, actually, I have news about Brook."

Moya dropped a bombshell. Crocus froze for a moment, and Laboon grew restless at once. The sea began to churn again.

Crocus had joined Roger back then in hopes of finding Brook.

Although he still told Laboon there was hope, deep down, he had long since given up on the idea that Brook's crew had survived.

After all, he had traveled the Grand Line with the Roger Pirates and found no news of them even in the New World.

"Did you foresee this?"

Crocus's concealed hostility eased, and his guard lowered considerably.

Brook was an idol to the older generation. The song "Binks' Sake," thanks to Brook's Rumbar Pirates, had spread from the West Blue to the Grand Line and even across the entire pirate world.

It had become a must-sing song at pirate feasts. Even Count Patrick Redfield was a fan of Humming Brook.

"Yes. I know where Brook is. That's why I wanted the Log Pose for this route."

Moya watched Crocus with interest. Of course, he wasn't going to tell Crocus that Brook was in the Florian Triangle, because that place was on a route near the far end of the Grand Line.

The seven routes would eventually converge at Sabaody Archipelago, and the Florian Triangle lay just before Sabaody. Almost every route passed through it.

Moya watched Crocus's expression shift, curious to hear what he would say.

Crocus knew Moya was deliberately making things difficult for him. Damn brat. He was testing whether Crocus had a Log Pose for this route, even though he had just said he didn't.

On the one hand was the wish he had held for years: to help Laboon find Brook's crew.

After sailing the seas for so many years, Crocus had never met a devious pirate like this. Most pirates were straightforward: if they didn't like you, they fought you.

Laboon's pleading voice came from nearby. Crocus sighed.

"Actually, I still have a Log Pose for this route tucked away. Let me go look for it."

"Really? That's great, Senior Crocus."

Moya put on the look of a seasoned cynic, with none of the boldness of someone who had awakened Conqueror's Haki.

Seeing that Moya wouldn't make a move until he got what he wanted, Crocus returned to Twin Capes and brought back the Log Pose, along with quite a few valuable medical books.

"You little brat. Satisfied now?"

"Thank you for the generous gift, Senior!"

Now that he had what he wanted, Moya didn't care how crafty the old fox was—he still had to drink Moya's bathwater.

Even if Crocus had refused to give him the Log Pose or didn't have one, couldn't Moya have followed the Straw Hat Pirates onto this route?

Once he was on this route, he could keep sailing with an ordinary Log Pose.

"Actually, Humming Brook isn't dead. Well, he did die once, but the Revive-Revive Fruit brought him back to life. He's trapped somewhere now. As for the rest of the Rumbar Pirates, they've all perished."

"Why did it have to turn out this way?"

Both Crocus and Laboon looked sorrowful, but at least Brook had survived.

"What a mysterious Devil Fruit. It can even bring someone back to life!"

The crews of the Moya Adventure Group and the Straw Hat Pirates were astonished.

"Then I'm counting on you to find Brook and bring him back."

Moya still hadn't told Crocus where Brook was. Crocus was itching to know, but there was nothing he could do.

"I'll do everything I can!"

Moya looked solemn and resolute. Brook's Revive-Revive Fruit could counter Big Mom's Soul-Soul Fruit. How could he let a crewmate like that slip away?

"Laboon, we'll find Brook. Until then, don't ram the wall. Take care of yourself."

After hearing the news about Brook, Laboon's spirits lifted a little, and he agreed to Moya's request.

Crocus looked at Moya's crew. Moya was a little crafty and stopped at nothing, but he still had a kind heart—as long as no one threatened his interests.

The Straw Hat Pirates had eaten their fill and could hardly wait to set off on their next adventure.

Moya hadn't forgotten to give Zoro the Skillful Grade Sword Yubashiri. It was one of the terms of his deal with Dragon.

Under Zoro's grateful gaze, the Straw Hat Pirates set sail.

The Moya Adventure Group did the same. After the whole crew had helped copy most of the important medical books, and they had received a few other books as gifts, they were ready to go.

A day later, Nami had gotten used to using the Log Pose, and Moya's crew set off close behind them.

With the Sea Cow Moo pulling their ship, the Moya Adventure Group traveled much faster than the Straw Hats.

The distances between islands on the Grand Line were considerable. The larger the island, the more stable its magnetic field, but the longer it took for a Log Pose to collect its magnetic force.

For an ancient island like Little Garden, it took a Log Pose more than a week just to collect enough magnetic force to point toward the next island.

That meant some islands that Moya didn't need to visit really were a waste of time.

It looked like it was time to get in touch with Dragon and Umit.

It was time to collect the payment he was owed for working with them.