Escaping the Florian Triangle

Buluoke bowed his head toward the cabin and observed a moment of silence, then paid his respects, bidding farewell to these companions on Brook's behalf.

Buluoke salvaged the tiny amount of food and fresh water left aboard, along with the valuable Beli, and took his Cane Sword. It didn't suit Buluoke's tastes, but after he'd absorbed Brook's memories, it was the strongest sword he had for now.

He practiced a few flourishes and thrust at the railing. A hole appeared, its edges covered in frost. This slender sword was better suited to thrusting, while Buluoke preferred slashing. He'd have to replace it when he got the chance.

Buluoke continued testing the techniques in his memories, trying each one so he wouldn't be caught unable to use them if he ran into an enemy.

It was incredible. He'd come from an ordinary world to this high-powered, fantastical one. The sword energy he unleashed, the cold ghostly aura—everything was so novel that he couldn't get enough of it. He practiced until his body grew tired.

Once he'd mastered the techniques again, he tried combining them with Underworld Ghost Qi to unleash all kinds of attacks. He also tested his body's strength, wondering whether he'd gained immortality like Brook.

Buluoke slashed his arm. Underworld Ghost Qi spread over the wound, and it healed. This was incredible! It did consume a lot of energy, though, leaving him exhausted. He had to use up his stamina to restore his body.

Wasn't this somewhat similar to the regenerative effect of Marco's Blue Flames of Resurrection from the Phoenix Devil Fruit?

This would be his greatest way to stay alive. He didn't know whether he could reattach his head like Brook, but Buluoke didn't dare try. He was terrified that if he tried, he'd die!

The Rumbar Pirates' ship was so large that Buluoke couldn't operate it alone, so he had to abandon it. He lowered a small lifeboat, the kind commonly used to go ashore.

Buluoke left the ship without hesitation. He didn't know why Brook in the original story hadn't wanted to leave alone. Maybe he'd lost the will to live and couldn't accept what had happened; maybe it was the bond he shared with his companions. Either way, it had nothing to do with Buluoke.

From now on, there would only be Brook in the world of pirates. Buluoke would remain hidden deep in his heart.

Brook watched the Log Pose on his wrist and rowed in the direction it pointed. He'd searched the entire ship but hadn't found an Eternal Pose. The Rumbar Pirates had been hopelessly incompetent. No wonder they'd never even made it to the New World.

This was an ordinary Log Pose, with only one needle. Once it had recorded enough magnetic force, it would point in a single direction. A Log Pose for the New World had three needles, each pointing in a different direction. The steadiest needle pointed toward the safest route; the more violently one shook, the more unstable and dangerous the magnetic field.

Although Brook could survive without eating, it left him in a dormant state. He could barely move and couldn't grow stronger.

Only by continually replenishing his energy with high-quality food could he keep training and growing. That was why Brook hadn't made any progress during his thirty-plus years in the Florian Triangle.

According to Brook's age, he was thirty-eight this year—a full-fledged old-timer. In his previous life, Buluoke had been in his twenties. Other than going to work and editing videos, he'd spent his days watching anime, so he knew the One Piece story pretty well.

It was the year 1470 of the Sea Circle Calendar. That year, Charlotte Linlin was just a sixteen-year-old pirate, wandering around the New World with the chef Streusen and searching for Mother Carmel, whose fate was unknown.

After Charlotte Linlin destroyed the giant village as a child, her first bounty had already reached fifty million Beli. She'd made a name for herself in the New World, and within just a few years, her bounty had climbed to five hundred million Beli.

Linlin should already be a great pirate with a bounty of over five hundred million.

Gol D. Roger was twenty-five this year, still a newcomer with a bit of a reputation on the Grand Line. He was fond of searching the various routes for Poneglyphs and going on adventures.

Edward Newgate was only twenty-two and was still with some pirate crew. It was unclear whether he'd obtained the Tremor-Tremor Fruit yet.

The great pirate Rocks had begun recruiting on a massive scale and expanding his territory. He fought the great pirate crews across the New World, entering an era of conquest.

The rookie Golden Lion Shiki, Silver Axe, Wang Zhi, Captain John, Byrnndi World, Ibadonbo, and other Supernovas were entering the New World one after another. Some would later be recruited by Rocks.

Brook kept rowing in one direction, warily watching the waters below in case a gigantic Sea King suddenly appeared and swallowed his boat whole.

In fact, there were relatively few sea creatures in the Florian Triangle. Without sunlight, there were no algae, and the entire food chain had been destroyed, making the environment harsh for anything living there.

What's more, the cold ghostly aura emanating from Brook kept the creatures beneath the waves from sensing him.

"When will this ever end?" Brook had been rowing around the Florian Triangle for a day and a night without seeing any sunlight. A place so utterly devoid of light could drive anyone crazy.

He might have been an introvert, but that was only when he had a computer, a phone, and internet access.

He was already much stronger than Brook in the original story, wasn't he? After all, he'd actively absorbed so much Underworld Qi and Underworld Ghost Qi.

If he hadn't been so short on food and energy, Brook would have loved to unleash all the wild, fantastical moves he'd imagined while rowing along in boredom.

Brook kept rowing. At last, he noticed the fog growing thinner and the sky growing brighter.

He was finally escaping the Florian Triangle. Excitement made Brook row even faster, heading toward the sunlight. I'm coming, world of One Piece!

Bursting out of the fog, he gazed at the vast, boundless blue sea and the gentle sunlight. Brook was so excited that his hands trembled on the oars. But soon, he was back to the same dull rowing.

The sea was still the sea. He'd merely left the foggy region and reached the sunny one, and he was still rowing endlessly.

Splash!

A sound of splashing water in the distance startled Brook. A small Sea King had leaped out of the water to catch its prey, making him tense up all over. The Grand Line was full of danger!

Brook had already drawn his Cane Sword, cold Underworld Ghost Qi swirling around it as he prepared to unleash his full strength at any moment. But after waiting for a long time without anything happening, he could only start rowing again, quickly fleeing in the direction indicated by the Log Pose.

A few more hours passed. Suddenly, Brook spotted a column of smoke in the distance and heard the sound of cannon fire. Had he finally found people? They might be fighting, but whether it was the Marines battling pirates or pirates fighting each other, Brook had to go take a look.

As Brook drew closer, he finally made out the flags on the two ships. One was a black flag with a skull; the other bore an artistic seagull design and looked like a merchant ship.