Walrus School and Owl Library

"Ahh, that hit the spot! Absolutely refreshing!"

Elbaf, Sun World, tavern.

Gaban sprawled casually across the bar, one leg crossed over the other, having just guzzled down an entire barrel of fine liquor.

The reunion gifts between old friends were over. Now came the reminiscing.

Holding a glass of wine, Rayleigh looked at the pink-haired little boy before him with a mixture of confusion and admiration, occasionally glancing at Gaban from the corner of his eye.

"Uncle Rayleigh~"

The pink-haired boy greeted him obediently, a hint of curiosity flashing through his lively eyes.

This was the companion his father always talked about?

"You actually did it." Rayleigh shook his head with a smile, raising his glass in admiration.

Back when they had come to Elbaf, Gaban had fallen for a female giant at first sight and declared that he would marry her.

Rayleigh and Roger had both thought he was joking, but who would have imagined...

"Hahaha! So, what do you think? Cute, right? My son, Colon!"

"This is my wife, Ripley. She may look like this, but she's actually a teacher~"

"It's been a long time, Rayleigh."

Ripley, dressed wildly and bearing a vertical tattoo running across her left eye, greeted him openly. Her smile held an intellectual kind of beauty.

"It has been a long time, Ripley."

Rayleigh returned her smile, even more memories flickering through his eyes.

"Elbaf has really changed a lot~"

"Yes. Ever since King Harald decided to have Elbaf embrace civilization, this place has no longer been purely a nation of warriors."

"We no longer need to live by pillaging, and our reputation is no longer that of bandits. A school was even established here five years ago, with an educated giant from overseas specially appointed to teach there. I'm one of its staff too~"

"Oh? There's even a school now? What's it called~"

"Of course, it's..."

"Walrus School?"

Mobius raised an eyebrow at the building before him, which looked rather like an amusement park pendulum ride.

Someone must have hollowed out a section of the tree trunk, then built suspended wooden houses around it to create this sight.

Above the massive front archway, Mobius saw an ornament resembling a stuffed walrus, wearing a doctoral cap on its head.

Beside him, Shyarly's eyes sparkled, practically popping out little stars one by one. She was still a child, so naturally she liked such things.

"The owner of this place must be someone with a childlike heart." Mobius smiled. Of course, he already knew who had built it.

After arriving in Elbaf, Rayleigh and Gaban had first exchanged blows between old friends, then headed off arm in arm to drink.

Mobius had also met Gaban during that time. Upon learning that Mobius was more or less a Marine, Gaban had laughed heartily, slapped his shoulder hard, and not cared in the slightest.

As expected of a Roger Pirates member. There was a reason they had all gotten along so well.

After having a few simple drinks, Gaban went to introduce his family to Rayleigh. Mobius took the opportunity to excuse himself for the moment, leaving some space for the two old men.

After asking the giants for directions, Mobius came here with only one goal in mind.

Walrus School happened to be on break today. Otherwise, Gaban could not have dragged Colon out to skip class. There were hardly any people inside, and it was very quiet.

Mobius and Shyarly approached openly. Standing before the entrance and looking at the enormous corridor nearly a hundred meters away, he found the door and knocked heavily several times.

"Hello? Is anyone there? I'm Mobius. I came from overseas to pay a visit."

The heavy knocking and greeting echoed through the empty surroundings, lingering for a long while.

After some time, a huge yet gentle voice sounded from within the school.

"Hello. Someone is here."

The door opened, casting down a huge shadow. Squinting, Mobius saw a giant with orange, lion-like mane, all fluffy and furry.

His features did not look particularly kind, and his body was covered in burn scars. Even his right leg was a wooden prosthetic.

Yet despite that, this giant gave Mobius no sense of danger or terror. On the contrary, he felt remarkably reassured, as though he were facing a teacher.

"Hello," the giant said, forming a somewhat awkward smile. "I'm Saul, Jaguar D. Saul. Hello."

"Hello, Saul. I'm Mobius."

Seeing the tragic figure from his memories truly standing before him, Mobius felt deeply moved.

The story of Ohara had brought him to tears more than once in his previous life. He had thought Saul was dead, but thankfully, he was safe and sound.

"I heard that Walrus School has a place called the Owl Library, with many books. May I borrow some of them?"

"Of course you can!"

Saul nodded happily. After surviving by sheer luck, he had returned to his hometown and led a group of companions to move the books left behind in Ohara.

To ensure that the scholars' research would be preserved, Saul had come to the New World and sought refuge in Elbaf, the world's strongest nation.

He had originally only wanted to preserve history, but Harald had unexpectedly asked him to establish a school. Saul wanted to spread Ohara's knowledge, so he naturally agreed.

No matter who it was, anyone who wished to learn from those great scholars was more than welcome.

Vegapunk years ago, Mobius now—it was all the same.

With Saul leading the way, Mobius and Shyarly soon arrived at the Owl Library.

Hearing that Mobius wanted to borrow books from here, Shyarly became interested as well.

"Mobius, you said that Owl Library has lots of amazing books. Then does it have Journey to the West? I want to go read the rest of it!"

Although he had been telling it along the way, the story of Journey to the West was rather long. Moreover, Mobius did not remember all of it and needed to do some reworking.

Even now, Shyarly had not heard the whole story.

"Journey to the West?"

Saul heard Shyarly's question and quickly searched through his memories. Afterward, he nodded in confusion and realization.

"I think there is a copy, but that book is incomplete. It was originally circulated as a handwritten copy, and the story is no longer whole."

"Ah? Why is it like that..."

Shyarly was deeply disappointed. She wanted to read the story.

"There really is one?"

Mobius was slightly surprised, but after considering Journey to the West's prominence among mythological tales, as well as the fact that the pirate world already had myths from all over the world, it no longer seemed strange.

Instead, Mobius became very curious what the pirate version of Journey to the West would be like.

"Oh?" Seeing Shyarly and Mobius's reactions, Saul grew curious as well.

"Mr. Mobius, could it be that you know the story of Journey to the West?"

"Yes."

Mobius nodded, thought for a moment, then said, "As thanks for letting me borrow the books, how about I help complete your copy of Journey to the West?"

Saul's eyes immediately lit up. "If you can, that would be wonderful!"

Creak~

The Owl Library's doors opened. The group entered, and the scent of books washed over them, like dust mingled with parchment. Yet it was not unpleasant.

This place was also built within the tree trunk. At the very center of the library stood a thick branch, upon which a massive owl perched, seemingly dozing.

"We're here!"

Saul spread his arms forward in an embracing gesture. Every time he came here, his smile was incomparably brilliant.

Looking at the collection of books stretching almost beyond sight, Mobius felt his body stir with anticipation.

The Book-Book Fruit... was excited!