As night deepened, the sea at the foot of Reverse Mountain gradually calmed. Cold moonlight fell over Laboon's enormous body, making the scars on it stand out with startling clarity.
Brook remained silent as he slowly lifted his skullcap. From his hollow cranium, he carefully took out a Tone Dial he had treasured for forty-two years and lightly pressed its playback button.
A melodious tune flowed from the Tone Dial, crossing the silent night sky and echoing through the waters around Reverse Mountain.
It was the Rumbar Pirates' final chorus, "Binks' Sake," played with their lives.
Laboon's huge eyes instantly lit up. It excitedly swished its tail and carefully swam across the surface as it had when it was young, letting out soft "Woo~ woo~" responses along with the melody while its massive head gently swayed to the beat.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Brook watched the scene and instinctively picked up his beloved violin.
The flowing violin music joined the melody from the Tone Dial. In a daze, the scene before Brook's eyes kept shifting:
His departed companions stood beside him once more, smiling as they picked up their instruments and played with him; the four-hundred-meter-long Laboon became a little whale only one or two people tall again, frolicking and tumbling through the waves to the cheerful music...
"How many of us are still alive..."
"Even if there are any, they won't last much longer..."
"The enemy coated their weapons with a lethal poison..."
"And the ship's doctor is dead too..."
The scene from the day his companions departed came flooding into Brook's mind like a tide.
"Let's sing!"
Back then, he had lain on the cold deck and spoken with the last of his strength,
"If I really come back to life, I'll definitely deliver this song to him! The