After Crocus told his story, everyone finally understood the promise Laboon had made with his Pirate friends. They were deeply moved.
Crocus sighed. "But that was fifty years ago. He still firmly believes they're alive."
Zoro shook his head. "Fifty years? The ending's pretty obvious, isn't it?"
"It is," Crocus said, "but Laboon won't listen. I once sailed the Grand Line aboard a Pirate ship myself, and I never heard a thing about that crew. I think they fled the Grand Line."
He stood up. "Never mind. What's the point of telling you all this? I'll take you out."
Rubick sent a strong wind blowing, and the Going Merry soon reached the iron gate. Crocus stepped forward and opened the mechanism. The ship followed the passage and quickly emerged from the whale's side.
Someone had cut an opening in the whale's cheek and fashioned a great gate from his flesh. The gate led straight into the whale's stomach. It was an astonishing feat.
Usopp exclaimed, "Old man, did you build this passage? You did something this huge inside a whale, and he's still alive?"
Crocus sounded a little proud. "I'm an excellent Ship's Doctor. I still have my old clinic here at Twin Cape."
The moment Luffy heard he was a Ship's Doctor, he invited him aboard. "Old man, come be the Ship's Doctor on my ship!"
Crocus was suddenly reminded of the past. Another man had once invited him aboard. Beside that man had been a little red-haired boy wearing the Straw Hat that had supposedly belonged to the captain.
And now that same hat sat on the head of the young man before him.
Roger, did you entrust it to the wrong person?
Shanks, is this the choice you made?
"I'm old now. I have to stay and