During the seven days he spent in Marineford, Luffy bought a few more things, including a healing fruit—which, of course, he gave to Hancock's sister.
On a brand-new day, Luffy opened his Adventure Shop, glanced around, and spotted a new item on display.
[Transmission Fruit]: Upon consumption, it grants the ability to project thought waves. When used in conjunction with others who have eaten the same fruit, there are no distance limitations.
[Price: 300 Adventure Coins.]
It wasn't exactly a new product—if he remembered correctly, he had already seen it on his first day in this world.
"Isn't this just like a Den Den Mushi?"
Luffy blinked. Den Den Mushi were fascinating creatures. Once fitted with certain human-made devices, they could function like telephones.
They could emit thought-waves and communicate with others of their kind to transmit information.
He wasn't sure what this fruit would really do—but he bought it and ate it anyway.
With a flash of white light, a pale yellow fruit appeared in Luffy's hand.
After biting into it, the ability was his.
As if he had always had it, he instantly understood how to use it.
He focused and released an invisible thought wave, stretching up to 10 kilometers.
Beyond that, the signal quickly faded.
[Hey, is anyone there?]
He projected his thoughts outward.
At that moment—aboard the Sunny, the Merry, and even the airborne Ark Maxim—everyone heard that phrase.
To be more precise, the voice echoed inside their hearts.
"Eh?!"
Sunny – Kaya's Room.
Early in the morning, Kaya was getting dressed when she froze, startled. She hurriedly covered her chest and turned toward the door with a crimson face—but no one was there.
"Mr. Luffy?" she murmured, confused.
Was she hearing things?
Nojiko's Room.
Still half-asleep, Nojiko rubbed her eyes and mumbled groggily,
"That voice... was that Luffy?"
Galley.
Vivi, cheerfully preparing breakfast for everyone, paused in surprise.
"…?"
She looked around, but there was no sign of Luffy.
Fresh out of the bath, Nami stepped onto the deck, drying her wet hair.
Standing at the Sunny's figurehead, she spotted Luffy.
"Luffy, were you calling me just now?"
After a month, Nami had finally spent a peaceful night at Luffy's side. That morning, she looked especially radiant.
Luffy: ...
Using Observation Haki, he scanned the three ships and noticed that everyone seemed shocked.
[Nami, listen closely.]
This time, he targeted the message solely to her.
Nami froze mid-motion, her eyes wide.
"An… inner voice?"
She saw Luffy's lips hadn't moved.
"Shishishi… Isn't it cool?" Luffy couldn't help but laugh.
"Cool? It's creepy!" Nami gave him a blank stare and asked curiously, "What kind of ability is this?"
"It's like a Den Den Mushi's thought-wave," Luffy explained plainly.
"You turned into a Den Den Mushi?"
Luffy chuckled, leaped down from the figurehead, and gave her a good morning kiss.
"I'm going to check on Chopper next door."
"Breakfast is almost ready~"
---
Observation Tower.
As Luffy approached, Zoro—on night watch—jumped down to meet him.
"Luffy, was that you calling me earlier?"
"Morning, Zoro. Your Armament Haki still hasn't awakened?"
For a whole month, Luffy hadn't received any system notifications about Zoro's progress.
"I think I've grasped the basics… but I'm far from mastering it."
Zoro frowned.
He could now punch through Mr. 3's wax wall.
But full mastery still eluded him.
"I asked Chopper to prepare something for you."
With that, Luffy opened the hatch near the mast and jumped down.
---
Crew Quarters No. 2.
Usopp and Franky were organizing the storeroom, while Sanji prepared breakfast in the kitchen.
Only three people remained in the room: Johnny and Yosaku still fast asleep, and Chopper flipping through a book.
"Luffy!"
"Wahhh—!"
Chopper yelped, startled. He turned and saw Luffy, then quickly wiped non-existent sweat from his furry brow.
"You always scare me! What's up, Luffy?"
Luffy smiled and patted the cute reindeer's head.
"What're you reading so seriously?"
"You gave me the Fruit of Life earlier, and I've been documenting my experiments."
Chopper sighed.
"I extracted the special compounds and ran tests on the half-dead fish Sanji brought me… but there were no meaningful results."
"Seems like I broke its integrity. The Fruit of Life must be used whole."
Luffy didn't mind the outcome.
It was just one Fruit of Life. If it was wasted, so be it.
He immediately pulled out 14 Rokushiki Fruits.
"Use them all."
"A-all of them?!" Chopper gasped.
"Where'd you get these?"
Luffy took out another fruit.
"This one's called the Haki Fruit. Whoever eats it awakens Haki. Try it—see if it can replace the Rokushiki Fruit."
"Got it! I'll give it my all—for everyone's growth!"
Chopper was already used to Luffy pulling strange magic fruits from thin air.
"It's all thanks to you, Dr. Chopper."
"S-stupid~ Even if you say that, it won't make me happy~!"
As they chatted, Zoro's urgent voice rang from above.
"Luffy! Something's going on!"
Hearing that, Luffy rushed to the deck, with Chopper following close behind after securing the fruits.
Franky and Usopp emerged from the storeroom.
They all froze at the scene before them.
"It was morning just now… then this thick fog rolled in and everything went pitch-black!"
Zoro said, voice tense.
"What's happening?" Usopp shook his head, confused.
Franky grinned.
"Don't joke around. We probably drifted into that infamous sea zone… the Florian Triangle!"
Sanji stepped out of the kitchen and saw the darkened sky too.
"Florian Triangle? I heard hundreds of ships vanish here every year…"
"Ahhh!" Usopp's face turned pale. "This place is haunted?!"
Immediately, he pulled a cross from the pouch at his waist.
Luffy climbed aboard the Ark Maxim, releasing his Observation Haki and expanding it to its fullest range.
"Remember the promise at Twin Capes? The person Laboon was waiting for… is here."
"Laboon?" Franky looked puzzled.
"You haven't noticed there's been a whale following us?"
Sanji shouted toward the sea.
"Laboon!!"
---
Soon, a massive shadow rose from the ocean's surface—and the next moment, Laboon emerged, letting out a long, mournful cry.
"Whoa! What is that?!" Franky exclaimed.
"Shishishishi, don't worry, Laboon. You'll see your friend soon."
Luffy jumped onto Laboon's head.
His Observation Haki detected nothing ahead. The Florian Triangle was vast, and finding a ghost ship here would be quite a task.
He sat cross-legged.
"No rush. I'm here to find someone. Follow me!"
"ROOOOO~!"
Laboon roared with joy, diving into the mist with Luffy.
---
Sunny – Deck
Robin crossed her arms, rested her cheek on one hand, and smiled as she watched Luffy and Laboon vanish into the fog.
"What if he gets lost? Feels like ghosts will come out any second."
"Don't say stuff like that, Robin!" Nami cried helplessly. "Luffy, breakfast is ready!"
"Go ahead without me."
And with those parting words, he vanished from view.
---
Luffy didn't have to go far.
After about half an hour riding Laboon through the fog, he finally sensed a presence.
"Laboon, two o'clock."
Laboon turned in the indicated direction and sped up.
---
Elsewhere.
A worn-out ship drifted in the misty, silent sea.
Through the thick fog came a ghostly humming.
"Yohohoho~~!!"
Brook, long deceased and reduced to bones, sat alone on the ruined deck, a cold cup of coffee in hand, humming a pirate tune day after day.
Once a symbol of freedom and joy, that melody now echoed with endless solitude.
[How about changing the tune?]
The humming stopped abruptly.
Brook trembled down to his bones, nearly spilling the coffee.
"What was that sound?! Who's there?!"
First fear, then a flash of hope.
Brook glanced around—but the fog offered no answers.
[I'm behind you.]
A voice echoed in his heart.
His skeletal frame froze. Slowly, like a creaking puppet, he turned his head.
And saw someone materializing through the mist.
"Ahhh~~ A ghost!!"
"You've got no right calling someone else a ghost…"
Luffy muttered.
Before him stood a towering skeleton, dressed in formal wear—top hat, cane, and all. Despite having no skin, he still had a full afro. According to him, the roots were just too stubborn to fall out.
A proper gentleman's look: black coat with orange-yellow lining, matching hat, black pants, and a blue cravat tied around his bony neck.
Still in shock, Brook finally came to his senses.
"Oh, just a human… You scared me so bad I nearly lost my eyes… though I don't have any! Yohohoho~"
"Good morning. I'm Monkey D. Luffy."
"I'm Brook. As you can see, I'm a musician who… only has bones."
Brook tipped his hat politely.
"But… morning? This place is shrouded in fog all year round. It's been so long since I've seen a living person."
After a pause, he asked,
"Mr. Luffy, are you also lost out here?"
"Just a passing pirate."
"Really? A pirate? I used to be one, too. You're not afraid of me…"
Brook looked surprised.
It had been ages—he couldn't even count the days or years—since the last person fled in terror at the sight of him.
"Shishishi… That's because I know you," Luffy said with a grin.
"Eh? You know me? I've wandered these waters alone for half a century… and you're the first to say that. Yohohoho! I'm so touched I could cry… though I've got no eyes to do it."
Half a century.
Fifty years. Long enough to lose everything a human can.
Friends, dreams… even your body.
But now, someone claimed to know him. Brook felt warmth flood through his nonexistent veins.
Even without tear glands or a face, it was as if he were crying.
"I'm so happy today. Let's sing, Mr. Luffy. It's an honor to meet you."
"Sing something cheerful."
It was a strange interaction. Clearly their first meeting, yet Brook felt a natural kindness from Luffy.
He set the coffee down, opened his skull, and pulled out a violin.
Just as he drew the bow—
"ROOOOO—!"
A deep roar echoed through the fog.
Brook turned abruptly.
"Yo…"
A giant black shadow emerged.
His eye sockets widened. Even without muscles, his skeletal face showed utter shock.
"Island Whale…!"
"His name is Laboon," Luffy said, walking forward with a smile. "I met him at Twin Capes. He insisted on following me, hoping I'd help him find a crew called the Rumbar Pirates."
At those words, Brook went still.
"I… I said the Rumbar Pirates vanished long ago. Maybe one's still around… but it's hard to say I'm truly alive."
"Laboon…"
Brook whispered, expression blank. His violin fell from his hands and hit the deck with a dull thud.
It was his most prized possession—but right now, that didn't matter.
He was just a skeleton. No tear ducts…
Yet it felt like his eyes overflowed.
"It's really Laboon…! I'm Brook!"
Brook picked up his violin and played through tears:
"Yohohohoho… yohohoho…
This was your favorite song, Laboon.
Can you still recognize it?
Do you remember me?
Even if I'm just bones now…
I'm sorry… I never forgot our promise!"
No gimmicks. No dramatics.
Just raw emotion.
It was as if time had turned back 50 years—to when Laboon, a young Island Whale, followed the Rumbar Pirates down the Grand Line, enchanted by their music.
"ROOOOOOO…!"
Floating in the water, Laboon raised his head and howled. His eyes overflowed with tears.
He didn't recognize Brook by sight…
But he could never forget that melody.
In the middle of this emotional reunion, Luffy laughed, his heart light:
"Join my crew, Brook!"
(End of Chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."