"Since that's the case, how about we make a deal?"
Yun Lie suddenly smiled, a hint of cunning in his grin. Then, his figure flickered, and he instantly appeared beside Crocus, moving so fast it was difficult to track.
"A Paramecia user with spatial abilities, and you know my identity? You're no simple kid. Tell me, what kind of deal do you want to make with an old man like me?"
A flicker of shock crossed Crocus's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it and asked.
He had lived for so many years and weathered countless storms, yet he was still surprised by Yun Lie's ability.
"I want your medical books."
Yun Lie said directly, his eyes firm.
The fact that Crocus could forcibly extend the life of the Pirate King, who was suffering from a terminal illness, was enough to prove how superb his medical skills were.
Yun Lie had his own plans. If he could obtain these medical books, it would be of great help to both his crew and his future.
"Young man, don't aim too high; you can't afford the price."
Crocus narrowed his eyes, his tone dismissive. He looked at the young Pirate before him, not believing he could offer anything that would tempt him.
"Of course, I wouldn't take your medical books for free. As for the price, I think this should be enough."
Yun Lie ignored Crocus's tone. With a flip of his hand, a Devil Fruit with strange patterns appeared in his palm.
A mysterious light flowed over the fruit's surface, as if it contained infinite power.
"This... This is the Chop-Chop Fruit!"
Crocus exclaimed, recognizing the fruit's origin at a glance. Wasn't this the Devil Fruit eaten by Buggy the Clown?
His eyes instantly sharpened, fixed on the fruit, with undisguised surprise and complexity.
"After killing Buggy the Clown, this Devil Fruit coincidentally appeared in a nearby fruit and I obtained it. How about it? Do you want this Devil Fruit of your former comrade?"
Yun Lie said with a smile, secretly mobilizing his Infinite Space power, ready to act, to prevent Crocus from attacking him in a fit of rage.
After all, holding the spoils of killing Buggy the Clown so brazenly in front of Crocus was very dangerous.
Fortunately, Crocus did not make a move. There was a hint of killing intent in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it, and said in a low voice: "Give me the Chop-Chop Fruit, and I can give you my medical books."
"Deal."
Yun Lie had gambled correctly. He directly threw the Chop-Chop Fruit to Crocus.
Crocus steadily caught the fruit, gave Yun Lie a deep look, and then turned and walked towards the house by the strait.
Not long after, Crocus came out carrying a box. The box looked very heavy, filled with a large number of medical books.
These books contained the essence of Crocus's medical skills accumulated over many years.
"Hmph! Take your things and get out!" Crocus threw the box over, snorted coldly, and left without looking back. His figure in the afterglow of the setting sun appeared somewhat lonely.
Yun Lie happily put away the box and quickly returned to the Infinite Space.
He looked at the box in his hand, his heart full of anticipation.
"Let's go, we continue sailing!"
He stood at the bow of the ship and shouted loudly.
......
Crocus staggered as he pushed open the door. The salty sea breeze, mixed with fine rain, poured into the wooden house that served as the lighthouse keeper's dwelling.
His calloused hand gripped the strangely patterned Devil Fruit tightly. Moonlight filtered through the mottled window frame, casting a cold, eerie glow on the fruit.
His Adam's apple bobbed violently twice. The old man's thin fingers gently caressed the fruit's surface, as if touching a distant and broken memory.
"Alas..." A sigh pierced through thirty years of time, carrying endless melancholy and regret. "We all thought your weakness and antics were just an act. Who knew you were truly weak!"
He slowly closed his eyes. The sound of waves crashing against the shore overlapped with the shouts from his memory.
The salty wind on the deck, young Buggy with his bandages still grinning foolishly, Captain Roger's hearty laughter—all surged through his mind.
As the ship's doctor, he had countless times treated the wounds of this red-nosed intern. In those days, Buggy had long become a cherished family member in his heart.
"He used to be able to fight Shanks to a standstill..." the old man murmured, his wrinkles filled with bitterness.
In the hearts of these old-timers from the Roger Pirates, Buggy's seemingly comical exterior always hid an unknown power.
They had always believed that the clown who loved to show off was waiting for the crucial moment foretold by Captain Roger.
But now, this Devil Fruit, once belonging to Buggy, lay quietly in his palm. The cruel reality was like a heavy hammer, once again shattering all his illusions.
When he called Shanks a while ago, Shanks' choked voice saying, "You must avenge Buggy," still echoed in his ears.
But plans couldn't keep up with changes. On the way back to East Blue, Marine Hero Garp's sudden attack disrupted everything.
The Red Hair Pirates had no choice but to embark on a path of escape, hiding everywhere under the Marines' pursuit and interception. The matter of revenge could only be temporarily put aside.
"Shanks, I'm old..."
Crocus slumped onto the dilapidated wooden bed, his white hair trembling gently in the night wind.
He looked out at the dark sea outside the window, as if seeing the figures of himself and his comrades fighting side by side in his youth.
Time was merciless. The once spirited young man was now old and frail. "This revenge, in the future, can only be entrusted to you..."
The Moonlight gradually dimmed. The old man curled up on the bed, hugging the Devil Fruit tightly, as if guarding the last bit of warmth from his comrade.
The sound of the waves continued, but it could no longer recall those passionate years.