Crocus's eyes sharpened as he prepared to tell his story, his fists unconsciously clenching.
He was certain this was his first meeting with Dier, and he had never mentioned the name Brook to him before.
"You... how did you know that name?"
"Actually, I'm also a part-time fortune teller," Dier said mysteriously, pulling out his pocket watch.
"It's not a crystal ball, but this watch occasionally gives me glimpses of the future."
"Many years from now, in the Devil's Triangle of the Grand Line, a group of young Pirates will encounter an afro-wearing skeleton."
"They'll talk about you, Laboon, and the Rumba Pirates."
"Your prophecy... is oddly specific," Crocus murmured.
He understood—and had personally witnessed—the nature of prophetic divination.
During his voyage with the Roger Pirates, they had ventured ten thousand meters beneath the sea to Fish-Man Island.
There, they met a young fortune teller named Shirley.
Roger had once asked her to predict the birth of the mermaid princess, and she accurately answered that the princess would be born in ten years.
But that was all—just the timeframe.
What she would look like, the exact month of her birth, whether she would be born in Ryugu Castle or a hospital...
None of those details were revealed.
Yet Dier's vision of the future was far more detailed.
Dier shrugged and explained,
"My ability is completely random—I never know when or what future knowledge I'll receive."
"Uncontrollable powers are always stronger than ordinary ones. It's only natural."
He didn't mind others knowing about his future sight—in fact, he wanted people to believe he could foresee the future.
That way, he could truly gain the "ability to predict the future."
Unfortunately, such a power was too extraordinary, and he didn't dare spread it widely lest the World Government caught wind of it.
He didn't want those five old geezers thinking his ability was useful and dragging him off to predict Nika's whereabouts.
But Crocus was on his whitelist—Dier didn't mind him knowing about the prophecy.
Revealing it now was also a way to repay the man for helping research Platinum Lead Disease.
"The Devil's Triangle, huh..."
Crocus frowned in thought.
The intel he had gathered suggested the Rumba Pirates had fled the Grand Line, abandoning Laboon.
But Dier's prophecy sounded plausible.
Though he didn't understand why Brook would be a skeleton with an afro, he decided to take Laboon to the Devil's Triangle later to try their luck.
Along the way, they might also find a cure for Platinum Lead Disease.
He didn't mention it to Laboon, who was busy ramming into the Red Line as usual—no point getting the whale's hopes up prematurely.
Instead, he invited Dier and the others inside and admitted he currently had no solution for Platinum Lead Disease.
"Sigh..."
Madson's dejected sigh came through the Den Den Mushi, and inside the room, Law's small face fell.
Madson was thinking about all of Flevance, while Law worried about his friends and the nuns.
"There are plenty of doctors in the Grand Line. Just because I can't help doesn't mean others can't," Crocus reassured them, holding the test results.
"Leave this to me. I'll discuss it with other doctors if I meet any."
"One more favor, old man."
Dier wasn't as sentimental—after all, he had no personal ties to Flevance.
Placing both hands on the table, he made another request with a serious expression.
"I want the training methods for Two-Color Haki."
Armament and Observation Haki.
The standard equipment of the strong.
Currently, Dier only possessed a minuscule amount of Armament Haki.
Since he had obtained it through a shortcut, he had no idea how to train and improve it.
And right now, there was a teacher available.
A crew member of the Pirate King Roger—Crocus.
Even if someone like him didn't know Haki, he should at least have some knowledge about training methods.
"Actually, all you need to do is fight people. Getting hit trains Armament Haki, while dodging trains Observation Haki."
Dier: "..."
Why did that sound so familiar?
Had Shanks not been brushing him off back then?
"Combat is the fastest way to improve Haki."
Crocus stroked his beard and expanded on that simple statement,
"Not sparring, but life-and-death battles that push you to your limits.
The stronger the enemy you face, the stronger you'll become."
"Daily training is also simple.
Get hit to train Armament Haki.
Dodge to train Observation Haki.
Beyond that, I don't know the specifics. After all, I'm just the ship's doctor, not a dedicated combatant.
Rayleigh might have more detailed methods."
"Alright."
Dier sat down helplessly.
Getting hit was out of the question.
Maybe he could try punching like a certain hardworking king?
He decided to go back and push Hina to spar for a couple of days—after all, they both had pink hair.
"Well, if there's nothing else, we'll take our leave now.
If you find a way to cure Platinum Lead Disease, please be sure to call us."
With that matter settled, Dier took Law and set off on their return journey.
Crocus didn't need Law as a reference patient—Platinum Lead was inside the body, and he lacked the instruments to detect it here.
So, with nothing else to do, Dier and Law simply climbed back up the mountain.
The roaring rapids of the canal continued to thunder ceaselessly.
Late into the night, the two returned to the Storm Petrel.
After a late-night meal and washing up, Dier went to sleep.
The next day, he pestered Hina to spar with him.
Meanwhile, the Storm Petrel sailed toward the next island.
The journey ahead had no fixed destination—where they went was entirely decided by throwing darts.
This made life miserable for the Marines in the North Blue.
Most Pirates at least had a general route, but the Storm Petrel wandered around aimlessly, making it impossible to guess their next destination.
Even when they occasionally got lucky and stumbled upon them, the ship would dive and escape before they could fire more than a couple of shots.
After over a month, they hadn't even caught a glimpse of Dier himself.
Countless Marines swore silently in their hearts,
"Next year! We'll definitely catch these damn criminals!"
...
Night of December 31, 1503, in the Sea Circle Calendar.
The bright moon cast its glow, illuminating the deck piled high with food. Deno and the other Pirates feasted heartily, drinking and competing boisterously—though few in number, their revelry was anything but quiet.
Dier's group didn't join in, instead gathering in the dining room.
As usual, a cake sat at the center of the table. Though not as massive as the one on Ghost Island, Robin found herself even happier.
The setting made all the difference.
No matter how luxurious the palace on Ghost Island was, it was still someone else's palace. The Storm Petrel, however, was their home.
Tonight marked the fourth New Year's Eve she and Dier had spent together.
Everything was moving in a positive direction—except for one thing...
Robin silently glanced at Hina, who was already showing signs of becoming a mature beauty, then looked down at her own not-so-tall stature and sighed inwardly.
The four-year age gap was truly noticeable.
She hoped she'd grow taller quickly next year.
...
But fate had other plans. Over the next year or so, her height didn't change much.
In contrast, although Hina's growth rate had slowed somewhat, it was still astonishingly fast.
By the year 1505 of the Sea Calendar,
the 17-year-old Hina had grown into a tall, striking beauty standing at 178cm.
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