Moria quickly stepped forward, snatching up the newspaper from the table.
After scanning the bold headlines, his face split into a fawning grin as he crouched before Shiro, clapping his hands together flatteringly.
"Captain! A bounty that high is the ultimate badge of honor for a pirate! Out of everyone sailing the seas, only a handful can even dream of standing at your level!"
Shiro grinned, eyes glinting mischievously.
"Oh? Speaking of which, Little Mo… You caused quite the ruckus back in Paradise, even went toe-to-toe with Kaido in the New World, and you've got your own turf. So—what's your bounty sitting at these days?"
Moria froze mid-grin. He rubbed his hands together awkwardly, gaze darting away.
"I—uh… only about three hundred million Berries. Compared to your 4.58 billion, Captain, it's… nothing. Totally pathetic."
Shiro chuckled, patting him on the shoulder.
"Don't sweat it. You'll get your chance soon enough. As long as you're sailing on the Virtue, your bounty will skyrocket in no time. Just stick with me, and one day, everyone on this ship will have a bounty that makes the world gasp."
Hearing that, Moria's eyes lit up like twin flames.
His imagination ran wild—visions of his wanted poster plastered across the seas, his name shouted in awe. His grin grew wider and far more genuine.
Time passed quietly as the Virtue carved through the waves.
Half a month later, after crossing several calm and stormy seas, the crew finally arrived at the Twin Capes beneath Reverse Mountain.
Standing at the bow, Shiro squinted toward the horizon.
The twin peaks rose from the sea like the spine of a slumbering dragon, the narrow waterways between them twisting like veins of silver.
He was about to order Jinbe to slow the ship—to begin searching for Laboon—when the Virtue suddenly shuddered violently.
The once-peaceful waters churned into chaos, huge whirlpools forming all around.
Then—a deafening roar echoed from ahead, followed by an invisible force tugging at the ship with terrifying strength.
From the helm, Jinbe's urgent voice rang out:
"Captain! Something's pulling the Virtue! I can't hold her steady!"
The entire crew lurched as the deck tilted. Some clung to the railings, others tumbled across the floor as the ship was dragged forward, unstoppable.
And then—beneath the waves—a shadow emerged.
A massive, pitch-black form rose from the depths, gliding closer and larger with every passing second.
Before anyone could react, that colossal shape opened its maw wide—rows of gleaming teeth flashing in the sun—and unleashed an enormous suction that swallowed the sea itself.
In an instant, both the waves and the Virtue were pulled straight into its mouth.
Shiro's eyes widened—but only for a moment before recognition dawned.
That gigantic shadow…
He knew it all too well.
"Laboon!! Don't eat us!!" he bellowed, voice echoing across the roaring sea.
But the sound of crashing waves drowned him out.
Within seconds, the Virtue vanished into the darkness of Laboon's gullet.
Inside, everything was chaos—churning seawater, slick walls, and the heavy scent of brine.
After being tossed around by the current, the ship finally settled onto a flat stretch of ground.
It was bizarrely calm.
They were in Laboon's stomach.
What shocked the crew most was that there was an island inside—tiny, lush, dotted with patches of greenery.
And on its shore sat an old man in plain clothes, calmly fishing in what could only be stomach acid.
Shiro's eyes narrowed, a knowing smile forming.
That man was none other than Crocus.
In the original timeline, Crocus had joined the Roger Pirates as their ship's doctor, sailing alongside them for a time.
But Shiro's existence—his mastery of the Paw-Paw Fruit's healing power—had changed history.
With Shiro as a doctor whose abilities surpassed any mortal physician, the Roger Pirates no longer needed a medic.
And so Crocus had stayed behind, tending to Laboon at Twin Cape.
Crocus sighed as he noticed the ship's arrival.
He reeled in his line, exasperation coloring his tone.
"Honestly… Laboon's been swallowing pirate ships again? These wrecks and the junk they bring in aren't good for his health at all."
Hearing that, Shiro pressed a glowing hand against his chest and activated his power.
A bubble of Paw-Paw energy enveloped him—and in the blink of an eye, he vanished from the deck and reappeared before Crocus on the island.
The old man nearly dropped his fishing rod into the acid pool, eyes bulging.
"You—!"
Shiro smiled disarmingly.
"Don't be alarmed, Dr. Crocus. My name is Jabal Shiro. What you just saw was my Devil Fruit ability—instant spatial transfer."
Crocus blinked, utterly bewildered.
"You… know my name? Hardly anyone ever does. I've been here at Twin Cape for decades. Only a few pirates ever pass through."
"Of course I know you," Shiro replied smoothly, not missing a beat. "You're one of the most respected doctors on the Grand Line. Your name carries great weight across the seas."
He lied through his teeth with the straightest face imaginable.
Because how could he possibly explain the truth—
that he knew Crocus not from rumor… but from another world entirely?
T/N: If you would like to read up to 20 chapters ahead for all my works, check out my P@treon: patreon.com/GhidorahWriter
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