Chapter 192Excuses getting more and more far-fetched.Luffy looked at them suspiciously, then glanced around. Finding no powerful enemies nearby, he didn't press the matter further.Who knows if these two just couldn't stand each other and got into a fight.Such things are far too common.After Luffy woke up, the banquet atmosphere gradually drew to a close amidst Brook's melodious yet slightly melancholic violin music.As the final note faded, Brook lowered his bow. His skull dipped slightly, as if bidding farewell to these years trapped in the mist.The years of having his shadow stolen were finally over.Luffy simply sat down on the nearby piano bench.After Robin's guidance, he had clearly recovered quite a bit.At the very least, he couldn't rush headlong into things in a moment of impulsiveness.Before that..."Yo, Brook.""Mr. Luffy!"Brook quickly turned around, his empty eye sockets facing Luffy. "Thank you so much! If it weren't for you and everyone else, my shadow would probably still be in Moriah's hands.""It was everyone's effort."Luffy grinned widely, cutting off his thanks. He swallowed the meat in his hand in a few bites and asked, "Brook, what are you planning to do next?""I want to go fulfill my promise with Laboon."Brook's grip on his violin tightened slightly, his bony joints making a faint clicking sound. "It's already been fifty years. I want to fulfill this promise on behalf of my crewmates.""Figured as much. But getting back to Twin Capes from here seems really far and troublesome. How about this? Join our ship!"This plan had been in the works since the moment they met Brook.Now, catching the tail end of Companion Day...Brook froze, his skull tilting to the side. "Join the ship?""Yeah! Our voyage is to sail around the Grand Lineonce. When we complete the circuit, we'll definitely see Laboon again. Then, we can all go see him together!"Luffy's initial idea was to have ten crewmates.Now, it seemed like a whole shipload of people was already going to exceed ten.But never mind that.Adventuring with crewmates you take a liking to is the joy of being a pirate.Brook remembered the thing Luffy had asked him to promise back then: to agree to one condition if he got his shadow back.Could it be that from that moment on...At that moment, Nami and Usopp walked over.Nami had known ever since meeting Brook that Luffy had this in mind."Come meet Laboon with us.""That's right, that's right! This guy Luffy has been shouting since the day he set sail that the ship was still missing a musician. Now he's finally found one!"Nami added, "He invited Uta before, but unfortunately, Uta refused."Who was Uta?But it wasn't important anymore.Brook looked at the group before him. If he had tears, he would be shedding them now. But he was bones.He raised a hand, adjusting his top hat. Though he had no tears, his voice took on a distinctly nasal tone:"Yohohohoho! What an honor! I am truly grateful!"He bowed deeply. "If you all don't mind this old bag of bones... Monkey D. Luffy, sir! Please allow me, Brook, to join the Straw Hat Pirates! Let me use my remaining life... no, even if only bones remain, to dedicate the most beautiful music to all of you and complete this great voyage together!"Chapter 275: I'll Help Kidnap Someone Too. Who? A Celestial Dragon!"Of course."Luffy smiled and said, "Let's welcome our new crewmate, the musician Brook!""Oh!"Nika, holding a jug of wine, nudged Merry. "Do you guys still know that little one, Uta?""You know her? Nika, didn't you join after we entered the Grand Line?" Merry looked at Nikacuriously."Saw her when I was little. She's Luffy's childhood friend, right? That kid sings really well." Nika's awakenings were intermittent. For a period, the Nika Fruit was in that Red Hair guy's hands, so naturally, he also knew about Nika who followed Red Hair around."Yeah. I owe being able to become like this now to Uta. But I haven't run into her since entering the Grand Line." Merry rested her little chin on her hand, a thoughtful expression on her face."You're concerned about her?" Nika asked."No.""Liar.""Alright, a little concerned."Merry said, "No matter what, I should thank her in person."Nika stared at her with a look of suspicion. "Why do I feel that's not quite it?"Merry grew a bit flustered and quickly shoved the wine jug in her hand at Nika, gulping it down for her. "Just drink!""Wait... glug glug glug."Nika's limbs flailed wildly, nearly kicking the bucket.Who tries to make someone drink like that?Merry looked up again at Luffy in the midst of the banquet. Although she wasn't fully awake at the time, she knew everything Nami and Uta did that night.So she was just a little concerned.That night, Brook went alone to the edge of Thriller Bark, to the graveyard where his crewmates from decades ago were buried.The Moonlight was cold, shining on the mottled tombstones.He took out his violin and played a distant, sorrowful tune: "Binks' Sake."The music was like a lament, as if bidding a final farewell to the friends sleeping here, telling of fifty years of loneliness and the new journey to come.Zoro had arrived nearby at some point. He leaned against a withered tree, listening quietly."I'm leaving this place. This ship came from the West Blue. It's a ship from our homeland. It's a good place for everyone to rest." Brook stood up and said."Yo, Brook. Can I bury this sword here too?" Zorostepped out."Mr. Zoro?"Brook glanced at the broken sword in Zoro's hand and nodded.Zoro then walked to an empty spot, used his sword to dig into the earth, and solemnly buried yubashirithere.This sword had accompanied him through many battles, finally reaching its end here. Leaving it in this graveyard full of stories might be a good resting place."From now on, I'll be joining the Straw Hats. Please take care of me, Mr. Zoro.""You really aren't very lucky."Zoro grinned and said, "Our bunch is a group of unlucky guys."...The next day, sunlight completely dispelled the mist. The sea sparkled, a perfect day for setting sail.The Straw Hats and the surviving members of the Rolling Pirates gathered on the shore.The thousand sunny and the going merry were moored side by side. After Franky's overnight emergency repairs, they were ready to sail.Actually, nothing major happened. It was just that when Kuma tossed that giant meatball out over the sea, it gave Franky a scare.He had no idea why some careless idiot was throwing bombs just before dawn. Franky initially thought maybe the Marines had attacked.It was only later he learned it was a Shichibukai.Franky, who stayed behind to guard the ship, hadn't encountered any unexpected incidents.Back on the ship...Zoro and Sanji had removed most of the bandages from their bodies, moving their limbs about."Wearing this stuff is too inconvenient for moving around," Zoro complained."Exactly. Feels like a mummy," Sanji lit a cigarette, chiming in."You two idiots!"Chopper stamped his feet in anger, grabbing bandages and charging forward. "You need to wear these precisely because you're so badly injured! No taking them off! Lie down nicely!"Zoro tried to resist but ended up with half his head in Chopper's bite, nearly fainting from anger.Watching the three of them roughhousing, Namisighed helplessly, then turned to Lola. "Lola, thank you for your help, and for these supplies."She pointed to some provisions piled nearby, found in the ruins of Moriah's castle."We should be the ones saying thank you, Miss Nami," Lola said sincerely. "Without you, we might never have been able to leave this place."She handed Nami a white piece of paper with slightly jagged edges. "This is for you."Nami took the paper, feeling it seemed to move slightly. "What is this?""It's a Vivre Card," Lola explained. "A unique paper in the world, impervious to fire and water, made by mixing materials with a person's fingernails. Usually, people tear it and give pieces to those they trust. No matter how far apart, it guides the way. This is my Mama's Vivre Card.""Mama?" Nami was somewhat surprised."Mhm."Lola seemed unwilling to elaborate. "In the New World, it might help you. I heard your next target is Fish-Man Island?""Yes!"Nami nodded. As soon as the words left her mouth, Sanji—who had been re-bandaged by Chopperinto something resembling a rice dumpling—immediately let out an excited whimper nearby. His eyes turned into hearts. Even though his mouth was covered by bandages, that perv aura shot straight into the sky.Everyone was very curious about Fishmen.On the other side, Luffy was lifting a seemingly extremely heavy, massive dumbbell with one hand, performing simple lifting motions.Companion Day was over. The strict schedule of the pirate king training plan had returned. He had to seize every minute to train again.However, after successive encounters with Moriahand Kuma, he felt his current routine training seemed somewhat inadequate.Improving strength wasn't something achieved overnight.And now, there was also the news of Ace being imprisoned in Impel Down.It was all a bit unsettling.The only good news was that Ace was just imprisoned in Impel Down. Being locked up like Golden Lion, without immediate danger to his life, meant there was no need to panic.Kuma had said Luffy could go to Sabaody Archipelago to find a man named Rayleigh for help.The name sounded somewhat familiar, as if heard from someone's mouth before. But asking others for help wasn't really his style.Luffy had already declared war on the World Government. Storming Impel Down would be difficult. The Marines weren't pushovers. Ordinary pirates couldn't even get in, let alone fight their way in.Thinking from another angle... could he make a deal with the World Government to exchange for Ace?For example, someone the World Governmentcared deeply about, like some high-ranking official. Capturing a high-ranking Marine officer to exchange might also work?Luffy's eyes lit up. The gloomy aura vanished.At least he had found a direction, right?Chapter 276: Treasure, A New Devil FruitThe sun was blazing.Lola, watching Luffy who didn't forget to train even during farewells, couldn't help but whisper to Namiin admiration, "Straw Hat is already so strong, yet he still trains this hard?"
