"Ah~"
"That was a great sleep."
With his hands in his pockets, Jin leisurely walked out of the cabin, looking quite pleased with himself.
"Yohohoho!"
"Good morning, Mr. Jin!"
The skeleton grinned widely when he saw him.
With the shadows cast across his skull, the scene looked a little…
Jin: …
"Ah, good morning, Brook."
Jin glanced around before looking at him again.
"Don't tell me you stayed up all night."
"Yohohoho! I'm already a skeleton. I don't need normal rest to recover my body's functions."
Brook laughed.
Even if he didn't rest for a long time, he could still remain active.
That was the power granted to him by the Revive-Revive Fruit.
Though sometimes, out of habit, he still sat down to rest.
"I see. Then Zoro should have it easier from now on."
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"Zoro usually lives up there."
Jin pointed toward the crow's nest above.
"He's the one who keeps watch most nights."
"Now that you're here, he can sleep a little longer."
Jin sighed slightly.
To be honest, Zoro really was hardworking.
Even though he only slept a few hours each day, he still maintained incredibly intense training.
That was probably one of the reasons he had become so strong.
"Yohohoho! I'll do my best!" Brook laughed.
"Ah~"
"By the way, since the weather is so nice today, let me play one of my favorite songs."
"Your favorite… song?"
Jin glanced at the barely brightening sky and twitched.
"Now?"
"You sure about that?"
Before he could even finish speaking—
Brook had already started playing.
"Yohohoho~"
"Yoho yoho~"
"Yohohoho~"
"Yoho yoho~"
Jin: ???
Brook… that's the kind of thing that gets people beaten up.
"Shut up!"
Zoro's voice roared from a window.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
"Yeah! It's early morning! Let us sleep!"
"Damn it, Brook!"
Hearing his crewmates shouting at him, Brook didn't get angry.
Instead, he laughed even harder.
It was as if even being scolded by his companions made him happy.
"You really are something…"
Jin sighed helplessly as he watched Brook laugh.
But he could understand.
After drifting alone for decades, suddenly having companions again—
Of course Brook would be excited.
"Yohohoho! Mr. Jin, how was my performance?"
"It was great, just…"
Jin looked at Brook, who still hadn't stopped playing, with a hesitant expression.
The next moment—
The cabin door burst open.
Two shoes flew out and slammed straight into their heads.
Brook: !!!
Jin: …
"Idiot! Let us sleep!" Nami shouted with a shark-toothed glare.
"Yohohoho… Understood… Miss Nami is quite violent…"
"Mind your own business!"
"Nami…"
Jin picked the shoe off his head and looked at her speechlessly.
"Why did I get hit too?"
Brook getting hit made sense.
But he had only been standing there!
"Hmph. Because you didn't stop him."
Nami snorted.
Then she slammed the cabin door shut and returned to her room.
Jin stood there, utterly baffled.
"…That counts?"
Nami really had become a tyrant.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Jin. I…"
"Hm?"
Jin looked at Brook in surprise, then waved it off.
"Ah, don't worry about it. Everyone messes up sometimes. Just remember for next time."
For some reason, Brook seemed a little nervous.
Maybe it was because he hadn't interacted with people for so long.
Creak—
The cabin door opened again.
Sanji walked out with a helpless expression.
"So energetic first thing in the morning…"
"Perhaps it's because I'm an old man?"
"Where do you see an old man?!" Sanji complained.
"You're a skeleton!"
Sanji lit a cigarette.
"Alright, I'm making breakfast. What do you two want?"
"Something light."
"And you?"
"I'm fine with anything," Brook said with a smile.
"Though milk would be wonderful."
"Got it. Just wait."
Sanji waved his hand and headed downstairs toward the kitchen.
"Yohohoho… Being able to eat every day feels wonderful…"
"You didn't eat before?" Jin asked.
"How could I?"
Brook sighed.
"I drifted on the sea for decades."
A pirate ship without sails or a rudder could never leave the Florian Triangle.
He couldn't replenish supplies.
Occasionally he would encounter wrecked ships and gather what little he could.
That had been his main source of supplies.
"Then… didn't you starve?"
"Of course I did."
"But because of the Revive-Revive Fruit, I couldn't die from hunger."
"That fruit really is incredible."
Jin sighed.
Brook could eat and even cry—
Despite being nothing but bones.
Devil Fruits truly were mysterious.
'Come to think of it… his power comes from the Devil Fruit attached to his soul.'
If he encountered someone who specialized in soul abilities, Brook might struggle.
Then again…
Maybe the Revive-Revive Fruit was even stronger.
After all—
It contained the word "Yomi", the underworld.
That might be far more powerful than abilities like the Hollow-Hollow Fruit or other spirit-type powers.
"Brook," Jin said suddenly.
"Did you ever meet a ghost girl while you were in the Florian Triangle?"
"A ghost… girl?"
Brook thought for a moment.
He had never asked anyone there about their panties before…
So he shook his head.
"No."
"That's a pity."
"Why?"
"I was curious which would be stronger—your Revive-Revive Fruit or her Hollow-Hollow Fruit."
"In a sense, you two are similar types."
"Similar… types?"
Brook looked confused.
His fruit had only revived him.
What similarity was there?
"Didn't you say that when you regained consciousness, you were in soul form, and only later found your body?"
"Yes."
"There you have it."
Jin shrugged.
"Your Devil Fruit ability must reside in your soul."
"This skeleton body is probably just a shell for your soul."
After a brief pause, he stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"To be honest, I doubt a fruit called the Revive-Revive Fruit only has the ability to resurrect you."
"I suspect there's something more waiting to be discovered."
"You should study the soul aspect of your power."
"You might find something."
Brook looked at him with admiration.
"Mr. Jin truly knows a lot."
"Just seen a lot."
Devil Fruits needed development.
You could see that from Luffy.
What seemed like a simple Rubber Fruit had been developed into incredible techniques.
Second Gear. Third Gear.
Their power was undeniable.
Brook's fruit involved the soul.
It couldn't possibly be limited to resurrection alone.
Otherwise the name "Yomi" would be wasted.
"I understand!"
"I'll work hard to explore it!"
"Yohohoho!"
"I'm just giving you a suggestion," Jin said.
"The choice is yours."
Then he looked at the rising sun.
"Brook, did anything interesting happen during your era?"
"Interesting things?"
"Like some powerful pirate," Jin said.
"I remember you saying Roger was just a small figure in your eyes."
"That's not what I meant…"
Brook scratched his head.
"At that time, he simply hadn't become famous yet."
After thinking carefully, Brook said,
"But if you insist… there was one pirate I remember."
"Oh?"
"Let's hear it."
"He was called…"
"Rocks D. Xebec."
When Brook spoke that name, his skull grew solemn.
"He was an extremely cruel pirate."
"Countless cities were destroyed by him."
"But there's no denying he was incredibly powerful."
"Even the Marines feared him."
Just remembering the reports he had read back then made Brook uneasy.
That was a true pirate—
Burning, killing, looting without restraint.
Compared to him…
The Straw Hat Pirates were practically adventurers.
Just like Brook's own crew had once been.
"Rocks D. Xebec…"
Jin frowned slightly.
He had never heard that name before.
Someone capable of shocking even Brook should have been extremely powerful.
Yet there were no records?
Had he been killed by Roger during some great battle?
That was certainly possible.
"He's the only truly terrifying pirate I know," Brook said.
"But what happened to him later, I have no idea."
"After entering the Florian Triangle, I lost all access to news."
In that deserted place, even the News Coo rarely visited.
Sometimes even money couldn't buy a newspaper.
So he simply drifted alone at sea—
Waiting for a faint hope.
Fortunately…
That hope had eventually arrived.
"Yohohoho…"
"I see."
Jin nodded thoughtfully.
That made sense.
Brook had been trapped long before reaching the New World.
Naturally, his knowledge was limited.
"Why are you so interested in the past, Mr. Jin?" Brook asked.
"I just want to understand this world better."
There were still far too many mysteries in this world for him.
Brook didn't find it strange.
After all, the world was full of remote islands.
Some people naturally knew little about global events.
After thinking for a moment, Brook said,
"In that case, you should talk to Miss Robin."
"She's a very knowledgeable woman."
Even though they hadn't known each other long, Brook could tell how vast Robin's knowledge was—
Especially regarding history.
"Yeah… good point."
As a historian, Robin probably knew far more.
He should ask her sometime.
Just then, Merry ran out of the cabin.
She hurried over to them.
"What are you two doing?"
"Yohohoho! Mr. Jin and I are having a delightful conversation!"
"Yep."
Jin crouched down beside Merry.
"Why are you awake so early?"
"I couldn't sleep."
Jin slowly turned his head toward Brook.
The meaning of his gaze was obvious.
Your noisy music woke the kid up.
Brook looked embarrassed.
"I'll be more careful next time."
"It's okay," Merry said cheerfully.
"I was going to wake up soon anyway."
"Ah… she's an angel!"
Brook clutched his chest dramatically.
"My heart is about to leap with joy!"
"Even though I don't actually have a heart! Yohohoho!"
"Skeleton joke!"
"Oh!"
"Skeleton joke!"
Brook laughed even harder when Merry raised her hands along with him.
No wonder everyone loved this child.
She really was an angel.
Just then—
Nico Robin stepped out of the cabin and watched them with a gentle smile.
"Oh?"
"Robin's awake too?"
"Merry woke up, so naturally I woke up as well."
"Why?"
Jin looked confused.
What did Merry waking up have to do with her?
"She fell asleep in my room last night."
"I see."
Merry had probably asked Robin to read stories again until she fell asleep.
Perfectly reasonable.
"Actually, Robin, I wanted to ask you something."
"Go ahead."
Robin leaned casually against the wall.
"What would you like to know?"
Jin paused.
Her confident smile almost made her seem like an encyclopedia.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing."
"I was just wondering if you know about Rocks—"
"I've heard of him."
"…You really know?!"
Jin stared at her in disbelief.
Robin chuckled.
"Only a little."
"Dr. Clover mentioned that pirate crew when we were discussing history."
Seeing that Jin looked confused, she explained further.
"Studying history is both my hobby and my duty as a historian."
"And those great pirates from decades ago are part of history."
"So it's normal that we know a little."
If she remembered correctly—
That pirate crew had been incredibly powerful.
Jin and Brook exchanged glances.
"Tell us."
"I don't know much," Robin said.
"But Dr. Clover once said that crew was extraordinarily powerful."
"You could even say they dominated an entire era."
"Then why didn't he become Pirate King?" Jin asked.
"Because the crew suddenly disappeared."
"Disappeared?" Brook exclaimed.
"Why?"
Robin hesitated.
"To be honest… even the scholars of Ohara couldn't determine what happened."
"All we know is that a major event occurred."
"And the World Government covered it up."
"But if they went to such lengths…"
Robin narrowed her eyes slightly.
"It might be connected to the Void Century."
Perhaps that pirate had discovered some forbidden truth—
And was eliminated for it.
Robin sighed quietly.
The road ahead for the Straw Hat Pirates was still very long.
Sensing her mood, Jin spoke.
"We're not like that so-called Rocks crew."
Robin looked at him.
Jin gave her a thumbs-up.
"Don't forget—Luffy is the man who will become the Pirate King."
"He'll surpass Rocks."
"And we'll protect you with everything we've got."
"So go ahead and pursue what you want."
Jin knew exactly what Robin meant by the Void Century.
After the Enies Lobby battle, Robin had revealed her past—
Including the destruction of Ohara.
But now—
She wasn't alone.
Robin looked at Jin's confident smile and smiled back.
"…Yes."
"Even though I don't fully understand what you're talking about," Brook said,
"I will fight with every bone in my body to protect Miss Robin! Yohohoho!"
"Me too! Me too!"
"Alright!"
"Then let's all protect Robin together!"
"Yeah!!"
Robin laughed more brightly than before.
'Saul…'
'If you could see this…'
'You'd be happy for me, wouldn't you?'
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