One Piece: SSS-Rank Haki at Age Seventeen

"Yohohoho! Yohohoho!"

The crisp melody of a piano drifted through the air.

It added even more excitement to the already lively banquet.

Luffy suddenly leaned over the piano, smiling as he looked at Brook.

"Hehe! Brook, I've heard this song before. Shanks and his crew used to sing it too."

"In the past, pirates everywhere would sing this song," Brook replied.

"Whether in sorrow or in joy. Yohohoho!"

Memories of the old era surfaced in his mind.

Luffy watched him quietly.

"Brook, you'll become our crewmate, right? Your shadow has returned now!"

"Well… I made a promise with Laboon. If I fail to keep it, I wouldn't be a true man."

Brook's face was filled with conflict.

"Then come with us! We met Laboon at Reverse Mountain."

The moment those words were spoken, Brook's hands froze.

His body began trembling uncontrollably.

"We know Laboon has been waiting for fifty years… waiting for his friends to return."

"It was a huge surprise to learn that the survivor Laboon was waiting for… was you."

"And you've never forgotten that promise. If Laboon knew, he would definitely be happy."

Luffy spoke gently, smiling.

"W-Wait… this is too sudden!"

Brook could hardly believe it.

Was it coincidence?

Or fate?

"Y-You've really seen Laboon? Even after fifty years… Laboon is still waiting for us in that strait?!"

His voice trembled.

"We can testify too," Nami said.

Nami, Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp all gathered around him.

"Is Laboon doing well?" Brook asked anxiously.

"Very well!" Nami replied.

"Strong as a mountain!" Usopp added.

"I really want to see him again," Brook murmured.

"When we parted, he was only as big as a small ship… very cute."

"He was a little disobedient sometimes… but he was a good kid who loved music."

Thunk.

The piano music suddenly stopped.

Tears fell onto the piano keys one by one.

"He's really… still healthy? Haaah—!"

From the empty sockets of Brook's skull, tears poured endlessly.

"I've never been this happy in my entire life!"

Brook slowly lifted the top of his skull and took out a small shell.

"This is a Tone Dial I bought from a merchant ship."

"You recorded something?" Usopp leaned closer.

"Yes. A song."

"The voices of my crewmates who died."

"This was meant to be our message to Laboon… telling him our joyful voyage had come to an end."

Brook's thoughts drifted back in time.

Fifty Years Ago

On the defeated ship of the Rumbar Pirates.

Smoke, corpses, and blood were everywhere.

"How many of us… are still breathing?" Brook asked.

"Even if we're still breathing… none of us can be saved now."

"So this is what total annihilation looks like…"

"The enemy coated their weapons with poison."

"The ship doctor is already dead."

"We're pirates—we were always prepared to die…"

"But… I still have one wish!"

"Laboon!"

The dying crew members looked at Brook unwillingly.

"Brook… your Revive-Revive Fruit…"

Brook shook his head.

"What will happen… I don't know. This is my first time dying too."

Then he suddenly smiled.

"Well, if we're going to die anyway… we might as well have some fun."

"How about we sing one last song?"

He placed the Tone Dial on the deck.

"If the Revive-Revive Fruit really brings me back… I'll deliver this to Laboon."

"Both Laboon and our captain loved this song."

"This is for Laboon, who waits for us day after day at the strait!"

"Great idea!"

One of the crew members dragged his injured body to his feet.

"Y-You guys… until the song ends… no one is allowed to fall!"

The crew supported one another and stood up.

"Let Laboon hear it…"

"The Rumbar Pirates' once-in-a-lifetime choir!"

Soon, the melody began.

"Yohohoho… Yohohoho…"

The Rumbar Pirates played their final performance—

A song of life itself.

"Binks' Sake…"

The song seemed to connect two eras.

Whether it was the Rumbar Pirates fifty years ago or pirates of the present—

Whenever the melody played, people would dance.

Under the music, one Rumbar Pirate after another collapsed.

Yet the song never stopped.

The Past

"The condition for joining my crew… is that you love music!"

And so the Rumbar Pirates were formed—

A crew whose songs could make even crying children smile.

"Laboon! We'll definitely come back here!"

"Wait for us!"

The Present

Brook looked at the joyful Straw Hat Pirates.

Laboon…

If you've already waited fifty years… can you endure one or two more?

I still have my own pirate dream.

But I swear—

When we meet again, it will be face-to-face!

Brook turned to Luffy.

"May I… become your crewmate?"

"Sure!" Luffy said with a grin.

"Eh? That easily?!"

"But welcome aboard!"

"Hahaha! It's getting lively again," Robin said with an elegant smile.

"Why do we always end up recruiting people like this?!" Nami complained with her hands on her hips, still remembering Brook's earlier perverted behavior.

"Yohohoho!"

Brook took out a wanted poster and placed it on the ground.

"Allow me to introduce myself again."

"I am Brook—the man who died and became nothing but bones."

"Also known as 'Soul King' Brook—well, previously 'Humming' Brook."

"Bounty: 33 million Beli."

"I once served as the leader of a kingdom's battle guard."

"Later, I became the acting captain of the Rumbar Pirates."

"A musician… and a swordsman."

Brook knelt on one knee.

"From this day forward, I entrust my life to Captain Monkey D. Luffy!"

"To avoid holding everyone back, I'll give it my all—even if it costs me every bone in my body!"

"Alright—cheers!" Luffy shouted.

He grabbed an entire barrel of alcohol and started chugging it.

Night Falls

Inside the castle ruins of Thriller Bark, Perona slowly woke up.

"Where… am I?"

Then she suddenly remembered.

"That long-nosed guy…!"

She looked around.

It was still her room.

But a huge figure leaned against the wall.

Bartholomew Kuma.

"If you could travel anywhere… where would you like to go?"

"I… I…"

Perona trembled like a frightened child.

"…Never mind."

Kuma raised his hand.

In Perona's vision, the massive palm grew larger and larger—

And she vanished instantly.

Purururu—

Kuma picked up a Den Den Mushi.

"Bartholomew Kuma. Has the mission been completed?" a Government official asked.

"No."

"I failed."

"…?"

Silence fell on the other end.

After a moment:

"Well… it was a pirate crew with a bounty exceeding a billion. That's understandable."

"Return."

"Understood."

Kuma looked up at the stars.

Father…

We've finally waited long enough.

A new era… is coming.

Meanwhile

"If you can't drink, then don't drink so much!"

Nami sighed while supporting the unconscious Luffy.

Luffy was lying in her arms.

"Nami, do you need help?" Robin asked from a nearby wall, smiling softly.

"No… it's fine."

Nami's cheeks turned slightly red.

She lifted Luffy's arm over her shoulder and slowly carried him into the cabin.

"Honestly…"

She placed him on the soft bed.

Listening to his faint snoring, she looked helpless.

Nami was wearing a white chiffon short-sleeved blouse and a black miniskirt.

Her long legs were exposed as she leaned over the bed.

Her slender hand gently touched Luffy's elastic cheek.

Her beautiful face showed hesitation, her ears flushed red.

Then she suddenly thought of Vivi and Robin.

Those two women hadn't even confirmed their relationship with Luffy, yet nothing seemed to bother them.

Meanwhile, she—his actual girlfriend—had never even slept beside him.

Her expression gradually hardened with determination.

She leaned forward.

Her soft body fell into Luffy's embrace.

Her legs curled around his waist.

Feeling his warmth and scent, Nami's bright eyes slowly became hazy.

Then—

She trembled slightly…

…and closed her eyes.

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