One Piece: The Cryo Doctor on the Straw Hat Ship

Luffy's inflated right arm transformed into a giant fist comparable to a small hill, accompanied by a howling wind, and slammed straight towards the quietly standing island whale.

"You almost killed us and our ship, do you know that?!" Luffy shouted angrily.

This is the Going Merry, the ship that carries his dreams!

"Luffy! Are you crazy?!" Nami exclaimed in shock, her face turning deathly pale.

Even Zoro and Sanji looked at Luffy with shock and disbelief.

At the same time, an answer that seemed perfectly reasonable inexplicably arose in my mind:

Yes, he has always been this brave.

The giant's massive blow slammed into the side of the island whale Laboon without reservation.

Under V's powerful tutelage, Luffy's current strength is enough to rank him among the middle-tier Shichibukai.

Although island whales are enormous, they are ultimately just ordinary marine creatures that don't even qualify as sea kings or sea beasts.

Although the constant impacts on the red earth have forged a robust body, it is still no match for the shackles imposed by their genes.

With a dull, deafening thud, Labu's tough skin caved in violently, forming a noticeable "depression."

This "low-lying area" is probably as insignificant as a "pimple" compared to its size.

But even if a pimple is popped, it will still hurt!

"Awooo—!!!"

Rab let out a painful and deep roar that pierced the surface of the sea.

But the next moment, a pupil as large as a small island suddenly looked at the Merry.

The anger in his eyes seemed to engulf Luffy and his crew like a dark cloud covering the sky.

Just as this colossal creature was about to unleash its rage of pain on the Straw Hat crew, at that moment...

V suddenly pulled out a megaphone from behind him and shouted:

"Laboon, I know the whereabouts of the Rumbar Pirates!!!"

Chapter 53 Come with us, Raab! (Please continue reading~)

Gah!

Rab's massive body suddenly froze, his overwhelming rage and pain instantly dissipating, replaced by an almost instinctive tremor and urgency.

Its enormous pupils contracted slightly as it stared intently at V.

V put down the megaphone, took two steps forward under the bewildered gazes of his companions, and continued speaking clearly and steadily:

"I know your story with the Rumbar Pirates."

"And I also know... where the Rumbar Pirates are right now?"

Labu let out a low, long wail, the sound no longer aggressive, but filled with a sense of desolation and longing that spanned decades.

It slowly and carefully lowered its huge head, almost touching the surface of the sea, as if trying to see V's expression more clearly.

Nami clutched her chest and let out a long sigh of relief, while Zoro and Sanji also loosened their grip on their weapons and relaxed their tense muscles.

Luffy lowered his fist, tilted his head curiously to look at Laboon, then at V: "The Rumbar Pirates? What's that?"

V didn't answer Luffy immediately. Instead, he looked up at the huge old scar on Laboon's forehead and the countless marks left from the impact with the Red Line, and said softly, "It has been waiting here for almost fifty years... waiting for a group of people who will never return..."

The sea breeze carries the salty, unseen scent unique to the Grand Line.

In the distance, the roaring sound of water from the Upside-Down Mountain could be faintly heard.

Nearby, a whale the size of an island and a small pirate ship create a still yet turbulent scene at the starting point of this legendary sea.

……

……

Ten minutes later.

"Waaaaah..."

"You've had this kind of experience before!?"

Luffy, who was just moments ago furious and determined to avenge the Going Merry, is now a completely different person, his face streaked with tears.

The other members of the Straw Hat crew also showed expressions of shock and sadness.

Just now, V has informed everyone of the 50-year-long agreement between Laboon and the Rumbar Pirates.

“…So,” V looked into Laboon’s huge eyes, which seemed to hold half a century of waiting, and concluded, “the Rumbar Pirates have indeed not forgotten their promise.”

“They will always remember you, Rab.”

"And now, Brook is drifting alone in the Devil's Triangle at the end of the Grand Line, trying to fulfill the promise the Rumbar Pirates made to you."

Lab let out a long, deep cry, and tears the size of large naval warships flowed uncontrollably.

The grief of losing his companions and the relief of learning the truth made Laboon's simple inner world extremely complex.

The sea seemed to quiet down at that moment.

until--

"Hey! What you just said... is it all true!?" The voice came from above the island whale Laboon.

Suddenly, an old man wearing a floral shirt, round-framed sunglasses, and holding a harpoon appeared above Rabbu's head.

"Who?"

Zoro and Sanji instantly entered battle mode, standing on either side of their companions to protect them.

Luffy, curious, craned his neck to look around: "Huh? There's someone else here?"

V raised his hand to signal his companions to calm down, and looking at the figure in Yi's eyes, he had already recognized his identity.

“I am Crocus, the lighthouse keeper of Twin Capes.”

The elderly man leaped lightly from over Rabbe's head and landed steadily on the deck of the Merry.

He took off his sunglasses, revealing a pair of eyes that were weathered yet still sharp, his gaze fixed directly on V. "What you just said... about the Rumbar Pirates and Brook, is it true?"

“Absolutely true.” V nodded calmly, then said, “Senior Crocus.”

Others may not know, but he knows it all perfectly well.

This old man in front of me is no ordinary person.

He was a member of Roger's pirate crew and served as the ship's doctor.

In some ways, he and V are practically colleagues.

Crocus closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Thank you for telling me this."

He turned to look at Raab, a trace of sadness still lingering deep in his eyes:

"Labu..."

He knew hope and despair at the same time, and he didn't know if Raab could withstand such a blow.

However, knowing that Brooke is still alive is much better than being in a daze like before.

The only problem now is...

It's about how to get Raab and Brooke to meet.

As if hearing Crocus's thoughts, V's prosthetic eye flickered slightly.

He suddenly spoke:

"Luffy, I have a suggestion."

Luffy rubbed his nose, wiping away the last of his tears: "Hmm?"

V turned to Laboon and pointed at the island whale: "Let it join us—invite Laboon to be a member of the Straw Hat Pirates."

"Let's go together... to help him find his long-lost companion!"

“Okay!” Luffy nodded in agreement almost without hesitation.

Then, the deck fell silent for a moment.

"Eh—!?" Usopp and Nami exclaimed almost simultaneously, their eyes wide open.

Even Zoro and Sanji showed a slightly surprised expression.

"Let...let such a huge whale...be our companion?" Usopp stammered. "Besides, our ship can't possibly hold it all..."

"Idiot!" Nami slapped Usopp on the back of the head helplessly. "He can move freely in the sea all the time."

"That's right!"

When Luffy wasn't around, Usopp became Luffy.

But Luffy, being the action-oriented type, excitedly raised his head, put his hands on his hips, and shouted loudly:

"Hey! Laboon—! Want to go on an adventure with us? Let's go find Brook!"

Lab's huge pupils trembled slightly, and he let out a low cry.

“You guys…” Crocus looked at the Straw Hat crew in disbelief.

Such a unique way of thinking is rarely seen even in Roger's pirate crew.

He remained silent for a moment, then stepped forward and looked up at the enormous creature that had been with him for decades.

"Rabu... are you going with them?"

"Perhaps they really can help you!"

A few days ago, Crocus might not have trusted the Straw Hat Pirates so much.

However, in the past two days, news of the Straw Hat Pirates defeating a naval fleet of 50 warships single-handedly and the fleet commander, Vice Admiral Steeles of the Marine Headquarters, going missing has already dominated major news media.

The story of the Straw Hat Pirates has now become a focus of global attention.

He even knew that... there was a group of special reporters on the shore of the lighthouse, and that information about them had already reached the conference tables of various powers the moment the Straw Hat crew successfully landed on the Grand Line.