I collect everything in the One Piece world.

The ship gradually became a black dot on the horizon, eventually disappearing into the perpetual light sea fog surrounding Drum Island.

Chapter 130, A Long-Awaited Reunion, "The King Returns" Wapol

Deep in the Devil's Triangle, a suffocating fog swallows all light and sound.

In the center of this sea, the island whale Laboon, with its massive body as large as a small mountain, floated quietly on the surface of the water, gently resting its broad forehead against the dilapidated pirate ship beside it. This ship belonged to the Rumbar Pirates decades ago.

A low, sorrowful sob emanated from the depths of Rab's throat, echoing through the thick fog and adding to the desolation.

The enormous eyes stared unblinkingly at the empty ship, as if they could still see the companions who had bid it farewell with smiles decades ago, promising to return and pick it up after circumnavigating the Grand Line.

Crocus sat cross-legged on top of Laboon's head, his gray hair and beard dampened by the mist.

He listened to Rab's sorrowful sobs, felt its deep grief, and sighed helplessly.

For decades, he has stayed with this whale from its prime to its old age, witnessing countless hopes rise and fall.

Now, the truth has finally been revealed: the Rumbar Pirates ultimately failed to escape this devilish sea that has swallowed countless ships.

“Laboo…” Crocus’s hoarse voice was filled with deep pity: “I know you’re still waiting, still thinking about them. But…”

"The situation is clear now. So many years have passed, and the ship is still here. They... ultimately failed to fulfill their promise."

"Waaah!"

Rab understood, and his sobs grew even more sorrowful. His massive body trembled slightly, creating ripples on the sea.

It gently nuzzled the decaying hull with its head, as if bidding a final farewell, or perhaps still unwilling to give up that faint hope.

Just then, a sudden burst of laughter pierced through the thick fog, clearly coming from afar: "Yohohohoho!!!"

The laughter echoed in the deathly silence of the thick fog, sounding particularly abrupt, even somewhat sinister.

Immediately afterwards, a blurry figure swept across the fog-shrouded sea at high speed with an incredibly light and agile movement!

Rab's whimpers abruptly stopped, his massive body jolted violently, his eyes widened suddenly, staring intently in the direction from which the laughter and figure came, a low growl emanating from his throat, a mixture of excitement and disbelief, his entire body trembling slightly.

Kurokas was startled by the sudden laughter and figure, and goosebumps instantly covered his arms.

"What the hell?!" He instinctively gripped the harpoon he carried with him and looked warily into the thick fog.

That laughter...that figure...appearing in this godforsaken place...

Something just doesn't feel right! Is it a ghost? Or some kind of unknown monster?

However, the next second, he suddenly realized something. Why did that laughter sound so familiar?

Combined with the unprecedentedly intense reaction of the man beneath him, an almost absurd yet heart-pounding thought struck his mind like lightning!

"Could it be...?" Crocus suddenly stood up, staring intently at the approaching figure: "That guy?! All these years! He's still alive?!"

The moment the thought crossed his mind, the figure leaped lightly and landed on the bow of the Rumbar Pirates' ship.

The thick fog lifted slightly, revealing the true form of the newcomer: a skeleton wearing a worn-out but still discernibly gentlemanly suit and sporting a signature afro!

Crocus's eyes widened in disbelief. "Skull?! No! That afro! That outfit! That laughter! It's... Brook?!"

"Is it really you, Brook?!" Crocus's voice trembled with excitement.

Brook, at the bow of the ship, finally saw the massive, mountain-like figure below, and the old man above it, whose features, though much older, were still familiar.

His dark eye sockets suddenly changed, and even without eyes, one could feel his barely concealed excitement.

"Labu!!!" Brooke shouted excitedly towards the island whales below.

Then he turned to Crocus, his voice trembling with unbelievable elation, and exclaimed, "Crocus?! You're alive?! You're here too?! My God!"

"This...this isn't a dream, is it?! Have I gone crazy from being alone for too long? Or did I get a head injury?! Yohohoho!!!"

……

Meanwhile, the waters surrounding Magdrum Island.

In a foggy sea area not far from Drum Island, a uniquely shaped ship, the "White Iron King," resembling a moving castle, lies quietly dormant in the fog.

On the deck, Wapol, the former king of the Drum Kingdom, was excitedly rubbing his short, chubby fingers after hearing the scout's report.

"They're gone?! They're really gone?! Those damned bandits really left on their ship?!" Wapol's small eyes gleamed with wild joy.

"Yes, Your Majesty." The scout who returned with the news knelt on one knee and replied respectfully, "I saw with my own eyes that their ship left the port and headed southeast, and it has been hidden in the thick fog for some time now."

"Great! This is wonderful!" Wapol was so excited he almost jumped for joy. He could almost see himself back on the throne, continuing to lord it over others.

"Quick! Quick! Turn the ship around! We're going back to Drum Island right now! That's my kingdom! My castle! My people! Hahahaha!"

"Your Majesty, please wait a moment," Jess, the advisor beside him, advised.

"The strength of those invaders is unknown, and their whereabouts are elusive. To prevent any traps, or the possibility that they have simply left temporarily to resupply on a nearby island, I suggest that we wait patiently for a while longer and confirm that they have indeed gone far away before returning to Drum Island."

Although Wapol was cruel and stupid, his instinct was to fear death, so when he heard Jess's suggestion, his feverish mind instantly cooled down.

Recalling Morsen's "terrifying reputation," he couldn't help but shudder and quickly said, "Yes! Yes! Jess, you're right! Let's wait a little longer! Anyway, Drum Island is there, it can't escape!"

"Hehe! As long as those evil stars leave, Drum Island will still belong to me, King Walbourne!" He rubbed his hands together, a smug smile returning to his face. He was already fantasizing about how to "punish" those "traitors" who dared to accept the invaders, and how to issue the new decrees he had just come up with.

While Wapol was dreaming of his return, a "welcome ceremony" for him was already in place on Drum Island.

Dragon didn't stay on Drum Island for long. After initially helping to stabilize the situation and establish a basic framework for the revolutionary organization, he handed Drum Island over to Belo Betty as an important base for the first half of the Grand Line for further development and arrangements.

He himself had to leave first because there were other important matters at the Revolutionary Army headquarters, but he had a detailed talk with Belo Betty before leaving.

“This is your responsibility, Betty,” Dragon said in a deep voice. “Mosen’s ideas and strategies are invaluable. Drum Island is our first important testing ground for putting these ideas into practice. So be sure to proceed with caution and proceed steadily.”

“Dalton can be trusted. He is familiar with the local area and has a heart to protect the people. After a while, we will also recruit him into the revolutionary army.”

Belo Betty, with a cigarette dangling from her lips, nodded earnestly: "Don't worry, I know what to do."

Long paused, as if remembering something, and added, "Also, Morsen reminded me before he left that that idiot Walpo might still be up to no good and try to make a comeback."

"Although he has fled, he will never willingly give up the throne and his wealth. Keep a close eye on him."

Belo Betty smiled confidently: "I understand. Coming back is easy, but leaving again will be difficult."

Chapter 131, Daily Life at Sea: Departure for Water Seven

Several days have passed since we left Drum Island, and the weather at sea has gradually changed from the harsh cold of the winter island to the bright and changeable weather common on the Grand Line.

The collectors' adventure team's ship sailed smoothly across the sea with its sails billowing.

A leisurely scene unfolded on the deck.

Bakara, dressed in a cool beach dress and wearing a sun hat, was lounging on a deck chair with a glass of chilled juice with an umbrella on the small table next to her.

She held a beautiful sapphire she had "collected" from the royal palace on Drum Island in her hand; in the sunlight, the gemstone reflected a mesmerizing brilliance from her fingertips.

"Hmm... the color of this one is nice, but the clarity is a little lacking. I'll have to look for a better one next time," she murmured to herself, a satisfied smile playing on her lips.

Not far away, Nami was holding a long list and circling around Chopper, who was still a little shy and nervous.

She was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts that were easy to move in, and she looked youthful and energetic, with her short orange hair bouncing in the sunlight.

"Dr. Chopper! Come here, here's the list of medicines we need to replenish! Look, there are hemostatics, anti-inflammatory drugs, pain relievers, fever reducers, and detoxifiers..."

"The captain said to ask you if there's anything else we need to add. We need to get all the figures sorted out before we reach the next island so that we can make the most efficient purchases after we dock!"

Chopper looked it over carefully, then muttered to himself as he scribbled and drew, "And all sorts of vitamin supplements! Oh, and bandages, rubbing alcohol, and the maintenance and replenishment of surgical instruments also need to be done..."

"Is it still so much short? How much money will that cost..." Nami looked at the ever-growing list and suddenly felt a pang of heartache.

After thinking for a moment, she moved closer to Chopper and whispered, "Dr. Chopper, when we're making purchases, could we look for herbs that have similar effects but are more cost-effective? After all, budget is still very important!"

"Although we're not short of money right now, we still need to spend it in a planned way..." Nami was really afraid of being poor, and she would feel the pinch whenever she had to spend money, except for buying clothes, of course.

Chopper: "..."

He felt his compassionate heart as a healer was clashing fiercely with Nami's shrewd calculations.

"Nami, don't put too much pressure on Chopper. We can take our time with the purchasing, and our budget is more than enough." As she spoke, Robin came over with a pot of freshly brewed black tea and several plates of snacks, placing them on the small table next to Baccarat.

She wore an elegant dress today, which made her look intellectual and gentle.

“That’s true, but we still have to go to Water 7 to pay the balance, right? That’s several hundred million Berries…” Nami felt heartbroken at the thought of spending several hundred million Berries at once.

Although she knew this was money that had to be spent, knowing it and feeling the pinch were two separate things that could go hand in hand.

"Have some tea first, and try my freshly baked cookies. I added some calming and soothing herbal bits from Drum Island. They should taste good."

"Thank you, Miss Robin!" Chopper was overjoyed and quickly took the cookie, taking small bites as a happy expression spread across his furry face. "Delicious! The herbal flavor is so mild, and it blends perfectly with the sweetness!"

Robin smiled and sat down on a folding chair, picking up a book he had "borrowed" from the Drumburg Library. He sipped tea and read, occasionally glancing up at the azure sea and the ever-changing clouds in the sky, his expression serene.

Knowledge, the sea, afternoon tea, and reliable companions—this is probably her ideal voyage.

Mosen occupied the most eye-catching position at the bow of the ship, casually reclining in a specially made captain's chair. The angle of the chair was just right so that he could bask in the sun without it being too glaring.

He also held a set of blueprints in his hand, but it wasn't a nautical chart; rather, it was a document recording the details and requirements of the new ship, details and requirements that seemed to fit the other people.

Sunlight shone on his sharply defined profile, revealing a changed expression—less of his usual carefree smile, and more focused and serious.

The "dream ship" in his mind was not simply bigger and more beautiful; it needed to be able to cope with more unpredictable sea conditions, more powerful enemies, longer voyages, and... accommodate more companions and their dreams.

After a while, as if his thoughts had come to a temporary end, Mosen stretched out with a big yawn, his bones making a cracking sound.

He put away the blueprints, glanced at his companions enjoying themselves on the deck, and a carefree smile appeared on his face again.

"Oh, everyone's enjoying life, aren't they?" He stood up, walked to the ship's wheel, and looked towards the horizon where the sea met the sky.

"Judging from the weather, we should be able to see the iconic giant fountain of Water Seven in a few days."

"Water Seven, how exciting!" Nami exclaimed excitedly. "I heard it's the best shipbuilding city in the world! We'll be able to see our new ship soon!!"

Robin looked up from his book, a thoughtful glint in his eyes: "I did go there once before, but I didn't stay long..."

Bakara took a sip of her juice and said slowly, "I wonder what our new captain will look like. I've already prepared a lot of decorations, and I'll definitely decorate my room nicely when the time comes."

Chopper blinked his big eyes curiously: "Water Seven? I've never heard of it. I wonder what it's like?"

Mosen laughed and said, "You definitely won't be disappointed. Our main purpose in going there is to get the boat I ordered earlier."

"We need a faster, stronger, and more fully equipped ship to weather the storms of the Grand Line!"

He paused, his gaze falling on Chopper, his smile becoming even gentler: "Moreover, we now have a formal ship's doctor, so the design of the new ship must include a fully equipped medical room."

"We also need a comfortable and quiet room where Chopper can rest and do his research whenever he wants."