Kaito didn't continue chatting with Crocus. His figure flickered, and in the next instant, he appeared beside Brook.
Brook immediately gave Kaito a deep bow.
Words couldn't express how grateful he was. Thanks to Kaito, he had reclaimed his shadow and fulfilled his promise to reunite with Laboon.
And now, he knew Kaito's true identity—he was a Marine Admiral!
That made Brook even more emotional. A full-fledged Marine Admiral had helped someone like him—a no-name pirate. Who would believe that?
Brook felt like he could lay down his life for Kaito without hesitation.
But Kaito had no need for Brook's devotion. All he wanted was for Brook to live happily with Laboon.
Helping Brook to his feet, Kaito smiled and asked,
"How about now? Still thinking about returning to the underworld?"
Laboon blinked his big eyes and stared curiously at Brook when he heard Kaito's question.
Under that gaze, if Brook had a face of flesh instead of bone, it surely would've flushed red.
With Laboon here, how could he want to die?
Brook had made up his mind—he would spend the rest of his days with Laboon. He didn't want to go anywhere else.
Shuffling shyly, he replied awkwardly,
"Forgive me, Kaito-san… but now I have no thoughts of dying anymore. I want to stay by Laboon's side!"
Laboon let out a joyful cry and sprayed a tall jet of seawater from his blowhole. Most amusing of all, a rainbow appeared in the spray's aftermath.
Both Kaito and Brook laughed at Laboon's antics. Kaito couldn't help but reach out and pat the giant whale's big face.
Laboon still felt a bit intimidated by Kaito's Rinnegan, but it understood that this human had done a great deed for both him and Brook. So despite the lingering fear, it shut its eyes and obediently let Kaito pet him.
Though Laboon was several hundred meters long, in front of Kaito, it behaved like a tame puppy. Seeing this made Kaito smile warmly. He pulled out a Flying Thunder God kunai and handed it to Brook.
Brook took it and examined it curiously.
"Kaito-san, what's this?"
Still toying with Laboon, Kaito didn't even look back as he replied casually,
"If you ever run into an enemy here that you can't handle, use that to call me. I'll be here immediately."
Brook's empty sockets widened. The kunai suddenly felt heavy in his hand—it carried the immense weight of Kaito-san's kindness.
Tears welled up again, leaking from the empty spaces where his eyes used to be. His jaw opened and closed, but no words came out.
Kaito turned and gave Brook a light pat on the shoulder.
"No need to take it too seriously. Laboon's such a good boy—I really like him. Just consider it a gift for him."
Brook clutched the Flying Thunder God kunai tightly to his chest and nodded several times with force.
Kaito smiled at Brook and asked,
"So, what do you plan to do now?"
"I want to be like Crocus-san. I'll stay here as the lighthouse keeper and live out my days with Laboon!"
Hearing Brook's decision, Kaito gave a slight nod. It was probably the best ending possible for both Brook and Laboon.
That thought brought a smile to his face. Everything had wrapped up nicely. It was time for him to leave.
Without saying goodbye, Kaito's body dissolved into a flash of violet lightning and vanished on the spot.
Brook and Laboon were stunned, frozen where they stood. They looked at each other, wide-eyed, until Brook finally realized—Kaito-san had already left.
Thinking back to the short time they spent together, Brook's heart swelled with gratitude. He raised his head and shouted,
"Thank you, Kaito-san!!!"
"Wooo!"
Laboon let out a cry too. In his mind, the image of the human with the strange eyes had become unforgettable. He would never forget him.
Suddenly, thunder rumbled across the sky. Bolts of wild lightning struck the cliffside Laboon used to crash into, sending clouds of dust into the air.
Brook and Laboon reflexively shielded their eyes. When they looked back at the rock face, their eyes widened—
Etched into the cliff were the words:
"Laboon cliff — Left behind by Marine Admiral Shikiryū."
Space lifted Brook above the seawater as he gazed up silently at the bold inscription above.
He understood what Kaito had done. The first line, "Laboon cliff," was a dedication to the whale who had stood guard here for decades.
The second line was a signature, a protection—for both him and Laboon.
After all, Brook's skeletal body and Laboon's massive form were considered rare and exotic in the eyes of many powers.
And Crocus' unique background could easily attract the wrong kind of attention.
But the name Marine Admiral Shikiryū was the perfect talisman. Anyone who saw that name would think twice—could they afford to risk provoking his wrath?
Brook didn't know how long he stared. Suddenly, with a loud thud, he dropped to his knees and bowed his skull to the ground.
He remained that way for a long, long time.
...
Over the skies of Marineford, thunder cracked suddenly. But the navy stationed below didn't panic—on the contrary, they felt a strong sense of relief.
They knew what this meant.
It was the signal that Admiral Shikiryū had returned to base.
After returning to Marine Headquarters, Kaito spent some time with Kalifa, Ain, and the others, then headed straight to Zephyr.
In truth, it had only been two days since Kaito left on his mission to search for the Revive-Revive Fruit. But Zephyr was still buried in grief, his expression visibly bleak.
Still, when he saw Kaito, a smile broke across his face. He didn't want his sorrow to affect his favorite student.
He smiled and said,
"Kaito, huh… Been out on another mission these past couple days?"
Kaito could clearly see that Zephyr was forcing that smile. He said nothing. Instead, he walked up and grabbed Zephyr's arm.
Naturally, Zephyr had no reason to guard against Kaito. He followed him without hesitation as they vanished together.
...
Marine Headquarters Cemetery
Shh!
Kaito and Zephyr appeared in front of two graves—one large, one small.
Zephyr's eyes flickered with sorrow as he looked at the gravestones. He turned to Kaito in confusion.
But Kaito remained silent. He extended roo space into the ground, and with a thought, two coffins emerged side by side.
This time, Zephyr couldn't stay composed.
Those were the coffins of his wife and son.
Still, out of trust for Kaito, he didn't lose his temper. Slowly, he stepped forward and gently ran his hand across the cold surfaces of the caskets.
His eyes were already swimming in an indescribable sea of pain.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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