Mr. Crocus, how is it?
As soon as he saw Wangzai and Crocus emerge from the sea, Brook hurried forward to ask.
"It's fine. I've already given Laboon a sedative—enough to keep him asleep for a few hours. The modifications to his body are almost complete as well. While he's out, I'll finish the last of the work. Just wait here for a bit." Crocus smiled as he replied.
"Alright, alright! Sorry to trouble you, Mr. Crocus!" Brook said, his tone almost ingratiating.
"It's no trouble, Brook. With Crocus on the job, you can relax. Once the modifications are done, Laboon will be able to enjoy the rest of his days with you even more." Fang Yi stepped forward, patting Brook on the shoulder with a smile.
Brook nodded in understanding.
"Is there anything we can help with?" Fang Yi asked Crocus.
Crocus gave Fang Yi and the others a serious look. Brook, for his part, looked eager to assist. But Crocus shook his head. "You'd only get in the way. Just let Wangzai follow me."
With that, he went back to his room, grabbed a pile of tools, and prepared to dive again.
"Wait… Mr. Crocus!" Fang Yi suddenly called out. "Lately, Wangzai has been unusually sleepy—about half a year now. Could you check him out while you're at it?"
Crocus paused, gave Wangzai a careful once-over, then nodded. "He doesn't seem to have any major issues. But after I finish with Laboon, I'll give him a proper examination."
Once Crocus left, Fang Yi instructed Tiffany to prepare food for a banquet so that when Crocus finished, they could celebrate together.
Not long after Tiffany had the dishes ready, Crocus returned.
Everyone, happy to see each other after so long, threw a lively banquet—though Brook seemed distracted throughout.
"Don't worry. Laboon should be waking up about now. If he smells the food, he might just come over." Crocus smiled at Brook.
"Thank you, I—"
"Woooo~~!"
A huge splash erupted from the sea as Laboon the whale surfaced near the Twin Capes.
"Laboon…"
Brook set down his plate and walked toward the whale, step by step.
Laboon had looked angry at first, but the moment Brook called his name, time seemed to freeze.
Tears welled in the whale's massive eyes—then poured down like rain.
This wasn't a figure of speech; it was truly like rain falling from the sky.
Off to the side, Tiffany was stunned. She had never seen a whale cry before.
"Woooo~~~!"
It seemed Laboon recognized Brook instantly—crying and howling joyfully at the same time.
"What a heartwarming scene," Shanks murmured, wiping the corner of his eye.
"Yeah… all those years of waiting weren't in vain," Fang Yi nodded.
"Hahaha… today is a good day! Brook, how about some music?" Crocus's smile was genuine.
After so many years together, his bond with Laboon was almost as deep as Brook's.
The reunion was joyous—Brook played his violin, Laboon danced in delight—and for a moment, it was just like old times.
"Yo-ho-ho-ho Yo-ho-ho-ho-ho"
"Bring the wine of Binks to your lips~"
"Sail through the wind, rain, and waves~"
The familiar tune of Binks' Sake rang out again—a song every pirate knew, and one no banquet could do without.
After the feast, Brook had private time with Laboon. He told him about what had happened since they parted, and why only he had returned—not because the others had chosen not to, but because they could never come back.
When Brook took the urns of his crewmates' ashes from inside his skull, Laboon grew agitated. But with Brook there to calm him, the whale didn't lose control.
Meanwhile, Crocus completed a full examination of Wangzai. Even with his medical expertise, he found nothing wrong.
"Mr. Crocus… Wangzai's not in danger, is he?" Fang Yi asked nervously, seeing Crocus frown.
Shaking his head, Crocus replied, "From my examination, he's perfectly healthy. But why is he sleeping so much… I can't say. And you know, Wangzai isn't truly a dog—he might be a species unknown to us. His habits and traits could simply be something we don't understand."
"So… what should I do?" Fang Yi asked, a bit at a loss.
"Just keep an eye on him. See if he shows any other symptoms besides drowsiness," Crocus said after thinking it over.
"No," Fang Yi replied firmly. "Aside from sleeping more, there's nothing different. He eats well, sleeps well—and he's even faster than before."
"In that case, there's nothing else to be done but monitor him." Crocus sighed.
After staying at the Twin Capes for a full day, Fang Yi decided to set sail for the East Blue.
"So, the captain's execution site is confirmed in the East Blue?" Before leaving, Fang Yi told Crocus why he was going.
"Yes. Loguetown—the captain's birthplace," Fang Yi nodded.
"Captain… does that mean we're going to break him out? He's your captain, after all," Tiffany asked eagerly, licking her lips.
"Idiot. Of course not. The Navy will turn the place into a fortress. We'd die before even getting close. Besides… this is the path the captain chose for himself. We can't go against it," Fang Yi shook his head.
"Eh? You still haven't told me—who is your captain?" Tiffany pouted.
To her, it was just the execution of a pirate—and in the weakest of the seas, no less. How much power could the Navy possibly deploy there? She'd seen Barrett and Fang Yi train, and their power alone would overwhelm ordinary foes.
"My captain? His name is Gol D. Roger—a great pirate," Fang Yi said with a faint smile.
At the mention of the name, Shanks, Buggy, Crocus, and the others all smiled unconsciously. Just saying it seemed to stir excitement.
"Gol D. Roger… I feel like I've heard that name before," Tiffany muttered, frowning in thought.
"Heh… the world calls my captain… the Pirate King," Fang Yi said quietly.
"The Pirate King… the Pirate King? The Pirate King Gol Do Roger?!" Tiffany's eyes went wide in disbelief.
"It's Gol D. Roger. Don't get it wrong—he's not fond of the 'Gol Do' name," Fang Yi corrected with a smile.
"Now's not the time to nitpick! That's the Pirate King! The Pirate King!" Tiffany shouted, unable to contain her excitement.
"Calm down. Look—besides you, is anyone else this worked up?" Fang Yi gestured.
Sure enough, Shanks and the others looked completely at ease.
"Wait… so that means… you're all members of the Pirate King's crew? And… g-gulp… you've been to the final island?" Tiffany finally pieced it together.
"Haha… Shanks, Buggy, and I didn't go. The captain wouldn't let us—said if we wanted to, we'd have to make our way there. As for Barrett, he was still locked up in Impel Down. But Crocus went—if you're curious, you should ask him," Fang Yi grinned.
"What kind of ship have I boarded?!" Tiffany groaned, holding her head.
But alongside her shock was a bubbling excitement. To think her captain was once a crewmate of the Pirate King—who would even believe her if she said it?
Meanwhile, at the Marine G-8 Branch
"You've received HQ's orders, haven't you, Rear Admiral Jonathan?" asked Vice Admiral Gerard, the branch commander.
"Yes, sir. I didn't expect HQ to act so quickly—or to choose the East Blue, of all places," Jonathan replied.
"The execution of Pirate King Gol D. Roger will take place one week from now in Loguetown, East Blue—his birthplace. HQ wants us on full alert. Pirates nearby may try to cause trouble," Gerard said gravely.
"Rest assured, sir. I've made all the arrangements. On the day of the execution, I'll personally lead a patrol of the surrounding waters," Jonathan said firmly.
"Excellent. I trust your judgment. I'm getting on in years—HQ might be preparing to bring me back to retire. When that happens, I'll recommend you for my position as base commander," Gerard said with a smile.
"Thank you, sir. But you're still in your prime—no need to talk of retirement. Serving under you is already a great honor," Jonathan replied with a smile.
Gerard chuckled and waved it off. "Nonsense. It's your generation's time now. Your friend has been making quite a name for himself lately—he might already outrank you."
"Haha… Sakazuki, huh? He's always been exceptional," Jonathan said.
Jonathan was a Rear Admiral of a Grand Line branch—equal in rank to HQ's Rear Admirals in name, but he knew that if he were in HQ, he'd probably only qualify as a Captain.
The Navy was divided into three main sections: HQ, the Grand Line branches (designated with a G-number), and the Four Seas branches.
Four Seas branches maxed out at the rank of Captain—though equivalent in title to HQ Captains, their strength was typically about three levels lower, comparable to a Lieutenant Commander in HQ.
The Grand Line branches were directly under HQ, with Vice Admiral as their highest rank. While their rank structure matched HQ's, there was still a small gap in strength.
Of course, there were exceptions—some Grand Line branch officers were just as strong as their HQ counterparts. Others were barely stronger than those in the Four Seas.
And some comparisons were pointless—for instance, pitting Jonathan against Sakazuki. The name "Akainu" was already known across the seas. Alongside Borsalino (Kizaru), he was hailed as one of the "Twin Stars of the Navy," and with the rising fame of Kuzan (Aokiji), the three of them were dubbed the Supernova Trio of the Marines.