The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight cut through the sea fog, the deck of the Oro Jackson was already filled with miserable groans.
"Ugh… my head hurts so much…"
"Water… someone get me some water…"
"Where's that hangover cure Kyle was talking about? Hurry up and bring it over!"
Nozdon clutched his splitting head, feeling as if the rum he had chugged last night was now throwing a wild party inside his brain. Shanks and Buggy, the two young rascals who had secretly been drinking, were sprawled out on the deck with their tongues lolling out, looking as if their souls had completely left their bodies.
Kyle leaned against the ship's rail, a corner of his mouth twitching as he watched the crew of hungover pirates.
"I hate to state the obvious, future overlords of the sea," he said slowly, "but we need to find a doctor precisely because we don't have one. Is that really so hard to understand?"
The crew was silent. It made sense, but that didn't make their headaches go away.
"Everyone, snap out of it!" Roger's booming voice came from the captain's cabin. He strode out onto the deck, full of energy and showing no signs of a hangover, though his face was a bit paler than usual. "Get to it, my lads! Hoist the sails! Our next stop—the Twin Capes!"
"Oh! Oh! Oh!"
Despite their protesting bodies, the crew immediately jumped into action at their captain's command. The Oro Jackson turned its bow, cut through the waves, and sailed toward the entrance of the Grand Line.
A few days later, the magnificent Reverse Mountain appeared before them. The Oro Jackson surged upward along a powerful current, crested the mountain, and then plunged down another waterway, finally coming to a smooth stop beneath the iconic lighthouse at the Twin Capes. This was where the dreams of countless pirates began, and the very air seemed to hum with adventure and legend.
"This is it," Rayleigh said, putting away his sea chart. He pointed at the lighthouse standing on the cape. "That's where we'll find Crocus, the most skilled doctor in this part of the sea."
"Kuhahaha! Leave it to me!"
Roger didn't even wait for the ship to fully dock. He bent his knees and launched himself into the air, soaring across dozens of meters of open water. He landed with a loud thud on the ground in front of the lighthouse, shaking the earth.
A strange-looking old man in a floral shirt and glasses, his hair tied into the shape of a flower, was watering a flower bed. Startled by the sudden noise, he jumped and spilled water all over the ground.
"Hey! Old man!" Roger shouted, planting his hands on his hips and flashing a wide grin. "I've decided I want you! Come be the doctor on my ship!"
The entire world seemed to fall silent.
On the Oro Jackson, Jabba choked on his sake, coughing violently. Shanks and Buggy's mouths hung open, their faces clearly saying, "You can just do that?"
Kyle covered his face with his hand. He knew this would happen. In Roger's mind, there was no such thing as being subtle.
Crocus, the man who had just been called "old man," pushed his glasses up his nose and looked Roger over as if he were an idiot. "And who are you? Some fool who ran away from home? Wait, you're… Gol D. Roger? Doesn't matter. I'm not interested in being a pirate. Now get off my flower bed."
Even with a pirate worth billions of Berries standing in front of him, his tone was flat and held no room for argument.
"Don't be like that!" Roger said, completely unfazed. He strode forward and threw an arm around the old man's shoulder. "It'll be fun to sail with us! We've got booze, meat, and endless adventures!"
Just then, a long, sorrowful whale's cry echoed through the sky.
"Moooo—wooo—"
Along with the cry, a colossal shadow slowly rose from the sea next to the lighthouse. An island-sized head covered in countless scars broke through the surface, sending massive waves crashing against the shore. It was a whale of unbelievable size.
"Waaah! What is that monster?!" Buggy screamed, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. The rest of the crew stared in astonishment.
Only Crocus's expression softened. He put down his watering can, walked to the edge of the water, and gently stroked the giant whale's scarred skin. "Laboon," he murmured, "you're right on time again today… Just wait a little longer. They'll be back soon…"
Laboon let out a low whimper, gently rubbing his head against Crocus's palm as if looking for comfort. Roger's attention was also captured by the giant whale, and he momentarily forgot about his recruitment attempt.
While everyone was distracted by Laboon, Kyle's figure flickered, and he silently left the deck. He quietly made his way to the other side of the lighthouse, where he leaned against the wall and waited.
A few moments later, after comforting Laboon and dismissing Roger with a few short words, Crocus turned to go back inside. As he did, he saw a young man with black hair and golden eyes looking at him with a slight smile.
Crocus frowned. When did this kid get here? He was certain no one had been there a second ago.
"What is it? I already told you, I'm not interested in pirates!" His tone was still unfriendly.
"No need to be in such a hurry," Kyle said, his gaze shifting past Crocus to the massive creature in the sea. "That's one stubborn whale. He's waiting for his friends, isn't he?"
Crocus's body stiffened, and his eyes sharpened behind his glasses. "That's none of your business."
"Of course, it's not my business," Kyle replied with a mysterious smile. "I just happen to know a little something… about a group of cheerful musicians. I believe they were called… the Rumba Pirates?"
"!"
Crocus spun around, staring intently at Kyle. For the first time, his calm face was filled with shock. "How do you know that name?!" He hadn't heard anyone say it in decades.
"The sea carries many things," Kyle said, raising his hand as an invisible ripple seemed to form around his fingertips. "Sounds, light, memories… you just have to know how to 'listen.'"
Of course, Kyle was talking nonsense, but his mystical words and his golden eyes, which seemed to see through everything, left Crocus completely stunned.
"They… what happened to them?" Crocus's voice trembled. He had waited for so long, wondering and worrying for countless days and nights about what terrible fate might have befallen his friends.
"I don't know everything," Kyle admitted honestly, taking the most crucial step in his plan. "I've only 'heard' fragments. I know they entered the Grand Line and ran into a lot of trouble, but they never stopped heading for the place they promised they'd return to."
He looked directly at Crocus, offering the bait he knew the man couldn't refuse.
"You've seen our captain. He's a hopeless idiot, but he's also a man destined to sail to the end of the world." Kyle's voice was full of allure. "Come on our ship, Mr. Crocus. We need your medical skills. In return, we'll take you along that same route. Only by reaching the very end can you find the complete story of the Rumba Pirates. For your own sake… and for that big fellow out there who is still foolishly waiting."
Crocus fell silent, the sea breeze rustling his pink headscarf. He turned and looked out at Laboon, who was still bumping his head against the Red Line, making dull, thudding sounds that seemed to echo with endless sorrow. On one hand, he had a promise he'd kept for decades. On the other, he had the only chance to find the truth and finally bring peace to both himself and Laboon.
After a long moment, he let out a deep sigh, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
"One condition," he said, turning back to Kyle, his eyes now firm and resolute. "I want your captain to personally promise me that he will help me find out what happened to the Rumba Pirates."
"Deal." A triumphant smile spread across Kyle's lips.
When Crocus, carrying his medical kit, followed Kyle back to the front of the lighthouse, Roger was still shadowboxing with the air.
"Hey! Roger!" Kyle called out.
Roger turned, and his eyes lit up when he saw Crocus. "Oh! Old man! You finally came to your senses?"
Crocus ignored the name and walked right up to him. "I will board your ship and become your doctor," he said in a deep voice, "but you must promise me one thing."
"Hm? Name it!"
"Help me find out what truly happened to the 'Rumba Pirates.'"
Roger paused for a second, then broke into a wide grin and thumped his chest with his fist.
"Kuhahaha! Is that all? You have my word! There's no answer on this sea that I, Gol D. Roger, can't find!" His laugh was full of absolute confidence. "Welcome aboard, Crocus!"
As Roger made his hearty promise, Crocus took one last, long look at Laboon, who was still whimpering in the water.
"Wait for me, Laboon. This time, I'll bring back the answer for sure."
With that, Crocus turned away from his giant friend and stepped resolutely onto the deck of the Oro Jackson.
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