Seeing that Brook was not in the mirror, everyone immediately became alert and involuntarily took a step back. Usopp's eyes widened, and he pointed at Brook in horror, shouting, "Look closely!! You don't even have a shadow!!"
Brook, however, calmly sat back down in his seat and took a sip of tea.
Seeing this, Sanji couldn't help but bang on the table, looking at the skeleton with a shark-like expression: "Now is not the time to be calm!"
Usopp nervously swallowed, tightly clutching a golden cross in his hand, cautiously aiming it at Brook.
Brook's voice was somewhat flat as he slowly explained, "It's a long story. I've been drifting in this sea for too many years. My becoming a skeleton and losing my shadow are two completely different matters."
Orochimaru Miao Miao looked up, showing little interest in the shadow issue. He remained listlessly sprawled on Zoro's lap, muttering to himself: Anyway, Luffy's chosen Companions definitely won't include him, the more he thought about it, the sadder he got (⁍ ̥ ̥ ̥ ᷄ д ⁍ ̥ ̥ ̥ ᷅ ).
"My shadow was stolen by a man a few years ago." Brook elegantly raised his teacup, took a light sip of black tea, then sighed contentedly.
"Stolen? A shadow?" Robin and Franky asked in unison, their faces full of confusion.
Zoro's hand gently patted Orochimaru's back, as if comforting a child: "Since you can move and speak, nothing can surprise me now. But is it really possible to steal a shadow?"
"Ah... it can be done... and once a shadow is stolen, it means one can no longer live in a place with light." Brook gazed quietly at the black teacup in his hand, but his reflection was not visible in the cup.
"But aren't you still alive?" Luffy scratched his head, his face full of doubt.
"No... once exposed to sunlight... I will die. Fortunately, being in this fog-shrouded sea, I managed to survive by avoiding the sun." Brook slowly put down his teacup, a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"What would happen if you were exposed to sunlight?" Robin asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Once directly hit by sunlight, my body would turn to ash," Brook said, lowering his head, thinking of the past.
"I once witnessed someone whose shadow was stolen turn into dust under the sun. It was truly a horrifying terror, even though I'm a Mukuro! I don't have fur!
Shadows are cast on the ground by light, and things like mirrors and cameras, which reflect to show objects, cannot reflect my body.
In other words, I am an existence rejected by light! And all my Companions are dead!" Brook involuntarily stood up and looked at everyone.
Sanji, with a cigarette in his mouth, looked at the skeleton and sighed.
"Your life has been quite tragic." Good thing you met Luffy... otherwise it might have been even worse... Sanji thought... but didn't say the latter half of the sentence, glancing at the snake on Zoro's lap.
Brook excitedly spread his arms, "Even so, I stubbornly survived! A pile of white bones, still stubbornly alive ฅ(*`ω´*)ฅ, I am Brook, who died and only has bones left."
"Why are you so cheerful?" Sanji was speechless... looking at the cheerful skeleton.
Brook excitedly spun around, "Yohohoho!!! Yohohoho!!! How lucky this day is!!! I've met people!" Brook's voice gradually calmed.
"In this dark sea shrouded in fog, where time is unknown..." In Brook's mind, he recalled the past noise and joy on the ship, and then the whole ship became empty.
"All my Companions died, and I was alone guarding the broken rudder of a large ship, drifting for decades like this. I... was truly lonely, both lonely and scared... I really wanted to die."
Brook's voice was filled with desolation.
"But longevity is truly good... people can bring joy, and for me! You are my joy! If I still had tears, I would surely be crying with happiness now."
Brook looked at Luffy, very happy, "You just invited me to join you, didn't you... I am truly very happy, thank you very much!!
But I must refuse."
Orochimaru, who was almost emo from Brook's words, suddenly perked up upon hearing him. He looked at the skeleton, who could be considered his peer, with shining eyes. Zoro noticed and, with a dark expression, pressed him back down.
"Don't even think about it... if Luffy sets his sights on something, refusing is useless."
Sure enough, when Brook said he had to wait to get his shadow back, Luffy stood up, banging on the table, "What's with all the politeness! If you need your shadow, I'll go get it back for you ψ(*｀ー´)ψ
Didn't you say someone stole it? Who is it! Where is he!"
Brook looked at Luffy, "You... are truly a good person, you shock me greatly, but I cannot tell you. How can I let you, whom I've only just met, die for me?"
"Is the enemy too strong? It won't hurt to tell us, at least give us a name," Franky asked curiously.
"No... I cannot say. In fact, we don't even know where he is... Yohohoho, I also don't know if I'll be able to see that person again before the end of my second life.
If I can see him again, I've decided to fight him to the death." Brook stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the group.
[Cat Sir: Vivi Sang, look! This is the normal attitude, okay!!!!!!!]
"Oh, right... I'll sing a song for everyone." Brook pulled out a violin from a tattered bag on the floor.
"I'm very good at music; I was a musician on my previous pirate ship."
Upon hearing this, Orochimaru completely despaired ꒦ິᯅ꒦ີ, it's over... absolutely no chance... he knew all too well the devastating effect a musician had on Luffy.
Zoro awkwardly tried to comfort him... What's wrong, he suddenly wondered, should I pick him up and pat him?
Sure enough, Luffy's eyes lit up as he looked at Brook, "Really?! A musician! That's amazing! Please! Just join us! You bastard!"
Brook looked at Luffy and smiled, "Then let's play a cheerful sea shanty!"
Just as Brook was about to play the violin, he suddenly looked behind everyone in horror and let out a scream.
"No!!!!!"
Then, scared, he fell to the ground, pointing at the gradually appearing ghost on the ceiling.
"Gh... Ghost... host."
Soon the ghost disappeared, and the sunny's hull vibrated violently. Brook anticipated something, quickly opened the restaurant door, ran out, and muttered to himself as he looked at the scene outside.
"Could it be that this ship is already being watched?"
As everyone emerged, Brook pointed at the tooth-like wall ahead.
"Look, there's no way forward; that tremor just now was because of this."
Everyone was puzzled, and Brook took a step back, looking at the giant tooth.
"This is inside a door... In that case," Brook quickly ran to the stern, and stared blankly at the sight before him.
"You didn't pick up a drifting barrel from the sea, did you! That was a trap... This ship has been targeted ever since then."
Luffy was confused, "Targeted means... this ship hasn't moved since just now."
Luffy looked at the giant island that suddenly appeared before him... his voice gradually lowered, filled with disbelief.
"Why is there an island there?"
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