Orochimaru completely ignored Kuma, who was utterly confused, turned around, and flew away directly. These super idiots won't listen to anything, so it's better to let them die once!!!! Then two years later, just throw him to Bonney and let him experience social death!! Social death!
Bartholomew Kuma shivered inexplicably, genuinely feeling puzzled and confused. Had this child gone astray? He used to be a calm and mature person.
Although his voice wasn't particularly clear when he was young, even a bit cold, why was he so capricious now, and what exactly was that mark on his body?
Under the oppressive atmosphere, Orochimaru had just landed on the sunny when he heard Usopp's highly penetrating voice: "The beautiful swordswoman is here with meat!!!"
This shout almost made the already bad-tempered Orochimaru slip, and his face instantly became even gloomier.
He hurried into the warehouse and the first thing he saw was Luffy, looking aggrieved, gnawing fiercely on a large piece of cheese, as if he had been starving for a long time.
When Luffy saw Orochimaru, he quickly wrapped around him like a meteor, his tone full of coquetry and grievance, even shedding tears and sobbing: "Listen to me... Orochimaru... just meat and dry bread are not enough to eat at all, I want to eat meat, the Pirate Crew's bento is gone, only cheese is not enough... only cheese and stuff..."
Zoro, standing nearby, covered his face in regret, muttering, "What a loss of face, I was too careless."
Usopp was surprised when he saw Orochimaru, then said, "Oh... Orochimaru is back, where did you run off to... we didn't find you in the coffin... never mind... it's not important, I'll be brief. The things we absolutely must get back next can be broadly divided into two categories."
Luffy chewed on the meat Orochimaru gave him, his teeth grinding: "I know... food! Nami! And shadows! That's three!" he said angrily.
Usopp blinked, his mouth twitching: "Uh... something unexpected has been added... don't you have food now?" Then he cleared his throat and said seriously, "First, I'll talk about Nami and the shadows."
As Usopp narrated, everyone learned some things they hadn't known before.
Everyone secretly glanced at Orochimaru, whose face was still gloomy. "This guy must be holding back something important... it probably can't be resolved for now, or he wouldn't be so angry. It shouldn't be related to Nami's situation, so let's discuss it later..." The group thought in unison and then changed the subject.
Sanji, knowing Nami was being forced to marry, was fuming, his face twisted.
Chopper and Usopp squatted on the ground, holding their heads and crying bitterly: "That guy is one of the Shichibukai, suddenly it feels so scary... boo hoo hoo."
Franky's face was a bit heavy. He sat in the resting area under the mast, recalled, and then told everyone about Brook's promise to his Companions.
— — — — — — I am a memory ~ — — — — — —
Brook, Franky, and Robin stood on a bridge connected by spider silk. Franky asked the question he had always wanted to ask.
"Living for decades alone in an anomalous form, what is this promise with your Companions that you are so determined to live to fulfill?"
Brook turned his back to Franky and chuckled softly, "You're such a busybody. It's simple. A long time ago, our Pirate Crew left a Companion in a certain place. It was a painful and helpless farewell. We promised we would definitely return to that place, and then we sailed away."
"Then we were completely wiped out in this sea area, unable to fulfill our promise to him. I, who have lived alone on the ship for so long, have an obligation to tell him all of this."
Brook looked up at the sky, his voice forlorn.
"It's been 50 years since the day we died, hasn't it?"
Franky's pupils widened in shock, "50 years! Hey, was it that long ago...? We weren't even born yet. Although it's rude to say so, that guy wouldn't wait for you that long, would he?"
Brook suddenly became angry, then grew despondent again. "What right do I have... what right do I have to conclude that he is no longer waiting...? What if... what if he believed in our promise and has been waiting all this time, how lonely must he be now...? If he felt betrayed by us, yet still kept waiting for us, how sad would that feeling be?
The name of the Companion who swore to meet again at the promised strait is 'Laboon...' It's a very small whale, unable to follow us on such a dangerous voyage.
I don't think it would forgive us for dying so irresponsibly, for making a promise without permission. I can almost hear the shouts from the distant sky, 'Don't think dying is enough, a man once said he would definitely come back!'"
— — — — End of memory — — — — — —
Franky recounted Brook's words.
For a moment, everyone fell silent. Usopp trembled slightly in shock, while Zoro, Sanji, and Luffy's faces showed expressions of disbelief. They murmured, "Laboon... so it was that guy... really...?"
Chopper looked at the others curiously, asking in confusion, "What? What?"
Usopp then came back to his senses, "That's right... Chopper, you guys don't know."
Sanji took a puff from his cigarette, exhaling a smoke ring that formed the shape of Laboon: "When we entered the Grand Line at Twin Capes, we met a giant whale named Laboon. He had been guarding the strait, constantly crashing into the Red Line, wanting to enter the Grand Line to find his Companions. Later, he made a promise with Luffy and stopped his self-harming behavior. He should still be alive and well in that strait, waiting for his Companions to return."
Usopp, while grinding some unknown object, exclaimed, "What an incredible story... they've kept their promise to each other for 50 years."
Franky was so moved that tears streamed down his face, "Whether it's a skeleton or a whale, I love them both so much, boo hoo hoo hoo... damn it..."
Luffy cheered excitedly, "That's awesome... that guy is a musician... a talking skeleton... with an afro, who goes 'Yohohohoho,' and he's Laboon's Companion. Even if I have to drag him, I'm going to make him join the ship, to be our Companion. Do you have any objections?"
Robin smiled, covering her face, her expression doting, "If there were, would you change your mind?"
Usopp couldn't help but smile, "I really want him to see Laboon."
The tear-streaked Franky and Chopper exclaimed, "Agreed... you damn fool!"
Sanji took a puff of his cigarette, then flames of anger engulfed his entire body, "Rather than this obvious matter, I'm going to stop Miss Nami's wedding!!!!"
Zoro glanced at Orochimaru, who was still holding his breath, patted his back, and directly carried him towards the castle. "If he doesn't get on the ship, Orochimaru will probably pickle him in the lab as material... saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda.
Let's go quickly, after all, there's one more shadow we need to get back."
Luffy laughed heartily.
"Alright! Brothers! Get ready to fight back!"
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