After a brief pause, the Den Den Mushi finally responded, much to Garp's anxious anticipation.
"Fine, Monkey D. Garp. But remember your promise!"
Brook hadn't expected much, so he simply agreed. He never really counted on Garp making such a decision—he just wanted to ensure that mad dog wouldn't chase after them.
Without waiting for Garp's reply, Brook hung up the Den Den Mushi and ordered his crew to set sail immediately, leaving behind three Marine battleships and the wounded soldiers.
...
Not long after, Garp's warship arrived at the waters near Asuka Island, where he found Rear Admiral Temep and the others. After reviving them, he was shocked to discover that none of the officers recognized him—they had completely lost their memories.
It wasn't until the lower-ranking Marines regained consciousness that he learned they had encountered Brook's Hell Pirates.
"So it was Brook… Do they have a crew member who can erase memories? A Memory-Memory Fruit user?"
Left with no other choice, Garp personally escorted the amnesiac officers back to Marineford. After an extensive examination, the conclusion was clear—their memories were permanently gone. They would have to be retrained from scratch.
This left Garp deeply frustrated. "You said nothing would happen to them! And now they've lost their memories?! Brook, you bastard, you lied to me!"
The Marine Headquarters managed to gather information about the Hell Pirates from the few unaffected soldiers. Combined with their investigation of Asuka Island, they were able to update the bounty posters and hierarchy of the infamous crew.
...
Meanwhile, the Yellow Springs set sail toward its next destination.
"Captain Brook, our next stop is Drum Island—one of the world's most renowned medical nations. We're sure to find a strong doctor to join our crew!"
Shakky carefully retrieved a Log Pose from the box, which had been personally prepared by Mortomas. Among them was a permanent pointer to the World Government-affiliated Drum Kingdom.
"Not bad. I recall there's a powerful old lady doctor on Drum Island."
Brook thought of Dr. Kureha. By now, Doctor should be around 89 years old. He wasn't sure if she still traveled, but another name came to mind—Crocus. He was also a skilled physician.
Crocus, while guarding Twin Cape, often visited Drum Island to purchase medical books and further his studies. His talent was undeniable, allowing him to become a self-taught expert. Eventually, Gol D. Roger recruited him as a ship doctor, prolonging Roger's life for three more years.
The Rumbar Pirates had once crossed paths with Crocus, entrusting him with the care of Laboon. Brook wasn't sure if the old doctor would be willing to leave his post at Twin Cape to join their crew. But if they failed to find a suitable doctor on Drum Island, they could always seek him out—and perhaps even bring Laboon along.
Brook believed they could protect Laboon. After all, island whales were incredibly powerful creatures.
...
"Captain Brook, are you serious? An eighty-year-old doctor? This is a pirate adventure, not a vacation!"
Shakky rolled her eyes, completely baffled by Brook's reasoning. An elderly lady like that could drop dead at any moment—how was she supposed to save lives?
"Dr. Kureha has mastered the secret to longevity! Even at 150, she'll still be running circles around people. Don't underestimate her!"
After all, at 139 years old, she could still throw scalpels with pinpoint accuracy, making even the Straw Hats flee in terror. Under Wapol's tyrannical rule, she was the only doctor able to move freely in Drum Kingdom. Her strength likely surpassed Wapol's—and possibly even that of the early Straw Hat crew.
As the saying goes, the older one gets, the wiser—or perhaps more cunning—they become. Whenever the quack doctor, Dr. Hiriluk, made a mess of things while recklessly treating patients, she was always the first to arrive and clean up the situation. This alone spoke volumes about the strength of her Observation Haki.
Not only that, but she also knew the secrets behind the Will of D. That alone made it clear—she was no ordinary old lady.
"No matter how impressive she is, she's still an old lady. Captain, you better not recruit her onto the ship, or our average age is going to skyrocket!"
Shakky made her stance clear—she had no interest in dealing with an elderly ship doctor on a daily basis.
"As if I could just invite her, and she'd immediately agree! You're thinking too highly of me!"
Brook had no confidence in recruiting Dr. Kureha. A seasoned veteran like her wouldn't be easy to fool, and they couldn't exactly force her. If they did, well… a doctor could easily make someone drop dead without them even realizing it.
...
"Captain Brook! There's a massive cloud waterfall ahead—it's incredible!!"
At the helm, the Fish-Man helmsman, Tom, called out in excitement. Soon, the rest of the crew caught sight of it as well—a vast, cascading cloud that stretched for miles, linking the sky and sea in a breathtaking display.
The wonders of the Grand Line were truly awe-inspiring. This was the beauty of nature at its finest.
"Captain Brook, should we go check it out? Who knows what kind of secrets it holds?"
Tom was eager to explore, but as a Devil Fruit user, Brook felt wary about charging into an unknown phenomenon like this.
"I want to see it too, Captain!"
Redfield was just as enthusiastic. A place shrouded in mystery—what better setting for an adventure?
Noticing that both Shakky and Silva were equally intrigued, Brook sighed. There was no way he could refuse.
"Well, I guess that settles it. Let's check it out!"
Antonio, as expected, simply went along with the group's decision.
"Yoohoho~ An adventure awaits!"
Since Redfield had stopped using his specialized Observation Haki on his crewmates, he had become a lot more cheerful. As the saying went, knowing too much could bring pain—sometimes, ignorance truly was bliss.
Meanwhile, the Memory Seahorse had grown significantly after consuming so many memories. It could no longer perch on Brook's shoulder like before. What was even more astonishing was that after absorbing the memories of Rear Admiral Temep, it seemed to have grasped the basics of the Rokushiki techniques.
At the very least, it had learned to use Shigan with its tail—Shigan: Tail Strike. It could even manage a crude version of Geppo, allowing it to briefly hover in the air. This left Shakky and the others looking on in envy.
With newfound motivation, the crew began training using the notes Redfield had transcribed on Rokushiki and Haki awakening techniques.
Tom, thanks to his incredible physique as a Bullhorn Fish-Man, showed the earliest signs of awakening Armament Haki.
Redfield's Observation Haki was improving at an alarming rate, and his swordsmanship grew even sharper—his talent far outshined Brook's.
Silva, their sharpshooter, followed Brook's advice and focused on honing his Observation Haki while mastering Soru and Geppo—both crucial movement techniques for positioning during battle.
As for Antonio, there was no expectation for him to fight. Learning some life-saving techniques was enough, so he, too, prioritized training in Soru and Geppo. Haki? That was out of the question.
Shakky, on the other hand, wanted to learn everything—and she was actually putting in the effort, never slacking off. She had the heart of someone determined to grow stronger.
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+100 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg