Chapter 155: Yellow Springs Secret and G-0 Branch!
"Brook?"
Crocus called out hesitantly to the afro-wearing Man in Black who had his back to him. Senior Director Coulson and the others were waiting silently by the Seaside not far away. He asked them what they were waiting for, but they wouldn't answer, saying that telling him in advance would spoil many surprises.
"Mr. Crocus!!"
Hearing the voice, Brook quickly turned around. Seeing the old friend who had clearly aged considerably, he walked over excitedly and clasped his hands with his bone fingers that had no skin or flesh.
"Thank you very, very, very much for your meticulous care of Laboon all this time. On behalf of the entire Rumbar Pirates, I express our most sincere gratitude!"
Saying this, he let go of his hands and bowed ninety degrees very seriously, remaining in that position for a long time. Crocus was currently in a state of astonishment.
Although he had heard that Senior Director Coulson mention it before, seeing a Skeleton with only an afro speaking to him with his own eyes still felt incredible and hard to believe.
"Ah, alright, alright, get up, Brook. It's good that you're back!"
A moment later, Crocus reacted and quickly helped him up. Looking at the empty eye sockets of the other party, he said with emotion, "It hasn't been easy for you either. You must have experienced unimaginable pain, right?"
"Yohohoho~~ That's all in the past now. Being able to see Laboon and you again, I'm already content!" Brook laughed very optimistically.
There was no other way; if he wasn't optimistic enough, it would have been difficult to live with the Skeletons of his companions for so long in the deserted Misty Sea.
"When I get to the Land of the Yellow Springs in the future, I'll have an explanation for the Captain and the others. Although I don't know if I can go there again, that place is actually very large and very lively. I ended up with my Body decaying because I got lost there for too long."
"Very lively? Are there many people, uh, Souls there?"
Crocus was quite curious about the Land of the Yellow Springs after hearing Brook talk about it.
"Of course, not only are there many Souls, but... hmm?"
But just as Brook was excitedly about to talk about what he had seen and heard, a huge noise suddenly came from overhead, attracting his and Crocus's attention.
[Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!]
Indeed, two Pirate Ships were rapidly diving down from the top of Reverse Mountain, following the almost ninety-degree vertical torrent. During this process, they were even shooting Cannonballs at each other, completely disregarding their own lives.
Extremely bold, extremely arrogant!
"Ah, here they come again. Pirates from different Sea Areas must have run into each other up there. I just don't know how their luck is." Crocus said calmly, having seen this many times before.
The so-called luck referred to whether they were lucky enough to make it down smoothly and then fight for victory on the Sea Surface. If they were unlucky, they would both crash into the Red Line halfway down, becoming Wreckage and Corpses by the time they reached the bottom.
They would have to be cleaned up afterwards.
After all, he didn't want Laboon to swallow disgusting Corpses.
"Yohohoho~~, so many years have passed, and Pirates are still so energetic." Brook, however, was very happy watching the spectacle.
Since he came out of the Misty Sea, where he had stayed for twenty-eight years, he felt Excitement and curiosity about everything in the outside World. As for agreeing to join the World Government...
The first reason was, of course, to see Laboon and Crocus as soon as possible.
The second reason was because they showed him the recording of Tesoro and Stella's performance at the 'Liberation Day Gala' that night. Hearing that he could also become a Super Star and hold Concerts to his Heart's content in front of the Citizens, his Heart was moved, and he agreed.
Brook no longer wanted to be a Pirate; he only wanted to forever maintain the Identity of a former Rumbar Pirates Crewmate. He felt this was the best thing for both Laboon and himself.
"Eh, it seems their luck is good. Pushed by their mutual Bombardment, they luckily dodged the most dangerous area. It looks like there's more excitement to watch, but..."
Crocus glanced at the three Government Officials not far away and thought to himself, "I wonder if these Government Officials will intervene with these two Pirate Crews."
If they did, then these Pirates' luck wasn't actually that good.
[Bang! Bang!]
The two Pirate Ships smashed heavily onto the Sea Surface near the Lighthouse almost simultaneously, kicking up large Sea Waves that splashed against the Red Line rock blocks of Twin Capes.
"Hahahaha, we're finally down! West Blue trash, your time has come!!"
A Pirate who looked like a Captain held a Musket in one hand and a Cutlass in the other, standing on the edge of the Ship and shouting fiercely at the Pirate Ship opposite.
"Hmph, North Blue dogs, your Voyage ends here! Little ones, slaughter them all! The Ship, the Treasure, the Cannons, the Food, the Freshwater, I want it all!!"
The Captain of the other Pirate Ship roared, waving his Long Saber without showing any fear.
"Oooohhhhh----"
[Whoosh! Whoosh!]
But just as the Pirates from the two Ships, hailing from different Sea Areas, were howling and about to engage in cruel boarding Melee Combat to fight to the death...
Suddenly, two beams of golden Flash shot over from a distance.
Their Speed was so fast that everyone, including Brook and Crocus, didn't even react. They only felt that in the blink of an eye, the two Pirate Ships had both turned into expanding Balls of Fire!
"They're finally here..."
Senior Director Coulson, followed by two Men in Black, grinned, showing his white teeth. Then he took out a small recording Transponder Snail from his pocket and aimed it towards the Sea Surface in the direction of the Grand Line.
He wanted to record this rare scene as a souvenir!
"Is that?"
Crocus's eyes narrowed due to the explosion wind blowing towards him. About thirty seconds later, he saw four Warships appear on the Sea Level.
But that was nothing. The moment the existence behind the Warships came into view, his eye sockets widened at a Speed visible to the naked eye, and his Pupils suddenly contracted even more.
What was he seeing?
"Yohohoho~~ It's so big. It looks much bigger than Laboon. Is that an Island?" Brook turned off his Tone Dial and put it back inside his Skull for safekeeping.
"Wuwuwu——"
Little Laboon also seemed uneasy, but with Brook and Crocus nearby, it couldn't follow its instinct to escape into the Deep Sea. It could only glare fiercely yet cutely at the slowly approaching super Colossus, looking like it would protect its companions to the death.
However, that huge thing stopped about three to four hundred meters away from Reverse Mountain. Instead, one of the Warships continued sailing towards this side.
Immediately after, from behind the left and right sides of that Colossus, four more Headquarters-level large Warships appeared!
It was being escorted by eight Warships!
"That's the surprise I mentioned earlier." At this moment, Senior Director Coulson walked over with a smile. Crocus looked at him in surprise and asked, "What exactly is that? It looks like an Island?"
"That's actually an Island-sized Sailing Ship. It's also the Base of the newly added Marine G-0 Branch. From today onwards, it will be stationed at Reverse Mountain, inspecting all passing Ships and arresting all passing Pirates and Lawbreakers."
"Yohohoho~~ Do people in this Era call that arresting?" Brook pointed at the Ship Wreckage engulfed in flames and laughed cheerfully.
"Ahem, this might be a special Operation taken by Vice Admiral Kizaru to prevent them from escaping," Coulson said with a slightly awkward smile.
Brook didn't know Kizaru, but Crocus did. He asked in shock, "That Admiral Candidate, Vice Admiral Kizaru, is personally stationed here!"
"Yes."
At this point, Crocus's Heart was filled with relief and lingering fear. If this G-0 Branch Base had arrived just half a day earlier, meaning it arrived last night...
Then he, Shakky, Jabba, and the others would have been finished!
"Eh, it seems this Twin Capes really doesn't need me anymore. The Marines will naturally take over the Lighthouse here. Those rookie Pirates are going to be in big trouble from now on..."
The subscriptions haven't changed much, steadily around 600, but the Great Readers' comments have decreased.
Also, why are some Great Readers skipping chapters? They were released three chapters at once, so the subscriptions should be equal, right? Why is there a difference of forty to fifty?
The Author is currently considering not writing chapter titles for future chapters, only chapter numbers. This should hopefully prevent skipping chapters (couldn't help but feel amused and helpless).
(End of this chapter)