Chapter 28: The Giant Shadow in the Fog

The Sea King's massive body crashed into the sea, creating a colossal wave. The half of the ship that Bege and his crew were standing on was instantly submerged.

Sinking into the water, Bege felt a sudden wave of exhaustion. He lacked the strength to use any of the Rokushiki techniques and was tossed about by the waves.

It wasn't just him; Moria, Hank, and the others had also lost their strength, sinking towards the seabed.

However, Modi and the others quickly swam through the water, locating Bege and his crew and bringing them to the surface.

Just then, Laboon's enormous form surfaced, carrying Bege and the others.

Bege lay on Laboon's back, resting for a while before slowly regaining his strength. A gate opened in his chest, and the floor within the castle surged like waves, pushing a miniature ship towards the gate. The walls of the gate transformed into hands, launching the small ship out.

The small ship flew out of Bege's body, rapidly expanding until it became a full-sized ship, landing on the water.

His internal castle contained several ships, so he had no fear of his vessel being destroyed.

Bege and the others boarded the new ship. The crew members secured ropes to Laboon, and Laboon pulled the new ship onward.

They were just about to set off when Laboon once again sounded the alarm. Just like before, another Sea King had appeared.

"The smell of blood has attracted other Sea Kings," Bege said, his face grim. He didn't want this ship to be destroyed as well.

"I'll go down and deal with it," Modi volunteered, his expression resolute.

"Alright, be careful," Bege nodded.

Modi jumped into the sea. The surface rippled, and within two minutes, Modi emerged. The disciples on deck immediately threw down a ladder, and Modi quickly climbed aboard.

"It's taken care of!" Modi said calmly.

"Good."

"Laboon, get us out of here!" Bege shouted. Laboon quickly pulled the new ship, speeding away.

The Foggy Sea was devoid of sunlight. They sailed through this area for over ten days without finding Brook, instead encountering several Sea King attacks.

"Godfather, look! There are two moons in the sky!" Hank suddenly shouted. Bege and the others looked up. Two enormous "moons" hung in the sky ahead.

"Damn it, there shouldn't be any moons here, and even if there were, there wouldn't be two," Bege leaped up from his reclining chair.

"It couldn't be a Sea King, could it? That's at least a thousand meters up in the air," Modi said, aghast.

Bege's expression was grave. "It's not impossible. In the New World, there's a gigantic creature called Zunesha. It walks in the sea, its upper body towering into the clouds, and it even carries a country on its back."

"Unbelievable... to walk on the sea and carry a country on its back... Just how massive is Zunesha?" Modi and the others were stunned, finding it hard to believe.

"I've also heard legends of Zunesha," Moria said gravely.

Bege gazed up at the enormous "moons" in the sky, pondering. "That must be an unbelievably terrifying creature. Even if it's not as big as Zunesha, it's not something we can handle."

"Laboon, turn around!" Bege immediately ordered Laboon to change course. As he looked at the pair of enormous eyes in the sky, he felt a shiver down his spine, a chilling sensation that those huge eyes were staring directly at him, although he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination.

Laboon swam at full speed, putting a considerable distance between them and the creature. Only when the thick fog obscured the giant eyes did Bege finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Over the next ten days, they continued to wander the Foggy Sea, still without any sign of Brook. Bege was baffled.

He remembered that Luffy and his crew had encountered Brook almost immediately upon entering the Foggy Sea. He'd been searching for over a month and hadn't seen even a shadow of him.

Was this the legendary "protagonist halo" at work?!

He was a transmigrator; surely he wasn't inferior to a protagonist.

Two more days passed in this state of frustration. Then, one day, Laboon suddenly let out an excited cry, a joyful sound, and then began to pull the ship rapidly across the sea.

This startled Bege and his crew, who initially thought they'd encountered another Sea King.

"Why is Laboon so happy?" Hank wondered. Hank often played with Laboon and was the most familiar with his moods.

"Could it be..." Bege's face lit up with joy. He guessed that Laboon had sensed Brook's presence nearby.

The ship sped forward, and soon, Bege heard a melodious song. However, the song sounded particularly eerie in the deathly silent Foggy Sea.

"That's it! It must be Brook singing. Laboon heard Brook's song, that's why he's so happy," Bege thought.

Laboon surfaced, letting out joyful cries. He pierced through the layers of fog, approaching a pirate ship.

On the deck of the pirate ship, a skeleton wearing a tailcoat and a top hat was playing the violin and singing.

"Brook, we finally found you!" Bege sighed in relief.

Brook, hearing Laboon's cry, immediately stopped playing. He leaned over the railing and saw Laboon rapidly approaching. His reaction went from surprise to disbelief, and then to ecstatic joy.

However, being a skeleton, he had no facial expressions to convey this.

"Laboon, is that really you, Laboon?" Brook, looking at the enormous Laboon before him, genuinely couldn't be sure if it was the Laboon he knew.

And Laboon couldn't confirm if this strange skeleton was the Brook he had been searching for.

Bege leaped onto Laboon's head and patted it, saying, "Yes, he is Brook."

Laboon called out a few times, seemingly unconvinced.

"Brook, it's Laboon, the Laboon you left at Reverse Mountain, the Laboon who has been waiting for you for thirty years."

"Is it really Laboon?" Brook's eyes filled with tears, and he began to sob.

"Brook, Laboon doesn't believe you're Brook yet. Your appearance makes it difficult for him to be certain. You must have many memories with Laboon, right, Brook? Let him know that you are the Brook he's been waiting for, for thirty years."

"In this ghastly state, who could recognize me?" Brook chuckled sadly, shaking his head. He picked up his violin and, looking at Laboon, said, "Laboon, do you remember our songs from back then? I'll play them for you."

Brook began to play the songs he used to sing with Laboon. As the familiar melodies filled the air, tears flowed from Laboon's eyes. One by one, the songs, so distant yet forever etched in his memory, allowed him to recognize the strange skeleton before him as the Brook he had waited for, for thirty years.

Brook hugged Laboon's massive head and cried again.

Bege returned to the deck, watching the reunion.

"They haven't seen each other in thirty years; they must have a lot to talk about. Let's give them some time. Sam, let's start a banquet now to celebrate Laboon finding Brook!" Bege laughed heartily.

After their reunion, Brook came aboard Bege's ship.

"Sir, thank you for bringing Laboon all this way to find me. I really don't know how to thank you," Brook said to Bege, his voice choked with emotion.

"Then join us, Brook," Bege said with a wide grin, extending the invitation.

The others looked at Brook, awaiting his answer. From the sea, Laboon let out a joyful sound, as if urging Brook on.

"Laboon is very happy with you all. Laboon waited for me for thirty years, and I don't want to be separated from him again. I'd be honored to join you," Brook said.

Bege burst into laughter. "Hee hee hee! Men, welcome Brook to the Capone Family! Let the banquet begin!"

A group of people gathered on the deck, eating meat, drinking, and laughing boisterously. Brook stood on the railing, singing at the top of his lungs. Laboon danced joyfully in the sea, his happy cries echoing across the waves. Old friends and new friends gathered together; this was the happiest he had been in thirty years.