The fog was like a master sorcerer, turning the sea into an endless purgatory.
Thick, enchanted mist engulfed the world, completely obscuring everything above the sea.
The once-proud Thriller Bark, no, it could hardly be called a ship now. The sails were long gone, and what remained was merely a nameless island adrift in the Florian's Triangle.
Robin and Luffy's massive vessel was docked beside Brook's ghost ship, both anchored securely at the island's port. Heavy iron chains wrapped around a massive stone pillar ensured neither ship would drift away.
For the past two days, Robin had stayed by Luffy's side, nursing him back to health with great care. She quietly imagined that when he awoke, she would be the first thing he saw.
Occasionally, she would chat with Brook. After all, Luffy had invited him to join their crew. To Robin, that already made him one of them.
Surprisingly, despite being ninety years old, Brook got along with Robin quite well.
Over those two days, Robin learned many stories from Brook, lost legends and historical tidbits that no modern record had preserved. Though some were outdated, they held significant research value.
Meanwhile, in the ruined castle's underground infirmary...
Hogback was tirelessly tending to Moria and Absalom, swapping out their bandages and applying fresh medicine.
Absalom's back had been completely shattered by debris, his muscles torn to shreds.
Luckily, his internal organs hadn't been too badly damaged, and the infirmary still had a supply of fresh corpses.
Using his uncanny medical skill, Hogback had grafted a new back onto Absalom. As long as he regained his strength and consciousness, he would recover fully.
With Absalom stabilized, Hogback turned his attention to the barely clinging-to-life Moria.
Two days ago, he and Perona had managed to haul Moria's charred body out of the massive ravine.
Moria's body had been blackened by fire, with over 60% of his flesh cooked beyond recognition, devoid of any sign of life.
Standing at Moria's bedside, Hogback prepped his surgical tools while muttering to himself, "What a terrifying monster... to burn Moria-sama like this, no! Perhaps what's even scarier is that Moria-sama survived with only sixty percent of his body burned. What kind of creature is that Luffy!?"
Hogback couldn't comprehend the world of true power. It was far beyond him. But it didn't matter, his surgical skills were unmatched.
The moment he first examined Moria's condition, he'd almost declared him dead on the spot. Never before had he seen someone breathe after suffering such extensive full-body burns.
But upon hearing the faint heartbeat, he immediately enlisted Perona's help. In her ghost form, she thoroughly examined Moria's internal condition and relayed every detail.
Before turning pirate, Hogback had been known by another title: the world's most brilliant surgeon.
Though he'd long since vanished from public life, that title still held weight in the medical world.
And when it came to surgery, skill spoke louder than reputation.
With painstaking precision, Hogback began cutting away the dead flesh inside Moria's body. Relying on Moria's formidable vitality and regenerative powers, Hogback worked without sleep for two days, removing damaged tissue bit by bit. Once new flesh began to grow, he'd move on to the next area.
Two days later, the exhausted surgeon finally earned a brief rest.
Moria's internal organs and protective tissue had regenerated. The remaining injuries only required standard procedures and time.
The title of "genius surgeon" was well-deserved.
But while Hogback rested, Luffy slowly opened his eyes.
"A familiar ceiling..."
Just as he expected.
Luffy had never once doubted he would survive. He had faith, both in himself, and in Robin.
Seeing the familiar ceiling above, he understood everything.
"You're awake, Luffy?"
A gentle voice drifted over to him.
Luffy turned his head to find Robin sitting beside the bed, dressed in a clean white shirt, a book in her hands, one Luffy had never seen before.
The moment she noticed him awake, Robin closed the book and set it down, then gracefully picked up a cup of warm water. She smiled tenderly, as though she'd rehearsed this moment countless times.
"Thanks," Luffy said calmly, taking the cup from her.
Even though Robin had already fed him water and food while he was unconscious, something about taking it himself made the moment feel more satisfying.
He gulped it all down in two big swigs. Before he could say anything else, Robin spoke again with another gentle smile.
"Dinner's already prepared. It's not quite time to reheat it again, so it might be a little cold…"
"That's great! You're amazing, Robin!" At the mention of food, Luffy sprang up instantly and headed toward the dining room.
But the moment he opened the door, he was greeted by an unexpected sight, a skeleton in formal wear, nervously standing outside.
Luffy turned back to Robin in confusion.
Robin tilted her head and smiled sweetly, saying nothing.
Brook rubbed his skeletal fingers together, nervous yet polite. "Luffy-san, hello!
My name is Brook. I'm a user of the Revive-Revive Fruit, which grants one chance at resurrection after death.
Unfortunately... my soul got lost on the way back and couldn't find my body for a long time. That's why I look like... this now. I… I…"
Brook's introduction had clearly been prepared, but as he neared the end, he stuttered and struggled to continue.
"Brook agreed to join us," Robin said gently from behind Luffy, stepping in to ease Brook's tension.
Brook stood stiffly, visibly flustered. For some reason, he feared being rejected by Luffy, like it would cost him something deeply important.
Luckily, things turned out just as he had hoped.
"Ah! Really!? That's awesome, Brook! Come on, let's go eat!" Luffy beamed, bursting into laughter.
Maybe it was because he already knew Brook from the original timeline, or maybe he just genuinely liked him, but Luffy casually threw an arm over Brook's shoulder, and the two headed to the dining room together like old friends.
Robin's eyes flashed with a strange glint, feeling like all her thoughtful efforts had been... a bit unnecessary.
Brook, oblivious to her irritation, was overjoyed. Being acknowledged by Luffy made the world feel beautiful again. Even the gloomy fog above seemed like a graceful veil that added a dreamy charm to the sky.
[Ding! The host has acquired a fourth crew member. Please access the Crew System to draw a unique item for your new companion.]
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