"Waaah!"
On the shore, Labu emitted a long, drawn-out whale call.
I won't lie to you; I always keep my promises. It just might take a little longer.
The more proficient Oran is at hearing the voices of all things, the easier it is to communicate with other creatures. Now, Oran no longer needs a translator to communicate with Terra, the elemental dragon, or with the cats of the Meow Meow Special Forces.
"Crocas, lend me Lab for a while, I will bring it back safely."
"Looking at it like this, I can't stop it even if I want to."
Crocus could sense Laboon's excitement. Although he didn't know what Oran had said to Laboon, Crocus couldn't think of any reason to stop him in this situation.
Laboon is an island whale that should be swimming freely in the ocean, so how could Crocus confine it to the bay?
Judging from Lab's movements, it even seemed to think Oran was too slow.
[Don't rush, we need to prepare some other things first. We've persevered for so many years, don't be impatient.]
The main purpose is to conduct some diplomacy in the Dragon Palace Kingdom, and the reason for helping Laboon find Brook is because of the promise he made when he tricked Crocus into becoming the dean.
Since you've agreed, you have to keep your word, unless both sides have ulterior motives from the start.
Finding Brook was a side effect, but it also had other value.
Although the combat strength of this skeletal figure of considerable seniority is yet to be determined, as a user of the Yomi Yomi no Mi (Revive-Revive Fruit), he has a connection with the mysterious Yomi Yomi space.
In addition, its economic value is also considerable. Besides military strength, cultural export is equally important for a country. Given Brook's situation, with a little management, it could become a superstar on the high seas, and make even more money along the way.
For someone who frequently engages in scientific research, there is never too much money, or rather, there is never enough money to go around.
Every new research project is a money-devouring beast; hundreds of millions of pegories can be poured in and not even make a ripple.
Aside from his economic value, Brooke also has extremely high networking value. Almost everyone he knew back then is dead, but Redfield is still active on the high seas.
On this vast ocean, power and money are of the same nature; no one will ever complain about having too much of either.
Redfield is a top-tier monster with exceptional strength, a unique lone wolf, a fan of Brook, and a pen pal of Frankenstein. Recruiting such a fighter is a good thing.
Moreover, Redfield is different from other great pirates. The high bounties of those pirates are inextricably linked to their own strength, the vast forces under their command, the territory they occupy, and the frequent battles that break out.
Redfield, as a lone wolf, had no subordinates and no territory, making him relatively stable among pirates. If such a pirate were to choose to retire, the World Government would breathe a sigh of relief.
These pirates are all driven by ambition, making them extremely difficult to recruit, but if you succeed, that would be a good thing.
Recruiting pirates is very troublesome for ordinary people, even for member states. This is where the convenience of the Shichibukai position comes in.
Pirates who join the Seven Warlords of the Sea will be pardoned, their bounties will be cancelled, and they will become legal persons. This is a rule set by the World Government, and the World Government attaches great importance to this rigid rule.
For example, in the original timeline, Caesar caused a poison gas explosion that destroyed most of Punk Hazard, making him a wanted criminal by the World Government.
In this situation, after he became Doflamingo's "subordinate," the Navy could only pardon him and could not directly take action against him.
Fujitora even said in front of the Straw Hat crew and Law that if the Straw Hat crew had joined Law's ranks, then they would be "White".
Like Oran among the Kings, Redfield is considered an outcast among the pirates. If Redfield makes this choice, the Navy won't have much of an opinion on it.
Of course, having opinions is useless; the World Government allows it. At most, it only affects the Navy's opinion of Oran.
"Dean Crocus, how has life been at the hospital lately?"
"The equipment is great, and I like your slogan."
Crocus wasn't exactly a proper doctor either; he used to work at Twin Capes, the entrance to the Grand Line, a place frequented only by pirates.
It's impossible to expect all pirates to follow the rules; often, you still have to fight. The situation on Firefly Island isn't as extreme as Twin Cape, but you still occasionally encounter a few lunatics.
People who cut in line in the emergency room, harass nurses, or interfere with treatment.
The emphasis of that slogan was not on "beating," but on "without cause."
Locals usually understand the rules and know that the phrase is mostly meant to scare people. As long as you follow the normal procedures, no one will beat you up for no reason.
But it's different for outsiders. Compared to patients from other places, local doctors are the core of Oran's medical community, and the focus is naturally on taking care of their own people.
This rule even holds an extra appeal for doctors in the Drum Kingdom, who are both cared for by a king and bullied by a prince. With Wapol's help, new doctors frequently join the ranks in Oran.
"It seems you're adapting quite well, so there shouldn't be any problems."
"I have a problem. Your hospital is severely lacking in experienced doctors."
"Don't worry, the neighboring country will help us. We won't be short of manpower in a few years."
Oran then instructed Raab to wait near the main port, while he contacted Ginny.
Ginny's abilities are essential to finding Brooke in the vast Devil's Triangle; only in this way can the search be made easier.
In addition, Oran also brought Frankenstein along, while Shiki was left on the island to begin patrolling.
"Dad, remember to bring me back a banquet meal. I've finished the snacks I bought on Fishman Island a few years ago. Also, please bring me back a book. I hope this time I can eat them for several more years."
Although Leliana did not go to Fishman Island with Oran, she gave Oran a shopping list.
"Don't worry, I'll bring it back for you. It'll definitely be enough for you to eat your fill."
One serving for Leriana, one meal for Ginny—these are two special units of measurement in Piltover.
In Piltover's culinary world, there's even an unspoken challenge: if any chef can feed these two single-handedly, he'll be Piltover's Chef King.
They just have big appetites, not that they don't know how good the food is. Maintaining quality while providing a huge amount of food is a challenge for any chef.
Lab led the group towards Fishman Island. As long as a specific direction was indicated, even without a tracking pointer, marine life would not get lost in this vast ocean.
Meanwhile, Moria and his group had not yet left; they were still waiting for the recording pointer to store the magnetic field here.
"Captain Moria, we need to leave this island as soon as possible."
"What's wrong? Is there a problem with this island?"
Moria was examining a long sword. Before Kaido broke his mentality and turned him into an onion-loving couch potato, Moria's weapon was not scissors, but a long sword like that of an ordinary person.
His weapon wasn't a famous sword, and he hadn't mastered any Haki; it had already become tattered and worn out from intense battles.
Not long after landing on the island, Moria was drawn to a weapons shop and spent one million Berries to buy a knife.
Although it's not a famous sword, it's still a fairly fine weapon.
It's worth noting that an ordinary knife typically costs only 50,000 Berries, and even if it needs to be larger, 100,000 Berries is the maximum. For a weapon without the added prestige of being a famous knife, one million Berries is a huge sum.
"No, it's just that if we keep going like this, we'll go bankrupt soon."
"Bankruptcy? How did that happen? Where's the treasure?"
"It's all been spent, Captain. You spent a million just on that knife, and the kitchen bought some kind of seashell stove that supposedly can be lit without firewood. And then there's all that import tax and other miscellaneous stuff."
Even pirate ships need someone to manage the money. Even though pirates live by the principle of living for the moment and can't save any money, they still need to know where the money goes.
"These other people also booked a venue for a banquet yesterday. In short, we're going to be broke soon."
This is also why Piltover doesn't fundamentally prohibit pirates from landing. On the one hand, there is military support, and the island can contain them. On the other hand, these pirates are also the main consumers.
Given the right opportunity, they will indulge themselves to the fullest, even neglecting the bargaining process once they get carried away. This is why there is a rule that allows entry to the island simply by registering and paying taxes.
Because of Oran, Firefly Island is practically a department store. You can find almost all kinds of specialties from the Grand Line here, whether it's the Fishman Island in the deep sea or the Sky Island in the sky.
Firefly Island is located close to the entrance of the Grand Line, and for these newcomers who have just entered the Grand Line from the Four Seas, everything here is full of unknowns and temptations.
"If we cancel the banquet, that would be fine."
"What nonsense are you talking about? We're pirates! How can we cancel the banquet? We'll figure out a way to make money later, but the banquet must go on!"
Banquet culture is very popular in the pirate world. There is no need for a reason to hold a banquet. Some pirates will even invite complete strangers to party together.
"Speaking of which, there are other pirates on this island, right? If we catch one of them who broke the rules here, we could use them to pay the bill."
Pirates will also exchange their bounties for other bounties, since the Navy's bounties are there, and they might as well take them.
However, this requires a middleman to handle it. As pirates themselves, they can't go to the naval base to exchange bounties. There are even people on the Grand Line who specialize in this kind of middleman business.
Although Moria chose to abide by the local rules, the situation would be different if there were other pirates around.
Today, Moria might be saying things that are true, but before they could even act, Moria and his crew experienced the awe-inspiring power of the Grand Line.
"Captain Moria, are all the cats on the Grand Line this powerful?"
-------------------------------
I've already posted the newest chapters on Patreon!
If you enjoy this story, come check them out and support me there too.
Here's the link: [pat*eon*com/DaoistRoeoNQ]
Thank you so much for your continued support!