"What abilities does he actually have that made you go all the way to the Florian Triangle to recruit him?" During the banquet, Moria watched Brook, who was cheerfully singing and acting rather eccentrically on Laboon's back, and asked in a low voice.
It wasn't just him; Modi and the others were also very curious.
Bege downed a large mug of fine wine and chuckled. "Have you ever seen a living skeleton?"
Everyone shook their heads. Moria frowned. "Don't tell me you just wanted to see a living skeleton?"
"Hee hee hee, of course not. I'm not that bored. Brook is an excellent companion. His potential might be even greater than yours, Moria," Bege laughed loudly.
Moria was unconvinced. He had immense confidence in his own abilities. He absolutely refused to believe that a goofy, singing skeleton could be stronger than him.
"Brook!" Bege beckoned to Brook.
Brook leaped from Laboon's back, landing on the deck and approaching Bege, asking with a puzzled look, "Yohohoho, Captain Bege, what is it?"
"Brook, you're one of us now. You should introduce yourself to everyone," Bege said with a smile.
Brook slapped his forehead. "I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Brook, formerly the musician of the Rumbar Pirates, and now the musician of the Capone Family."
Moria and the others frowned, scrutinizing Brook. Brook was a bit bewildered, glancing at Bege with a questioning look.
"Brook, the fact that you can survive as a skeleton means you must have eaten a Devil Fruit, right? If I'm not mistaken, you ate the Yomi Yomi no Mi," Bege said calmly.
"A Devil Fruit user... the Yomi Yomi no Mi..."
Moria and the others were surprised, but then it made sense. If it was a Devil Fruit ability, Brook's skeletal form wasn't so strange after all.
"Captain, you're right. I did eat the Yomi Yomi no Mi," Brook said, surprised.
"What's so special about this Yomi Yomi no Mi?" Moria asked. He knew that Bege's claim about Brook's future potential exceeding his own was due to this Devil Fruit.
"It's an incredible Devil Fruit. Its abilities are very mysterious. One of its powers is that it allows the dead to revive, which is why Brook is alive as a skeleton after dying. The Yomi Yomi no Mi is related to the power of the soul. Haven't you noticed that Brook's music and singing have a kind of magical quality? That's likely the power of his soul infused into his music. It powerfully resonates with the souls of listeners, allowing them to feel Brook's joys, sorrows, and emotions."
After Bege's explanation, Moria and the others had an epiphany. Thinking about it carefully, it really was as Bege described.
"Is that really true, Captain?" Brook himself was a bit bewildered.
"Brook, I once read a historical record. A user of the Yomi Yomi no Mi could imbue their weapon with the power of their soul, causing those struck to feel the chilling cold of the underworld. Its power was immense. You can develop your fruit in that direction in the future," Bege said.
Brook looked thoughtful, then burst into laughter. "Yohohoho, thank you for the advice, Captain! I understand."
"To thank the Captain, I shall perform a song of gratitude! Yohohoho!" Brook raised his violin and began to sing once more.
After finding Brook, Laboon pulled the ship out of the Foggy Sea, returning to the sun-drenched Grand Line.
"We're finally out of the Foggy Sea! It feels so good to see the sun," Moria said contentedly.
"Hoo, finally seeing the sun! This warmth feels amazing! I can't help but sing a song! Everyone, listen to me sing a song of the sun!" Brook, who had drifted in the Foggy Sea for thirty years, was beyond excited to escape. He jumped onto the railing, violin in hand, and cheered.
Laboon let out an excited cry, showing his support.
"Laboon, you want to hear it too? Haha!" Brook started to play his violin and sing. Under the influence of his song, the disciples started to dance and sing along, overflowing with joy.
"Kuse, have you determined our position?" Bege asked the seven or eight navigators on deck who were huddled together, examining maps and Eternal Poses to pinpoint the ship's location.
"Yes, we have. The closest island is Sabaody Archipelago," Kuse replied.
"Sabaody Archipelago is the gateway for pirates entering the New World. It's decided then! Men, we're going to Sabaody Archipelago for a bit of fun!" Bege's face lit up with excitement.
"A gathering place for pirates... Does that mean there are lots of pirates, and lots of fights to be had? Hohoho, I can't wait! This time, I'm going to take down a pirate with a bounty over 100 million," Hank exclaimed, jumping up and down excitedly.
"You little brat, you're not strong enough to take down a pirate with a bounty over 100 million," Sam suddenly appeared, delivering a chilling verbal blow.
"You damn Sam! I'm going to take you down!" Hank, enraged, started to bicker and play-fight with Sam.
Moria's face also showed excitement. They had originally planned to go to Sabaody Archipelago. However, his expression quickly dimmed, as he couldn't appear in public for the time being.
After two days of sailing, they finally arrived at Sabaody Archipelago.
Looking at the towering, enormous trees before them, Bege and the others were once again awestruck.
"Sabaody Archipelago is a peculiar island formed by the roots of the world's largest mangrove, the Yarukiman Mangrove, floating on the water. The entire island consists of 79 trees, each with towns and facilities on them. These 79 islands together are called Sabaody Archipelago," Modi explained. He had been to Sabaody Archipelago once before and had some knowledge of it.
"The trunks exposed above the water are already this huge... Just how long is the entire tree?" Bege wondered inwardly.
Bege and his crew docked at Grove 44. Grove 44 was the entry point for civilians entering Sabaody Archipelago, so it was relatively safe to leave the ship there.
Bege left some of his disciples on the ship to wait for him, while he, Modi, and the others disembarked onto Sabaody Archipelago.
Bubbles floated across the island, emerging from the ground. It was a very peculiar sight.
"Where are we going?" Modi asked.
"To where the pirates are, of course!" Hank answered before anyone else.
"Hee hee hee, the lawless zone, of course. That's where all the heinous criminals are. They all have bounties on their heads," Bege laughed loudly.
Modi's expression showed that he had expected as much.
"Groves 1 through 29 on Sabaody Archipelago are basically lawless zones. They're a gathering place for bounty hunters, vicious criminals, and many illegal organizations that deal in human trafficking. Basically, it's a place even the Marines don't dare enter," Modi said somberly.
"Hee hee hee, a lawless zone filled with criminals... That's where we're going..."
"We're bounty hunters now, remember? Those criminal pirates are all Berries to us. We can't let a single one escape."
Modi and the others understood Bege's plan. He was going to make a big splash on Sabaody Archipelago.
Not a single person showed fear; instead, they were all filled with excitement and anticipation.