"Someone with a D…?"
Crocus's eyes softened, filled with nostalgia.
There was another person with the initial D in their name—someone who once stood here and led them all the way to the final island, Raftel...
"Wait... Did you just say your name is Ace?"
Crocus suddenly snapped out of his memories, turning sharply to look at the young man in front of him.
"That's right,"
Ace nodded, his eyes carrying a flicker of amusement.
This old man's instincts are sharp. Did he just connect the dots?
Back then, the man he now begrudgingly called "father" had already disbanded the Pirate King's crew before heading to Baterilla Island, where he met Portgas D. Rouge—his mother.
In the end, everything had been entrusted to Grandpa Garp.
So technically, none of the Roger Pirates should know who he was.
Maybe they didn't even know Roger had a son.
After all, the Navy had kept the entire operation under wraps...
"Ace... D..."
Crocus stared at him, visibly shaken.
He remembered that drunken banquet all those years ago.
That man had once declared, loud and proud, that if he ever had a son, he'd name him after his sword—
One of the twelve Supreme Grade swords: Ace.
What a coincidence...
To meet a young man here, whose name included the D, who was named Ace, and who possessed the power of Conqueror's Haki.
Crocus couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion wash over him.
"…Sorry. That just brought back some memories... It's been over twenty years,"
he murmured, sighing deeply.
"Oh? So you were the ship's doctor on the Pirate King's crew. That matches up—twenty years since the crew disbanded, right?"
Ace stepped in closer with a broad grin.
Yup, he thought to himself, this old man clearly doesn't know who I really am.
"!!!"
Crocus twitched.
Damn it! He'd let his emotions slip again—first the D, then the name Ace... and this sharp kid caught every bit of it.
"Mm, your reaction says it all. You can't fool my Observation Haki,"
Ace said with deliberate mischief, landing another verbal blow straight to Crocus's gut.
"Hmph... Well, that's all ancient history now,"
Crocus muttered, trying to shake it off.
"We're just relics of a bygone era. Your crew seems healthy enough. And with this young lady's Devil Fruit abilities, I assume you don't need anything from me?"
At those words, Nami, Nojiko, Kaya, and Tashigi were all stunned.
This eccentric old man… was the Pirate King's doctor?!
"The Pirate King's doctor?!"
Tashigi instinctively reached for her sword—only to remember she wasn't technically a Marine right now.
She sighed and backed away, frustrated.
"Well actually, there is something I need your help with,"
Ace said, gently pulling the still-stunned Kaya forward.
"Would you teach my ship's doctor everything you know?"
He gave Crocus a bold, confident grin.
"Eh?!"
Kaya let out a surprised squeak.
"She's a promising one,"
Crocus admitted.
"Saved my old bones just now, too. But you're still sailing, right? Medicine isn't something you learn in a few days. It takes years to train a proper doctor."
Even with talent, it took at least a decade to shape a skilled healer.
And without real knowledge, treating patients could be more dangerous than the illness itself.
Sadly, the Grand Line was full of those kinds of quacks.
"You don't need to worry about that. Just teach her for ten days."
Ace smirked.
"Ten days?!"
Crocus frowned.
Does this brat have any idea what he's asking? Is he looking down on medicine?
Just as he opened his mouth to lecture him, the ship was rocked by a massive tremor.
"Woooo!"
BOOM!
The ocean surged violently.
"Wh-What's going on?!"
Nami gripped the railing, wide-eyed.
"It's Laboon! Laboon's ramming the Red Line again! Damn it, I'm not inside him right now—I can't administer the sedative!
Laboon, stop! You can't break through the Red Line! Stop it!"
Crocus ran to the edge of the ship, shouting with all his might, voice hoarse with desperation.
But without the tranquilizer, Laboon wasn't listening.
The massive whale kept slamming its head into the Red Line.
"Ram the Red Line? That whale?!"
Nami was stunned.
"There's no way! That continent's been there for who knows how long. Isn't that just throwing yourself against a wall?!"
"Exactly. It's impossible to break. But he's been doing it... for decades."
Crocus sighed, and began to tell Laboon's story.
From the moment Laboon met the Rumbar Pirates,
To their farewell as they sailed into the Grand Line,
To their parting promise:
"When we circle the world, we'll meet again."
But nearly fifty years passed, and the Rumbar Pirates never returned.
So Laboon kept ramming the Red Line,
Hoping to break through it,
To find his lost friends.
"That's... so heartbreaking,"
Nojiko said softly, wiping a tear from her eye.
Nami and Kaya nodded, their eyes glistening.
"I'm not inside Laboon right now, so I can't sedate him.
Could you use your Conqueror's Haki to calm him down?
If you do that… I'll agree to teach her for ten days—"
"No."
Before Crocus could finish, Ace raised a hand and cut him off.
"Whether you teach her or not... I'll save Laboon. This isn't a deal. I only do what I want to do."
Ace flashed a wide grin, his presence bursting with unshakable will.
"!!!"
Crocus's eyes widened in shock.
---
TL/N:
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