After discussing various treatment possibilities and implementation methods in depth, Deuce and Crocus noticed the sky gradually darkening, so everyone unanimously decided to begin another round of celebrations right there on the shore.
When the banquet reached its peak, Brook suddenly stood up and walked to the front of the group, bowing deeply to his crewmates.
"Everyone, thank you for rescuing me from that cursed sea," he said solemnly. "Although I no longer have a heart, my chest is still filled with overwhelming gratitude."
The others immediately responded with warm reassurances and dismissive waves, telling him such thanks weren't necessary.
After straightening up, Brook walked to the water's edge and gently patted Laboon's massive head. "Laboon, thank you for trusting us and waiting all these years."
"Booooo," Laboon responded with a soft, melodic sound.
"I will continue our unfinished journey," Brook announced with unprecedented seriousness, his voice carrying across the water with firm resolve. "Although I still cannot take you with me this time, we will never be without contact again."
The Black Star Pirates behind him all nodded gently, smiles spreading across their faces as they witnessed this emotional moment.
Of course, if Brook had chosen to remain at Twin Capes rather than continue their voyage, everyone would have supported his decision without hesitation. They understood that fifty years of patient waiting and deep longing weren't bonds that could be easily abandoned.
Brook stroked Laboon gently and whispered private words for several minutes. Then he slowly turned around and raised both arms high in the air.
"Laboon! Come and meet our new family, and please sing that song with us one more time!"
With the enthusiastic support of his pirate crew, Brook walked to the area where musical instruments had been arranged in advance. Amid Laboon's expectant and joyful calls and Crocus's knowing smile, Brook and his friends nodded to each other and began their grand performance.
"Whoosh!" Jerry lightly drew his finger through the air, and two massive water dragons accompanied by dozens of smaller water columns suddenly rose from the sea beside Laboon like enormous fountains, dancing and intertwining gracefully in the evening air.
"Boom! Flash!" Ace spread his arms wide, and countless green fireflies mixed with brilliant red flames scattered rapidly across the night sky. The explosions of light combined with Jerry's water display to create a dazzling spectacle that illuminated and decorated the darkening heavens.
"Yo-ho-ho, yo-ho-ho..."
"Yo-ho-ho, yo~ho-ho..."
With Brook serving as lead vocalist, the performance featured instrumental accompaniment and chorus harmonies from every crew member, giving Laboon a completely new interpretation of their song after nearly fifty years of separation.
Listening to the familiar melody, Laboon's eyes focused on the young pirates before him who looked so different from his original crew, yet carried the same spirit of adventure and friendship.
Memories of the past flashed through his mind—faces that had been just as full of laughter and joy as these pirates now performing for him.
It all felt like a wonderful dream, one that Laboon was willing to lose himself in completely. Within this dream, he rediscovered long-lost happiness while feeling the deep bonds between himself and Brook, and between Brook and these remarkable young pirates.
This dreamlike scene, reminiscent of joyful times from decades past, moved Laboon to leap and splash in the water just as he had done before, following the celebratory atmosphere with his own whale song accompaniment.
The sight deeply touched Brook, making him feel as though his body and soul had finally been redeemed. Deep within his heart, the persistent darkness that had been like an infection—difficult to eliminate and impossibly deep—was dispelled by the blazing light of companionship from both Laboon and his new crew, disappearing without a trace.
The next morning, when sunlight completely covered the ocean's surface, the sea became like a bright, smooth mirror reflecting both the sky's beauty and Laboon's reluctant gaze.
Brook stood upright at the ship's rail, speaking his quiet farewell.
"Laboon, we're setting off again. This time we're leaving the Grand Line and sailing back to the Four Blues."
"Don't worry—I'll return soon."
"I'm very interested in traveling around the world now. When we meet again, I'll bring newly composed songs to celebrate with you! Yohohoho!" Brook tried to hide his reluctance behind characteristic laughter.
However, he had left several Den Den Mushi with Crocus—devices that could connect to provide both anti-eavesdropping security and video calling capabilities. Skull had created this custom communication system with Kotatsu's assistance after extensive research, ensuring both privacy and signal stability for their future conversations.
After Brook's extended farewell, the entire crew gathered beside him to wave goodbye to Laboon.
"Mr. Crocus, Laboon—farewell, and take care of each other!"
Under the slightly astonished gazes of both the lighthouse keeper and the giant island whale, the Black Star Pirates began sailing upstream along the turbulent waters that cascaded down Reverse Mountain's towering heights.
However, when they reached the halfway point, thunderous cannon fire echoed from above, accompanied by a man's malicious and unrestrained laughter drifting down from the mountain.
"Chahahaha! Losers fleeing from the Grand Line? Go to hell, you pathetic cowards!"
When everyone looked toward the source of the disturbance, they spotted what was obviously another pirate crew positioned higher up the mountain.
These pirates had set out from one of the Four Blues with grand ambitions, heading toward the Grand Line on this very day. Upon encountering a strange pirate ship sailing in the opposite direction within the narrow, turbulent passage, they had drawn their own conclusions.
While they couldn't understand how this unusual ship was managing to travel upstream, they assumed that anyone retreating from the Grand Line toward the Four Blues must be weak, frightened, and cowardly pirates.
As powerful pirates from North Blue who were accustomed to pillaging and following survival-of-the-fittest principles, they felt no mercy for such apparent weaklings.
Therefore, from their advantageous position, they fired cannonballs mercilessly, scoring direct hits on the Black Star Pirates' deck.
"Really? Why are all the pirates from the Four Blues so enthusiastic about greeting newcomers?" Cavendish commented dryly as he extended his index finger. A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky with a thunderous crash, detonating the incoming projectile in midair.
"What was that just now? Thunder and lightning?"
"I don't know..."
"Gulp! Could they actually be... that pirate crew?"
"No way... really?!"
Seeing that distinctive lightning attack, panicked discussions immediately erupted aboard the unknown pirate ship, mixed with the sounds of nervous swallowing.
Given recent events in Alabasta, the most prominent figure in international news had undoubtedly been Jerry, who had brazenly attacked Celestial Dragons. Following closely behind was the aristocratic pirate Cavendish, wielder of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, who had fought fiercely with Crocodile—one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea—and escaped unharmed.
As one of the most powerful Logia-type abilities, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was famous enough to attract worldwide attention simply by appearing. The accompanying rumors that its new owner had fought a Warlord to a standstill only amplified the notoriety.
"No! Keep firing!" their captain shouted desperately. "As long as we sink their ship, it doesn't matter what kind of Devil Fruit they have—they'll be doomed if they fall into the sea! We might become famous in a single battle!"
"That's right! We can take them!" his crew echoed with chaotic enthusiasm before resuming their bombardment.
Jerry simply shook his head slightly, extended his arm, and clenched his fingers into a fist. He pointed casually toward the delusional enemy crew and waved his hand twice with dismissive ease.
"What are you dreaming about in broad daylight? Get lost!"
Before he finished speaking, two enormous, surging waves suddenly materialized. One intercepted all incoming cannonballs while the other functioned like a gigantic badminton racket, instantly lifting the opposing pirate ship from the sea and launching both ship and crew high into the air above the mountain's peak. They disappeared from sight accompanied by the terrified screams of the attacking pirates.
Soon after, the Black Nova completed its upstream journey and reached Reverse Mountain's summit.
Jerry guided their ship to remain steady at the peak where waters from all four seas converged in tremendous rushing torrents. On a whim, he cast his fishing line into the swirling currents while stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"We're at the top of the world," he mused aloud. "On the other side lies the Celestial Dragons' holy land of Mariejois..."
"Water from all Four Blues converges right here. I wonder if I could catch fish species from every sea in the world from this spot? And what about the waters near Mariejois on the other side?"
[Ding! Quest Triggered: The World is One Big Fishing Pond]