The words "several decades" were exhaled from Crocus's mouth, mixed with a heavy scent of tobacco and endless weariness.
It was a story both sad and persistent, so long it was suffocating.
Ryoma listened quietly, neither interrupting nor showing excessive sympathy. While he was moved, his own problems had yet to be solved.
It was indeed difficult to freeload some benefits from a living legend like this. He wouldn't succeed without using his "spoiler" cheat.
He looked at Crocus's face, etched with the marks of time, watched the smoke rings he exhaled slowly dissipate in the air, and finally made up his mind.
"Several decades of waiting is indeed very long."
Ryoma's voice broke the momentary silence, so calm it betrayed no ripple of emotion.
Crocus glanced at him but said nothing, merely bringing the cigarette back to his lips for another drag.
"But... what if their promise hasn't ended yet?"
Ryoma's words were soft, yet they clearly pierced the old man's ears.
Crocus's fingers, holding the cigarette, trembled slightly, and his movement clearly paused. He slowly turned his head, his cloudy yet sharp eyes locking onto Ryoma once more, filled with scrutiny and displeasure.
"Brat, stop talking such naive nonsense." His voice became hoarse and low,
"But someone personally saw the Rumbar Pirates' ship fleeing from the Calm Belt!"
He practically roared the last few words, venting the years of resentment and pain accumulated deep within him.
Ryoma completely ignored the other party's emotional outburst. He simply stepped forward, closing the distance between them.
"That was a pirate crew composed of music lovers, whose motto was making crying children laugh, and who didn't possess any particularly powerful fighters."
He stated the most truthful facts, bit by bit, "If they truly fled out of cowardice, unwilling to continue sailing the Grand Line and betraying their promise, why would they choose to escape through the dangerous Calm Belt?"
"..."
Crocus's pupils suddenly contracted, and his body froze in place.
That's right!
He had never deeply considered this detail.
Having traveled the world with Roger, his perspective was naturally elevated, and he didn't view what ordinary people considered dangerous as a threat.
However, the peril of the Grand Line was indeed enough to deter any less resolute pirate crew, so when he received news of the Rumbar Pirates' escape, his first reaction was that they had backed down.
But Ryoma was right. If they were simply retreating and wanted to return to the East Blue or any other peaceful sea, there were clearly many relatively safe routes—all much safer than venturing into that nest of Sea Kings.
Crocus couldn't help but furrow his brow.
"But the news I received..."
"The Rumbar Pirates' ship did enter the Calm Belt." Ryoma shook his head and sighed softly.
"Their Captain Yorki and some crew members contracted a plague on the Grand Line. To avoid burdening the remaining companions, he entrusted the future mission entirely to Brook, then voluntarily sailed into the Calm Belt with the infected crew and the original old ship, leaving them to their fate."
"Then, what about the people on the new ship?" Crocus's voice trembled uncontrollably.
Ryoma gave the cruel answer. "They encountered enemies in the Florian Triangle and were wiped out. However, the one named Brook had previously eaten a devil fruit."
"Revive-Revive Fruit."
"!"
Crocus completely froze.
The cigarette he held near his mouth silently slipped, falling onto the cold steel platform, where the sparks flickered a few times before completely dying out.
He had heard of this devil fruit!
Ryoma took in the other party's reaction, knowing the fish had taken the bait.
He continued, adding in a measured, yet deeply impactful pace, "A skeleton with an afro, all alone in that sea of mist, humming Binks' Sake."
"He is still fulfilling the promise made that year, waiting for the day he can reunite with Laboon."
Boom!
An invisible thunderbolt exploded loudly in Crocus's mind.
His tall body swayed violently, and the color instantly drained from his face, leaving only deathly pallor.
"You... you..."
Crocus's lips trembled, unable to utter another complete sentence.
His weathered eyes stared intensely at Ryoma, churning with shock, doubt, fear, and a hint of, unnoticed even by himself, ecstasy and hope.
The next second, he suddenly snapped back to reality, and the emotions suppressed for decades completely erupted. He lunged toward Ryoma, his withered yet powerful hand gripping Ryoma's collar tightly.
"If that's the case, why hasn't Brook returned?! Who exactly are you?!"
His strength was astonishing, enough to nearly lift Ryoma entirely.
Veins bulged on his aged face, his eyes were bloodshot, and he looked like a madman.
Yet, Ryoma, whom he had grabbed, remained unusually calm. He glanced down at the hands that were violently trembling from the excessive force.
"I told you, I am just a traveler who got lost." Ryoma replied casually.
He raised his hand, placed it over the back of Crocus's calloused hand, and then pried his fingers off his collar one by one.
The moment Crocus touched his cold fingertips, he felt as if all his strength had been drained, and the burst of rage was instantly extinguished. He actually released his grip, staggering back two steps.
He gasped for breath, his chest heaving violently, his eyes fixed on Ryoma, waiting for another answer.
Ryoma slowly straightened his wrinkled collar before looking up again, meeting the other party's murderous gaze.
"A traveler who needs an Eternal Pose to avoid getting lost on the Grand Line and ending up at a Marine base."
He paused, a faint curve appearing at the corner of his lips.
"And incidentally, I'd like to consult with Mr. Legendary Ship Doctor about the methods for training Haki."
"After all, the experience of being chased by a Marine Admiral is really not pleasant."
Crocus was stunned.
Marine... Admiral?
The weight represented by that title was enough to crush 99.99% of the pirates on this sea.
This young man, who looked no older than twenty, had actually been chased by the Marines' highest combat power and was still appearing here, alive and well?
The amount of information was too great, making his aged heart momentarily unable to cope.
He had just struggled free from the shocking secret of the Rumbar Pirates, only to be pushed into another, even more unbelievable abyss.
Ryoma looked at his distraught appearance, knowing the time was right. He stood before Crocus, and in a posture of equality, even carrying a hint of scrutiny, he asked softly, "Now, can we sit down and talk properly?"