Chapter 45: I Only Do What I Want to Do!

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"D?..."

Crocus's eyes were filled with nostalgia. Long ago, another man with a "D" in his name had come through here and led them to the final island, Raftel.

"Wait… did you say your name was Ace?" Crocus suddenly snapped to attention, looking sharply at the young man before him.

"That's right," Ace nodded, a strange glint in his eyes. This old man is pretty sharp. Could he have figured out who I am?

Ace thought back to his father's journey. After the disbandment of the Roger Pirates, Roger had gone to the island of Baterilla, where he met Ace's mother, Portgas D. Rouge. Eventually, Ace had been entrusted to Garp, and none of the former Roger Pirates knew about his existence. The Marine raid to capture Roger's lineage had been conducted in secret, after all.

"Ace… D…" Crocus muttered, his eyes widening as he recalled the past.

At a banquet long ago, Roger, after drinking heavily, had said that if he ever had a son, he would name him after his sword. That sword—Ace—was one of the twelve Supreme Grade Swords. And now, standing before Crocus was a young man with the same name, bearing the "D" in his lineage, and possessing Conqueror's Haki.

Crocus was overwhelmed with emotion.

"Sorry," Crocus finally spoke after a long pause. "I was lost in old memories. It's been over 20 years…"

"Oh? So you really were the ship's doctor on the Roger Pirates," Ace said with a knowing smile, stepping closer. "It's been over 20 years—just about the time the Roger Pirates disbanded."

"!!!"

Crocus twitched at Ace's remark. It's over, it's over! I let my guard down, and now this sharp young man has caught on!

"Well, this reaction confirms it," Ace added playfully. "You can't fool my Observation Haki."

"Alright, fine," Crocus sighed, realizing there was no point in denying it. "But that's all in the past. We're just relics of a bygone era now. You don't seem to need my help anyway. You've got a skilled crew and this young girl with her Devil Fruit powers. What could you need from an old man like me?"

Nami, Nojiko, Kaya, and Tashigi stood there in stunned silence. This eccentric old man… was once the ship's doctor of the Pirate King?! 

"Pirate King's ship doctor?!" Tashigi instinctively reached for her sword but paused, remembering she was no longer a Marine. She stepped aside, looking dejected.

"I do need your help, actually," Ace said, pulling Kaya, who was still in shock over Crocus's true identity, closer. "I want you to teach our ship's doctor everything you know."

"What?!" Kaya exclaimed, startled.

"This young miss saved me earlier, but you all still have a long journey ahead of you," Crocus said, regaining his composure. "It takes more than a short while to learn proper medical knowledge."

He was serious now. It takes at least ten years to train a great doctor, even with extraordinary talent. Without solid expertise, healing becomes harmful. Crocus thought of the countless quacks out on the sea.

"You don't need to worry about that," Ace said with a grin. "Just teach my ship's doctor for ten days."

"Ten days?!" Crocus frowned. Did this young man think so little of the medical profession?

Just as Crocus was about to protest, a loud roar interrupted him.

"Roar!"

"Boom!"

The sea began to churn violently.

"What's happening?!" Nami cried, grabbing onto the ship's railing.

"It's Laboon! He's ramming the Red Line again!" Crocus's voice was full of alarm. "Oh no, I'm not inside Laboon right now! I can't inject him with a sedative! Laboon, stop! You'll never break through the Red Line!"

Crocus rushed to the edge of the boat, shouting as loudly as he could. But without the sedative, Laboon ignored him and continued ramming his head into the massive Red Line.

"Laboon… trying to destroy the Red Line?" Nami's voice trembled with disbelief. "But that's a continent that's existed for who knows how long! Headbutting the Red Line is like an egg trying to crack a boulder!"

"There's no way he could ever break it," Crocus sighed. "But he's been doing this for decades…"

Crocus then began to tell Laboon's heartbreaking story—from when the whale first met the Rumbar Pirates, to their departure into the Grand Line, and the promise they made to reunite after circling the world.

"They told him, 'We'll meet again when we return,' but nearly 50 years have passed, and they never came back. Laboon's been trying to break through the Red Line ever since, hoping to find his lost friends."

——

"What a touching story," Nojiko sniffled, wiping away tears. Nami and Kaya nodded, eyes brimming with emotion.

"I can't inject a sedative from here," Crocus said, his voice desperate. "Please, can you use your Conqueror's Haki to calm Laboon down? If you do, I'll teach your ship's doctor for ten days..."

"No."

Before Crocus could finish, Ace raised his hand to stop him.

"Whether you teach my ship's doctor or not, I'll save Laboon. This isn't about making a deal—I'm just doing what I want to do."

Ace gave a confident smile.

"!!!"

Crocus's pupils narrowed in surprise.