"Mr. 1!"
Before Kai could respond, a noise from the Going Merry caught his attention. He turned to see Mr. 9 and Vivi already awake, shouting and waving at him.
"Sorry, hold on a second!"
With that, Kai unleashed his Conqueror's Haki once more, sending it toward the pair on the Merry. They collapsed again, just as they had before.
Unfortunately, they slipped back into unconsciousness shortly after waking up.
"You... really use your Conqueror's Haki so casually!" Crocus said, looking a bit embarrassed. It felt like using a cannon to swat a fly.
"No choice, it's the quickest and easiest method!" Kai shrugged.
"Anyway, let's get back to what we were discussing!"
"All the Rumbar Pirates were buried in a certain sea area, which is why they didn't return. It's not that they broke their promise!"
"I don't know where you got that info, old man, but it's wrong!"
"Well..." Crocus didn't question Kai's words. Given what Kai had shown recently, it was clear he knew a lot more than he did.
So if Kai said the information was wrong, it must be true.
"By the way, old man, do you remember Brook?"
"Of course, we got along quite well back then!"
"He's not dead!"
"What!!"
"Yes, it's true. Though his situation is a bit complicated—he's technically neither dead nor alive!"
"Both dead and alive? How does that work?" Crocus was stunned.
The explanation was too abstract for him to grasp.
Crocus wasn't the only one confused; everyone behind him was also puzzled. They were still trying to wrap their heads around the previous discussion about the Rumbar Pirates.
They wondered why Kai knew so much when they were in the same boat.
However, adhering to the principle of staying quiet if unsure, they continued to eat quietly.
Kai continued, "Brook did die in a battle, but he ate the Revive-Revive Fruit, so his body is dead, but his soul lives on!"
"And now he's a living skeleton!"
"A living skeleton?"
"That sounds fascinating!" Luffy's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Absolutely! I've never seen a living skeleton before. I wonder if his bones would break if I cut them with a knife!"
"I wonder what it would taste like if I cooked those bones!"
"You're all monsters!!!" Nami and Usopp shouted in horror at Luffy and the others' macabre curiosity.
"Ha! It really is intriguing. I hope I get a chance to meet him someday~" Luffy said with anticipation.
Kai just smiled and remained silent.
Eventually, Crocus accepted the news with a smile.
"That guy! Hahaha..."
After laughing for a bit, Crocus turned to Kai . "Thank you for bringing me this news!"
"Hey, Uncle, don't mention it! If you really want to thank us, how about giving us a Log Pose? We don't have one yet!"
"Hahaha, of course, no problem!"
"A Log Pose? What's that?" Nami asked curiously.
"It's a navigational tool used to guide your way through the Grand Line," Kai explained casually.
"Huh? Can't a compass do the job?"
"Look at your compass now!"
"What's wrong with this compass... Ah!!"
"Why is the needle spinning like that?" Nami asked in alarm.
"Because the Grand Line's magnetic fields are chaotic. Weather patterns here are unreliable—clouds, ocean currents, and winds can't be trusted. The only reliable direction is the one indicated by the Log Pose!"
"On the Grand Line, each island has its own magnetic field. So every time we visit an island, we need to stay there for a while to let the Log Pose record the island's magnetic force!"
"This waiting period can vary—some islands take only a few days to record, others only a few hours. Once recorded, the Log Pose points to the next island!"
Kai took a sip of his coffee, clearly refreshed after explaining.
"You really know your stuff, Mr. Kai!"
"Of course!" Kai replied, though he seemed to suddenly realize something. Just as he was about to turn, he got a solid thump on the head.
"Ah~ that hurts!" Kai Vane cried out, holding his head.
Seeing Nami's stern face, he asked tremblingly, "What... what's wrong?"
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"
"You didn't ask!" Kai said, feeling a bit wronged. He usually shared information when it was relevant, not just randomly.
But he didn't dare voice this. Nami's punch had really hurt!
Kai suspected that Nami might be the first person in the Straw Hats to master the art of a powerful punch. It was quite formidable!
Kurokas handed the Log Pose to Nami, who looked delighted.
Perhaps it was a navigator's nature, but seeing this tool made her genuinely happy.
Crocus said, "There are seven routes in the Grand Line. Which one will you choose?"
"This is the Whiskey Peak route!" Kai said casually.
"What's the difference between these seven routes?" Nami asked with curiosity.
"There is!"
"What's the difference?"
"The islands you encounter along the way are different!"
...
Nami's frustration rose again as she heard this. If Crocus weren't an old man, she might have shown him what a "One Punch" really meant.
Crocus, puzzled by Nami's shifting expressions, thought to himself, "This girl really has a temper. No wonder every crew member on their ship gets hit by her!"
Returning to the topic, Crocus continued, "No matter which route you choose, the final destination is the final island—Raftel!"
"So if you're determined to become the Pirate King, you can choose any route!"
"Then why choose Whiskey Peak?" Nami asked, turning to Kai.
"Because it's the most interesting route!" Kai replied.
"More interesting?" Luffy's eyes lit up again. "Alright! Let's set course for Whiskey Peak!"
Hearing this, Nami couldn't help but groan. Why did she always feel like things were going sideways?
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Power Stones would be appreciated if you like the story