The Jar shattered, revealing the item inside.
It looked a lot like the video call card Usopp had opened before, though not exactly the same.
"Is this the one?"
Crocus picked up the card and asked curiously.
"It should be. Let me check."
The outside looked similar, but Amon still used the system to inspect it. With these things, appearances alone rarely told the whole story.
[Large-Screen Video Call Card]: A large-screen video call card. Once a target is selected, it can connect to them no matter where they are.
So it really was a video call card.
And this one seemed to be a more advanced version than the one Usopp had opened. The display would be larger, probably because of Laboon's size.
The system really was thoughtful at times.
Amon had started noticing something else too. Whenever he genuinely wanted to help someone, the system often seemed to produce items related to that need. He had once assumed everything in the Jars was purely random, but after seeing this large-screen video call card appear at exactly this moment, he was no longer so sure.
It seemed that, as the host, his will could influence the nature of the items to some extent.
Not always. Most of the time, the contents were still random. But when he truly wanted to help someone from the bottom of his heart, the Jar sometimes answered.
This card was proof enough.
"Well?" Crocus asked, unable to hide the tension in his voice. "Did it open something that can help Laboon?"
Amon smiled and raised the card.
"It did. This is called a video call card. In simple terms, it works like a giant Den Den Mushi that can transmit both sound and image across any distance."
"The difference is that it doesn't need the other side to have a matching Den Den Mushi. It creates the connection directly."
"With this, Laboon can meet Brook. Once they speak, he should stop hurting himself like this."
Amon felt sorry for Laboon. If he could help him see Brook, that would settle something in his own heart too.
"It can connect without needing a matching Den Den Mushi?"
Even Crocus, who had seen much of the world, found that hard to believe.
"Of course. Let's try it." Amon handed the card over, then changed his mind. "No, better if I do it."
He wanted this done as quickly as possible.
Crocus did not object. He could tell Amon wanted to help Laboon.
[Ding! Use the Large-Screen Video Call Card now?]
"Use it."
[Please enter the name of the target and picture them in your mind.]
"Rumbar Pirates, Brook."
Amon added the crew name to avoid pulling up someone else with the same name.
"Connecting video call. Please wait."
The system needed a little time to locate him, so Amon was in no rush. While the connection was forming, he had Lily start talking to Laboon.
Crocus glanced at her with renewed surprise. A pet that could communicate with creatures so naturally was no ordinary companion.
He himself could hear the Voice of All Things to some degree, but that was not the same as true conversation.
Soon, the great screen began to flicker.
The first thing that appeared was a dark and eerie sky. So it should be near Thriller Bark.
Then music rose through the screen.
"Yohohoho, yohohoho..."
The sound of a violin followed, bright and sorrowful all at once, and then the image shifted.
A skeleton in formal clothes, with an enormous afro, appeared before them, violin in hand. He was the one singing.
Even though Amon had been ready for it, the sight still startled him for a moment. Lily was frightened even worse. She gave a small cry and buried herself in his arms.
Amon recovered first and called out at once.
"Brook!"
"Who called me?!"
Brook, who had been playing violin alone, nearly jumped out of his bones. He instantly stuffed the violin away inside his skull.
That single move sent Lily right back into Amon's chest, clutching at him and trembling. Brook had terrified her badly.
"Look up," Amon said, trying not to laugh.
Brook really was ridiculous. A living skeleton who was terrified of ghosts.
"Up?"
Following the instruction, Brook looked overhead and froze.
A giant screen had appeared above him at some point, and on it were two men, one older and one younger, along with a little girl hiding in the younger man's arms.
"Ah, a ghost! I nearly scared my heart out!"
"Yohohoho... though skeletons don't have hearts."
The scene had plainly frightened him. After all, he had spent years in that place and had never seen anything like this before.
"Brook, Brook, it's me. I'm the lighthouse keeper of Twin Cape, Crocus!"
Crocus had already heard Brook's story from Amon, so after the initial shock, he quickly stepped forward and waved.
"Twin Cape... Crocus?"
The moment he heard those two names, the fear in Brook's eyes faded.
"It really is you, Crocus. What happened to you? How did you end up looking like that?"
He recognized him quickly enough, but then immediately got another shock. When Brook had left Twin Cape, Crocus had still been a much younger man. Now he was a bald old fellow.
But Brook's attention did not stay on him for long.
His gaze slid at once to Lily, who was still hiding in Amon's arms and shaking, and he spoke in a tone as indecent as ever.
"Yohohoho... beautiful young lady, may I see your panties?"
Crocus fell silent.
Amon fell silent too.
Both of them were left staring at him.