In the end, Roy never learned what Rock's final request had been.
Because…
"Linlin didn't drink!"
The memory reel had already faded away, and Linlin looked at Star Lord with a serious expression. "Because by then, Linlin had already decided to build her own country!"
Star-Lord naturally understood what she meant. He had also seen the rest of the memory. Beneath the witness of Treasure Tree Adam, that final invitation had ultimately gone unanswered.
"Hah? I'm not a member of the Rocks Pirates anymore!" Linlin had answered back then. "Throw everything away and go make one last big scene with you? Sorry, but I'm not interested!"
Kaido's response wasn't much different.
"Wororororo!" Kaido had grinned at Rocks. "Same as Linlin's. I already repaid the debt I owed you for looking after me back at God Valley! I don't know what you mean by 'going to my death'... but if we ever meet again... we'll be enemies."
After saying those words, one rode away atop a thundercloud, while the other transformed into an Azure Dragon and soared into the sky.
It was the most natural outcome. The Rocks Pirates had never truly been a united crew. They had only gathered because of their own ambitions and Rocks' overwhelming charisma. After God Valley, the crew disbanded. Both Kaido and Linlin had already founded their own pirate crews and begun pursuing their own dreams.
Their shared past might have been enough for them to attend one final banquet together, but asking them to abandon everything and once again become enemies of the World alongside Rocks? That was something neither of them would ever accept.
And from Linlin's memories, Star Lord also learned that that had been the last time she ever saw Rocks. After that, whether he truly went to his death or caused another great upheaval, Linlin never heard another word about him.
Naturally, both she and Kaido had kept their promise. Neither of them had ever told anyone about that final banquet, not their subordinates and not even their own children.
"But..." At that moment, Linlin rested a finger against her chin, thinking. "Maybe Newgate knows something."
"Whitebeard?" Star Lord asked.
"Mhm. Even though he didn't drink either... I think he was much more likely than little Kaido to accept Rocks' invitation. Out of all of us, he and Rocks were the closest." Linlin spoke with complete certainty.
"..."
Calling Whitebeard and Rocks close friends sounded a little strange, but Star Lord understood what she meant. Compared to Kaido and the younger Linlin, Whitebeard cared far more about loyalty and bonds'and he had undoubtedly been closest to Rocks.
In fact during the original God Valley Incident Whitebeard had been the first to rush to Rocks' aid. Even after Rocks fell under Imu's control'Whitebeard had kept trying to save him. Of course'Whitebeard clearly hadn't abandoned everything either; otherwise'the Whitebeard Pirates would never have existed.
Still, Star Lord agreed with Linlin. If there was anyone who might know what happened afterward'it would most likely be Whitebeard.
"...No. There's one more person," Star Lord realized a moment later.
The person who had helped Rocks enter Elbaf. The organizer of that final banquet.
'"Judging from what Rocks said'it wasn't Harald. But if someone could secretly bring Rocks and three Great Pirates into Elbaf without Harald noticing... then that person's status in Elbaf couldn't have been low."'
Those clues alone were enough for Star Lord to form a rough guess. But just as he was deep in thought…
"Star Lord! Star Lord!"
Linlin had quietly stolen a small slice of cake from a nearby mountain of desserts and stuffed it into her mouth. She looked at Star Lord with sparkling eyes. "Can I go outside and play?"
It was the innocent question of a child.
Star Lord: "..."
Let Linlin out here? Tomorrow's headlines would probably read:
'"BIG MOM ATTACKS MARINEFORD!"'
'"The Black Kirin'Hero of the New Marine Era'Revealed to Be Star Lord!"'
---
Several days later'above the New World on Dreamland Island.
"So, that's the situation. The Boss decided that taking care of a child should be my responsibility," Hitsuji said, shrugging. He then sincerely patted the petite Cori on the shoulder. "After giving it careful thought, I've decided to pass this mission on to you... Miss Fairy."
"..."
Behind her fairy-themed veil, Cori had just witnessed the task being outsourced layer by layer. She was completely speechless.
"First of all, Lord Hitsuji... What do you mean, 'that's the situation'? You didn't actually explain 'anything' to me. And second... I already told you. Please don't call me... Miss Fairy. That nickname is just..." At the thought of it, her face turned red again.
"Oh? You're blushing." Hitsuji waved his hand with absolutely no sincerity. "Ah, sorry, sorry. I just thought 'Lunar Swallow' sounded a bit too formal. I figured you might not like it."
"Please call me that instead!" Cori shot back irritably.
Even so, she had no objections to the mission Hitsuji had assigned her. If anything...
"Even the souls of the dead can find happiness..." she murmured softly'still unable to believe what she was seeing.
Not far away, a group of children were happily playing together.
"Hey! Linlin, over here!"
The children all looked unique. Not only were their bodies translucent, but among them were Longarms, Longlegs, Fish-Men, and children of many other races. They were, unmistakably, the deceased children from the House of Lambs.
At that moment, they were riding fluffy, marshmallow-like clouds through the sky, chasing after colorful butterflies made of light. Close behind them ran the towering Linlin.
"Heave-ho!" She leaped into the air and grabbed one of the rainbow butterflies. The instant she caught it, the butterfly transformed into a gigantic strawberry cake.
"I caught one! It's a multi-layer strawberry cake butterfly this time!"
"Yay!"
"Yay!"
The children's cheers echoed across Dreamland Island. The Dreamland creatures nearby looked over at the sound, then calmly went back to whatever they had been doing. High above, the Tree of Dreams scattered countless blue motes of light, and more rainbow butterflies fluttered into existence.
Even after everything Cori had experienced, the scene before her still felt like a dream. She knew that the biggest girl among them was the legendary Big Mom... yet she still found it impossible to believe.
"I told you already. The Leader is amazing," Hitsuji said with a perfectly serious face, while blatantly taking credit. "Strictly speaking, they aren't completely dead, which is why this is possible. Bringing back souls that have already passed into the Land of the Dead is much, much harder."
"Even so... it's still incredible," Cori spoke quietly.
"Oh, right." Speaking of which, Hitsuji suddenly remembered something. "How's Miss Baby 5 doing?"
"She's doing well in the Emerald Greenhouse. She's calmed down emotionally."
"Still trying to run away?"
"Mm. But I don't think she really wants to escape. I think she just wants to play with the Warden and her Phantom Beasts. She seems... bored. Would you like to see her?"
"I suppose I cou… Hm?" Hitsuji stopped mid-sentence. His eyes suddenly shifted toward a certain direction.
"...?" Cori blinked in confusion.
Then—
"Urgh!"
"Roar!"
She heard the Phantom Beasts growling all around them. Instinctively'she turned toward the sound.
There stood a man. He was so tall and broad that he hardly looked human. He wore a white, spotted bear-ear hat and carried a Bible in his arms. Looking toward the children laughing and playing in the distance, he gently clapped his hands.
'Buzz!'
In an instant, the sound of the Phantom Beasts' growls was completely pushed away. The children never noticed a thing and continued happily chasing butterflies.
Only then did the man turn to Hitsuji and Cori. "My apologies. I simply didn't want the children to be disturbed."
His voice was surprisingly gentle. As he spoke, he lowered the Bible and slowly raised both hands, revealing the paw pads on his palms.
"I know appearing here uninvited is rude, but please believe that I mean no harm. Of course, if you don't trust me... You may restrain me with Seastone handcuffs. I'm a Devil Fruit user."
Cori instinctively tensed up. The next moment, however, she felt Hitsuji gently pat her shoulder.
"Relax, Miss Fairy." Hitsuji slowly rose to his feet.
At that instant, it was as if all of Dreamland Island had awakened. Brilliant rainbow light flowed through the air.
Smiling, Hitsuji looked at the visitor before him. "Putting shackles on a guest would be rather poor hospitality. So... please tell me directly, Sir Bartholomew Kuma. What brings you here?"
He calmly spoke the visitor's name.
"I have a favor I'd like to ask of you," Kuma answered quietly. "And besides that... someone asked me to deliver a message. He said... he would like to meet you in person."
'(End of Chapter)'
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