"Hmm...my head...is a bit dizzy."
Brooke slowly opened her eyes, her vision was still a little blurry, but she could soon see clearly that the person in front of her was the dean, and she was looking at Brooke.
If Brooke remembered correctly, her last memory was hearing the dean say she would come, and then it disappeared. Logically speaking, he should be dead. So was the dean in front of him real?
Or is it that he is really dead, and now it is just from the perspective of his soul.
He tried to raise his hand, but it seemed as if he was unconscious. Sure enough, should he be dead?
That's really bad. If the dean sees her body, she will be very sad. She would have known better and wouldn't have called.
“Dean…………..”
"I am here."
"Can you hear me?!"
"certainly."
"Is it because of your fruit ability, Dean?"
"You're not dead, Brooke."
"But...I can't seem to feel my body."
"After detoxification, your body will go into a brief period of numbness, which is normal."
Brooke looked around slightly and saw that he was lying on Dean's lap, but why couldn't he see his partner? Where were his companions? This is not a boat, but an island.
"Where are my... partners?"
Brooke looked at Catriel, who didn't speak, just pursed his lips.
Brooke felt that he was panicking, but he tried hard to pretend to be calm, but he could not hide his urgency:
"Dean, if you can save me, you can definitely save them, right! Right! They must be waiting for me somewhere, right! Where are they?"
Catrel still said nothing.
"They must still be alive...right! Dean, tell me, okay."
Brooke felt a drop of water fall on his face, and he saw the dean crying...
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
Catrel kept repeating this.
Brooke looked at Cattrell. His body couldn't move at all, but he was suddenly unusually calm at this moment. He actually knew it before. He knew it himself, but he just didn't want to believe it.
He tried his best to smile:
"That's it...it's okay, Dean, didn't you try your best? You saved me, and I can't blame you for not saving them too. It's okay, I know you tried your best."
Brooke tried to move his numb arm and wiped away Catrel's tears:
"It's okay, there's no need to feel guilty. I'm not a child anymore, Dean. I can understand it. There's nothing you can do about the Dean choosing to save me first. Even if my friends find out, they won't blame you. , they might even thank Dean for saving me, really, it’s okay.”
Catrel was silent for a moment and nodded:
"When I arrived, I only had enough time to save one person... I buried them and set up graves for them. Don't worry, this is a beautiful island where no one will disturb you. It’s a nice place.”
"That's good, that's enough, Dean."
Brooke began to move his body to prepare, and Catrel quickly supported him:
"Your body hasn't recovered yet, so it's best not to move yet."
"It's okay, Dean, let me go see them."
With Carter's support, he came to a pile of graves. At the front was a blank tombstone, with the words "The Free Lombard Pirates of the Sea Buried Here."
Brook walked past this monument, sat back, and looked at the graves in front of him. He seemed to see his friends. He looked up at Catrel:
"Dean, let me play one last time for my friends."
"Um."
Cattrell handed Brooke the violin and took the initiative to step away a little to give Brooke some alone time. As the sound of the violin sounded, the familiar rhythm appeared again. Brooke did not sing at first, but soon, his singing Flying out little by little.
ヨホホホヨホホホ
ヨホホホヨホホホ
ヨホホホヨホホホ
ヨホホホヨホホホ
Hong Kong の呗
けにゆくよ
The sea breeze is full of waves
The tide is flowing
Sora no wheel を no bird
The boat is out
……….
Behind Catriel, a group of white souls began to change, and they gradually turned into what they were when they were alive. Catriel looked at them, and they nodded politely, as if to express their gratitude, and then stepped forward one by one, led by Captain Youqi. Taking the lead, they walked towards Brooke, each put their hands on Brooke's shoulders, and came to their respective positions. They seemed to be playing music.
Some were playing the cello, some were playing the piano, and some were holding each other's shoulders and seemed to be singing.
Perhaps others couldn't hear it, but Cattrell could, and their music merged with Brooke's, and a final ensemble appeared before Cattrell's eyes.
Brooke seemed to feel something at this time, and the tears could no longer be suppressed. He smiled and continued singing while crying, as if he felt that his partners were around him.
When the song came to the end, Brooke's voice gradually sobbed. He put down his violin, tried his best to smile the brightest, pretended to raise a glass, and said:
"Everyone, have a nice trip."
And this group of souls seemed to laugh and respond, raising their hands together to say their final goodbyes, waving towards Brooke as if he was giving instructions, and then turned around and left. Their souls gradually dissipated, dissipating in the wind. In the passing breeze.
Brooke's cheeks were covered with tears, and the smile on his face could no longer be maintained. There was reluctance in his eyes, but there seemed to be relief that everyone was really gone.
At least, he sent his friends away with a smile in the end. He didn't want them to see his embarrassment.
He lowered his head, and his tears continued to seep into the soil and finally disappeared.
After a long time, he finally calmed down. He stood up holding the monument and wiped the corners of his eyes.
It's better not to let the dean see him crying, he is already so old.
He is already a mature middle-aged man.
It was a bit embarrassing to cry in front of the dean.
Catrel came over and asked softly:
"Do you need a hug?"
"Um…….."
Being hugged by Catriel, Brooke seemed to be like a child again. When she was sad, she was hugged and comforted by the dean.
At this moment, the tears that had been suppressed appeared again.
Catrel patted him on the back:
"It's okay, just cry."
The entire quiet island seemed to be in silence, and only Brooke's heart-wrenching cry and shouts could be heard.
Finally, as the sun set, Brook placed his violin in front of the tombstone, where his past was also buried.
"Dean, where should I go next?"
Brooke is a little confused
"Go where you want to go, kid."
Catrel took out a pile of letters:
"I thought you might want to do this."
Brooke took the letter and rubbed the paper.
In fact, when Catriel arrived, there was still one person who was conscious, and that was Captain Youqi. This man was very powerful and he persisted until the end.
When he saw Cattrell, he didn't seem surprised, and just pointed his finger at Brooke, who was also saved.
After confirming that Brooke had been treated, he also said something:
"Thank you for being able to live... just one..."
"You could have let me save you."
"It's normal for a mother to give priority to saving her son...ha...and I'm just holding on. As a captain, I have to...ahem, hold on until the end and wait for...a miracle."
"At this time, do you need to leave any last words?"
"Ma'am... I have no family... The people on this boat are the closest people to me... Brooke is a very nice person, and it is the best for me that he can survive... At least, you witnessed This is the last moment of our Lumba Pirates. This world has left traces of our presence... This is enough."
He seemed to be relieved, but in fact he was unwilling to accept it.
Finally, he pulled off his necklace and handed it to Catriel:
"This is our last thought for Brooke. Please help me send him a message..."
Back to the present.
Cattrell handed the necklace to Brooke, who was stunned for a moment.
"Your captain asked me to tell you that the Lombard Pirates are officially disbanded. You don't need to carry them on your back. You should move forward and meet your new partners again."
When Catriel was about to leave, she seemed to catch a glimpse of a group of white shadows sitting on the grave, especially the one wearing a captain's hat, Yuki, who seemed to be saying thank you to Catriel.
When Catriel looked back again, the group of phantoms had disappeared without a trace.
Logically speaking, it is very rare that they can remain intact until Brooke wakes up, and it is with the help of Catriel. She has witnessed their dissipation before, and it is impossible for the dissipated souls to be rekindled.
As a person with the soul fruit ability, Catrel knows it best. She has studied this type of thing for a long time.
But...really?
"
