One Piece: Bai Ye Deputy Captain of the Straw Hats

Translator: PapaSmurf0700

Luffy, bursting with excitement, couldn't contain himself. He bounced towards the skeleton and exclaimed to everyone, "Hahaha, look everyone, this afro-haired skeleton is talking!"

Meanwhile, Usopp, more cautious, hid behind Zoro, only peeking his head out to warn Luffy, "Hey Luffy, don't get too close, you'll be cursed if the ghost puts a spell on you!"

Contrary to Usopp's concern, Luffy seemed unfazed. Surprisingly, the skeleton itself appeared quite nervous, scanning the surroundings as if afraid of encountering a ghost. "Hmm!! Is there a ghost?!" he exclaimed, looking genuinely worried. After a quick survey revealed no ghosts, he pointed at himself, puzzled, and asked, "Could it be that the ghost you're referring to is me?"

The crew could barely contain their amusement, thinking in unison: ...Is this guy serious?

Noticing their puzzled faces, Brook hastened to clarify, "Yohohoho~ I'm not a ghost. I'm just a person who ate the Revive-Revive Fruit and came back to life. My name is Brook."

Before anyone could respond, Nami interjected skeptically, "Even if it's not a ghost, this skeleton looks like..." But before she could finish, Brook swiftly appeared right before her, bowing elegantly as he complimented, "Wow! This lady is so beautiful! When I see a beautiful woman, my eyes nearly pop out of my head."

He chuckled at his own joke, "Though, as a skeleton, I don't have eyeballs, yohohoho~" Then, with a straight face, Brook asked Nami a daring question, "So, may I see your panties?"

The reaction was instant. boom! ! ! The very next second, Nami's fist connected with Brook's skull, sending him sprawling across the deck.

"Who would show you that? You're such a pervert!!!" Nami exclaimed, fuming.

Despite lying flat on the deck, Brook managed to chuckle, "Yo-ho-ho. Such a resolute rejection truly breaks my heart—ah, though I'm just a skeleton with no heart to break."

"Shut up!" Nami snapped back.

Meanwhile, Luffy was nearly in tears from laughter, clutching his stomach. "Hahahaha, it's so funny!!!"

This laughter earned him a swift reaction from Nami, resulting in two more resounding thumps on their heads. Luffy and Brook, now both sporting sizable lumps, kneeled side by side, sheepishly apologizing, "I'm so sorry~"

Sanji approached Brook, seeking answers. "You mentioned earlier that you were resurrected by the Revive-Revive Fruit. What does that mean?"

At the same time, Luffy, always curious, turned to Brook with a grin and asked, "Hey, Afro Skeleton, can you poop?"

Sanji, exasperated by Luffy's absurd inquiry, sighed heavily. "How do you even think of such questions?"

Brook, taking the question in stride, replied earnestly, "Yes, I can. And please, my name is Brook, not Afro Skeleton."

"Who asked you to answer that?!" Sanji groaned, foreseeing potential challenges with Brook's intellectual capacities.

Eager for more substantial answers, Sanji fired off a series of more pressing questions, "First of all, why are you still alive and able to talk even though you're just bones? Who are you, and why are you here?"

Before Sanji could continue, Luffy loudly interrupted, "Don't sweat the small stuff, Sanji!!!"

Turning back to Brook with a serious expression, Luffy extended an invitation, "Join us, Afro Skeleton!"

"Indeed, I shall. And please, my name is Brook," Brook responded promptly.

Stunned by the quick unfolding of events, the entire Straw Hat crew gasped in unison: "Hey, hey, hey!!!"

After the incident, the Straw Hat Pirates grew more comfortable around Brook. He didn't seem like an enemy at all. As they say, nothing brings people together like sharing a meal. So, there they were, the Straw Hat Pirates and Brook, gathered around the dining table on the fifth floor of the Sunshine Merry.

Brook looked around at the lavish setup and couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, this is really a perfect banquet hall!!!"

"Hahaha, of course!" boasted Franky. "I made it, and it's SU.PER."

Merry chimed in with a proud grin, "Hehe~"

"The food is ready," Sanji announced, placing dishes on the table. "Here's your milk."

Brook responded with a delighted, "Yohoho, thank you so much, Mr. Chef. I haven't had anything decent to eat in decades."

After sipping his milk, Brook sighed contentedly.

Meanwhile, Luffy, munching on meat, asked, "By the way, Afro Skeleton, what's up with your body?"

"My name is Brook, Mr. Luffy," Brook corrected him gently. "As for my appearance, it's because I ate the Revive-Revive Fruit. Its only ability is to enchant the user's soul, allowing one to revive after death for a second life."

"Wow, that's truly incredible!" Luffy exclaimed, impressed.

Robin, intrigued, joined in, "Is the price of resurrection becoming a skeleton?"

Hearing this, Brook replied with his usual flair, "Oh my! This lady is also exceptionally pretty! Well, can you let me see your..."

Before Brook could finish his request, Nami swiftly intervened with a punch to his head, exclaiming, "I've already told you, who would show you that, you pervert!"

Brook laughed, "Yohoho, how heartless! My heart is broken—Ah, but I have no heart at all!"

With a hint of sadness, he continued, "I was once a pirate sailing the Grand Line. My crew and I ventured into these waters aboard the ship you saw. Unfortunately, we were defeated by a formidable pirate, and I, along with my crew, perished."

"The Revive-Revive Fruit I had eaten only manifested its true power on that fateful day. It prevented me from swimming while alive, but upon death, it allowed my soul to return from the underworld!"

"My soul wandered in the fog for a year because I couldn't find my body. By the time I did, it was nothing but bones."

The crew listened intently, now understanding the tragic twist of fate that led to Brook's skeletal condition.

Luffy, ever curious, turned to Bai Ye, "Was Brook a pirate? Hey, Bai Ye, does Brook have a bounty? You know about everyone's bounties!"

Taken aback by the question, Bai Ye sighed, "Do you have to ask me about bounties all the time?"

"But, what about Brook's bounty?" Luffy pressed.

"Yes, there is one," Bai Ye confirmed.