The weathered planks of the ship creaked beneath Lynn's feet as the crew began to sing. The salt-tinged air vibrated with melody as Brook's nimble fingers danced across the piano keys, the polished wood of the instrument gleaming in the fading sunlight. Other crewmen joined in with their instruments—fiddles screeching merrily, drums keeping steady rhythm, and a harmonica wailing somewhere in the background.
As Lynn stood by the starboard rail, the pages of the physician's notebook fluttering in the sea breeze, the deck exploded into joyous chaos once more.
"Yohohoho, yohohoho!"
"Yohohoho, yohohoho!"
"Yohohoho, yohohoho!"
"Yohohoho, yohohoho!"
The crew's voices rose in unison, weathered and raw but filled with life:
"Binkusu no sake wo
todoke ni yuku yo
Umikaze kimakase namimakase
Shio no mukou de
yuuhi mo sawagu
Sora nya wa wo kaku tori no uta
Sayonara minato tsumugi no sato yo
Don to icchou utao funade no uta
Kinpa-ginpa mo shibuki ni kaete
Oretachya yuku zo umi no kagiri!"
The song echoed across the waves, a declaration of freedom that made Lynn's heart ache with a strange mixture of belonging and homesickness.
"Hey, Lynn! Come hither and join us in song!" Barbaro bellowed, his breath reeking of rum as he grabbed Lynn's wrist. The man's calloused fingers were rough against Lynn's skin as he pulled him toward the throng of dancing sailors.
Lynn clutched his notebook protectively against his chest. "Excuse me, I'm studying!" The medical diagrams blurred as Barbaro tugged harder.
"Do it later; we need to get drunk and dance all night!" Barbaro's face was already flushed, sweat beading on his forehead as he swayed to the music.
Lynn planted his feet firmly on the deck, the wood sticky beneath his boots from spilled alcohol. "Stop right now! Who do you think cleaned the deck after you guys puked all over it?"
"Don't be a snob about doing some housework!" Barbaro guffawed, slapping Lynn's shoulder hard enough to make him wince. "Because you're the youngest, of course you'll do it! Hahaha!"
Lynn's eyes narrowed, the corner of his mouth twitching upward in a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Urgh... You'd better keep this in mind, Barbaro... I'll make sure to treat you well later."
"Huh? You think I'll be scared!"
Something in Lynn's tone—a clinical detachment that promised precise retribution rather than blind rage—made Barbaro's laughter falter. He released Lynn's wrist as if it had suddenly grown hot.
"Of course I will! You can go anywhere you like, Sir Lynn; I'll be sure not to puke all over the place!" He shouted as he retreated, punching another crew member in the head before spreading the word about Lynn's threat. The deck fell momentarily silent as the revelry paused, dozens of eyes turning toward Lynn with undisguised horror.
Brook's skeletal fingers never missed a note as he called out, "Ignore what the youngster said and go get some beers!" His iconic "Yohohoho!" punctuated the command, and just like that, the party resumed. Men clutched each other's salt-crusted shoulders, singing while swigging booze from bottles that glinted in the lantern light.
Lynn couldn't help but sigh in sorrow as he watched the scene unfold before him. The ocean spray misted his face as he leaned against the rail, gazing at his crewmates with a mixture of exasperation and fondness. They all had the choice to abandon the perilous voyage aboard the ship, to stay on solid ground where the risk of death wasn't a constant companion. Yet they chose to continue, risking death with each passing day.
During his time aboard, Lynn had witnessed numerous deaths on the ship—bodies wrapped in canvas and slipped into the endless blue, the wailing of survivors echoing through ports as they docked in cities. Each loss carved another hollow space in his heart, another name to remember.
Water Seven was their next stop.
This party, Lynn realized as he observed the raucous celebration, seemed like a way for them to part with the current ship.
They would ask the shipwrights in Water Seven to create a better vessel, one that might carry them further into the unknowable expanse of the Grand Line.
The party's goal was not only to calm the ship's spirit but also to lay their companions' spirits to rest alongside the vessel that had carried them through both calm and storm.
"Don't you get tired sitting here by yourself?" Brook inquired, his tall frame casting a long shadow across the deck as he approached. The musician brought a pair of liquor bottles with him, the glass clinking softly as he handed one to Lynn.
It had been a year since they set sail together.
Lynn had initially refused such offerings but had grudgingly complied later, as the rituals of shipboard life became familiar.
He wasn't a fan of drinking—the more he learned about medicine, the more he disliked what alcohol did to the human body.
Not to mention, the taste was just peculiar in his opinion, bitter and burning in ways that never seemed pleasant.
"Thanks, teacher..." Lynn accepted the bottle, feeling its cool weight in his palm.
"Not a problem." Brook's voice was gentle, devoid of his usual theatrical flourish.
Lynn swirled the amber liquid thoughtfully. "Hey, Captain Brook,"
Hearing the unusual form of address, Brook tilted his afro-crowned skull. "What is it?"
"Why would they waste their time and energy partying like this when they could be training to improve their survival skills?" Lynn said, gesturing toward the revelers with his bottle.
The moonlight caught the amber liquid, making it glow like captured fire. "Wouldn't it be better for them to train harder rather than waste their time partying?"
Brook sighed, the sound whistling oddly through his teeth as he gazed at his concerned disciple. "If you're thinking that way, you should stay on the island instead of following us out to sea."
"Why?" Lynn's brow furrowed in confusion.
Brook turned to face the endless horizon, his empty eye sockets somehow still conveying wisdom accumulated over years at sea. "None of us on this deck wish to live a conventional life. We chose to set sail because we want to explore the great world. We never wanted to be confined by our village or country, so we chose to sail. We would never be upset if the water claimed our bodies since we chose to do so."
"Choice..." Lynn whispered, the word nearly lost in the wind.
"That's correct. We sail the sea because we want to. In some ways, we seek the place where we will die. While parting may be painful, we will undoubtedly die with smiles on our faces."
Lynn felt laughter bubble up unexpectedly in his chest. "What a suicidal bunch, hahahaha."
The absurdity of it all struck him suddenly—transported to this world, apprenticed to a skeleton, sailing with men who chased death as eagerly as they sought adventure.
Lynn chugged his drink, the alcohol burning a fiery path down his throat, then smashed the bottle on the floor. The glass shattered with a satisfying crash that momentarily cut through the music.
"That's correct! It's my choice to follow you and join this club of suicidal maniacs!" His voice rose above the din, a declaration that made several nearby crewmen turn their heads. "I will undoubtedly find a way to return to my homeland and provide you with a better life in my country! You had better trust me, teacher!"
Brook remained silent, but his skeletal face somehow conveyed a smile as he watched the kid who was now leaping around with the crewmates.
Lynn moved from sailor to sailor, bopping them on their heads and shoulders, threatening them with medical jargon that made little sense to their rum-soaked minds.
"You better do it correctly, or I'll deal with your body!" Lynn warned a particularly drunk sailor who was attempting to stand on his hands.
"Noo, Cap'n! Lynn started to like men, save us!" someone shouted from the crowd, prompting roars of laughter.
Lynn's face flushed crimson. "Who says that! I'll gouge your tongue out!"
"Hahahaha!" The laughter spread across the deck like wildfire, and Lynn found himself reluctantly grinning despite his embarrassment.
...
Days flew by, transforming into weeks and months marked by the rhythm of the tides and the chaotic encounters with rival crews. The expedition proceeded with a constant stream of conflicts—pirates assaulting each other across the unpredictable waters of the Grand Line.
Every day brought a new challenge, a swarm of wild pirates attacking from nowhere, their ships appearing on the horizon like specters of death. Lynn's swordsmanship improved through necessity, his muscles developing memory for blocks and parries that allowed him to handle foes more effectively. His hands, once suited only for turning textbook pages, now grew calloused from gripping a sword's hilt.
During a rare moment of peace, while the crew shared a meal of salted fish and hardtack in the galley, Lynn posed a question that had been gnawing at him.
"What inspired you to become a pirate?"
That simple inquiry sparked another heated debate among them. The lantern light flickered across animated faces as Lynn's question was met with passionate responses about their backstories.
"I want to travel throughout the world!" shouted one, banging his tankard against the table for emphasis.
"I don't want to stay where I can't get a full stomach!" called another, his gaunt face belying his words.
A burly man with tattoos covering his arms raised his voice. "Because being a pirate is awesome!"
"I want to live my life to the fullest, and becoming one is unquestionably the best way to do it!" declared a younger crewmate, his eyes shining with conviction.
The majority of the crew members shared similar reasons, idealistic visions of freedom that seemed at odds with the harsh reality of their lives. But as the night wore on and the rum flowed freely, deeper truths emerged. They also had additional backgrounds that spoke of hardship and survival.
"Unlike you, who appeared out of nowhere and desired to return, I don't want to go back home," said an older sailor with a scar bisecting his face. His voice lowered, forcing Lynn to lean in to hear him over the ambient noise of the ship. "There is food scarcity in my town, so they chose to sell the youngsters to pirates to limit food consumption. Some of us were brought here with a meager supply of food, which was a good thing because our former captain, Yorki, decided to provide for us. Those who came from another pirate ship, however, were tossed onto the pirate ship..."
"That's correct!" interjected another crewman, his beard still damp with beer foam. "I heard more about the story in the pub while gathering information. However, the majority of pirates are just a gang of hooligans who were sold or thrown away by their families. They, unlike our crewmates, have tragic pasts. That won't stop us from killing them, though; such is the life of a pirate!"
Lynn frowned, the notion of killing still unsettling despite the battles he'd fought. "Won't being caught by the Marines be better than staying a pirate then? Must be what you're thinking, right?"
The question was met with derision, several men spitting on the floor in disgust.
"Hahaha! Being pirates is far superior to being bound by those pompous nobles!" one shouted, his voice thick with hatred. "Being a prisoner and getting apprehended by a Marine is the same as throwing yourself at the mercy of those aristocrats! They claim the World Government is just, yet they are the evilest of all!"
"That's the reason, Lynn," said the Mizuta twins in unison, their synchronized voices eerie in the dimly lit galley. "Beware of those nobles; they are nastier than pirates."
"You know, our town's nobles aren't all that horrible," contributed another sailor thoughtfully. "We steal their things, and they say nothing. Gyahahaha!"
His laughter was cut short by a cuff to the head from his neighbor. "Your family was decapitated as a result, you dunce!"
The man's face fell instantly. "Oh, right..."
Amusingly, they all had tales to tell, stories that ranged from tragic to absurd. None of them were mere background characters in this grand narrative but people with histories, with dreams and nightmares that drove them forward across the endless blue.
Lynn's days evolved beyond the confines of studying medicine and training with Brook. From then on, he'd occasionally converse with the others during meals or quiet watches, learning about their histories and finding unexpectedly deep connections with men who had initially seemed so alien to him.
After another six months, the horizon finally revealed the towering skyline of Water Seven, a city that seemed to rise directly from the sea itself, its buildings cascading like a waterfall of architecture.
"Hey, Tom, please assist me in repairing this ship!" Brook called out as they docked, his voice carrying across the busy harbor.
A massive blue figure looked up from his work, tools hanging from a leather belt around his waist. "Sure thing, pops!"
Brook and his crew, surprisingly, could not afford to acquire another ship due to their extravagant spending on music, alcohol, and medical supplies. So, they sought help from the best shipwright in Water Seven, Fisherman Tom, who was currently an apprentice but already showing remarkable skill.
Lynn couldn't help but stare at the apprentice, his medical curiosity piqued at witnessing a Fishman for the first time. Tom's blue skin glistened with water droplets, his massive forearms rippling with muscles as he assessed the damage to their vessel.
"What type of biology do you have? It's fascinating that a Fishman can survive above ground..." Lynn mused aloud, unable to contain himself as he approached Tom and began prodding at the Fishman's webbed hands and gills.
"Knock it off, kiddo! If you keep doing that, I'll beat you with the hammer!" Tom growled, brandishing a massive tool that would have crushed a normal human's skull.
"Try it, Simpson..." Lynn retorted, a reference that flew over the Fishman's head.
Lynn had tried to mock Tom's yellow body, but the Fishman knew nothing of the yellow human from the animation called Simpson. The incomprehension didn't stop Tom from becoming enraged, his gills flaring as he swung a massive fist toward Lynn's face.
Lynn quickly evaded the onslaught, his body moving instinctively as he assessed the strength of the incoming attack. While calculating the force, he observed Tom's posture with clinical detachment and continued to mock him. Based on his observation, even without putting much force behind it, the Fishman had the ability to hit harder than a normal human. It was fascinating that these demi-humans possessed such physical prowess.
His eyes glinted with the acquisition of new information as he made a mental note while dodging the apprentice shipwright's increasingly frustrated attacks.
"This kid is looking down on me!" Tom muttered, the sound rumbling from deep in his chest.
The Fishman employed his race's distinctive Karate techniques, sending visible shockwaves through the air as he attacked Lynn with increased zeal. The confrontation might have escalated further if not for the intervention of the elder shipwright.
"Stop playing, and get your ass to the materials!" the master shipwright bellowed, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife.
"But, pops!" Tom protested, still eyeing Lynn with undisguised annoyance.
"No buts! You should go there!"
Tom grumbled as he walked away, each footstep heavy enough to make the dock vibrate slightly. The shipwright turned to Lynn with an apologetic expression.
"I'm sorry, doc. I'll educate that kid to be more obedient."
Lynn waved away the concern, his mind still processing the physiological differences he'd observed. "No, it's fine. How is your injury doing? Did it get worse?"
The shipwright rotated his shoulder experimentally. "No, thanks to your medications, my previous injury is getting better. I'll do my best to repair this ship, but you still have to pay."
"Of course, my captain will cover the payment," Lynn assured him. "Okay, then, contact me if you want another treatment."
"Sure thing!"
Lynn walked into the nearby tavern, waving farewell to the old shipwright. Inside the establishment, the Rumbar Pirates had already set up for an impromptu performance. The air was thick with tobacco smoke and the scent of spilled beer as they played their instruments—Brook's piano trills soaring above the percussive heartbeat of drums. They sang many songs and received payment from pleased and drunk customers who swayed and clapped along.
The familiar scene—his crewmates playing their hearts out, drinking, and laughing—made Lynn shake his head with a mixture of fondness and exasperation. He couldn't help but sigh at the sight, wondering if they'd ever change.
It took two weeks for the ship to be repaired, the constant hammering and sawing forming a background soundtrack to their stay in Water Seven. During this time, Tom found himself repeatedly tracked down by the young doctor, becoming Lynn's first experimental Fishman subject—much to Tom's initial dismay.
Despite the rocky start, Tom and Lynn began to form a friendship in their own peculiar way. Lynn never actually performed any laboratory experiments on the Fishman, content to observe and ask questions that ranged from insightful to bizarre. Tom, for his part, didn't dislike the inquisitive doctor and eventually came to enjoy their exchanges enough to extend an invitation.
"If you want to stay, I can teach you Fishman Karate!" Tom offered on their final day in port, demonstrating a stance that made water droplets dance around his massive fists.
Lynn shook his head, though temptation briefly flickered across his features. "No, that'll come later. I still need to complete my sword training with my commander and find a way home..."
"Okay, your loss," Tom shrugged, his massive shoulders rising like mountains. "Remember to come back every year to repair the ship!"
"Okay, see you later, Tom." Lynn extended his hand.
"Yeah, see ya, Lynn." Tom's massive webbed hand engulfed Lynn's as they bumped fists, both grinning broadly.
From the workshop behind them, the master shipwright called out, "Come back more often, little doctor! I need to check on my hips frequently!"
"You should stop banging women every night for that to heal, pops!" Tom shouted back, rolling his eyes.
"Shut up! You should hit a woman to realize their magnificence!"
Lynn could only smile awkwardly as he listened to the good-natured squabbling between master and apprentice. The crude humor was still something he was adjusting to in this world.
As the repaired ship sailed away from the shipwright island, the skyline of Water Seven growing smaller on the horizon, Lynn stood at the rail with a strange heaviness in his chest. He would never realize then that the world is not a kind place where promises can be kept, that the seas between them might grow too wide for any ship to cross...
Character Status: Lynn Sadogashima
Level: 1
Class: [unknown] HP: 90/90 (★★★☆☆ - Improved through battle experience)
MP: 75/75 (★★★★☆ - Dramatically increased after fruit consumption)
Core Attributes:
[STR]: 23/100 ★★☆☆☆ (Intermediate) - Developed through ship work and combat [VIT]: 30/100 ★★★☆☆ (Improved) - Hardened by injuries and recovery [AGI]: 25/100 ★★☆☆☆ (Intermediate) - Improved through combat mobility [INT]: 70/100 ★★★★☆ (Advanced) - Enhanced by continued learning
World-Specific Attributes:
[Sea Legs]: 55/100 ★★★☆☆ (Proficient) - Fully adapted to ship life [Haki Potential]: ?? (Locked) - Still dormant [Musical Aptitude]: 35/100 ★★★☆☆ (Developing) - Slow but steady improvement
Passive Skills:
[Dexterous Hands] Lvl 4 - Further improved through combat medicine [Modern Knowledge] Lvl 4 - Increasingly applying knowledge from his world [Survivor's Instinct] Lvl 4 - Enhanced by marine battle [Medical Insight] Lvl 1 - NEW! Can perceive anatomical details with supernatural clarity
Active Skills:
[Basic Treatment] Lvl 3 - Now handles serious injuries effectively [Medicinal Brewing] Lvl 3 - Creating effective herbal remedies [Musical Performance] Lvl 2 - Struggling but improving [Anatomical Scan] Lvl 1 - NEW! Can diagnose internal injuries and illnesses through observation
Techniques:
[Swordsmanship Lv. 2]: Beginner - Basic forms learned from Brook [Herbology Lv. 3]: Intermediate - Can identify many medicinal plants [Medicine Lv. 3]: Intermediate - Enhanced by fruit consumption [Music Lv. 2]: Beginner - Improving under Brook's strict tutelage
Achievements:
✓ [Ship's Apprentice] - Found your place among the Rumbar Pirates
✓ [Survivor's First Year] - Completed one year in the One Piece world
✓ [Field Medic] - Helped treat the crew during crisis
✓ [Student of the Sword] - Began training under Brook
Current Quest:
» [New Captain, New Challenges] - Adapt to Brook's leadership
» [Medicine Man] - Continue developing medical knowledge » [Remember the Fallen] - Honor those who departed with Captain Yorki
Technique Levels: 1: Novice, 2: Beginner, 3: Intermediate, 4: Advanced, 5: Expert, 6: Master, 7: Advanced Master, 8: Grand Master, 9: Advanced Grand Master, 10: Unknown
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