Crocus introduced himself as both an experienced ship doctor and a genuine doctor in the Cape Town. He explained that it was impossible to treat a whale as large as Laboon from the outside, which was why he had been living inside the whale to provide care.
The Straw Hat Pirates exited Laboon through the exit gate, tossing Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9 into the ocean and urging them to leave. The two mysterious individuals fled, but in their haste, they accidentally dropped their log pose onto the Straw Hat ship.
The crew contemplated the broken promise, believing that the pirate crew they once knew must have perished long ago, considering the dangers of the Grand Line and the passage of 50 years. However, Crocus shattered their assumptions by revealing an even more heart-wrenching truth: the pirate group had abandoned Laboon. They had left the Grand Line while attempting to pass through the Calm Belt, and it remained uncertain whether they had survived that perilous journey. Ussop expressed his disappointment in the crew, regarding them as cowards who prioritized their lives over their promise and had deserted Laboon.
Nami interrupted their conversation by inquiring whether Crocus had told Laboon the truth, as the whale understood human language. Crocus confirmed that he had told Laboon the truth multiple times, but the whale refused to accept it, leading to his constant bellowing and head-bashing.
Luffy, overhearing their conversation, climbed to the top of Laboon, holding onto the main mast of the ship. Once there, he searched for a fresh wound and jammed the main mast into the injury. Laboon howled in pain and shook his head, throwing Luffy to the ground. Undeterred, Luffy got up and faced Laboon, declaring that the fight wasn’t over. He acknowledged that Laboon’s friends might have passed away, but he assured the whale that the Straw Hat Pirates would return to meet Laboon once they had completed their journey through the entire Grand Line. Luffy asked Laboon to wait until that time.
Touched by Luffy’s words and promise, Laboon shed tears and bellowed in agreement. The entire crew, along with Crocus, was stunned by Luffy’s reckless actions, but they ultimately smiled and validated his determination, even though the main mast of their ship was now broken.