"Yohoho! No matter if you are short and ugly, you shouldn't hide your face. Look! I don't hide anything, not even my bones."
Brook raised his hands and laughed.
"Skull joke!"
"Pfft! That's quite funny."
Peter couldn't help but laugh inside his mask. Then, he opened his mask and said.
"But hey, I am not ugly or short. You are just too tall."
"Hmm! You have quite a handsome face. So, why hide behind that mask?" Brook nodded his head and asked.
"To keep my secret identity a secret! But I have a question. Did you gain the spirit to take revenge on those evil doctors who keep your brothers in their office?"
Hearing Peter's question, Brook tilted his head and said.
"Brothers? I have no brothers. I had a crew, but they all died fifty years ago. I only survived because I ate a Devil Fruit that gave me a second life."
Peter raised his eyebrows and asked.
"What's Devil Fruit? Is that something you got from making a deal with a Devil?"
Brook waved his index finger and said.
"No, no, that's not a real devil. It's just a fruit that gives people power. Like my captain, cook over there, the one with a long nose, the beautiful lady over there, and the reindeer doctor."
"We all ate a Devil Fruit, which gave us some kind of power. What about you? How did you get your powers?"
Hearing his question, Peter answered.
"I got bitten by a radioactive spider, which gave me spider-like powers. But I never thought a different world would have such interesting powers."
"So, can anyone get power by just eating a fruit? Are there any side effects?"
Brook shook his head.
"No, there is a side effect. You can't swim for the rest of your life. If you fall into an ocean, you will not be able to move a muscle."
"By the way, different fruits have different powers, so if you don't know the fruit's power beforehand, you can end up with either crazy or weak power."
Peter nodded his head and asked.
"So, why did you come here? It looks like your partners are fighting people from different worlds, but why?"
Brook answered.
"One of our friends came from another world and went on an adventure with us in our world. But due to certain circumstances, he returned to his world."
"We want to bring him back and continue our adventures, but to do so, we need to cross the Universal Barrier of some kind."
"An extremely powerful item helped us simplify the process by making it a contest of strength."
"But because of our crew's difference in strength, our captain is facing an incredibly powerful enemy."
"So, I'm sorry, my friend! But I have to finish this battle quickly and help my Captain."
Hearing that, Peter nodded his head and raised both of his hands.
"Go ahead!"
Brook paused and asked.
"Aren't you going to retaliate?"
Peter shook his head and said.
"I am connected to the Web of Destiny. I can feel the force that's trying to bind me fighting against the influence of the Web of Destiny."
"Besides, I have gone up against several powerful people with crazy mind-controlling abilities."
"So, I am able to resist this force."
Hearing that, Brook asked.
"No, I am not talking about that."
He pointed at Naruto, Sasuke, Ichigo, Noelle, Yuji, Yuno, Temari, and Sakura, who were fighting his crew.
"They also come from different worlds, right? I don't think their Willpower is weak, and that man feels too pure to fight our Captain without a proper reason."
"So, why are they fighting, but you are not?"
Peter rubbed his hair. He had already taken off his mask.
"I kinda understand why they are doing what they are doing. Believe me, even I was enticed at first."
"But then I realized something: it can't change my past. It can create a new parallel universe where I will have a happy life."
"But do I really want that?"
He sat down, looking exhausted as he said.
"I am not some kind of masochist, but when you continue losing, when you continue failing, it kinda becomes normal to you."
"One time, I sold my marriage to a Devil, just to get my Aunt back. At first, I felt happy to get my aunt back."
"But slowly, I realized I had lost something even more important. My wife, my new family, my future- I lost it all."
"Aunt May is important, but I didn't realize sometimes you just got to let go of some people."
"But even after that, my life wasn't some kind of sunshine and rainbows. Soon, I realized something. The universe hates me."
He stood up as tears fell down his cheek.
"I really don't understand what I did to deserve so much pain."
He slowly wiped away his tears and said.
"But I understand one thing. The universe hates me. It will continue to hate and give me more pain."
"Even if I go back in time with the memories of what I have, I can't really change anything."
"Do you know why? Because the ones who hurt me the most will always be the ones who were close to me."
"It sucks."
Brook couldn't help but feel speechless.
This was truly tragic. He couldn't fathom just how much pain this young man had gone through to make this hopeless.
You know, if he were given a choice to go back in time, he would take that choice.
He could save his crew and complete his promise to Laboon.
He understood why everyone else was fighting them without backing down. But this man simply gave up.
At this moment, he asked.
"Can I ask you something?"
Peter nodded.
"Why do you insist on doing what you are doing? If what you are doing is bringing you so much pain, why not just change it?"
Brook asked.
Peter paused for a moment.
"At first, it started with the guilt of not saving my uncle. Then, it gave me a realization that I could make more people happy with my powers."
"Slowly, I realized that I couldn't just leave behind things since there were still people hoping for my help."
"But now, I have only one question on my mind. If I give up now, everything that I did till now- will that matter to nothing?"
"This question keeps me from escaping."
Brook nodded.
"It's similar to our dreams. No matter how hard it is, no matter how much pain we go through, we never give up on our dreams."
Brook lowered his head and said.
"Thank you for giving me this chance, young man!"
"Please, raise your head! By the way, my name is Peter Parker."
"Yohoho! My name is Brook."
"Mr. Brook, you are fighting for your dreams, but I am just trying to keep things the same. Is it really worth it?"
Peter asked.
Hearing that, Brook turned silent for a moment.
"I am not sure if it is wrong or right, but I do one thing. You can't stop trying something just because you have less than one percent of a chance."
"You know, Peter, we are kinda similar. Only difference might be you suffered pain and loneliness again and again and again."
"While I suffered pain fifty years ago and remained lonely since then. I think I understand your pain."
"It's not about hardship or getting beaten by someone. It's about being disappointed and lonely at your worst moment, right?"
At this moment, Peter couldn't help but think about Norman Osborn, Harry, Tony Stark, and many of his friends.
They were all close people to Peter Parker, but when he needed their help, when he wanted to help them, they were always the ones who betrayed him.
Brook looked at Peter with a serious gaze and said.
"Peter, stop making friends with those who will betray you at your worst moments. Be friends with those who will choose to be with you at your worst."
"Peter, just as you said, sometimes it's better to let go of the past to choose a new future. Your friends might change, but your memories of them will not."
Peter took a deep breath and smiled.
"Thank you, Mr. Brook! I will take your advice."
"No, I should thank you, Peter. Thank you for giving me this win!"
Peter shook his head.
"I am a hero, Mr. Brook. And heroes always help those in need!"
Hearing that, Brook cracked a smile and disappeared in front of Peter.
Peter's spider sense gave him a powerful warning, and even his body tried to move on its own.
But this was Peter Parker. He resisted the influence over his body and stopped himself from moving.
[Arrow Notch Slash]
Suddenly, a large slash appeared on his chest and froze his blood, freezing him to his bones.
"Thank you, Peter Parker! I will always remember you."
Brook appeared behind Peter as he closed his cane. His hollow eyes showed no emotions, but his voice was full of sadness.