The Golden Lion, Shiki, flew toward Doragonzo Island aboard his pirate ship, with Scaredo at his side. Since they had no navigator, they had to find their way while flying, moving cautiously to avoid extreme weather. Their journey was slow, but they pressed on.
"Captain Shiki, did Brook really find a Sky Island? He wants to use it as the first territory in the New World. This is perfect for your Float-Float Fruit ability!"
The Bloody Fist, Scaredo, was already looking forward to his new life as a pirate under the Hell Pirates' banner. The idea of a territory that perfectly complemented Shiki's Devil Fruit was almost too good to be true.
"A Sky Island has always been my dream territory. I didn't expect Brook to actually find one… Does this guy have some kind of special ability? He's been pinpointing powerful crew members, and now even the perfect base seems like it was chosen in advance!"
Shiki took a deep drag from his cigar, his gaze thoughtful. In his eyes, Brook was becoming more and more mysterious. That calm and calculating aura of his was something truly fascinating.
Damn, it would've been great if I had recruited him back at Sabaody Archipelago… Most of the Hell Pirates' crew could've been mine.
If he'd had Brook's support back then, he wouldn't have been so reckless as to go against the Rocks Pirates. The Flying Pirates wouldn't have been scattered, and by now, his crew could've been one of the strongest in the world.
"Also, once you join the Hell Pirates, don't call me Captain Shiki anymore. Call me 'Mr. Shiki.' Brook is the captain now."
Since he had decided to temporarily ally with the Hell Pirates, Shiki knew he had to follow the pirate world's code. He couldn't let anyone think he didn't understand respect and hierarchy.
"Got it, Mr. Shiki!" Scaredo responded immediately, admiration in his eyes. "You really look out for your crew, sir."
"I mean, now that you've joined the Hell Pirates, you should still call me Captain Shiki from time to time!"
Shiki's words struck a chord with Scaredo, who was deeply moved. Captain Shiki… Your emotional intelligence is still as terrible as ever.
"I understand, Captain Shiki. I understand, Captain Shiki!"
Despite everything, Scaredo remained fiercely loyal. Even if they were now part of the Hell Pirates, in his heart, Shiki would always be his true captain.
---
New World, Baron Island
After nearly two weeks of effort—with every member of the Hell Pirates helping with design and construction—the Building Headquarters was finally completed.
Under the military rule of Brook and his crew, the Sky Island residents had no choice but to cooperate. But it wasn't just fear that motivated them. The Hell Pirates had brought in sky beasts and sky fish, ensuring three hearty meals a day.
Surprisingly, some of the Sky Island residents had even started to enjoy it. After years of their strict vegetarian diet, eating meat was a new experience, and it turned out to be… delicious. Even the green vegetables brought by their new rulers seemed to awaken a forgotten joy.
The once-devout vegetarians now saw "being vegetarian" as a belief rather than a lifestyle. They worked harder than ever, all for a chance to eat the freshly converted vegetables made by the Hell Pirates' chef.
Meanwhile, the Economic News Agency branch was also under construction. Brook had underestimated how easily these passive Sky Islanders could be manipulated—just by offering them food.
Brook sent several permanent pointers of Baron Island back to Moore through a Seagull News Bird. He ordered Moore to send trusted men as soon as possible to establish an Economic News Agency branch and intelligence center.
However, the crew's real focus was on Doragonzo Arran Island, located directly below Baron Island. They were determined to capture it and turn it into a logistics hub, supplying food and intelligence for Sky Island.
---
Brook's Strategy Meeting
"Redfield, how's the Devil Fruit ability development I asked for? The one that combines Antonio's Den Den Mushi?"
Brook turned to Redfield and Antonio, waiting for a solid answer.
"If I couldn't make it work after following Captain Brook's theory, wouldn't that be an insult to both his wisdom and my talent?" Redfield smirked. "Rest assured, Captain. My Rumble-Rumble Fruit can now completely jam all Den Den Mushi signals!"
Brook's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Perfect. That means we can cut off all communication before our attack on Doragonzo Arran Island. Even if Teach gets wind of it, it'll take him days to respond!"
In the New World, every extra day of preparation mattered. With more time, their crew would grow stronger. And soon, the Golden Lion himself would arrive, making the Hell Pirates even more formidable.
Even if they couldn't defeat Teach just yet, they could at least secure Doragonzo Island. With the combined powers of the Quake-Quake Fruit, Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Soul-Soul Fruit, and Float-Float Fruit, they could hold their ground at sea.
Even if Teach personally came for them, he wouldn't be able to set foot on their island.
Keep the enemy locked out—no matter what.
Not even an Overlord like the Rocks Pirates could get close to this sea. Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit could already trigger small tsunamis, making him the ultimate island defender.
And one day, when his power fully matured, he would be more than just a defender—he would be the king of island destruction. A walking natural disaster, drowning enemy fleets before they ever reached land.
Meanwhile, Redfield's Rumble-Rumble Fruit could rain hell on ships before they even entered range. And Shiki's Float-Float Fruit could turn entire islands into floating fortresses, ready to obliterate invaders from above.
Brook's vision was nearly complete—a New World stronghold that no force could breach.
"Alright, I can't wait any longer!"
Brook's excitement spread to the rest of the crew. For the first time, they felt worthy of challenging the great powers of the sea.
Right now, they could only dominate defensive battles at sea. But once their Haki fully developed… that's when the true war for territory would begin.
---
Doragonzo Arran Island
On Doragonzo Arran Island, Captain Goth, one of Teach's key officers, was in a foul mood.
For over ten days, he had been hunting a certain blonde girl, but she remained just out of reach. Her delicate face, full curves, and defiant attitude had been haunting his thoughts.
No longer able to resist, Goth personally led the latest hunt to capture his elusive prey.
At the same time, the blonde girl stood hidden in the shadows, her expression blank.
They're still not here?
She had been waiting for Brook and the Hell Pirates to arrive. But for days, she had been forced to keep dodging these disgusting pirates. She was getting impatient.
Suddenly—
A golden flying ship appeared in the skies above Doragonzo Arran Island.
Her heartbeat quickened. They're here.
But before she could celebrate, the entire sky flashed white.
A massive surge of electricity erupted from the ship, forming a gigantic lightning cage over the entire island—trapping everyone inside like birds in a cage.
The battle had begun.
-----
Captain Goth, who was leading the search for the blonde girl, stared in horror at the shocking scene before him. Lightning engulfed the entire Doragonzo Island.
"Hurry!!! Call Captain Edward and request reinforcements! Doraganzo Island is under attack!!!"
The panic in his voice was evident. Just moments ago, he had been burning with ambition, but now fear gripped him. He turned to his crew, demanding they contact Captain Ewald, the ruler of Doraganzo Island and their base of operations.
"Captain Goth! The Den Den Mushi… it's not working! There's no signal! I can't get through!!"
The communications officer was visibly shaking. The moment they saw the enormous lightning net covering the entire island, they knew what it meant—this enemy was beyond anything they had faced before.
The blonde girl's face turned pale. She had intended to report the appearance of the Hell Pirates to the CP organization, but now, with the Den Den Mushi out of commission, she had lost all contact with her superiors.
With no other options, she made a quick decision—she would find a way to join the Hell Pirates and, when the opportunity arose, deliver the information. She immediately left her hiding spot, searching for the right moment to reveal herself to Brook and the others.
"Well then, let me make the first move!"
Charlotte Linlin grinned, mimicking Brook's eerie laugh. Riding atop Zeus, she surged forward, lightning crackling around her. With a massive flaming fist, she smashed down on Captain Goth's men, instantly turning them into ash and leaving behind a burning crater.
Only Captain Goth barely managed to escape, his Armament Haki shielding him from Charlotte Linlin's scorching flames.
"Hell Pirates!! Do you have any idea what you're doing?! You dare challenge the Ewald Pirates?! We rule these seas! Aren't you afraid Captain Ewald will hunt you down?!"
Though he shouted in defiance, his heart was pounding. The Hell Pirates weren't ordinary. They had fought the leaders of both the Diger Pirates and the Rocks Pirates simultaneously. Their bounties were skyrocketing, and Charlotte Linlin—the "Iron Balloon"—stood before him with a staggering 600-million-berry bounty. Rumors even claimed she had awakened her Conqueror's Haki.
"Big Bro Brook said we're taking this island! Doraganzo belongs to the Hell Pirates now—nobody's stopping us!"
Charlotte Linlin wasn't intimidated in the slightest. She only listened to Brook. With another flaming punch, she charged at Goth once more.
"Damn it!!!"
Seeing that even Captain Ewald's name didn't scare her, Captain Goth turned and ran. He knew he had no chance of winning alone, and with the entire Hell Pirates crew still aboard their golden ship, he was doomed if he stayed.
"Trying to run from me?! Life or Death!!!"
Charlotte Linlin activated her Soul-Pocus, using fear to judge Captain Goth's life force. The moment he felt even the slightest fear, she could rip his soul from his body.
She could extract life in increments, from a single month to several decades, depending on her will and the target's remaining lifespan. If she took more than what was left, her victim would die instantly.
However, the ability had limits—the target had to hear her voice, and those who felt no fear of her were immune.
Goth barely made it a few steps before his body froze. His soul, now a faint gray mist, was yanked from his body by Charlotte Linlin's massive hand. She held it up like a toy, grinning.
"Please! Don't kill me! I surrender! I'll leave the Ewald Pirates—I'll join you instead! I don't want to die!!!"
Goth's soul writhed desperately, pleading for mercy. He had only recently joined the Ewald Pirates and was assigned to guard the island, collecting protection money in Ewald's name.
The real core members of the Ewald Pirates were with Teach Ewald himself, preparing for potential clashes with other powerful crews.
Despite his pathetic state, Goth wasn't weak—he had mastered both Armament and Observation Haki, with a bounty of 290 million berries. He had been a veteran pirate in the New World for years.
Brook and the others descended from the ship, with Antonio riding the Kirin Lion and the Memory Seahorse helping the Parrot fly. The sight made the Parrot envious—it lacked any special abilities and could only hope that Brook would one day find it a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit.
Memory Seahorse unleashed its move, Little Demon Flying Kick: Tail Finger Gun—a name Brook personally gave it. The impact left a huge crater in the ground.
Charlotte Linlin ignored Goth's pleas and drained ten years of his lifespan as payment for daring to challenge her. She then turned to Brook.
"Big Bro Brook, what should we do with this little guy?"
Goth, now feeling an unbearable emptiness inside him, shuddered in fear as Charlotte Linlin tossed him toward Brook.
"Captain Brook! I swear I'll be loyal! Please don't kill me!!"
With his soul returned to his body, Goth scrambled to his knees, begging for mercy.
A seasoned pirate who had survived in the New World for over a decade, he had made the mistake of joining a powerful crew too soon. If he had just stayed independent, he could have continued living comfortably, picking on weaker Rookies who hadn't even awakened Haki yet.
Brook gestured, and Redfield stepped forward. Using his unique Observation Haki, he peered into Goth's thoughts.
"He's not loyal to the Ewald Pirates—he only joined recently. But he's a coward. He fears the strong and preys on the weak. He's the type to switch sides whenever it benefits him. He has no value to us."
Redfield's verdict was like a death sentence. Goth's face went pale.
"Please!! I swear, I'll never betray you! Don't kill me!!"
Tears streamed down his face as he trembled uncontrollably. Was it so wrong to want to survive? Was it a crime to fear death? Did they really expect him to throw his life away against stronger enemies?
Brook remained silent for a moment, then turned as Antonio stepped forward.
"Captain Brook, I'd like to test my new ability as well."
Antonio's voice carried a hint of excitement.
His Den Den Mushi Fruit had already granted him all the abilities of the traditional Den Den Mushi, making it an incredibly valuable Devil Fruit. But now, it seemed he had unlocked something new…
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Do you want to read Advanced Chapters?
Visit this link:
Påtreon.com/Fanficlord03
Change (å) to (a)