On Golden Island, after drinking the nutritional potion prepared by the ship's doctor, Crocus, Shiki the Golden Lion was quickly regaining his strength. No one knew if he'd clash with the Rocks Pirates once he reached the front line!
"Yohoho~ How about it, Shiki? Is Roger worthy of being your destined rival?"
Brook looked at Shiki, who was wrapped in bandages under brand-new clothes, and asked with a grin, "This guy and Roger fought desperately for two days. His clothes were torn to shreds, and his body's covered in sword wounds!"
"He's strong!!"
That was all the arrogant Golden Lion had to say—just three words. But the fewer the words, the heavier the weight. That was how seriously Shiki rated Roger!
He had noticed something that stung his pride—Roger's Conqueror's Haki was stronger than his. That was hard for him to accept. Roger was also a newcomer, less experienced—so why the hell was his Haki so damn powerful?
"The Roger Pirates might have even greater potential than Saracha's Butcher Pirates. They've got the spark of a new Overlord crew—but it's a shame they're not aiming for that crown,"
Redfield spoke up with a rare note of respect. A pirate crew with two Overlords on the same ship—that's a monster in the making. Given time, they'd surpass the Butcher Pirates for sure.
As for the Hell Pirates, their goal was clear: replace the Diger Pirates and rise as one of the two Overlord-level forces in the New World, rivaling the Rocks Pirates.
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New World – Changshui Island…
This island sat right between the territories of the Diger Pirates and the Rocks Pirates. Several major battles had already erupted here, and even the pseudo-overlord Ewald had fallen on this bloodstained land.
The soil had long turned crimson. After two full-scale wars involving hundreds of thousands of pirates, over 40,000 bodies had been buried here. More than ten medium and small-scale skirmishes had also broken out—localized battles between cadre-level fighters on both sides.
This brutal battlefield had earned the title "Meat Grinder Island" in the New World. Countless low and mid-tier pirates from the Rocks Pirates had died here, and the Overlord Alliance had taken a serious beating too.
Now, the Overlord Alliance was regrouping to respond to the ever-aggressive Rocks Pirates. The Ewald Pirates were completely wiped out, their remnants absorbed into the rising Hell Pirates—who, for the first time, were participating in this level of high-stakes war council as a major force.
At the meeting point, the Diger Pirates, the Butcher Pirates, and the New Ice Demon Pirates had already arrived.
"What the hell are these Hell Pirates? They're being treated like they're on the same level as my Ice Demon Pirates. Has the World Government lost their damn minds?"
Willank grumbled, his booming voice echoing across the hall. The massive Ice Giant commander towered over the rest—more than 40 meters tall.
But despite his size, both Diger and Saracha looked at him with scorn. In a real one-on-one, Both Diger and Saracha could take him, and even the fallen Ewald was arguably stronger than Willank.
If it weren't for the terrifying destructive power of the Ice Giant and Elbaf Giant armies under his command, Willank wouldn't even have been allowed to join the Overlord Alliance as a quasi-overlord group.
"Hahaha~! Hey, Willank, why don't you go test the strength of the Hell Pirates for us? Let's see if they deserve to be here!"
Saracha sneered, goading the big guy.
But he underestimated Willank's cunning. Despite his grumbles, the Ice Giant wasn't dumb enough to start a fight that might cost him everything. He'd learned that after getting his ass handed to him by David Kyons once. Now, he relied on his armies of giants to crush enemies in bulk, avoiding personal conflict.
Diger, meanwhile, was deep in thought. That overwhelming Conqueror's Haki he'd sensed from miles away three days ago still haunted his mind. Just how terrifying was the person behind that aura?
He prayed it wasn't Rocks or someone from the Hell Pirates. Otherwise, the Diger Pirates might be finished—either crushed by Rocks or replaced by this new upstart force.
Suddenly, a loud noise interrupted his thoughts. A massive golden island appeared above Changshui Island, hovering like a divine monument. Its sheer extravagance sent waves of greed across the gathered pirates.
Even Willank and Saracha had stars in their eyes. Their greedy stares followed the golden island as scheming thoughts ran wild in their heads.
Music began to blare from above. A passionate song rang out, just as Shiki the Golden Lion burst forth with Conqueror's Haki. His golden hair whipped in the wind as he made a dramatic entrance, basked in the glory of his theme music.
Below, countless weak pirates collapsed instantly. Most pirates quickly retracted their greedy gazes, now staring in awe and fear.
"Hahaha~! The Hell Pirates have arrived!!"
Shiki stole the spotlight up front, while Brook and the others followed closely behind in steady formation. Charlotte Linlin glanced around with a sharp look.
"Hmph..."
Willank looked annoyed at being upstaged. He didn't even have Conqueror's Haki, and yet multiple crew members from the Hell Pirates had awakened it. That alone made him feel small.
Even Saracha turned serious. The strength of the Hell Pirates was undeniable. Each crew member radiated a level of quality and combat strength that outclassed his own commanders by a mile.
Even worse—he couldn't sense Brook's aura at all. It was like he was already dead. But how could someone capable of commanding multiple users of Conqueror's Haki be ordinary?
From the Diger Pirates, Xiaofeng and Jevaler—both of whom had fought the Hell Pirates before—wore grim expressions. Where the hell had these monsters been training for the past six months? Their presence was so much more oppressive than before!
Xiaofeng now felt that Redfield was an enormous threat, and Jevaler was sure he couldn't beat that little giant, Newgate.
"Yohoho~ Sorry, captains! We're late!"
Brook walked in with the four main fighters of the Hell Pirates and casually sat at the table like they owned the place.
Diger Sparrow scrutinized the newcomers. Each one of them had terrifying presence—far stronger than his own useless son. According to intelligence, at least three of them had awakened Conqueror's Haki.
What kind of monstrous lineup was this? Back in the day, he would've crushed a pirate group with this much potential without hesitation.
But now? With Rocks in front of him—the feral tiger—and the Hell Pirates behind him—the rising dragon—he could only deal with the tiger first. He couldn't afford to provoke the dragon just yet.
Once the Hell Pirates finished their war against the Siren Pirates, whether they won or lost, Diger knew he had to find a way to weaken them. They were growing too fast.
"Captain Brook really is something... to command so many powerful subordinates with Conqueror's Haki... Even I can't help but envy him!"
Diger praised, but there was a bitter undertone to his words. Subordinates? Controlled? That wasn't the vibe the Hell Pirates gave off...
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Brook immediately noticed the hint of provocation in Diger Sparrow tone. Anyone who has awakened Conqueror's Haki wouldn't take kindly to being told they're being "suppressed."
"Captain Diger, you misunderstand," Brook replied calmly. "These crew members are my brothers and sisters—my family. We fight side by side for our dreams. There's no need for conquest or suppression among us."
He didn't appreciate the little tricks Diger was playing, especially with a powerful enemy on the horizon. Did the old fox really think Brook would tolerate this and still stay?
"Hahaha~ Captain Brook truly is different," Diger laughed. "Let's cut to the chase. You said before you wanted to deal with David Kyons and the Siren Pirates, right? So instead of waiting for Rocks and his crew to strike, why not take the initiative and attack David's base—Pso Island—first? What do you think?"
Diger was clearly trying to throw the Hell Pirates into enemy territory to stir up trouble. If David Kyons was forced to return, it would leave the battlefield open for a direct fight with Rocks. With the Diger Pirates, the Butcher Pirates, and the Ice Demon Pirates joining forces, they had the upper hand in mid-to-low-tier strength.
Everything now hinged on whether Diger and Saracha could hold off Rocks themselves. If they failed, all plans would fall apart.
"No problem. As you wish," Brook agreed without hesitation. He wasn't ready to clash with Rocks yet anyway. If they could defeat the Siren Pirates, it would elevate their reputation. If not, retreating into the skies was always an option.
At worst, it would turn into a war of attrition—and in such a prolonged conflict, the Hell Pirates would only grow stronger. Sooner or later, they would surpass David Kyons.
Hearing Brook's quick agreement, Diger and Saracha nodded in satisfaction. After all, Ewald's territory hadn't been handed to the Hell Pirates for nothing. With David Kyons out of the way, Saracha and Willank could finally join the frontlines and help crush Rocks' mid-tier forces.
"Very good. Captain Brook is as decisive as ever. Then let's have ourselves a war-opening banquet and begin the operation as planned!"
Diger raised his glass, his voice ringing out across the hall. The pirates roared in response, and the conference room quickly turned lively again.
Meanwhile, Jack Sparrow was scanning the Hell Pirates' ranks, searching for a familiar face—but she was nowhere to be seen. That left him a bit disappointed.
He had heard the remnants of Ewald's crew had been taken in by the Hell Pirates, so why wasn't Teach Angel with them? A pirate with a 500-million bounty—surely she wasn't just being left behind to guard territory?
If he'd known things would turn out like this, he would've taken those remnants himself. With his 1.1 billion bounty and status as the Diger Pirates' second-in-command, he could've easily taken them—and her.
He regretted not pushing for Father Diger to fully absorb the Ewald Pirates. Worse yet, he had even interfered in that process. And Teach Angel didn't even understand his intentions—she just packed up and left for the Hell Pirates without a second thought!
If he'd known she only responded to strength, he wouldn't have bothered with sweet words or fake affection. He should've just taken her by force. Now he'd offended his father and lost the woman he wanted.
Acting as if nothing was wrong, Jack strolled over to Brook with a cocky smile, looking every bit the dandy. But when he approached, he was startled by the sheer presence of Brook's four core fighters—they were strong. If they attacked him together, he wouldn't stand a chance.
"Hehe~ Captain Brook, I have a small request. I wonder if you'd be willing to hear me out?"
Jack's clothes were filthy, like he hadn't changed in days. The sight made the aristocratic Redfield frown in disdain. Is this really the second-in-command of the Diger Pirates? So uncivilized…
"Yohoho~ What advice does Second-in-Command Jack have for me?"
Brook was curious. They'd never had any dealings before, and there shouldn't be any conflicts of interest.
"That Teach Angel she's the woman I've fallen for," Jack said, rubbing his hands together awkwardly. "I wonder if Captain Brook would be willing to return her to me?"
Brook's eyes widened. What? So Jack actually liked Angel? Why didn't she ever mention that? He had assumed Jack had already claimed her. Brook had even considered keeping her around as one of his potential candidates!
"Ah~, so Master Jack is in love with Angel? Funny, she's never said anything about that."
"Captain Brook, I get it," Jack said, trying to act magnanimous. "But I wonder—would you be willing to let her go? I'm willing to offer a Devil Fruit and 500 million Berries in exchange."
That was a hefty offer. Jack was betting big. He clenched his teeth as he made the request.
Brook remained composed. "Jack, as you know, Angel is now a member of the Hell Pirates. She's one of us. I won't do something as dishonorable as selling out my own crewmates.
But how about this? I'll ask Angel what she thinks when we return. If you two truly love each other… then I suppose your gift can be considered a dowry~"
Brook put on a slightly greedy look, pretending to consider the offer. In truth, he had no intention of giving Angel away. She's one of the prime fish in my pond. Why would I give her to some clown like you?
Jack let out a sigh of relief when Brook didn't reject him outright. After all, selling out a crewmate was taboo for any real captain. But now, it seemed like his chances were good.
"Then I'll leave it to Captain Brook. Once it's done, you'll be well-rewarded—with Devil Fruits and Berries to spare!"
Jack was no fool. He completely ignored Brook's greedy expression and didn't offer a single Berry upfront. Brook scoffed inwardly. What a cheapskate. You think you can win a woman like that? Dream on!
"No problem. Wait for my good news," Brook said with a fake smile, all while thinking: Help you? Not in a million years.
After the alliance ceremony, the Hell Pirates left Changshui Island and flew straight toward David Kyons' stronghold on Pso Island.
At the same time, on Beehive Island, the Rocks Pirates had finished gathering. They were the ones planning to launch the main assault, and their momentum was overwhelming. Not long after they set off, a distress signal came from David Kyons' territory.
"Captain Rocks, the Hell Pirates are attacking my territory," David reported. "Looks like they're trying to lure me back."
Even he was surprised. This could actually be a good opportunity to retreat—and if he had to fight, it was far better to do so on his own turf, where the advantage was his.
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