With a loud bang, the golden ship shot out from beneath the sea, the protective coating peeling away as Brook and his crew officially re-entered the New World.
"Head straight to Dressrosa—we're meeting up with Shiki and the others!" Brook shouted.
He handed the permanent log pose pointing to Dressrosa over to the shipwright Tom, instructing him and Redfield to pilot the Hades into the sky.
Brook had already arranged to rendezvous with Shiki, Shakky, and the others on Greenbit Island, right next to Dressrosa. Their mission? To find the dwarf-like race from the Tontatta Kingdom—a rare species known as Green Dwarf, famed for their unparalleled ability to grow any plant. Brook had his eyes on them for their potential to cultivate artificial Devil Fruits in the future.
Not only were these little folks incredibly strong—strong enough to shatter stone when angered—but they were also completely honest and easy to trick. Brook, of course, had no plans to let such an opportunity slip through his fingers.
They'd make a perfect addition to his forces.
Greenbit was roughly the same size as O'Hara Island. Brook couldn't help but wonder if Shiki could make it float just like he did with O'Hara. Maybe not now—but next time, it could be done. In fact, moving their entire race to O'Hara Island wouldn't be too difficult; there were only tens of thousands of them. Way easier than feeding tens of thousands of seagulls.
Even with the golden ship carrying two Poneglyphs, the full boost of its lightning system and wind-jet dial made it way faster than Golden Island. Maybe, just maybe, they could catch up with Shiki's crew before they arrived at Greenbit.
Brook immediately ordered Antonio to contact Shakky via Den Den Mushi and try to locate her.
The sooner they reunited, the better. After all, Brook had brought most of their top fighters with him to the Sabaody Archipelago to return the hostages. That left the floating Golden Island wide open—without protection.
Pirates like Xiaofeng, wielder of the Wind-Wind Fruit, and many top swordsmen had the ability to soar through the skies. Overlord-class pirates could even split the heavens with their attacks. It was entirely possible for someone to launch an aerial strike on the slow-moving Golden Island.
---
Meanwhile, on Doragonzo Island—territory of the Hell Pirates...
Jack Sparrow, one of the Diger Pirates, was causing trouble again.
Sailing his flamboyant ship, the Bad Girl, Jack boldly docked at the island, declaring himself an "ally" for the umpteenth time—just to deliver 999 red roses to the curvy and fierce beauty he'd been chasing: Teach Angel.
But this wasn't just romance—it was desperation. With the Hell Pirates now isolated from the Overlord Alliance and on the verge of severing ties entirely, things were getting tense. If war broke out between the Diger Pirates and the Hell Pirates, Jack and Angel would end up on opposite sides.
And then? No chance in hell of being together.
So Jack made his move now—while Brook and his crew were still busy in the West Blue and Grand Line—using his go-to romantic tactic: being annoyingly persistent.
"Jack, this is the third time I've ordered you to leave this island!" Angel snapped, her eyes blazing. "I don't like unreliable, slobby pirates like you!"
Angel wasn't exaggerating. Jack's father had betrayed her, handing over all the Ewald Pirates' territories to Brook. Without agreeing to serve under Brook as an affiliated crew, they'd be wiped out by now.
Yet here Jack was—grinning like a lovesick fool, clutching a rose.
"No, Angel, I saw it in your eyes... when you looked at me, I saw love! You can't fake that!" Jack declared, holding out the rose dramatically like he was in some cheesy romance flick.
His dramatic flair, infamous reputation, and status as the son of an overlord made nearby female pirates swoon. Some even wished they were Angel.
But from Angel POV?
All she saw was a hot mess: dirty dreadlocks, hair that hadn't been washed in months, smoke-stained teeth, clothes blackened with grime, and eyeliner so thick it looked like war paint.
She gagged internally.
If Jack were her actual man, maybe she could excuse the chaos. But as things stood, she wanted nothing more than to smack him with a flip-flop and a folding chair.
"If it wasn't for your strength, Uncle Bull and I would've already dragged you off this island ourselves!" she muttered through gritted teeth. "After your father betrayed us, there's only hatred between us. Nothing else!"
She wasn't about to let Jack keep making a public spectacle out of her. With so many pirates watching, it made her look like a weak figurehead—not the fearsome pirate captain she was supposed to be. Brook had trusted her to secure Doragonzo, and Jack's repeated intrusions were putting that at risk.
Plus, if word got out that Jack could just waltz in and out as he pleased, other pirate crews might try their luck too.
Fortunately, Brook had given her a backup plan.
If Jack kept causing trouble, she was to lure him toward the Roger Pirates, who were currently visiting Brook's territories and preparing to sail away from Bristol Island.
So, with one final glare at Jack, Angel turned to her crew.
"Let's go. We're setting out to sea. Time to find Roger and shift this idiot onto someone else's lap," she said, grabbing her gear.
Jack watched her leave—his confident smirk fading slowly. His heart sank as reality hit him.
So... love really can vanish.
He stared at the rose in his hand, then tossed it into the sea. Bitterness twisted across his face. If this was how it was going to be... maybe it was time to stop playing nice.
A pirate should do things his way.
He stepped back onto his ship and ordered his men to set sail. He was going after Angelica—and this time, he wasn't leaving without her.
---------------------
New World – Dressrosa Kingdom
King Riku Doldo II stared up in horror at the massive island floating in the sky. His heart was gripped by fear.
Why? Why would the Hell Pirates—rulers of the New World—take an interest in their small, impoverished kingdom? Why won't they leave?
The floating island had hovered over the steel suspension bridge between Dressrosa and Greenbit Island for hours now, plunging the entire kingdom into chaos.
Panicked citizens had taken to the sea in anything that could float—broken boats, planks, anything—to escape the looming threat of being crushed beneath the massive landmass.
"Father… why is that island flying?! It's terrifying!"
Prince Doldo, the king's only son and barely over ten years old, clung to his father's cloak, staring up at the oppressive shadow above.
If that island fell... Dressrosa would be nothing but rubble.
The young prince—destined to become Doldo III, father of Scarlett and Violet, grandfather of Rebecca, and the merciful king later overthrown by Doflamingo—was visibly trembling.
"It'll be okay. We'll be alright..." Riku Doldo II tried to reassure his son, though deep down, he wasn't so sure.
If the Hell Pirates had come to destroy them, there was nothing he could do to stop it.
Dressrosa was poor. What could possibly interest pirates of such power?
After the Donquixote family abandoned Dressrosa centuries ago to join the Celestial Dragons in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, the Riku family had taken over the throne.
The Rikus freed the dwarves enslaved by the Donquixotes and honored them with the "legend of the fairies," preserving their seclusion on Greenbit Island.
But that goodwill had a cost.
Without the dwarves' incredible labor, Dressrosa's economy declined. Still, the people embraced the Riku family's benevolent rule. Even in poverty, their love for the royal family remained strong.
Dressrosa and Greenbit were once closely linked by the suspension bridge. But about 200 years ago, vicious fighting fish began swarming the surrounding waters. The fish attacked both boats and people on the bridge, cutting off the flow between the islands.
Still, the people held fast to the legend of the fairies—believing these mysterious beings watched over them. Even the occasional "stolen" items were seen as harmless pranks from their unseen protectors.
---
"Is it because of the fairies?" Riku Doldo II muttered. It was the only explanation he could think of. What else could possibly interest the Hell Pirates in his poor little kingdom?
"Father, do fairies really exist?" Prince Doldo asked curiously. "Last week, my pastries kept disappearing night after night! I stayed up to watch, but they vanished right in front of me—and I didn't see anyone!"
Riku smiled softly. "They're real, my son. They live across the bridge on Greenbit. They've always been friends to our family."
He gently ruffled the boy's hair, though worry clouded his eyes.
"Once that floating island leaves, I'll take you there to meet them. But remember, you must continue our tradition of kindness and friendship toward the dwarves."
"But what if the Hell Pirates want to enslave them—like the Donquixotes did?" he thought grimly.
"That's great, Father! I hope that stupid island leaves soon, so I can finally meet the fairies!" the young prince said excitedly, glaring at the sky.
---
– Golden Island
"Hey, Shakky, I'm done waiting!" Shiki, the Golden Lion, growled impatiently. "I'm going down there and grabbing those little people myself!"
The Golden Lion had been floating above Dressrosa for hours and was itching for action. He wanted to capture the dwarves and head back to Doragonzo Island to challenge Jack Sparrow.
He was Shiki the Golden Lion—future second-in-command of the Hell Pirates. He refused to be overshadowed by Redfield any longer. Taking down Jack would be his big comeback!
"No way, Shiki." Shakky smiled, arms crossed. "If you storm in there like a raging beast, those little guys'll scatter and hide. They'll be too scared of your overwhelming aura to even peek out."
She tapped her chin and added, "Let's wait for Brook. He's nearby. With his charm and calm energy, he's the perfect one to talk to them."
"Hahahaha! Damn, Shakky, you always know how to talk to me!" Shiki laughed loudly. "But seriously—if I can't find them, I'm flipping that whole island upside down!"
Shakky kept praising him in her silky voice, calling him a god from the skies, a mountain-top conqueror, a terror of the seas. Shiki soaked it all in, grinning like a fool. He was even thinking about recording her words to replay later.
Shakky was the queen of smooth-talking. Total pro.
Just as she was about to lay on more flattery, the golden ship finally caught up and landed on the Golden Island.
Inside were two Poneglyphs—one red, one blue-gray.
The archaeologists from the Tree of Knowledge spotted them immediately and swarmed like bees.
Their eyes sparkled with desire. Some whipped out telescopes from their packs, desperate to read the ancient glyphs even from a distance—just a few glances, a few lines, to commit something to memory.
They knew these pirates might not let them get close, but even a glimpse of a red Poneglyph could be historic.
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