Golden Lion Shiki woke up from his drunken stupor, his mind replaying the events of the night before. He had actually sworn brotherhood with Brook, forming bonds with a powerful crew of formidable siblings. The thought amused him—he, the infamous Golden Lion, had somehow become part of something larger than himself.
Brook fully supported his ambition to reign over the New World, yet his own vision extended far beyond that. He sought to elevate every single crewmember to a ruler’s status, an ambition even grander than Shiki’s. With a self-deprecating chuckle, Shiki admitted that Brook’s aspirations surpassed his own.
While Shiki had once aimed to dominate the New World, Brook envisioned something far greater—gathering a crew of rulers to seize complete control over it. Yet, this didn’t conflict with Shiki’s ideals of supremacy. If anything, aligning with Brook might just be the best way to achieve his own ambitions.
Perhaps, on his path to becoming a sovereign force, he would help Brook ascend as the true master of the New World. That didn’t seem like a bad deal at all.
Scarlet, still half-dreaming from his drunken haze, muttered his name in his sleep. Shiki glanced at him with a complicated expression. This officer of his had now become his sworn brother. He recalled Scarlet’s elation from the previous night—it was clear that swearing brotherhood with his long-followed captain brought him genuine joy.
From "Captain Shiki" to "Shiki-san"—was this what they called the bonds of camaraderie?
Redfield had immediately discarded the formality of calling Brook "Captain," fully embracing him as both his idol and sworn brother. There was a sense of warmth in his heart, a feeling of truly belonging.
Last night had been a joyous one, so much so that he had even brought out a large portion of his treasured Fish-Man Island mermaid wine to celebrate.
Even the newest recruit, Stussy, had been swept up in the atmosphere, taking hesitant sips of wine for the first time. She found herself quietly whispering "Brook" under her breath, embracing this newfound kinship.
As the sounds of "Brook" and "Captain" filled the ship, Brook, who never got drunk, simply continued his training. The vast amount of underworld energy returned to his body, dissipating the chilling aura that had frozen the ground beneath him.
Charlotte Linlin placed a towering plate of desserts before Brook. If she weren’t so massive, she might have tried to personally feed him.
"Brook, now that we have so many new siblings, how about we take Sheep’s House as part of our territory?"
Even after all these years, she still harbored thoughts of the island that had once been home to Carmel and the Sheep’s House.
"Once Shiki moves the entire island over, you’ll need to focus on getting stronger. You must have the strength to protect it."
Brook’s words made Linlin grin with excitement. Moving the entire Sheep’s House here would be perfect. Without hesitation, she turned to Redfield to continue her swordsmanship training—after all, she was destined to become one of the strongest swordswomen in the world.
Under Brook’s guidance, every Devil Fruit user among them was honing unique, inventive techniques. Meanwhile, those without Devil Fruits dedicated themselves to mastering the Rokushiki techniques, Fish-Man Karate, Judo, and, of course, the essential art of Haki.
Shiki, for his part, continued hauling vast amounts of soil onto the sky island, strengthening his ability to levitate entire landmasses. It was only a matter of time before he could lift entire islands with ease.
"Brook, the Edward Pirates have sent men to Elan Island to collect their protection fee!"
A month had passed without notice. Three new members had joined the Hell Pirates, and Mortomas had dispatched personnel to establish a foothold on the sky island, expanding their news and intelligence network.
"Then let’s see if we can fool them. If not... wipe them out. It’s time to officially cross swords with Edward."
Brook was curious whether Antonio’s half-baked human disguise could trick the pirates into paying the tribute. If it worked, they could buy another month to strengthen the crew.
But Antonio’s mimicry worked best over a Den Den Mushi. A face-to-face encounter would likely expose him in seconds, and Brook wasn’t about to let Antonio risk his life. The man was far too weak for that.
Fortunately, the current balance of power in the New World kept the three "false rulers" confined to their bases, each fearing an ambush from Rocks. As a result, the Edward Pirates could only send mid-ranking officers to Elan Island, much like an ill-fated chain of reinforcements.
Brook knew the real battle wouldn’t come until Edward himself lost patience and intervened.
"Brook, Shiki just sent a message via Den Den Mushi—the Edward Pirates’ ship has entered Elan Island’s waters!"
Antonio’s voice carried a hint of excitement. The Hell Pirates were eager to see what level of officer had been dispatched and what their bounty was worth.
A pirate ship with a massive octopus figurehead docked at the port. Brelco, an officer of the Edward Pirates, stepped onto the island with a grim expression.
"Where is Captain Goth?"
As one of Edward’s trusted subordinates, Brelco had served as the crew’s treasurer for years. His presence here underscored his importance. This was only his third month collecting protection fees, and Goth had only been in charge of the island for a few months himself.
Yet as Brelco led dozens of pirates onto the island, there was still no sign of Goth. Worse, the island seemed to have undergone significant changes—new buildings stood everywhere.
"Hmph. Looks like Goth has been making good money. But not coming to greet me? That’s bold."
The moment Brelco stepped into the town center, unease prickled his instincts. Where were the Edward Pirates stationed here? Why weren’t there any Edward flags visible?
"Something’s wrong. Fall back—contact the captain immediately!"
As a veteran of the New World, Brelco’s senses screamed danger. The Edward Pirates on the island—gone. It could only mean one thing.
The moment his crew tried to use a Den Den Mushi, a bolt of lightning struck, reducing the communications officer to charred remains. Even the Den Den Mushi was fried to a crisp.
"What the—?! Who dares to intrude on Edward Pirates’ territory?!"
Brelco unsheathed his blade, his men raising their weapons in every direction.
"Tch. Why do they always say the same thing?"
A flash of lightning flickered, and before Brelco could react, Redfield appeared in front of him. Cannon fire erupted, tearing through his body—only for the flesh to regenerate from within a pool of lightning.
"A Logia-type... Rumble-Rumble Fruit? You must be from the Hell Pirates!"
Brelco’s face turned pale as he took in the sight of the man before him—a noble-looking figure clad in an elegant black-and-red suit. A bounty far beyond his own.
"Tch. Just a small fry. Brelco, combatant of the Edward Pirates. Bounty: 350 million."
A man with a wild mane of golden hair, smoking a cigar, floated down from above, his sharp eyes filled with disdain.
"Golden Lion Shiki... You... You joined the Hell Pirates?!"
Brelco’s voice trembled with disbelief. Shiki, a man courted by the world’s strongest, now stood among Brook’s crew?
+122 Chapters on p@treon/tambeerg