Mortomas swallowed hard. His first thought was figuring out how to clear Brook's name—how to shape the narrative so that the world saw him as a hero resisting the Celestial Dragons. There was no way he could let the World Government smear Brook unchallenged!
Without hesitation, Mortomas personally took up his pen and began crafting the news. Truth or not, it didn't matter—he would write whatever was necessary to frame Brook as a revolutionary standing against oppression.
He worked through the night, pushing his printing presses to their limit. As the first light of dawn broke, the newspapers of the World Economy News spread across the seas—far earlier than usual, even outpacing the World Peace Dove News.
By the time the Navy's latest bounty posters arrived, Mortomas had them reprinted and sent out immediately using every available News Coo.
Exhausted, he slumped into his leather office chair, holding Brook's latest bounty poster. He had done everything he could.
"Brook... it's all up to you now."
All over the world, people grabbed the latest issue of the World Economy News. What they read was nothing short of astonishing.
"A Pirate, Yet Also a Hero! The Hell Pirates Defy the Celestial Dragons and Fire the First Shot in the Liberation of Slaves!"
Mortomas had carefully worded the article, avoiding details that could incriminate Brook while painting the crew as righteous liberators. Many citizens, unaware of the full story, were left bewildered. Then, the World Peace Dove News arrived—along with the bounty posters.
What they saw left them speechless.
"The Hell Pirates Have Murdered a Celestial Dragon! Every Last Member Will Be Captured and Brought to Justice!"
A pirate had killed a Celestial Dragon. Was the world going mad?
Had the Hell Pirates truly slaughtered a Celestial Dragon to free the slaves? Was this an outright declaration of war against the World Government?
And if that wasn't shocking enough, the new bounty amounts were staggering.
Soul King Brook, Captain of the Hell Pirates - 600 million Belly (Devil Fruit ability unknown)
Red Thunder Patrick Redfield, Combatant - 550 million Belly (Suspected Logia-type Rumble-Rumble Fruit)
Titanic Fishman Tom, Shipwright - 100 million Belly
Poison Doctor Crocus, Doctor - 80 million Belly
Deadeye Silva, Sniper - 70 million Belly
Shakky, Navigator - 50 million Belly
Qilin Lion, Companion - 1 million Belly
Antonio remained unlisted, as the Navy still regarded him as an insignificant crew member, lumping him together with Memory Seahorse.
But Redfield's bounty had skyrocketed from 80 million to 550 million. The reason? He had personally slain a Celestial Dragon. Since Brook commanded Redfield, the World Government had deemed him an even greater threat, inflating his bounty accordingly.
Tom and Crocus had proven their strength in battle against the CP agents protecting the Celestial Dragon.
Toko's body, riddled with massive sniper wounds, had led the Navy to estimate Silva's combat ability.
Meanwhile, Shakky's earlier victory over a Marine commander on Asuka Island, coupled with her recent growth, contributed to her rising bounty. All these assessments were made by the Navy—bounties adjusted under direct orders from the Celestial Dragons themselves.
New World - Hachinosu, Pirate Paradise
"Looks like we've got some promising newcomers."
Rocks D. Xebec, one of the rulers of the New World, smirked as he held the newspaper. His crew—Silver Axe, Ochoku, and a host of formidable fighters—stood by. Not long ago, Rocks had crushed the remnants of the John Pirates, forcing their captain, John, to 'willingly' join the Rocks Pirates.
Now, Rocks had his eyes set on the Flying Pirates. If he could recruit Golden Lion Shiki and his Float-Float Fruit, it would solidify his dominance over the New World.
This was what set Rocks apart—his ruthless drive to subjugate every promising pirate under his banner. To shatter the current stalemate among the three ruling pirate factions, he needed overwhelming force.
Word had also reached him that the notorious 'Destroyer of Worlds'—Byrnndi World—had entered the New World, along with powerful crews like the Gold Pirate Woonan, the Doomsayer Monk Urd's Monk Pirates, the Karnz Brothers' Karnz Pirates, and Erik Darn's Royal Pirates.
But none of them mattered. Rocks would crush them all.
As for the Roger Pirates? They were still sailing the Grand Line's first half. They weren't even on his radar yet.
The Hell Pirates, though...
A pirate crew that dared to kill a Celestial Dragon before he did?
His D-name alone had made him a target of the World Government's suppression for years. His hatred for the Celestial Dragons was already seething.
Someday, he would personally slaughter them by the dozens.
"Captain Rocks, the Hell Pirates are about to face the full wrath of the World Government. Perhaps we should offer them protection?"
Ochoku suggested, idly running a sharp fingernail along his pinky finger.
"Gehaha! No rush. One thing at a time. Now, where's that damn Golden Lion?"
"Still no sign of him."
"Find him! That little stray cat is slippery as hell!"
Rocks burst into laughter. He could still picture Shiki's panicked escape from their last encounter.
So what if Shiki had awakened his Conqueror's Haki? Rocks would break him just like everyone else.
A Commercial Island Near the Red Line
A tall, broad-shouldered man with golden hair, clad in a black headscarf, leaned against a storefront as he skimmed through the latest newspaper.
"Resisting the Celestial Dragons, liberating slaves... and already up to 600 million Belly?"
Edward Newgate grinned. This 'new captain' was starting to pique his interest.
His Den Den Mushi was useless right now—he had no way to contact anyone. But thanks to his 'Number Two,' he had finally acquired Brook's Den Den Mushi number.
Even so, he hesitated to make the call. He would rather meet the man face-to-face.
Now, where would be the best place for that first encounter?
+100 Chapters on p@treon/tambeerg