Brook ignored Shakky's wild imagination and turned his attention to the heavily injured Poison Blade, Kev. Neither his personality nor his strength was enough to catch Brook's eye.
"Newgate, how do you want to handle this guy?"
Brook left the decision to Newgate. After all, the future Whitebeard was known for his unparalleled sense of honor. He wondered if Newgate had the decisiveness to kill when necessary.
"Let him go, Brook. From what I know, this assassin organization only targets pirates, not civilians. In a way, they help protect this country."
Newgate understood the dangers of a kingdom like Magaro—situated in the New World yet unaffiliated with the World Government. Without protection, such nations were constantly at risk. A local assassin organization served as one of the few defenses against invading pirates.
His homeland, Sphinx Island, suffered a different fate. Too poor to afford the Heavenly Tribute, it couldn't become a member nation of the World Government and was left vulnerable to pirates and slave traders. Without strong national or civilian defenses, it eventually fell into chaos and ruin.
In contrast, Magaro Kingdom had managed to maintain relative peace thanks to bounty hunters and assassins keeping external threats in check.
"Newgate, you really don't act like a pirate at all. If you were a kingdom's protector instead, I bet you'd have a lot of followers."
In the future, Whitebeard would indeed become a pirate, but as one of the Four Emperors, he provided shelter to many islands, ensuring peace and stability under his banner.
"Gurararara~! Pirate is just a title. Deep down, I've always longed for peace and stability."
Newgate genuinely hoped that no other islands would suffer the same fate as his homeland.
"Then work hard, become stronger, and protect as many people as you can."
Brook encouraged him.
"Understood, Captain Brook!"
Newgate felt a surge of determination. One day, he would awaken his Conqueror's Haki, become a powerful man, and protect those who needed it.
"Alright, let's move on! Time to find our next crew member!"
Brook gave the order, ready to lead his crew back to the Golden Ark and set sail for their next destination—where Charlotte Linlin awaited.
"Captain Brook, are you seriously not going to restock supplies?"
Shakky rolled her eyes. What kind of pirate crew doesn't take the chance to replenish fresh water and food when they dock on an inhabited island? Who knew how long it would take to reach the next one?
"Fine, one hour. Everyone, stock up on supplies!"
Considering the monstrous appetites of Newgate and Charlotte Linlin, Brook realized they needed to fully restock the ship's stores. How great it would be to have a crew member with a spatial Devil Fruit ability—something like the Castle-Castle Fruit, Pocket-Pocket Fruit, Mirror-Mirror Fruit, or Book-Book Fruit...
Approaching Apulunan Island
The sea raged with violent storms. Several pirate ships bearing dark flags pursued a single grand vessel—the Golden Lion Pirates' ship.
"Damn it! Why did we have to run into this storm?!"
Shiki, the Golden Lion, cursed. The storm had forced him to lower his floating pirate ship and sail on the sea, leaving him vulnerable. Worse still, one of the New World's three great forces, the Rocks Pirates, was right on his tail.
"That bastard Rocks! I just entered the New World, and he's already trying to recruit me? I'm a Conqueror's Haki user—why the hell would I submit to him?! I may not be able to beat him now, but I can still run! Who can stop me?!"
Unfortunately, this storm had thrown everything into disarray. Was fate truly leading him toward the future foretold by those annoying chat group members? Would he really end up serving under Rocks?
Aboard the Rocks Pirates' Ship
Rocks D. Xebec laughed as he watched the Golden Lion flee.
"Your navigational skills keep improving. Thanks to you, we predicted this storm and cornered Shiki. Now he's forced to land."
He turned to the short, blonde woman standing beside him.
"Heh heh heh~ Captain Rocks, isn't this just basic for a navigator? No need to praise me."
Miss Buckin sounded modest, but her smug expression betrayed her pride. Her skills as a navigator were what secured her place aboard the Rocks Pirates.
This was the same woman who, years later, would claim to be Whitebeard's lover. With her idiot son, Edward Weevil, she became a Warlord and even hunted down Whitebeard's former crew. That alone proved how terrifyingly capable she was—sailing across the Grand Line with just her son while eliminating remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates.
"Kahahaha~! Once I break Shiki, I'll reward you. Next time, you get first pick of the treasure!"
Rocks never turned away talent. Right now, he was gathering all the powerful young pirates he could find.
"Thank you, Captain!"
Buckin's eyes gleamed. She loved treasure more than anything, which was the main reason she became a pirate in the first place.
Aboard the Golden Lion's Ship
"Captain, you should escape alone. If you try to take all of us, none of us will make it."
Bloodfist Skaredo, one of Shiki's top officers, had already given up hope. Compared to the Rocks Pirates, the Golden Lion Pirates were nothing but children.
Even Shiki himself couldn't last more than three moves against Rocks. In their last battle, the Golden Lion's massive fleet had been wiped out almost instantly. Those who survived had likely already defected to Rocks.
If not for Shiki's Float-Float Fruit, which let him escape at high speed, they would've been annihilated by now.
"Skaredo... I won't abandon you. I'll get us all out of here!"
For the first time, Shiki felt regret.
Last time, when his fleet encountered the Rocks Pirates, he had just awakened his Conqueror's Haki and was feeling invincible. When he heard people predicting his future in that strange chat group, he refused to believe it. Instead of fleeing, he decided to fight Rocks head-on to test the strength of a true overlord.
But the difference in power was overwhelming. Two of Rocks' officers alone had decimated his fleet. The sheer force of their sword slashes and axe swings was burned into his memory...
+100 Chapters on p@treon/tambeerg