Redfield and Whitebeard Newgate charged forward the moment they found the hidden entrance. Their goal was clear—pacify the entire island before the Navy admirals arrived with reinforcements!
With a deafening roar, Newgate's Gura Gura no Mi-infused punch shattered the over-a-meter-thick steel door. The door was blown off its hinges, slamming into a group of unsuspecting marines and crushing them beneath its weight.
Meanwhile, Redfield transformed into a bolt of lightning, his Lightning Logia powers illuminating the entire underground base in a blinding flash. Though he couldn't rival Newgate's raw strength, his speed and lethal precision made him far more efficient at cutting down the enemy.
"Tom! Tiger! Take the merman units and sweep the underwater docks! Don't let a single rat escape!" Brook commanded sharply.
Brook was no stranger to the World Government's escape protocols. In the original timeline, Caesar Clown and Vegapunk had numerous escape routes prepped—submarines, secret ports, you name it. These scientists were clever and paranoid. There was no telling how many exits they had rigged beneath this island.
Following Brook's order, Tom and Tiger dove into the sea, leading a well-trained squad of Fishman warriors handpicked from Fishman Island.
Brook's forces had become a diverse powerhouse: Fishman warriors from Fishman Island, samurai from Wano Country, Seastone Rifle Troops from Skypiea, Human-Imitator Baboons from Kraigana Island, the living Homies of Totto Land, and, of course, the ever-terrifying Ghost Army.
As the fighting escalated, the scientists and researchers—those without VIP clearance—descended into panic. Clutching documents and prototypes, they scrambled like headless chickens, desperate for a way out.
Inside the deeper levels of the facility, imprisoned test subjects observed the chaos from behind their reinforced cells. Their eyes gleamed with something they hadn't felt in ages: hope.
Onyx-black flames surged on the wings of Abefu, a proud Lunarian. Blue fire danced in the hair of the last remaining Komainu survivors. The fire of rebellion was reigniting.
Chains rattled. Screams echoed.
The test subjects of countless races began to struggle violently against their bonds.
They wanted revenge. They wanted freedom.
"BOOM!"
Another blast shook the complex. The steel gate of the breeding prison flew apart, and from the settling dust emerged a panicked figure.
"Redfield!! You walking corpse! The Redfield family deserved to be erased! How dare a scum pirate like you lay a hand on His Highness the Celestial Dragon?!"
The man snarling from the rubble was none other than Vice Admiral Ashfree, the island's commander and a loyal lapdog of the Celestial Dragons. He had overseen the worst of the World Government's secret projects—mass family exterminations, human experiments, chemical weapons. He had long crossed every moral line.
This island was a vault of sins the world must never see.
He knew the end had come.
With trembling hands, Ashfree reached for the self-destruct switch, intending to erase all evidence—and take the Hell Pirates down with him.
If he had pulled the trigger immediately, maybe he'd have succeeded.
But no. He made a fatal mistake.
He taunted Redfield.
"You pirate trash!"
Those words sealed his fate.
A hurricane of Conqueror's Haki exploded from Redfield, sweeping through the prison. Dozens of prisoners collapsed unconscious, even some from the strongest races.
Ashfree barely had time to gasp before Redfield was on him. With one hand crackling with lightning, he grabbed Ashfree by the throat.
In seconds, the vice admiral's body charred into blackened ash, disintegrating under the electric torrent.
Even the most hardened prisoners—like the hot-blooded Aroan and the feral tomboy Jennie—shivered. This wasn't a battle.
It was execution.
Ashfree hadn't even had a chance to scream.
The prisoners turned their gazes to the man in noble attire. Redfield, elegant yet terrifying, stood like death incarnate.
They didn't know why he was here. But they knew one thing:
This was their chance.
"Redfield, ignore that scumbag's last words," Whitebeard rumbled calmly. "We've got Brook. That's family."
His deep voice carried a strange comfort. Like Redfield, he too had lost everything. Now, all they had was their brotherhood.
As more pirates poured into the prison, hope surged among the captives.
"Save me! I'll serve you loyally!"
"Pick me! I'm strong, I swear!"
All across the cells, test subjects shouted, hoping to be noticed—saved—by the terrifying pirates storming the island.
"Brother Abefu, we can't miss this chance!" Aroan whispered urgently, clutching the bars of his cell. Their section was buried deep in the complex. He feared they'd be forgotten.
Then it happened.
The noble Redfield and the towering Newgate turned toward the entrance of the breeding prison. Their eyes, full of respect.
As if someone greater had arrived.
Abefu's breath hitched. Who could make two monsters like these bow their heads?
It defied everything he'd been taught.
And then he saw him.
A thin, pale man in a long coat. Cold, sharp eyes. His presence sent a chill through the entire wing.
Ghosts—real, wailing ghosts—trailed behind him.
He raised a hand. A green glow shimmered on the scorched corpse of Ashfree.
Moments later, a solid spirit form of the vice admiral emerged.
Even in death, he was shackled.
A collective silence fell across the prison.
"He… he can enslave souls?" one prisoner whispered in horror.
Were these pirates truly liberators… or just new overlords of death?
But before despair could take root again, a brilliant flame erupted deep within the prison.
-------------------
Aroan shifted uneasily, stealing a glance at Abefu. The flames dancing around Abefu's body weren't just any fire—they were the racial blaze unique to the Lunalia tribe.
He couldn't understand it. Why hadn't Abefu called for help earlier? Why reveal their power only after that pale monster enslaved Vice Admiral Ashfree's soul?
Weren't they afraid he'd come back and kill them all? Enslave their souls too?
But Abefu stood tall, eyes locked with determination. He wasn't trying to escape. He was trying to get noticed—by the terrifying man who had just torn apart the Marine officers like they were nothing.
His sister Alice's breath was getting fainter by the second. She needed treatment. Fast. And this was his gamble.
If the man took a liking to them, maybe they had a shot. If not… then they'd die here. Together.
Yet, fate seemed to smile on the bold.
Brook, the grim figure at the center of it all, was already walking toward them. His Observation Haki had picked up their presence the moment the Lunaria fire flared. And now, seeing the white hair, bronze skin, black wings, and burning bodies—he stopped.
Lunaria tribe. Just like Flame Disaster King.
His interest piqued.
"Well, well… What do we have here?" Brook murmured, brushing the hilt of the Seven Star Sword at his hip. "Isn't this a surprise?"
He smirked.
Potential crew members, rare bloodlines, natural warriors.
"And I've got a whole stash of Devil Fruits waiting for the right hands."
Brook stepped forward, the prison trembling under the weight of his presence.
"Impressive fire. You've caught my attention, boy," he said, his voice echoing coldly. "Three minutes. Tell me what you're worth."
Even if Brook intended to take them in, he wouldn't grovel. He was a Yonko-level overlord now. The prisoners should be the ones begging to join him.
Abefu dropped to one knee, his head lowered.
"We are warriors, powerful ones. If you release us, we'll serve as the sharpest blades in your arsenal. We will never betray you. Even if you command us to strike at the Celestial Dragons or the World Government—we'll do it without hesitation."
He didn't mention Alice yet. This was a negotiation of value. Loyalty first. Personal needs later.
Brook nodded approvingly.
Smart boy.
"Mark your words, warriors. Now, give me your names."
Brook admired this kind of man—clever, adaptable, loyal. Strength could be trained. Loyalty, though? That was either there or it wasn't.
If they didn't have it, he'd just make them loyal the hard way—with his Seven Star Sword or by turning them into ghosts.
"My name is Abefu of the Lunaria tribe. These two are Jennie and Aroan—also warriors. And this girl," he said, lowering Alice gently, "is my sister. She's injured. Please… she needs medical attention."
Brook stepped into the cell.
In an instant, he unsheathed the Seven Star Sword. Dozens of spectral blades exploded from the blade, cutting through the alloy prison like paper. He slashed once more, shattering the seastone cuffs that bound theLunarianss.
Then, he pulled a shimmering blood crystal dandelion from his coat and fed it to Alice.
The effect was immediate. Her wounds closed, her breathing stabilized, and her wings regained a gentle flame. Color returned to her face.
"I am Brook, captain of the Hell Pirates. One of the overlords of the New World. From this moment on, you are under my command. Your job is to become stronger and earn glory in battle. But betray me…"
Brook looked them dead in the eyes, his voice like ice.
"...and I'll just turn you into another kind of subordinate."
Behind him, the ghost of Vice Admiral Ashfree drifted forward, eyes blank, radiating a bone-chilling aura. A not-so-subtle reminder.
Abefu didn't hesitate.
"I swear to serve Master Brook until death, and become his sharpest sword!"
Jennie, Aroan, and even the weakened Alice followed suit, dropping to one knee.
Brook nodded.
"Good. Go eat. And get Alice checked again—Crocus will patch her up better. This is just a scratch for him."
Brook's men ushered the Lunaria out. He'd made his choice.
The prisoners who witnessed this went into a frenzy. They had feared death—but this ghost-faced monster wasn't here to reap souls. He was recruiting!
One by one, they tried to show off their strength and skills.
That's when Brook noticed another figure—flames of blue burning steadily atop his head.
Wait… was that…?
"A Komainu?" Brook blinked. "Just like Hananobeigoro…"
The man stepped forward confidently.
"My name is Yan of the Komainu tribe. I am a swordsman. And I am willing to serve you, sir!"
He bowed low, voice full of conviction.
Brook chuckled darkly.
"Timing's perfect. I already have a Komainu under me. You'll fit right in."
He sliced through the cell again, freeing Yan, who immediately knelt and pledged loyalty.
Brook liked this guy's attitude.
Then, a soft voice echoed from the cleaner, more fortified cell in the corner.
"Can you save me? I can read any intelligent script left by ancient races… I can decipher any forgotten tome or tablet."
Brook turned, intrigued.
A girl stood behind the bars. Long brown hair, pale face, and a third eye just barely visible beneath her bangs. Despite her trembling, she met his gaze.
A Three-Eyed Tribe girl?
Charlotte Linlin, who had been watching gleefully from the side, clapped her hands.
"Fufufu! Brother Brook, today's harvest is incredible. You're gathering quite the rainbow of races—perfect for Totto Land!"
Brook nodded. His Pluton blueprints still needed decoding. The scholars at the Tree of Knowledge weren't fully trustworthy. But someone like her? Might be the key.
"What's your name?"
"I'm Tianmulan, of the Three-Eyed Tribe. I'm nineteen… I specialize in deciphering and translation."
Brook raised an eyebrow.
"You didn't need to mention your age, girl. I'm not the type to bully soft, intellectual types."
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