After rescuing the soft-spoken and intelligent Tianmulan from the Three-Eyed Tribe, more experimental survivors began crying out desperately for help. Without hesitation, Brook released all the imprisoned tribesmen under his banner—dwarves, merfolk, and fishmen among them.
Then, he began recruiting the stronger individuals among the survivors. Mandello of the Snake-Head Tribe, Obaro of the Foot-Long Tribe, and Paochui of the Hand-Long Tribe—all of them had survived the World Government's gruesome experiments and possessed remarkable vitality.
But the most noteworthy addition was Rocky Daisan from the Giant Tribe. Brook immediately recognized a golden opportunity: a potential entry point into Elbaf itself. Rocky wasn't just any giant—he was a radical, one with fire in his belly and a spark of rebellion in his eyes.
Now that Rocky had joined the Hell Pirates, he was eager to rally others like him—giants who were dissatisfied with the current order. His goal? To build a mighty giant army under Brook's banner and march toward conquest.
"You want to be the leader of the giants under my command?" Brook looked at him, eyes gleaming with intrigue. "That ambition's too small. Why not aim higher? Why not become the King of the Giants?"
"Captain Brook… it's not that I don't want to," Rocky said, scratching the back of his head, slightly embarrassed. "I just don't have the strength. I'm not even qualified to learn Elbaf's core martial arts."
Rocky confessed he had always been a commoner among giants—strong, yes, but unremarkable. His journey began with gathering a few like-minded youths, dissatisfied with Elbaf's ruling order, and sailing out to prove themselves. But their rebellion was short-lived. The World Government captured them before they could make a name for themselves. The three other young giants who had followed him were now half-dead due to experimentation. Had Brook arrived even a few weeks later, they would've been corpses.
"I've got Elbaf's martial arts training manuals," Brook said with a faint smile. "And various potions that can awaken hidden potential. Whether or not you reach the top depends on your ambition."
Though Vegapunk's experimental SIQ-ES serum consumed a person's lifespan to boost their strength, giants had a natural advantage—they could live 300 to 400 years. Brook didn't need Rocky to live forever; just long enough to rally the giants under the Hell Pirates and destabilize Elbaf. If Rocky died early because of it… so be it. A glorious few decades of domination was worth more than centuries of mediocrity.
"Captain Brook, I swear—I won't let you down!!"
Rocky's eyes burned with determination. He had never dreamed of becoming king. The most he had hoped for was to one day become a great captain like those of the Giant Pirates. But now… now he had a path. Brook had given him a vision, and he couldn't wait to make it reality.
"Then work hard. Yohoho~"
Brook's plan for Elbaf had just accelerated. Originally, he'd intended to leverage the influence of Dorry and Brogy to gain access to the island. But now, he had Rocky—an inside man he could train and empower to sow division from within.
"All that's left is for you to choose… Linlin, Newgate."
Brook turned toward Charlotte Linlin and Whitebeard Newgate, asking them to handpick members for their own squads—either to return to Totto Land or to build personal divisions within the Hell Pirates.
As for Redfield, he had no interest in forming a unit of his own.
"Gurarara~ I won't hold back, Brook!"
Newgate grinned and began carefully selecting elite crew members. These would be his top officers, strong enough to take on missions independently, even without riding aboard the main Hell Pirates ship.
Unlike Shiki, Newgate didn't have the ability to fly, nor did he possess Redfield's lightning-propelled ship. But Brook had already tasked Vegapunk with developing a prototype lightning storage engine. Soon, Newgate's personal vessel would be capable of flight as well—provided it stopped by Thunder Island periodically to recharge.
Still, Newgate preferred the sea. He only intended to fly when absolutely necessary—otherwise, he was a sailor at heart.
"Then I'll take the rest."
Charlotte Linlin waved her hand, far less particular. She planned to bring everyone back to Cake Island, then slowly sort through the survivors to build a new combat force.
Just as Newgate finished making his picks, Antonio burst into the hall, breathless.
"Captain! Admiral Coss Davo's fleet is almost here. We should prepare to intercept!"
Linlin didn't panic. The entire island would be moved soon by Shiki's powers anyway. What Brook truly wanted were the scientists and rare equipment hidden in Punk Hazard. The rest was just debris.
Still, Brook gave one last gift to the freed survivors—he let them witness firsthand what a war between Overlords and Admirals truly looked like.
The screams of joy from the freed captives echoed across the lab. Having regained their freedom, they were full of hope. No matter what the future held, it couldn't possibly be worse than the hell they'd endured here.
---
Punk Hazard – Offshore Waters
Admiral Coss Davo stood on the deck of his warship, his fists clenched tightly. Vice Admiral Ashfree had completely gone dark. Punk Hazard—a top-secret scientific research facility—had likely fallen into enemy hands.
"Damn it… How the hell does Brook know about Punk Hazard?! If the Hell Pirates take this island, we'll be held responsible!"
Gritting his teeth, Davo had already sent multiple messages to Kong for backup. But he couldn't wait any longer. He was prepared to throw everything into this battle, even his life, if it meant stopping Brook and preventing Golden Lion Shiki from flying away with the entire island.
"All departments! Prepare for battle! We will retake Punk Hazard—FOR JUSTICE!"
The Admiral's cry ignited the morale of the three warship crews. They surged forward, heading toward the island's shallows for a direct assault.
---
"Gurarara~, not so fast!"
Whitebeard stepped forward in front of the new recruits. With a massive roar, he raised his right arm, Quake-Quake Fruit energy swirling around his fist. He slammed it into the air—shattering space itself.
A tsunami, tens of meters tall, crashed toward the oncoming navy fleet like a wrathful sea god.
But before it could connect, a beam of pitch-black energy blasted through the wave, splitting it apart and clearing a path.
From above the warships descended a terrifying figure—two curled horns protruding from his skull, black wings stretched wide. If not for the cloak of justice on his back, one might've mistaken him for a demon straight out of a pirate's nightmare.
"Admiral Coss Davo," Antonio announced coldly. "User of the Human-Human Fruit: Model Mythical Beast – Goat-Horned Demon. Codename: Black Sheep. Known in the Navy as the 'Demon Admiral.' A ruthless Hawk Faction enforcer who has slaughtered countless pirates."
--------------------------------
The more Brook gazed at Admiral Coss Davo's mythical beast form, the more delighted he became. The transformation perfectly suited the dark, majestic image of the Hell Pirates. A glint of ambition flickered in his eyes—perhaps he could snatch that Devil Fruit and gift it to his future heir. The thought made him giddy with excitement.
"Linlin, this mythical beast ability fits our son's temperament perfectly!" Brook exclaimed.
Charlotte Linlin's eyes sparkled instantly. Brook's crew caught on as well—Captain Brook had set his sights on the Mythical Zoan fruit and intended to reserve it for the unborn prince. As loyal officers, they had to make that dream a reality.
Suddenly, Redfield and Newgate turned their fierce gazes toward Admiral Coss Davo. Defeating him would not only bring glory but also serve as a royal offering. Two birds with one stone.
Their battle intent surged violently. No longer were they interested in stopping Davo from landing—how else could they capture him?
Admiral Coss Davo, the iron-blooded defender of justice, stood unshaken. He led his marine forces onto the island, determined to halt the Hell Pirates' plunder of Punk Hazard.
But the moment the marines reached the shallows, four terrifying waves of Conqueror's Haki crashed down upon them like a tsunami. Arcs of lightning streaked across the sky, and dozens of marines dropped into the waist-deep waters, their will completely crushed.
Davo's expression hardened. If the Five Elders hadn't deemed this island essential, he would never have risked leading a small unit against the entire Overlord Pirate Group. But orders were orders. He had to hold the line until Admiral Kong's reinforcements arrived.
"Yohoho~! Since you've brought yourself right to our doorstep, don't expect us to show mercy! Come forth!"
The moment Brook laughed, a wild roar followed. The demon boy Kaido charged out, alloy club slung over his shoulder, eager for battle. Behind him, Brook, Redfield, and Newgate launched forward in unison, aiming to end the fight swiftly—before Kong could arrive. Their first priority: take Davo down.
Meanwhile, Charlotte Linlin's Homies army and Brook's spectral ghost legion surged toward the marines led by three vice admirals, determined to annihilate them in one sweep.
Coss Davo didn't engage the trio directly. Instead, he soared into the sky, avoiding confrontation. His goal was to delay them, scanning the battlefield with Observation Haki in search of Golden Lion Shiki. He couldn't allow the enemy to steal Punk Hazard, along with its vital people and equipment.
But Brook and the others had already anticipated this. Newgate broke off from the group and rushed toward Shiki, determined to guard him and ensure the island could be floated away without interruption.
By the beach, chaos reigned.
Charlotte Linlin, heavily pregnant, ignored Brook's pleas to stay back. She leaped into the fray herself, forcing sniper Hiruba, Crocus, and the hammerhead shark Scaredo to follow and guard her.
But their concern was unnecessary.
Even with her swollen belly, Charlotte Linlin was an unstoppable force of nature. Her monstrous physique hadn't waned in the slightest. With a roar, she cleaved a vice admiral in two using her sword Napoleon, then finished the job with a slash imbued with thunder and fire—strictly following Brook's combat rule: "Even a lion fights a rabbit with full strength."
Elsewhere, young Kaido was already locking horns with a rear admiral. Just ten years old, yet fierce enough to strike fear into seasoned warriors—this demon child was anything but ordinary.
Beneath the waves, chaos erupted anew.
Tom and Fisher Tiger led the merman forces and intercepted several escaping submarines at the ocean floor. Each vessel housed top-tier scientists and researchers—some of the world's most valuable minds.
"Ahahaha! Take out their engines and drag them out!" Tiger bellowed, eyes gleaming with pride. This was his chance to earn another medal under Captain Brook's banner. Here, in the sea, the mermen reigned supreme.
"Launch torpedoes and gas shells! Exterminate those filthy fishmen!" barked Professor Bald Eagle, the lead scientist aboard one of the submarines. He glared at the approaching mermen, utterly disgusted by their defiance.
"Move!" Tom shouted. The seasoned shipwright sensed the incoming danger. Poison bombs—deadly in these enclosed waters.
"Fishman Technique: Ocean Current Strike!"
With practiced grace, Tom summoned a massive current, smashing into the barrage of torpedoes. The explosive force tainted the surrounding water with toxins. Several overzealous young mermen caught in the blast writhed in agony, sinking deeper into the dark sea.
Their comrades quickly swam up with them, rushing to the surface and calling for Doctor Crocus.
Tiger, witnessing their suffering, boiled with rage. Ignoring Tom's warnings, he charged the submarines with relentless fury. Darting through shells, he slammed his trident straight into one sub's propeller, disabling it entirely.
Without room to maneuver or fire at close range, the subs became sitting ducks. One after another, they were surrounded and disabled by the merman squad.
Inside, the scientists trembled. Their faith in firepower had betrayed them. How could mere fishmen shrug off their weapons and rip through their defenses?
If they survived this battle, one thing was clear—they'd revise every weapon system to keep fishmen far, far away.
Back on land, Charlotte Linlin—backed by Hiruba, Crocus, and Scaredo—tore through the vice admirals one by one. Her dominance was unquestionable.
The marines began collapsing under the full force of the Hell Pirates. Reinforcements from the experiments division joined the assault—Lunarians, Wotans, and other rare races. These were survivors of horrific tests, now seeking justice and freedom.
They brought their wrath to the battlefield.
"Ahahaha! Just like that!" shouted Jennie, swinging a massive hammer into the crowd. Beside her, the blood-drenched swordsman Aroan howled in rage, slashing with both blades, eyes glowing red through the blood spray.
These weren't prisoners—they were revolutionaries.
The marines hesitated, their resolve wavering. Were these really criminals, or just victims fighting back? Should they still follow orders when those in experimental rags fought like warriors?
The beach ran red with blood. The marines of all three warships had nearly been wiped out. In their final moments, they wondered—
Did they really die for justice?
Or were they just disposable pieces in someone else's game? The only thing they remembered clearly...
Were the eyes—burning with fury—that stared back at them as everything faded to black.
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