Hearing Silva's report, Brook wasn't surprised. Vesper, that old fox, clearly cared deeply for his son Shirokiri. The real question was whether this "Rocks" was the genuine article!
"Check if there's an old hag or an old man near Rocks. The hag, Kurozumi Higurashi, is a Clone-Clone Fruit user and usually sticks close to her brother, Kurozumi Semimaru. If it's just the old man by Rocks' side, report back immediately!"
If Rocks hadn't shown up in person, Brook could leverage the situation to extort Vesper. But if Rocks was here, Brook would have to team up with Vesper temporarily to fend off the Rocks Pirates. Either way, he wasn't leaving without some serious benefits!
Otherwise, he'd just bolt and let them slug it out. Vesper wouldn't dare take that risk!
From what Brook knew, the Kurozumi siblings were inseparable. If only Semimaru was with Rocks, chances were the "Rocks" in question was Higurashi in disguise.
That meant the real Rocks was likely pulling another sneak attack, like he did on Dawei. He could be targeting Wilank or Saracha next. If Rocks took them out or recruited them, the Overlord Alliance would weaken—or collapse entirely!
One wrong move could unravel everything. Vesper's plan to band together against Rocks was probably doomed.
"Captain Brook, it's just the old man—no sign of the hag!"
Silva's excited voice crackled through. So, the Rocks Pirates were bluffing—this war was a sham! But where was the real Rocks?
...
Brook's mind raced as he hung up the Den Den Mushi. Vesper's crew wouldn't last long against Rocks without the Hell Pirates as allies. Time was of the essence. If he could take down Shirokiri and Orion, he'd have major leverage in negotiations with Vesper.
That old man hadn't counted on the Golden Ark's speed, especially without Orion's wind-boosting powers to keep his fleet moving. Vesper was late to the party!
Brook drew his Shichiseiken, ready to serve up an appetizer.
Brelco, battered by Charlotte Linlin's relentless thunder-and-fire onslaught, struggled to hold his ground. His mind churned, desperate for an escape. How had things gone so wrong?
Was the Hell Pirates' Golden Ark faster than Orion's wind-boosted ships? How had they caught up so quickly?
He should've fled to join Rocks the moment he swapped opponents with Gaban. Instead, he'd gotten greedy, trying to take out Angelie, wasting his last chance to escape!
Suddenly, Brelco's Armament Haki-clad body screamed with danger. A chill gripped his heart, his hair standing on end under the Haki's protection.
Danger! Extreme danger!
Caught in Linlin's barrage, he couldn't react fast enough. Whether it was her blazing fists or this new threat, both spelled doom.
A cold sensation sliced across his chest, freezing his movements. Then, Linlin's flaming fist slammed into his gut, sending him hurtling backward.
As he flew, wracked with pain, he glimpsed the deep, bone-exposing slash across his chest, his heart visible beneath an icy seal. Brook, an overlord, had stooped to a sneak attack? Shameless!
The chest wound and the searing pain from Linlin's punch left him unrecognizable. He tumbled across the beach for dozens of yards before stopping, his breath faint, teetering on the edge of death.
He couldn't even beat Linlin, that terrifying woman. And now Brook, an overlord, had ambushed him? How was Brelco supposed to fight this? The rage consumed him.
...
"Time to feast! Leave the neck to me!"
Shakky's gleeful cry echoed from above as the vampiric woman swooped in. She was thrilled for a taste of high-quality pirate blood. Her Memory Seahorse, perched on her shoulder, chirped eagerly, hitching a ride to join the "feast."
"I want a piece too!"
Ship doctor Crocus chimed in. His Healing Fruit needed potent blood from strong fighters to craft dandelions—emergency healing potions to boost the crew's endurance.
As the group swarmed toward Brelco, Linlin charged in, unwilling to be outdone. This was her trophy, after all! She'd spent too much time and effort not to claim a few decades of his lifespan.
Angelie and Bull, along with the Edward Pirates and their prisoners, stepped back in horror. Were the Hell Pirates' officers about to eat Brelco? Even the Roger Pirates watched, curious but wary, as the group surrounded their fallen foe.
Rayleigh couldn't believe it. Shakky, with all her charm, couldn't possibly have such a gruesome habit. No way she was a cannibal!
But when Brook himself joined the circle, their faces paled. Was the overlord Brook a cannibal too, just like his crew?
...
Blocked by Linlin's massive frame, Shakky sank her fangs into Brelco's neck, gulping down his blood with gusto. Crocus, not to be outdone, sliced Brelco's wrist artery, collecting blood to rival Shakky.
Brelco, weak and helpless, stared at these demons. Were they truly fiends crawled up from hell? Terror filled his eyes as Linlin chanted her soul spell, yanking out chunks of his lifespan in vibrant bursts.
The Memory Seahorse, perched on Brelco's head, devoured the colorful memories spilling out, racing to consume them before he died—once he was gone, so were his memories!
Brook sighed, watching the frenzy.
"Could you at least show some class? This is like piling food into plastic bags at a buffet. Look at Crocus, using a bottle like a civilized person. Can't you be elegant like me?"
Still, a 700-million-Belly pirate was a rare treat. Besides Dawei's feast, this was the most lavish spread yet!
Seeing Brelco's body give out—face pale, lips white, eyes wide with fear—Brook delivered the final blow, freeing him from this living hell. Brelco passed peacefully, or so it seemed.
But there was no afterlife for Brelco. Brook enslaved his soul, turning him into a spectral general under his command, bolstering his power.
...
The group dispersed, satisfied, revealing Brelco's ice-sealed corpse. His eyes were closed, his expression serene—he'd gone quietly. No need to think the Hell Pirates were monsters!
Seeing Crocus' blood vials and Brelco's intact body, Angelie and the Roger Pirates breathed a sigh of relief. No cannibalism here!
Rayleigh unclenched his fists, a smile spreading across his face. He'd been right to trust Shakky—she was still that lively, charming woman he knew.
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+280 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg