New World, Elan Island
"Ravena and Jokade have already joined us. You sure you don't want to reconsider? Your woman and kid are in my hands. Your answer decides whether the three of you live or die."
Surrounded by the Hell Pirates, Shirokiri's Vesper Pirates were nothing but a ragtag remnant, unable to stir even a ripple. Ravena and Jokade's swift surrender only sealed their fate.
Brook had put the two turncoats in charge of Ten King Island, their old turf. Tainted by the Shichiseiken's curse, they were locked in—no chance of betraying him again.
But that slippery Salem, Vesper's right-hand man, was a no-show. Brook couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. Salem's management skills outshone even the crew's top fighters—sharper, more seasoned, and far more versatile.
"Brook, you betrayed the alliance, stole Vesper's territory, and now you're even targeting kids? You're a disgrace to pirates! And enslaving the old man's soul? I'll never forgive you!"
Shirokiri's voice cracked with rage, his eyes burning as he saw Brook wield Vesper's soul against him. His hatred, already fueled by Brook's betrayal, now blazed hotter than ever.
"So, you're choosing to let your family die out?"
Brook had no interest in raising an enemy's child—too many tales of backstabbing loomed large in pirate history.
"Brook, please, don't!" Amber wailed, tears streaming down her face. "I was forced into this by Vesper for Shirokiri. There's no love here, only hate! I wasn't willing, and my kid doesn't carry the Vesper name. I'll change it—anything you want!"
Amber sobbed, clutching her son. The Vesper Pirates, once a New World juggernaut, had crumbled in just over a year. She'd thought bearing Shirokiri's child would secure her future, but now it marked her as a relic of a fallen regime. These days, fear and misery defined her life. The child, once a ticket to power, was now a death sentence. She wanted nothing more to do with the Vesper clan.
"Shut up, you traitor!"
Shirokiri's roar dripped with venom. Who was she to strip his son of his name?
"I'll do it, you useless fool!" Amber snapped back. "My son's name was chosen by Brook-sama, and I'm changing it to Brook Depo!"
Desperate to survive, Amber clung to any connection to Brook, hoping to sway him into sparing her and her child.
"Hmph! You think you're worthy of using Brook's name as a surname?"
Charlotte Linlin's face darkened, her voice thick with disdain. This woman had some nerve. Even if Brook spared her, Linlin was ready to crush her herself.
Amber shrank back, trembling under Linlin's terrifying aura, clutching her son as despair washed over her.
...
Though Brook hadn't killed Vesper himself, his actions led to the man's demise, and enslaving Vesper's soul created an irreconcilable rift with Shirokiri. The Shichiseiken couldn't corrupt a pirate with such fierce defiance, so Brook abandoned any hope of recruiting him.
"Crocus, swap in Saracha. Shirokiri's yours to handle."
Brook needed Saracha's powerful soul and the Corrupt-Corrupt Fruit. Shirokiri, a non-Devil Fruit user, would serve as a blood donor for Crocus, kept alive in case Salem could be lured out.
"Got it, Captain!"
Crocus nodded. Though Shirokiri wasn't as strong as Saracha, he was still a formidable asset. His blood would fuel the Healing Fruit's production of Blood Crystal Dandelions and high-grade recovery potions.
"What about the mother and kid?"
Golden Lion Shiki puffed on his cigar, his tone casual but pointed. With Shirokiri dealt with, wiping out his family wouldn't be surprising.
Whitebeard Newgate walked away silently. He wouldn't dirty his hands with kids and preferred to stay out of it.
Brook drew the Shichiseiken and slashed at Amber. A eerie green aura and runes enveloped the terrified woman, binding her to his will.
"No surname from now on. Just call him Depo. He'll stay on Whole Cake Island."
Brook eyed the boy, wondering if he'd inherited any of Vesper's talents. Maybe he'd make a decent subordinate—or a prime subject for Vegapunk's experiments, potentially outshining even Bartholomew Kuma.
"Yes, Brook-sama!"
Amber bowed, clutching her son, while Crocus dragged Shirokiri away, sparing him the sight of this twisted scene.
...
Shirokiri's bond with his son kept him from giving up entirely. Clinging to the hope of one day escaping with his boy, he endured, providing blood for Crocus's experiments.
Brook returned to Merveille, where he dispatched Saracha and enslaved his soul, adding the precious Corrupt-Corrupt Fruit to his Devil Fruit vault.
Beast Kaido was practically drooling over the growing collection. The Octopus Siren Fruit was one thing, but now the Barrier Fruit and Corrupt-Corrupt Fruit were calling his name. Brook's talk of a mythical Azure Dragon Fruit felt like a pipe dream.
"Kaido, you're still young. What's the rush?" Brook teased. "If we don't find that Azure Dragon Fruit by the time you're grown, you can pick any fruit you want."
Meanwhile, Rocks was stirring trouble, clashing with the Marines. The timeline for the God Valley assault might come sooner than expected, thanks to Brook's meddling with history.
The big players in this altered timeline seemed stronger than in the original story. The New World's relentless uprisings had weeded out the weak, leaving only battle-hardened pirates whose strength was undeniable.
...
"Brook, Rocks is getting out of hand. He's trying to swallow the entire Chaos Sea. That'll cut off our trade routes to the Grand Line. We need to secure some territory to keep our lines open!"
Antonio, armed with stacks of intel, briefed Brook. Seizing parts of the Chaos Sea would mean bordering the Marines and World Government allies, but the payoff could be worth it.
"Then let's hit the first half of the Grand Line and stir things up!" Brook grinned. "Rocks ambushed Sengoku, but that sly dog turned the tables and got him surrounded. Facing two admirals can't be fun, even for Rocks. Heh."
Even the mighty Rocks couldn't take down two admirals at once. But since both were Devil Fruit users, Rocks held a slight edge. Still, a fight like that could drag on for days with no clear winner.
If Rocks was bold enough to grab territory, the Hell Pirates couldn't lag behind. At the very least, they had to protect their routes to Fishman Island and the Grand Line.
With Brook's vision and Vegapunk's genius, Seastone-plated ships were nearly ready. Once the situation stabilized, the Hell Pirates could dominate all four seas.
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