When the bald Five Elder, Saint Ethanbaron, saw the Hell Pirates unleashing another wave of remote disaster attacks, his expression darkened. He immediately understood Brook's intention.
"He's buying time," Saint Ethanbaron muttered. "Shiki is planning to float the entire Impel Down away!"
His grip tightened around the hilt of the Shodai Kitetsu as he unleashed two immense slashes, splitting both storm clouds and tsunami alike. The air itself screamed as the sword energy carved through it. Yet despite his overwhelming power, the naval fleet still couldn't advance effectively.
Saint Ethanbaron recalled something else—Brook had not only seized the Quetzalcoatl Fruit once wielded by the late Admiral Kukulkan but had also taken the Weather Fruit from the Divine Knight Gabriel.
That meant the Hell Pirates now commanded both storm and lightning—two of the most dangerous abilities in the world. Even the World Government couldn't easily counter such disaster-level powers.
"Useless fools," Saint Ethanbaron hissed under his breath. "Even in death, Kukulkan and Gabriel leave behind nothing but trouble."
But a spark of greed flickered in his eyes. If the World Government could capture Brook, they could obtain the technology to recover Devil Fruits—the key that made the Hell Pirates unstoppable. With the vast territories and resources under their control, the Government could harvest countless abilities, multiplying their strength beyond measure.
"Whatever the cost," Saint Ethanbaron growled, the blood-red lightning around his blade flashing again, "take down the Hell Pirates."
His ambition went far beyond revenge. With Brook's technology and Pluton in their grasp, even the Sun God Nika and the D. Clan would become irrelevant. Joy Boy, the Void Century, the legends—all of it would fade into nothing.
"If Uranus, Pluton, and that technology become ours," Saint Ethanbaron thought, "the World Government will reign forever."
He turned toward Kong, his tone commanding. "From now on, the Hell Pirates are the Navy's top priority. Forget Rocks and the D. Clan—Brook is the real threat."
"Yes, Saint Ethanbaron!" Kong saluted immediately, though bitterness twisted inside him.
Easy for you to say, he thought. You're fighting from above the waves. We can't even catch up to them.
The Hell Pirates' flying fleet was elusive, their disaster-class powers impossible to predict. Even now, the Navy was being held at bay by storms, lightning, and towering waves. They couldn't approach Impel Down—much less engage it.
Before Kong could finish his thought, another blast of thunder tore across the sky, striking dangerously close.
"That Thunder Fruit user again," Saint Ethanbaron muttered, his eyes narrowing. "He's stretching his Observation Haki all the way here?"
Redfield's aura flickered in Saint Ethanbaron's mind—his Observation Haki was so vast it reached across the raging sea. Even Saint Ethanbaron couldn't achieve such range.
Which meant the Hell Pirates were watching them—but they couldn't see the pirates in return.
Suddenly, a zombie seabird broke through the clouds, radiating a sinister aura. It dove toward Saint Ethanbaron's ship and released a Den Den Mushi before being sliced in half by a Divine Knight's sword. The shadow it carried escaped and vanished into the storm.
Saint Ethanbaron caught the falling Den Den Mushi effortlessly. He was about to crush it without hesitation—but the snail rang before he could act.
Every Marine and Knight around him froze. Saint Ethanbaron hesitated for a moment, then the Den Den Mushi answered itself, trembling violently. The poor communications officer holding it looked like he was about to faint.
"Yohoho! Your Excellency, one of the Five Elders!" Brook's cheerful voice came through the receiver, dripping with mockery. "This is the first time I've spoken to someone so important!"
"Brook," Saint Ethanbaron growled. "What do you want?"
"Oh, nothing much," Brook said lightly. "Just wanted to chat. Tell me, how did you hone such terrifying swordsmanship? Perhaps we can trade—something you want, for something I have."
The Five Elder's eyes glinted with cold fury. "What could you possibly offer me?"
"Pluton," Brook teased. "Would that interest you?"
Saint Ethanbaron's hand twitched, his knuckles whitening. He knew it was a trap meant to delay him, yet the mention of Pluton still struck a nerve.
After all, the blueprints of that ancient warship had consumed centuries of the World Government's secret research.
"Enough," Saint Ethanbaron snapped. "I'll kill you myself."
But before he could crush the Den Den Mushi, Brook's laughter rang out again.
"Yohoho! No need to be so serious. I just called to say goodbye. Next time we meet, I'll be taking your Shodai Kitetsu. My Seven-Star Demon Sword's been itching for a duel with it."
The Den Den Mushi went silent—then shattered in Saint Ethanbaron's hand, crushed into green paste.
That Den Den Mushi had served its purpose well: stalling for time. Its noble sacrifice would no doubt be remembered among its brethren as the "Hero Snail."
"Kong!" Gandhi barked. "I'll go on ahead. Follow immediately!"
He leapt from the battleship, stepping across the waves with godlike speed, the Kitetsu glowing crimson in his grip. In moments, he vanished into the heart of the storm.
Far ahead, the cylindrical fortress of Impel Down had already begun to rise into the air. Shiki's ability had fused it temporarily with Amazon Lily, and the entire structure floated higher and higher, breaking free from the sea.
A golden ship streaked toward it—Brook and his crew, retreating toward the edge of the Calm Belt. Their plan was clear: escape across the Red Line and return safely to the New World.
"Yohohoho! So the bald old man's actually chasing me alone?" Brook laughed as lightning danced around him. "You're either overconfident… or ready to hand me that Kitetsu yourself."
--------------
Sniper Hiruba's jaw dropped the moment he saw the bald Saint Ethanbaron give chase through the storm.
"Is this guy insane?" he muttered. "He's coming after us alone? Even Rocks wouldn't dare that now!"
It was unbelievable. Did this Bald guy really think he was several times stronger than Rocks himself? Or had he spent so many years behind a desk that he'd gone senile?
The raging storm and chaotic sea meant nothing to him. He advanced through the tempest as if it were a calm lake—each step steady, each motion effortless. It was almost laughable how easily he crossed the sea, easier than Rayleigh crossing the Calm Belt or Hawkeye Mihawk sailing the world in a coffin boat.
This was the confidence of the world's top physical and sword masters: beings who could survive any environment without relying on a Devil Fruit.
After all, those who ate Devil Fruits paid a price. If the sea swallowed their ship and they couldn't fly, even the strongest would drown like stones.
"Everyone stay sharp!" Brook warned, his tone grave. "This bald man's strength isn't beneath Rocks. He's a swordsman beyond even the level of a Great Swordsman!"
Brook's eyes narrowed. The Five Elder's killing intent was overwhelming. For him to chase the Hell Pirates alone meant he had absolute confidence—or some kind of secret weapon. Otherwise, why would he be so reckless?
The Hell Pirates were now the world's number one pirate crew, stronger than the Rocks Pirates at their peak. Could it be that this bald Five Elder was the strongest among them? The blade that struck for the World Government itself?
Brook doubted it. In his experience, the ones who showed up first were rarely the strongest. "The earliest to fight," he thought, "are often the weakest."
"Hahaha! Brother Brook!" Shiki shouted with wild excitement, his golden mane whipping in the wind. "That's one of the Five Elders! If we take him down, the entire world will shake! The Government will never recover from the humiliation!"
He grinned savagely. Floating Impel Down had exhausted much of his stamina, but the chance to face a Five Elder was too thrilling to ignore.
"That old man isn't here to fight for honor," Redfield said coolly. "He's trying to stall us—or worse, destroy Impel Down and Amazon Lily together."
His crimson eyes flickered toward the horizon. "With swordsmanship like his, he could slice a floating island in two."
Brook clenched his hand around the hilt of the Seven-Star Demon Sword. "Then we fly. Return to the New World at full speed. Let him chase. Once we've distanced ourselves from the Navy's main fleet… I'll see for myself just how powerful this so-called Elder really is."
He smirked darkly. If every Five Elder were stronger than Rocks, then the world was already finished. No, Brook believed their strength was closer to that of Admirals or the Divine Knights—formidable, but not insurmountable.
The strongest humans could only reach the level of Rocks—capable of holding their own against two or three Admirals at once, but never defeating all three. Even the Five Elders couldn't be beyond that limit. Years of sitting in comfort might have dulled their blades.
Only Imu, the ageless shadow ruling above them, might transcend such limits. Brook didn't even know if that being was human anymore.
As the bald Five Elder closed in, Brook sensed his life force and smiled coldly. "Your life energy is weaker than Rocks'. That means I can take you."
He raised his voice. "Qilin Lion, keep the island flying! Four Yamas, you're with me! Let's see if the so-called highest power of the world still bleeds like the rest. His soul—and his First Generation Kitetsu—will be mine!"
"Hahaha! Now that's more like it!" Shiki roared, drawing both his swords, his aura flaring like a storm. "It's been ages since I've fought someone this exciting!"
"Hiruba," Brook ordered, "keep your sights on Kong and the Knights of God. Report any movement the moment you see it."
"Understood!"
The golden ship lifted from Amazon Lily and slowed its ascent. A blinding slash split the horizon, another sword aura screaming toward the floating Impel Down.
"Do you think I'll just stand by?" Brook raised his blade, ghostly energy surging. He unleashed two chilling waves of underworld sword aura, colliding head-on with the Five Elder's attack. The sea exploded beneath them, the impact spawning hundreds of small tsunamis.
But the Elder's sword energy still pressed forward, overpowering Brook's strike until Redfield and the others joined in, dispersing the golden slash in a burst of lightning and flame.
A moment later, the bald Five Elder stepped onto the sea itself, walking on the waves as he approached the golden ship. His presence was suffocating.
"Brook," he called out, his tone calm yet filled with contempt. "You're not as strong as I expected. Stay here. I'll test you myself."
Saint Ethanbaron eyes gleamed as he calculated their total strength. If he could stall them long enough, Kong and the reinforcements would catch up.
"Yohohoho! Don't hold back now," Brook taunted with a wide grin. "You might end up running away if I get serious!"
He suppressed his aura slightly, hiding his true strength while signaling for his four officers to intercept the next strike.
"You think you can kill me?" Saint Ethanbaron sneered, pushing his glasses up with a single finger. "You think you're invincible just because you slew Kukulkan?"
The air trembled as his killing intent burst forth. The First Generation Kitetsu returned to its sheath—then flashed in an instant. The Iai technique was so fast it seemed the world paused for it.
A golden shockwave of sword energy, radiating pure conqueror's will, tore across the sky and crashed toward the golden spaceship.
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