The moment the golden sword energy—dense and solid like molten metal—roared toward him, Brook didn't dodge. He couldn't. If that strike hit the ship, it would be annihilated instantly.
Without hesitation, Brook unleashed the awakened power of the Revive-Revive Fruit. With the blessing of countless admiral-level ghost generals fused into his soul, he swung his Seven-Star Demon Sword with both hands.
"Slash of the Dark Emperor!"
A dark green sword aura, just as tangible and terrifying, tore through the storm and collided with the golden wave of death.
The explosion split the sea. Redfield, Shiki, and the others shot forward, surrounding the Saint Ethanbaron from all sides.
A group battle began—the fastest way to victory. They had to kill this man before the Navy's reinforcements led by Kong arrived.
His soul and his sword would belong to Brook.
"Hmph… a swarm of ants."
Saint Ethanbaron's voice was cold and condescending. Even as he blocked their attacks, he moved with the calm precision of a god among mortals. Yet behind that arrogance, he never once lowered his guard. These "ants" could still wound him.
"Damn old man! If you've got guts, stop dodging!" Shiki snarled, his golden mane whipping violently in the wind. "Let's see how long your pride lasts when an ant bites through a god!"
Thunder crashed. Flames, sword auras, and shockwaves tore the air apart. Kaido's heat breath mingled with Redfield's lightning and Linlin's blazing fists. The sea boiled beneath them as Saint Ethanbaron countered each attack with impossibly sharp precision.
Brook's grip tightened around the Seven-Star Demon Sword. The man's Haki was slightly stronger than his own. A soul slash wouldn't work instantly—not against someone who'd honed their Conqueror's Haki for centuries.
If this continued, the bald Elder would truly hold them off long enough for reinforcements to arrive.
But Brook had no intention of giving him that chance.
He leaped down into the raging sea. Freezing air surged from his body, instantly turning the surrounding waves into ice. Standing on that frozen field, he shouted, "Let's see if the highest authority of the world dares to die with me!"
He swung the Seven-Star Demon Sword and clashed directly with the First Generation Kitetsu.
The collision shook the heavens. The demonic cry of the Kitetsu echoed as its edge met the cursed blade forged from the Second and Third Kitetsu.
For the first time, Saint Ethanbaron composure wavered. His Supreme Blade was being overpowered.
"Your sword… it surpasses even a Supreme Grade? Where was it forged?"
Brook grinned. "Yohoho! It's a fusion of the Second and Third Kitetsu. Now, all that's missing is the First—yours."
Ignoring the searing pain, Brook drove his sword forward. Saint Ethanbaron struck simultaneously. The First Generation Kitetsu pierced Brook's heart, while the Seven-Star Demon Sword stabbed deep into Saint Ethanbaron's abdomen.
Both blades trembled with hunger. The Kitetsu's demonic aura spread through Brook's veins, while his Seven-Star Demon Sword drank the Elder's blood without restraint. A cold green mist rose between them.
Saint Ethanbaron crushed Brook's heart with brutal precision. "You may be immortal," he growled, "but let's see you live after being torn in half."
"Yohoho… you'll see," Brook laughed hoarsely. His body split apart, yet his hand didn't release the sword. The Seven-Star Demon Sword pulsed violently, draining Saint Ethanbaron's life force faster than he could regenerate it.
Saint Ethanbaron's face turned pale. "My Haki… it's useless against this! What is that blade?"
"The sword's power isn't from a Devil Fruit," Brook replied coldly. "It's an innate curse. As for my ability—" his grin widened— "I'll tell you after I take your soul."
Before he could finish, Saint Ethanbaron struck with a burst of power, hurling Brook's upper body away. He swung again to destroy the rest, but Redfield and Shiki rushed in, their combined attacks forcing him to block.
Charlotte Linlin caught Brook's severed torso, while Crocus dashed in to reattach and heal him.
"Damn you, baldy!" Brook shouted as soon as his body reformed. "That lesson's on the house! Next time, think twice before fighting alone!"
He charged again, spectral energy flaring like a green inferno.
The clash resumed—chaotic and brutal. Brook's ghostly form blurred between solid and immaterial, confusing even the Saint Ethanbaron's killing intent. Saint Ethanbaron had been ready for another soul slash, but Brook deceived him again, turning his so-called weakness into bait.
Sometimes, victory didn't come from overwhelming strength, but from cunning.
Saint Ethanbaron fell for it.
"Arrogant fool," Saint Ethanbaron spat blood, staggering back. "I underestimated you, Brook. You truly are immortal. But I'll destroy you next time."
He unleashed a burst of golden energy, knocking Redfield, Shiki, and Newgate aside, then dove into the sea with incredible speed.
Brook lunged to chase, but stopped himself. Even the strongest fishmen couldn't defeat someone like that underwater.
"So that's his advantage," Brook muttered. "A swordsman who doesn't fear the sea. That's the strength of one without a Devil Fruit."
The others regrouped. Redfield's lightning blasted across the ocean, but the currents only hissed in reply. The bald Elder had already fled toward the direction of the Navy fleet.
Brook sighed. "Let him go. He's running back to his army anyway."
The sea crackled as silence returned. They hadn't lost, but they hadn't gained much either—except for the blood now staining Brook's Seven-Star Demon Sword.
"Wait, Captain Brook!" Crocus called out. "Don't waste that! It's the blood of a Five Elder!"
He hurried over with a test tube, carefully collecting the crimson droplets and bits of torn flesh from the blade.
----------------
When Brook saw Crocus carefully collecting the blood of the bald Elder, he finally realized what the ship's doctor intended.
"Yohoho… you're planning to clone him, aren't you?"
Crocus didn't deny it. If Vegapunk's research into cloning and gene extraction succeeded, such an idea might not be so far-fetched.
The scientist's Brain-Brain Fruit had developed rapidly. His skull had grown so large that it now resembled a hill, storing vast amounts of data and ideas. With each passing day, Vegapunk's understanding of life, lineage, and Devil Fruit replication grew deeper.
He had already begun cultivating Lunarian hybrids—a project approved by Abefor and the other senior officers. Aroan even supplied his own vitality essence as a "gesture of goodwill."
In a few years, the Hell Pirates might command their own army of Lunarian warriors drawn from different races. Aroan himself might even become known as the "Father of the New Lunarians."
Brook laughed softly at the thought. "After this, perhaps it's time I begin cultivating members of the D Clan too—Trafalgar, Portgas, even the Monkey and Dragon lines."
"Forget about that old man," Brook finally said, waving his hand. "We're going back to the New World."
At his command, the crew boarded the golden ship once more. Its engines roared to life, surging forward to catch up with Amazon Lily and the floating Impel Down. Together, the three massive vessels soared toward the New World like an armada of legends.
Meanwhile, far behind them, the battered naval fleet finally broke through the storm and tsunamis—only to find the pale-faced Saint Ethanbaron emerging from the depths of the sea.
Even after using his life force to heal his wounds, the gaping tear in his uniform betrayed his failure.
Kong, Weimark, and the Divine Knights could all tell—Saint Ethanbaron had suffered a loss.
"Brook's Devil Fruit ability must be fully investigated," Saint Ethanbaron said coldly, his tone trembling with suppressed rage. "That bastard's immortal. Even when I cut him in half, he still healed!"
Though he owed no explanation to anyone, Saint Ethanbaron spoke anyway, trying to salvage his pride. He had fought the man directly and still failed to finish him. If he had known Brook's full abilities, he would never have chosen to trade blows. He would have stalled for reinforcements instead of facing him head-on.
Chief of Staff Weimark broke the uneasy silence. "Saint Ethanbaron, your discovery will be invaluable. From now on, the Navy will focus on studying his immortality—and next time, we'll strike decisively, with no chance for him to recover."
Saint Ethanbaron glared at him briefly, then turned away without a word. He returned to his private quarters to rest, leaving the command deck drenched in silence. Only after the door shut did the officers breathe again.
"Fleet Admiral Kong," a Divine Knight finally asked, "do we continue the pursuit?"
They all knew the truth. If even Saint Ethanbaron couldn't stop the Hell Pirates, what could they hope to achieve? The group had already crossed the Red Line by now. The Grand Line was vast—where could they even intercept them?
"They'll stay near the Calm Belt," Kong reasoned. "That's the only path wide enough for their island and Impel Down to fly safely."
But what forces could he possibly send? The other Elders couldn't leave Mary Geoise unguarded. If the Hell Pirates struck the Holy Land while they were gone, it would be catastrophic.
"Why not send all New World troops to intercept them along the Red Line?" Weimark suggested.
Kong sighed. "Even that wouldn't work. The Hell Pirates' strength is overwhelming. And if Rocks joins the chaos, our fleets won't survive."
He paused, the weight of command heavy on his shoulders. "We can't afford to lose more men. I'll recommend a global conscription—bring in new blood, more people willing to defend this world."
Weimark nodded grimly. "And until then?"
Sora's gaze hardened. "We return. The Five Elder's order will decide the rest."
Moments later, a new directive arrived from Saint Ethanbaron—an order relayed through all channels of the World Government.
"Withdraw from the New World."
Kong froze. The entire command deck fell silent.
The logic was brutal but sound. Brook now commanded Impel Down's prisoners. The Navy's continued presence in the New World would only make them targets. Better to retreat and let the Hell Pirates and the Rocks Pirates destroy each other. When both sides were weakened, the World Government would strike.
The order spread quickly through the ranks, sparking outrage among marines and despair among allied kingdoms. The kings who had paid the Celestial Dragons' tribute now watched their protectors abandon them.
Some fled to safer seas. Others bent the knee to the Hell Pirates, declaring their allegiance to Brook's empire and becoming pirate nations.
Within weeks, the balance of the world had shifted. The Hell Pirates—now in possession of Impel Down and Amazon Lily—returned to the New World unchallenged.
When they arrived, they found the Navy gone and Rocks seething with fury. The nations that once served him were joining Brook instead.
News of the Impel Down raid spread like wildfire across the world. Pirates celebrated. Civilians trembled.
The Hell Pirates stood unopposed at the top of the sea, while the Rocks Pirates began to fracture under the pressure. Everyone knew what would come next—a war for the throne of the New World.
And yet… no battle began.
Days turned into weeks. The seas grew quiet.
Even the World Government could not understand why.
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