After venting her frustration, Ariel had no choice but to accept the harsh truth—she had somehow conceived an egg without ever being with a man.
If a mermaid lays an unfertilized egg without a chosen mate, it becomes nothing more than a lifeless shell.
"Let's go! Back to Fishman Island!"
Clutching her swollen belly, Ariel's voice trembled between fear and disbelief. The ruins no longer held any meaning for her. She needed to leave, immediately.
Her mind raced. She would go to the New World—find a worthy father for her unborn child.
But what she didn't know was that the "egg" within her already held life. It was no ordinary offspring, but the vessel of royal blood—the embryonic Mother of Poseidon.
As Ariel and her team departed, silence fell upon the deep-sea ruins. Then, faint sound waves pulsed through the water—ancient, rhythmic, and full of intent.
"Will she survive?"
"The Queen Mother's body is strong. She'll endure."
"She's kind. She won't harm her child."
"Good. Then the plan proceeds."
"But Pluton, awakened too early. Will this disrupt the King's rise?"
"We'll guide the D boy who can hear all things. Let him reclaim Pluton and guard it until the time is right."
"The King and his twin will not return for decades. Their safety must be ensured."
"What of the Elephant Lord, Naitamie Norida? Joy Boy commanded him to wait for the chosen one before his release."
"He still guards the path to the Final Island. That's our key to revival."
"The backup plan will lead the inheritor to complete Joy Boy's will."
"We've waited eight centuries. A few more decades mean nothing."
Then, as suddenly as it began, the sea returned to silence.
---
When Ariel resurfaced on Fishman Island, panic clouded her mind. She wasted no time arranging passage to the New World and sent a tearful Den Den Mushi message to Brook, begging him to wait for her.
"Captain… I—I have something important to tell you," she said, voice trembling.
Brook was puzzled. Her distress sounded genuine, but she refused to explain. Left with no choice, he canceled his plan to investigate Zou Island.
After all, with the Mink Tribe's Vivre Card in his possession, the Elephant Lord couldn't escape. Sooner or later, both Zou and its red Poneglyph would be his.
Still, he couldn't shake a strange unease.
Should I really pursue the Final Island after I collect all four Road Poneglyphs? he wondered.
In the old tales, Roger's crew had reached the end only to find "nothing." They laughed, naming it "Laugh Tale." But perhaps it wasn't empty—it was simply locked, waiting for someone destined to open it.
And why had every Devil Fruit user on Roger's crew fallen ill before reaching it?
Even Toki of the Time-Time Fruit and Buggy, with his Split Fruit, were forced to leave the ship. Could there be something about that island—something that rejected Devil Fruits?
Brook tapped the pommel of his sword thoughtfully. "If that's true, I'll still go. Even if I have to face the curse myself."
But one thing was certain: anyone else who dared to reach the Final Island would have to get past him first.
---
Days later, Brook remained on Sky Island, balancing fatherhood with command. He spent his mornings with his children and the three expectant women—Linlin, Stussy, and Daenerys—and his nights discussing luminous inscriptions with Shakky and Angel.
Between those moments, he worked with Vegapunk, pushing the limits of science.
Meanwhile, Impel Down's former overseers, Manuel and Almeida, still lived—but only barely. Vegapunk was turning them into androids. Their shadows had been taken by Abefu, while Crocus drained their blood daily for research.
They were prisoners of war, kept alive for their utility.
Those who refused to surrender met even crueler fates—Abefu's shadows fed on them, Crocus used them for blood extraction, and Shakky or the Memory Seahorse occasionally stopped by for a "snack."
When the condemned were too broken to recover, Brook and Linlin harvested their souls to strengthen themselves.
---
Elsewhere, the Hell Pirates' influence spread across the New World. The Four Great Officers, the Three Sisters of Hell, and the Four Fallen Angels crushed uprisings in conquered territories, while four new prodigies began making their mark—Oden, Borsalino, Kaido, and Fisher Tiger.
The four often operated together, quelling rebellions with overwhelming force. Their teamwork made them legends in their own right.
Borsalino, ever ambitious, had begged Brook for the Speed-Speed Fruit, once belonging to the admiral candidate Youge.
Brook refused for now. "Wait," he told him. "If we can't find the Light Fruit, the Speed Fruit will be yours."
Yet no trace of the rare Logia Fruits—like the Light, Magma, or Ice—had surfaced. Brook suspected the World Government hoarded them.
If he could, he'd trade for them himself. The Celestial Dragons coveted pure gold above all else. If they were foolish enough to exchange powerful Devil Fruits for it, Brook would gladly oblige.
Power was everything.
If some arrogant noble thought he could strike a deal with the King of Hell, Brook wouldn't hesitate to exploit him.
---
Now, most of the New World lay under his control. Ariel's voyage from Fishman Island to Doragonzo Island had been smooth—too smooth. And when she finally arrived on Sky Island, Brook was there to greet her.
The moment his eyes fell on her swollen belly, his smile froze.
A strange emotion gripped his chest—anger, confusion… and something else he couldn't name.
She… found a man? Without telling me?
Brook said nothing, but his aura darkened, an invisible pressure filling the air.
Ariel trembled. The others fell silent.
-----------
Ariel grew increasingly uneasy under the strange, questioning gazes of Brook and the other officers. Flustered, she recounted everything that had happened in the deep-sea ruins, from the mysterious tremors to her sudden unconsciousness. Then, cheeks flushed pink, she confessed her final wish—to have Brook, the peerless captain of the Hell Pirates, become the father of her unborn egg.
The reaction was immediate and explosive.
Every crew member froze. The room erupted in chaos.
Of all people, it was Shakky who reacted the most sharply. The vampire woman slammed her drink down, her fangs glinting. "So that's your plan, little mermaid? Lay an egg, claim our captain, and climb straight to the top?"
Ariel, undaunted, puffed out her cheeks. "I just want my child to have a great father! I don't like anyone else enough to entrust my life to them!"
Her voice trembled slightly but remained firm. To her, Brook wasn't just a captain—he was a man of strength, wisdom, and compassion. If anyone could be worthy, it was him.
Brook, however, remained silent, deep in thought.
It was Redfield who first noticed something off. His sharp Observation Haki picked up on an anomaly—the faint rhythm of two heartbeats.
"Captain," he murmured, eyes narrowing, "there are two life forces within her. The egg is already alive."
Brook's expression hardened instantly. Already alive? That meant Ariel's body had somehow been used as a vessel.
He clenched his jaw. The ancient ruins… the Sea Kings' voices… this can't be coincidence.
He quickly pieced it together—the ruins must have held remnants of Joy Boy's will or technology. Ariel's "conception" wasn't natural. It was forced.
"Ariel!" Brook's voice was grave. "Can't you feel it? The life inside you is already complete. You've already given birth to something living."
Ariel's face drained of color. "That's impossible! I—I haven't even been with anyone!"
Brook forced a smile to calm her. "Don't panic. From now on, I'll be its father."
Inwardly, though, fury boiled beneath his calm. Someone had dared to meddle with his crew—to manipulate fate itself. Joy Boy, the D Clan, or whatever higher force was at play—they had crossed a line.
Ariel's tears flowed freely. "Lord Brook, I swear! I've never been with a man! I only wanted to be closer to you!"
"I know," Brook said gently, kneeling beside her. "You've done nothing wrong." His hand brushed against her abdomen, and a wave of immense energy pulsed beneath his palm—the power of Poseidon itself.
"Since fate brought you here," Brook muttered, "then I'll take the Poseidon's power as well."
"Lord Brook… maybe I should just destroy it," Ariel whispered, voice trembling. "I don't even know who the father is. I don't want it…"
Brook's gaze softened. "No. You'll keep it. When she's born, we'll name her Otohime. She'll be our daughter—and we'll raise her together."
The tenderness in his tone broke through Ariel's fear. Tears welled again, but this time they were of relief.
Suddenly, her body began to glow with a soft golden light. Her face twisted with discomfort.
"Lord Brook, I—I think I'm about to lay it!"
The entire hall erupted in panic.
"What? Already?!"
Brook acted instantly. He scooped her into his arms and rushed toward the back chamber. "Call the doctor! Now!"
Moments later, Ariel screamed—and within seconds, a light-gold egg emerged, gleaming like polished sunlight.
Even for someone who had seen everything, Brook was stunned. "This… this can't be real."
The crew watched in disbelief.
Ariel, panting and flushed, looked at him pleadingly. "Lord Brook… maybe you can… you know… make it yours?"
Brook hesitated, staring at the golden egg in his hands. Its warmth pulsed like a heartbeat. Finally, he sighed, accepting the inevitable.
"Fine," he said softly. "From now on, I'm her father."
Joy Boy, the D Clan—whoever orchestrated this, he'd remember. Someday, they would pay for using one of his own as a pawn.
Ariel's tears glistened as she smiled. "Thank you, Lord Brook. I'll serve you with all my heart. When I grow legs at thirty, I'll devote myself entirely to you!"
Brook gave a small nod. His expression was gentle, but the weight in his chest was heavy. Ariel had been manipulated, but none of it was her fault. He would protect her and the child no matter what.
"Hmph! You're acting all noble again," Shakky muttered, rolling her eyes. But even she couldn't hide her curiosity when her gaze fell on the glowing egg.
Linlin leaned closer, intrigued. "So this is a mermaid egg? Do they actually hatch?"
Ariel cradled the egg proudly. "Yes. It takes about ten months, like a human pregnancy."
Daenerys, curious as ever, compared it to her own dragon eggs. "Do you need heat to hatch it? Fire, maybe?"
Ariel shook her head. "No. As long as it's safe and whole, it'll hatch on its own—even underwater."
She tapped the egg lightly, smiling through her exhaustion. To her, this wasn't just a strange miracle. It was hope—a bond she shared with Brook.
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