Brook led Charlotte Linlin and the others in search of Lily Carnation, while the island continued to tremble from the clash of titans. Whitebeard Newgate and Golden Lion Shiki were still locked in a "friendly" spar!
The fight, however, was shrouded in a bizarre pretense—Shiki insisted this Whitebeard was an imposter and swore to destroy every last Tone Dial.
That is, until Newgate dropped a bombshell that sent Shiki soaring off in a huff, a single tear of humiliated rage trailing behind him.
"Brook and Redfield have their own copies, Shiki! Smash one Tone Dial, and a thousand more will take its place!"
No one could fathom Shiki's mood in that moment—utterly deflated, to say the least. Yet, days later, the swaggering, domineering Shiki returned, and mysteriously, every "Tone Dial" vanished from existence!
Legend has it that one fateful night, Shiki broke down in a pitiful, whimpering plea before Brook. Touched by his "righteous heart," Brook agreed to destroy all the Tone Dials.
Of course, everyone knew Brook was the mastermind behind copying recordings in the first place. Rumor had it he'd snagged the original "Tone Dial" from Newgate for his collection, inspiring even Redfield to keep a copy as a keepsake!
From that day on, Shiki stood tall again in Newgate's presence, firing back at his teasing with fierce defiance. The crew learned quickly: mentioning the Tone Dial incident around Shiki was a one-way ticket to trouble.
But that's a tale for another time.
...
Back in the present, the island's tremors ceased as Shiki and Newgate's battle wound down. Brook and his crew pressed forward.
...
Elsewhere, Tiger trailed behind Kaido, frustration simmering in his chest. He'd finally caved to escape Redfield's electrifying "therapy." Kaido, grinning ear to ear, welcomed his new "little friend."
Though it saved him from a shocking fate, Tiger's pride stung. He demanded a chance to take down the "despicable" Lily Carnation himself.
Kaido was all in, eager to help Tiger get revenge. Without hesitation, he led the way to hunt down the fake Kaido who dared impersonate him.
"Pretending to be me? They've got some guts!" Kaido growled. Sure, the ruse had netted him a new follower, but that didn't mean he'd let the impostor off the hook.
"One way or another, they're dead!"
...
From behind a distant tree, a stranger's face darkened. His latest scheme to sow discord had flopped. The tiny yellow flower in his arms, Lily Carnation, twitched with impatience, its beady eyes somehow radiating fury.
"Easy, Lily, don't get mad," the man soothed. "We'll find the next target right away!"
Viscount Fraule, as he was known, calmed the restless Lily Carnation. He lived in fear of her draining his family's life energy, reducing them to withered husks.
Once, Fraule had been a noble leading a merchant caravan and its guards, a man of decent strength. He'd taken a low-risk escort job, bringing his family along for a leisurely trip.
But disaster struck—a brutal storm swallowed his crew, his employers, and worst of all, his wife and child, leaving him the sole survivor adrift at sea.
Washed ashore on this island, Fraule was consumed by grief and contemplated ending it all. That's when he met Lily Carnation, a cunning yellow flower with the power to manipulate hearts and conjure lifelike illusions.
That day, Lily abandoned her previous, aging host and latched onto Fraule, a stronger vessel. Using his memories, she recreated his wife, child, and even some of his capable comrades in an instant.
Desperate to stay with his family, Fraule became her accomplice. He lured merchant ships and pirate crews to the island, where Lily devoured their life force after they were slain.
Against stronger foes, they deployed leaf-born doppelgangers to spark infighting, letting the pirates tear each other apart before Fraule and Lily reaped the spoils.
For over five years, Fraule had helped Lily kill thousands—dozens or hundreds per ship, merchant or pirate alike. He still recalled the day they wiped out a three-ship pirate fleet, over 500 strong. Lily's power unleashed a storm of arrows that blanketed the island.
That was when Fraule realized he could never escape her. Yet, his illusory family kept him going.
Over the years, though, the truth sank in. His son never grew, his wife never aged, and his own body weakened under Lily's parasitic drain.
He knew she'd soon discard him for a stronger host. This latest batch of powerful pirates seemed like prime candidates for her next vessel.
Even knowing Lily could read his thoughts, Fraule couldn't help but dwell on his dwindling usefulness. His death loomed closer every day.
He noticed Lily's faint, knowing smile. To cling to his family a little longer, he considered slacking off, hoping to stretch out his time.
But Lily saw through him. She'd already drained his family's energy once, reducing them to sludge as a warning.
Resistance was futile. Rooted in his body, reading his every thought, Lily had him completely under her control.
Now, Fraule's only goal was to complete this mission, see his family one last time, and accept his end. Meanwhile, Lily was already eyeing her next host.
Through her, Fraule learned of a rift between the golden-haired dual-swordsman and the white-bearded giant—perfect for another round of manipulation.
Guided by Lily, Fraule set out to exploit their conflict, sensing her hunger for these powerful targets. They could be her next hosts.
As her carrier, Fraule was promised one final moment with his family. Resigned to his fate, he ran toward his doom.
...
But before he could get far, a bolt of lightning blasted him backward. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he stared in terror at the figure before him—a man wreathed in crackling electricity.
Why hadn't Lily sensed him? How could this happen? Was even Lily doomed this time? Would he ever see his family again?
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+300 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg