"What!?"
Boa Hancock and Marigold were stunned, once again turning wide-eyed toward Sandersonia.
Hancock's face darkened as she looked at her sister. "So that bastard already knows our secret?"
There was no other explanation—Sora's request made it clear that he knew the truth of their past as slaves to the Celestial Dragons. That knowledge made Hancock's blood boil. A part of her wanted to find him right now and silence him forever.
Sandersonia sighed and replied, "He said he's known from the very beginning."
"And when he saw me, he subdued me instantly… then tore off the clothes on my back."
"That proves he definitely knew."
As she spoke, Sandersonia removed her coat and turned her back to Hancock and Marigold.
"The mark on my back—it's gone. He erased it."
"It seems to be one of his abilities."
"It's… really gone…" Marigold stared blankly at her sister's smooth, unmarred back.
Hancock, still processing what she was seeing, narrowed her eyes. "Is he trying to blackmail us with this?"
Sandersonia shook her head as she redressed. "Sora said that even if you refused his request, he would still keep our secret."
"He didn't demand anything inappropriate. All he wants is for us to return to our former beautiful selves."
Marigold's face lit up. "Really, Sister? If that's true, I'll start dieting right away!"
"It's true," Sandersonia confirmed, her voice firm. After all, her own mark had truly disappeared.
Boa Hancock frowned. But as she thought of Sora's past actions—slaying Celestial Dragons, stealing the Heavenly Gold, defying the World Government—her scowl slowly faded.
Eventually, she snorted coldly.
"I'll see for myself what kind of man this so-called Godslayer really is."
Sora… you've caught my attention.
...
Grand Line — The Florian Triangle
Yo-ho-ho-ho, yo-ho, yo-ho-ho... yo-ho-ho…
Thick clouds loomed over the sea, shrouded in black fog. Visibility was less than a hundred meters. Amidst the haze, a skeleton with an afro leaned against the helm of a ruined ship, its sails torn and mast cracked. He sang softly, a haunting tune like a lullaby from hell.
"Sora! I'm so scared!"
On the Divine Slave, lookout Mikita (Miss Valentine) clung to Sora, sobbing. Ghosts and skeletons were her worst fear.
"A singing skeleton?" said Reiju, Robin, and Hina, who had been playing cards with Sora. They perked up and strained to listen. Sure enough, the eerie singing echoed through the fog.
Only a few people were on deck; the rest were either tending to their duties or relaxing at Makino's bar.
"That's 'Binks' Brew,' isn't it?"
Robin asked, uncertain.
"It is," Reiju and Hina confirmed.
Binks' Brew—a song that had been famous across the Grand Line twenty years ago.
"Haha, he's just a pirate who ate a Devil Fruit," Sora said, grinning as he tried to calm Mikita down. "You could knock him out with one punch. What's there to be afraid of?"
"Really?" Mikita blinked away her tears and looked at him earnestly.
"If it's just ghosts I can punch, then I'm not afraid anymore!"
"Of course!" Sora nodded firmly.
Mikita had trained hard. She had mastered Armament Haki, and with accelerated training, she even learned Soru, one of the Six Powers. Dealing with someone like Brook would be easy for her now.
"Hmph! I'm gonna go beat that thing to death!"
Mikita let go of Sora, put on her combat suit, and launched herself into the fog. She was determined to get revenge for the scare.
Reiju's scientific battle suit had a tracking function, so Mikita wasn't worried about getting lost in the mist.
"That girl…" Sora chuckled, then jumped into the sky and followed her, just in case.
Reiju, Robin, and Hina exchanged glances and smiled knowingly.
They were already used to Sora being this thoughtful.
Mikita and Sora flew across the mist-shrouded sea and quickly arrived at the ship where Brook was loitering.
Sora didn't feel particularly moved by Brook's backstory. He simply wanted to end his suffering and obtain the Revive-Revive Fruit.
Brook had been part of the Rumbar Pirates, and Sora had no guilt about killing him.
The Revive-Revive Fruit granted resurrection—essentially a second life. Sora had to get it.
At most, he'd let Brook meet Laboon one last time before ending things.
"Yahahaha! You stupid skeleton! You scared me to death earlier! Let's see how you like it!"
Mikita cackled in her usual chaotic way when she saw the afro-wearing skeleton in a tuxedo. Her laugh was so annoying it made people want to punch her.
"L-living people?"
Yo-ho-ho-ho! I've finally seen living people again!!
The skeleton, Brook, was ecstatic, circling around Sora and Mikita in delight.
Mikita shivered at the overly excited, skeletal pirate.
Sora, on the other hand, smiled. Somehow, Brook felt oddly familiar.
Then Brook stopped, stood before them, and said seriously:
"I am but bones—Brook. Pleased to meet you!"
Then he looked at Mikita and asked:
"Ah, my beautiful lady, may I see your panties?"
"You wanna die?!"
Mikita's face turned red with fury. Her Armament Haki-coated fist shot out and smashed Brook into the ship's interior wall.
CRACK.
The impact caused a visible fracture in Brook's bones.
"Ow… s-such power…!"
Despite being embedded in the wall, Brook weakly raised a trembling hand and gave Mikita a thumbs-up.
"I'm gonna kill you!" Mikita growled, preparing to hit him again.
"Hahaha! That's so like you, Brook."
Sora chuckled and patted Mikita on the shoulder to calm her down.
Then he walked up to Brook and said with a smile:
"Brook, I'll take you to see Laboon."
"In return—give me your life."
...
&*(TL/n (Rip Brook)
______________
P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to 30+ chapters for $5 and receive daily updates at p@treon.com/Betek (@->a).