Seeing that the Pluton battleship and Vegapunk were unharmed, Brook turned his gaze toward the Celestial Dragons' "national treasure."
"I don't believe your energy is infinite!"
With a cold glare, Brook swung the Seven-Star Demon Sword, striking physically while flooding the shield with waves of his soul power. Each impact reverberated through the air like thunder.
Inside the "national treasure," even the God Knight Zebai felt a growing unease. The once-assured warrior now realized that not even within the Celestial Dragons' ultimate weapon did safety truly exist.
Imu's expression darkened. To fall into Brook's grasp again was intolerable. He had sacrificed countless descendants of royal blood, fed the weapon with vast energy, and yet, he had only managed to destroy two islands and damage Pluton. It was a disgrace.
But the warning lights flashing across the console forced his hand. If he stayed, the risk of total failure grew with each passing second.
"Warning! Shield energy low. Replenishing automatically. Remaining energy: 0.5 layers."
The weapon still had enough energy for two more attacks, but Imu refused to gamble. There would be other chances to deal with Brook. Without hesitation, he ordered the "national treasure" to withdraw.
Brook and his crew couldn't stop it from escaping—not without following it straight back to Mary Geoise, which was impossible.
Now, Brook's focus turned to restoring Pluton and preparing for what came next. He would gather every D-clan bloodline he could find and train them himself. Only then would Pluton's full potential awaken.
He finally understood why the Celestial Dragons—weak and corrupt as they were—still existed under Imu's favor.
Today, Brook had possessed the body of Pluton, yet he lacked its heart—the key to activation.
Staring at the smoldering ruins of Galle Island and Yindu Island, his jaw tightened. "I'll make them pay."
But revenge would have to wait. He ordered Golden Lion Shiki to take Pluton back to Sky Island, though they would need a new and safer base soon.
The pirates scattered across Doragonzo and the Eighteen Hell Islands were still in shock, while the Hell Pirates vanished into the clouds aboard the massive steel battleship.
"The Hell Pirates… do they already possess the power to fight the world itself?"
"Tell me, were those two ships the legendary ancient weapons? The Uranus and Pluton?"
"That island-destroying monster won't come back, will it? I'm out of here!"
"The seas are doomed. The Hell Pirates and the World Government both have weapons that can erase islands!"
Panic swept through the underworld. Countless pirates fled the Hell Pirates' territory, unwilling to be caught in the coming war between Brook and the World Government.
Meanwhile, the Celestial Dragons' "national treasure," still barely operational, didn't return to Mary Geoise. Instead, Imu directed it toward Beehive Island—the headquarters of the Rocks Pirates.
This time, Imu intended to remind the world of the Government's dominion.
But fate granted Rocks a narrow mercy. His crew had left Beehive Island to hunt Roger, sparing them annihilation. Had they been present, the devastation would have wiped out half his officers.
Imu unleashed the "national treasure's" final charge. The sky split open, and Beehive Island—once the den of the world's most fearsome pirates—was engulfed in light. When the radiance faded, nothing remained but boiling seas and drifting debris.
With its reserves nearly depleted, the weapon retreated. Imu leaned back in silence, a rare trace of unease crossing his face.
For the first time, the one piloting Pluton was not the Sun God Nika, nor anyone from the D clan.
That alone disturbed him.
He couldn't believe Joyboy's legacy had fallen into someone else's hands. He would not underestimate Brook again. This time, he ordered the Five Elders to investigate both Brook and Rocks thoroughly.
The next strike would be decisive—one blow to erase them from history.
---
Brook returned to Ballon Island and immediately sent word through the underworld. He wanted every trace of the D clan located—the Trafalgar family of doctors in Frevans, the Portgas family on Baterilla Island, the Fleet Admiral family in the New World.
He needed them all.
He even considered obtaining the blood and genes of Rocks and Roger themselves.
With Vegapunk's intellect, cloning technology would not be impossible. If Judge of the Germa Kingdom could achieve it, so could they.
"Antonio," Brook commanded, his tone cold. "Bring me the giant Jaguar D. Saul."
After witnessing Imu's might, Brook grew more cautious. The Hell Pirates had no real means to counter the "national treasure."
He was almost certain now: the weapon was Uranus, the King of Heaven. And like Pluton, it required a special lineage to operate—the blood of the Celestial Dragons.
Pluton, by contrast, demanded the D clan.
Comparing the two, Uranus held the upper hand, for the number of Celestial Dragons was limited, but their control was absolute.
Brook clenched his fists. That would change.
Cloning would be their answer. He would even use artificial conception if needed, cultivating generations of D-clan descendants to awaken Plutom's full power.
Yet gaining Roger's blood would not be easy. Their alliance had grown strained, and mutual trust was fading.
As for Rocks and Garp—there would be no negotiation. Only battle.
The victor would decide who ruled the seas.
And if he couldn't reach Garp, there was always the Foosha. Perhaps Dragon's blood would suffice.
Brook's command spread swiftly. The Hell Pirates began constructing a second air base, abandoning the exposed skies above Doragonzo Island. Whether Uranus would strike again, no one knew—but caution was survival.
For now, the Hell Pirates entered a silent period of rebuilding, hiding their strength. When they returned, the world would tremble beneath their vengeance.
---
Far away, news reached Rocks and his crew as they chased the Roger Pirates.
"What… Beehive Island is gone?"
Even Rocks froze for a moment before rage exploded from his chest. The island he had ruled for years—reduced to nothing. The gold, the treasures, the history—all gone.
Miss Bakkin and Captain John exchanged uneasy glances, though both secretly felt relief. Most of their personal hoards had been hidden elsewhere. Had they remained on Beehive, they would have lost everything.
Rocks' fury shook the air. The terror of Uranus couldn't suppress him—it only ignited his wrath.
He would face the so-called King of Heaven himself.
Imu's attack failed to intimidate the tyrant of the seas. Instead, it unleashed his madness.
Within days, the Rocks Pirates struck back with brutal vengeance. Two allied nations of the World Government were obliterated, their civilians slaughtered.
Without a base, the Rocks Pirates became a pack of wild beasts, ravaging every member state of the New World. Any nation without the protection of three admirals was wiped out.
Their bounties soared beyond imagination. The atrocities they committed—the massacres of innocents—were crimes beyond reckoning.
The New World spiraled into chaos. Ancient weapons had returned, nations burned, and the seas ran red.
The royal families of countless member states fled once more to the calmer seas, while the Navy's control crumbled.
Even without the Hell Pirates' intervention, the New World was collapsing.
------------
North Sea, White Town, Frevans.
The Trafalgar family was known across the North Sea as a lineage of brilliant doctors, yet few knew their secret—a hidden name marked with the letter "D," and a taboo surname whispered only within their bloodline: Water.
Even among the D clan itself, few were aware of what this hidden name signified. Eight hundred years ago, the name Water might have carried great meaning within the ancient kingdom.
For decades, Frevans had mined the highly profitable amber-lead ore, unaware of its deadly consequences. Some researchers of the World Government had already uncovered the truth: refining amber-lead released a slow-acting poison. Those who lived near the mines would accumulate the toxin in their bodies over time, eventually succumbing to a disease that left their skin pale and their lives tragically short.
The disease—amber-lead syndrome—would pass on to the next generation, ensuring their suffering endured.
But the wealth the mines brought was staggering. And so, government officials chose silence. Even the royal family of Frevans, fully aware of the danger, continued the mining.
As a result, the white town of Frevans became the richest island in the North Sea—a paradise painted in white. Every home gleamed with pristine walls, the streets glittered like marble, and the islanders praised the purity of their "white paradise."
Yet today, that same paradise faced its darkest hour.
A golden ship appeared above the clouds, descending like a divine omen. Its arrival shattered the peace of the entire island.
"Is that… the golden ship of the Hell Pirates?" one of the town guards gasped, his eyes wide with terror.
In recent years, the name of the Hell Pirates had eclipsed even that of the Rocks Pirates. They had faced down the World Government's ancient weapon head-on and survived, earning the title of the most fearsome pirate crew in the world.
"Why are they here in the North Sea? No! Run! The Hell Pirates are taking revenge on the World Government's allies!"
Panic spread through the streets as nobles and merchants scrambled to flee. To the frightened citizens, the golden ship symbolized doom. One shot from its cannons could erase their entire island, just as Beehive Island had vanished in a single blast.
"Brother Brook, the Trafalgar residence is north of the city. MooreThomas, and Umid have confirmed their exact location!"
Antonio reported quickly. He didn't understand why Brook had traveled across the seas to find this small family of doctors. Was Crocus not skilled enough as the ship's doctor?
Or did the Trafalgars possess some unique trait—something tied to their bloodline—that drew Brook's attention?
After all, there were still unresolved crises in the New World. Was it truly wise to leave their base at such a critical time?
"Bring them aboard," Brook ordered coldly. "And distribute the amber-lead awareness reports. Let the world see the hypocrisy of the World Government."
He didn't care for the people of Frevans. But if exposing the truth humiliated the World Government, it was worth the effort.
"Understood! The next stop has been set!" Antonio replied briskly. This journey wasn't only for the Trafalgars. They had other destinations across the seas—including a planned visit to the South Sea.
---
In a grand manor on the northern side of Frevans, Trafalgar Hobbs felt a wave of unease. As one of the island's most respected physicians, he had always lived kindly and honestly, so why did dread weigh so heavily on his heart today?
Could their hidden lineage have been discovered?
Impossible. The Trafalgars had lived quietly in Frevans for centuries, carefully concealing their D name. No one outside their bloodline even knew it existed.
Then the alarms began to wail across the island, confirming his fears.
"Pirates…" Hobbs muttered, glancing toward the window. When he saw the golden ship hovering in the sky, his heart sank.
"Could we really be caught up in this by accident? To die in someone else's war… what a senseless fate."
"Quickly! Butler, take Dot and leave now!" he shouted. "Don't wait for me!"
He refused to trust the mercy of pirates. His family had survived centuries of persecution by the World Government. To die now, at the hands of outsiders, would be unforgivable.
It was the year 1475 of the Sea Circle Calendar. Trafalgar Law, the family's future heir, would not be born for another twenty-one years. Hobbs' son was only a small child now—too young to understand the weight of their legacy.
Before Hobbs could flee, a young man blocked the path outside the gate. He wore a press badge and carried a pistol.
"Stay where you are!" the man said with practiced calm. "There's a bounty for bringing you in alive, so don't do anything foolish."
The reporter, Pulitzer—a mercenary working under the Economic News Agency—smiled faintly as he cocked his weapon. The reward for this job was enormous, and better yet, it would allow him to meet the legendary overlord of the New World, Brook himself.
Just the thought thrilled him. A photo with Brook and his senior officers would make headlines across the seas.
"Who are you?" Hobbs demanded, sweat beading on his brow.
"Relax," Pulitzer said with a smirk. "You should be honored. Someone very important wants to meet you. You might even rise to greatness because of it."
He spoke with envy in his tone. After all, if the ruler of the New World personally sought out this family, they must possess something extraordinary—perhaps a child with potential to rival Kaido of the Beasts.
"The Hell Pirates…" Hobbs whispered. "They really came for us?"
He stared upward, trembling, as the golden ship blotted out the sun.
Part of him wanted to resist. But the memory of the Hell Pirates' recent actions—their refusal to slaughter civilians or senselessly destroy—stayed his hand. Brook was ruthless, yes, but not cruel.
For the sake of his family, Hobbs made the only choice he could.
He lowered his head.
Moments later, the golden ship descended above the manor, casting a shadow that covered the entire estate. The sound of hissing steam and grinding metal filled the air as the ship landed.
A single figure stepped forward—tall, dressed in black, his presence commanding. Brook's face was expressionless, his eyes like twin ghostly flames.
"Are all members of the Trafalgar family present?" he asked, his voice echoing across the courtyard.
He wasted no time. To him, the D clan—reduced to scattered remnants of forgotten bloodlines—was not sacred, only necessary. These were not his comrades, but the keys to awaken Pluton.
"Sir!" Hobbs stepped forward, his voice trembling. "I don't know what you intend, but please… let the elders and children go. Take me instead."
Brook looked at him quietly, saying nothing.
In that heavy silence, the weight of fate itself seemed to descend upon the Trafalgar family.
They had survived the World Government's purges for generations, only to find their destiny once again entangled in the endless cycle of the D clan's struggle against the gods of the world.
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