North Blue, Minion Island.
This island lies near the well-known Swallow Island and Spider Miles, future staging grounds tied to the infamous Ope Ope no Mi incident. It is also where the Navy will one day ambush the Donquixote Pirates, and where legends speak of a hidden treasure buried deep within ancient ruins.
It was here that Trafalgar Law once studied medicine under a local doctor, and on this very island his dream of becoming a great physician first took root.
Brook knew that a reclusive inventor lived near this island. The man wasn't just a doctor but a self-proclaimed genius who possessed the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia and understood secrets surrounding the Ope Ope no Mi. Some even whispered that he had inherited remnants of ancient technology.
Wolf could design polar submarines capable of diving from sea to land and had even created primitive flying machines. It was during one such failed test that Trafalgar Law, using the Operation Fruit, saved Wolf's life, dragging him back from the edge of death.
The Hell Pirates had vanished from the North Sea for several days after leaving Borsalino's home. Their sudden reappearance above Minion Island took the world by surprise.
"Blockade the island," Brook commanded coldly.
Antonio immediately set the operation in motion, deploying Seagull Newsbirds to carry Horned Den Den Mushi across the sky. Within minutes, Minion Island's communication lines were completely severed.
An ancient temple stood at the heart of the island, filled with gold, silver, and relics from centuries past. Wolf had once explored those ruins, returning with a fortune in treasures and fragments of lost technology—his first step toward becoming a so-called genius inventor.
"Signal cut off, Captain," Antonio reported briskly. "All merchant and passenger ships have been halted."
Borsalino, watching from the deck, couldn't hide his astonishment. It was his first time witnessing the Hell Pirates' military precision. Blockading or capturing an island seemed as easy to them as taking a stroll.
"Brother Brook," Stussy said as she stepped beside him, "is there truly treasure here?"
Brook's eyes gleamed faintly. "I'm not here for treasure. I want the submarine technology."
He gazed across the horizon, his voice calm yet heavy with ambition. "We already command the skies. But soon, the sea will be ours as well."
Under his orders, waves of soldiers poured out from Wolf's castle, subduing the islanders swiftly. Those who resisted were knocked unconscious in seconds. Those who idolized the pirates and tried to join them were immediately disqualified—by Kaido's signature "One Stick to Quit Addiction."
"Useless trash," Kaido growled, resting his spiked club on his shoulder. "Not a single one worth recruiting."
The North Sea pirates, weaker and far less disciplined than those of the Grand Line or the New World, stood no chance. Even most New World crews weren't qualified to join the Hell Pirates, the undisputed overlords of the seas.
Just as Redfield reported discovering a hidden temple deep within the forest, a commotion broke out among the captured islanders. Though small, it drew Brook's attention.
He rose effortlessly into the air, riding the somersault cloud Hera, while a sword-shaped serpent spirit circled protectively around him.
"You're the Hell Pirates from the New World, right?" a young voice shouted boldly. "You're amazing! One day, I'll be like you!"
The voice came from a boy standing beside a terrified middle-aged man who was desperately trying to silence him. Around them, several of the boy's victims—pirates and townsfolk alike—lay sprawled across the ground, their eyes glazed as if intoxicated.
"Hahaha~ You've got spirit, kid," said Shiki, puffing on a cigar. "But what's with that look in your eyes? You planning to challenge us already?"
"I'll sail the seas one day!" the boy yelled back. "I'll conquer the Grand Line, reach the New World, and take down pirates like you!"
Newgate frowned deeply. "Tch. Arrogant brat," he muttered. "He doesn't even know how weak he is."
Brook floated down slowly, landing before the boy. "Yohohoho~ Bold words for someone so young. Tell me, what's your Devil Fruit ability?"
The boy raised his chin proudly. "My name's Buck! I ate the Drunken Fruit! I can make anyone obey my orders!"
He gestured to the unconscious men around him with a grin. "These fools were my test subjects!"
Brook tilted his head curiously. "The Drunken Fruit? So it makes people drunk? Or perhaps intoxicated?"
Buck smirked. "It can dissolve a person's mind and make them submit. But that's not all. It can even dissolve me!"
Before anyone could stop him, his body liquefied, melting into a swirling pool of transparent fluid.
Borsalino's mouth twitched. "Oh, great. Another idiot who reveals all his tricks before the fight."
He folded his arms and sighed. "Guess the North Sea's full of geniuses like this."
Crocus, ever the scientist, crouched beside the puddle thoughtfully. "Interesting. This ability resembles alcohol-based dissolution… perhaps a reaction akin to ethanol breakdown. A rare chemistry-type fruit."
Buck's father fell to his knees, trembling violently. "Please, sirs, forgive him! My foolish son doesn't know what he's saying! We'll leave the island immediately!"
But Buck, reforming himself, grinned defiantly. "No, Dad! I'm going to be a pirate! These guys are incredible—I want to be like them!"
The father's hand trembled as he struck his son across the face. "You fool! Do you want us both dead?"
Brook's shadow fell over them both. "Yohohoho~ So you're Wolf, aren't you?"
The man froze, realization dawning in his eyes.
"I've been looking for you," Brook continued. "You and your son have potential. From this day forward, you're part of the Hell Pirates."
Shiki's grin widened. "Heh, you sure know how to pick 'em, Captain. That brat's got guts."
Before Wolf or his son could object, the Golden Lion swooped down, lifting them both into the air with effortless strength.
-------------
Buck was completely stunned when the Golden Lion Shiki grabbed him. Even after turning his body into liquid, that massive black hand had somehow seized him like solid flesh.
"What are you doing?!" Buck shouted, thrashing violently. "You can't force me to join you! I'll be a captain someday!"
Shiki only laughed, his golden mane glinting in the sunlight. "Hahaha! Kid, do you have any idea how many people would kill for a chance to join the Hell Pirates? You're lucky, brat. Just stay quiet and enjoy your ride on the golden ship!"
The young boy struggled uselessly. He was barely twelve, still wet behind the ears, and had never even seen Haki, let alone learned to defend against it. His Drunken Fruit was impressive, but against monsters like Shiki, it was no more than a party trick.
Wolf could only watch helplessly from the side. He had merely brought his son to the town to buy supplies, yet somehow they'd been swept into the clutches of the world's most feared pirates. Though the Hell Pirates ruled the seas, Wolf had no desire to become one of them.
But once aboard the golden ship, choice no longer existed.
Brook, however, was in high spirits. He had found two more promising individuals—an inventor with knowledge of ancient machines and a boy with a rare Devil Fruit. Fortune smiled upon him today.
Redfield soon reported from the ground that he had discovered a temple filled with treasures and several ancient libraries. That news piqued Brook's curiosity immediately.
"A relic from eight hundred years ago, perhaps," Brook mused aloud. "If so, there may be blueprints or research that the World Government failed to destroy."
He recalled Wolf's inventions—the polar submarine that could drill through land and sea, technology far beyond the modern era. In an age where wooden ships still ruled the waters, such machines were a miracle.
Brook entered the temple personally. Gold and jewels sparkled in every corner, but he paid them no mind. Stussy and the financial officers could handle that. His attention was fixed on the stacks of aged manuscripts that lined the temple walls.
Redfield was already immersed in one of the books when Brook approached. "These records date long after the founding of the World Government," he said, flipping through the pages. "But some are written in the old script."
Brook nodded. "So the ancient texts were translated. It seems the Government couldn't erase everything."
He thought briefly of another island—the Kingdom—where the reindeer Chopper once studied medicine in a forgotten library. Even those primitive villagers had possessed extraordinary medical knowledge, knowledge that had shaped the young reindeer into a doctor strong enough to one day fight alongside the Four Emperors.
Redfield's eyes gleamed as he ran toward Brook, clutching a bundle of blueprints. "Brother Brook! You'll love this! Aircraft designs—completely different from those on Birka Island!"
Brook took the papers and examined them carefully. "Excellent work. Hand these to Vegapunk. With this, he might create a new generation of flying warships."
"Understood. There are also books on submarine technology deeper inside."
Brook smiled faintly. "Good. I care little for flying machines. Between Shiki's Float-Float Fruit and our air fleet, we already rule the skies. What we need now… is control of the sea beneath us."
He turned his hollow gaze toward the cavern floor. "Find me everything related to polar submarines. I want a fleet that can strike unseen, beneath the waves."
Under Brook's command, the Hell Pirates stripped Minion Island clean in half a day. The temple's treasures vanished into the ship's vaults, the libraries emptied of their secrets.
Borsalino, who had been slacking off as usual, discovered that someone had tossed an entire chest of treasure at his feet. His parents nearly fainted at the sight of the glittering gold. They had earned more in a single day than in their entire lives.
"Is this… really how pirates live?" his mother whispered, half terrified, half amazed.
Even though Borsalino had done nothing, his connection to Brook as a disciple brought him unimaginable fortune.
The golden ship soon rose from the island, gleaming in the sunlight. Below, the frightened citizens of Minion Island could only watch. None dared contact the Navy. Survival was a blessing; summoning the Hell Pirates back would be suicide.
Aboard the ship, Brook crossed his legs and watched the clouds drift by. "Redfield," he said, "you'll be in charge of teaching Borsalino. He's lazy—too lazy—but talented. If he won't train himself, you'll make him."
Redfield smirked. "Understood, Captain. I'll beat some motivation into him."
Brook's two disciples, Borsalino and Kozuki Oden, were both wild in their own ways—one too fiery, the other too carefree. They would have to grow through pain and combat, not lessons.
Meanwhile, Buck had already been charmed by the Golden Lion and assigned to his First Division. His father, Wolf, had been placed under Vegapunk as a research assistant, helping to decipher ancient technology and refine new inventions.
Vegapunk himself had begun to change. His intellect was evolving at an astonishing rate, and even his head seemed to grow taller and larger, like his mind was outgrowing his body. Brook occasionally found it unsettling.
Still, the man was indispensable. Following Brook's vision, Vegapunk had already created two artificial clones to assist in his research. With manpower, funding, and resources at his disposal, his progress accelerated beyond imagination.
After the operation on Minion Island, the golden ship finally left the North Sea behind. No trace of Sakazuki—Brook's elusive target—had been found.
A week later, the Hell Pirates appeared once more—this time over the East Blue.
The Kingdom of Goa, Foosha Village.
The villagers stared in awe as the massive golden vessel glided across the clear sky. Many had believed Brook had long since returned to the New World, but here he was again, traversing the seas as though defying the world itself.
"Are they insane?" one villager murmured. "Aren't they afraid their base will be destroyed while they're gone?"
But Brook had already anticipated such concerns. Under Shiki's control, the key islands of their territory had been relocated to secret positions. Doragonzo Island, once their stronghold, was now merely a decoy—an empty fortress used by minor pirate groups as a front for the Hell Pirates' operations.
Since the two devastating battles involving the ancient weapons, the waters around Doragonzo Island had become unnaturally calm. Few dared to enter, fearing death from unseen forces.
And with the World Government occupied fighting the mad dog Rocks Pirates in the New World, none dared to provoke Brook again. Everyone knew what would happen if they did.
High above, the golden ship cast its shadow across the peaceful landscape of Foosha Village.
The windmills turned lazily in the sea breeze, their rhythmic creaking echoing across the fields. The world still slumbered in innocence.
Here, long before legends were born, the boy who would become Monkey D. Luffy had not yet taken his first breath. The man who would one day become Dragon, leader of the Revolutionary Army, was just a small child, his hair still soft and thin.
[TL: You can also check out my newly released fanfic, Bleach: Ichigo Takes Over the Soul Society – just visit my profile if you want to read it.]
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