As a cunning overlord, Vesper had a knack for keeping his cool. He quickly reined in his Conqueror's Haki, restoring an eerie calm to the room. But the deaths of Orion and his crew still gnawed at him, souring his mood.
He barked a few orders to his subordinates, then dragged the Vivre Cards keeper out of the room. With Vesper's overwhelming aura gone, Amber could finally step inside.
Her heart raced. She'd only threatened Vesper with their unborn child to save her brother, a reckless move born of desperation. Sure, Shirokiri, the young heir, had stepped in, but Amber could feel his attitude shift from indifference to disgust. If not for the baby, she was certain her so-called fiancé would've cut her down after their brief fling!
"So, Amber, was it? Sorry if I spooked you. That was just a little discipline for your brother. From now on, you and him will live in my palace. My people will take good care of you!"
Vesper had planned to marry Shirokiri off to Amber, but this fiasco changed everything. Why bother arranging a future for two people who'd be dead in seven or eight months? Let them enjoy their final days in comfort.
"Thank you, Vesper-sama!"
Amber's voice dripped with gratitude, but as a Sea King descendant, she was a master of deception—lying came as naturally as breathing. She wasn't fooled by Vesper's sudden kindness. She knew exactly what he and his son were planning.
Regret hit her like a tidal wave. Without her idiot brother, she might've won Vesper's favor and earned Shirokiri's respect. Now, because of him, both father and son wanted her dead. What a colossal mistake! If she could turn back time, she'd pretend she didn't even know the fool!
What now? Abort the child? That'd be a death sentence for her and her brother—maybe even her entire race. Was her only option to cling to life until the baby was born?
Amber cursed her luck. Her shot at greatness had slipped through her fingers, replaced by a checkmate.
"Look, Vesper-sama, I'm not that close with Albert," she said, desperate to salvage her image. "I spoke out of turn earlier, caught up in the moment. If he's done something wrong, please punish him according to the Pirate Code!"
She knew Vesper valued the Pirate Code and leaned into it, hoping to shake off the suffocating threat hanging over her. If she couldn't save herself, she'd rather go down with her child than let Vesper and Shirokiri win.
"Relax, Amber. Just enjoy life. You're part of the family now," Vesper said, sensing her desperation. He could tell she'd picked up on his intentions. For the sake of his unborn grandchild, he might actually spare her.
After all, Shirokiri grew up without a mother, which twisted him into the mess he was today. If Amber played her cards right, Vesper wouldn't mind giving his grandkid a shot at a proper childhood.
"Thank you, Vesper-sama!"
The oppressive tension eased, and Amber relaxed slightly. Her natural sensitivity to danger had saved her time and again, and it was working now.
...
After settling Amber, Vesper stopped Shirokiri, who was itching to hit the seas.
"Orion and the others are dead, and you're still thinking about gallivanting? Can't you take this seriously? The Vesper Pirates are on the brink of collapse—do you even get that?"
Vesper glared at his son, frustration boiling over. He'd already decided: once his grandchild was born, he'd disband the Vesper Pirates and retire to the Four Seas. He couldn't carry the crew anymore, but Amber's pregnancy offered a glimmer of a fallback plan.
"What?!"
Shirokiri's jaw dropped. Just last week, he was drinking with Orion. Now, he was gone?
Ignoring his deadbeat son, Vesper called an urgent meeting of the Vesper Pirates. The crew was at a breaking point, and they still didn't know who was behind the attack.
Who else could it be but the Rocks Pirates or the Hell Pirates? Or had the Umi Family defected to the World Government? Were the Marines and CP agents responsible?
...
High above, in the massive laboratory on Golden Island atop Skypiea, Orion's Wind Fruit had been successfully extracted. Qilin Lion devoured the fruit, becoming the island's new powerhouse.
Even Kaido watched enviously as his seniors, nearly all Devil Fruit users, flexed their abilities. He'd give anything to be like Memory Seahorse, bold enough to tell Brook,
"I don't care about Zoan types—give me a Mythical Zoan Octopus Siren Fruit!"
Orion, Anman, and Wilanyu's bodies had been "processed," preserved by Vegapunk for the eventual arrival of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit.
"Brook, the news article you wanted is polished and ready. Take a look!"
Now that Mortomas' Economic News Agency was based in Skypiea, getting to Brook was a breeze.
Polar Organization Leader: Ben Laden Claims Responsibility for Killing Orion and Others of the Vesper Pirates! They Will Continue Targeting Major Pirates and Corrupt Marines with Suicide Attacks! May World Peace Prevail!
Brook skimmed the article, noting the cover photo of a bearded man wielding a cutting-edge firearm.
The world wouldn't know if this "Ben Laden" was real, but the news was out, and some would buy it. The article even included staged photos of Polar Organization members posing with Orion's crew for extra credibility.
This stunt was sure to put the Polar Organization on the map. Taking on an overlord pirate crew? That's no small-time operation!
The Economic News Agency followed up with a clever disclaimer, claiming the Polar Organization had kidnapped a dozen of their correspondents, forcing them to publish the headline. They begged readers to forgive the "false reporting" for the sake of the journalists' lives.
The ploy only made the Polar Organization seem more real.
Brook even placed a condolence call via Den Den Mushi to Vesper, expressing sorrow over Orion and his crew's deaths.
Vesper wasn't entirely sure who was behind the attack, but after seeing the Economic News Agency's report, he was nearly certain Brook was the culprit. He'd long known the agency was under Brook's control. The fake sympathy call nearly gave him a stroke!
But he couldn't confront Brook outright. Without Amber's pregnancy, he might've declared war on the spot. For now, he needed the Hell Pirates' strength to counter the Rocks Pirates, ensuring a stable year for his grandchild's birth.
In the end, Vesper and Brook reaffirmed their alliance in a vague, half-hearted exchange, each fully aware of the other's game.
...
When Vesper hung up the Den Den Mushi, his rage shook all of Madagascar Island. Meanwhile, Brook was dumbfounded—had he actually fooled the old fox Vesper?
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+300 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg