News of the Vesper Pirates losing several key lieutenants spread like wildfire across the New World. Even Rocks, the untouchable titan, couldn't help but consider striking at Vesper's weakened crew. But his own territory was a mess—too chaotic to make a move. He shelved the idea, frustration gnawing at him.
What was this mysterious "Polar Organization"? Rocks had no clue, but he did know about the "Rocks Fan Club" dogging his every step, leaking his location to the world. Damn those Seagull News Birds and their spying! His plan to personally hunt Devil Fruit users was in tatters, forcing him to send his crew to round up ability users within his territory instead.
Facing a shortage of fighters, Rocks envied Brook's strategy: openly recruiting elite warriors and doling out Devil Fruits like candy. For the first time, he realized the value of an intelligence network and a news agency. Ever since he'd ordered his crew to shoot down those Seagull News Birds, the Rocks Pirates had been cut off from newspapers. Even the World Government's Peace Dove News Birds rarely ventured into the New World.
The mightiest crew in the seas had become blind, forced to rob papers just to stay informed. Rich as he was, Rocks couldn't even buy a newspaper! His intel now came from secret agents, and his crew had to snatch papers daily on a schedule. It was humiliating—how had Brook outmaneuvered him like this?
Over the past two years, relentless wars had bloated Rocks' territory beyond what he could defend. His first clash with the Vesper Pirates years ago cost him dearly, spawning three pretender overlords in the chaos. Within two years, countless battles had wiped out the original Ice Demon Pirates and those upstarts, only for the Hell Pirates to rise as a new powerhouse.
Rocks realized his sprawling empire lacked the depth of Brook's crew. Brook's territory was smaller, sure, but his top lieutenants were numerous, fierce, and armed with infuriatingly versatile Devil Fruits that made Rocks jealous.
Vesper's crew was showing cracks, doomed to collapse within two years, Rocks reckoned. Even if he didn't act, the Hell Pirates would finish them off. But a victorious Hell Pirates might outshine even his own crew. Rocks trusted his own strength, but his subordinates couldn't match Brook's four monstrous fighters—each wielding Conqueror's Haki. How could he compete with that?
A wild thought crossed his mind: ally with Vesper to crush the Hell Pirates. Absurd! Rocks scoffed at his own fleeting weakness. If his crew couldn't cut it, he'd rely on himself. He dove back into training, vowing to master all three Haki types and his Devil Fruit to become the undisputed king of the New World!
...
Days passed, and Brook noticed neither Rocks nor Vesper made a move. Time for the next step.
The Hell Pirates set their sights on raiding islands in the Grand Line again. With the Wind-Wind Fruit in their arsenal, travel would be faster than ever. This time, they traveled light, leaving their golden island behind and sailing aboard the Golden Ark, slipping out quietly. Sparks flew, lightning crackled, and the ship roared through the skies!
Charlotte Linlin and Redfield's thunder-and-fire boosts, paired with Golden Lion Shiki and Qilin Lion's weightless floating and wind propulsion, turned the journey into a high-speed thrill ride. The crew whooped, reveling in the rush of soaring through the clouds.
"Hell yeah, this is the life!"
If the Golden Ark weren't at risk of buckling under the strain, they'd have pushed it even faster, chasing the ultimate speed high.
"Captain Brook," Fishman Tom piped up, "the Golden Ark needs an overhaul. Its shape's outdated. I'm thinking we streamline it for speed. When we hit Sky Island, I'll team up with Dr. Vegapunk to draft a new design!"
Tom saw the ship's limits— it couldn't keep up with the Hell Pirates' ambitions. An upgrade was overdue.
"Sounds good, Tom," Brook replied. "Make it tough as nails. If it's not cutting it, build a new high-speed ship from Adam Wood and lightweight alloys. Vegapunk should be close to cracking those Moon People's lightning storage tech, right?"
Brook grinned, thankful for his crew's talent pool. The world's greatest shipwright and scientist joining forces? The Hell Pirates' new ship would be a game-changer.
No more chasing gaudy gold aesthetics—just a fortress of a warship, built to withstand their Devil Fruit-powered speed and claim the title of the fastest vessel in the world.
"Got it, Captain!" Tom said, already sketching designs in his mind. This would be a shipbuilding milestone, maybe not a Pluton but a legend in its own right.
...
Their target: Merveille. Its IQ plants could supercharge animal evolution, granting abilities like lightning or fire. A researcher's dream! Brook's crew couldn't resist.
The island was also home to the winged Merveille's human, perfect for Brook's Whole Cake Island plan to unite diverse races. Flying scouts? A true air force? The potential was too good to pass up.
If Vegapunk could perfect an IQ-based evolution drug, Qilin Lion, Memory Seahorse, and Parrot could gain lightning or fire powers—rivaling Devil Fruits! And if Vegapunk cracked a version that worked on humans, Brook would hit the jackpot, outclassing Caesar's shoddy artificial Devil Fruits.
Even if it only worked on animals, Brook had his low-budget Zoro clones—a baboon army—plus his Kung-Fu Dugong squad and beasts from Treasure Island and Merveille. Imagine entire legions with unique powers: a Flame Baboon Army, a Lightning Dugong Army. The thought sent a shiver of excitement down his spine.
Merveille was still a primitive island. The Merveille's human lived a simple farming life, rising with the sun and resting at dusk. IQ plants kept the island's ferocious beasts evolving, but the tribe relied on toxic Daft Green trees to repel them. The trees' scent drove beasts away without affecting humans.
Villages planted Daft Green trees for protection, but long-term exposure poisoned the tribe, causing illness. IQ plants doubled as their antidote. Every so often, men ventured out to gather these plants, a tradition sustaining their survival for centuries.
That day, the arrival of a golden airship shattered the island's tranquility...
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+300 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg