Brook stepped aside as Byrnndi World's scarlet eyes slowly cleared. His gaze locked onto four of his officers, each bound in Seastone handcuffs. Fury surged as he turned to Brook, only to realize he, too, was drained—Seastone cuffs nullified his More-More Fruit powers.
"World, calm down!" Byojack's voice cut through. "We're out of options. Your call decides our fate. Our lives are in your hands. If you choose death, we'll die with you. But if you join the Hell Pirates, we'll follow you—loyal to the end, no shame, no betrayal!"
Byojack knew his headstrong brother feared nothing, not even death. But World's strength was also his weakness: loyalty to his crew. Forcing him to weigh their lives might cool his temper and make him think clearly about their future.
World fell silent, his trembling fists betraying the storm inside. As captain of the World Pirates, he usually left decisions to Byojack, focusing solely on fighting and charging headlong into battle. Now, tasked with deciding the fate of his entire crew, he felt lost. Surrendering stung his pride, and death didn't scare him—but letting his loyal officers die for his stubbornness? That was a weight he couldn't bear. What right did he have to seal their fates?
"Yohohoho! I'm inviting you aboard, World, not chaining you up like some slave. What's with all this overthinking?" Brook's skeletal grin widened. "Prove your loyalty and strength, and you could lead your own ship like Golden Lion Shiki—a Division Commander with your own crew. Or what, you think you're too proud for that? Got Conqueror's Haki to match Redfield, Whitebeard, or Shiki?"
Brook's tone danced between respect and mockery.
"The chance is yours—your brother begged for it. Don't waste it, Byrnndi World!"
His words hit hard, forcing World to face reality: the Hell Pirates didn't need him. They had stronger officers already.
"Enough!" World took a deep breath, his voice steadying. "I'll join you, but you don't break us up. I want the World Pirates to stay together as an allied crew under the Hell Pirates, like Edward's bunch. I won't give up being a captain."
He couldn't abandon his promise to Byojack, his frail older brother, to sail the world together. Staying a captain gave him the freedom to keep that vow. An allied crew wouldn't be at the Hell Pirates' core, but it would carry Brook's flag. As long as the Hell Pirates stood, the World Pirates would follow his orders.
"Yohohoho! Deal!" Brook laughed. "Let's head back and build you a new ship!"
...
The Seastone cuffs came off, and a subtle shift settled over World and his crew—a faint thread of respect and obedience toward Brook. Their old ship, however, was gone, reduced to ashes by Charlotte Linlin's flames.
The group followed Brook back to Elan Island, docking at the Golden Ark's base. This time, Brook's personal mission had snagged a powerful allied crew. If Rocks heard about this, he'd probably turn green with envy—or red with rage!
The two CP spies embedded in World's crew didn't fare so well. Linlin and World dispatched them with prejudice. World's hatred for the World Government deepened—three spies planted in his crew? The nerve!
The World Pirates' official addition bolstered the Hell Pirates' ranks, adding another raiding crew to Brook's arsenal.
...
Back on Elan Island, a new ship was quickly prepared, flying the Hell Pirates' flag alongside the World Pirates' old banner. But Brook kept World and his crew on the Golden Ark for special training, focusing on Armament and Observation Haki—especially the rare Ryuo technique—to elevate them from supernova status to true pirate legends.
Meanwhile, Brook loaned out Gairam, the Cube-Cube Man, to Dr. Vegapunk. Under the scientist's lead, Gairam began the grueling task of reshaping the Golden Ark according to intricate blueprints.
...
Inside the captain's room on the Golden Ark, Brook leaned back, eyeing World with a playful smirk.
"An Octopus Siren Mythical Zoan Fruit for your brother? World, you've got some guts asking for that when you haven't earned a single merit!"
Despite being under Brook's control, World retained his free will and hadn't forgotten Byojack's frail condition.
"I'll follow your orders to the end," World said earnestly. "Anything you need, I'll do. And I'll bring back Devil Fruits worth more than you can imagine."
He'd heard about Dawei's Octopus Siren Fruit and its insane regenerative powers. If Byojack ate it, he could not only live like a normal man but become stronger than ever.
Brook's empty eye sockets gleamed.
"You know, if I gave that fruit to someone with real talent, I'd have a top-tier officer on my hands. Your brother's too weak—it'd be a waste. Prove your worth, and maybe I'll consider it. Work hard, and I'll hold onto that fruit for you… for now."
Classic capitalist Brook, dangling a carrot while cracking the whip. World's ambition and loyalty were perfect fuel—a promising seedling, ripe for cultivation. A leek seedling, perhaps, ready to be harvested.
"I get it," World said, turning to leave. "Next up, taking down other supernovas or big-shot pirates? Capturing Devil Fruits? I'm on it. Just keep that Octopus Siren Fruit for a year or two. I'll rack up enough merits to earn it."
He headed off to train with Sebastian, the fishman giant, focusing on mastering Ryuo Haki—a skill rare even in the New World.
Sebastian was no slouch himself. In the original tale, decades later, he'd lose his sight to an enemy but hone his Observation Haki to a razor's edge, strong enough to tangle with Straw Hat Luffy and the Pirate Empress before falling. Among fishmen, he was a force to be reckoned with.
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+300 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg