On another island, Charlotte Linlin and Streusen also saw the news about Brook and his bounty.
"Linlin, this Brook is too dangerous! He actually dared to kill a Celestial Dragon! We must not join them—otherwise, we'll be hunted down by the World Government!"
Streusen was panicking. The Hell Pirates now had two major pirates with bounties exceeding 500 million berries, and they had directly angered the Celestial Dragons. This was far beyond what Streusen had planned. He originally intended to use Linlin to eliminate Brook, but now things were looking grim!
Charlotte Linlin carefully examined Brook's latest bounty poster. Was this the man of the rare race that Mama Carmel had wanted her to protect?
Lately, Mama Carmel had contacted her less frequently, telling her to keep an eye on Brook. After all, the old nun was already 90 years old and would soon die of old age.
"Don't say that, Streusen. Aren't we pirates already being hunted by the Navy? If we join Brook and the others, we can grow stronger together and fight back against the Navy!"
Charlotte Linlin was already imagining a powerful family—one where all races could coexist equally in their own country.
"Hurry up and set sail! I want to meet Brook as soon as he enters the New World!"
Linlin was excited. She had spent years wandering around with Streusen, but despite his objections, she had failed to recruit any real companions. As someone who desperately craved companionship, she was tired of this lonely life.
"I understand, Linlin…"
Streusen clenched his fists, his mind clouded with doubt and frustration. He had originally planned to lead Linlin into betraying and killing Brook, but now? It was better to stay as far away as possible from this dangerous man.
With that thought, he quietly adjusted the ship's course, steering them away from their original destination. He was counting on the fact that Linlin, despite her strength, had no real navigation skills.
Meanwhile, Charlotte Linlin remained blissfully unaware, lost in her own fantasies of meeting Brook.
---
On Fish-Man Island
Shakky, who was never short on money, had already bought a ton of Fish-Man Island specialties—whether it was food or clothing—then dumped it all onto Fisher Tiger.
Tiger wanted to say something, but seeing the amount of money she spent in just half a day, he swallowed his words. Were all pirates this rich?!
Shakky casually tossed Tiger 100,000 berries as a "delivery fee," making the poor orphan from Fish-Man Street ecstatic. He could finally buy the leather jacket and pants he had always wanted, along with the mermaid-made desserts he had been craving. The moment he tasted them, he swore it was the sweetest, most delicious food he had ever eaten!
Seeing Tiger nearly tear up in joy, Tom couldn't take it anymore and handed him another 100,000 berries. "Go eat your fill, kid."
Redfield, on the other hand, had picked up two crates of exclusive Fish-Man Island wine, made from the finest mermaid-selected grapes. Even someone as cool and aristocratic as him couldn't resist. He definitely wasn't tempted by the "Mermaid Girl" branding—he just appreciated fine wine that complemented his noble image!
Hiruba grabbed some bubble corals, which could create medium-sized bubble membranes, useful as emergency lifeboats at sea.
Crocus, the ship's doctor, went all out, buying venom from various poisonous Fish-Men—including blue-ringed octopus Fish-Men, stingray Fish-Men, and lionfish Fish-Men—each priced at hundreds or thousands of berries.
Even more Fish-Men and mermaids came forward, eager to sell their venom for some extra cash. Crocus, who had money to spare, happily bought everything, his shelves quickly filling up with colorful toxins.
Antonio, wary of the doctor's growing poison collection, subtly moved away. The sight of so many vials gave him a bad feeling.
Speaking of Antonio, now that he had some money, he couldn't resist buying more Den Den Mushi. His collection was already in the hundreds, but he still enjoyed adding more. If the Hell Pirates weren't so rich, no other crew could afford this kind of luxury. His room was starting to resemble a full-blown surveillance center.
Brook, seeing Antonio's obsession, jokingly named his room "Prism Gate" and gave the leader of his eavesdropping Den Den Mushi an appropriate name—Snowden Den Den Mushi.
With Parrot's ability to communicate with animals, he had now become Antonio's assistant, specifically helping to feed and manage the Den Den Mushi.
Watching the crew burn through money like water, Brook sighed, then strolled into the famous clothing store in Yufuli Villa. He ended up buying dozens of extravagant outfits, spending just under 100 million berries.
While he was at it, he also picked up over a dozen precious and beautifully crafted musical instruments, again keeping his spending under 100 million berries. Truly, there weren't many men as frugal as him.
---
On the Golden Ship, Erebus
When they finally regrouped, everyone returned with arms full of purchases, looking satisfied. But when they saw the huge pile of goods loaded onto the Kirin lion behind Captain Brook, they suddenly felt poor in comparison.
Strongly condemning their captain's extravagant spending, they rushed forward, trying to claim whatever they could use.
Amid the laughter and playful scolding, Fish-Man Tom finished checking the coating on their ship. Everything was in order.
With that, they set sail. The Erebus descended into the deep sea, passing through Fish-Man Island and beginning its ascent toward the New World.
Watching from the island, King Mars and Prince Neptune finally breathed a sigh of relief. These lawless pirates had left without causing trouble.
Not only that, but they had actually boosted the economy of Fish-Man Island, spending no less than 1 billion berries during their short stay.
"They're truly rich pirates… sailing a golden ship…"
---
Arriving in the New World
As they emerged from the deep sea, passing through the massive Red Line gap, the ascent was much faster than the descent.
"Captain Brook… did you see that?"
Redfield's voice carried a rare hint of shock as he gazed at the enormous gap. He could see what looked like massive claw marks. Even with his strong will and Haki, the sight sent chills down his spine.
"There are so many secrets in this world, aren't there? Just waiting for us to uncover them… Hohoho~"
Brook chuckled, but in truth, he felt the same unease.
Who wouldn't be afraid of such a colossal creature? One claw strike could wipe out an entire pirate fleet!
Was this massive gap in the Red Line naturally formed and then expanded by a gigantic Sea King? Or… had a Sea King crashed through it in a single blow?
Brook didn't want to think about it. He was just a weak, helpless, and pitiful living dead—he definitely did not want to meet such a creature.
As they finally surfaced and saw the light of the sea, Brook felt like he had been reborn.
The deep sea was too damn oppressive!
The New World… here we come!
Brook smirked.
Two promising new crew members… are you ready to board our golden ship?
----
The golden ship Erebus burst out of the deep sea, breaking through the surface. The protective coating shattered instantly, vanishing without a trace.
"Ah! So this is the New World? Is the air here filled with freedom and excitement?"
Shakky took in the sight with satisfaction. The New World, a paradise for pirates, was where the Navy's grip was at its weakest. Without constant naval pursuit, it was a land of opportunity—so long as you had the strength to survive the brutal weather and the endless bloodshed between pirates.
Still, freedom here was only relative. Everything depended on strength.
Without hesitation, Shakky pulled out the climate detector she had acquired from the Wetheria, eager to test its accuracy in the unpredictable seas of the New World.
As soon as the device activated, the detection rod—marked with wind and ice patterns—began spinning wildly. Shakky's face tensed. Was this the kind of weather they'd have to face right out the gate?
"Hold off on taking off!" she commanded, stopping Fishman Tom and Redfield before they could activate the launch device. "There's a storm coming—along with massive hail! If we launch now, we'll be flying straight into death! Turn the ship north and activate the wind shells at the rear!"
Tom, ever the skilled shipwright, immediately yanked the rudder hard to the side, activating the wind jets for a quick escape. Meanwhile, Brook and Redfield braced themselves, keeping a sharp eye on the sky for any sudden changes.
Sniper Hiruba adjusted the shoulder-mounted cannon he had specially modified, preparing for the possibility of legendary hailstones—ones rumored to be the size of houses.
Meanwhile, ship doctor Crocus and intelligence officer Antonio wasted no time retreating to the cabin.
"We're non-combatants," Crocus muttered. "The job of keeping the ship in one piece is the captain's problem."
Antonio nodded in agreement, vanishing inside.
Standing on deck, Fisher Tiger watched the skies with excitement. It was his first real voyage across the sea, and he had never witnessed the infamous storms of the New World firsthand. To him, hail and storms sounded thrilling—nothing to be afraid of!
That was until he saw it.
From the east, massive hailstones, as large as entire houses, rained down from the sky, smashing into the sea with the force of bombs. The impact sent waves towering dozens of meters into the air.
Tiger clenched his fist. Could I break one of those with my strongest thousand-watt punch?
The answer? It'd be tough.
Thankfully, Erebus had already sped ahead, escaping the densest part of the storm. The scattered hail that did come their way was swiftly handled—Brook and Redfield slicing them apart with precise sword strikes.
Hiruba's shoulder cannon proved just as effective, blasting apart the falling ice into harmless shards before they could reach the ship.
Once they finally escaped the hailstorm, the weather changed again—this time to an unbearable, blistering heat. The deep blue sky was completely cloudless, and the sun burned down relentlessly.
Brook immediately fled to the cabin to avoid roasting under the sun.
For Tiger, however, this was a moment of triumph. The sun. He had dreamt of basking under its warmth ever since he was a child. This was the first time in his life he could truly stand in the sunlight.
The excitement didn't last.
Within minutes, his already reddish skin turned even redder, and a burning sensation spread across his body. He was sunburnt.
Everyone watched in silence.
"...Damn," Tiger muttered, rubbing his arm.
Without a word, Tom walked over, dragged him back into the cabin, and tossed him a small bottle of sunscreen.
"Next time, use this," Tom said flatly.
Some lessons had to be learned the hard way.
Finally, Erebus entered calmer waters. The crew settled into their usual routines—training, studying, or just handling ship duties.
---
While scanning the skies, Shakky spotted a news bird circling above. Recognizing it as one of her trained seagull messengers, she waved it down.
With a generous hand, she pulled out several 10,000-berry bills and bought every single newspaper the bird carried.
Even though the bird belonged to her, paying was necessary—without proper transactions, the messenger wouldn't be able to report back. As a small extra, Shakky offered the bird a piece of fruit.
The bird, ever professional, refused.
With a sharp squawk, it took the money and immediately flew off.
"Let me be the first to refuse suspicious food," it seemed to say.
Shakky flipped open the papers.
And then—
"AHHHH!"
Her sudden outburst caught everyone's attention.
"Captain Brook!!! A new bounty list is out!!"
The crew instantly crowded around.
Shakky skimmed through the wanted posters, stopping at her own bounty—50 million berries.
She smiled smugly. "Not bad! At least the Navy caught my best angle."
Her expression soured immediately as she read her nickname.
"Little Girl Who Extorts Money."
Her hands trembled. "Does the Navy seriously not have anyone with a talent for naming?"
Hell Beauty.
Black-Haired Witch.
Demon Mistress.
Any of those would've been fine! But this?!
Brook flipped through the bounty pages as well, raising an eyebrow at the latest news article.
"Huh... So I freed the slaves, did I?" he mused. "News to me."
"Captain, you're up to 600 million berries!" Tiger shouted, stunned by the sheer number of zeroes. "And Brother Redfield has 550 million! That's insane!"
Tom whistled, carefully tucking away his own wanted poster. "I got 100 million berries. Guess that makes me a Supernova, huh?"
He had already decided—his bounty poster was going on his bedroom wall.
Meanwhile, Antonio rummaged through the stack of papers, his expression growing darker by the second.
"Where's mine?" he muttered. He flipped through every page. "Where the hell is my bounty?!"
Even the Kirin Lion had a bounty of 1 million berries!
But Antonio?
Not. A. Single. Berry.
His eye twitched. "I was Captain Brook's first crewmember… So why don't I even have a bounty of 100 berries?!"
Brook patted him on the shoulder. "Be grateful. You're our secret weapon. If you don't have a bounty, the World Government won't be hunting you down. That's a good thing."
Tiger nodded. "Yeah, Brother Antonio, I don't have a bounty either! We'll be famous one day!"
It was slightly odd that the massive, muscular Tiger was calling the skinny Antonio "big brother," but nobody questioned it.
Antonio sighed dramatically, turning away. "Fine. I accept my fate."
He trudged toward the cabin, hands behind his back, looking every bit like a man who had lost all hope.
Then, suddenly—
"Captain Brook!!"
Antonio sprinted back onto the deck, looking completely different from a moment ago.
"It's bad! According to the feedback from Den Den Mushi No. 43, the signal is getting farther and farther away from us!"
Brook's expression darkened.
"Streusen " he muttered.
The bastard must have changed course, taking Charlotte Linlin in another direction.
"Like hell I'm letting my golden goose escape."
Brook cracked his knuckles, determination burning in his eyes.
"We wake her up. Immediately."
---
Meanwhile, Edward Newgate sat on a nearby island, waiting.
He had no intention of reaching out to Brook.
Instead, he would wait for the Hell Pirates to come to him.
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