Brook silently paid his respects to the ship's cabin, bowing his head as a farewell gesture on behalf of Brook to his former crewmates.
He gathered the last remaining food, fresh water, and any valuables or Belly he could find. Grabbing his cane sword, he gave it a few swings. It wasn't exactly his style, but with Brook's memories now fused into his own, it remained his strongest weapon for the time being.
He executed a few flourishes before stabbing forward. The blade pierced through the ship's railing, leaving a frost-coated hole in its wake. It was a thin rapier, more suited for thrusting, whereas he preferred slashing techniques. He made a mental note to replace it when given the chance.
Continuing his practice, he ran through the techniques stored in his memory, ensuring he wouldn't fumble in a real battle.
Everything about this world was astonishing—coming from an ordinary one to this high-fantasy realm of warriors and magic. Swinging his sword unleashed icy energy and ghostly aura, sensations so exhilarating that he couldn't stop. He practiced relentlessly until exhaustion set in.
Once he had fully regained proficiency in Brook's techniques, he began experimenting with attacks infused with the power of the underworld. He also tested his physical limits—was he, like Brook, truly immortal?
To find out, Brook made a small cut on his arm. As expected, the underworld energy enveloped the wound, healing it instantly. Incredible. The only downside was the energy consumption—it drained him significantly, making him feel fatigued. He needed to replenish his stamina to maintain his body's integrity.
It was eerily similar to Marco's Phoenix Fruit regeneration!
This would be his ultimate survival ability. But one question lingered—if his head were severed, could he reattach it like Brook? He wasn't about to test that theory. Some things were better left unproven—especially when failure meant instant death.
...
The Rumbar Pirates' ship was far too large for one person to operate alone. Brook had no choice but to abandon it, lowering a small lifeboat—one of the emergency landing crafts.
Without hesitation, he left the ship behind. He wasn't sure why, in the original timeline, Brook had chosen to stay. Perhaps his heart had died along with his crewmates, unable to accept reality. Maybe it was the unbreakable bonds of friendship.
But none of that concerned Brook.
From this moment on, in the world of pirates, only "Brook" would exist. He would remain hidden deep within.
...
Brook checked the Log Pose on his wrist and began rowing in the indicated direction. After searching the entire ship, he found no Eternal Pose—what a useless crew. No wonder they never even made it to the New World.
The standard Log Pose had only one needle, pointing towards the next island after it had fully recorded its magnetic field. In contrast, New World Log Poses had three needles, each pointing toward a different island. The more stable the needle, the safer the route. The more it trembled, the more unstable and dangerous the path.
While Brook could technically survive without food, doing so would put him in a dormant state. In that condition, he could barely move and certainly couldn't grow stronger.
Only by consuming high-quality food and absorbing its energy could he continue training and evolving. That explained why he had remained stagnant for over thirty years in the Florian Triangle.
Technically speaking, Brook was already thirty-eight years old—a seasoned veteran by pirate standards. He, in his previous life, had been in his twenties. His daily routine had consisted of work, editing videos, and watching anime. But thanks to that, he had an in-depth understanding of One Piece's story.
The current year was Sea Circle Calendar 1470.
At this time, Charlotte Linlin was merely a sixteen-year-old pirate, wandering the New World with her head chef, Streusen, in search of the missing Mother Carmel, whose fate remained unknown.
After destroying Elbaf as a child, Linlin had been issued a bounty of fifty million Belly right out of the gate. In just a few short years, she had already carved a fearsome reputation in the New World, with her bounty skyrocketing to five hundred million Belly.
Right now, Linlin was already a fearsome pirate with a bounty exceeding 500 million berries.
Gol D. Roger, at 25 years old, was still just a rising star in the Grand Line—an up-and-coming adventurer known for his relentless pursuit of Poneglyphs and the thrill of exploration.
Edward Newgate, only 22, was still a member of some pirate crew, his future uncertain. It was unclear whether he had already obtained the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
Meanwhile, the infamous Rocks was rapidly expanding his territory, recruiting new crew members in droves. His ambition knew no bounds as he waged war against the great pirate crews of the New World, marking the beginning of an era of fierce competition.
Newcomers like Golden Lion Shiki, Silver Axe, Ochoku, Captain John, Bundy Walde, and Ibadanbo were making their way into the New World—some of whom would eventually fall under Rocks' command.
...
Brook rowed forward, his bony hands gripping the oars tightly. His gaze remained sharp, scanning the waters below with wary eyes, half-expecting a massive Sea King to emerge and swallow his tiny boat whole.
In truth, marine life was relatively scarce in the Florian Triangle. The perpetual darkness robbed the waters of sunlight, killing off algae and disrupting the entire food chain, making survival conditions harsh.
Not to mention, the eerie chill of ghostly energy radiating from Brook's skeletal form made him nearly undetectable to sea creatures lurking below.
"Just how long is this going to take?!" Brook grumbled. He had been rowing through this accursed darkness for an entire day and night, and still, there was no sign of the sun. A place this bleak and lifeless could drive anyone mad.
Though he was naturally reclusive, that was under the condition that he at least had a computer, a phone, and an internet connection.
By now, he was undoubtedly stronger than the Brook from the original story. After all, he had taken the initiative to absorb far more energies than before.
If not for his limited food supply and dwindling energy reserves, he would have already unleashed a flurry of bizarre and extravagant techniques just to entertain himself during this monotonous journey.
Brook kept rowing. Finally, he noticed the thick fog beginning to thin, and the sky growing lighter.
He was almost out.
Excitement surged through him, and he hastened his strokes, propelling the small boat toward the first rays of sunlight he had seen in ages.
"The world of One Piece... here I come!"
As he broke free from the mist, the vast expanse of the deep blue sea stretched endlessly before him. The gentle warmth of the sun bathed his bones, sending a shiver of exhilaration through him. His hands trembled slightly on the oars.
But soon, the thrill faded.
The sea was still the sea.
He had merely rowed from a land of thick fog into one bathed in sunlight—yet he was still stuck in an endless cycle of rowing.
Splash!
A sudden noise in the distance startled Brook. His hollow eye sockets widened as he saw a small Sea King leap out of the water, snatching up its prey in one swift motion. He tensed immediately—after all, the Grand Line was filled with dangers.
Without hesitation, he unsheathed his cane sword, the chilling aura of Revive-Revive Fruit energy enveloping the blade. He stood ready to strike at a moment's notice. But after waiting for several tense moments with no further movement, he had no choice but to resume rowing, swiftly steering toward the direction indicated by his Log Pose.
Hours passed.
Then, suddenly, in the distance, he spotted a column of smoke rising into the sky.
He could hear the faint rumble of cannon fire.
Have I finally found people?
Though it was likely a battle—whether between the Marines and pirates, or a skirmish between rival pirate crews—it didn't matter. Brook was determined to check it out.
As he drew closer, the details of the two ships became clearer.
One flew a black flag adorned with a skull.
The other bore a beautifully designed seagull emblem—it looked like a merchant ship.