When something feels off in the New World, it usually means trouble is brewing.
The Rocks Pirates had suffered a humiliating blow from the Navy—but they hadn't retaliated. Not yet. And that alone sent shivers down the spines of pirates and admirals alike.
Even Brook found it suspicious.
The Marines had fully braced themselves for a brutal counterattack, fortifying their defensive lines across the New World. But instead of retaliation, Rocks and his crew vanished into silence, retreating to their base on Hachinosu—Hive Island. No movements. No missions. Not even a whisper.
It had been weeks.
Still, the three Admirals remained on high alert in the New World, refusing to return to Marineford. Their presence created a power vacuum across the seas, but none dared to pull out first.
However, even an iron grip can't last forever.
Marineford still needed one Admiral present at all times—both for internal affairs and to answer the ever-arrogant Celestial Dragons at Sabaody Archipelago. With tension stretching thin, the Navy would eventually be forced to recall one of its top dogs.
And Brook was already planning for what came next.
Above Kuri Province, on the golden island floating above Haikdou Castle, the Hell Pirates made preparations to depart. Brook had anticipated Rocks' hesitation and decided it was time to resume his campaign.
Their next stop: Elbaf—the land of giants.
Their objective: steal the last of the Gungnir Sacred Steel.
Brook grinned to himself. "Now that the Navy's stuck watching Rocks, there's no way they'll send a fleet to help the giants. If they start a war on two fronts, the whole chessboard will collapse. Nobody walks away unscathed."
Meanwhile, poor Kozuki Oden remained trapped in Wano Country.
He still hadn't found a way into the Shogun's treasury, blocked by his father's relentless defenses. Just ten years old, Oden was strong, but he wasn't strong enough—not yet.
When he finally heard that Brook had already left again, his frustration boiled over.
"That stingy old man! This damn master of mine! You both suck!"
He cursed them both in a fury. But before he could storm off and set something on fire, Hyogoro appeared with a message from Brook.
"He says he'll be back soon, young master. He believes in you. Finish the mission."
Oden's anger deflated like a balloon.
"…Tch. Fine. Then I'll figure out how to bust into that damn vault. Just you wait!"
Meanwhile, Brook's real reason for returning would be the next phase of his sword upgrade. After acquiring another massive batch of Gungnir Sacred Steel, he planned to completely reforge his signature Seven-Star Sword into a quasi-artifact—something just shy of the legendary treasures like Elbaf's own mythical Spear of Gungnir.
The Hell Pirates' flying fleet once again descended upon Elbaf with overwhelming force, soaring straight into the heart of the Giant Kingdom—the Titan King's City.
Golden Lion Shiki, ever the showman, floated an entire island above the city, casting a massive shadow over its citizens. He was more than ready to drop it if things didn't go their way.
King Odin, watching this unfold from his palace, looked like he'd bitten into a cactus.
These pirates weren't like the last generation of Overlords.
They could fly.
They could drop islands.
And they came with no patience.
"Brook. We need to talk. Now!" Odin growled through a Den Den Mushi call. "This endless conflict won't benefit either of us!"
He knew Elbaf would only suffer if this war continued. Their plan to restore the dwindling giant population couldn't afford more bloodshed—especially not against monsters like the Hell Pirates.
Brook answered calmly, but his voice was cold as frost.
"Yohoho~ Odin, you were the one who called the Navy last time, weren't you? That wasn't very honorable. If I'd known, I would've burned Chital alive and melted down Kratos' Axe of War!"
His tone sharpened. "Are you ready to see Titan King City reduced to rubble?"
The threat hung in the air like the island above them.
Odin clenched his fists. He had been in the wrong, yes. But he wasn't about to roll over.
"Say your terms, Brook. Otherwise, we abandon this island, and Elbaf fights the Hell Pirates to the death!"
Brook smirked.
"You're bluffing. If you were serious, you would've attacked the moment we arrived. You called me because you're still willing to negotiate."
"Fine," Odin snapped. "What do you want?"
"I want all of the remaining Gungnir Sacred Steel powder in your vaults," Brook said without hesitation. "And if you still want to do business with the Hell Pirates, you'd better make your answer count."
Odin's jaw tightened. Last time, Brook had taken half the Gungnir reserves. Now he wanted everything?
"If we still had that much steel, we could've forged another Axe of the God of War!" Odin growled. "You want to strip us bare?!"
Brook chuckled. "We both know war is costly. But trade? That's profitable."
He paused.
"From now on, hand over all control of Adam Woods shipments to the Hell Pirates. We'll be your exclusive supplier. Whatever you need, we'll find it. You want the sea's rarest goods? We'll deliver them—for the right price."
Odin's eye twitched.
Brook wasn't just threatening military force—he was using economic warfare.
He wanted to take over Doflamingo's black market role, but unlike Doflamingo, Brook couldn't walk in both worlds. After all, he'd murdered Celestial Dragons. No World Government ally dared trade with him.
But Elbaf? They were independent.
And desperate.
"As I said last time," Odin muttered darkly, "we'll form a private agreement. The giants who wish to become pirates can join you freely. But in return… the Hell Pirates are never allowed to set foot in Elbaf again."
Brook tilted his head. "Yohoho~ A fair deal. But just to confirm—after I take the Gungnir Steel, you won't try to drive off Hell Giant Soldier Castle, will you?"
Odin froze.
Brook smiled wider. "Even if we don't enter the capital, we can build our fortress at the gate. From there, we'll monopolize Adam Wood shipping. We'll dominate Elbaf's economy. All without stepping foot on sacred soil."
A brutal truth lingered behind the words.
War wasn't always fought with swords.
Sometimes it was fought with trade, threats, influence—and patience.
Brook understood this. Victory didn't always require blood. And casualties weren't worth it when the game could be won through leverage.
"You think this is over?" Odin muttered.
Brook's voice came through, low and calm.
"As long as we aren't heroes blessed by fate… we have to choose our battles wisely. No one's safe in every war."
Even Brook—one of the most feared pirates in the world—knew the sea was cruel and unpredictable.
-----------------
On this day, even the mightiest nation in the world—the Elbaf Giant Kingdom—was forced to yield before the dominance of the New World's overlords: the Hell Pirates.
King Odin had no choice but to sign a secret cooperation pact with Brook. It marked the first time Elbaf had ever aligned with a pirate force. The once-exclusive Giant Village began to rebuild, now establishing formal trade with Hell Giant Soldier City—Elbaf's growing rival.
Meanwhile, the Hell Pirates made an even bolder move.
The port of Dorn, once under the firm grip of the World Government, was abruptly taken over. Elbaf's wealth of resources, long untouched and underdeveloped, now drew the attention of Brook's subordinates. Rocky, Touri, and other defected giants brought Hell Pirates' advanced technology to the island, launching mining expeditions to hunt down rare metals akin to Gungnir Sacred Steel.
At the same time, recruitment flyers—yes, actual propaganda—were handed out to young giants across the country. These flyers extolled the might, wealth, and honor of joining the Hell Pirates. Many ambitious youth from outlying giant villages left to join Giant Soldier City, their dreams unknowingly steering them toward becoming future members of the Hell Pirates' crew.
The Navy, aware of the private deal between King Odin and Brook, could only grind their teeth in frustration. All they could do was dispatch a couple of Marine Giant Vice Admirals to win over the villages near Port Dorn that remained aligned with the Navy.
King Odin had no interest in starting a war with either side. Instead, he chose to balance both the military and pirate factions—permitting giants to serve under both banners.
Hell Pirates. Navy. World Government.
All had giants among their ranks now.
---
"Tch… this is so boring," Golden Lion Shiki muttered, arms crossed as he floated above Elbaf in his flying ship. "I was looking forward to smashing something!"
Brook gave a light chuckle. "A full-scale war with the giants would be more trouble than it's worth. Better we end things here."
He turned serious. "Shiki, you and Newgate should take the Adam lumber back to Doragonzo Island. Assist Tom and Vegapunk in building a stealth-model version of Pluton using that wood. Meanwhile, I'll handle the situation in Wano Country with Redfield."
Brook's plans were already moving toward their next stage.
"Gurarara! Finally, we get to show off the power of Third Division!" Whitebeard Newgate bellowed with joy, swinging his supreme-grade blade Kusugawa Kirei over his shoulder.
"I'll take my flying fleet and roam for a while," Shiki added. "But lend me the Lunarian again—those four are damn useful in the air."
Brook nodded. "Fine. Take them. And keep pressure on the pirate gangs causing problems near our borders."
With that, the Hell Pirates split into two contingents.
Shiki and Newgate led the return fleet to Doragonzo Island, hauling back resources and weapons. Meanwhile, Brook boarded the golden ship with Redfield, sniper Hiruba, doctor Crocus, several trusted crew members—and, of course, his women, his daughter Kanna, and his pets.
Kaido, Scaredo, Tiger, and others eagerly chose to follow Shiki. They weren't interested in Wano—battle was all they craved.
---
Back in the Flower Capital, Kozuki Oden was running out of options.
Determined not to miss his chance to set sail, the young samurai traveled to Kuri Province's Haikdou Castle. There, he used his identity as Brook's "cheap disciple" to request assistance from Hyogoro.
And the underworld daimyo delivered.
Smoke bombs. Knockout potions. Weakeners that could sap strength without a sound. All of it, passed discreetly to Oden.
Oden knew he couldn't win against the Oniwabanshu in a frontal assault. But if he wanted to complete his mission… he had to stoop low. A dishonor to the samurai spirit, perhaps—but the dream of the sea was stronger than pride.
Hyogoro even gave him a cask of high-grade offshore sake. "Try to 'improve' your relationship with your father. You might find a good time to slip something in his drink."
"Oh, and one more thing," Hyogoro added with a knowing smirk. "Next time Lord Brook returns, he'll head straight to Bell Queen. He's going to Shimotsuki Kozaburo to have his sword reforged."
"What?! Again? Didn't Master already forge an unbeatable sword last time? Is he… is he planning to forge another supreme blade?!"
Oden was stunned.
Last time, when Kozaburo reforged a sword for Brook, the entire Wano Country was shaken. The blade's power and aura had been compared to the greatest swords in history. Since then, Shimotsuki Kozaburo had been hailed as Wano's number one swordsmith.
If Brook came back for another… his fame would soar even higher—maybe even surpassing Wano's own legendary blacksmiths.
"This time," Hyogoro said quietly, "it's for Brook's personal sword. Once it's done, he might not return to Wano for another year or two."
Oden's jaw tightened. That was all he needed to hear.
"Then I'm going back right now to take those patterned fruits from the old man's stash!"
He stormed off, bag of "tools" in hand, his mind full of schemes.
Hyogoro watched him go, hiding a sly smile. Brook had expressed curiosity about the rumored Devil Fruit locked away in Shogun Sukiyaki's collection. If Oden succeeded in stealing it, Brook might finally get his hands on it.
And if not? Hyogoro already had his eye on a different fruit.
A seemingly unimpressive Devil Fruit that could stretch and lengthen objects. Perfect for extending his beloved blade, Sakura Bone, into a monstrous 40-meter katana—perfect for his unique Flower Sword Style.
It might not be flashy, but it was a gift from Lord Brook. That made it priceless.
Just a few years ago, Hyogoro had been nothing more than a street boss in the Flower Capital. Now, he ruled Kuri Province—the second-largest region in Wano, second only to Hakumai. Kuri was bigger than Usagi, Nozomi, Hanamitsu, and Suzuho combined. Its prosperity had even surpassed Hanamitsu.
He'd climbed to the peak of his life.
And he knew—every step of the way—he was being watched by rivals, envied by samurai, and targeted by those hungry for power.
He trained harder than ever, practicing the Six Styles of martial arts passed down from Brook himself. With mastery of Armament and Observation Haki, he was determined to defend Kuri—and his position—for Lord Brook.
And he would not rest.
"I must find that Devil Fruit," he murmured to himself. "And track down the Witcher."
There were whispers in the ancient scrolls… that Wano's guardian deity, the colossal Ooguchi Shingom, was no beast—but a sorcerer. If the Witchcraft Fruit existed, it would be tied to him.
If Hyogoro could find it… he knew Brook would be pleased.
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