If Rocks truly couldn't control himself and chose to clash with Brook, then the Navy's scheme would succeed perfectly. Without the Hell Pirates by his side, what could Rocks possibly use to resist the full might of Marine Headquarters?
For the first time in years, Brook felt the initiative slipping from his grasp.
If Rocks demanded he hand over Devil Fruits—treasures Brook had already consumed—then the situation could spiral out of control. But Brook would never spit out what he had eaten. Never.
And now the irony stung. It was Brook protecting the Rocks Pirates from total destruction, not the other way around. The alliance that had once been forged out of mutual survival was turning into a noose.
If Rocks grew restless, if he chose to sever ties—or worse, declare war on the Hell Pirates—then Brook would have no choice but to cast him aside. At that point, the Hell Pirates' strategy would shift from patient survival to ruthless conquest. They would carve their empire with blood, let their overlord-level cadres mature through ceaseless war, and rise as the true rulers of the New World.
Brook weighed these paths carefully, but his thoughts were interrupted by the shrill ring of his private Den Den Mushi—the one only Rocks could reach.
Brook lifted the receiver lazily. "Yohoho~. Rocks, what's the matter?"
The reply was a snarl. "Brook, stop playing dumb! You were the one who swallowed those Devil Fruits for yourself!"
Brook chuckled coldly. "Rocks, you're letting the Navy whisper in your ear. They're spouting nonsense—hundreds of billions in treasure, dozens of mythical beasts? Yohoho~. Tell me, will you pay them a hundred billion yourself? Their lies reek worse than a bloated sea king."
"Don't change the subject!" Rocks roared. "Give me half of what you took, or I'll never let you go!"
"Think, Rocks," Brook snapped back. "This is exactly what the Navy wants—us at each other's throats. Do you want your pirates to face the Navy alone? If that's your wish, then by all means, show me your performance!"
Brook's tone was mocking, but his resolve unshakable. He would never admit to the Navy's exaggerations. Dozens of mythical beasts? Tens of thousands of kilograms of gold? Lies built to fan the flames.
But Rocks was past reason. "Brook, you'd dare be this greedy?"
Brook's voice dropped into a chill. "Greedy? You speak of greed, yet you hoard Captain John's and Miss Bakin's plunder without shame. Do you plan to split that with me, Rocks? Or is your justice one-sided?"
It was half a confession, half a challenge. Brook had indeed claimed fruits from God Valley—but they were his by strength.
Rocks' breathing grew ragged. "Brook… you're cruel. From this day forward, prepare yourself. Pirates riot when there's blood in the water, and my vengeance will never end!"
He slammed the receiver down, then muttered under his breath, "The alliance is nothing but a contract now. A contract I'll twist until it strangles him."
Brook sat in silence for a long moment, the receiver dangling in his hand. He sneered. "From the moment I swallowed those fruits, I knew this day would come. I just didn't expect the Navy to be the one to expose it."
But despair was not in his nature. If the Navy thought to corner him with envy, then he would use their trick against them.
"Moore," Brook ordered, voice sharp. "Publish this in tomorrow's paper."
He turned to Antonio next. "And you—issue a mission through the Pirate Guild. Use their Den Den Mushi. Spread it to every corner of the New World."
The two hurried to obey.
Soon, the world was shaking again as new headlines spread like wildfire:
[The Hell Pirates will use the harvest of God Valley to reward the heroes of this war against the Navy.]
Kill a Navy officer of admiral candidate level or above, and you will be rewarded with a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit.
Defeat a Vice Admiral, and receive a random Devil Fruit plus gold bounties ranging from Rear Admiral to Vice Admiral .
Rewards apply only to groups allied with the Pirate Guild—those who refuse will find reward only under Rocks.
[The Pirate Alliance will officially launch a general attack on the Navy's G1 base in one day. Member nations along the route will be the first spoils of conquest.]
The announcement spread like fire across dry grass.
"Devil Fruits as bounty?!"
"Even a Mythical Zoan for taking down an admiral!"
"Damn it, even if it's suicide, I want in!"
The New World erupted. Brook had turned the Navy's whispers of greed into a weapon. Now every pirate, big or small, dreamed of glory.
For Brook, it was simple. Pirates could take what they earned—but in the end, every coin, every fruit, every life would return to his hands. Capitalists never lost.
On Beehive Island, Rocks slammed his throne with such force that the stone cracked.
"Brook! That bastard dares use my name in his schemes?!"
His commanders stirred nervously as Rocks' Conqueror's Haki thundered through the halls.
Pirates who had not joined the Guild were suddenly told they could apply for rewards directly from the Rocks Pirates. But Rocks sneered at the thought.
Did Brook think he would honor such promises? He would kill who he pleased, contract or not. Beyond the iron bond of the Haki contract with Brook, every other word was worth less than seawater.
At G1 Base, chaos reigned. Kukulkan stared at the reports in disbelief.
"Brook… he's flipped our weapon back on us."
The Navy had hoped to sow suspicion, but Brook had turned it into fire. Now he'd set a date, a battlefield, and dragged every pirate into war.
"Fleet Admiral!" A vice admiral saluted sharply. "We must move now. If we let these pirates sack allied nations, the royals will abandon the World Government entirely. Many are already fleeing to safer seas!"
Kukulkan's fangs bared. "Then we march. Brook thinks to force us into open war? Very well. We'll burn his pawns and drown him in their ashes."
Meanwhile, high above aboard his flying fleet, Brook stood at the prow. His cloak whipped in the wind, his eye glowing cold and merciless.
Below him stretched a sea of pirate sails—his "allies."
He studied them with a predator's gaze. "Be my cannon fodder. Be my chess pieces. And when you've served your purpose, be my prey."
His hollow laughter echoed across the skies.
"If I promise not to strike you for two years, then I'll simply create the right… accidents. Every pirate leaves a weakness. Every crew leaves a stain. And I'll find it."
His laughter turned sharper, crueler. "Yohoho… you think to share in my rewards? Then know this. Whatever you touch belongs to me. You may live long enough to taste it… but in the end, you'll die with it in my hands."
At that moment, Brook's cold resolve crystallized. His heart no longer beat, his blood no longer flowed—but his will burned hotter than ever.
-------------
The Navy's plan to divide and conquer the pirate factions of the New World had backfired. Instead of collapsing under internal strife, the Pirate Alliance, driven by the Hell Pirates and Rocks Pirates, exploded into full-scale war. Pirates, once divided and scattered, now acted with a coordinated frenzy, eager to plunder the rich member states of the World Government.
The invasion began as soon as the two overlord pirate groups entered the fray, their bloodthirsty forces ravaging the New World in a mad rush for treasure. The moment the first pirate ships set sail, the front lines of the New World were transformed into a battlefield, where kingdoms and their armies scrambled to protect their sovereignty.
On the island of Dressrosa, Greenbit Island to be precise, Barbossa watched the chaos unfold from the safety of his secluded home. His daughter, Karina, stood before him, eyes filled with concern.
"Father, are you really not going to do anything to save Dressrosa?" Karina pleaded, but Barbossa remained unmoved, feeding apples to the capuchin monkey perched on his shoulder.
"It's useless. We can fight off one pirate group, but hundreds of them? No chance," Barbossa replied, his voice calm, almost distant. He had seen enough of the Hell Pirates' rise to power and knew that Brook had climbed far higher than even Rocks. "You can't stop them now."
"But we can't just watch them destroy everything!" Karina shot back, her frustration bubbling over.
Barbossa sighed deeply. "Brook's already started this war. There's no turning back. Even Rocks is forced to face the Navy head-on. The Navy's main target is the Rocks Pirates. They will clash, and once they do, they'll either fall or grow stronger. Either way, we have nothing to gain by getting involved."
Karina stormed off, anger etched on her face as she ran toward the forest house. Her friends in Dressrosa were likely falling under the swords of pirates.
Barbossa watched her go, guilt tugging at him. He had once been a ruthless pirate, and now his daughter, filled with idealism, stood on the opposite side of him. He longed for the times when he had run the Diger Pirates with fewer regrets, but now, trapped by his own decisions, he was unsure of how to guide her.
The riot among the pirates spread like wildfire. Civilians bore the brunt of the devastation, caught between the pirates' greed and the Navy's efforts to restore order. The Navy sent reinforcements, battling pirates at every turn, but the true focus of the conflict was clear: the Rocks Pirates and the Hell Pirates.
As the two dominant pirate factions clashed, the Navy was forced to split its forces. Rocks and Brook's alliance had complicated the situation. While Rocks' forces were isolated, the Hell Pirates' flying fleet posed a massive challenge for the Navy.
Admiral Kukulkan, flying on his Quetzalcoatl form, led a team of CP0 agents, including the Knight of God Gabriel, to confront Brook's forces in the air. But Brook's fleet, much like his strategy, was elusive—waiting patiently for the Navy's attack.
Meanwhile, on the ground, Vice Admiral's forces were poised to engage the pirates, but Brook had already played his cards. The Hell Pirates weren't ready for direct combat, choosing instead to allow the Rocks Pirates to take the brunt of the Navy's focus.
"Yohoho, Fleet Admiral Kukulkan! You'll have to deal with your subordinates," Brook's voice echoed through the air, his words dripping with mockery. "If you want to take down the pirates, that's fine, but leave the special ability users to me."
Kukulkan's eyes narrowed as he responded coldly from his Quetzalcoatl mount. "Don't think you can outsmart me, Brook. All pirates must face justice."
Brook's laughter echoed, full of confidence. "Then let's see who gets justice in the end."
Brook's strategy was bold, but also ruthless. He knew the Navy was struggling to manage both the Rocks Pirates and the Hell Pirates simultaneously. Using the pirate guild's networks, he issued a public challenge, inviting all pirates who wanted in on the war to join the battle.
His message was simple: defeat a Vice Admiral or higher, and receive a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit as reward. The pirates of the New World, thirsty for power, rallied to his side, and the pirate war that Brook had orchestrated began in full force. Pirates from all corners of the world, from the small-time rogues to the most notorious figures, rushed to claim their share of the spoils.
In a short time, the New World was plunged into a state of full-scale anarchy. Royal families fled, and civilian resistance crumbled. The Navy was helpless against the united front of pirates, and the battle lines were drawn across the ocean. The focus now was on breaking the power of the Navy and leaving the New World to the pirates.
Brook, from his command on the flying fleet, smiled darkly as he watched the chaos unfold. "Be my pawns, be my pieces. In the end, I'll control everything. You'll all serve me."
<><><><><>
[Check Out My Patreon For +40 Advance Chapters On All My Fanfics!]
[[email protected]/FanficLord03]
[Every 100 Power Stones = +1 Bonus Chapter]
[Join Our Discord Community For Updates & Events]
[https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9]