The skies of the New World, high above Baron Island.
This sky island had grown livelier with the addition of Ohara Island, now home to the Ohara residents and the Tontatta Tribe, boosting its population. Mortomas' World Economic News Agency had also set up shop here, sinking its roots deep.
Mortomas, ever the shrewd businessman, hired Ohara's intellectuals as writers for his paper. He launched serialized novels, manga, and travelogue columns, captivating readers across the seas. The tales of the Beasts Pirates and the Navy's Kong, straight out of the North Blue, were a hit in the original story, amassing a fanbase that included North Blue supernovas like Trafalgar Law, Hawkins, and Drake!
He also recruited some Tontatta as journalist partners, sending them to scour the seas for scoops and secrets. Their agility and strength made them perfect for sniffing out intel. But Brook, ever cautious, limited the number of Tontatta journalists, knowing their skills would be needed later for planting artificial Devil Fruits.
Below, Elan Island was booming. A flood of visiting pirates shifted the economic hub from Bristol Island, making Elan the Hell Pirates' official stronghold in the New World!
Bristol Island, meanwhile, was handed over to the Hell Pirates' first affiliate, the Edward Pirates, as it was their old base. Angelie dispatched several veteran officers to hold the fort there, while she and Bull, both boasting bounties over 500 million Belly, guarded Elan Island.
For now, Bull manned the island's defenses, while Angelie headed to the sky island for training—and maybe a few other motives.
...
With the New World relatively stable and the secret to Conqueror's Haki Coiling in hand, the Hell Pirates launched their Second May Training Plan!
This five-month regimen was designed to push every top officer and crew member to new heights, ensuring breakthroughs in strength. The First May Training Plan had taken place during their trip to Wano, where they mastered Ryuo Haki.
Now, every Devil Fruit user consulted Brook for guidance on developing their powers, no longer fumbling alone. To the crew, Captain Brook was a font of wisdom, all-knowing and all-seeing!
Even the brilliant Dr. Vegapunk frequently sought Brook's insights, probing for inspiration and the feasibility of his research. Baron Island had practically become Vegapunk's lab, with the genius tinkering away at a new flight system.
Ohara Island, like Skypiea's Shandora, floated on island clouds, easing the burden on Shiki's Float-Float Fruit. Inspired, Golden Lion Shiki set his sights on hauling another island to expand their sky-bound territory.
Brook suddenly "remembered" that Charlotte Linlin's eighteenth birthday was approaching. He directed Shiki to fetch Whole Cake's Island, a place Linlin had always dreamed of. It wasn't too far, and it'd make the perfect birthday gift. Brook's clever move—gifting an island without lifting a finger—earned him a +10 boost in Linlin's affection!
Shiki, for his backbreaking work, received a shiny "Outstanding Officer" banner from Brook, plus a 2-million-Belly reward.
Shakky, the crew's thrifty tycoon, scoffed at the paltry sum. "Two million Belly? That's an insult to a top officer like Shiki!" With a wave of her hand, she upped it to 200 pounds of gold!
...
To Shiki, though, 2 million Belly or 200 pounds of gold was all the same. Money? Pfft. He took what he wanted, and no one on his islands dared charge him.
But Brook's banner? That was an honor. He proudly hung it in the Golden Ark's meeting hall, ensuring every crew member—especially Redfield and Newgate—knew of his "hard work."
After the battle, Whitebeard Newgate stood out, single-handedly crushing Sandy, the 900-million-Bellypirate. His bounty soared to 950 million Belly!
Shiki's bounty, however, barely budged. Taking on two 1.1-billion-Belly foes—Shirokiri and Skal—earned him no major victories in the Navy's eyes. They called it reckless overreach, but surviving was feat enough, so they bumped his bounty by 50 million to 850 million.
Shiki was livid, his glare at Newgate sparking with envy.
"Should've picked a weaker target like Newgate did," he muttered, regretting his ambition.
The battle's breakout star was Kaido. In a berserk frenzy, the young oni smashed a 100-million-Belly pirate with his alloy mace. Sure, the guy was already wounded, but for an eight- or nine-year-old, earning a 70-million-Belly bounty was unreal! His wanted poster, with blood-red eyes and a beastly snarl, dubbed him Beast Kaido.
Tiger was floored. He didn't even have a title yet! Kaido's bounty leapfrogged his own, which had only climbed 10 million to 30 million.
"Half my bounty? I can't show my face around here!"
Was this the monstrous prodigy Captain Brook had scouted? Tiger, who'd only joined the Golden Ark through Tom's connections, felt outclassed.
...
The rest of the crew saw gains, too, their bounties reflecting their status as a Emperor-level force. Sniper Silva's sharpshooting took out several 200-million-Belly pirates, rocketing his bounty to 300 million.
Vampire Shakky hit 350 million, Siren Stussy 320 million, shipwright Fishman Tom 200 million. The toxic duo of doctor Crocus and Tia together reached 580 million, an inseparable pair of poison masters.
Shark Scarlet clocked in at 260 million, head chef Streusen at 100 million, swordsman Ashura Jakun at 300 million, mount Qilin Lion at 50 million, and the Haki-and-Rokushiki-using Memory Seahorse at 60 million.
Poor Fisher Tiger, the rookie apprentice, realized he was the weakest link. A moment of distraction on the battlefield, saved only by Tom's intervention, made him look like the crew's biggest slacker.
This wasn't just any fight—it was a clash with the elite of the Rocks Pirates' flagship. Most of their foes were wanted criminals, so the Hell Pirates' bounties skyrocketed after the slaughter.
(T/N: About Whole Cake island. We don't know exactly when this island got this name, so I will use it from now on for a better understanding. Wiki: The Sheep's House was an orphanage on Elbaph run by the nun Carmel. After the incident with Linlin, the residents of the Sheep's House moved to another island (later named Whole Cake Island))
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+300 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg