Brook strolled into Charlotte Linlin's princess-like chamber, a massive room that made anyone feel like a speck in its grandeur.
Linlin stood there, radiant in a dazzling dress that hugged her curvaceous figure. Every step she took toward Brook was a spectacle, her movements practically a tidal wave of charm.
"Brook! You're finally done training Stussy and the others? Awesome! So, what do you think of this dress for my big day?"
Gigantic Linlin spun in a circle, her skirt flaring dramatically. Poor Brook, short as he was, caught a glimpse of more than he bargained for.
"Absolutely stunning, Linlin! You're one of the sea's rare beauties!"
Brook's praise was genuine. Even in the original tales, Roger himself had admitted young Charlotte Linlin was a legendary stunner on the high seas!
"That settles it! This is my birthday banquet dress!"
With that, Linlin carefully slipped out of the vibrant gown, folding it gently for tomorrow's celebration.
He steeled himself for the challenge ahead: storming the dark abyss forest, breaching the iron balloon's fortress gates, braving blood and marsh traps, navigating caverns, and reaching the enemy's palace to light up the darkest hell with radiance!
Linlin, carefree as ever, slipped back into her usual clothes and scooped Brook into a hug, pressing him against her cheek with a giddy smile.
"Brook, we've got Whole Cake Island, the Hell Pirates are stronger than ever, and I'm turning eighteen! It's time to make Mother Carmel's dream come true—let's start a family!"
Her voice was brimming with joy as she nuzzled him, blissfully unaware of his flustered state.
"No big deal there," Brook chuckled, "but Linlin, you've gotta promise me one thing: don't go overboard with the feasts and sweets. We can't have you losing that youthful glow too soon! I'll track down that Pure Gold to keep you forever young!"
Having kids and gorging on sweets were the main culprits behind Linlin's future weight gain. Brook estimated her beauty had a shelf life of about ten years—stunning until her late twenties. He'd need to find that giant lanternfish and snag the Pure Gold within a decade!
As for making kids, Brook wasn't worried about striking out.
As the saying goes, a girl who loves to eat and laugh has pregnancy power that's off the charts! Linlin's luck in that department was downright cosmic—blessed with fertility so potent she could probably get a Tontatta pregnant! If Brook was game, they could have dozens of kids, no sweat!
"Mm-hmm! I'll listen to you, Brook. I'll try to cut back a tiny bit!"
Linlin giggled, her expression pure and earnest. But if Brook backed out, she'd throw a tantrum that could shake the seas!
Brook, meanwhile, pondered their future kids. Should their first heir inherit his icy essence or his fiery essence? Which would spark the stronger talent?
Then it hit him—he didn't have a surname, just "Brook." Would their kids take Linlin's Charlotte name? Naming them was going to be a headache. Following the original story's naming scheme? Yohohoho, those names weren't exactly music to the ears!
Eh, no need to stress yet. The plan wasn't even set in stone. Besides, the ever-reliable readers out there could surely come up with some killer names and surnames!
...
Brook perched on Linlin's shoulder as they left her princess chamber, heading to the main hall to regroup with the crew. The minor setup tasks for the banquet were left to the others.
The Hell Pirates were about to hold a critical meeting to chart their next phase of growth!
The agenda: updates on the top officers' progress with Conqueror's Haki Coiling, their Ryuo Haki mastery, and the newbies' Haki awakenings.
Redfield had edged out a slight breakthrough in Conqueror's Haki Coiling, overtaking Newgate as a late-blooming genius. The effect was still minor—barely noticeable compared to Ryuo Haki—but it was a start. Conqueror's Haki grew with one's spirit, and with time, their Coiling would become a force to be reckoned with!
Shakky and Stussy had made strides in Observation Haki, with sniper Silva excelling in it too. Fishman Tom was boosting his Armament Haki, and everyone was leveling up in their own way!
Rookies Kaido and Tiger hadn't awakened Haki yet, but they were close. Both had made breakthroughs in Elbaf martial arts and Fishman Karate, respectively.
Mortomas had tracked down the islands Brook flagged for exploration. In the Grand Line:
Omatsuri Island: Home to the Life-and-Death Flower, Lily Carnation, which could create leaf people with memories.
Merveille: Host to IQ plants that evolve beasts, granting abilities like lightning or fire, plus a tribe of winged humanoids.
Boin Archipelago: Packed with battle-enhancing plant seeds and irresistible gourmet flora.
Brook wondered if Golden Lion Shiki could float these biological islands back to their base. Even if not, they'd harvest a batch of killer plants and gourmet flora for the Tontatta to cultivate on Sky Island.
Kuraigana Island: Inhabited by human-mimicking baboons with decent strength. Capturing a few could yield a squad of pseudo-Zoros!
Torino Kingdom (Giant Bird Island) in the South Blue: Boasting an ancient, massive library for studying pharmacology and medicine—relics of some lost era.
As for Kamabakka Kingdom's paradise of okama, it might not exist yet.
Vegapunk was deep in research on Fishman Island's ES drugs, aiming for something like Berserk Pills. The focus now was reducing side effects for practical use.
In the New World, Brook's curiosity was piqued by Nebulandia Island, a place that could seal Devil Fruit powers with seaweed-vine plants as potent as Seastone. How could plants target Devil Fruit users specifically? There had to be a major secret behind it.
These vines could make a killer defense mechanism, though they'd only work on ability users, not regular fighters.
...
With the next phase's tasks assigned, Brook declared a Sky Island-wide holiday to prepare for Charlotte Linlin's birthday bash!
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