When Brook saw Kawase charred corpse, his brows furrowed slightly. Such a powerful soul… wasted. From a capitalist's perspective, that was a terrible waste of value.
But to Ummid, the scene had a completely different meaning.
Damn it. Did Brook actually want to recruit Kawase? He had killed him just in time, but would he now have to face Brook's questioning? Would this cause a rift between the Hell Pirates and the Umit family?
As the thought sank in, Umid instinctively bowed deeper. His expression carried guilt, but also a resolve—he didn't regret the decision. The only thing that mattered now was Brook's response.
"Very good, Ummid," Brook said, his tone calm. "It's rare for someone to seize such a fleeting opportunity and eliminate the elusive Kawase. This operation is a complete success. From this moment forward, the underground transportation industry belongs to you."
Ummid blinked in surprise.
No blame?
Brook didn't care that Kawase was dead—only that he could have been useful. A capable enemy was still a resource. But for the Hell Pirates, what mattered most was dominance. Letting assets go to waste was unfortunate, yes, but not unforgivable.
"I don't dare take credit," Ummid replied quickly, bowing again. "This would never have been possible without Lord Brook's assistance, and the help of your loyal cadres. Also, the intel from the brothrr Moore Thomas was instrumental. My family will forever serve the Hell Pirates loyally!"
Brook gave a nod of approval.
"Clean the battlefield," he said. "Remove all signs that point to us. Subdue what remains of the World Transport Company and consolidate control. The transportation sector of the underworld must now fall under one name—yours."
Behind him, Redfield stood silently, watching Ummid like a hawk. He hadn't spoken a word, but Brook understood his judgment through absence. No warning meant no betrayal—at least, not yet.
Ambition was tolerable. Even schemes were tolerable. As long as loyalty remained intact, Brook wouldn't interfere with Ummid's desire to turn his family into one of the great underground dynasties—like the Du Clan or the Dragus Syndicate.
Once the battlefield was cleared, Ummid presented all valuables from the Liuxia Port Islands to the Hell Pirates. Shakky accepted them with a cheerful smile, while the loot was stored away by Parrot, the Castle Fruit user, and Bra Kara, who wielded the Pocket Fruit.
Of course, a dominant pirate crew deserved an appearance fee.
Ummid even offered to send an additional list of gifts as tribute—anything to maintain favor with Brook and his fearsome officers.
Once all was said and done, the Hell Pirates departed without fanfare, leaving no witnesses and no trace behind—true to their motto: "Kill cleanly, vanish quietly."
Watching their ship disappear into the distance, Ummid finally exhaled.
No punishment. No blame. Only opportunity.
"Brother... we've done it," Umile said, his voice shaking with excitement. "We've finally unified the underground transportation world!"
Ummid clenched his fists, his expression burning with pride. The dream their ancestors had chased for generations—the impossible goal they had passed down—had finally become reality in the hands of three brothers.
"Don't celebrate just yet," Ummid snapped, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward. "Send word to Umina. Have him mobilize immediately. Annex every port, every base, every asset of the World Transport Company. Every member of the Umi family is now on active duty!"
This was it. The climax of years of careful planning and daring plays.
Perhaps now, Ummid's name could be etched into the family's ancestral stone. Maybe he wouldn't leave behind a Poneglyph, but he could definitely carve his story into stone.
"In the age of chaos, Ummid, third of his line, unified the tides—swallowing the enemy, allying with an Overlord, and linking the underworld seas into one current. The shipping king was born."
The sea belonged to the Umit family now.
And from this day forward, their bloodline would carry a new title: Kings of the Deep Currents.
---
Meanwhile, aboard the flying Hell Pirates' ship, the three captured commanders of the Diger Pirates—Xiao Feng, Antman, and Willanniu—were shackled and under guard.
Dozens of Hell Pirates stared at them, not like prisoners... but like ingredients.
"Hey, hey, hey! We need to get back to Golden Island!" Brook shouted. "We can't afford to lose the Wind Control Fruit!"
He casually picked up Shakky and tossed her off the ship—but she quickly fluttered back using her wings, effortlessly aligning herself beside the Memory Seahorse, her posture impeccable.
She looked ready for roll call.
"Haha~ I got so many souls this time," Charlotte Linlin giggled as she returned to her calm form. "I finally have enough to turn the entire Cake Castle into Homies!"
The image of her calmly sipping tea was a jarring contrast to the scene from earlier—where she had torn through hundreds of enemies, soul by soul.
Brook, unbothered, had the three prisoners thrown into Parrot's Castle, the ship's specialized holding facility. He didn't want them being stared at constantly. It ruined the flavor.
Frightened prey released stress toxins. That would ruin the soul's taste.
Instead, Brook preferred his prey pampered, relaxed—even hopeful. And then, when the time was right—death in a single, clean strike.
"The world is cruel... but death? Death is gentle. In the face of death, all are equal."
—Brook, Captain of the Hell Pirates
He gave all his enemies an equal death.
---
"Brother Brook!" Kaido shouted, bursting with energy. "Are we going to war with the Diger Pirates next? I'm ready!"
He was practically glowing with battle-lust. The fact that they'd already captured the Diger Pirates' top officer only meant one thing: full-scale war.
Brook tilted his head slightly. "Yohoho~ You're getting cocky again, Kaido. Tomorrow, you'll be sparring with Redfield. Newgate's been too gentle with you."
Kaido's enthusiasm evaporated on the spot.
Redfield was already standing nearby with his arms crossed, face unreadable. Kaido visibly flinched, memories of the dreaded "Lightning Training Package" flashing in his mind.
That training almost sent him to the Underworld early.
"Hah! The sea's too deep and the wind's too strong. If you can't swim, don't act tough!" laughed Tiger. He still hadn't gotten over Kaido surpassing his bounty.
"You wanna throw hands, huh, Fishman?!" Kaido growled, cracking his knuckles. "Let's settle this right now!"
"Bring it! I've been training ten times harder!" Tiger roared, flexing his muscles.
Before they could charge at each other, Brook's slap echoed across the deck.
"Stop. This isn't the battlefield. This is a pirate ship."
He looked at the two of them—one with brute strength, the other with a motor mouth—and sighed.
"We've been through this. To be a true Hell Pirate, you need more than muscles and ego. Strength and words—those are our standards."
He gestured toward Shakky. "Learn how to talk trash from her. Learn how to fight from the veterans. One day, you'll be the real deal."
Brook smiled, his tone light but sharp.
Because being a Hell Pirate wasn't just about domination.
It was about style.
--------------------------
Madagascar Island —
On this particular day, Diger Sparrow's eyelids wouldn't stop twitching. A deep sense of unease gnawed at his gut.
Years of experience had taught him that this feeling was never wrong.
He immediately summoned his aides. "Find out what's happened recently. Something's not right."
His mind went back two days.
He'd sent Xiao Feng, An Man, and Willanniu—three of his strongest officers—to the Liuxia Port Islands, territory of Kawase. The plan was simple: launch a counter-ambush against the Umit family and tip the scales. If it succeeded, they would secure complete control of the underground transportation world.
Diger had previously tried to recruit the Umit family—the biggest player in the dark world's transport business—but they'd refused his offer with suspiciously polite tact.
Offended but not deterred, Diger turned his support to Kawase and the World Transport Company, betting that with his backing, Kawase would eventually triumph and become the perfect puppet ruler.
But now, something felt wrong. Very wrong.
Just as Diger was mulling over whether Xiao Feng had run into trouble, his Minister of Intelligence burst into the hall, beaming with joy.
"Lord Diger! Good news! Incredible news! The Sparrow family has a successor!"
Diger blinked, surprised. "Wait… are you saying that Jack—he succeeded?"
Finally, it wasn't news about Xiao Feng and the others, but still—if his lineage was secured, that was reason enough to celebrate.
"Yes, Lord Diger!" the officer said, nearly tripping over his words. "Early this morning, Lady Amber's pet teacup dog got sick. The little thing only weighs three pounds, but it defecated two pounds. So naturally, we sent a doctor right away. The dog's fine—but while checking on Lady Amber... the doctor discovered she's pregnant!"
The minister clutched his report like a treasure, almost shaking from the excitement.
"Amber?" Diger asked, brows furrowed. "Which race is she again? How strong is she?"
He had arranged women from over a dozen different races for Jack—anything to find the right compatibility for the Sparrow family bloodline. Frankly, he couldn't even remember their names anymore. He just hoped that one of them would click.
"Lady Amber is from the Sea Royal Clan—not the mermaids of Fishman Island, but an inland sea dynasty on one of our controlled islands. Humanoid in appearance. Very compatible," the minister said proudly. "She's strong too—worth about 15 million berries in bounty. Beautiful and virtuous, Your Excellency!"
The minister had switched to calling her "Lady Amber" already. Even if she'd previously been considered low-tier, now she carried a potential Sparrow heir. Status came fast when royalty was involved.
There was just one little detail he didn't mention.
Amber's clan had a... reputation.
The Sea Royal Clan had a bad habit of lying, exaggerating, and demanding outrageous conditions from those they mated with. Some even had eel-like mouths that opened far too wide when agitated.
If annoyed or denied something, they'd bite.
But who was he to say that now? If she really was the only one carrying Jack's child, criticizing her might be a death sentence.
"She's a bit weak..." Diger muttered, stroking his beard. "But if she's pregnant, that's still a massive win. Reward her. Double the guards assigned to her, and send ten handmaids immediately."
With a wave of his hand, the old overlord set the wheels of luxury in motion. For now, Amber was the key to a renewed legacy. He even considered summoning her and having Jack marry her properly. A formal union would turn Jack into the family man Diger always wanted him to be.
But then—
BOOM!
The Minister of Intelligence stormed back in, this time with a grim face. His earlier joy had turned to dread.
"What now?" Diger's tone sharpened. "Don't tell me it was a false alarm. Or… did something happen to Xiao Feng?"
"Lord Diger... it's bad. Really bad."
The minister knelt, holding a new report. "The Liuxia Port Islands have been completely taken over by the Umit family. The World Transport Company is gone. Vanished. We've lost all contact with Kawase, Xiao Feng, Antman, and Willanniu."
Diger's eyes narrowed.
"I rushed to check the Life Paper Protection Room to confirm their statuses… but the idiot on duty had gotten drunk, passed out cold, and slept through his entire shift! When we finally checked Xiao Feng's life paper…"
The minister hesitated.
"It was already burned out. Gone. We don't even know when it happened."
The weight of those words fell like thunder in the hall.
The minister bowed deeply, sweat running down his back. He had brought the drunken guard with him, hoping that Diger would kill someone else in a fit of rage.
Because he knew what Diger had been like in his prime. Ruthless. Unforgiving.
Even now, in his old age, with silver in his beard and wisdom in his posture, that fury still lurked just beneath the surface.
The entire room froze. Even the strongest warriors present felt a suffocating pressure pin them to the floor.
The drunken guard was petrified, every cell in his body screaming I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead.
Diger raised his hand. His eyes darkened. A fierce wave of Conqueror's Haki rolled through the room like a divine judgment.
A single gesture, and that man would vanish.
But just before the killing blow fell—
"Wait! I can explain!"
A figure dashed into the chamber, throwing himself between Diger and the trembling guard.
Jack.
Diger's eyes burned. "You'd better have a good reason. Or I'll punish you too."
Jack scratched his head. "It wasn't my fault, okay? That woman—Amber—she begged me to let her brother off the hook. She said if I didn't, she'd terminate the baby."
The silence that followed was heavier than steel.
"I mean, you drugged me with aphrodisiacs and threw me into a room with over a dozen women," Jack added. "At some point, I just gave up and started... y'know, trying to get it over with."
He shrugged. "I don't even remember what half of them looked like."
Diger's eye twitched.
So that guard… was Amber's brother?
And Amber—that low-rank, mouthy woman—had dared to threaten him with the life of his future grandson?
At that moment, Diger's verdict was sealed.
The day my grandson is born... is the day she dies.
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