Vinsmoke Judge had been in frequent contact with his father recently. In addition to desperately trying to learn Vegapunk's standard technology, he clearly wanted to steal some of Vegapunk's core research.
To revive Germa 66, Judge focused his studies on cloning and cyborgs, aiming to build an army of evil for Germa and once again unify the North Blue.
He often ran his own private experiments inside Vegapunk's laboratory, boldly using the power and resources of the Hell Pirates to chase the results he wanted.
Considering that Judge, as a researcher, had indeed helped him come up with many constructive ideas and innovations, and that the Germa Kingdom behind Judge was also one of Brook's secret allies, Vegapunk had chosen to turn a blind eye.
He had not expected Judge to start skipping key experimental steps and jumping straight into human trials. That was something Vegapunk could not accept.
"Understood, Captain Brook. I will manage the science division properly and will not cause you any more trouble."
With Brook's authorization, Vegapunk was now free to deal with Judge as he saw fit. He had only asked first because Germa 66 had a cooperative relationship with Brook.
Now that he knew the Vinsmoke family was nothing more than a disposable pawn in Brook's eyes, he no longer felt any need to be polite. If Judge became useless and still refused to obey, he would have no choice but to remove him.
"That is how it should be. You are the head of the science division, and everyone there is under your command. No matter what happens, I will back you up. In the end, he is just a Vinsmoke.
"I only wanted to make use of a piece of scrap and see if a clever young man like Judge could help you with a few useful ideas. If he becomes a burden, then handle him fairly and cleanly.
"But his human modification project is still good. You can separate that out and research it yourself, or hand it to someone else."
Brook chuckled. Vegapunk had actually worried that he would be afraid of the Vinsmokes' background. Was he underestimating Brook, or overestimating Germa 66?
Of course, it was just as likely Vegapunk simply wanted Brook to be fully aware of the situation.
"I will not betray your trust."
Vegapunk replied solemnly, and a shadow flashed through his mind. That little guy's cyborg project was also impressive, and in some ways, it even looked better than the Vinsmokes' technology.
Vegapunk recalled the young researcher who had joined them in the last two years, a talent in the cyborg field. He had blond hair that he tied into small braids and was called Scien.
Because his name was the same as the Queen of Clubs in card games, and because he loved poker and gambling, this blond fat boy liked to call himself the Queen.
Now most of the other researchers and his poker buddies just called him by that nickname, Queen, and almost no one used his real name, Scien, anymore. His talent and skills were unquestionable, and in some areas, he even surpassed Judge.
Vegapunk had been observing this seventeen year old blond researcher closely.
In that case, he decided, he would hand all of Judge's cyborg data to Queen and see what that boy could produce. He wanted to know whether this kid could surpass Vinsmoke Judge.
Brook and Daenerys Targaryen then led the young dragons out of the PH laboratory and moved them to Ballon Island to be raised there.
Once they had become familiar with the hatchlings, Brook returned to Beast Island below to check on Abefu's training results and see if he had managed to knock the arrogance out of those brats.
Meanwhile, Shiki, with Newgate, Kaido and the others, was inspecting the routes along the border between the Hell Pirates and the Rocks Pirates, ready to start a war with Rocks at any time.
With the end of the Conqueror's Haki contract, Antonio's Den Den Mushi network had resumed its invasion. Rocks was forced to use Den Den Mushi as little as possible, and during any important operation, he would rather crush them outright than risk exposing his position.
However, the Hell Pirates' economic and information warfare had already spread like roots through every corner of Rocks' territory. This was destined to be an unfair battle.
Brook's way of thinking about war had already surpassed Rocks by a wide margin. The only thing he worried about now was the navy, which was gathering as well.
Even if the Hell Pirates had enough strength to defeat the Rocks Pirates, a war was never a simple one on one clash. Once you moved one piece, the whole board shifted.
The mercenary forces formed from "rehabilitated" pirates were also assembling under the navy's orders, ready to enter the New World through the Red Line.
At the same time, the Hell Pirates would suffer heavy losses in any full scale battle with the Rocks Pirates. No one could underestimate the desperate counterattack of a dominant pirate crew, especially not the one led by the strongest pirate in the New World, Rocks.
In truth, Brook had not planned to start this war quite so soon. It was Shiki's overactive nature that had pushed the situation to the edge and created such a tense atmosphere.
Even so, there was nothing wrong with starting with a few limited battles. That would put enough pressure on the Rocks Pirates to stir up internal conflict in a crew where everything was measured by profit.
What amused Brook was that, through his underground contacts, he had already managed to secretly reach out to Miss Bakin and Captain John.
That familiar smell of fence sitters was unmistakable.
In the original history, during the God Valley war started by Rocks, Brook had discovered that the unlucky Rocks died, while Newgate, Shiki, Linlin, Kaido, Wang Zhi, Captain John, Miss Bakin, and the others had all survived just fine.
Later, Shiki, Newgate, and Roger became the three legendary figures of that era. After that, Newgate, Linlin, and Kaido became three of the Four Emperors. Wang Zhi held Beehive Island until Blackbeard Teach took it from him.
Miss Bakkin had even managed to live in the New World with her foolish son, while Captain John was the unlucky one. After going solo, he was killed by his own subordinates over a dispute in sharing the loot, leaving behind only John's treasure.
On the navy's side, thanks to Garp's iron fist, the sixteen year old Dragon had joined the marines, and his strength had grown rapidly.
At sixteen, he had already awakened Armament and Observation Haki, and his level was far from shallow. If that was not a true prodigy, what was?
Dragon went straight into the elite training camp at Marineford. After graduating, he would be able to take the rank of captain immediately.
Another genius, however, was not so fortunate. Unlike Dragon, he did not have a vice admiral father. Sakazuki was still wandering around the North Blue hunting pirates, unable to find a way into the Grand Line.
Perhaps only once he became strong enough would he eventually leave the North Blue and go straight to marine headquarters, because he looked down on the branch marines there. In his eyes, those weak branch soldiers were not even as strong as he was.
Over the years, he had also noticed that someone was searching for him. After capturing a missing persons hunter, he discovered that the Hell Pirates were the ones looking.
That frightened him enough to hide his identity and change his name as he traveled the seas.
He would never become a pirate.
Even if the overlord of the New World, Brook himself, were willing to train him personally and turn him into an unmatched powerhouse, he would still refuse to walk the path of a pirate.
---------------
New World, New Beehive Island.
Rocks held a brown skinned, black haired baby in his arms. The child's name was Marshall D. Teach, an "alien" monster that Tim had bred using Rocks' genes and high tech medical techniques, then transplanted into her own body to give birth.
"He can bear three devil fruits?"
Rocks could feel three powerful heartbeats inside that tiny chest, and there was a strange complexity in the baby's eyes. This child had been alive for more than half a year and had never once closed his eyes to sleep. It was unnerving.
But to Rocks, that made him even more perfect than the original dual fruit design.
"Yes, Lord Rocks. He will inherit your will as captain of the Gibek."
Marshall D. Tim did not understand why Rocks had insisted on giving the child her surname. Did he look down on this child?
Was Teach unworthy of being known as Rocks' heir?
In truth, that thought did cross Rocks' mind. But the more important reason was clear to him. If the boy carried his surname, he would likely die long before adulthood.
Rocks had too many enemies.
He also felt a bitter regret. If he had waited until this child was born before attacking God Valley, he might have been able to secure three top tier devil fruits for him.
He had been too arrogant. He had cooperated with Brook too early and paid dearly in the God Valley war.
Now he could only slowly search for suitable devil fruits for this child, such as Newgate's Tremor Tremor Fruit, Redfield's Thunder Fruit, or Kaido's Blue Dragon Fruit.
If he concentrated the strongest paramecia, logia, and zoan abilities in this one child, would that be the birth of a god?
Someone even stronger than the legendary Sun God Nika.
"You will take care of this child for now."
Rocks handed baby Teach back to Tim, already thinking about which devil fruit to feed him first.
However, the provocation from the Hell Pirates had to be dealt with before anything else. If this continued, the morale of the Rocks Pirates would collapse.
Marshall D. Tim remained in seclusion on New Beehive Island with baby Teach, concealing both their identities. At the same time, she could not help planning her own escape route.
If Rocks died in the war for the New World's throne, she would take Teach and leave this place, then slowly raise him into a true monster.
She even had her eye on Rocks' Dark Dark Fruit. She knew very well how terrifying its power was in stripping away other devil fruit abilities, and how perfectly it suited Teach's three fruit body.
With the Dark Dark Fruit, Teach would be able to choose his powers far more freely.
She also planned to secretly bear two more children without telling Rocks, making full preparations to give Teach two younger siblings.
When that day came, she, Marshall D. Tim, would be the final winner, the mother of three of the strongest children in the world.
She even hoped Rocks would die, so that the Dark Dark Fruit would have the chance to respawn and fall under her family's control.
With the Dark Dark Fruit, she and her three children would never lack top tier devil fruits again, instead of living under Rocks' shadow like they did now.
Rocks' ruthlessness and cruelty had long made her feel unsafe.
After all these years together, she still had not earned his true trust or affection. That made Marshall D. Tim furious and bitter in equal measure.
··
Holy Land Marijoa.
Because some Celestial Dragons had secretly traded with Brook before, Imu had purged part of the Celestial Dragon class, and their numbers had dropped sharply.
So Imu issued a new decree. The Celestial Dragons would no longer practice internal marriage to maintain the purity of their bloodline. Every adult Celestial Dragon male would be required to take more than ten wives, and wives from other races were now allowed.
In short, they needed to increase the number of Celestial Dragons as quickly as possible.
Imu had discovered that descendants of Celestial Dragons and outsiders could still activate Uranus. The Nefertari family had already proven it. The effect was slightly weaker, but numbers could make up for that.
Over the years, the Nefertari clan had married many foreign women and diluted their royal bloodline, yet they still retained the ability to interface with Uranus. The Celestial Dragons of Mary Geoise could do the same.
On the other hand, Imu had noticed how inbreeding among the Mary Geoise Celestial Dragons had made each generation more foolish than the last.
Now there was even a scandal about Celestial Dragons trading with Brook. That enraged him.
There was no need to keep such idiotic descendants of the king.
He weakened their political power, forbidding them from meddling too much in the World Government and the navy. Their duties were to serve as the world's nobles, breed more Celestial Dragons, and nothing more.
Imu officially classified Brook, who possessed pure gold and Pluton, as one of his main enemies, on par with the Sun God Nika and the D clan.
Pure gold meant that Brook and his people could enjoy long lives. Pluton was an ancient weapon capable of threatening the World Government itself.
However, pirates were still pirates. In the end, they would fight each other and slaughter one another along with the D clan.
Imu was patiently waiting for Brook and Rocks to go to war. When that happened, he planned to send the entire navy forward, and even dispatch the Five Elders.
As for himself, in the past eight hundred years countless heroes had risen and fallen, but not even the current Brook was qualified to make him move personally. The fact that he was willing to mobilize Uranus was already the greatest "respect" he would show.
Two hundred years ago, when Poseidon and the ancient robots attacked Mary Geoise, Imu had not used Uranus at all, relying only on the navy, the CP organization, and the Knights of God to crush them.
This time, for the sake of pure gold and the Pluton battleship, he was willing to mobilize every combat force except himself.
Two of the Five Elders had already joined with the navy and were ready to enter the New World at any moment. If the Hell Pirates and the Rocks Pirates went to war, they would move in to clean up the mess.
But if they entered the New World too early, there was a risk Brook and Rocks would join forces and strike at them again, which would not be worth the gamble.
If the two dominant pirate groups united, even with two of the Five Elders on site, the battle would be brutal. The New World was pirate territory, and the danger only multiplied.
The safest move was to wait until the two overlords had begun tearing each other apart.
Brook, however, had already noticed the navy's buildup, which was exactly why he had been unwilling to start a full scale war.
He had always been the one taking advantage of others. There was no way he would allow the navy to profit off his battle.
So for now, he chose to drag things out.
But when he received news that the Oro Jackson had entered the waters around Doragenzo Island, Brook knew a turning point had arrived.
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