Rayleigh's eyes locked onto the pure gold ring in Brook's hand.
He understood it immediately. Even if Roger tried to refuse, the crew would still stay. They would never abandon their captain, not while there was even the slightest hope of keeping him alive.
And that hope was glittering right in front of them.
Pure gold was too precious. Too obscene.
Brook was really willing to use it as bait?
Even among the Hell Pirates, not everyone could possess something like that.
"I don't think it's that simple, Captain Brook."
Rayleigh kept his tone steady, refusing to be dragged along by greed.
"Even your own officers wouldn't accept us joining and immediately getting a pure gold ring that grants immortality."
"Jihahaha!"
Shiki sneered, arms folded, eyes sharp.
"Of course it's not that simple. If it were, every monster on the sea would swarm into the Hell Pirates overnight."
Shanks pushed through the crowd and shouted first, eyes blazing.
"Then what are the conditions?"
Brook's laughter rumbled, light and dangerous.
"Since I've taken out a pure gold ring, it means this."
He held it up again, letting the golden light dance across everyone's faces.
"If you join the Hell Pirates, you will gain the qualification to exchange for it by completing missions."
His gaze swept across them.
"Ordinary cadres and the captains of affiliate crews do not have this qualification."
Then Brook's smile turned colder.
"I'm already showing you extra mercy."
"The old rule is simple. Kill one admiral level Marine."
"Or, in a war, successfully hold back two admiral level Marines."
Brook's eyes narrowed slightly, as if already assigning targets.
"The best choices would be Iron Fist Garp and Kong."
"Or Iron Fist Garp and Black Arm Zephyr."
Rayleigh inhaled.
Hold back two admiral level fighters. That was brutal, but not impossible. If it could extend Roger's life, then it was worth the gamble.
"We accept."
Rayleigh spoke firmly, then added at once.
"But I want this to be an alliance, not a subordinate crew."
Kaido's expression darkened.
"Humph. Alliance?"
He looked like he wanted to bite.
"Are you even qualified to stand on the same level as our allies?"
If Brook hadn't been present, Kaido would have already charged in and demanded a duel, just to see whether Roger and Rayleigh were really worthy.
Brook's tone dropped, pressing down like a blade.
"Yohoho."
"Rayleigh, the Roger Pirates have been disbanded. If you form an alliance now, would it be under the name of the Rayleigh Pirates?"
His eyes gleamed.
"And allies are not guaranteed the right to exchange for a pure gold ring."
Brook leaned closer, voice quiet but heavy.
"Are you sure you want an alliance?"
Rayleigh's jaw tightened.
He understood the message. On the surface, Brook had to maintain the dignity of a ruler. Without the name of the Roger Pirates, Rayleigh's weight dropped several levels.
"…Fine."
Rayleigh finally exhaled, the pride in his chest forced down for Roger's sake.
"We'll be an affiliate crew."
"But you do not get to break us apart. You must keep our group intact."
Brook's grin returned, satisfied.
"Yohoho. I'll grant you that much."
"This will not be announced to the public."
He waved a hand, casual as if handing out candy.
"On the surface, you will still be members of the Pirate Guild."
Just like that, the net closed.
Roger watched his crew with a complicated expression. The moment he learned about his terminal illness, he had wanted to disband, to cut them loose and give them freedom.
Instead, Brook had pulled one string, and the entire crew walked into the cage willingly, lured by a ring, and by the rumor of a daughter.
Spencer threw an arm around Roger's shoulders and laughed loudly.
"Roger, why do you look like you're attending your own funeral?"
He squeezed harder, grinning.
"Haha. Finally I don't have to call you captain anymore."
"I've wanted to retire on Doragonzo Island for years. Stop acting so guilty."
His eyes softened for a moment.
"You burned your life fighting for us. Now we'll work for Brook to keep you alive."
"And honestly, life under the Hell Pirates might be even more comfortable than chasing you across the seas."
Gaban snorted, but his voice was firm.
"That's right."
"Roger, this could be better than following you."
He leaned in with a straight face, like it was the most serious plan in the world.
"And if I get lucky, maybe my daughter will even call me Dad."
The crew burst into laughter.
They all knew the truth. They just refused to let Roger drown in it.
Rayleigh crossed his arms, eyes calm now.
"Roger, go get treated."
"You hang on, we complete the mission, and we earn that ring."
Shanks and Buggy were still panicking, shouting with all their lungs.
"Captain Roger, Vice Captain Rayleigh, don't disband!"
"If nobody is leaving, then why disband at all?!"
Rayleigh suddenly turned, snorted at Roger, and a sly smile flickered in his eyes.
"Fine."
"From today onward, we're called the Rayleigh Pirates."
"Roger will be vice captain."
"And I'll be captain."
Roger's eyes widened like he'd been struck by lightning.
"No!"
He shook his head violently.
"The Rayleigh Pirates sounds awful."
"We're the Roger Pirates!"
"I am not being your second in command!"
The crew howled, laughing harder.
"Vice Captain Roger!"
"Deputy Captain Roger!"
Roger's face darkened as Buggy and Shanks doubled over, wheezing.
Brook finally raised a hand, cutting through the noise.
"That's enough."
His voice carried the authority of someone who owned the sea.
"Since you're willing to become an affiliate crew of the Hell Pirates, then Crocus will begin extending Roger's life immediately."
Brook's gaze swept across them.
"And if you want the pure gold ring, then perform well."
For now, Brook could put aside the thought of killing them and taking their hearts. Accepting the Roger Pirates was a pleasant surprise, and a useful one.
Which meant his eyes would have to turn elsewhere for a strong heart.
Roger still wanted to pay medical expenses with his own treasure, but now that they had joined the Hell Pirates, did that mean treatment was free?
That was almost too generous.
Brook, however, had his own plans. He still wanted Roger to "donate" a few more seeds to Vegapunk, selflessly, of course.
Meanwhile, Kaido and Oden dragged Rayleigh, Gaban, and the others toward the arena with feral grins, eager to "spar."
After the Roger Pirates bowed to Brook because of Roger's illness, Brook admitted something to himself.
Their strength was enough to challenge the World Government.
It even made him hesitate.
But then Brook remembered Imu, that immortal old monster hiding in the dark.
And Brook's caution returned.
It was safer to take one more step first.
Become a dual Devil Fruit user.
Then, and only then, would he go for the throat.
--------------
Not long after, the shameless Roger settled into the Sky Island base to recover, then promptly went and got himself tangled up with a girl from the Portgas family on Cake Island. Before anyone could blink, the two were already quietly dating.
Brook and the others did not stop it. If anything, they were delighted.
After all, if Roger really married into that line, it would only tie him to the Hell Pirates even tighter.
Rayleigh, meanwhile, increased his authority by grinding through mission after mission. After digging through countless sources, he finally confirmed one thing.
He really did have a daughter on Nine Snake Island.
He just did not know which one.
The discovery lit him up so much he nearly forgot Roger was dying. He threw himself into the Pirate Guild's work even harder, stacking merit points so he could exchange them for clearer information.
To squeeze him dry, Brook and Antonio loaded him with tasks, deep sea treasure retrievals, deserted island exploration, Sea King hunts through the Calm Belt, training work as a mentor for advanced Haki, even ship coating jobs.
The rest of Roger's former crew were not any calmer. They kept asking about the "day trip" to Nine Snake Island back then, desperate to learn whether any of them had a daughter too.
Shakky shut them down without hesitation.
If they wanted answers, they would have to keep completing Nine Snake Island exclusive missions.
…
On another front, Brook's own work finally reached a breakthrough.
With Linlin's Soul Soul Fruit ability, the support of Hades and Anubis, and Marshall D. Tim's black tech medical methods involving the soul, Brook continued pushing forward.
Two years passed.
At last, he successfully peeled away the unconscious soul of the Original Brook, shaping it into an independent soul.
A second soul.
But Brook was not like Teach, whose multiple souls each carried memory and consciousness, able to switch control of the body without sleep.
Brook forced that separated soul into a secondary role. It existed only to house a second Devil Fruit ability. It had no independent will, no personality, no freedom.
It was fully controlled by the main soul.
"Yohohoho!"
Brook's eyes shone with ambition.
"I've finally restored dual souls. The hardest step is done."
He clenched his gloved fist, voice rising.
"Now comes the next step, seize a powerful heart."
"This heart cannot hold me back."
Brook understood exactly why this worked for him. He was not supposed to be here. He was an invader who fused with Brook's original soul through the Yomi Yomi no Mi, then forced himself into this world's rules.
Now, after fusion, assimilation, and splitting, his soul had completely adapted.
Even if he split again, he could still wield the Devil Fruit powers of this world without collapsing.
Then his expression turned frustrated.
"It's still not enough."
"If only I could get Rocks' heart, or Roger's."
He frowned, voice dropping to a mutter.
"Even Garp would do. Those D clan monsters have hearts like iron furnaces."
A thought slipped in, dangerous and tempting.
"What about asking Teach to donate one?"
But he dismissed it immediately.
Teach was too weak right now. A heart like that would not survive inside Brook's body for long.
Antonio had already been ordered to watch powerful pirates across the New World, and even track the movements of the Navy's admirals.
Still, Brook could not find the perfect option.
"If I really can't find a suitable heart…"
Brook exhaled, irritated.
"Then maybe I start with a lower tier."
"Someone like Sakazuki. Even as a younger version, that man has terrifying potential."
Brook's mood remained sour. Losing the chance to take Rocks' heart, and even missing the heart of that bald Elder, Ethanbaron, still felt like an unforgivable waste.
Antonio stepped forward, holding a stack of photos and thick files.
"Brother Brook, I collected what you asked for."
"Strong hearts, but no special abilities."
He began listing them with clear excitement, like he was presenting rare treasure.
"First, the Engine Emperor King. Reports say his heartbeat is more than ten times stronger than a normal human. People can hear it from far away. He likes hunting Sea Kings and wild beasts. He's a powerful pirate."
"Second, the Demon King Anos. They say he can make enemies bleed from all seven openings just from the sound of his heartbeat. We confirmed he can swim in the sea, a real non user."
"Third, Orochi Chris. His heartbeat is said to be so overwhelming that enemies lose the ability to think, freeze in place, then get their hearts ripped out."
"Fourth, Devil Muscle Man Isaac. Known for the strongest defenses, even unafraid of lava. His heart is so powerful he can stay underwater for over a day without breathing. He's a pure human, no Fishman blood."
Brook flipped through the photos, eyes narrowing.
These names…
They felt familiar.
His gaze lingered on the fourth file.
"Isaac…"
The legendary warden of the Seventh Floor. Even Sakazuki could not beat him. Even awakened magma power could not shake him. A monster of pure flesh and force.
Brook had not expected to see that name in this era.
Still, his true desire did not change.
He wanted a D clan heart.
Even so, he slid Isaac into the list.
The Dark Dark Fruit had not been found yet, which meant he still had time. If he could not get the fruit, he could at least solve the heart issue first.
"Issue missions."
Brook handed the files back, voice crisp.
"Have the crews under your command capture them."
"Let Shiki, Kaido, and the others move too."
With no war to keep them busy, those two troublemakers needed work before they started chewing on the furniture out of boredom.
"Understood."
Antonio continued sorting through his documents.
"Brother Brook, there's still no news on the two names you asked about, Mihawk and Issho."
He paused, then added another update.
"But on the Grand Line, a new Logia user is starting to gain fame."
"Crocodile, the Sand Sand Fruit."
Antonio sounded dismissive.
"A rookie. If he comes to the New World, he'll get taught a lesson in minutes."
Brook barely cared about sand.
He cared about gravity.
Fujitora's fruit could lift a town into the sky in an instant. It could crush islands, suppress the Float Float Fruit, and even drag meteors down from space like they were pebbles.
That power mattered.
Still, Brook gave the order without hesitation.
"Sand Crocodile?"
"Recruit him."
"If he refuses, then wait until he steps into the New World."
Brook's smile sharpened.
"Then capture him."
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