Riku Doldo II and Prince Doldo stood frozen, trembling, terrified that the next bullet might tear a hole through them.
Why were they suddenly in the crosshairs? Wasn't stealing the Tontatta tribe enough? Riku Doldo II screamed internally, his heart pounding.
The Golden Ark hovered ominously above the King's Plateau. Brook and Silva leapt down, striding toward the fleeing royal officials. A flash of lightning announced Redfield's arrival, his presence electrifying the air.
Brook's terrifying aura made the royal guards' legs quiver. They instinctively stepped back, their duty to protect the king crumbling under primal fear.
The high-ranking officials collapsed to the ground, their faces pale with dread as they stared at the infamous Lord of Hell, Brook—one of the New World's overlords. Their lives now hung on his whim.
"Dressrosa's king, take a deep breath—don't pass out just yet," Brook said, his skeletal grin unnervingly calm.
"I'm here with a simple question: does your treasury hold any Devil Fruits? And don't even think about lying, or you'll face a thunderous reckoning!"
Brook's words, laced with soul-chilling power, soothed Riku Doldo II's panic just enough to keep him conscious, but the icy threat in his tone was unmistakable.
"Y-Yes, we have one! Please, don't harm our country!"
Riku Doldo II answered frantically, his body shaking, head bobbing like a frightened bird pecking at rice.
"Perfect! Hand it over, then. We're on a tight schedule!"
Brook's empty eye sockets gleamed with excitement, and Silva's eyes sparkled beside him. A Devil Fruit? What insane luck!
Silva's mind reeled—Brook's foresight was uncanny, almost divine.
Brook, meanwhile, silently thanked his protagonist aura and whatever cosmic blessing had led him here. With this fruit, his dream of having the world's greatest sniper was practically guaranteed!
Hearing Brook's urgency to grab the fruit and leave, Riku Doldo II saw a chance to buy peace with treasure. He immediately ordered the lone Devil Fruit to be fetched from the royal vault.
But Brook wasn't done. Curious about what else the Donquixote family's old stomping grounds might hide, he motioned for Riku Doldo II to lead them to Dressrosa's treasury.
Riku Doldo II didn't dare refuse, guiding them obediently. Prince Doldo, shell-shocked, trailed behind like a puppet on strings, his eyes vacant.
...
Inside the treasury, Brook's expectations sank. This poor kingdom's hoard was pathetic compared to the glittering riches of Fish-Man Island's Ryugu Palace, let alone the Hell Pirates' own stash.
Brook opened the box containing the Devil Fruit, with Silva peering over his shoulder. It matched the description in the Devil Fruit encyclopedia: the Glare-Glare Fruit.
"Not bad, eh?" Brook said, tossing the fruit to Silva. "Eat it now, or take it back to mull it over?"
This fruit was a sniper's dream, granting abilities like mind-reading, heart-piercing insight, and X-ray-like vision to scan enemies' insides. It also bestowed telescopic sight, extending vision up to 4,000 kilometers for gathering intel or tracking foes.
"I'd just overthink it back on the ship," Silva said, grinning. "I'm eating it now!"
Ultra-long-range vision was exactly what the hot-blooded, not-quite-twenty-year-old sniper craved—especially the part about seeing through clothes!
Silva took a bite of the Glare-Glare Fruit, then tossed it back into the box, gagging at the foul taste. Immediately, he tested his new powers, his eyes sharpening. The Glare-Glare Fruit's baseline ability—telescopic vision—kicked in.
He could see a mosquito in the corner of the room, a News Coo seagull soaring far beyond the window, even distant insects on the horizon.
"Alright, we're done here. Thanks for the hospitality, King of Dressrosa!"
Brook dragged the wide-eyed Silva out, still marveling at his new vision. Redfield followed, flashing a faint, approving smile at the cooperative king.
The guards and officials, overjoyed that the pirates hadn't looted the treasury, embraced and wept in relief. Without their meager wealth, this poor nation would've been doomed.
Riku Doldo II was stunned by Brook's restraint. He'd braced for the Hell Pirates to clean out the treasury, but they'd taken only the Devil Fruit and left.
Rushing to the King's Plateau, he watched the Golden Ark soar away, the massive floating island trailing behind it. The deathly threat hanging over Dressrosa was gone.
The people of Dressrosa celebrated their survival, the looming island no longer a danger. Refugees returned, and the nation settled back into a fragile peace. But the "borrowing incidents" by the Tontatta tribe's little fairies were gone for good.
The Riku royal family mourned the loss of their single Devil Fruit—a small price compared to what could've been. But Riku Doldo II knew the Tontatta tribe had been taken from Green Bit. Dressrosa's fairies were gone forever.
He'd never get to show them to his son. Prince Doldo, shaken by the ordeal, slipped into a rebellious phase, vowing that one day he'd rescue the Tontatta from the Hell Pirates' clutches.
...
Ohara-Golden Island was ready to return to its home turf. Meanwhile, Angelie's ship was hot on the trail of the Roger Pirates. Shirokiri's ship shadowed close behind, even firing a cannon at Angelie's ship.
That shot signaled Shirokiri's intent to muscle in on Angelie's turf, forcing her to pick up speed, hoping the Roger Pirates could fend off Shirokiri's aggression.
Shirokiri's reckless attack on Hell Pirates' territory reached the ears of both the Vesper Pirates and the Rocks Pirates, stirring different reactions.
On Ten Kings Island, Shirokiri's father, Vesper, scowled. His troublemaking son was a walking disaster, practically begging for their overlord alliance to crumble faster.
Wilank and Saracha, lounging on their own turf, watched the chaos unfold with interest. They'd been outmaneuvered by Vesper for too long, their economic lifelines nearly choked by his influence.
But their pirate mentality—more brawn than business savvy—had let their territories' trade falter, giving Vesper the upper hand.
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+280 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg