Maybe it was the Hell Pirates' lightning-fast mobility, or maybe their top-notch intelligence network, but after a few pinpoint strikes, several pirate crews were crushed by their golden airship. Supernovas no longer dared to stir trouble on Brook's turf.
The Vesper Pirates, with years of experience, ran the tightest ship in the New World. Their hierarchy kept rogue pirates in check, making their territory the most stable.
In contrast, the brutal Rocks Pirates held the largest swath of land, but their crews were a chaotic mess, constantly brawling among themselves. They didn't bother with governance, so Supernovas ran wild on their sprawling turf. Even the rebuilt Ice Demon Pirates started guerrilla raids near Snow Island!
Rocks realized his empire was too vast to manage. Every day brought news of uprisings, distracting him from training.
Conquering territory was tough, but ruling it was tougher. Rocks handed things off to his officers, only for chaos to worsen. His lieutenants, each vying for control, squabbled over wealthy islands, itching to play lord and live large. A furious Rocks had to step in, his face dark as he crushed their insubordination.
In the end, he stationed all officers at Hachinosu Island, forming a suppression squad to patrol the territories. Islands were left to elite pirates with bounties of 50 to 100 million Belly.
This only emboldened more Supernovas and big-name pirates to attack, knowing Rocks' officers couldn't cover every island.
The Rocks Pirates' vast domain was ripe for the picking—a new overlord's turf could be carved out of it.
Frustrated, Rocks halted his training. He set out to subdue every Supernova and major pirate himself.
...
But Rocks never saw it coming. A mysterious group called the "Rocks Fan Club" started leaking his location, infuriating him. Fans? More like spies!
No one knew who ran this group, but their updates were eerily accurate, letting Supernovas and big shots dodge Rocks' wrath.
Rocks first suspected the underground intelligence networks, but few knew the headquarters of the World Economy News Agency.
Forced back to Hachinosu, Rocks felt the entire New World conspiring against him, coveting his empire. Yet his ambition to unify the New World wouldn't falter.
All his troubles boiled down to one thing: not enough power. If he could grow stronger, he'd crush the Vesper Pirates and swallow their turf. The Hell Pirates were trickier, but there had to be a Devil Fruit to counter them!
Rocks had his eye on Orion's wind-manipulating ability—a perfect counter for the Float-Float Fruit. Recently, his Dark-Dark Fruit had unlocked something incredible: the power to steal Devil Fruit abilities. He hadn't anticipated that.
Then he remembered the three Devil Fruit users Brook had poached, plus the Siren and Hammerhead Shark now in the Hell Pirates' hands. Coincidence?
The thought hit Rocks like a cannonball. Had Brook beaten him to mastering Devil Fruit theft? Did Brook's fruit, like his Dark-Dark Fruit, have the same plundering power?
...
The idea shook Rocks. Brook's rise was meteoric, almost disorienting. It took Rocks years in the New World to stumble upon the secret of Conqueror's Haki Coiling, launching him to overlord status.
Yet Brook had somehow learned Conqueror's Haki Coiling straight from Vesper and unlocked Devil Fruit theft? If true, who could stand against the Hell Pirates?
And Brook—bless his bones—seemed divinely favored. His crew was stacked with Conqueror's Haki users. Was he the true protagonist of this era?
Wasn't it the Will of D that turned the world upside down? Brook wasn't a D. Did he have a hidden name?
Rocks shoved the thoughts aside. If Brook was plundering Devil Fruits, then Rocks would act fast. The New World's throne belonged to him or Brook—no one else!
Vesper, that old fossil, was just bones in a crypt, not worth worrying about.
But who controlled the underground intelligence now, daring to expose his movements and thwart his hunt for Supernovas?
Rocks' gut pointed to Vesper or Brook, with Brook as the prime suspect. Was Brook blocking him from subduing pirates to hoard Devil Fruit users for himself?
If Rocks knew where those intelligence groups hid, he'd raze them like he did the World Dark News!
Since Brook was mucking up his plans, Rocks decided to return the favor. If they were both after Devil Fruit powers, let Brook take the heat for it.
He ordered his crew to spread word that Brook could steal Devil Fruit abilities, citing the Siren and Hammerhead Shark Fruits as proof. The news would hit the Vesper Pirates, the World Government, and the Marines hard!
Rocks would plunder fruits too, but he'd be sly about it—keeping his crew's new powers under wraps while pinning the infamy on Brook.
The next overlord clash would leave Brook and Vesper reeling!
...
By the next day, despite Mortomas' efforts to suppress it, word of Brook's Devil Fruit-stealing ability spread like wildfire. The World Government took particular notice—this power could upend the balance of the seas!
The Vesper Pirates were rattled. Orion, in particular, felt like he'd dodged a bullet in the jaws of Hell. The Hell Pirates had too many top-tier Devil Fruit users.
The Siren Fruit on Stussy and the Hammerhead Shark Fruit on Scarlet? Too perfect to be chance. Even if reborn fruits were hunted down immediately, finding them that fast was uncanny.
This power spooked Devil Fruit users but drew ambitious pirates like moths to a flame. Joining the Hell Pirates might mean easier access to Devil Fruits—who wouldn't be tempted?
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+300 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg