As Brook's haunting soul song echoed across the battlefield, the Hell Pirates charged toward the island, their spirits bolstered by an army of spectral warriors. Their momentum was unstoppable, a tidal wave of ferocity.
Charlotte Linlin loomed like a giant, her oppressive aura sending shivers through the Worldcom Shipping Syndicate's fighters. They recoiled in terror as she grabbed their comrades, ripping out their souls with a gleeful cackle, leaving behind withered, pale corpses. Panic spread like wildfire.
Even the masked black-clad figure, a gladiator-like enforcer, felt a chill watching Linlin's rampage. This was Anman, a Vesper Pirates officer with a 400-million-Belly bounty, a name to be reckoned with in the New World. But this sudden assault shook him to his core.
The sight of the ghostly army screamed one name: Hell Brook, one of the three overlords. If Brook himself was here, Anman, Orion, and their crew were in grave danger.
How had a simple underworld skirmish escalated into a war between two overlord pirate crews?
The Hell Pirates fought like demons, cutting down foes with the ease of slicing vegetables, their movements fluid and relentless. Anman's first instinct was to flee and call for Captain Vesper's backup, warning him that supporting the Worldcom Shipping Syndicate was a death sentence.
He backpedaled, fumbling for his Den Den Mushi, but a bolt of lightning charred it to a crisp. Pain seared his hand, drowned out by the terror flooding his heart.
It was him—the Hell Pirates' second-in-command, Redfield, wielding the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. Had he set his sights on Anman?
Death's shadow loomed. Despite his mastery of Observation and Armament Haki, Anman knew he was no match for a monster like Redfield.
Run! It was the only thought in his mind.
He had to get word out: the Hell Pirates were muscling into the underworld's dark dealings, and they'd come with their full force, hell-bent on victory!
His fear deepened as he realized their plan to wipe out the Umi Family and erase all traces could backfire. Were the Hell Pirates planning to do the same to him, Orion, and their officers—obliterating them without a trace?
...
Orion saw it too. The moment he felt Brook's assault, he took to the skies, desperate to escape. His Wind-Wind Fruit propelled him upward, winds swirling as he aimed to flee the archipelago.
But a figure pursued, soaring after him. Despite the black robe and dark gold mask, Orion instantly recognized the Hell Pirates' Golden Lion Shiki. Those iconic swords were a dead giveaway. Did Shiki think Orion was blind? In the New World, only a handful of people could fly, and Shiki's Float-Float Fruit was unmistakable.
Orion's Wind-Wind Fruit could only control wind in one direction at a time. He unleashed a gale toward Shiki, hoping to blow the Float-Float Fruit user off course while using a Geppo-like technique to leap through the air.
The massive storm caught Shiki, sending him spiraling downward, disoriented by the howling winds.
...
Suddenly, another figure closed in on Orion—Brook, riding Hera. There was no way Brook would let Orion slip away!
Orion redirected his gale, abandoning his attack on Shiki to propel himself faster, darting through the sky like a true master of the Wind-Wind Fruit.
"Yohoho! Orion, what's this? Running without even a quick spar?" Brook taunted, his sword aura slashing toward Orion in relentless waves.
Shiki, recovering, joined the chase. The scene resembled a dogfight, Brook and Shiki bombarding Orion with green and gold sword slashes as he fled.
Orion had no time to answer Brook's mockery. He dodged frantically, weaving through the barrage of slashes. What started as a simple mission to crush the Umi Family had turned into a king-tier duel against Brook. Orion cursed his luck.
Back in the day, he could've taken Brook's head without breaking a sweat. But in just a year or two, he'd watched Brook rise from a pseudo-overlord to a true titan. Now, Orion was the one running for his life. Fate was a cruel bastard!
"Brook, are you trying to spark a war between our crews? You want Rocks to swoop in and pick up the scraps?" Orion shouted, fear creeping into his voice as Brook and Shiki closed in.
"Nope, nope, nope! You planned to wipe out the Umi Family, right? Well, we're just returning the favor. Don't worry—no one will know you were here!" Brook replied with a chilling laugh.
If they erased all evidence, what could Vesper do, even if he suspected foul play?
When Vesper forced his son Shirokiri to mass-produce soldiers, Brook and Rocks knew the old man's ambitions had faded. The Vesper Pirates' days were numbered.
Brook was ready to step over their corpses to rival the Rocks Pirates as an overlord!
...
On the island, the Hell Pirates' overwhelming assault crushed the Worldcom Shipping Syndicate's fighters and the Vesper Pirates' reinforcements.
Siboshe, the Syndicate's head, felt his heart sink. How had this happened? The Umi Family's backers were too strong—the Hell Pirates had come out in full force!
"Haha! Siboshe, come on, throw a few more insults my way! I'll make sure you get a proper send-off to hell. Don't worry about your wife and daughters—I'll take good care of them!" Umide roared with laughter.
Orion, who'd been chasing him moments ago, was now on the run. The tide had turned, and Brook's crew was a force of nature. Even their youngest members—two kids barely over six feet tall—fought like monsters.
Umide marveled at the ferocious displays from Beast Kaido and Fishman Tiger. So young, yet so powerful, fearless in battle. Truly terrifying!
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