The seas were restless, stirred up by the audacity of countless Supernova crews and big-name pirates stirring trouble in the territory of the Rocks Pirates. But Brook's brainchild, the Pirate Guild, had them fuming. These rogue pirates found themselves under attack—not by rival crews, but by Guild members hunting them for bounties and rank points!
In the Hell Pirates' domain, Guild members sailed freely, enjoying discounts on everything from grog to gear. Entertainment industries were booming, turning Brook's territory into a pirate paradise. Casinos, taverns, and pleasure dens sprouted like barnacles, enriching the spiritual lives of these sea adventures. To them, this was the true New World!
"No need to fear a sudden ambush from an Emperor's crew," they'd say. As Guild members, they paid no protection fees, swore no fealty, and snagged lucrative jobs with ease. The Pirate Guild's slogan rang true: "Create joy with heart! Want cash? Come here. Want safety? Come here!"
Nobody could fathom why an Emperor like Brook would bother with a Pirate Guild. It felt more like something out of the underworld's shady chambers than a pirate's code. Underground bosses saw both danger and opportunity—a monstrous monopoly rising, but one they could learn from.
New pirates flooded the Hell Pirates' turf, eager to join the Guild and sail its waters freely. Those who dared cause trouble landed on the Guild's task board, becoming prey for bounty-hungry members, dragged off to cash in their rewards.
...
On Baron Island
"Captain Brook, this Pirate Guild is bleeding us dry! Even a mountain of gold and silver wouldn't survive your spending!"
Shakky, the old financier, was losing her mind. Money flowed out like a broken dam. Thank the seas for Stussy, the young money-maker, whose entertainment ventures clawed back most of the losses!
The Guild's earnings were meant to be spent right back in Hell Pirates' territory. Under Brook's guidance, Stussy had cooked up every gambling gimmick under the sun—dice, cards, you name it. Lily Carnation's Omatsuri Island had become a glittering money pit. Leafy humanoids, amusement parks, and casinos shot up overnight, luring pirates to spend their last Belly.
Lily even planted food crops across the island, creating a gourmet district that skyrocketed Omatsuri Island's fame to legendary heights.
"Stussy's been raking it in, hasn't she? That should balance the books, right?"
Brook pored over the Guild's data. Countless bounty heads were under his watch, even the lowest Black Iron rank requiring a 10-million-Belly bounty. These pirates had free sailing rights, trading and splurging in his domain.
Guild member crews were bound by profit, tethered to Brook's will. Any dissenters quickly found themselves on the task board, hunted down and sent straight to the underworld!
"It's still not enough!" Shakky snapped. "Sure, Stussy's making bank, but these pirates eat like bottomless pits! All those discounts you're handing out? They're killing us!"
She ran the numbers for Brook. Stussy's ventures formed a small revenue cycle, but the Guild was still burning through capital like a ship through cannonballs.
"You're forgetting something," Brook said, grinning. "All that money's turning into power—rare materials, captured pirates, devoured souls, even recycled Devil Fruits! And don't worry—Shiki's about to haul back a gold mine island!"
The Hell Pirates' spending was an investment. Every captured pirate, every consumed soul, every reclaimed Devil Fruit boosted their strength. The returns were tangible, even if the coffers were hurting.
"That's more like it," Shakky muttered. "Speaking of gold, it's got me thinking about Wano. When are we heading back there? And what about selling some Seastone on the side? High prices could balance the books."
Shakky's mind turned to Wano's Seastone mines, now producing a surplus. Maintaining those mines, craftsmen, and workers wasn't cheap—another money sink!
Brook fell silent. Seastone was a strategic ace, a nightmare for Devil Fruit users. Flooding the market with it could backfire.
"No way," he said firmly. "Seastone's off-limits. It's our trump card. I'll find other ways to make money. For now, we've got enough to keep things rolling."
"Fine," Shakky sighed. "The Guild's stable now, no longer in expansion mode. But with Rocks' territory in chaos, why not stir the chaos? Send Guild members to hit his islands. We could swoop in and claim them—or let the Guild crews take them as a buffer."
Shakky's plan was ruthless: use the Guild as cannon fodder to weaken Rocks' empire, letting the Hell Pirates clean up the scraps.
"Not a bad idea," Brook mused. "Those Supernovas and big shots are no match for Rocks. Let's send our Guild pirates to join the fray!"
He ordered Antonio to post a task: seize islands bordering Rocks' territory. Whoever claimed them could keep them.
With the Hell Pirates and Vesper's crew backing the operation, Brook dragged Vesper into the scheme too. It was time to shrink Rocks' bloated empire—a giant too big for its own boots!
The task ignited a firestorm of ambition. Guild pirates saw a chance to rise in the chaos, dreaming of becoming the next Emperor. But Rocks wasn't one to cede an inch of his domain.
...
Across the New World
Rocks, the untamed tyrant, erupted. No island would slip from his grasp. His wrath was a tidal wave, sweeping away all who dared challenge him. News gull corpses littered the seas, and Supernovas and veteran pirates alike crumbled before him.
Clad in a black cloak, Rocks swept through the opposition alone, without a single crewmate. Not even Antonio or Mortomas could track his movements.
Only Silva's Glare-Glare Fruit pinpointed Rocks' location. His daily reports broadcast his position, letting Guild pirates dodge his deadly rampage.
Rocks seethed, sensing the prying eyes of rare Devil Fruit powers. Enraged, he stormed back to Beehive Island, summoning his entire crew.
No more holding back. He'd carve a bloody path wherever he went—a true, unhinged Emperor of the seas!
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+300 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg