The Cube-Cube Fruit—a power that transforms anything, even air, into perfect cubes, ready to be shifted, stacked, or reshaped at will.
This Devil Fruit could turn earth and buildings into blocky, Cube-like structures, freely rearranged into labyrinths or pathways. Touch an enemy, and they'd morph into a cube in an instant. Even air could be compressed into cubic bombs with devastating force.
What's more, the cubes controlled by the fruit's user could float in midair, making it a game-changer. With floating cubes, you could escape through the skies or hover above the battlefield, untouchable.
Brook had long dreamed of reshaping the interior of Golden Island or other territories. He'd eyed Pica's Stone-Stone Fruit or Morley's Push-Push Fruit for their terrain-altering potential.
Pica's Stone-Stone Fruit turned Dressrosa's King's Plateau into a maze of tunnels and castles, even carving out an underground port to the sea. The guy could morph into a thousand-meter stone giant—talk about a powerhouse!
Morley's Push-Push Fruit was even wilder. He hollowed out Level 5.5 of Impel Down, creating a secret paradise for the okama in the world's most secure prison—silently, no less!
That same Morley burrowed beneath the Red Line, hiding troops under Mary Geoise to aid the Revolutionary Army during the Levely. Sneaky didn't even begin to cover it.
"No Stone-Stone or Push-Push Fruit for now? Fine, the Cube-Cube Fruit will do nicely for reshaping islands. This fruit's ours—and I'm aiming to bring Byrnndi World's entire crew under our flag!"
Brook grinned, his skeletal jaw clacking. If Rocks couldn't seize the chance to recruit World, that was his loss. The More-More Fruit was a beast—hundredfold speed, hundredfold size. A cannonball could level an island!
No wonder World earned the title "World Destroyer." When he fired his guns or cannons, amplified a hundred times by the More-More Fruit, the results were apocalyptic. Ever seen a cannonball dozens of meters wide? It'd scare anyone to death!
With such a potent Devil Fruit, Brook wasn't about to let World slip away. If he couldn't be recruited, taking him out and claiming the More-More Fruit was the next best thing.
...
"Brook, there's more news," Antonio piped up, a hint of worry in his voice. "Rocks is restarting the World Dark News. They've found a new Vulture-Vulture Fruit user and are training vulture news birds. Most of the vultures from Longplain and Normandy Islands have been snatched up. They're even hiring reporters and editors at top Belly. Should we have Mortomas send spies to infiltrate?"
Brook waved a bony hand dismissively.
"What's to fear? The name 'World Dark News' alone limits them to the New World. They're not like Mortomas, who's got a foot in both the legit world and the underworld. A pirate-run news outfit? It's a step below, yohoho!"
He leaned back, strumming an imaginary guitar.
"Rocks' mistake is being so blatant about it. If he'd backed it quietly, he might've avoided making enemies. Let Mortomas take him on. An amateur like Rocks can't outplay a pro in the news game!"
Brook knew Rocks had spent the last two months quelling unrest in his territory, only to stick his nose into the underground world, trying to mimic Brook's success. Big mistake.
Rocks' brash push into underworld industries—grabbing at every trade—had sparked a backlash from all corners, especially from Brook's allies, the Umi Family and the World Economic News Agency.
Major players shifted their operations to Brook's territory to avoid Rocks' greedy hands. As a result, trade in Rocks' domain plummeted, leaving his economy in shambles.
Rocks didn't seem to care, aiming to control every business in his territory. But that just gave underworld factions reason to trip him up, cutting his supply chains. Pirates and civilians in his lands were suffering, their quality of life tanking.
Some were even packing up to move to Brook's territory. That's what happens when an amateur calls the shots, leaving no scraps for others. Rocks' empire was crumbling under his own hubris.
...
"In short, Rocks wants to play the all-knowing mastermind like me, but he's light-years behind!" Brook cackled.
Antonio nodded eagerly, tossing in a quick compliment.
"Exactly, Captain! Rocks not as good as your genius!"
When the boss started waxing philosophical, Antonio knew the drill: agree, flatter, keep him happy. Worked every time.
"Yohohoho! When it comes to knowledge and worldly savvy, I'm leagues ahead of Rocks—tens of thousands, even! Let him flail about. He'll tank his own territory back to the Stone Age!"
Brook's laughter echoed. A native pirate overlord daring to challenge him at economic strategy? Absurd! Brook, forged in the cutthroat world of capitalist exploitation, knew better.
Capitalists at least tossed out crumbs and a sweet deal to keep folks hooked. Rocks? He wanted to monopolize every industry in his domain, kicking out the underworld players and hogging it all.
A stagnant economy doesn't grow—that's basic. Rocks, the outsider, was locking his gates and alienating everyone. Even without Brook starting a war, the underworld's quiet sabotage would make Rocks' life hell.
...
New World
"World, we can't stay in the Hell Pirates' territory too long. Let's pull back to the first half of the New World, quick!"
Byojack coughed weakly, his frail frame shaking. As Byrnndi World's sickly older brother and intelligence mastermind, he knew the Hell Pirates' terrifying intel network all too well.
"Relax, brother," World replied, grinning. "Some of our crew are banged up. We need time to patch 'em up. We'll head out tomorrow. Look at this haul, though—another Devil Fruit! Who should get it?"
World eyed his top officers: shipwright Gairam, young herbalist doctor Nightin, and fish-giant Sebastian.
If it was a Zoan fruit, he'd give it to Byojack to boost his frail health. But a Paramecia like this? Better suited for one of his lieutenants.
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+300 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg