Chapter 218: Chapter 218: The Navy’s Worries
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Inside the Fleet Admiral’s office, the air was thick with tension.
Fleet Admiral Kurotaka listened to Admiral Kong’s report, his face a mask of stoic calm, though a shadow of unease crept into his expression. Even Kong, one of the Navy’s mightiest, had taken a beating from the Hell Pirates.
It was time to reassess Brook and his crew’s strength—seriously. Kurotaka had assumed that after killing a Celestial Dragon, the Hell Pirates would cower in the New World, never daring to show their faces again.
Yet, in just a year or two, they’d skyrocketed to pseudo-Emperor status. Kurotaka himself had inflated their bounties to cement their reputation as an Emperor-level crew, hoping to keep them contained.
Now, they had the gall to swagger back into the Grand Line, brazen as ever. They’d relocated Baldimore, the island of the future kingdom, for reasons unknown—though there was always a reason with Brook. Then they meddled in a World Government-affiliated nation’s war, obliterating Iron Shield Island in the Valorant Kingdom. Worst of all, they’d escaped Kong’s grasp, leaving him wounded and the promising young Rear Admiral Sengoku defeated!
"Fleet Admiral, Brook’s Devil Fruit powers are downright eerie. He can strike directly at a person’s soul. His strongest attack? Even my Armament Haki couldn’t block it. I’m wracked with soul-searing pain every day!" Kong said, grimacing through the agony.
"At this rate, it’ll take me a week to recover, and I’m only at 70-80% strength. Please, don’t send anyone below Admiral rank after Brook!"
Kong’s warning was stark. If a titan like him was this battered, a Vice Admiral would be crushed in a single blow. Soul-damaging abilities were rare on the seas, and even Kong, with his vast combat experience, had never faced a Devil Fruit user like Brook before.
Kurotaka’s voice was grave.
"It seems Brook’s crew has truly come into their own. My earlier plan won’t work anymore. Even a single Admiral might not be enough to take down the Hell Pirates."
He leaned forward, eyes narrowing.
"What are they up to, returning to the Grand Line? According to Earl Iron Shield of Valorant, Brook was after a soldier named Kaido, who’s likely been taken to Golden Island. And from the Vodka Kingdom’s intel, Kaido’s a descendant of the rare Oni race. The Hell Pirates must be scouring the Grand Line for high-potential recruits!"
Chief of Staff Darian spoke up, his voice tinged with awe and dread.
"Brook has some uncanny knack for sniffing out talent. His top four fighters—all Conqueror’s Haki users! It’s unheard of! In the past, a crew with two Conqueror’s Haki awakeners was considered top-tier. The Hell Pirates have four, maybe five!"
Darian’s words hung heavy.
"If their crew keeps growing at this rate, even Rocks D. Xebec might fall to them. The future belongs to the Hell Pirates!"
Kurotaka pored over the Hell Pirates’ dossier, his heart sinking with every page. The Celestial Dragons’ orders to crush them seemed impossible now. With Golden Lion Shiki and a roster brimming with Conqueror’s Haki users, what could the Navy do to stop them?
Three Admirals together? The Hell Pirates would slip away before they could mobilize. One Admiral? No match. Spies? Useless—past infiltrators had defected to Brook’s side. The Hell Pirates were a perfect storm of strength and potential, growing stronger with every passing day.
"Can we mobilize all our Grand Line informants to track their movements?" Kurotaka asked. "We need to know their next target. If Brook recruits even a few more Conqueror’s Haki users, we’ll never contain them!"
Kong sighed. "With their flying Golden Island, our warships can’t keep up. We’re already too slow to chase them."
Kurotaka’s jaw tightened. "For now, we’ll have to placate the Celestial Dragons. We don’t know how to counter a crew with a flying island. Start gathering intel—every scrap you can find."
He issued a warning to the Grand Line’s allied nations: an Emperor-level crew had entered their waters. Be on guard. But deep down, he knew no kingdom’s army could stand against the Hell Pirates.
Kurotaka recalled Admiral Devo from the New World, summoning all three Admirals to the Grand Line to prevent any surprises. Marineford, Mary Geoise, and the Sabaody Archipelago needed protection. If the Hell Pirates, who despised the Celestial Dragons, launched another attack, the Navy needed every ounce of strength.
Kong had revealed a chilling detail: the Hell Pirates openly threatened to kill Celestial Dragons on sight. Kurotaka reported this to the Five Elders, urging the World Government to rein in the Dragons. A chance encounter with the Hell Pirates in the Grand Line could be fatal, even with Admirals on call.
The Marines leaked a story through Peace Dove News, blaming the destruction of Iron Shield Island on the "vile" Hell Pirates. Meanwhile, Mortomas’ Economic News took a neutral stance, reporting that the Hell Pirates fought Kong to a standstill, destroying Iron Shield City in the clash. The article included damning photos of Kong screaming in pain.
Marineford quickly contacted Mortomas, offering a "revision fee" to soften the story. Never one to turn down a profit, Mortomas complied—knowing the first edition had already spread far and wide. By afternoon, a new version hit the presses, showcasing Kong "repelling" Redfield and wounding Shiki, with a fabricated tale of the Navy driving the Hell Pirates from Iron Shield Island. It salvaged some of Kong’s reputation, at least.
...
The Hell Pirates’ Golden Island soared from Skypiea, bound for Little Garden, the ancient island. Their journey took them past Alabasta, and Drum Island.
At last, they reached the massive, primal island, teeming with rare ancient creatures—dinosaurs and other ferocious beasts roamed its wilds.
Brook had big plans. With future projects involving artificial Zoan Devil Fruits, collecting blood, genes, and Lineage Factors from these ancient species was a must. Ancient Zoans were leagues above common ones. Thinking of Kaido’s ragtag Beasts Pirates in the future—those underwhelming True Beasts and Gifters—Brook couldn’t help but scoff.
...
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