Chapter 228: Chapter 228: Red the Aloof’s Homeland
Parrot, after touring the castle’s various rooms, began reshaping his body’s interior to mimic bedrooms, halls, kitchens, and even a prison. This was the power of the Castle Fruit!
A Castle Fruit user could freely reconfigure the castle’s layout and control its objects to attack enemies trapped inside. But these abilities required Parrot to develop them further. As a mere animal with limited experience, he relied heavily on Brook’s guidance to unlock the fruit’s potential.
"Brook, Redfield, you guys ever think about visiting your hometowns?"
Antonio, having gathered a wealth of intel, knew the two big shots hailed from the West Blue.
Brook and Redfield exchanged a glance, falling silent. Brook had no family left, so returning held no appeal. Redfield’s family, the Patrick family, had been slaughtered by the Celestial Dragons, making a homecoming a painful reminder of loss.
"I want to go back," Redfield said after a pause, his voice thick with sudden, burning hatred, as if he meant to drown his enemies in their own blood to honor his parents.
"Alright," Brook replied with a nod. He ordered Shakky to chart a course for Rosegrave Island, Redfield’s homeland and the former territory of the Patrick family.
The Golden Ark veered off, altering its route. Instead of heading to the scholars’ haven of Ohara, they set sail for Redfield’s roots.
...
News of the Hell Pirates’ Golden Ark appearing in the West Blue spread like wildfire, broadcast by the World Peace Dove News Agency to the region’s allied nations.
The Navy, still unable to cross the Calm Belt, had to take the long route through Reverse Mountain to reach the Four Seas. At Reverse Mountain, a climbing mechanism—similar to the one at Mary Geoise—allowed ships to be abandoned and crews to transfer to the Four Seas, where local Navy forces would take over.
By sheer luck, the Hell Pirates hadn’t stumbled across this government passage. The Grand Line was vast, and Reverse Mountain’s exit at Twin Cape wasn’t the only way out.
Merchant caravans, kingdom trade fleets, and kings attending the World Conference often used these government channels to bypass Reverse Mountain safely, avoiding mishaps.
...
West Blue: Rosegrave Island
The island was a breathtaking sight. Hills and fields stretched out in shades of deep crimson, purple-red, and brick, dotted with vibrant rapeseed and potato flowers blooming across slopes for miles. Golden wheat swayed like ocean waves under the cool mountain breeze—layers of green, white, red, and gold blending into a vivid tapestry.
"What a gorgeous island!" Shakky marveled, understanding why even the Celestial Dragons coveted it.
At the island’s heart, perched high, stood a dazzling golden castle—a temporary palace for Celestial Dragons visiting the West Blue.
A steward managed the estate year-round, overseeing the island’s enslaved inhabitants. The island’s specialty, Blood Rice, was famed for its healing properties and was a favorite of the Celestial Dragons, who called it Red Rice.
Ever since Brook and Redfield killed a Celestial Dragon, the island saw fewer visits from the elite, wary of Redfield’s wrath. Yet, the island’s prized rice was still shipped to the Holy Land of Mary Geoise.
Redfield wouldn’t find any Celestial Dragons to exact revenge on today. His parents’ graves were unmarked, mere mounds on a nameless hillside. He’d stolen their bodies back years ago, burying them in secret to protect them from desecration by Celestial Dragon lackeys.
...
Redfield stood before his parents’ graves, the weight of loss heavy in his silence. The island buzzed with unrest as the Celestial Dragons’ steward sounded the alarm, calling the Navy and reporting to his masters.
"When I awaken my Float-Float Fruit, I’ll haul this whole island to the New World for you!" Golden Lion Shiki declared, his loyalty shining through. Moving an island that size across seas was no small feat.
"No need," Redfield said coldly, dismissing the idea. It was too much hassle, and who knew how long it’d take Shiki to awaken his fruit?
He exhumed his parents’ coffins, relocating them to the Golden Ark, where he erected proper tombstones. Even the proud Red the Aloof had moments of grief, a sight that struck the crew.
"Captain Brook, I think Shiki’s onto something," Vegapunk chimed in. "This island’s soil has unique properties. The food grown here—especially the Blood Rice—is packed with nutrients that could boost physical strength. That might be why the Celestial Dragons are obsessed with it."
"Really?" Brook said, intrigued. He examined the crimson earth, searching for hidden secrets, but found no trace of absurd myths about divine blood staining the land.
...
After arranging his parents’ burial, Redfield’s sorrow turned to fury. Transforming into a bolt of lightning, he stormed the Celestial Dragons’ castle. As a towering Thunder Giant, he tore the structure apart with his bare hands, reducing the steward and guards to charred husks.
Shakky and Streusen raided the castle’s warehouses and treasury, hauling off heaps of Blood Rice and plundered tax treasures.
Shiki, not to be outdone, used his Float-Float Fruit to lift a vibrant swath of red earth, complete with wheat fields, onto the Golden Ark. It became a small onboard farm, doubling as Vegapunk’s new testing ground.
The Patrick family’s former subjects watched in awe and mixed emotions. Some trembled in fear, others rejoiced, and a few wept openly as Redfield destroyed the Celestial Dragons’ hold. For years, they’d suffered under their rule—families torn apart, daughters taken for cruel amusement.
Redfield had no intention of lingering on this island of sorrow. On the castle’s ruined walls, he left a single, chilling message:
"Celestial Dragons: I’ll kill every last one I see."
...
The Golden Ark set sail again. In the West Blue, no foe was worthy of challenging the Hell Pirates.
The sea felt too small for Shiki and Kaido, who itched to return to the New World’s chaos. Brook had considered visiting the Flower Country to check out the Eight Treasures Navy, but the crew’s clamor to leave won out. After a stop at Ohara, they’d head straight back to the New World.
The New World was the Hell Pirates’ true stage. Shakky, meanwhile, had her sights set on Wano Country. That was where her "shady merchant" skills could shine.
Armed with piles of platinum and silver, she was ready to clean out Wano’s gold reserves. She wouldn’t rest until she’d turned their markets upside down!