In the heart of Punk Hazard, Brook hadn't anticipated Devo's sheer madness, his relentless drive to stop Golden Lion Shiki from floating the island away.
Even under the barrage of Brook's trio, Devo was hell-bent on halting Shiki's progress!
"I won't let you take Punk Hazard!"
Hovering in the sky, blood dripping from his lips, Devo glared down. Punk Hazard, a treasure trove worth hundreds of billions of Belly, built over decades—there was no way he'd let the Hell Pirates claim it!
The iron-willed Admiral wouldn't allow it, and neither would the Five Elders of the World Government!
"Your Devil Fruit's got my name written all over it!"
Brook wasn't in the mood for chit-chat. He signaled Shiki to keep floating Punk Hazard while recalling his spectral army and generals, merging them to boost his power just above Devo's Admiral-level strength.
"Then come and get it!"
Devo darted higher into the sky, dodging direct combat with Brook and Redfield. His strategy was clear: harass Shiki and disrupt the floating process without engaging head-on.
That was the infuriating advantage of a flying Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit. Even Brook couldn't pin him down. Charlotte Linlin's Hera, a mid-tier Homie, couldn't match Devo's speed.
For now, Redfield's lightning-fast strikes were the only thing keeping Devo in check, while Brook and Newgate guarded Shiki on the ground, ensuring he could focus on floating the island.
"We'll haul Punk Hazard away right under your nose!"
Brook kept a sharp eye on Devo, ready to counter any interference or escape attempt. His soul slashes were primed, waiting for the perfect moment.
Devo, soaring high above, was too fast and distant for Brook's soul slashes to land reliably. Patience was key—Brook needed an opening.
"Hmph! I'd hightail it if I were you. Kong and CP0 are on their way. You won't escape when they show up!"
Devo played his trump card, hoping to scare Brook off. A battle on Punk Hazard could destroy the island, and if he drove the Hell Pirates away, the Navy could relocate its priceless equipment.
"Yohohoho! Let's see if they make it in time!"
Brook's cold laugh echoed. While Devo's flight was a headache, Brook was confident against Kong, a pure physical fighter. His soul slashes were tailor-made for such opponents!
Still, Brook wasn't sure how many Vice Admirals or CP0 agents Kong was bringing. The Hell Pirates' top fighters might be stretched thin.
Shiki, irritated by Devo's antics, was itching to take him on. If Brook hadn't insisted on claiming the island, Shiki would've already charged skyward to brawl with the Admiral.
Instead, he poured his energy into enveloping Punk Hazard with his Float-Float Fruit powers. Time was tight, so he focused on lifting the underground research base. If push came to shove, they'd take just the base—no need for the whole island.
Boom!
A dark energy cannon blasted toward Shiki. Newgate's quake wave and Brook's Shichiseiken aura obliterated it.
Brook noted that Devo's ram-horned demon form relied on melee and recovery, not ranged attacks. That defensive prowess and regeneration made him a perfect fit for the Hell Pirates' vibe.
One day, I'll take that guy down and claim his fruit! Brook marked Devo as a long-term target in his mind.
...
Devo hadn't yet received Kong's backup when Charlotte Linlin and her crew arrived, dragging three Vice Admirals bound in Seastone chains.
Per Brook's orders, they'd see if these captives could be traded with the World Government or Navy for bigger gains. If not, they'd be absorbed into the Hell Pirates' ranks.
"Yohohoho! Devo, your lackeys are toast. Why don't you run back to Kong?"
Brook grinned. He hadn't expected Linlin and Silva to handle the Navy so swiftly. Sure, these were the weakest Vice Admirals, but Vice Admirals nonetheless.
The stronger ones, with Admiral potential, were off with Admiral Aokiba tackling the Rocks Pirates. Devo's team consisted of strategic Vice Admirals, managing the New World's balance alongside him.
Marineford hadn't anticipated that, hot on the heels of the Rocks Pirates, the Hell Pirates would stir trouble in the New World's allied nations. Even dispatching Kong was a step too late.
"Brook, you're worse than Rocks! Get ready for the World Government and Navy to hunt you down!"
Devo refused to retreat. His confidence in his strength and Devil Fruit made him untouchable. Even surrounded by the Hell Pirates, he could escape anytime.
"Yohohoho! Let's see you dodge every bullet!"
Seastone bullets were rare on the high seas, each one precious. Today, the Hell Pirates' Seastone gunnery team would make its mark!
At Brook's command, a hundred Skypiean gunners, white wings gleaming, opened fire on Devo. Seastone bullets flew like they were free, a lavish display of firepower.
Devo sensed danger. His current defenses could shrug off normal gunfire, especially at this distance. So why the unease?
Trusting his instincts, he soared higher, his massive black wings whipping up gusts to deflect the bullets.
Suddenly, a cannonball hidden in the bullet storm exploded, scattering shrapnel. Devo instinctively blocked with his hardened wings, dismissing the attack as trivial.
He regretted it instantly. As the shrapnel hit, a wave of weakness surged through him. His demon form dissolved, and he plummeted from the sky. A black shard gleamed in his arm—Seastone!
Panic set in as his instincts screamed. Brook and Redfield, lying in wait, were already closing in at breakneck speed. With a roar, Devo tore the Seastone shard from his arm.
His ram-horned demon form returned, but Brook's soul slash and Redfield's condensed lightning spear, now coiled with Conqueror's Haki, were already upon him. Desperate, Devo wrapped himself in his demon wings, unleashing a torrent of Armament Haki to form an ironclad defense.
The soul slash pierced his Armament Haki, striking his very soul. Redfield's lightning spear, laced with Conqueror's Haki, punched through his fortified defenses...
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