Brook watched the top fighters show off, especially Redfield, who was pulling off a "bored" act with such deadpan flair that even Brook had to give him a mental thumbs-up.
Turns out, Redfield had been scheming all along. He'd used the Golden Ark to launch black smoke, gathering storm clouds just for this moment—to drop a single, perfectly timed "boring." The guy had prepped hard for this grand-stage flex.
"Mama mama! If Redfield's got his thunderclouds ready, I'm not holding back either!"
Charlotte Linlin hurled her thundercloud Zeus into the dark mass above, pumping it with waves of soul energy. Lightning bolts rained down on the Navy fleet, each one alive with intent, twisting mid-air to chase dodging targets in a relentless barrage.
The apocalyptic onslaught didn't just stun the experiment survivors on Punk Hazard's edge—it left Kong and Devo frozen in shock!
They hadn't even clashed yet, and these devastating attacks were already coming in like they cost nothing. It was as if the Hell Pirates were hell-bent on wiping out the entire Navy fleet!
Now they understood why even the mighty Rocks Pirates opted for "peaceful coexistence" with the Hell Pirates.
...
New World, Baron Island
"Haha, what a show! It's all being broadcast, right?"
World Economic News president Mortomas shouted, buzzing with excitement. Brook had tasked him with orchestrating this massive live battle broadcast, and it was earth-shatteringly epic!
Antonio and the News Coo Den Den Mushi were killing it, capturing the Hell Pirates' terrifying natural-disaster attacks and the Navy's panicked faces from every angle.
Elan Island, the Eighteen Hell Islands, bustling city streets, even parts of the Sabaody Archipelago and select World Government nations—wherever Mortomas' intelligence network reached, the broadcast was live for all to see.
...
Grand Tavern
Golden Pirate Woonan and Chinjao, back after another escape, were drowning their sorrows together. Even they couldn't peel their eyes from the Hell Pirates' jaw-dropping "greeting."
"This is the Hell Pirates' true terror—the kind of power even Rocks fears!"
Woonan raised his mug, rattled by the live feed's apocalyptic display. His heart raced at the relentless onslaught. What pirate crew could withstand this?
Even with two Navy Admirals, the fleet was in dire straits. This long-range, indiscriminate disaster-level attack left no chance of victory!
"...Tch."
Chinjao had no words. The Hell Pirates' top officers weren't just packing monstrous Devil Fruit powers—every one of them wielded Conqueror's Haki!
"Wohaha! I'm signing up as a Hell Pirates affiliate crew! It's way better than being a Pirate Guild member. You get to manage islands, rake in cash, resources, gear—everything!"
Woonan burst out laughing. To fund his lavish lifestyle and stock up on equipment, even a Golden Pirate like him had to take Pirate Guild jobs. But affiliating with the Hell Pirates? That was the dream—freedom, support, and prime perks.
"Why not just join the Hell Pirates as an officer?"
Chinjao, his dreams of domination all but crushed, was mulling a return to the West Blue to rebuild the Chinjao Family and train the next generation. His time was done.
"Haha, 'cause I still wanna be a captain!" Woonan grinned. Sure, Hell Pirates officers could form their own divisions, but with his current growth rate, meeting Brook's standards for a Division Commander would take ages.
Better to follow the path of the Edward or World Pirates—become an affiliate crew. Freedom, gear, and resources, all while maintaining their own turf. All they had to do was keep the seas safe and squash troublemaking pirates.
They'd even get exclusive island management rights. It was too sweet a deal! And Woonan's crew had the bounty and strength to qualify as a Hell Pirates affiliate. Brook didn't take just any riffraff—low bounties or weaklings need not apply, lest they tarnish his name.
"Here's to you living the high life, then!"
Chinjao, a Conqueror's Haki wielder himself, couldn't quite grasp Woonan's laid-back mindset. But honestly, he was at a loss for his own next move.
...
Angelie, Byrnndi World, Roger, and others watched the broadcast from their own corners of the world, each with their own thoughts. Meanwhile, the Rocks Pirates, locked in their own battle with the Navy, had no time to tune in.
...
Punk Hazard Battlefield
Tsunamis and mountains could be smashed apart, but the relentless lightning storm and sentient bolts left the Navy fleet scrambling for their lives. The devastating blasts reduced ten warships to a mere four, with heavy casualties.
From the Navy's ranks, a terrifying sword aura sliced through the sky, cleaving the thick clouds in half.
Still, the Hell Pirates' opening salvo had been a roaring success.
But the real terror came next—Brook, the Hell Pirates' captain, made his move.
A Gate materialized, and Brook began harvesting the souls of fallen Navy soldiers. Moments later, a spectral army poured out from another Gate.
The chilling sight didn't just terrify the surviving Navy—it sent shivers down the spines of every pirate watching the broadcast!
Brook's Yomi Yomi no Mi had awakened, enslaving the souls of the dead. Who could stand against him now?
He was the true King of Hell on Earth. Want to avoid becoming part of his ghost army? Steer clear, don't die by his hand—or better yet, join his crew and fight under his banner!
The Navy aboard the remaining four warships watched in horror as their former comrades, now spectral soldiers, charged them. Panic set in, morale shattered, and they itched to flee.
"Retreat!"
Kong's eyes blazed red, teeth gritted as he glared at the Hell Pirates' airborne fleet. They hadn't even boarded, and his forces were already crumbling.
What even the Rocks Pirates couldn't pull off, the Hell Pirates had done. Their unstoppable, disaster-level Devil Fruit powers were the Navy's worst nightmare!
"They might not let us go!"
CP0 Captain Gerlin's forehead dripped with cold sweat. What kind of monstrous pirate crew was this? One clash had obliterated over half their forces.
Judging by the Hell Pirates' relentless charge, a brutal fight was inevitable. Whether their support fleet could escape—let alone reclaim Punk Hazard—seemed like a pipe dream now.