Oden was buzzing with excitement aboard the Golden Ark, finally setting sail for real this time. He dashed around the deck, shouting and hollering like a kid!
Brook shot him a glare, annoyed that the noise might wake his precious daughter. Redfield caught the vibe and zapped Oden with a quick jolt of "Professor Electrotherapy"—one session was enough to cure his hyperactivity!
Watching Oden smoke and slump to the ground, the crew burst into laughter. The guy probably had no idea about Brook's ironclad rule as a doting dad.
Mess with anyone but the Hell Pirates' little princess Kanna. If someone made her cry, it was a full-blown crisis!
Even Charlotte Linlin, her own mom, had gotten chewed out by Brook for dangling Kanna upside down by one foot just for fun. Sure, it made Kanna giggle, but Brook's wrath was legendary!
Brook knew his daughter wasn't fragile, but he couldn't stand even a hint of danger or discomfort around her. He admitted it—he was hooked.
But spoiling his daughter needed no excuse!
Even straightforward Linlin teased Brook about it, warning that all the pampering might turn Kanna into a spoiled brat!
She wanted her girl to be tough like her—able to throw punches, take hits, crush pirates, and smash Navy ships. That's what a true Hell Pirates princess should be!
Under the crew's ribbing, Brook dialed back his solo spoiling sessions with Kanna, sharing a bit more dad love with Hades and Osiris.
...
While Oden was out cold, the Golden Ark soared to Hailou Town in Kuri Province!
Brook didn't waste words—he handed the Long-Long Fruit to Hyougoro. Ashura Pengan held off on eating a Devil Fruit for now, wanting to follow in his brother Ashura Jakun's footsteps and become a true great swordsman!
Ashura Pengan's son, Ashura Doji, was already training under him, showing serious talent. Brook knew that in the future, Doji's strength would rival even Jack!
"Keep collecting those Devil Fruits!"
Brook was itching to get back to Boin Archipelago. He hadn't handed out the other fruits to the underworld bosses—they had no burning desire to sail the seas, so he wasn't wasting the powers on them!
He'd already decided: the Ripe-Ripe Fruit had to go to one of the dwarves. Its ability to ripen plants and animals was perfect for a race of expert cultivators. Soon, they'd have no trouble growing artificial Devil Fruits!
The Scroll-Scroll Fruit could create scrolls that "rolled up" anything—absorbing attacks and releasing them later, resizing on command for easy carry!
Used right, it was like Wanderer Mage Ryze; at worst, it was like a ninja storage scroll, packing tons of gear and making you a walking arsenal like Tenten!
Even Raizo's scroll had absorbed Beast Kaido's heat breath and flung it back, or stored massive amounts of water from the Elephant Lord to douse the fires on Onigashima, saving everyone.
This power had some serious bugs—if Brook loaded it with hundreds of great swordsman slashes or Redfield's thunder dragons, it'd be a mobile artillery!
Brook figured the Scroll-Scroll Fruit should stay in-house. Storing seawater alone made it OP!
After a face-off, it'd unleash a massive waterfall technique—totally unpredictable, using seawater to nullify enemy Devil Fruit users!
Brook sensed even more potential. If it could hold that much water, why not absorb a floating island or mountain from Golden Lion Shiki? That didn't seem too far-fetched.
Whoa—Brook could picture another god-tier fruit emerging: scrolls that absorbed and released energy...
Like Marvel's Black King??
Absorbing energy and firing it back!
Brook needed a loyal subordinate to test this out—it might blow his expectations away.
If it could pocket islands, then the Pocket-Pocket and Castle-Castle Fruits would take a back seat. Scroll-Scroll would be the ultimate storage king!
With his mind racing with curiosity and ideas, Brook urged the Golden Ark to speed away from Wano, heading back to Boin Archipelago!
...
Watching the Golden Ark vanish, Hyougoro finally tested his Long-Long Fruit. He drew his beloved blade.
Activating the power, he stretched it—10 meters, 20... up to 40 meters. That seemed like the limit for now; he'd need to develop it more!
"Pengan, check this out—my 40-meter blade! Pretty badass, huh?? Come on, let's spar. I'll spot you 39 meters!"
Hyougoro was thrilled, stretching and retracting the sword over and over, having a blast!
The sight made Ashura Pengan second-guess himself. He'd turned down Brook's offer of a Devil Fruit, but maybe he shouldn't have.
A Devil Fruit wouldn't derail his dream of becoming a great swordsman. He just wanted to get stronger to serve Brook!
Yeah! Next time, he'd ask for one!!
For now, though, Hyougoro dragged him off as a guinea pig to train and master the Long-Long Fruit!
...
At the Shogun's Palace, Sukiyaki sighed upon hearing the Golden Ark had left. He hoped Oden would step up and not get so wrapped up in Brook that he forgot home!
The family needed a talent like Oden to guard Wano's secrets!
...
In Ringo, Shimotsuki Toramaru envied Oden's carefree voyage, dreaming of the open seas. But he'd carry on the Shimotsuki legacy, protecting Wano!
Shimotsuki Kozaburo had decided: when Kozaburo Jr. turned ten or so, he'd send him to train under Brook. If not Brook, then Redfield or Shiki would do.
Either way, follow the mighty Brook—he sensed Brook would dominate this era, far surpassing their ancestor Shimotsuki Ryuma!
...
Days later, the Golden Ark returned to Boin Archipelago!
Brook summoned Mansherry from the dwarves and Tenmoku from the three-eyed tribe, giving Mansherry the Ripe-Ripe Fruit and Tenmoku the Scroll-Scroll Fruit.
Let Mansherry become a true cultivation master, speeding up the growth of the Grand Line sky island's massive vines and Boin Archipelago's gourmet plants—even helping the young Baron Omatsuri!
For Tenmoku, Brook had considered the Clone-Clone Fruit, but she lacked spy talent. Instead, he'd leverage her sharp mind to develop the Scroll-Scroll Fruit!
If her strength and stamina fell short, he'd stack them up: evolution serums, vitality cuisine, even millennium dragon blood—whatever it took!
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+400 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg