Inside the World Expo's weapons exhibition hall, the West Sea's Flower Kingdom began buying in bulk.
With financial backing from two underground emperors, their purchases were downright reckless. Even Don Bin, the leader of the Happo Navy, brought out treasures dug from a glacier to support his homeland. Deep down, he wanted the Flower Kingdom to become the strongest nation in the West Sea.
Even the Revolutionary Army, for once, was unusually generous. They hauled a mountain of weapons back to their headquarters on White Earth Island, Baltigo.
With the Flower Kingdom winning the pure gold ring for the highest transaction value, the World Expo officially came to a close.
But Doragonzo Island and the Eighteen Hell Islands did not quiet down.
Merchants and tourists from across the seas stayed behind in droves, enjoying the high tech convenience of Brook's territory. Sea trains ran like veins through the islands, and motorboats could be rented or bought anywhere. Food, entertainment, clothing, housing, transportation, everything was available at the highest level.
Especially the entertainment industries under the control of the entertainment queen Stussy. They were the kind of traps that made even kings forget time.
Now, several former Roger Pirates cadres led by Gaban had burned through their savings on these islands. To keep enjoying fine wine, rich food, and beautiful women, they had to take missions constantly just to earn spending money.
Inside the Hell Guild headquarters, Brook met once again with the powerful men who had joined the Seven Impermanences, including Night Walker Kurt Wagner. After that, he held a short meeting with various underground emperors and the Revolutionary Army, then finally wrapped up the day's work.
The moment he opened the void gate and returned to Sky Island, Stussy rushed in after him, moving so fast she might have been afraid he would vanish again.
"I want the Gold Gold Fruit for Katifa!"
Her eyes burned with urgency.
Stussy no longer wanted to wait for the Word Fruit. Katifa was already nineteen and still had not eaten a Devil Fruit. After seeing Nika and Kikyo gain their abilities, Katifa was the only one left, and Stussy felt every wasted day like a thorn in her chest.
Brook blinked.
"Wouldn't that make Katifa a little too flashy? What about the Teleport Fruit instead? It's safer, and it's convenient."
"No."
Stussy's answer was sharp, decisive.
"I want Katifa to help me build a Golden Island ship. Then I'll work with Shakky to create the number one entertainment city in the world."
She stepped close, wrapped her arms around Brook's waist, and pressed a kiss to him, her eyes brimming with charm as she looked up.
Brook's resolve lasted exactly one heartbeat.
"Alright, alright, alright. If Katifa doesn't object, then whatever you say."
He pulled her into a tight embrace, instantly energized, as if all the fatigue from the Expo had been swept away.
Not long ago, Dr. Vegapunk had created a new machine, something more advanced than a Den Den Mushi, closer to a true computer. Several had already been delivered to Brook's room.
Vegapunk called it a Technology Computer.
Brook taught Stussy how to connect the cables to the main unit. The device had multiple ports, some on the top and some below, used for accessories, tools, and data connections. There was also a port on the front near the top, so a cable could be connected while standing, without having to crouch.
Once everything was connected, the screen lit up. It could display broadcast footage, weather visuals of rolling clouds and rain, martial arts action films, and even live competitions.
After Stussy learned the basics, Brook wiped a thin sheen of sweat from his brow and nodded in satisfaction.
Her talent really was strong. She picked up new technology quickly.
Learning never stopped, even for people who wore pure gold rings and never aged.
In the end, Stussy left with a rosy face, carrying billions in gold checks and the Gold Gold Fruit.
Brook no longer cared to search for Gild Tesoro. He left Tesoro and Stella's story to fate.
He believed in the talent of his Fourth Princess, Katifa. With guidance from him and Stussy, Katifa would awaken the Gold Gold Fruit sooner or later.
Besides, the Hell Guild and the Universal Government were not short on gold. Katifa did not need to claw her way up from nothing the way Tesoro once did.
A few days later, news of the World Expo and the battles in the North Sea and West Sea swept across the world.
The seas erupted.
The capture of a World Government admiral candidate, the birth of six pure gold rings, every piece of it was enough to shake nations.
Were six more people about to achieve immortality?
Would they grow into monsters like the Five Elders?
And if Brook could hand out five pure gold rings so casually, just how much pure gold did he have?
Could every top leader under the Hell Pirates gain immortality?
If that happened, how terrifying would the Universal Government become?
The appearance of Devil Fruits at the Expo auction stunned even the biggest forces.
The Op Op Fruit.
The Gold Gold Fruit.
The Rain Rain Fruit.
The Rubber Fruit.
A long list of names that made countless powers feel their throats go dry.
At the same time, in the Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
Imu stared expressionlessly at the Four Elders kneeling below. Nearby, several Celestial Dragons were so terrified they collapsed onto the floor, trembling.
"The Nika Fruit was chosen from the gold tributes, and then sent to Brook's auction."
Imu's voice was calm.
The murderous intent beneath it was not.
Once again, those useless Celestial Dragons had stabbed the world in the back.
They had previously sold off the Nature type Glint Glint Fruit and Ice Ice Fruit for a few pure gold rings.
Now they had used four Devil Fruits and the Nika Fruit to exchange for a pure gold ring, and that ring still had not been returned.
CP0 agent Pompeo, the one wearing the pure gold ring, was being hunted by the former Celestial Dragon Doflamingo and a pack of pirates. No one knew where he had escaped.
"Yes, Lord Imu."
The blond Elder, Peter, reported with a shaking voice.
"And Brook also obtained the Op Op Fruit, the Teleport Fruit, and the Gold Gold Fruit…"
The instant the words left his mouth, an overwhelming wave of Conqueror's Haki exploded.
Imu's breathing turned rough.
The weak Celestial Dragons were crushed on the spot, their bodies collapsing like paper. Filth and blood splattered across the floor and even onto the kneeling Elders.
Even the capture of Admiral candidate Magma, the Magma Fruit user, had not yet been properly reported before Imu's fury erupted and drove them away.
That day, Pangaea Castle shook.
The remaining Celestial Dragons felt the world's end drawing near, and fear hollowed them out.
-------------
With Moore Thomas and Antonio pushing an aggressive propaganda campaign, rumors of the World Government's impending collapse spread like wildfire across the seas.
Panic immediately took root in the navies of the World Government's member states in the East Blue and South Blue. Their faith in the Holy Land began to crack. Some kings quietly opened secret channels to the Universal Government. Some Marines resigned on the spot. A portion fled back to their hometowns to avoid the coming storm, while others crossed into the West Sea and North Sea to enlist in the new navy.
Even so, the Universal Government did not launch a full scale assault. Instead, they continued to squeeze with public opinion, slowly eroding the World Government's foundation and vitality.
At the same time, the Revolutionary Army stirred chaos throughout the East Blue and South Blue, like the final weight that could snap a rotten beam. Forced into action, the Four Elders and Marineford's high command personally moved to suppress the spreading revolutionary flames.
The World Government's situation grew more desolate by the day.
And on Doragonzo Island, another harvest began.
Admiral candidate Magma was brought in, then stripped apart by the Hell Guild's cadres, piece by piece.
Vampire Shakky, who had gone far too long without high quality blood, finally drank her fill. Charlotte Linlin snatched decades of soul lifespan in one greedy pull. Even the Memory Seahorse joined the feast, devouring a banquet of high grade memories.
Crocus and Dr. Vegapunk showed up as well, each determined to take their own share, collecting what blood remained, along with flesh and tissue samples.
After Brook personally reaped Magma's soul and removed the Magma Fruit power, the empty body was finally dragged away by the Shadow Demon Abefor.
[TL: Damn]
Then Brook turned, holding a red Devil Fruit in his hand.
"Sakazuki, don't let me down."
This was the agreement. Even though other cadres had been eyeing that terrifying Nature type power, Brook still placed it into Sakazuki's hands.
"For the justice of the Universal Government."
Even Akainu Sakazuki, usually cold as iron, could not hide the excitement in his eyes as he received the fruit he had dreamed of.
From this moment onward, the new navy's admiral candidate would compete with two other candidates, Black Demon Bullet and Fujitora Issho, for the position of new admiral.
He wanted to surpass Borsalino and Kuzan. He wanted to become the new navy's Admiral, and one day, the Fleet Admiral.
Sakazuki bit into the Magma Fruit without hesitation.
The next instant, magma erupted from his body like a volcanic tide, no weaker than Magma's own power had been. This was his first contact with the ability, and it already looked like a natural disaster.
The speed was even more shocking than when Sabo first took the Flame Flame Fruit, or when Teach first obtained the Tremor Tremor Fruit.
Sakazuki was a monster born to fit this fruit. He chose it, and the devil within the fruit chose him right back.
As Sakazuki steadied his breath, his presence swelled, his combat power seeming to multiply in an instant. Even Bullet and Kuzan felt an oppressive pressure.
Borsalino and Issho, both masters of acting like they had all the time in the world, barely reacted. Promotions did not interest them much.
Sakazuki felt the destructive might in his veins, then instinctively turned his eyes toward his natural enemy, the Ice Fruit user, Admiral Kuzan, as if their rivalry had been written into the world itself.
Bullet, ignored for half a beat, only grinned wider. Another worthy opponent had appeared. Another target to crush.
"Yohoho! The new navy needs to work hard. The rest of this war is for you, the navy of Marineford. I hope Kong, Sengoku, and Garp don't beat you half to death!"
Brook laughed, pleased. He had recruited the four future admirals of legend into his new navy. This war was already decided.
"We'll take Marineford for the Universal Government!"
Bullet laughed, then shot Sakazuki a provocative glance.
"I will burn the rot out of Marineford and Mary Geoise for the Universal Government."
Sakazuki's face did not change, but thick magma smoke rolled from his arms, his intent clear.
"Hey, what energetic youngsters."
Borsalino spoke lazily, already picking his preferred opponent.
"Then I, an old man, will handle Divine Knight Sargon."
It was the safest choice. Better to leave monsters like Sengoku and Garp to the younger generation. Let Kuzan, Sakazuki, and Barrett fight the legends.
"I want to fight Fleet Admiral Kong!"
Bullet roared, eyes locked forward, ignoring Kuzan entirely as if the admiral beside him did not exist.
Kuzan and Sakazuki said nothing. They both understood one thing. Brook would decide the matchups.
Issho and Tsuru remained quiet, almost invisible. Gion and Tokikake also kept their heads down.
Neither of them dared to rush at the old monsters again. The memory of Kong, Garp, and Sengoku's fists still haunted them.
As for the new chief instructor, Black Arm Zephyr, he did not speak at all. He looked like a man with no desire to raise his hand against old comrades like Garp.
"Yohoho! Improve your combat power first."
Brook watched the new navy, already showing signs of division. The surrendering faction, the radicals, the moderates, each group had its own agenda.
To fuse them and maintain balance, they needed a true Fleet Admiral.
Daenerys could be Vice Admiral at most. She did not have the strength or the weight to sit at the top.
Brook briefly thought of Dragon, his cheap apprentice and the leader of the Revolutionary Army. Dragon's strength and mind were more than enough for the role, but that was impossible. Dragon would never become the Universal Government's navy Fleet Admiral.
No matter how Brook turned it over, he could not find a suitable candidate, so he could only shelve the position for now.
With the World Expo concluded, the Universal Government entered another period of rapid development.
But Kaido and Shiki, those aggressive demons, along with radicals like Bullet and Sakazuki in the new navy, all looked ready to strike Mary Geoise and Marineford at any moment.
April 4, 1502 in the Sea Calendar.
Otohime's egg finally hatched.
A giant mermaid baby girl with pink hair was born. Brook personally named her Shirahoshi.
Shirahoshi was born four years earlier than the original timeline, and the giant Sea Kings plunged into chaos and carnival. The prophecies they clung to had been disrupted, yet the birth of Poseidon still thrilled them beyond words.
The Sea Kings' commotion around Fishman Island beneath the Red Line made Imu in the Holy Land even more frantic.
May 5, 1503 in the Sea Calendar.
The legendary child of destiny, the son of Monkey D. Dragon, was born.
His name was Monkey D. Luffy.
But the Rubber Fruit that should have been waiting for him had already been eaten by Brook's sixth son, Nika.
The young revolutionary destined to shake the world would lose his straw hat, lose the power of rubber, and instead accept Dragon's education properly, stepping onto an entirely different path.
.....
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