Brook pored over the latest bounty posters, hand-delivered by Mortomas and his son, Morgans, who'd flown all the way from the World Economic News Agency's headquarters to drop them off.
"Godfather, check this out—I can fly now!"
A cheerful albatross zipped around Brook's head, brimming with energy. At just four years old, Morgans had already mastered his full-beast Zoan transformation under Brook's strict guidance. Not bad for a kid his age!
No wonder, considering the stockpile of Vegapunk's prototype Potential Serums Brook had fed him. The results were paying off big time.
"Not bad, not bad! You can zip from the News Agency to Merveille every day—visit me and get some exercise while you're at it!"
Brook scooped up the chubby little bird, ruffling his feathers like he was petting a cat. Morgans was looking a bit too well-fed—time to step up his training regimen.
"Gurarara! C'mere, little Morgans, let me give you a hug!"
Whitebeard Newgate glanced at his new bounty poster, then tossed it aside. Teasing the kid was way more fun.
Morgans, the social butterfly, was already a hit with the Hell Pirates' crew. No surprise he'd packed on a few pounds with how much everyone spoiled him.
Charlotte Linlin's maternal instincts kicked into high gear at the sight of Morgans' infectious energy. Her own child with Brook was due any day now.
She hoped their kid would be just as lively and sharp as Morgans—and strong, too. No doubt they'd grow up to be a powerhouse for the Hell Pirates!
"Jahaha! Finally caught up!"
Golden Lion Shiki's eyes glistened with pride, maybe even a tear or two. It'd been a long road, but his bounty finally matched Newgate's. Sure, he was still a smidge behind Redfield, but the gap was closing.
Time for a celebratory drink!
In the Navy's eyes, Whitebeard Newgate's destructive power was unmatched, but Shiki's island-snatching spree was just as notorious. Both now boasted a jaw-dropping 1.55 billion Belly bounty—a pseudo-Emperor-level figure.
Charlotte Linlin wasn't far behind at 1.5 billion Belly. Anyone who'd mastered Conqueror's Haki Coiling was in this elite bracket. Redfield, clocking in at 1.6 billion, had an edge thanks to his devastating Thunderstrike technique—and that time he took down a Celestial Dragon.
As for the Hell Pirates' captain, Brook? A whopping 3 billion Belly, a respectable sum for a New World Emperor, though his short reign kept him from the very top tier.
Then there was Rocks. His bounty had spiked after he personally crushed Vesper. That kind of track record was beyond Brook's reach, no matter how fast he chased.
Rocks Pirates' captain, the King of the New World, Rocks D. Xebec: 5.05 billion Belly.
If Rocks had succeeded in destroying the Valley of the Gods and escaped unscathed, his bounty would've soared even higher. Still, it wouldn't have topped the future Pirate King Roger's 5.5648 billion Belly or even Whitebeard's peak as the World's Strongest Man at 5.046 billion Belly.
Brook stared at Rocks' poster. The guy was a monster!
Sure, Brook could hold his own against an Admiral, but Rocks? He could take on two Admirals at once. That was the gap. Still, Brook smirked to himself.
My crew's tougher than yours, Rocks. Whatcha gonna do about it?
No denying it, though—Rocks' title as King of the New World was earned. Even Roger, whose biggest win (with Garp's help) was toppling Rocks himself. Shiki's half-destruction of Marineford was impressive, but he never made Emperor. Whitebeard's Summit War was a spectacle, yet it ended in tragedy.
Big Mom Charlotte Linlin and Beast Kaido? Their records were embarrassing. Beaten by a bunch of rookies! Kaido's early years were a cycle of defeats and executions—he couldn't even handle Oden. No standout victories to speak of.
Brook shook his head. That Oda guy, just a manga artist, didn't know squat about real Pirate Kings. Overhyped bosses turned into punching bags.
World Destroyer Byrnndi World, Golden Emperor Gild Tesoro, Golden Lion Shiki, Demon's Heir Bullet—all flattened by Straw Hat Luffy in some glorified movie plot.
Even Katakuri, a true man among men, got sidelined as a has-been boss. Fooled by Caesar's hallucinogens, fighting his own siblings—what happened to that future-seeing Observation Haki? After teaching Luffy to glimpse the future, Katakuri was tossed in the trash. Whole Cake Island, a mighty Emperor's turf, got overrun by the Vinsmokes and Caesar. Not a single fighter held the line.
...
Brook brushed off the stray thoughts and turned back to his crew's bounty posters. The standout? Ashura Jakun, clocking in at 500 million Belly!
Another crewmate had hit the big leagues—500 million was the threshold for a senior officer in the Hell Pirates. Jakun was now among the elite.
Beast Kaido, the Hell Pirates' strongest rookie, wasn't far behind at 200 million Belly. Serious potential there.
The medical duo, Crocus and Tia, racked up a combined 620 million Belly. Sniper Silva hit 550 million, Stussy 400 million, shipwright Tom 330 million, Hammerhead Shark Scarlet 320 million, and head chef Streusen 200 million.
Qilin Lion sat at 90 million, Fisher Tiger at 80 million. Shakky and the Memory Seahorse, off in Amazon Lily, hadn't made any public moves, so their bounties stayed flat.
Intelligence chief Antonio just smiled, claiming he didn't care about bounties. Sure thing!
Those teary-eyed baby Den Den Mushi in his care would totally back him up.
The two quartermasters, Parrot and Bra Kara, nodded in agreement. No way Brook was sending those two into battle. If they got knocked out or killed, it'd be like a loot explosion—gear and Belly for days.
Enough to make enemies laugh themselves to death or keel over from excitement.
It'd be like slaying a slime or goblin and getting a divine artifact plus billions in gold. Talk about a surprise jackpot!
...
With the bounty posters sorted, Brook handed out new assignments, especially to Redfield, tasking him with mentoring the promising new recruits.
As for himself, he stuck close to Charlotte Linlin. It was December now, and her due date was creeping closer.
Those folks from his distant homeworld hadn't sent any dream-inspired baby names yet, so Brook and Linlin were left flipping through dictionaries and old tomes to find the perfect one...
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+400 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg