Kozuki Oden also noticed the three mink girls. In his eyes, they were animal-type Devil Fruit users. That meant their strength should be impressive, right?
Maybe he could even form his own little team and start building a name for himself.
"Thank you, Master!"
"What are your names? What abilities do you have? Are you strong?"
Kozuki Oden didn't care about their gender, only their fighting ability. He saw that Kaido, the King of Beasts, was recruiting followers, and he couldn't afford to be left behind.
"My name is Ruri, from the Deer Mink Tribe. I'm skilled in static electricity attacks and already proficient in the Sulong form. Among my generation, I'm one of the best!"
The granddaughter of Duke Hitsugisukan spoke proudly. Of the three, she was the strongest and fully expected to win Oden's favor.
"My name is Dalasi, from the Ox Mink Tribe. My strength is about the same as Ruri's! I'm incredibly strong!"
The bull girl spoke with a deep, honest voice, her gaze burning as if challenging Oden to a duel.
"My name is Peggy, from the Pig Mink Tribe. I know a bit of electric combat, but I haven't mastered the Sulong form yet. Still, I'm very strong!"
The pig Mink girl said this sweetly while chewing on a piece of bread. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Oden—clearly smitten by his looks.
It turns out these "hairless monkey" people could be quite handsome.
"Well done. From now on, you'll be my subordinates. But remember—don't disturb me while I'm training!"
Oden grinned. He was satisfied. He finally had his own team: three Mink warriors, all animal-type users. Even if they were all women, he was confident he could train them into capable fighters.
Brook and Duke Hitsugisukan watched with satisfaction. They had successfully arranged for the three Mink girls to follow Kozuki Oden.
On the other side, Kaido, the King of Beasts, saw Oden's new recruits and scoffed. He had already bonded with stronger Mink warriors—the Mammoth Tribe, the Lion Tribe, and the Tiger Tribe—drinking with them, swearing brotherhood, and winning them over to his side.
He was building his own legend through the bonds of battle and drink.
Meanwhile, Borsalino and Fisher Tiger made no moves. They planned to train quietly for years before showing their true strength—waiting for the day they would stun the world.
The two sat side by side, eating and drinking silently at Streusen's food stall. Neither had awakened Conqueror's Haki yet, but both carried the same restless ambition.
To attract more Minks to join them, Brook decided to stay on Zou for one more night and hold a grand music and light banquet.
Every officer looking to recruit worked hard to stand out—after all, the Mink Tribe's natural combat ability was incredibly high.
The Minks were known for their strength; even the elderly and children could defeat small-time pirates. Their fighting style centered around generating electricity through their fur, wrapping it around their bodies or weapons to enhance their attacks.
During a full moon, they could transform into Sulong—forms that multiplied their power several times over. However, controlling this form required intense training; those who failed risked losing themselves to endless rage.
That night's banquet filled the sky with vibrant lights, dazzling music, and food from every corner of the seas. Aromatic spices, fine wines, and exotic drinks flowed freely across the tables.
Even Duke Hitsugisukan, who had never witnessed such a spectacle, joined in the laughter and dancing. The air was thick with celebration and warmth.
Brook and several of his expectant wives watched the joyous scene. Redfield, who had no need to recruit, sat beside Brook with a glass of wine.
Meanwhile, Shiki and Newgate were busy gathering strong Mink warriors for their own crews.
"Don't worry, Linlin," Brook said with a smile. "Shakky will help you bring some of the Mink Tribe to settle on Cake Island."
Charlotte Linlin, whose due date was near, pouted playfully. Brook wondered how many children she would bear this time.
"Brother Brook," Linlin said with excitement, "it seems our Totto land now has every intelligent race known! My dream has come true, hasn't it?"
From the Lunarians to the Giants, the Three-Eye Tribe to the Minks—all now fell under the influence of the Hell Pirates.
"Yohoho~, if you want to raise a few Celestial Dragons too, I can arrange that!" Brook joked lightly. It had taken him only five years to reach this level of influence.
He admitted to himself that he truly had the fate of a main character.
But even so, he knew the crew still had to keep growing. Imu and the World Government could strike at any moment, and the Hell Pirates weren't yet ready for an all-out war.
Even now, Brook didn't seek to rule the New World—only to maintain balance. The World Government was hesitant to act recklessly, waiting for the Hell Pirates and Rocks Pirates to destroy each other first.
Ironically, this created an unprecedented era of peace.
Under Brook's leadership, the seas of the New World had become more stable than ever before.
The Hell Pirates' Orderly Cruise Team worked even more efficiently than the Navy once had, keeping peace through sheer power.
Even the Rocks Pirates stayed within their own territories, unwilling to provoke Brook.
Wars decreased. Trade flourished. The seas were calm for once.
But in the shadows, danger brewed.
The two Celestial Dragon families secretly allied with Brook were growing desperate. The pure gold ring on Brook's hand symbolized the key to eternal life—and they were willing to sacrifice anything to obtain it.
They feared the Five Elders might claim the top-tier Devil Fruits first, using them to forge a new generation of Admirals.
For these nobles, immortality was the only treasure worth betraying everything for.
And so, a conspiracy began to take shape—born from greed, and aimed at Brook's own golden treasure.
-------------
The next day at noon.
After enjoying breakfast and lunch on Zou Island, the Hell Pirates finally departed from Zou, bringing along the newly recruited Minks.
For many of these mink tribesmen, it was their first time setting sail. They crowded along the railings of the golden ship, gazing in awe at the vast sea and distant islands below. Each group was organized under different cadres' commands.
Brook was accompanied by several powerful Mink warriors personally sent by Duke Hitsugisukan, the sheep Mink who governed Zou. Among them was a communicator responsible for reporting back to Zou Island in case of emergencies.
If Brook's crew could provide a suitable environment for the Minks to grow and develop, the Duke were even willing to allow him to return to Zou and recruit more warriors in the future.
---
Inside the Captain's Operations Room
"Brother Brook, are you really not going to check out the legendary Final Island now?"
Redfield and Shiki both asked eagerly. After all, they had already obtained the four red Poneglyphs—it would be a waste not to uncover the mystery.
"It's not time yet," Brook replied calmly. "Imu and the Five Elders are keeping a close watch on that island. If they discover we've landed there, they'll annihilate us at all costs.
"To be honest, our current strength still isn't enough to face the deep foundations of the World Government. And as for what's actually on the Final Island—it's likely just the record of that ancient kingdom destroyed eight hundred years ago, or the scandal of the twenty kings.
"For now, our goal must be to strengthen our power and expand our influence. Do we lack money, Devil Fruits, or ancient technology? No—we already have all of those. What we lack are time and people."
Brook didn't hide anything from his top officers. The Final Island's secrets wouldn't benefit the Hell Pirates yet. Instead, he planned to let Roger explore it first—using him to draw the attention of the World Government while secretly learning its truths through him.
"In short," Brook said with a faint smile, "Roger can have the glory—and the blame."
"Alright then! I'll become stronger—strong enough to match the Five Elders at least!"
Shiki clenched his fists, his usual grin gone. After witnessing the bald Elder's terrifying power, he finally understood the kind of enemies they were up against.
There were five of them—each at the pinnacle of the world. And behind them stood the Marine Headquarters and the CP organizations.
That meant the Hell Pirates needed at least a dozen fighters with admiral-level power to stand a real chance of overthrowing the World Government.
Redfield's expression darkened. His old ambition had been to surpass Kong, but now his sights were set even higher—beyond Sengoku and Kong, perhaps even to the Five Elders themselves.
Only by reaching that level could he truly help Brook bring down the Celestial Dragons and destroy the old order.
"That's right," Brook agreed. "Besides strengthening ourselves, we must also train the younger generation. In the future, your opponents will be the Five Elders, while the Navy Admirals and Vice Admirals will be their subordinates. These young ones must become our next wall of defense."
He sighed softly. "The gap between us and the World Government is still enormous. If Imu and the Five Elders weren't so reluctant to act directly, we wouldn't have lasted this long."
---
Return to Doragonzo Island
The golden ship soon returned to Doragonzo Island. Some of the Minks were settled there, others were taken to Cake Island, and the rest were distributed among various squads.
In the secret chamber beneath Golden Island, the four red Poneglyphs stood proudly side by side, joined by several others containing information on Pluton and Poseidon.
Tianmulan and Vegapunk worked with Dr. Kutu and his research team to translate all the ancient texts.
The four red stones each pointed to an island, and the intersection of those locations revealed the legendary Final Island—the ruins of a once-great kingdom.
"Wow! The Final Island is that close to the Red Line?" Brook exclaimed.
At such a distance, it was even possible to see the faint outline of the Red Line on clear days. But the weather at the far end of the New World was notoriously violent—so chaotic that the island remained hidden from sight beyond Reverse Mountain.
---
The New Discovery
"Lord Brook," Dr. Kutu said nervously, "there's something else I must report. A few days ago, Chief Wumi sent us another Poneglyph from Sky Island. We translated it on our own initiative. Please punish us if we've overstepped."
Brook waved a hand dismissively. "Forget it. What does it say?"
"Thank you, Lord Brook." Dr. Kutu's eyes gleamed. "This one contains crucial information—it records that Uranus originated from a place called the Endless Earth."
Brook raised a brow. "Endless Earth?"
"Yes," Kutu nodded. "It also describes Uranus's appearance. It's said to resemble a massive flying battleship shaped like a straw hat. From above, it's two concentric circles with sixteen energy emitters along the outer rim.
"This matches the eyewitness reports from the destruction of Galle Island and Yindu Island—sixteen enormous beams of light descending at once, annihilating everything in seconds."
"What... the Endless Earth?" Brook muttered, stunned. "Don't tell me Uranus's technology came from the moon."
He remembered the Celestial Dragons' so-called "National Treasure." Even back then, it hadn't felt like something made on this planet—it looked more like a UFO.
Now that he thought about it, if you painted it, it would really resemble a giant straw hat.
Sixteen energy ports... it even explained Doflamingo's move, Sixteen Holy Bullets: Divine Slaying. He must have seen Uranus himself!
Brook clenched his jaw. "So that's the truth behind the name... Doflamingo wasn't just being dramatic—he was imitating the Celestial Dragons' weapon."
The realization sent chills down his spine.
---
With this revelation, Brook made up his mind. One day, he would go to the Moon—and the Endless Earth beyond. If Enel could reach it using the Ark Maxim, then surely the golden ship could do the same.
Besides, the ancient lunar robots were said to be extraordinary. With Redfield's Thunder Fruit powers, reactivating those dormant machines might even be possible.
"From now on," Brook declared, "the three of you will be responsible for maintaining all historical texts."
Now that everything had been translated, there was no longer any need for secrecy. They couldn't leave Sky Island anyway, so granting their wish cost nothing.
"Thank you, Lord Brook! May your legend shine across the seas!" Dr. Kutu said with excitement.
Nicole Barroby and Charles Perrault, the two archaeology scholars beside him, bowed deeply, their faces glowing with gratitude. For the first time in their lives, they were allowed to study the genuine Poneglyphs—the sacred stones that held the world's lost history.
And as Brook watched their excitement, his gaze turned skyward.
Someday soon, the Hell Pirates would soar beyond the seas—to the Moon... and perhaps, to the Endless Earth itself.
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