So Katakuri was now the name of Linlin's adopted son, Depp.
Brook stared at Antonio like he was reading a bad joke someone had slipped into his reports.
"…I… with talent like that, why don't you join Hades' second generation squad and train with them?"
On the inside, Brook was screaming.
What in the world happened while I was gone?
Eight years. Just eight years.
And the world had twisted itself into this?
Depp awakened Conqueror's Haki, changed his name to Katakuri, and somehow ended up stronger than his own father, Jack Sparrow.
Brook pinched the bridge of his nose.
So the bloodline of that former New World overlord, Diger Sparrow, really was monstrous… while Jack was simply not built for greatness.
Linlin folded her arms with a proud smile.
"Katakuri prefers staying on Cake Island to protect his adopted brothers and sisters."
Brook paused.
"What?"
Linlin spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Cake Island takes in orphans from every race. Katakuri became their big brother. Even his Conqueror's Haki awakened because he wanted to protect them."
Brook exhaled slowly.
Then he nodded.
"Fine. I won't force him. But tell him to visit the training camp whenever he has time."
His eyes sharpened.
"I'll give him special training. Talent like that is wasted if it's left to rust."
Brook only had one thought left.
When the second generation of Hell fully grows up… will the World Government still dare to face the Hell Pirates head on?
Linlin laughed.
"That's no problem. I teach him too. He gets along well with Hades, Kanna, and the others."
Antonio hesitated, then stepped forward with another report.
"Brother Brook, there's one more thing."
Brook glanced over.
"Speak."
Antonio lowered his voice.
"The Devil Fruit ability of Bartholomew Kuma, the prince of the South Blue Sorbet Kingdom, has been exposed to the World Government."
"The Five Elders have repeatedly demanded that the Sorbet King allow Kuma to join the World Government. The king and queen refused every time."
Antonio's expression turned uneasy.
"Now the World Government is moving in the shadows. They're stirring up trouble inside Sorbet, spreading rumors about the royal family's cruelty. They're calling the 'Bear Prince' a future tyrant, saying if he inherits the throne, he'll rule with violence."
Antonio looked up carefully.
"Should we contact Kuma and bring him into our camp? Or capture him and reclaim his Paw Paw Fruit ability?"
Antonio clearly knew what that meant to Brook.
That fruit was too valuable.
And if it truly belonged to a former God Knight, it was even more important.
Brook laughed softly, the sound sharp and cold.
"Yo ho ho… so they're eyeing the Paw Paw Fruit too."
He leaned back, fingers tapping the armrest.
"If Sorbet wasn't a famous and powerful member state in the South Blue, Kuma would've been dragged into CP0 training long ago."
Brook's gaze hardened.
"Send Monkey D. Dragon to the South Blue. Make it a mission."
"And while he's there, bring Kuma into our forces. Dragon can handle it."
Brook's tone turned casual, but the danger in it did not fade.
"If the World Government keeps pushing him, Kuma might end up leaving the kingdom and becoming a pirate anyway."
Brook smiled.
"Then we'll just take him then."
Antonio nodded immediately.
"Understood."
Sorbet was far from the New World. Sending Brook himself would waste time and distance, and Kuma might not even become a pirate yet.
But sending Dragon was perfect.
It would also let Dragon see the World Government's filth with his own eyes.
Even allied royal families could be framed like this.
There was no such thing as safety under their banner.
Brook's attention shifted without warning.
He turned to Newgate and smiled.
"Newgate. I heard you've got a young man under you named Marshall Teach."
His smile widened slightly.
"Give him to me."
Newgate's brows snapped together, his expression changing instantly.
"Brother Brook… did Teach do something?"
Newgate was shaken. He had never imagined Brook would single out a kid.
Brook didn't look like the type to bully children.
So there had to be another reason.
Brook's voice stayed even.
"His connection to Rocks is unclear. He's also a D."
"He's hiding the D and lurking on your ship."
Brook's eyes narrowed.
"I think something stinks."
The room went still.
Newgate's face darkened.
"What?"
Even Shiki leaned forward, suddenly interested.
"Teach is a descendant of Rocks?"
Brook shook his head slightly.
"I'm not sure."
Then he spoke again, calmly dropping another piece of history like a blade.
"But Rocks was hiding a D girl named Marshall."
"I can ask Miss Bakin to confirm it."
Brook's mind flashed to Bakin again, that fence sitter.
Now she was basically Hiruba's cheap woman, and Brook didn't even feel like dealing with her.
Still, her adopted son, Weevil, was worth pulling out.
Letting that natural monster follow Bakin was a waste.
With proper training, Weevil could easily reach the level of the Three Calamities, maybe even higher.
The only issue was…
He was stupid.
Newgate's expression stayed heavy for a long moment, then he finally sighed.
"Since you've already investigated, I can't refuse."
His voice lowered.
"But I hope you won't kill Teach casually. He's just a child."
"The grudges of the previous generation shouldn't be thrown onto the next."
Shiki scoffed.
"Hey, Newgate. The brat hid his name and wouldn't even tell you the truth."
He narrowed his eyes.
"And you're still worried about him?"
Shiki's voice turned colder.
"Rocks destroyed my Flying Pirates. I never even got revenge. He died to Roger and the Navy before I could tear him apart."
"If Rocks' blood is in our hands now, even if we can't call it revenge, we can at least spit out a little anger."
Newgate's eyes flashed.
"Hmph. Maybe the kid just has something to hide."
He respected Brook, but he was not in the mood to humor Shiki.
He felt irritated, and he needed someone to clash with.
Shiki grinned, sharp as a blade.
"If Brother Brook hadn't dug up his background, you might've ended up raising a son for Rocks."
Newgate's veins bulged.
Shiki's grin only grew wider.
"A man who loves adopting sons, but doesn't dare make one of his own… what, are you addicted to being 'Dad'?"
The air cracked with tension.
And Brook, sitting between them, only laughed softly.
Yo ho ho…
--------------
The Hell Pirates were about to move on the remnants of Rocks.
If Teach warned Wang Zhi and the others, what then?
If Wang Zhi and Jennifer slipped away, all this planning would turn into smoke.
And if Teach had been planted from the start…
Maybe he was Wang Zhi's piece.
"Enough."
Brook's voice cut straight through the arguing.
He looked from Shiki to Newgate, his grin sharp and calm.
"I won't kill Teach. He's holding a secret that's too big."
Brook's eyes gleamed.
"I wouldn't even bear to kill him."
Before Brook figured out the truth behind the so called multi fruit ability, Teach was not allowed to die.
Even if the brat tried to bite his own tongue, Brook would pry his jaw open and stop him.
Newgate's expression tightened.
"If Teach isn't a threat, then send him back afterward, Brother."
Newgate still believed the kid could be pulled back.
He never liked losing a member of his family.
"Yo ho ho."
Brook's laugh sounded light, but it carried teeth.
"There'll be a chance."
Then he added, almost casually.
"If Wang Zhi and Jennifer refuse to surrender, I'll hand one of their Devil Fruit abilities to your Third Division as compensation."
It was not a direct answer.
But it was an answer all the same.
Teach was not going back to Newgate's ship.
Not now.
Not ever, unless Brook was finished with him.
Newgate's eyes narrowed, and he fell silent for a moment.
Then he exhaled.
"I understand."
His voice turned heavy.
"I'll bring Teach to you myself."
"I'll go."
Brook stood up.
He was not about to let the owner of that secret slip away, even if the odds were small.
When it came to Teach, Brook trusted only his own hands.
With the plan decided and the orders set, the meeting ended and everyone dispersed.
Brook walked with Newgate toward the Third Division's ship.
The Moby Dick was not as convenient as Shiki's flying fleet, but the atmosphere aboard it was different.
Warm.
Alive.
The crew moved like a family, and every one of them called Newgate "Dad" with real respect.
Most of them were not pirates who chased glory.
They were people Newgate had pulled out of misery one by one.
When they saw their captain return with Brook beside him, the deck instantly erupted.
"Dad's back!"
"Is Captain Brook here to pick students?"
The whole world knew it by now.
Anyone who became Brook's disciple would become somebody.
Kozuki Oden, Brook's eldest disciple, was already a division captain.
Borsalino and Ashura Douji were names with weight.
Even the kids traveling with the prince and princess were becoming famous across the seas.
Some crew members felt their hearts heat up.
If they could become Brook's student, wouldn't that future shine brighter than anything?
But most of them still stayed where they were.
They were used to life with Dad.
They wanted nothing else.
Newgate's eyes scanned the deck once, then fixed on a dark skinned boy trying very hard to blend into the background.
"Teach."
His voice boomed like a drum.
"From today on, you'll follow Captain Brook."
The deck went dead quiet.
Then the crew exploded.
"What?"
"Teach?"
"No way."
Nobody expected the Pirate Overlord to single out that quiet kid with plain manners and average talent.
Teach's blood ran cold.
Me?
He forced his face to move, forced his voice to sound normal.
"No… Dad, I don't want to leave you."
His heart pounded like it was trying to break his ribs.
Was he exposed?
He had considered joining the headquarters of the Hell Pirates once, sure.
But Brook was dangerous.
Brook didn't roam everywhere hunting Devil Fruits, and Teach needed a ship that moved constantly.
At first, he wanted Shiki's fleet, the widest net in the world, the best chance to stumble across the fruit he wanted.
But Shiki's fleet was always in motion, always in the sky, hard to approach.
So Teach had chosen the second best option.
Newgate's ship.
Newgate's gaze stayed hard.
"Teach. Be good and obey."
His tone was firm, but there was pain underneath it.
"Captain Brook will make you stronger."
The crew began to chatter again, excitement rising.
"Yes! Teach, congratulations!"
"Lucky bastard!"
"I want to be Brook sama's student too!"
Brook stepped closer, studying Teach in silence.
Teach felt it immediately.
Like his skin had turned transparent.
Like every thought in his head was laid out on the deck.
Brook did not expose him.
Not here.
Not in front of Newgate's family.
To them, this was only a blessing.
The Pirate Overlord was taking Teach to forge him into something greater.
Brook finally spoke.
"Yes. You've got talent."
His smile deepened.
"Come with me."
Teach tried one last thing.
He turned, eyes pleading, hoping Newgate would stop it.
Just say no, Dad.
Just tell him I'm staying.
Newgate's jaw clenched.
Then he deliberately turned his head away.
He could not look at Teach's face.
Brook felt the movement, and his smile grew even colder.
He grabbed Teach, jumped onto Quetzalcoatl's back, and left the Moby Dick behind in a gust of wind.
They flew fast, cutting through the sky toward Punk Hazard, the technological island near Ballon Island.
Teach's stomach churned.
And when they landed, it only got worse.
Vegapunk was there.
Queen Akini.
Vinsmoke Judge.
Even Acier.
Even Inu kun.
Every pair of eyes on that island looked at Teach like a rare specimen in a glass jar.
They all wanted to see the so called alien.
The boy who could carry two Devil Fruit powers.
Teach swallowed.
"Master Brook… why did you bring me here?"
His voice was careful, forced polite.
He quickly confirmed the title, quickly confirmed the relationship, like saying it out loud could protect him.
He did not want to become meat on a scientist's table.
Brook laughed softly, easy and friendly, like none of this was terrifying.
"It's nothing serious."
"I'm just checking your body, confirming your progress."
Brook's eyes glinted.
"And I'll prepare the most suitable potions for you, so you can grow stronger as fast as possible."
Teach's back went damp.
Brook's mind was already moving.
Teach was only eleven.
Maybe he could still be reshaped.
Brainwashed.
Turned into a blade in Brook's hand.
And if that failed…
Then Brook would simply have Vegapunk's people dig into his mind and scrape out whatever memories needed scraping.
Whether Teach awakened Conqueror's Haki or not did not matter.
What mattered was this.
Teach would become the first dual fruit user under Brook.
Teach forced a bright smile.
"Thank you, Master!!"
His voice sounded excited.
But inside, he was shaking.
Is my secret about to be torn open?
No.
A physical abnormality was not enough.
His body shape and his lack of sleep were known already.
That could be explained.
That could be hidden.
The real secret was deeper.
It was in the soul.
Brook stepped closer, gaze sharpening.
His senses reached out.
Soul power.
Life detection.
Observation Haki.
He scanned Teach again and again, searching for what the world could not see.
Three hearts?
Three souls?
Teach clenched his teeth, keeping his face steady.
Maybe…
Maybe he could use Brook's power to grow quickly.
Maybe he could even reach what he wanted faster than ever.
As long as the true secret stayed buried.
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