Arodan watched Arber uneasily, flames flickering across the Lunarian's body as he unleashed his race's signature fire.
Arodan couldn't fathom why Arber hadn't called for help earlier. Only after that pale man—Brook—enslaved Vice Admiral Aishu's soul did Arber go all out, showcasing his power.
Wasn't he afraid the man would kill them and harvest their souls?
Arber, however, stared at the stranger with steely resolve. He needed to grab this big shot's attention fast—his sister Alice's aura was fading, and she needed urgent care.
If he could impress this figure, he might save her. If it meant having their souls reaped, well, he'd accept their fate together.
But luck seemed to favor the determined Lunarian youth.
He'd caught the big shot's eye, and instead of anger, there was a hint of a smile. Arber knew he'd played his cards right.
Brook, drawn by the fiery display, scanned the group with his Observation Haki and life-detection senses. These guys had potential—strong, too.
Stepping into the prison's depths, he spotted the telltale signs: white hair, dark skin, black wings, and flames dancing across their bodies. Lunarians, just like Ember!
This was a jackpot. A rare race like this was prime crew material!
His stash of Devil Fruits might've just found their perfect owners.
"Well done, kid! You've got my attention. Three minutes—tell me why you're worth my time!"
Brook aimed to recruit these Lunarians, but as a swaggering New World overlord, he wasn't about to coddle prisoners. They'd need to prove themselves to him.
"We're warriors, born and bred! Save us, and we'll be your sharpest blades, loyal forever! We'll even take on the Celestial Dragons or the World Government without blinking!"
Arber didn't beg for his sister's life yet. Instead, he sold his value and loyalty hard. Seeing Brook's crew casually take down Vice Admiral Aishu convinced him these pirates weren't World Government lapdogs.
"Hold to that promise, kid!" Brook grinned, admiring the guy's savvy. Strength could be built, but loyalty? That's what he prized most. Disloyal types got the Shichiseiken treatment—or worse, their souls harvested. "Names, now!"
"I'm Arber, a Lunarian warrior. These two are Aruyan and Arodan, strong fighters too. Please, take them on as well. And this," he gestured to the frail girl in his arms, "is my sister Alice. She's weak—can you get a doctor to help her right away?"
Arber rattled off their details, while Aruyan and Arodan watched Brook eagerly, marveling at Arber's quick thinking in winning over this big shot.
Alice, despite her pain, gazed at the stranger. Her wounds ached, but she could almost feel herself soaring freely in the sky again.
Brook drew his Shichiseiken, and a flurry of sword slashes shattered the alloy bars. Stepping inside, he sliced through their Seastone chains with ease.
He popped a Blood Crystal Dandelion into Alice's mouth. Arber and the others held their breath, but her wings visibly mended, color returning to her cheeks.
"I'm Brook, captain of the Hell Pirates, one of the New World's overlords. You're part of my crew now. Get strong, rack up victories—that's your job. Betray me, and you'll end up as my other kind of subordinate. Got it?"
Brook sheathed his Shichiseiken with a casual flourish. Right on cue, Vice Admiral Aishu's ghostly figure shambled forward, eyes vacant but radiating a chilling aura that screamed he wasn't defenseless.
"We swear undying loyalty to Brook-sama, your mightiest swords!"
Arber dropped to one knee, pledging fealty. Aruyan, Arodan, and Alice mimicked him, kneeling in solemn oath.
"Alright, enough of that. Go stuff your faces, and get the ship doctor to check Alice again. With Crocus around, that's just a minor scrape!"
Brook waved them off, sending the half-starved group to feast under a crewmate's escort.
...
The other prison survivors went wild. This big shot wasn't harvesting souls—he was recruiting! Suddenly, everyone scrambled to show off their skills and strength.
A figure with blazing blue flames atop his head caught Brook's eye. That looked familiar—didn't his crewmate Hyougoro have that same vibe?
"I'm Yanfei, a swordsman. I'll serve you, my lord!"
Yanfei saw Brook's glance and jumped at the chance, eager to escape this hellhole. A New World overlord? That's a leg worth clinging to!
"Not bad. You're lucky. Welcome to the Hell Pirates."
Brook slashed through Yanfei's chains with a few deft strokes. Yanfei knelt, pledging loyalty, his attitude earning Brook's approval.
"Can you save me too? I can read any script from any intelligent race, decipher any ancient text!"
A weak, delicate voice echoed from a better-kept cell. Brook turned to see a pale, brown-haired girl with three eyes, fear in her gaze but courage in her words. She, too, craved freedom.
"A Three-Eye Tribe? Yohohoho, today's haul is unreal! Linlin, this island's practically a buffet for your Whole Cake Island dream!"
Charlotte Linlin beamed, itching to scoop up these rare races and bring them back to her nation, pushing her dream of a diverse utopia closer.
"What's your name, kid? Perfect—you're headed to the Tree of Knowledge!"
Brook thought of his unfinished Pluton blueprints. He didn't want the scholars at the Tree of Knowledge knowing too much about ancient weapons. For now, he relied on Vegapunk and Redfield, slowly self-teaching ancient scripts to translate them.
"I'm Tenmoku, Three-Eye Tribe, 19 years old. I'm good at reading and decoding!"
The girl spoke timidly. Brook had no clue how she'd survived this place, but her nicer cell suggested she was valued.
"No need to tell me your age, kid. I don't pick on soft-spoken scholars like you!" Brook chuckled, his gentlemanly side showing through.