As the forces from the Rocks Pirates and the Hell Pirates closed in on the Valley of the Gods, Admiral Aokiba and Devo were bombarded with urgent calls and scoldings from various Celestial Dragons via Den Den Mushi.
Rocks wanted to storm the Valley of the Gods within a single day—otherwise, reinforcements from the World Government and Navy would overwhelm even them!
"You want me to handle Aokiba's group? And you'll take on Devo?"
Brook received another message from Rocks via Den Den Mushi, suggesting they switch opponents. He knew Aokiba's unit included Bloodhand Braille, Garp, and Black Arm Zephyr—three top-tier physical combat experts.
Together, they'd severely limit the effectiveness of Rocks' Dark-Dark Fruit. And don't underestimate that Garp; at around thirty years old, his strength already surpassed an Admiral candidate, rivaling a full Admiral!
His Armament Haki mastery was nearly on par with Rocks', making him an incredibly tough foe!
"That's right. I trust your subordinates like Golden Lion and Whitebeard can handle them with ease!"
Rocks had full confidence in the Hell Pirates' power. Large-scale AOE damage from Devil Fruit abilities would leave those physical fighters helpless.
"It's not impossible, but what if you reach the Valley of the Gods first and hog all the treasure? I'd be left with nothing."
Brook had already seen through Rocks' little scheme. He knew the Valley of the Gods wasn't as straightforward as it seemed—letting Rocks scout ahead was part of his own plan!
But plans were plans; he still had to fight for his share of the benefits!
"Geehahaha~, Brook, the defenses at the Valley of the Gods aren't weak. Don't underestimate Devo either. Maybe you'll finish off Aokiba's group before I even deal with mine. You know my worthless crew isn't as strong as yours. You might even hit the Valley of the Gods before me!"
Rocks kept buttering up Brook, inflating his ego. Brook probably didn't fully grasp the strength of the Navy's three physical powerhouses or Rocks' true power yet!
Rocks was aiming for a time advantage—grab the top-tier Devil Fruits from the Valley of the Gods, and who would bother arguing with Brook afterward?
If things blew up, they'd just go their separate ways, wait out the ten-year agreement, and then kick off the New World unification war. That's when he'd crush the Hell Pirates!
"Yohohoho, then let's leave it to our own abilities!"
Hearing Rocks say that, Brook couldn't be bothered wasting more time. He'd take on Admiral Aokiba's group. Did that guy Rocks even know about the Knights of God?
As long as he didn't get blindsided by CP0 and the Knights of God. After all, in the original story, Rocks' key officers like Whitebeard and Golden Lion—now Brook's people—had massively weakened his forces. He might not make it up to the Valley of the Gods smoothly!
At Rocks' request, the Hell Pirates intercepted Admiral Aokiba on his way to reinforce the Valley of the Gods. The elite soldiers he led were no less formidable than an overlord pirate crew!
Seeing the flying fleet appear, Admiral Aokiba actually breathed a sigh of relief. At least the Hell Pirates weren't heading to wreck the Valley of the Gods. They just needed to stall Brook, and Navy reinforcements would arrive soon!
Redfield locked onto Admiral candidate Bloodhand Braille. Whitebeard Newgate was instantly drawn to Fist Garp's powerful aura—this was a man on par with Roger.
And Golden Lion Shiki, needing to be ready to bail at any moment and lead the flying fleet in a surprise assault on the Valley of the Gods, faced off against the Navy's bold rising star, Black Arm Zephyr!
...
"Brook!!! You've only risen to power in the last few years. I advise you not to stubbornly team up with Rocks, or you'll end up shooting yourself in the foot!"
Admiral Aokiba opened with the standard official line, but it wasn't wrong. Brook had only been an overlord for two or three years—how could he know the World Government's true depths?
If not for the New World becoming a fragmented territory after that great war, with its magnetic fields disrupted and extreme weather rampant, hindering development, it wouldn't have devolved into a criminal paradise. Now it was a stubborn sore the World Government couldn't ignore.
But if the World Government was willing to pay a massive price, they could wipe out the New World's pirates entirely. Yet this festering issue had taken root; without decades of effort, it'd just rebound into a pirate haven. For eight hundred years, repeated attempts had never fully pacified it!
"Admiral Aokiba, I was just invited by Rocks. How about we take a break here instead?"
Brook wasn't eager to clash with these powerful Navy officers right away. His goal was the precious items in the Valley of the Gods, not these tough Navy rocks!
Better to let Rocks tangle with the Valley's defenses and Devo first in a bloody battle. Who knows if Rocks would claim the prize first, or if Brook would swoop in like the oriole behind?
With Brook's words, the flying fleet and Navy fleet suddenly fell into a bizarre standoff!
"Hey, you coming down to fight or what? If not, I'm outta here!"
Suddenly, a brash voice rang out, spiking the tension. Was the fight about to start?
"Yohohoho, if you want to leave, then take just your one ship!"
Brook saw it was Garp speaking and was willing to let him go—adding a bit more hassle for Rocks. The question was, would Garp dare leave the Navy fleet here alone?
"Garp! Shut up!"
Admiral candidate Bloodhand Braille barked. Their forces were already outnumbered by Brook's Hell Pirates. If Garp left, they'd be completely on the defensive!
"Brook, you're waiting to see if Rocks can make it up to the Valley of the Gods, aren't you?"
Admiral Aokiba, with his veteran experience, saw right through Brook's intentions. If Rocks succeeded, Brook would immediately use the flying fleet's speed to rush the Valley of the Gods and join Rocks in looting the Celestial Dragons' treasures.
If Rocks failed, Brook could retreat safely without much cost!
But Admiral Aokiba knew that if they just stalled without fighting, those Celestial Dragons would hold them accountable afterward. In their eyes, the Navy hadn't given their all to rescue the masters—easily leading to demotions!
So, this battle had to happen!
Even if it was just for show, it needed to look earth-shattering!
"I'm here to witness your strength!"
Brook noticed Admiral Aokiba gearing up to strike. He hadn't expected the standoff to last forever—the Navy was under far more pressure from the Celestial Dragons' urgent summons than the Hell Pirates.
"Then let's begin!!"
Admiral Aokiba spread a pair of pristine white wings, a gleaming horn of holy light sprouting from his forehead. A beam of pure white holy light shot toward Brook on the golden airship!
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Fanfic is finished 955 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg