Perhaps the others didn't know, but Creed did. He stepped forward and patted Brook's shoulder. "You'll see Laboon."
"You've met Laboon?"
At the name, Brook jolted, excitement flooding his voice.
While he'd been playing "Binks no Sake," he hadn't only thought of his crewmates—he'd thought of the little whale Laboon as well. Those journeys had been so bright and full of laughter. Then, in a blink, everything was gone, leaving him alone with only that promise to Laboon to give him something to look forward to—something to keep him moving.
Now that Creed had said it, Brook gripped Creed's shoulders, hands trembling. "You've seen him?"
"Yeah. He's alive—grown a lot. Still waiting before Reverse Mountain for all of you to come back."
Creed nodded and briefly described Laboon's current state. Brook's eye flames flickered—part sorrow, part hope. "I'll go to him. I'll reunite with him."
"Mr. Brook, you can set off now if you want. It's fine."
Helping Brook fulfill a promise fifty years old was, to Creed, a worthy thing.
But Brook shook his head. "Mr. Creed retrieved my shadow. I can't just walk away. A gentleman repays kindness. Please allow me to follow you—help you realize your dream at sea—then I'll return to see Laboon."
Creed considered, glanced at Redfield, and when he saw the slight nod, he smiled. "Then I'll be in your care."
"Thank you, my respected captain."
Brook bowed deeply.
The crew cheered at their newest member. Redfield, meanwhile, gave Mihawk a little jab with his elbow.
As vice-captain, of course he wanted to draw a great swordsman like Mihawk into the fold.
Mihawk understood and could only answer coolly, "I am one of the Seven Warlords."
Redfield was unimpressed. "Aren't the Warlords pirates too? Aren't pirates the ones who chase dreams and freedom? What's your dream?"
Mihawk only smiled without replying.
"What a polite gentleman," Robin murmured. Perona nodded—then both immediately shook their heads in unison. Polite? A man who asks to see girls' panties on first meeting isn't a gentleman!
With Brook and Mihawk aboard, the Creed grew livelier by the day.
Mihawk and Redfield crossed blades at least once daily, a feast for every eye on deck. Later, Brook—himself a skilled swordsman—joined their bouts. He lost again and again, but with pointers from two apex swordsmen, his swordsmanship improved quickly. The strange chill unique to the Yomi Yomi no Mi (Revive-Revive Fruit) even made Creed take notice.
Mihawk longed to challenge Creed, but he could not get past Redfield's gatekeeping.
Creed, with idle hours, poured all of his time into developing his Devil Fruits. His Ope Ope no Mi (Op-Op Fruit) and Pika Pika no Mi (Glint-Glint Fruit) were both nearing awakening.
The operation-type fruit demanded self-exploration and thus progressed slowly. The light fruit, however—after his fight with Kizaru, after personally feeling the force of awakened light—surged forward at a terrifying pace.
Barring accidents, the Glint-Glint Fruit would be the first to awaken.
So, weighing the gains, he threw all his focus into light.
"Eternal Light… or—"
In his cabin, Creed replayed his battle with Kizaru over and over; countless memory fragments streaked through his mind. Since a sudden insight had struck him, he'd shut himself in for more than twenty days.
Now, in his hand, a mote of light slowly spun, its glow pulsing—bright, dim, bright again.
He lifted his hand away, letting the light float in midair.
The instant it left his palm, it blazed whiter, hotter.
Then Creed's hand-edge—sheened with Armament Haki—fell like a blade and split the light into two.
Severed, each half shone no less than before.
Next, he struck with both hands, his edges sheathed in Ice Sword Will: Hyōketsu (Freezing).
Gara—!
Black-mystic ice sealed both strands in an instant—yet within that ice the light still burned, searing bright and hot. It didn't snuff out at once; instead, in a short span, it melted the black ice to chilling water.
When the ice had melted away, the twin lights had dimmed hardly at all—still white-hot, like blades tempered a hundred times. Creed felt it clearly: he could command each thread at will—move them as easily as his own arms.
"Extreme condensation… persistence of power… so this is awakened light?!"
Only then did he exhale and glance at his status.
Behind "Glint-Glint Fruit" in the special abilities line, four new characters had appeared: "Initial Awakening."
"…Huh?"
Something else changed—unexpectedly. With the fruit's initial awakening, his Agility, formerly SSS+, had climbed to SSSS-.
Light was absolute speed; its awakening poured straight into Agility.
"In that case… I've stepped into emperor-class power!"
He laughed under his breath.
Every Yonko possessed at least two SSSS-level attributes or abilities. Until now, Creed had only one—Strength at SSSS-. With Agility joining it, he finally held true emperor-class might.
Of course, with the trump cards he'd stockpiled, his combat power was already enough to stare down any Yonko.
"In that case, the battle plan changes."
Originally, returning to the New World, he'd intended to spend time building a base, avoiding clashes with the emperors until he grew stronger.
But now, with strength to stand as an equal, there was no need to develop quietly.
Once Crocodile finished his preparations, Creed would choose the first emperor crew to target.
Defeat a Yonko, unify the New World, gather the strongest to his banner—then wage war on the World Government.
That was Creed's New World plan.
He rose to go find Redfield and discuss the change—when Mihawk knocked at the door.
"Creed, I must leave tomorrow. But before I do, I want to witness your sword," Mihawk said earnestly—then lowered his voice. "Let's find somewhere secret. Don't let Red know."
(End of Chapter)
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