Xiong's proposal was as natural as water flowing into a channel, without any difficulty whatsoever. The two of them did not plan to make a big fuss, and now all that was left was to choose a good day.
It is now the end of 1501, and from a metaphysical perspective, there are no good days ahead. The two discussed it and decided to postpone the wedding until next year.
Next year will also be a special time for Piltover.
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1502 was the year the World Congress was held, which also meant that Piltover would officially become a member state that year, and the verbal agreement made at the beginning would be fully implemented that year.
As always, the Power Gear will continue to operate in the nearby waters. The biggest change is that Brook has embarked on its debut.
Laboo, as a mobile performance platform, officially partnered with Brooke and completed its first performance near the Sabaody Archipelago.
With his unique voice, brand-new music and unusual appearance, Brooke became an instant hit and gained some fame in the music and rock music scenes.
With the help of Oran's existing sales channels, the record was successfully released and achieved good sales.
Because his music seemed to strike straight to the soul, Brooke even earned the nickname "King of Souls".
"Congratulations, Brooke! You're famous now, and your songs can be heard all over the world."
"Oh ho ho ho, Your Majesty, thank you for the compliment. I am grateful for your connections and the music. This small favor is my way of repaying your kindness."
"Let's keep things separate. Others might not be able to achieve the same effect. I'm also a businessman, and now that you've made your debut, let's talk about the future."
The profits will be split 50/50, you get half, is there anything wrong with that?
"There's too much; it's okay to divide it into smaller portions."
"This is what you deserve. I haven't gone so far as to exploit others for their rightful earnings. This is an agreement regarding future performances, whether it's records or anything else, you'll receive a share of all the profits."
"We need to build your reputation during this period, so you might be a bit busy for a while. Things will get better soon."
"It's okay. I also love singing. It's a good thing to have this opportunity. I hope this song can reach heaven so that they can hear it too."
Brook has not forgotten his former comrades. There are cenotaphs for his companions on the shore of Firefly Island, after all, the Rumbar Pirates' ship sank into the sea after seeing Laboon and sending Brook away.
For pirates, making the ocean their home is an acceptable outcome.
"I hope so, but I have a question. You are a user of the Yomi Yomi no Mi (Revive-Revive Fruit), so your soul should have entered the Yomi Yomi space. Didn't you encounter your comrades who died there?"
"Well, how should I put it? It was a very strange feeling. My soul seemed to be rejected as soon as it entered, and then I got lost in the mist, which caused my body to turn into bones."
I have no idea what the underworld looks like.
Even though Brook himself is a user of the Yomi Yomi no Mi (Revive-Revive Fruit), he can't explain what it is. Most ability users are like this; they know they can do all sorts of things with their abilities, but they can't explain the detailed principles behind them.
One song, "Bone to Be Wild," written by Brook himself, and another, "Arrogance," the theme song from the band Heart of Steel.
The two songs, as the album's title tracks, spread across the sea.
In addition to traditional records, there are even special photo boxes for sale.
These seashells from the Sky Island, which resemble video recorders, are quite effective at this kind of thing. As for why they don't sell videotapes...
That's because similar projection equipment wasn't widely available at sea, and even if videotapes were available, people who bought them couldn't use them.
For others, Brooke is simply a singer to their liking, whose music is worth a listen.
But for some people, the meaning is different.
In the New World, on a remote island, a man in a red suit and a strange helmet sits in a tavern.
He was writing a letter when the tavern owner suddenly started playing music, and the familiar sound immediately caught Redfield's attention.
Mr. Brooke
After seeing the skeletal figure in the video, Redfield quickly remembered who this person was.
Although his face was devoid of flesh and blood, Brooke's original facial features were not much different from this skull face, and with his signature afro, Redfield quickly recalled his childhood memories.
"Boss, this is..."
"This is a photo from a concert I bought at a high price a while ago. I plan to use it to attract customers. What do you think, customers?"
I heard she's a singer promoted by a country called Piltover, and she'll be touring the world. Hey, where is she?
The boss was wiping the wine glass in his hand, but in the blink of an eye, Redfield had disappeared, leaving only two Baileys under the glass.
"Piltwolf again? This country is certainly peculiar."
A man stood on the rocks by the sea, Redfield gazing into the distance.
The person he once admired, the person who provided him with the mysterious props, and his pen pals over the past few years were all in the same country. This gave Redfield, who was already homeless, a new idea.
Redfield had planned to meet Oran in person when he missed the last meeting.
Before long, a figure appeared on a pirate ship in the nearby sea.
"I'd like to go to Firefly Island, which is located in the first half of the Grand Line. Would you mind helping me?"
Redfield smiled and offered his thoughts. A few years ago, Redfield would never have boarded someone else's ship; the complex thoughts in people's minds would have annoyed him.
It was only after acquiring this shielding helmet that Redfield made the change.
It's always more convenient to have someone row the boat than to row it yourself.
Although it seemed like he was making a request, no one on the ship dared to refuse Redfield; the aura he exuded didn't suggest that he would allow others to refuse.
The pirates who had just entered the New World were forced to return to the first half of the Grand Line at Redfield's friendly invitation. Fortunately, with Redfield on board, they did not encounter any trouble and even escaped the New World successfully.
This might not be a bad thing for the pirates, as the terrifying environment and power in the New World had already made them consider retreating.
So much so that after Redfield let them go, the pirates didn't return to the New World, but instead resumed their activities in Paradise.
Firefly Island was just as it always was, and even had more tourists, all of whom were Brook's fans.
According to those who have heard Brooke perform live, only by being there in person can you truly experience her soul-stirring voice.
To experience that feeling again, these people are willing to travel across the ocean to come here.
Ginny and Bear are not on the island right now; they've gone on a trip together.
According to Ginny's logic, while things are still relatively relaxed, they should take a honeymoon trip in advance to avoid not having time later, which completely disrupts the normal schedule.
Redfield didn't have Frankenstein's Den Den Mushi number; they were just pen pals, so Redfield only knew the address.
After surveying the location of the royal city, Redfield walked alone towards the castle.
Although his arrival here is largely due to Brooke, the person Redfield knows best on this island is still Frankenstein, who is also his only friend at the moment.
At this point, Redfield still wanted to ask Frankenstein what exactly had happened.
Redfield was also a pirate, though better than other pirates, but he was still a member of the Disorder.
In other places, he would probably have bypassed the guards at the door and walked straight in, but this time was different.
This is his friend's house; it wouldn't be very polite to just sneak in.
Upon arriving at the door, Redfield even politely knocked.
Therefore, waiting for him in the royal city were Leriana and Frankenstein, as well as Oran himself.
"This is our first formal meeting, isn't it, Your Excellency Red Earl? Are you getting used to the helmet?"
"It's not bad, it helped me a lot. Are you Miss Fran's father? You're much younger than I thought."
After exchanging a few polite words, Redfield accepted Oran's invitation to enter the reception room.
Redfield didn't dwell on it and directly asked about Brooke's situation, receiving Orland's response.
"I see. Mr. Brooke's situation is truly unfortunate."
Are you acquaintances?
I only met him once when I was young. Where is he now? I want to go see him again.
"The port on the east side of the island... But Your Excellency, I have a personal suggestion. I'm curious, are you tired of your current life?"
"Tired. Perhaps."
Redfield is special; although he is a rare and powerful individual, he has little ambition.
He set sail because of his childhood admiration for Brook. For a time, he also aimed to become the Pirate King, but after Redfield witnessed Roger and Whitebeard at their peak, he gave up that idea.
Because of his innate and powerful Observation Haki, he wandered aimlessly on the sea, and apart from Roger and Whitebeard, there were not many pirates he recognized.
The helmet Oran made helped Redfield solve a lot of problems, at least in terms of its role in his reintegration into human society. It wasn't easy to get some peace and quiet for his ears.
However, having embarked on the path of piracy, he constantly faces pursuit by the Navy, which makes Redfield, who has no interest in pursuing the title of Pirate King, increasingly irritable.
So what do you think of this country?
"Very good. I've been to many islands along the Grand Line, but it's very rare to find one as unique as yours."
"So, Your Excellency Earl Red, are you interested in settling here?"
Compared to the Golden Lion, Redfield himself is much more stable, and it would be very beneficial to recruit such a fighter.
"Settle down? I'm a pirate, young king. This place shouldn't be a lawless land."
"For an ordinary king, this would indeed be a troublesome matter, but I am special. All you need to do is nominally declare that you have joined my ranks, and a lot of trouble can be avoided."
Of course, I won't order you around. You can choose a suitable place on the island to live in seclusion, and all you need to do is lend a hand when the island faces a crisis.
Different pirates have different recruitment methods. Someone like Brook, who owes someone a favor, can work for them, while someone with Redfield's strength can be considered a retainer.
"Interesting, you are the second person I have met whose inner thoughts I cannot see at all."
At this moment, Redfield removed his helmet. While powerful figures like Whitebeard could use their Haki to resist his mind-reading abilities, Redfield would feel a blob of ink obstructing his vision.
But like Frankenstein, Oran left Redfield with only a blank space, and this was the effect of Oran's immense mental power.
"So, Your Excellency Earl Red, what is your reply?"
"If you can guarantee that the Navy won't cause me any more trouble, then this condition is acceptable. I'm also a bit tired right now."
Redfield eventually accepted Oran's offer for a complex reason, including his friendship with Oran, his idol, and his curiosity about Oran.
After all, what Redfield is most interested in is people whose inner thoughts cannot be read, a habit he has developed over the years. Only when he is with such people can he truly relax.
After careful consideration, Redfield felt that living on the island was a good option.
After reaching a certain agreement with Redfield, Oran dialed Sengoku's Den Den Mushi.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea have extraterritorial authority, and the same applies to pirates who join their ranks. Under normal circumstances, Oran would not need to make such a special phone call to explain to the Navy.
Just state the situation when it occurs, and then wait for verification.
But Redfield is a special pirate after all; ordinary pirates don't have Redfield's strength. And Oran has a close relationship with the Navy, so it's best to give them a heads-up beforehand.
"Dr. Siddirell, is there something you need?"
Sengoku was somewhat confused when he answered the phone.
Normally, if Oran has personal matters to attend to, he should consult Zephyr. It's common knowledge within the Navy Headquarters that the two of them have a good relationship.
Oran would occasionally stroll over to the Marine Headquarters or visit Zephyr's house.
For official business, you should contact He; she's more familiar with the procedures than you are.
Since the beginning of the Great Pirate Era, Sengoku, as the successor to the Fleet Admiral, has become increasingly busy, and matters such as transactions have been handed over to Tsuru's staff.
"Oh, it's some private matter concerning the Seven Warlords of the Sea. You know the rules of the Seven Warlords. Recently, a pirate is about to join my crew, so I'm telling you in advance."
"I see. Which pirate is it? I'll make a note of this. Let's cancel his bounty first."
This is perfectly reasonable and compliant with regulations. Even if Oran didn't notify the Navy, there was nothing wrong with doing this. The fact that he made a special call is already a sign of respect.
Since the pirates who joined the Seven Warlords of the Sea were temporarily working for the World Government, Sengoku didn't pay much attention to them.
"Baroric Redfield".
"Barlow, wait, who did you say?!"
Sengoku casually jotted down famous characters, but suddenly snapped back to reality, and in his overwhelming excitement, he crushed the pen in his hand. Ink splattered all over his hand.
Then, Sengoku, not believing in such superstitions, pinched his thigh. He seemed to have heard an extraordinary name.
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