Later, Rayleigh asked in the group again about training in Observation Haki, offering a Devil Fruit as a reward.
To his surprise, that senior actually provided the method, making Rayleigh overjoyed. He couldn't understand why that person trusted him so much—wasn't he afraid Rayleigh wouldn't fulfill his promise?
Of course, Brook believed in Roger and Rayleigh, two people with the potential for Conqueror's Haki. Besides, the Roger Pirates hardly ever ate Devil Fruits!
Brook had the method to awaken both Armament and Observation Haki right at his fingertips, so he figured he might as well trade it in advance. In doing so, he could earn the Roger Pirates' respect and secure a Devil Fruit as a reward.
With this knowledge, the Roger Pirates' strength grew rapidly, allowing them to escape Vice admiral "Mad Dog" multiple times. That Vice Admiral Armament Haki was absurdly strong, and his mastery of Navy combat techniques—like the Six Powers—was formidable!
And now, it seemed the mad dog had become obsessed with chasing them down, sticking to Roger's crew like glue, which was starting to seriously annoy Roger and Rayleigh.
---
Aboard the Golden Ship, Erebus
After a grand banquet to celebrate his joining, Newgate quickly became part of the Hell Pirates. The crew here didn't care about wealth—they focused entirely on strengthening themselves.
But every time Newgate saw the golden decorations covering the ship's walls, he almost couldn't help himself from prying some off and sending them back home.
"Newgate, you can't keep supporting your hometown like this forever," Brook said, noticing his new crewmate's dilemma. "As the saying goes, it's better to teach a man to fish than to just give him a fish. Let's plant our flag on Sphinx Island and teach them martial arts and Haki so they can grow stronger on their own.
"Otherwise, if you keep carrying them by yourself, they'll only grow weaker and weaker."
Brook had seen it firsthand—Whitebeard might have been one of the strongest in the world, but his logistical and strategic management was a mess.
Even Kaido had military factories and scientific research units. Even Big Mom invested in scientists like Caesar. But the Whitebeard Pirates? They just drank and fought all day without even a proper base!
"I get it, Captain Brook!"
Newgate had never really thought about how to strengthen his home. He'd only ever wanted to protect it himself, keeping the islanders safe and at peace.
As an orphan who set out to sea at a young age, he had never been educated in things like sustainable development or how to make his people truly strong.
Now, with Brook's advice, he finally began to consider it.
"Come on, let's train!"
Brook had just discovered a new ability—one that had always existed within him but had now fully awakened.
"I heard that a lot of the captain's abilities target the soul directly. They're impossible to guard against. Looks like I'll get to see it firsthand!"
Newgate activated his Tremor-Tremor Fruit, his hands glowing with white energy, and faced Brook with battle-ready excitement.
"Yohoho! Calm down, this move isn't all that powerful yet. It shouldn't be able to hurt you!"
Brook spoke casually as the rest of the crew gathered around. They still vividly remembered when his soul-music technique knocked several of them unconscious—what would he come up with this time?
"The Grim Reaper rises! The gates of the Underworld open! The path to Hell is revealed!"
As Brook's voice rang out, a massive, spectral Grim Reaper materialized behind him, looming over everyone. Suddenly, its torso split open, revealing a dark green portal.
Beyond it, a long, eerie road stretched into the void—the legendary path to the Underworld.
"This is horrifying! Captain Brook, did you just open the gates of hell?!"
Shakky took an unconscious step back, letting Redfield stand in front of her. She eyed Brook warily, her voice loud with shock.
"Haha, maybe!" Brook laughed. "Come forth, my ghost army!"
The crew watched in suspense… only for a handful of green spirits to float out.
"...That's not exactly an army, Captain."
Then, suddenly—
"Wait a minute!" Shakky pointed at one of the ghosts. "That looks like White Peizhen, the president of the Peace Dove News Agency!"
"What?! That's the trafficker who kidnapped me!"
Antonio also pointed, recognizing one of the spirits as the infamous slave ship captain, Disco.
"And that one—he's Poison Smoke Sarin! The guy who got killed at that bar in Sabaody!"
One by one, they identified spirits from Brook's past encounters.
"Captain Brook… does this mean all the enemies you've killed are still lingering as spirits?"
A chill ran down Shakky's spine as she half-hid behind Redfield, peeking out at the ghosts with wide eyes.
"It seems that only those with strong wills appear clearly," Brook muttered. He could see fainter, blurrier ghosts in the background—likely just nameless minions he had defeated.
"Does this mean Captain Brook can actually command ghosts to fight? Does that mean… ghosts are real???"
Shakky felt her entire worldview shattering. If ghosts truly existed, then what about all those horror stories? Were there invisible spirits lurking in the toilet? Under the bed? Inside the closets?!
Her own thoughts terrified her. Why don't any of the other women sleep in my room?
"Nope! Not happening! I'm sleeping with Memory Seahorse tonight!"
Meanwhile, Newgate watched the eerie scene and muttered, "Gurarara … If you become Captain Brook's enemy, you won't even get the chance to be reincarnated."
He clenched his fists. Could his Tremor-Tremor Fruit even affect these things? If physical attacks were useless, how could he fight them?
"Alright, let's see what these ghosts can really do!"
Brook commanded the green-eyed, expressionless ghosts to rush toward Newgate.
Newgate, fully alert, swung a massive fist at the first ghost—only for it to pass right through.
There was no impact. No resistance. The ghost simply slipped through him like mist and continued forward.
No pain. No sensation.
Instead…
"Wait a second," Newgate muttered. "Why do I feel cold?"
At first, it seemed like nothing was happening. But then, as the ghosts continued their attacks, he started to feel sluggish.
His blood ran cold. His limbs felt heavier. His reactions dulled.
"Uh, Captain Brook… maybe this is just a psychological attack?"
Shakky offered, trying to ease the awkward silence.
"No! They're actually draining my blood and energy!"
Newgate quickly retreated, rubbing his arms. The longer he stayed near those spirits, the more drained he felt.
This wasn't just an illusion.
It was real.
Brook's ghosts could weaken and sap the life force from anyone they touched.
A terrifying ability.
And it was only the beginning.
----
Seeing Newgate's reaction, Shakky wisely shut her mouth, not wanting to be dragged into another one of the captain's experiments!
"Captain Brook, I feel like they're constantly draining my energy and blood!"
Although the effect wasn't strong at first, Newgate could feel his body gradually growing uncomfortable. His physical fitness was incredibly powerful, his blood full of vitality, and his stamina nearly endless—yet even he was feeling the toll.
"Is that so? Then it's not useless after all! Either these ghosts are too weak... or Newgate is just too damn strong!"
Brook turned his gaze toward the rookies on the ship. If weak ghosts weren't effective on monsters like Newgate, maybe they would be on someone else...
"The weather's changing! I have to check it out!" Shakky made up an excuse and ran off, clutching her memory seahorse for comfort.
"Captain Brook, the new recruit's Den Den Mushi is ringing. I'll go check it!"
Antonio, remembering his horrifying experience with soul music last time, quickly came up with his own excuse and bolted.
"Ahem, Hiruba, didn't you say you needed a new batch of poisonous bullets?"
The ship's doctor, Crocus, turned and walked straight to the lab, dragging the sniper Hiruba with him for good measure.
"Yeah, yeah! Brother Crocus, you're the best!"
"Don't look at me, Captain. I'm steering the ship!"
The fish-man Tom flatly refused Brook's gaze. He wasn't about to be used as a test subject!
"Tch, you cowards. Fine! I'll pick the most qualified candidate… Tiger! I believe in your abilities. Let's see your progress today!"
Brook grinned as he set his sights on Tiger, the inexperienced trainee crew member.
"No problem, Captain! I'm strong! These little ghosts can't do anything to me!"
Tiger puffed up his chest with pride. Getting acknowledged by Captain Brook? That was a huge deal! He'd definitely become a top-tier fighter like big bro Redfield in the future—and surpass Uncle Tom, too!
"That's the spirit! You need that fearless attitude. I believe you'll become an official crew member in no time!"
Brook nodded in approval before commanding the ghosts to charge. Meanwhile, the crew members who had just run off suddenly reappeared, eager to watch the show.
"Haha! Bring it on, you little ghosts! I'll awaken Conqueror's Haki one day—no way am I scared of some ghosts!"
Tiger threw a punch, using Fish-Man Karate—but just like with Newgate, it was useless. The ghosts phased right through him and began attacking his body. Tom shook his head, while the others started betting on how long Tiger would last.
"This is nothing! Brother Newgate, you were making a big deal out of—"
Before Tiger could finish, he shuddered. The cold was getting worse. His lips turned blue, his fingers numbed, and his limbs stiffened. The ghosts clung to him relentlessly, sapping his strength. He tried to shake them off but failed.
"Captain Brook—stop! Stop, stop, stop! I-I can't take it anymore!"
Tiger shivered uncontrollably, his face pale. He staggered toward Brook, his legs wobbling.
"Crocus, check him!"
Brook was pleased. So the ghosts' death energy drained vitality, making the target weaker over time. If he strengthened them and increased their numbers, he could weaken entire armies before a battle even began!
"It's nothing serious. He's just exhausted—like he just recovered from a serious illness. A few days of rest will fix him."
Crocus examined Tiger and confirmed that, while he looked like a worn-out rag, he'd be fine.
"Captain Brook… g-gimme a Song of Conquering Heaven… I'm too weak to stand…"
Tiger hung his head in defeat. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn't have talked so big earlier! Now he looked like a fool!
"Perfect! I was hoping to hear Captain Brook's soul music again!"
Newgate grinned, and Brook—who had been planning to let Tiger suffer a little longer—sighed and pulled out his violin. As he played, a powerful, uplifting tune filled the air, rejuvenating the crew.
"I'm not afraid of ghosts anymore! I can totally sleep alone tonight! No ghosts under the bed, none in the closet—right?!"
Shakky muttered to herself, hyping herself up and completely forgetting that she still had Yin Ghost for company.
"This music makes me wanna go find someone to fight!"
Newgate cracked his knuckles, grinning with excitement. He never thought music could have this kind of effect!
---
Time passed in training and battles, and the golden ship continued flying toward Charlotte Linlin's territory.
Meanwhile, Admiral Coss Davo had entered the New World via the official route through the Red Line. His first stop: the classified scientific research island, Punk Hazard, where he resupplied and received new mission orders, along with a stockpile of rare materials.
The island was packed with scientists, each conducting their own bizarre experiments. Being in the New World made it easier to obtain rare test subjects—both creatures and humans.
"These World Government projects are ridiculous! They're asking for the impossible!"
A young scientist groaned as he reviewed the new research topics:
Methods to cross the Calm Belt
Devil Fruit extraction and replication
Artificial lifeforms and enhanced soldiers
Even legendary materials like Pure Gold were on the list
Every scientist had to pick a project to work on.
"I specialize in guns, cannons, and explosives! Why aren't there any weapons projects this year?"
"I worked on robots back home. Do those count as artificial soldiers?"
"My focus is organ transplants across different species!"
"What about you, man? What's your specialty?"
"I'm amazing at… being experimented on!"
A bald researcher in a white coat grinned proudly. Not only was he a weapons inventor, but his freakish vitality and insane creativity made him a prime subject for experiments. His latest invention, [Troublesome Wind: Three Thousand Lives of You], had already gained recognition from his peers, inspiring several new research ideas.
Admiral Coss Davo had no patience for these lunatic scientists. He left the island with his troops, pushing deeper into the New World in pursuit of the Hell Pirates.
Since the World Government's intelligence network struggled in the New World, even the Navy Headquarters had resorted to forming secret partnerships with underground information brokers.
Nowadays, much of the Navy's intel came directly from the dark underworld, with only a fraction of reports coming from CP agents.
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