"There's no way I'm going down here!"
The crimson glow of Disco's skin faded, revealing a massive wound across his upper body. Blood spurted out violently as he collapsed to the ground, his breath vanishing into nothingness.
Mortomas' wife quickly covered Morgans' eyes, shielding him from the gruesome sight.
Panic erupted among the slaver crew of the Disco Pirates. Scrambling in terror, they rushed back to their ship, desperate to set sail and escape.
But Mortomas wasn't about to let them off so easily. Fueled by rage, he led the few remaining guards in a relentless pursuit, cutting down the fleeing pirates like wounded prey.
Meanwhile, Brook was forcing himself to adapt to the reality of taking lives. Though he still felt a lingering discomfort, his icy blue gaze hardened with resolve. Steeling himself, he leaped onto the enemy's ship, pushing past hesitation.
One slash, one kill.
Brook methodically cut down the slavers without mercy. In his past life, he had edited countless videos exposing child trafficking, kidnappings, human smuggling rings, and scams from places like Northern Myanmar. He despised such crimes even more than murder itself.
...
"Mr. Brook, thank you for saving my family! I don't even know how to repay you!"
Now back in his human form, Mortomas adjusted his crisp, tailored suit, his refined demeanor contrasting the earlier battlefield. His gratitude was layered with deep admiration—after all, he had been a fan of Brook's music long before this encounter.
"Just drop me off at the nearest island."
Brook was alone now. If he wanted to continue his journey, he'd need a crew and a new ship. Changing paths wasn't an option—especially with a 33-million-berry bounty on his head.
"Mr. Brook, if I may ask… The Rumbar Pirates, are they really…?"
"Yes. They're gone."
"I'm… I'm sorry, I—"
"It's fine. I've moved on. But I will avenge them."
As he looked at Brook's pale, emotionless face, Mortomas couldn't help but think—He's no longer just a musician. He's a man driven by vengeance. His dream of music… it must be gone now.
"Mr. Brook, we're heading to the Sabaody Archipelago. After this incident, I doubt the World Economy News will escape the World Government's attention. I need to relocate my company before they come for us. If you're willing, you could travel with us."
"That would be helpful. Thank you."
Brook figured it wouldn't hurt to build a connection with the famed newsman.
"The Disco Pirates' ship has a group of captives on board. Would you like to check on them, Lord Brook? You might find someone fit to join your crew."
If Brook was going to hunt down the Poison Smoke Pirates for revenge, he'd need new crew members. Mortomas figured this was the least he could do for his savior.
"Alright."
Brook wasn't expecting much, but he wouldn't turn down the possibility of finding capable hands.
Stepping into the dark, grimy lower deck of the slaver ship, Brook was met with the stench of filth and suffering. Crammed inside rusted iron cages, dozens of men, women, and children huddled together. Their bodies bore the marks of whips, their eyes hollow with despair.
"The pirates who enslaved you are dead," Mortomas announced. "You're free now! If any of you have special abilities, Lord Brook is looking for new crew members."
A ripple of hope spread through the captives. Fearful gazes slowly brightened.
After a long silence, a frail, seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy hesitantly raised his hand.
"I… I'm a freak. I can turn into a giant snail."
His voice was small, his eyes darting nervously to Brook, afraid of how he would react.
"Turn into a snail? Is he a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user with a Snail Fruit ability?"
Brook muttered under his breath as he stepped forward, slicing through the chains binding the boy's hands and feet. Once freed, the boy slowly transformed into a massive snail, standing about one and a half meters tall.
"This is a form I only learned to take a year ago. The people in my village thought I was a monster and drove me out. My parents secretly gave me a small boat and helped me escape to sea."
The giant snail spoke, his long eye stalks trembling as tears welled up and dripped down.
"I can also communicate with the little snail that the pirate captain was holding. Does that count as a special ability? Brook-sama, can you take me in? I have nowhere else to go."
"Talking to a small snail? Wait… isn't that a Den Den Mushi?"
Brook was stunned. Could this boy have eaten a Snail Fruit? Or was it actually the Den Den Mushi Devil Fruit? That would be an incredible find! The more he looked at the massive snail in front of him, the more it resembled a Den Den Mushi. His decision was made instantly.
"Alright, from now on, you'll be my first crew member. What's your name?"
"Thank you, Brook-sama! Thank you! My name is Antonio, and I can cook!"
The giant snail spoke excitedly. If he had arms and legs in this form, he would surely be flailing them around in joy.
"Change back into your human form, Antonio. From now on, you'll be by my side."
Brook was thrilled—his first crew member in this world of pirates! The excitement made his bones rattle.
"Congratulations, Brook-sama, on gaining such a fine crew member and taking your first step forward once more."
Mortomas offered his congratulations from the side, feeling genuinely happy for Brook. He hoped this new companionship would help Brook move past the trauma of losing his former crew and bring warmth back to his cold, lifeless expression.
The remaining captives were ordinary people. Brook released them all and instructed them to help sail the ship and clean up. Mortomas also took about ten people to assist him, as most of his guards had been slaughtered by the Disco Pirates.
Brook temporarily claimed the pirate ship as his own, looting everything of value from Disco's stash. Among the spoils, he found four or five Den Den Mushi. Curious, he handed one to Antonio to test his ability.
It worked! It was absolutely incredible.
"Captain Brook, these little snails say they all feel familiar with me, like I'm comforting to them. They're willing to communicate with me through radio waves. I don't really understand what radio waves are, but they also told me they each have identification numbers and names."
Antonio, still young and inexperienced, came from a remote island and knew little of the world.
"These little snails are called Den Den Mushi. From now on, you'll be in charge of talking to them and gathering information. But first, get some food in you—you must be starving."
"Thank you, Captain!"
Ravenous, Antonio devoured his food with an intensity that only the truly starving could muster. Brook wasn't far behind—he hadn't eaten in a long time either, and now was the time to indulge.
Once their meal was finished, Brook boarded Mortomas' Seagull News Ship. The fires that had engulfed the vessel were finally extinguished, and the ship had undergone basic repairs. It was seaworthy once more.
"Mr. Brook, we're ready to set sail. Our next stop is the Sabaody Archipelago!"
With Brook aboard, Mortomas felt a renewed sense of security. He knew they had to hurry back to their Sabaody base and find an opportunity to relocate. Staying too long in the Celestial Dragons' territory was a surefire way to invite trouble.