In the New World, aboard the flagship of the Vesper Pirates, the Golden Ark—
Vesper couldn't believe it. The duel between Orion and Ochoku had been interrupted by a mere Supernova pirate crew. But according to the intelligence from the News Co., even after unleashing his signature technique, Orion had failed to take down Ochoku or the intruding Hell Pirates. This turn of events piqued Vesper's interest in Brook's crew, enough that he decided to personally intervene.
Upon hearing that Vesper himself had set sail, Rocks knew he couldn't allow Ochoku to face such a crisis alone. As their captain, he promptly led his fleet to provide support.
Meanwhile, Brook had already gathered his crew aboard the Golden Ark, wasting no time in retreating. His prior assault had been a calculated one—catching both Orion and Ochoku off guard with a soul-based attack, which heavily damaged their life force in an instant.
If it had been a direct confrontation, Brook and Redfield wouldn't have stood a chance against Orion.
Ochoku warily watched the departing Golden Ark before shifting his attention to the wounded Silver Axe. Both he and Orion had been caught off guard by Brook's bizarre Devil Fruit abilities, suffering unexpected injuries to their very souls.
Next time, they wouldn't give Brook the chance. The moment they saw his soul or ghostly projections, they'd strike his main body without hesitation and eliminate him at the source.
...
Orion was cursing under his breath. Brook's soul detonation had drained more than half his life force, leaving injuries far worse than the exposed bones of his hand.
"If I don't chop that skeleton bastard into eight pieces next time, I'm not fucking Orion!"
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, he replayed the fight in his head. He had suspected those untouchable ghostly forms had some unique ability but had never imagined they could attack his soul and drain his life force so drastically.
If he didn't feast for days to replenish his energy, even his Flowing Haki might be unusable. That was why he had immediately chosen to retreat with Jevalle.
Without Flowing Haki, breaking through Charlotte Linlin's defenses would be impossible. Rather than being ganged up on while injured, it was wiser to retreat now and settle the score later.
At the very least, he had figured out the Hell Pirates' Devil Fruit abilities. Next time, he'd be ready for them.
...
"Orion, put me down already!"
Jevalle, currently being carried in a full retreat, was growing increasingly frustrated. He was a notorious pirate in his own right, and being seen like this was beyond humiliating!
The fact that a no-name young giant had cracked the bones in his hand was an unbearable disgrace. Next time, he'd go all out from the start—he had underestimated that brat once, but never again.
Orion finally set Jevalle down aboard their pirate ship, watching the Hell Pirates flee in the distance. He debated whether to attack them despite his injuries, at least stalling for time until Captain Vesper arrived.
As he prepared to use his Wind-Wind Fruit to drag back the Golden Ark, a wave of weakness crashed over him. His limbs turned cold, his vision blurred, and an unnatural dizziness set in.
"Damn it, Brook! What the hell is that ability?!"
Staggering, he forced himself toward the ship's kitchen, stuffing his mouth with food to replenish his lost vitality. Those ghosts of Brook's were far more dangerous than he had anticipated. Not only were they fast and imbued with eerie frost, but they could also tear at a person's soul. If not for his strong willpower, he might have collapsed on the spot.
Not even Zoan Awakened users had such terrifying endurance.
...
"Orion, you're that badly injured?"
Jevalle, seeing his commander devouring food like a starving beast, immediately retrieved the ship's medical kit. His own hand was still suffering from minor fractures, but he could at least wrap up Orion's wounds.
"Brook blindsided me, that bastard!"
Both he and Ochoku had assumed their Armament Haki defenses would be enough to withstand Brook's tricks. But the soul detonation had bypassed their physical fortitude, nearly crippling them in an instant.
It was similar to Law's Ope Ope no Mi—capable of cutting through Vergo's full-body Armament Haki, or even piercing through Big Mom's steel balloon-like body to attack her insides directly.
Fighting Devil Fruit users wasn't just about raw strength; it was about understanding their abilities. Failing to do so meant even Haki masters could be taken down by an unexpected power, just like Chinjao of the Drill, who was turned into a toy by Sugar's Hobby-Hobby Fruit.
Some Paramecia Devil Fruits were downright unfair. The Pet-Pet Fruit, for instance, could instantly enslave even warriors like Luffy and Law if they got caught in its effect.
Even Conqueror's Haki users weren't immune to the tricks of a well-trained Paramecia user.
...
"The next time we run into Brook, we're cutting his body into pieces. We can't let his soul and ghosts touch us."
Orion warned Jevalle, though he suspected Jevalle wouldn't be in a hurry to provoke the Hell Pirates again. Their strength had far exceeded initial expectations.
In just a few months since arriving in the New World, this Supernova crew was already shaping up to be a legitimate contender for dominance. A single misstep had nearly cost Orion everything.
The next time they crossed paths, he wasn't sure if he'd still be able to suppress them. These young pirates were growing at an alarming rate. Once they mastered Haki, even rookies could quickly rise to challenge established legends.
"I got it."
Jevalle had also realized the danger Brook posed. Seeing him shrug off a direct heart-piercing attack, Jevalle suspected Brook possessed some kind of extreme regenerative ability—or perhaps an outright undying body.
But even immortality had limits. If Brook's body were completely destroyed, he'd be finished.
After all, they had seen it before—when Vesper personally killed a Zoan Awakening user. That monster had recovered from injuries at an inhuman speed, yet Vesper had dismembered him completely and thrown the pieces into the sea to ensure his death.
...
"Tell me honestly—were you really struggling against that little giant?"
Orion shot Jevalle a skeptical look. Had this guy been slacking off in his training?
"Orion, that little giant is way stronger than normal giants. His Devil Fruit can send shockwaves directly through Haki defenses, shaking my internal organs! He's not some weakling—he's a genuine powerhouse."
Jevalle quickly defended himself. It wasn't that he had gone soft—the enemy was simply that strong.
"So that means the Hell Pirates now have another crew member worth over 500 million..."
Orion frowned. If this newcomer, along with Brook and Charlotte Linlin, were all as strong as Ochoku or Jevalle, then the Hell Pirates already had four serious combatants.
Even if Brook had injured him, Orion refused to acknowledge the skeleton as an equal. Once he understood Brook's fruit power, there was no way he'd lose again—no matter how many times they fought.
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+122 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg