Right now, both Redfield and Charlotte Linlin had awakened their Conqueror’s Haki under Brook’s command. Their loyalty to him was unquestionable.
Unless Brook died, they were practically impossible to sway away.
As for Golden Lion Shiki, he had joined the Hell Pirates with the intention of using Brook’s rise to stage his own coback. Once he beca stronger, he might have planned to leave — but sohow, he and Brook ended up becoming "friends".
For now, his strength wasn’t enough to overpower the other top fighters, so he was keeping his head down. But if the day ca when his power surpassed Brook’s, things might not stay so simple.
After all, Shiki was the kind of fierce man who had awakened Haki on his own; he wasn’t the type to bow to soone weaker. He’d rather strike out on his own and, at best, lend Brook a hand from ti to ti.
At present, only Newgate hadn’t awakened his Conqueror’s Haki yet. And given that Newgate was a pirate with a strong sense of honor, if Brook started indiscriminately slaughtering innocents to grow stronger, that might drive a wedge between them. In the end, Newgate might choose to chart his own path too.
So Brook knew he had to guide Newgate, help him awaken his Conqueror’s Haki under his banner — ideally shaping his conviction around protecting the families of the Hell Pirates’ crew.
"Brook, now that we’ve mastered the Ryuo version of Armant Haki, what’s the next step to get even stronger?"
Right now, Shiki only had one thought: to surpass Redfield and Newgate, and slowly take control of the Hell Pirates’ leadership.
Brook shot him a glance and replied bluntly,
"How far can you release your Ryuo externally? Don’t get ahead of yourself. As for Observation Haki strong enough to see the future, or Conqueror’s Haki coating... hell if I know where to learn that."
His words sounded critical, but he still revealed those two advanced Haki types.
In fact, Brook already had a plan. When the ti ca to face Rocks again in a grand battle, he’d seize the chance to wring the thod for Conqueror’s Haki coating out of that old bastard Vesper.
Brook didn’t believe for a second that Vesper, an old-school king among conquerors, hadn’t mastered the art of coating his attacks with Conqueror’s Haki.
"Seeing the future? Coating with Conqueror’s Haki? You can coat with that too?!"
Shiki was stunned. He had never imagined Conqueror’s Haki could be used that way. Even Redfield and Linlin looked equally shocked. Shiki cast a side glance at Newgate, as if to say, See? Without awakening Conqueror’s Haki, you really are a step behind.
"Yeah," Brook confird. "Let’s see if we can squeeze the thod out of Vesper. So we gotta finish off the Sea Siren Pirates quickly, then find a good chance to back Vesper up — and pressure him into spilling his secrets."
To grow stronger, Brook wasn’t above exploiting soone else’s crisis. Vesper had been hoarding that knowledge; it was ti to force him to share and raise their crew’s power.
Newgate clenched his fists. He hadn’t even awakened Conqueror’s Haki yet, and these guys were already reaching for the next level?
"Gurarara~ Shiki, you haven’t even mastered what Brook calls the focused release of Conqueror’s Haki, and you’re dreaming of that stuff already? There’s still the stage where you shatter objects with your Haki. You’re a long way off from coating, you idiot!"
Newgate couldn’t stand watching Shiki show off. It grated on him.
"Shehahaha~ Still better than soone who hasn’t even awakened it yet!!"
Shiki shot back with a sneer. Right now, he couldn’t beat Redfield, and even against Linlin or non-Haki Newgate, he could only fight to a draw. But trash talk? That was free.
"Alright, knock it off. What are you two, an old married couple? Always bickering like this," Brook cut in sharply.
His gaze shifted to Newgate — specifically, to that growing white mustache of his.
"Newgate, if we go by superstition, you’re probably missing a title. That’s why you haven’t awakened Conqueror’s Haki yet. So I’ll give you one right now!"
He pointed around the room. "Shiki’s got golden hair and wears yellow all the ti — so he’s the Golden Lion. Redfield likes his dark red suit and used to be a noble, so he’s the Red the Aloof. And you... I’ve decided: from now on, you’re Whitebeard Newgate!"
Brook declared it firmly. Any other title just wouldn’t sit right with him — it’d ruin the image he had in his mind.
Newgate mulled it over, then grinned wide. He actually liked the sound of it. He decided right then — next ti they clashed with the Sea Siren Pirates, he’d shout it out loud:
"You know who I am?! I’m Whitebeard, damn it!!"
...
"Hey, what about , Brook~?"
Charlotte Linlin suddenly stood up, her voice eager. Clearly, she wanted Brook to give her a special title too.
"Oi, Linlin! You ditching and Stussy now? Without you, what are we supposed to call ourselves?We finally shook off that annoying nickna — ’the little extortionist girls’!"
Shakky imdiately objected, glaring. She wasn’t about to let the group’s title change on a whim after all that effort.
"N-No, Shakky~ That’s not what I ant..."
Linlin shrank back, plopping into her seat again with a pouty, awkward look on her face.
Brook glanced at the three of them. Linlin and Stussy both liked pink dresses, while Shakky always wore her sleek black outfit.
Honestly, the nickna "Big Mom" didn’t really fit the current Linlin yet. And "Hell Witch"... well, it was passable, but not exactly elegant.
Pink, huh? Maybe sothing like Peach Rabbit? Or perhaps Scarlet Witch? Crimson Enchantress?Brook mused over the possibilities. But thanks to Shakky’s interference, Linlin dropped the issue — though Brook decided to give his suggestion anyway:
"Hell’s Three Sisters works just fine, but you can add so flair. Linlin, you could go by ’Hell’s Crimson Soul Witch.’ Shakky, maybe ’Hell’s Darkblood Saintess.’ Fits your colors and your Devil Fruit powers."
With that settled, Brook turned his focus back to the real matter at hand. They were nearing the island where the Roger Pirates were anchored. His crew didn’t know Roger personally — so it’d be up to him to handle introductions.
...
anwhile, the Roger Pirates — docked at port — spotted the magnificent golden island approaching on the horizon.
"Roger... I’m starting to regret boarding your rickety ship. If I’d known, I would’ve followed Brook instead. Hahahaha~!"
Rayleigh slapped Roger’s shoulder as he laughed loud and hard, gazing at the golden island with awe. Even for him, the First Mate, the sight was shocking — let alone for the rest of the crew...
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188 Chapters on p@treon/tambeerg
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