Brook's skeletal brow furrowed slightly as he gazed at Siboshe's lifeless body. Such a fine soul, gone to waste. But to Umide, the scene carried a different weight.
Holy crap, Umide thought, does Brook actually want to recruit Siboshe? Good thing he'd taken the guy out quick, but now what? Would Brook hold it against him? Would this spark tension with the Umi Family?
His mind raced, and he adopted an even more deferential posture, tinged with guilt. He didn't think he'd done anything wrong, but it was up to Brook to decide how this played out. Would the Hell Pirates turn on the Umi Family?
"Not bad, Umide," Brook said, his tone light. "You seized the moment and took down the slippery Siboshe. This raid's a success, and now the underground transport trade is yours to rule!"
Brook didn't care much about Siboshe's death—just a minor waste, really. The guy was a decent elite boss, and to a soul-collecting "vampire capitalist" like Brook, wasting potential was practically a crime!
"I don't dare take credit," Umide replied, bowing deeply. "It's all thanks to you, Brook-sama, and the officers' efforts—plus the intel. The Umi Family will serve you loyally from now on!"
Relief washed over Umide as he saw Brook harbored no grudge. The Hell Pirates' raw power had left him awestruck, and he wasn't about to cross them now.
"Clean up the battle traces on this island," Brook ordered. "No one can know we were here. Move fast to take over the Worldcom Shipping Syndicate's operations and unify the underground transport trade!"
Redfield, ever the silent observer, appeared at Brook's side, eyeing Umide closely. No red flags, it seemed. A bit of ambition and scheming? Fine. As long as it wasn't betrayal, the Umi Family's desire to rival ancient families like Dracula was no issue. Even taking out Siboshe on purpose wasn't a dealbreaker.
Since Redfield gave no warning, Brook deemed Umide trustworthy enough. After tidying the battlefield, Umide promptly offered the island's valuables as tribute to the Hell Pirates.
Shakky, with her sly grin, accepted without hesitation. Parrot, with his Castle Fruit, and Bra Kara, with his Pocket Fruit, stashed the loot. A pirate crew of their caliber deserved an appearance fee, didn't they?
Under Shakky's smile, Umide promised an additional gift list to express his "admiration" for the officers. No amount was too much!
With everything settled, the Hell Pirates vanished.
...
As their unassuming pirate ship soared into the sky, Umide let out a long breath. No reprimands—perfect. A few gifts were a small price to pay.
"We did it!" Umile said, voice trembling with excitement. "We've unified the underground transport trade!"
The Umi Family's century-long dream, realized in their generation!
"Stay calm," Umide said, clenching his fist to hide his own thrill. "Get Umina moving. Swallow up the Worldcom Shipping Syndicate's assets and outposts. The whole Umi Family's on this—now!"
Excitement wasn't the word for it. This was the fruit of their ancestors' labor and their bold gamble. Umide could already see his name etched in the Umi Family chronicles—maybe not in the history books, but at least on a grand jade tablet:
Here stands Umide, who, with the might of three generations, seized the seas' transport, devoured two syndicates, crushed Siboshe, bowed to the overlord, and unified the dark world's trade. Master of the currents, linking the world's seas! Deep Current King of Transport—the Umi Family reigns supreme!
Umide had even picked a title for his heirs: Deep Current Kings. The underground world's emperor was theirs to claim.
...
Aboard the Hell Pirates' airborne ship, three bound Vesper Pirate officers—Orion, Anman, and Wilanyu—shivered under the hungry stares of the Hell Pirates' crew, who eyed them like fresh meat.
"Hey, hold up!" Brook barked, grabbing Shakky and tossing her aside. "We're heading back to Golden Island first. The Wind-Wind Fruit's too valuable to mess around with!"
Shakky, unfazed, flapped her wings and zipped back, soaring alongside the Memory Seahorse like a model student awaiting a feast.
"Haha! We snagged plenty of souls this time," Charlotte Linlin chirped, back to her deceptively innocent demeanor. "Enough to turn every last thing in Whole Cake Castle into Homies!"
Her battlefield rampage, reaping souls with gleeful abandon, lingered in everyone's minds.
Brook shoved the three captives into Parrot's castle, out of sight.
"Stop staring at them like that—you're scaring the prey!"
Didn't they know frightened game released toxins that ruined the flavor?
"Give 'em a comfy cell," Brook said. "Let them feel hope and joy. Then, when the time's right—one clean strike. Perfect."
The world was cruel, but death? Death was gentle. In death, all were equal. And Brook ensured every foe met that equality.
"Brook, are we taking on the Vesper Pirates next?" Kaido's eyes blazed. "Hell yeah, I'm pumped!"
The thought of capturing their top officers meant all-out war was coming, and Kaido's battle lust was already boiling over. He hadn't had his fill today!
"Yohoho, Kaido, getting cocky, are we?" Brook teased. "Tomorrow, you're sparring with Redfield. Newgate's been too soft on you!"
Kaido's enthusiasm fizzled. Redfield's blank stare sent a shiver down his spine.
"Haha! The water's too deep, the wind's too wild—pipe down if you don't have the strength!" Tiger, the Hell Pirates' resident punching bag, chimed in, still salty that Kaido's bounty had eclipsed his.
"You looking for a fight, Tiger?" Kaido snapped, his temper flaring. Solo mode: activated.
"Bring it! I've been training ten times harder lately!" Tiger shot back, striking a fighting pose.
Brook bonked them both on the head.
"We're on a regular pirate ship, you idiots! How many times do I have to tell you? A proper Hell Pirate outfights and outtalks everyone. Trash talk and raw power—that's our brand!"
He sighed at the duo—one short on skill, the other on wit.
"You two need more seasoning. Learn some banter from Shakky and combat tricks from the heavy hitters. That's how you bloom into the Hell Pirates' finest flowers!"
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+300 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg