Chapter 193: Chapter 193: A Grudge Forged
When Vesper laid out the island-splitting deal the three captains had cooked up, fury erupted—not just among the Hell Pirates’ four top fighters, but in Brook himself. Vesper’s greedy, black-hearted scheme sparked a fire of resentment and rage deep in his bones!
"Three captains ganging up like that? That’s low, even for you! I could stomach you taking five islands, but five backwater dumps with no resources? That’s crossing a line!"
Brook’s voice crackled with anger.
"You fought Rocks with your lives on the line, took heavy losses—fair enough. But don’t act like we didn’t risk everything against Dawei! We bled for this too!"
"Wihaha! What’s that supposed to mean?" Wilank’s booming voice cut through, dripping with disdain. "You didn’t lose a single man! Ever think about our losses?"
The tense air grew thicker, Wilank’s words stoking the flames. Brook caught Orion’s cold smirk, and a chill ran through him. Orion’s Wind-Wind Fruit posed a massive threat to the Golden Ark.
Were these three pirate overlords, fresh off their victory against Rocks, already plotting to turn on the Hell Pirates? Could Vesper really be that shortsighted?
Brook cursed his carelessness. One wrong move, and their entire crew could be wiped out. The pirate world was as treacherous as ever—trust was a luxury they couldn’t afford.
Wilank and the others wore smug looks, as if their heavy losses justified claiming the lion’s share of the spoils—a few prosperous islands were only fair, right?
Brook saw through Vesper’s game. He’d stirred up Saracha and Wilank, turning them against the Hell Pirates. Arguing further would only paint a target on their backs, inviting all three crews to pounce.
Unless Brook was ready to go berserk and take on all three crews at once, he had no choice but to swallow their terms.
But the Hell Pirates couldn’t hope to win against this alliance—not even Vesper’s crew alone.
"Yo ho ho! Fine, I get it. I’m on board with your plan. Let’s hope you two captains hand over those islands soon!"
Brook’s concession drew roaring laughter from Saracha and Wilank, who mocked his quick surrender. Vesper’s eyes glinted with a cold edge—Brook hadn’t even dared to sling a few insults or vent his frustration.
Was this really a pirate?
No, Vesper thought. This was a cunning politician, biding his time. His goal was clear: isolate Brook, stunt his growth, and tarnish his reputation.
Shiki, Redfield, and the other fighters seethed, their faces dark with rage. If Brook hadn’t kept them in check, they might’ve exploded into a full-on brawl.
Handing over the territory they’d fought tooth and nail for, only to be tossed five worthless islands? Who could stomach that kind of insult?
...
The banquet ended in a chorus of fake laughter. The Hell Pirates boarded the Golden Ark and sailed away. As they left, jeers and mocking guffaws echoed from the banquet hall.
"Some new overlord! Scared off with their tails between their legs!"
Shirokiri Vesper had hoped to discuss Angelie with Brook, but the Hell Pirates vanished too quickly for him to catch up.
...
Once safety was assured, Brook let out a heavy sigh. He’d feared those reckless pirate brutes might turn on them without warning, honor be damned. Even the Hell Pirates would’ve been in grave danger.
But this grudge? Oh, Brook had carved it deep into his soul.
...
Aboard the Golden Ark, the mood was grim. Every crew member’s face was a storm cloud, fury simmering just beneath the surface.
The joy of their recent Devil Fruit hauls had evaporated, replaced by bitter frustration and burning resentment.
"Yo ho ho! Why the long faces, like you’ve all got a bounty on your souls? We’ll take back what’s ours in time. For now, those islands are just being held for us!" Brook’s grin was sharp, his voice brimming with defiance.
"Don’t you have faith we can crush those sorry pirate crews in a few years? Vesper’s old bones won’t protect them forever!
"Besides, we got what we came for. We’re stronger now, with new Devil Fruits in our arsenal. Territory was never part of our plan—and don’t forget, we already looted the wealth from those islands!"
Brook’s words were a rallying cry, meant to channel their anger into resolve. He was just as pissed—
I don’t care if I don’t want it; you don’t get to steal it!
"Brook, let’s ditch this pathetic alliance!" Shiki roared, his eyes blazing. "We’ll go rogue, hit the Overlord Alliance as a third force! We took on Rocks—we can burn their islands to ash! I want everything they’ve got!"
"Shiki, we’re not picking a fight with the whole world," Brook countered, his tone firm but measured. "But we will hunt them down, one by one. For now, we keep growing, keep getting stronger."
With a wave of his hand, Brook summoned Dawei’s soul, its chilling presence sending shivers through the crew. Even in death, the guy’s spirit was a force to be reckoned with.
Holding such a powerful soul, Brook felt a new realm of possibilities open up. He was already cooking up new techniques—and mentally adding Vesper and Saracha to his personal kill list.
"But, Brook, I’m still pissed!" Shiki growled, tugging at his wild golden mane, itching for revenge.
"If you’re pissed, then train harder!" Brook snapped, his voice deadly serious. "If we could’ve taken Vesper today, we’d have crushed them all right there! This won’t happen again. This grudge runs deep, and we’ll settle it!"
He raised a bony fist, his words igniting the crew’s resolve.
"When we get back to Baron Island, send a few guys to claim those five islands. After this, we’ll have at least six months to a year of peace.
"Use that time. We’re heading to the West Blue—find the Castle-Castle Fruit and ancient texts for study. We’ll recruit a few heavy-hitters to join the crew. And we’re bringing Wano under our flag, pronto! Shakky, pour our resources into boosting our economic grip on Wano.
"You four fighters—Shiki, Redfield, Newgate, Linlin—master all three types of Haki. None of you are a speck less than Vesper. For this grudge, we’ll train, we’ll fight, we’ll win! Together!"
Brook’s rallying cry turned their fury into fuel, pushing them to grow stronger and crush the Overlord Alliance to vent today’s humiliation.
"Revenge! We’ll smash the Overlord Alliance and take down Rocks!" Shiki bellowed. "The New World belongs to us!"
"Yo ho ho! The Hell Pirates are the strongest!" Brook roared. "Today’s shame will be washed away in their blood!"
"Hell Pirates forever! Revenge!" the crew chanted, their voices a thunderous vow.
The Golden Ark sailed back to their territory, fueled by shame-turned-courage, ready to launch into a new era of expansion and explosive growth.
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