One Piece: Bai Ye Deputy Captain of the Straw Hats

Translator: PapaSmurf0700

"Because this person is unpredictable," the bald Five Elders stated simply.

Upon hearing this, the other four elders immediately knew who he was referring to just from the documents laid before them.

"That odd Priest?" one of them questioned.

The bald Elder, resting his sword on his leg, responded, "We've been searching for ages, yet we still can't pin down any solid information on him. I suspect those CP0 agents are beginning to slack."

"No matter who he is, it's clear he doesn't align with the celestial dragons," the blond Five Elders added, visibly frustrated. "Following a youngster who aspires to be the Pirate King and associates with the Revolutionary Army, his rapid progress is unsettling."

"It's just dreadful to feel like you're not in control," he lamented.

Noticing the recognition in everyone's eyes, the bald Five Elder continued, "It's not just him. From the time they first set sail to now, less than half a year has passed, and every member of the Straw Hat Pirates seems to be gaining strength at an alarming rate."

"Back at the beginning, even Kaku could challenge the Straw Hats, but in such a short span, they needed only four to stall Kuzan for a while."

"And with the time that has passed since the Enies Lobby incident, who can predict how much they've grown or who they might have recruited?"

He then tossed the latest dossier on the Straw Hat Pirates onto the table, glanced around, and emphasized, "Besides, our objective extends beyond merely eliminating them. We've never been just about killing pirates."

"What we aim to destroy is the very concept of freedom," he declared solemnly. "And nowadays, the notion of freedom seems all too common among pirates."

The room grew tense with the weight of his words, and it was clear everyone understood the gravity of the situation.

"The Age of Pirates has begun, and more and more people are taking to the sea," one elder noted somberly.

"Even the well-kept pigs in the pen are beginning to grasp what 'freedom' means," the bearded Five Elders sighed, frustration evident in his tone. "Gol D. Roger was such a madman!"

"I've said it before, watching these pirates rise might seem tolerable now, but eventually, you'll regret this foolish oversight."

"At that time, they handed over the entire sea..."

The bald Five Elders shook his head, as if he wanted to add more, but ultimately he restrained himself, leaving his thoughts unspoken.

"It's not that serious. As long as most people still fear pirates, the flame of freedom will never truly ignite," one of the Five Elders reassured, trying to regain control of the conversation. "The World Government rules the oceans. Allowing pirates to gain strength simply spares us some effort in the long run."

"For the past eight hundred years, since the Celestial Dragons claimed dominion over the world, they've ruled the seas without any need for elaborate schemes," he continued.

"So, even if things do spiral out of control, it's merely a matter of..." At that moment, a formidable aura emanated from the fat Elder, his normally benign demeanor giving way to a more sinister tone, "exterminating all those restless souls."

"There's no shortage of people in this ocean willing to sacrifice everything just for survival," he added grimly.

"Let's return to the matter at hand," he directed, shifting the focus back to the agenda. "We were discussing a proposal to deploy additional forces against the Straw Hat Pirates."

As his words settled, a hush fell over the supreme hall of power, the earlier disagreements seemingly erased from memory.

After a moment of silence, voices began to echo through the hall: "Second."

Thus, as anticipation built for an impending confrontation with Whitebeard, one of the Four Emperors, the five elders who governed the seas made a pivotal decision concerning notorious pirate crew.

-----

Above the Grand Line, a ship enveloped in a bear paw-like bubble sped swiftly through the sky. Inside, Bai Ye had just stepped out of a room when he heard a familiar voice outside the door.

"Bai Ye, come out quickly, it's about to start!"

Responding to the call, Bai Ye opened the door and immediately spotted Merry below. Merry quickly ushered Bai Ye upstairs to the banquet hall, chiding him playfully, "Hey Bai Ye, you're too unreliable. How can you be late for something like this?"

Upon Bai Ye's arrival, Luffy, with a mock expression of disgust, remarked, "It seems that more training is needed."

Usopp, observing the scene, whispered to Merry, "That's right. Luffy is just mimicking the way Bai Ye usually trains everyone."

Merry nodded in agreement but restrained any laughter, noticing the frustration marked by the black lines on Bai Ye's forehead.

Ultimately, Bai Ye didn't retaliate. After all, he was indeed late this time. What followed was set to be one of the highlights aboard the ship.

"Hey! Everyone, let's have a toast together!" Luffy exclaimed, raising his glass high. "For our new friend Brook! Let's have a party!!!"

"Eh?! Was it specially prepared for me?!!!" Brook gasped in surprise, his jaw dropping. He had not expected such a warm welcome under these circumstances.

"It's so touching!!! My heart is melting!!!" Brook exclaimed, managing the extraordinary feat of a skeleton shedding tears.

As Brook joined the crew, everyone extended their quirky but heartfelt welcomes:

Bai Ye was intrigued, "Speaking of which, do you mind if I use some magic on you? You know, as a Taoist priest, I am quite interested in guys like you."

Zoro warned with a grin, "You're really unlucky. We're a group that's quite good at causing trouble."

Sanji was adamant, "Absolutely not! You can't even think about targeting Robin-chan and Nami-san for their... panties! Not even that!"

Nami laid down her rules, "From now on, any treasures you find must be handed over to me for safekeeping."

Usopp boasted, "Your joining us is all part of my master plan!"

Merry expressed delight, "It's great to have another companion on our voyage!"

Robin greeted him warmly, "Welcome, Mr. Skull."

Chopper offered his services, "Please give me some time to treat your injuries."

Franky enthused, "Ouch! Having you as my partner is the best thing ever! SU.PER!"

Faced with these unusual yet enthusiastic greetings, Brook felt a sense of familiarity, reminiscent of his days with his former pirate crew.

At that moment, Luffy called out again, "Hey, Brook, you're a musician, right? Then let's play some music! That song you sang when we first met, I've also heard Shanks and the others sing it before."

This brought Brook back to memories from decades earlier, when his captain would ask him to play that very song every morning as he got up and brushed his teeth.

Brook stood up gracefully, bowed to Luffy, and declared with a flourish, "Yohoho! It's such an honor, Captain Luffy!"