One Piece: Capitalist Brook's Crew Expansion Plan

The ship surged across the sea, cutting through the waves with speed and purpose. Trailing close behind were seven or eight pirate ships, their sails emblazoned with the banner of the Edward Pirates, fluttering proudly in the wind.

"Captain Edward, while we haven't confirmed which pirate crew attacked us, the suspects are likely the Hell Pirates, the Bondy Pirates, or the Golden Pirates... one of the rising Supernova crews."

"No need for you to get involved personally, Captain. With us on the job, it's overkill already!"

Several top officers of the Edward Pirates had come along for this mission, leaving their base on Bristol Island dangerously exposed. If Rocks made a move now, they could lose everything.

"Vesper and our other two allies are keeping an eye on Rocks. As long as we strike fast and settle things on Elan Island, we can head back right after."

Edward wasn't reckless. He had already coordinated with his so-called allies to secure his flank—at least enough to prevent anyone from stealing his turf while he was away.

But if he didn't reclaim Elan Island, what pride would he have left? His status as a New World ruler was already under question. Now, he was being pushed around by other pirates?

If he didn't make a show of force soon, he'd be laughed out of the seas—even he couldn't keep pretending to be a king in the New World.

In truth, Edward was furious. What was this unknown pirate crew trying to pull? Was it because he had the lowest bounty among the three new overlords? Did they see him as an easy target?

Did they really think he was some soft fruit ripe for the picking? Today, he'd make them remember who he was.

"Captain Edward! We've entered the waters around Elan Island. Should we deploy a scouting team or proceed with a direct assault?"

"You think I'm scared of a trap?! Bring us in! Full-scale landing—attack immediately!!!"

Edward snapped, furious. What kind of question was that? As if he needed reconnaissance! If he was here, there was no room for hesitation. It was time to crush whoever dared challenge him!

With a snap of the command flag, the pirate ships fanned out in formation, preparing to land. The horns of war howled across the sea, and the pirates howled with them, laughing viciously, hungry for blood.

...

On the island, the residents heard the war horns and fell into a panic. Another ruler was coming to seize Elan Island. They rushed home, shut their doors, and prayed they wouldn't be caught in the crossfire.

In just a few months, the island had changed hands multiple times. Each new crew had ransacked them, again and again. They were exhausted. All they hoped for now was peace—some kind of stability.

...

"Newgate, you're up first!"

Brook stood tall as he gazed at the advancing fleet of the Edward Pirates. He hadn't planned to engage in a full naval battle today. He wanted to drive them back before they even set foot on land.

"Understood!"

Edward Newgate stepped forward, his enormous frame tense with power. Muscles surged beneath his skin as he wound up his right arm. Veins bulged. A crackling white light gathered around his fist—and then he struck.

A vacuum shockwave burst forth, dispersing the very air.

"Sea Quake: Grand Tsunami!"

The entire ocean around Elan Island trembled. It was as if the sea itself had cracked open. A massive wave surged from the deep, rising, rising—until it towered like a mountain, hundreds of meters high—crashing down on the Edward Pirates' fleet.

"Nice one, Newgate!!"

Brook, Redfield, and the others were stunned by the sight. A disaster-class attack—utterly overwhelming. What kind of expression was Edward wearing right now?

...

Meanwhile, on Edward's side, his entire fleet was rocked by the ocean's fury. They stared in disbelief as a sky-high tsunami bore down on them.

Even for a rising emperor-level crew, this was beyond anything they'd seen.

"Get out of the way!!!"

It wasn't just the crew—Edward himself had never seen a tsunami like this. Was this... a Devil Fruit power? This scale—it was inhuman!

...

Back on Elan Island, a few brave residents had snuck out to watch the battle. When they saw a member of the Hell Pirates conjure a tsunami, they froze—completely dumbstruck.

The Edward fleet floundered like leaves in a storm. Ship after ship was swallowed by the great wave, vanishing beneath the sea.

"No!!"

Edward watched helplessly as his fleet was destroyed. Years of blood and sweat—gone in seconds. But with the tsunami crashing down, all he could do was survive.

He activated his Devil Fruit power, sealing the ship into a watertight sphere, like a makeshift submarine. Only once the sea calmed did the ship rise back to the surface.

One by one, a few surviving pirates clawed their way back to the main ship, gasping and shivering.

...

"Brook! Most of the Edward Pirates' fleet is gone! Newgate is a monster!!"

Shakky and the others were peering through spyglasses, cheering with excitement. The power of the Gura Gura no Mi was unbelievable. It was like watching a god at work.

"Gurararara~ Shiki, what do you think? My bounty's gonna shoot past yours after this, huh?"

Newgate roared with laughter, throwing a sideways glance at the Golden Lion.

"Hmph. Our turn to shine now."

Shiki waved his hand, and several pirate ships along with hundreds of massive boulders lifted into the air. He soared upward alongside them, heading straight for the one remaining ship in the sea.

Redfield piloted the Golden Ark, carrying Brook and the others in pursuit. The ship's golden railgun began to charge, glowing ominously.

...

Aboard the ship, Edward was grim as he ordered the rescue of his crew. Barely one in ten had survived. His face was livid.

He manipulated the ropes aboard his ship using his Devil Fruit ability, dragging the survivors back onboard. But as he did, he saw them—pirate ships and massive stones flying toward him, even small islands floating in the sky.

"Golden Lion Shiki!!"

Edward's eyes narrowed. He'd spotted the true mastermind. But... was Shiki strong enough to create that tsunami?

A rain of stones fell from the sky, hurtling toward the ship. Shiki clearly didn't care for small talk—he was going for the kill.

"You think you can wipe me out just like that? Dream on!"

Edward activated his ability again. A transparent spherical barrier, one hundred meters in radius, formed around him. Every stone and chunk of earth that entered the zone froze in midair.

Inside his Devil Fruit's domain, nothing moved without his permission.

"Inside my spatial domain," he said coldly, "everything obeys my will."

With a flick of his finger, the rocks and islands were flung into the sea. Then he drew his sword, unleashing a massive wave of sword aura directly at Shiki's pirate ship.

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+122 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg