One Piece: Hell Pirates

Brook also suggested that Chief Gancho and several representatives visit the Tree of Knowledge on O'Hara first. Gancho readily agreed—after all, as the tribe's leader, he had to think about the future of his people.

So, Gancho led a group of a dozen dwarf representatives aboard the golden ship and flew to O'Hara. There, they were greeted by the majestic sight of the Tree of Knowledge.

The dwarves were amazed. Not only could they live within the massive branches of the tree, but there was also ample space around O'Hara for planting and cultivating crops.

After thorough discussion, Gancho and the others fell in love with the place. They trusted Brook and had faith in Shakky Noland, the descendant of Noland. They didn't believe he would ever harm them.

Upon returning to Greenbit Island, Chief Gancho began the relocation process. He made a public announcement, rallying the tribe and dispatching warriors to gather seeds from their homeland to plant in their new one.

With the help of Golden Lion Shiki, the entire dwarf kingdom—houses and all—was lifted and transported to O'Hara. The dwarves would now have two homes: their original houses and a new settlement built into the Tree of Knowledge.

---

"Brook!!! Guess what?! I found Devil Fruits!"

Shakky came running back with a large package, her face glowing with excitement. Inside the storage room of the Dwarf Kingdom, she had discovered not one, but three or four Devil Fruits.

According to King Gancho, the fruits had been collected over centuries. The dwarves had a tradition: Devil Fruits were only to be used in times of great crisis. Because their lifespans were similar to humans, if someone consumed a Devil Fruit without facing real danger, that power would simply die with them.

So they stockpiled them—just in case. Only when Greenbit Island was in serious peril would they distribute the fruits so the users could protect the tribe.

Brook raised an eyebrow at this logic.

"Seriously? You think eating a Devil Fruit makes someone strong overnight? These powers take time to master!"

Still, thanks to the dwarves' cautious nature, Brook and the crew were now staring at an incredible windfall. No wonder Shakky was practically bouncing with joy.

"Calm down, Shakky. Think about it. A single Devil Fruit is worth over 100 million berries. These are worth several hundred million at least. And yet, the treasure you carry in that bag? It's pocket change compared to what we have—our fleet, Wano, the gold we pulled from Shandora, the golden ship, even the floating Golden Island. We're stacked."

"Come on, Brook!" Shakky rolled her eyes. "You're starting to sound like a greedy old merchant. This isn't just about money!"

Brook gave her a smug side-eye.

Pulling out the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, he flipped through the pages, curious about what fruits the dwarves had collected.

And then—

"WTF...! The Healing Fruit! Are you kidding me?"

These were the same Devil Fruits that popped up during the Dressrosa arc!

No wonder there were so many powered-up dwarves during Doflamingo's invasion. They must've used all their stored Devil Fruits in one go!

Mansherry had the Healing Fruit

Leo had the Stitch-Stitch Fruit

Bian had the Hornet-Hornet Fruit

Kabu had the Rhino-Rhino Fruit

And now... Shakky was holding them in her hands again.

Brook practically lost it. Two insect-type Zoans and a Paramecia healing-type? This was an absolute jackpot. Not only had he recruited the dwarf tribe, but he had also scored four Devil Fruits!

He dramatically clutched the Healing Fruit to his chest.

"I swear, when I get back, I'm asking Vegapunk to invent incense sticks shaped like gold ingots. I need to pay tribute to the gods of luck! Thank you, dear readers, for giving me this main character halo!"

Brook beamed. "Every two or three days, life just throws free Devil Fruits at me. I, Brook, welcome these gifts from nature with open arms!"

Then he turned serious.

"Shakky, the most important thing for a person is to be kind. We're keeping the Healing, Hornet, and Rhino Fruits... but return the Stitch-Stitch Fruit to Chief Gancho. Also, make sure they're compensated properly. Whatever they need—supplies, resources—you give it to them."

He handed three of the fruits to the crew and shoved the last one back into Shakky's arms.

"Now go. Return it."

Shakky stood there, stunned.

"You really just talked to me like that... you old stingy bastard!" she shouted, stomping the ground in frustration before storming off.

Back at Greenbit, she returned the Stitch-Stitch Fruit to King Gancho and promised that the Hell Pirates would fulfill any supply requests the dwarves made.

With their relocation complete, the dwarves began settling into O'Hara. They soon developed a close relationship with the local community. From now on, the dwarves would serve as guardians of the Tree of Knowledge —maintaining its vast library and tending to the plants.

Brook, still excited, rushed to deliver the Healing Fruit to their ship's doctor, Crocus.

He burst into Crocus' lab without knocking and immediately froze.

The scene before him was... unexpected.

Crocus looked startled, and the woman in black standing near him suddenly began to rustle. Her entire body shimmered—and then disintegrated into a swarm of tiny golden insects that scattered across the lab.

"…Well, damn."

Brook squinted. "Crocus... don't tell me you actually tamed the Golden Silkworm?"

The doctor turned away, clearing his throat.

Brook smirked. "You sly old bastard. I knew Tia had a human form, but to think you got her to combine into a woman that fits your type? What is it now—springtime for Crocus?"

Brook leaned against the wall with a smug look.

Tia was no ordinary creature. She was a Golden Silkworm Queen—a sentient insect with a 550 million berry bounty, known for her intelligence and venom mastery. Her human form was stunning, and now, it looked like she and Crocus had... gotten close.

Brook chuckled.

--------------------

Crocus quickly composed himself and looked at Captain Brook. Though he kept a calm, stoic expression like an old dog, his heart was pounding like he'd just been caught red-handed in an affair.

"Brother Brook, is something urgent? What's got you barging in here like that?"

Clearly, Crocus was still a bit flustered and embarrassed. After all, Brook had walked in during a private moment. What's worse, Brook had seen Tia—who'd transformed from a golden silkworm—and had the nerve to joke about it.

"What do you mean, 'soaking a bug'? Tia's a wise Golden Silkworm, not some pest!"

"Oh wow, that's my bad," Brook chuckled. "I'll make sure to knock next time. Let's just forget this one ever happened! Anyway, I've got something for you—Shakky found a Devil Fruit that's perfect for you."

He grinned and handed over a strange-looking fruit. "It's the top-tier Paramecia-type: the Healing Fruit. It's one of the best for doctors. Only the Operation Fruit comes close."

Brook explained further. The Healing Fruit granted its user the power to heal any living creature's injuries, activating near-instant regeneration. Even the user's tears had healing power.

Its ultimate move could restore anything—organic or inorganic, living or not—to its original condition. The cost? A chunk of the user's lifespan. In Doflamingo's words, it was like turning back time. Terrifying.

Even more impressive, the user could draw blood from others and condense it into Healing Dandelions—miniature blood blossoms with potent healing effects. The stronger the donor's physical condition, the more effective the healing.

Brook thought it was the perfect complement to their crew. He even joked about turning Kaido into a "walking blood pack" if he ever betrayed them.

"With all the enemies we've got," Brook added with a sly grin, "those bastards we beat down will eventually serve as mobile blood supplies."

Crocus stared at the fruit, intrigued as Brook laid out all its possibilities.

Grinning, Brook added, "Anyway, I figured you'd wanna be the one to eat it. Go on!"

Crocus bit into the fruit without hesitation… and instantly regretted it. His face twisted in disgust. The taste was absolutely vile.

He gagged, then stared at the half-eaten fruit. If his tears had healing properties, what about his saliva? Or… god forbid… his piss? Ugh…

He hurled the rest of the fruit onto the table and started dry heaving.

"Yeah… you'll get used to it," Brook said casually. "And next time, lock the damn door! Yohohoho~!"

Brook left the medical lab with a chuckle. He figured Crocus was in his twenties—it was natural for him to have some needs. Not that Brook cared. After all, every woman aboard the ship already belonged to his harem. If the other guys wanted love, they'd have to find their own luck.

He headed off to the weapons lab, carrying two more Devil Fruits.

"Hiruba!" he called. "Got two Zoan-types for ya: the Wasp-Wasp Fruit and the Rhinobeetle Fruit. Wanna pick one?"

Then Brook leaned in with a smirk. "I'm also heading to Dressrosa later. Gotta check if the royal family's still holding onto the Stare-Stare Fruit. You interested in that one?"

Brook was letting Hiruba decide his path: Become a flying, fast-striking sniper like a wasp? Or master long-range sniping with enhanced vision?

"With flight and six limbs, a bug Zoan is any sniper's dream," Brook said. "But that thrill of hitting enemies from miles away? That's something else."

Hiruba was torn. Both choices had their appeal. The Wasp-Wasp Fruit offered mobility and speed, while the Stare-Stare Fruit could give him god-tier sniping vision.

"I'll wait," Hiruba finally said. "Let's check if the Stare-Stare Fruit's real. If not… I'll eat the wasp one. The beetle's just too damn ugly."

Brook nodded. "Smart call. Alright, I'm off to Dressrosa!"

He knew he was being overly optimistic. Just because they'd gotten several fruits from the dwarves didn't mean Dressrosa had one lying around. Still, Violet had eaten the Glimpse-Glimpse Fruit as a child. It was likely a gift from the Riku family.

Whether it came from King Riku III or was stashed away by King Riku II, it was worth investigating.

---

Meanwhile, at Dressrosa's Royal Palace atop King's Plateau...

King Riku Doldo III, his son Prince Doldo, and several guards and ministers were staring through a telescope, nervously observing the enormous floating island nearby.

They had stayed locked in the palace for half the day, unable to look away from the ominous sight.

"Those golden ships keep coming and going from Green Bit Island," one official said nervously. "And now the hills are rising. It's unnatural…"

Riku Doldo III tensed. "So the Hell Pirates came for the Tontattas. My son… it seems I may not be able to honor our promise. Damn pirates!"

He clenched his fists. "Do they plan to steal all the fairies? Enslave the little people? This is unforgivable!"

"Your Majesty! Bad news!" a guard suddenly shouted, panic in his eyes. "The golden ship's coming this way!"

"Quickly, Your Majesty! To the underground palace!" two ministers yelled, dragging the king and prince toward safety.

Riku Doldo III wanted to fight back, but he knew he wasn't strong enough. Dying here would help no one. He had to survive—for his people's future.

Bang!

A single gunshot echoed across the sky. A massive bullet slammed into the road ahead, sending up dust and debris.

It was a warning shot.

Hiruba had arrived aboard the golden ship, his sniper rifle aimed with terrifying precision. He wasn't about to let the captain handle everything alone—especially not if it meant missing out on the Stare-Stare Fruit.

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