Curious gazes fell upon Antonio, making him shrink back slightly in embarrassment. The normally timid crew member hesitated, fidgeting under the attention.
"Yo~ So that's why you insisted on riding the Qilin Lion down. You wanted to show off a new ability, huh?"
Shakky teased with a smirk. She had originally planned to hitch a free ride on the majestic Qilin Lion herself, but after seeing Antonio board, she decided against sharing and simply used Geppo to descend instead.
"Yohoho~ What kind of new ability have you developed? Come on, show us! Let everyone see what the First Mate is capable of!"
Brook's tone was laced with amusement, but he wasn't wrong—Antonio was indeed his first crew member. Though Antonio's Den Den Mushi-based Devil Fruit power wasn't the strongest, Brook had always valued his abilities.
Even Redfield, who prided himself on being the strongest officer aboard, couldn't help but chuckle at the title 'First Mate.'
Antonio often introduced himself as Brook's 'first crew member,' expecting others to give him some respect. But there was a subtle difference between 'first crew member' and 'First Mate.' Of course, technically speaking, both meanings were correct.
Rather than feel embarrassed, Antonio puffed out his chest with pride. Being acknowledged by Captain Brook was the greatest encouragement he could receive!
Under everyone's expectant eyes, Antonio studied Goth for a moment. Then, his body began to change—his hair, clothing, even his facial structure started shifting, gradually resembling Goth himself.
"Whoa—Antonio, your Den Den Mushi Fruit lets you transform?!"
Shakky was stunned. She immediately stepped forward and began pinching and prodding Antonio, filled with curiosity.
"This is the Mimesis ability of the Den Den Mushi. I got the idea from how Den Den Mushi mimic the voices of those using them. I experimented a little, and to my surprise, it actually worked! Though I still can't copy the face perfectly."
Looking about seventy to eighty percent identical to Goth, Antonio explained his ability with a hint of pride.
Brook observed Antonio's transformation, his bony fingers stroking his chin. It was almost on par with the effects of the Clone-Clone Fruit. Although Antonio's mimicry wasn't perfect yet, with further development, who knew how close he could get?
"Impressive. You really caught me off guard with this one. In that case, for the next few days, you'll be the one reporting information on this island to Edward—while disguised as Goth."
Brook's decision was immediate. With Antonio's newfound ability, there was no longer a need to keep Goth around. A traitor like him was better off dead—his soul would serve Brook's ghostly army far better.
Realizing Brook's murderous intent, Goth struggled to resist, but it was futile. Brook had already drawn the Shichiseiken, ready to end him.
"You bastard! Your time is up—I'll kill you myself!"
A sudden, sharp cry rang out. A young woman with short golden hair charged forward, dagger in hand, aiming directly for Goth's throat with pure hatred in her eyes.
Brook, however, wasn't one to let someone steal his kill. He raised his blade—
"Shichiseiken."
A flash of steel. Goth's eyes widened in horror. The girl's dagger plunged into his chest repeatedly, each strike filled with vengeance, until his torso was nothing but a mutilated mess.
Only then did his head finally separate from his body, blood splattering across the golden-haired girl's face. Yet her vengeful glare softened, shifting into an expression of relief, as if a great burden had been lifted. Tears welled up in her large eyes and began to stream down her cheeks.
Her transformation was almost comical—one moment a furious avenger, the next a fragile, pitiable maiden. The sight evoked an instinctive desire to protect her.
Brook, meanwhile, was satisfied. Collecting Goth's soul was a fine addition to his collection—after all, a bounty of 290 million Belly was nothing to scoff at. Yet as he looked at the tearful girl, something about her felt oddly familiar…
"Are you the infamous Hell Pirates, the ones who defy the Celestial Dragons? Thank you, great pirate heroes, for avenging me!"
The golden-haired girl looked at them with admiration and gratitude. However, Redfield furrowed his brows. Something was off—her movements were too fast, too precise. It almost felt like… the Navy's Six Powers.
"That's right, we're the Hell Pirates. So, little lady, what's your connection to this guy?"
Shakky, intrigued by the beauty before her, asked with a teasing smirk. The men, naturally, had already been captivated.
"Ugh… I was born on this island. When that pirate took over, I happened to be out shopping. He saw me, and with his lecherous gaze, tried to take me away. My parents resisted, so he killed them both."
Her voice trembled as she spoke, delicate and sorrowful.
"My parents' sacrifice bought me just enough time to escape. But he never stopped hunting me down. I hate him—I despise that filthy pirate!"
Her pitiful sobs earned the sympathy of Antonio and even Charlotte Linlin.
"But how did you escape from a pirate with a bounty of 290 million Belly?"
Brook narrowed his eyes. Something didn't add up. She was far too weak to have simply outrun him.
"A long time ago, my family saved a stranded Marine officer. He taught me a technique for escaping. That's why I'm so fast!"
Her explanation seemed reasonable on the surface… but the ability to evade a high-bounty pirate with just a single learned technique? That was highly suspect.
"Brook, could it be that she learned 'Soru' from the Navy's Six Powers? Maybe she's a genius, like me! A young girl mastering superhuman techniques? It's possible!"
Shakky chimed in, clearly impressed by the idea. In the Hell Pirates, talent was commonplace—perhaps this girl was just another prodigy.
But to Shakky's dismay, she was also stunningly beautiful.
"By the way, what's your name?"
Taking out a handkerchief, Shakky gently wiped the blood off the girl's face, revealing her exquisite, doll-like features. Even Shakky, confident in her own beauty, felt a twinge of envy.
If I looked like this, even a cold-hearted man like Captain Brook would fall at my feet.
"My name is Stussy~"
The girl spoke softly.
At that moment, Brook's memory stirred. The name, the hair, the face, the figure—it all clicked into place.
So it's her.
She hadn't even bothered to change her name.
Stussy.
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+122 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg