Standing to the side, Redfield seemed to catch on to Stussy's internal struggle, the corners of his lips curling up. That damn Captain Brook sure knew how to mess with people.
Even young Fisher Tiger was proving to be an interesting character. His words had nearly shattered the composure of this golden-haired little spy.
"Is this enough? Did you get the hang of it? Go on, curse them properly. Pass Captain Brook's test, and you'll officially be one of us. Every single member of the Hell Pirates despises the Celestial Dragons—we kill them on sight!"
Tiger's voice was filled with the warmth of a veteran guiding a rookie. Even though he was younger than Stussy, he had been part of the crew far longer.
"I..."
Stussy was still dazed. Even Shakky had called this a simple test. If Brook had arranged it, there had to be a reason. Shakky's expectant, encouraging gaze made Stussy hesitate.
Never in her training as a spy had she been taught that she'd need to curse her own masters ten times. She had always considered herself experienced, yet at this moment, she felt like a greenhorn agent completely out of her depth.
But if she refused now, her cover would be blown, and she'd be surrounded by the Hell Pirates. Escape would be impossible—today would be her death. She had no choice but to go along with it. She would curse the Celestial Dragons for now, then eliminate every last pirate here later. No witnesses, no problem. That way, her insult to the Celestial Dragons would die with them, and she wouldn't be punished—or worse, executed—by her masters.
With that resolve, Stussy's eyes flashed with a murderous glint toward everyone on board.
Redfield, who had been observing her closely, felt his expression turn cold. A mere CP agent, thinking she could take down their entire crew? How laughable.
"Captain Brook, I despise the Celestial Dragons! They're nothing but fools, brainless swine, scum of the earth, heartless beasts, pathetic degenerates... I want to stab them, poison them, crush them, hack them to pieces, burn them to ashes...!"
Stussy spat out her insults with unexpected vigor. If this mission gave her an excuse to curse these so-called "gods," she was going to make full use of it. By the time she finished, she felt an odd sense of exhilaration—something she had never experienced before.
From the moment she could remember, she had been subjected to the grueling training of the CP organization. She had been taught that the Celestial Dragons were divine beings, that their will was absolute, and that she must obey without question.
She had been drilled to complete any mission at any cost, to ensure the safety of the Celestial Dragons, to uphold their supreme authority, and to be the strongest weapon of CP0's dark justice.
"Yohohoho~! That felt good, didn't it? Would you like to curse the Celestial Dragons freely from now on?"
Brook laughed as he pressed a button on a Dial, stopping the recording. His gaze remained amused as he watched Stussy.
"So cursing those short-legged mongrels is actually this satisfying!" Stussy laughed as well, nearly slipping up but catching herself in time.
"Since you enjoyed it so much, why don't you stay with us permanently?" Brook grinned. "Oh, by the way, I recorded your lovely speech for safekeeping. Maybe I'll even send it to the press—let the world hear your true feelings!"
As Brook activated the Dial again, Stussy's insults played back in an endless loop. Her face stiffened. Even as a seasoned agent, she struggled to contain her fury.
He had kept evidence of her cursing the Celestial Dragons. That could never be allowed. She had to destroy that Dial—no matter what. If the recording fell into the hands of the Marines or the World Government, she would be doomed.
"Captain Brook, I truly appreciate the gesture. I'll make sure to keep it safe." Stussy smiled sweetly, walking toward Brook with an expression of gratitude as she reached for the Dial.
"Stussy, I'm serious. To ensure your freedom to curse the Celestial Dragons, I'll make you a real pirate!"
The moment the words left Brook's mouth, Stussy's eyes darkened. So that was it. He had known her true identity all along—this had all been a game to him!
A test to join the Hell Pirates by cursing the Celestial Dragons? What a joke! This damned skeleton had completely fooled her.
Without hesitation, Stussy lunged at the weakest crew member, Antonio, attempting to take him hostage for one last desperate gambit. If she didn't act now, she was as good as dead.
Crackle—!
Lightning surged around Redfield as he intercepted her in an instant. The rest of the crew reacted immediately, surrounding the blonde spy. Even Shakky was watching her cautiously, sweat beading on her forehead.
She had underestimated Stussy. The agent's speed and presence were greater than her own. And to think she had pitied her just moments ago!
"How did you figure it out?" Stussy asked, her tone now eerily calm. She had accepted that she wouldn't escape alive. Failure meant death—that was the unspoken rule of her profession.
Still, if she could extract even a sliver of information before she died, it might benefit future agents.
"We have our ways." Brook shrugged. "But tell me, now that you've been exposed, what's your plan? A spy with no cover isn't worth much. Why not truly join us? Cut your ties with the World Government? You seemed to enjoy cursing the Celestial Dragons just now."
Brook was open to recruiting her, though he wasn't optimistic. If it came to it, he could always feed her memories to the Memory Seahorse and start fresh. A CP agent trained since childhood would require a complete reset to be trustworthy.
"Fine. I'll join you. I hate those mongrels anyway." Stussy's sudden agreement left the crew momentarily stunned.
"Stussy, liars have to swallow a thousand needles, you know!" Brook chuckled. "Do you have family under the World Government's 'care'?"
With Redfield watching closely, Brook wasn't worried about deception. If she was sincere, great. If not, there were other ways to handle her.
At the mention of family, Stussy's expression flickered. She had none. From childhood, she had been molded by CP0's brutal training regimen. According to her instructors, her parents had been killed by pirates. But she had never verified that information—her origins remained a mystery.
Still, one thing was certain: she would never betray the World Government or CP0. Even in death, she would uphold their dark justice.
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+122 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg