One Piece: Capitalist Brook's Crew Expansion Plan

Chapter 454 - 455: Undercurrents in the Sabaody Archipelago

After Brook gave his crew their final pep talk and instructions, he started waiting for Rocks’ move!

That guy had to be even more impatient than Brook!

So Brook was being plenty patient about it. As the saying goes, ’The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind!’

Silva’s Glare-Glare Fruit had been keeping tabs on Rocks’ actions all along. Charging up to the Valley of the Gods first wasn’t necessarily a smart play, since no one knew the real defenses up there!

Maybe he could go along with Rocks’ request—help hold off the Navy first, let Rocks make the initial assault on the Valley of the Gods. If things went smooth, he’d ditch the Navy right away, rush up to the Valley of the Gods himself, and join Rocks in looting the Celestial Dragons’ treasures!

With Golden Lion Shiki’s Float-Float Fruit on their side, they could shake off the Navy’s pursuit easy and catch up to Rocks’ attack pace.

...

At this moment, in the Sabaody Archipelago.

A pirate ship pulled forward by two massive sea serpents emerged from the Calm Belt into Sabaody’s waters.

"Shakky, is someone really gonna attack the Celestial Dragons? Isn’t this way too risky for us!"

A woman with a green serpent coiled around her arm hesitated a bit. Her name was Gloriosa, the current captain of the Kuja Pirates and the queen of Amazon Lily!

"Captain, trust me on this. After we hit Sabaody Archipelago this time, Amazon Lily will be set for a long while. We’ve got the Calm Belt as our natural barrier—what’s there to fear!!"

Shakky’s black short hair had grown out into shoulder-length waves now. With her formidable strength, she’d become the vice-captain of the Kuja Pirates!

Mastery of both types of Haki, the Navy’s Rokushiki even Gloriosa wasn’t her match anymore!

If it weren’t for her young age and only being back for a little over a year, she’d have claimed the captain spot through sheer power by now.

Then she could complete Brook’s mission and bring Amazon Lily under the Hell Pirates’ wing!

Shakky didn’t mention that the so-called Calm Belt barrier was useless against the Hell Pirates. Whether it was Golden Lion Shiki’s flying fleet or those Seastone steamships, they could breeze right into Amazon Lily!

"Alright, you’re in charge of this operation then. Let’s make the Kuja Pirates famous across the seas once more!"

Gloriosa said firmly. The green serpent on her arm transformed into a bow, and she slung her quiver over her back. These Amazon warriors were all expert archers, skilled in Armament Haki coiling to amp up their arrows’ destructive power!

"Then everyone, follow my lead!!!"

Shakky grinned. Her prestige in the Kuja Pirates was skyrocketing—it wouldn’t be long before she became the new captain.

She kept in touch with her intel contacts left behind in Sabaody Archipelago. She was an info hunter by trade, after all, and had her own network set up.

...

Grove 1 · Lawless Zone · Human Auction House.

Pirates on the streets scattered, ducking back into shops. The thugs and pirates who couldn’t hide in time had no choice but to kneel alongside the civilians, heads bowed low to the ground, avoiding eye contact with those detestable and terrifying World Nobles, the Celestial Dragons!

"Your Highness, let’s just buy the slaves quick and get out of here. Things have been unsettled lately!"

A Celestial Dragon family steward cautiously advised Saint Chalm, who was riding atop a small giant. The incident with Saint Rosward was still fresh in mind—back then, the head of the Rosward family had slaughtered plenty of servants and slaves to vent his rage.

If something happened to Saint Chalm now, he’d probably be buried right alongside him, no grave to speak of.

"Brook the devil is in the New World, right? With two Navy Admirals watching them, who’s gonna dare lay a hand on us World Nobles now!"

Saint Chalm snorted. Ever since the Saint Rosward incident, Sabaody Archipelago had gone back to its peaceful routine—no attacks on Celestial Dragons for two or three years!

"I’ve heard the two overlord pirate crews have been mobilizing forces lately, so a lot of pirates are stuck in Sabaody Archipelago, holding off on entering the New World! I’m worried these crude pirates might not recognize Your Highness’s divine authority and offend you—that’d be on us!"

The Celestial Dragon steward had seen his share of backwater pirates who didn’t know about Celestial Dragons, charging in like idiots. But most got taken out by the accompanying CP experts, leaving the body for His Highness to whip and vent on!

"Fine, we’ll grab that Fur Tribe and head back then!"

Saint Chalm had been about to chew him out, but remembering his father’s recent warnings—and for his own safety—he decided to follow the steward’s plan.

"Your Highness is wise!"

The Celestial Dragon steward wiped the sweat from his brow. Serving Celestial Dragons was truly a nerve-wracking, life-threatening job—one slip-up, and you’d get shot dead. If the Celestial Dragon got hurt, you’d go down with them!

As their grand procession marched through the streets, countless eyes watched the Celestial Dragon escort from the shadows.

Most pirates wanted no part of it and slipped away quietly, but one bald pirate with a half-face tattoo grinned ferociously.

"Ship coated yet?"

Ibadonbo kept his eyes locked on the departing Celestial Dragons, asking without turning his head.

"It’s coated—we can bail anytime... I mean, withdraw!!"

One pirate swallowed hard. Attacking a Celestial Dragon? That’d bring an Admiral down on them fast—terrifying stuff.

"Good. Send half the crew back to the ship to wait for me. Once I off the Celestial Dragon, we’re out!!"

Ibadonbo led some elite underlings toward the Human Auction House. The hot-blooded young Ibadonbo’s heart was pounding—he’d never even dreamed of hunting a Celestial Dragon before!

...

On the other side, Shakky was directing the Kuja Pirates’ Amazon warriors to hit Sabaody Archipelago’s richest, most valuable shops.

Once Rocks’ underlings made their move on the Celestial Dragons and sparked massive chaos, the Kuja Pirates would loot in the confusion—the Navy’s focus would be elsewhere!

"Haha~, Ibadonbo? You’re doomed to take the fall here today!!"

Shakky had already sent someone to sabotage Ibadonbo’s ship coating. She’d been a local Sabaody boss once and knew all about getaway tricks!

Thinking of escaping?

Not that easy!

Just stay put and take the blame—draw the Navy Admiral’s attention nicely, and cut off a bit of the Rocks Pirates’ wing in the process!

"Speaking of which, does killing a Celestial Dragon really awaken Conqueror’s Haki?"

Shakky murmured to herself. She was starting to itch to take out this Celestial Dragon in Sabaody herself, but the risk was too high. If she could pin it on Ibadonbo, though... maybe it was worth a shot!

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