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"Mamama! Thunder Boy, come to the New World as soon as possible!"
Click.
After hanging up the Den Den Mushi, Hikaru handed it back to Baron Tamago.
"Big Mom has scheduled the wedding for the next tea party, which is still a few months away. I'll send out the invitations then."
Baron Tamago let out a relieved sigh and took a sip of black tea, as if he had just survived a disaster. At last, this matter was settled.
"Yes, there's still plenty of time. Shura, take Baron Tamago and Pekoms to taste the delicacies of Skypiea. Make sure they bring some back for Charlotte Linlin when they leave."
With the wedding arrangements finalized, Hikaru transformed into a bolt of lightning and vanished. He still had a task to complete—training Nami, Nojiko, and Karina.
Ten days later, at the Shrine…
Hikaru retracted the crackling lightning at his fingertips and turned his gaze toward the wall, where portraits of beautiful women were displayed. He hesitated for a moment.
Which goddess should I talk to today?
Before he could decide, Robin's message arrived.
"Oh? Finally, it's happening."
Luffy had set sail, and his first bounty was now official—40 million Berries, issued for destroying a Marine branch in the East Blue.
"According to Baroque Works' intelligence, the bounty is legitimate..." Robin sat elegantly beside Hikaru, flipping through the documents in her hand. "But he's just a rookie who recently set sail. Is it really necessary to monitor him so closely?"
"Heh, he's not as simple as he looks. Monkey D. Luffy's father is Monkey D. Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army. His grandfather is Monkey D. Garp, the Navy hero who repeatedly cornered the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger."
Robin's eyes widened in shock. "With a background like that, he chose to become a pirate instead of staying on the 'right' path? What kind of logic is that?"
"This is all part of Shanks' plan and guidance. But his background doesn't matter to me. He has only one purpose…" Hikaru smirked. "To confirm the timeline for me."
"Shanks… He really is an extraordinary man. But what do you mean by 'timeline'?"
"Exactly what it sounds like."
Hikaru casually burned Luffy's bounty poster. The news had put him in a good mood. Since Robin was already here, he called Nami, Vivi, and the others to chat with them for a while.
They were originally destined to become key members of Luffy's crew, but he had taken them for himself before that could happen.
After an amused chuckle, Hikaru headed to Experimental Island—the floating island that once belonged to the Golden Lion—and summoned Brook.
Now that Robin had reminded him Luffy had set sail, Hikaru recalled something else he needed to do. If not for that, he might have forgotten about Brook entirely.
His days were filled with indulgence and pleasure, blurring the line between reality and luxury.
Time passed, and soon enough, Brook arrived, his signature eerie laugh echoing.
"Yohohoho~ Lord Hikaru, what can I do for you?"
Hikaru didn't respond immediately, simply motioning for Brook to follow him.
After a short walk, they entered a pristine white laboratory. At the center stood an operating table, surrounded by several spare Devil Fruits.
Brook's unease grew. "This… what is this?"
Hikaru glanced at him. "Brook, you're the wielder of the Revive-Revive Fruit. Even after being resurrected, you're still suffering from the usual Devil Fruit weaknesses…"
His gaze sharpened. "I wonder—if I extract the power of the Revive-Revive Fruit from you, will it free you from its drawbacks?"
Brook's curiosity piqued. "I see. That is an interesting thought… Lord Hikaru, how do I cooperate?"
"Lie down on the operating table, relax, and don't resist."
Brook nodded and did as instructed. He trusted Hikaru—after all, he had saved him from Gecko Moria's control.
White lightning surged around Hikaru's hands as he began extracting the Revive-Revive Fruit's power.
"How do you feel?"
Brook blinked in confusion. He had expected something dramatic, but all Hikaru had done was reach out toward him.
"Yohohoho~ Has it started already? Because all I feel is… that I'm lying on a hard table."
Hikaru: "..."
"You seem to be feeling fine. Now, try bending your fingers. If you feel any discomfort, resist."
As Hikaru controlled his White Thunder to extract the power of the Revive-Revive Fruit, Brook remained silent, his fingers continuously flexing.
Before long, the fruit's power was completely taken from him.
"I feel it! I feel… lighter somehow," Brook exclaimed the moment the Revive-Revive Fruit's power left him.
"It looks like you don't actually need the fruit to stay alive," Hikaru observed. He reached for a pair of Seastone shackles nearby. "Now, let's test whether you're still affected by Devil Fruit weaknesses."
Without hesitation, he cuffed Brook's skeletal wrists.
"This is unbelievable… I don't feel weak at all!" Brook marveled. He stood up, stretched, then suddenly dashed around the operating table ten times in the blink of an eye.
"The next step—try using your Yellow Spring abilities again." Hikaru remained deep in thought, his brows furrowed.
"Abilities?" Brook scratched his afro. "Yohohoho~ Soul Projection!"
In the next instant, a greenish-yellow will-o'-the-wisp emerged from Brook's body, floating around energetically.
"I can still do this, even though my Devil Fruit powers were taken away… The Revive-Revive Fruit must be a one-time-use ability," Brook mused.
Hikaru's eyes gleamed. "That means… I can transfer its power to someone else. An undead army, perhaps?"
His fingers tapped against the operating table as he pondered. He wouldn't dare use the fruit's power himself—his soul and body didn't originate from this world. If he died, there was no telling if he'd end up in this world's afterlife… or simply cease to exist. That was a gamble he wouldn't take.
Instead, raising an army of undead skeletons to fight for him sounded like a much safer bet.
But loyalty was key. If he gave the fruit to someone else, how could he ensure their absolute obedience? Was there another fruit that could bind souls to him?
He wracked his brain but came up empty. For now, he decided to shelve the idea and take things one step at a time.
Hikaru placed the Revive-Revive Fruit's power into storage—a trump card that, ideally, he would never need to use.
[But can Hikaru's experiments always go smoothly?]
A few days later, Sky Island drifted to the Calm Belt, northwest of the Sabaody Archipelago.
Hikaru had thought long and hard about his next move. At this point in time, there weren't any noteworthy pirates at Sabaody—just a handful of nobodies who would never leave a mark on history.
[Xiao's appearance didn't meet Hikaru's standards for a divine concubine.]
Sabaody held nothing of interest for him. But Fish-Man Island? That was a different story. He couldn't miss the chance to meet Princess Shirahoshi.
Diving 10,000 meters with Sky Island would be a foolish move, and coating an entire floating island was impractical. The better option was to anchor Sky Island in the Calm Belt for now.
His next destination was set.
Fish-Man Island awaited.