Eight-Star, Half a Step from Peak Perfection!

"Name?"

"Perona."

"Age."

"19 years old."

"Yo ho ho ho! Young lady under 20, may I ask if you could give me your panties--"

Brook knelt down once more and made his request to Ghost Princess.

But what awaited him was still only Perona's White Ghost.

"Die, Perverted Skeleton! Negative Ghost!"

"I'm so sorry... I don't deserve to walk with you all... I'm sorry..."

Brook lost all will to resist, collapsed to her knees, and felt utterly hopeless.

"Hey! White Dragon! What's with this lecherous skeleton?"

Perona glanced at Brook kneeling on the ground with disgust, then walked over to Storm with her pigeon-toed gait.

"Is he one of your subordinates? He looks disgusting!"

Due to the White Dragon's tyrannical power.

Ghost Princess eventually joined the Storm Pirates.

However, she did not give up her identity as a member of the Moria Pirates.

According to Perona...

Her body belonged to Storm, but her soul belonged to Moria...

"To be precise, Brook is the 'musician' of the pirate crew; the other crew members are not here at the moment."

"Storm said with a chuckle."

"You've already gotten along so well with the other members on your very first day in the team. I have high hopes for you, Perona."

"I don't need your approval! Humph!"

Perona pouted and snorted coldly.

"This trashy skull is not cute at all! I don't like it at all!"

When Perona said those words.

Brook has just recovered from the negative influence of the Negative Ghost.

He had just stood up when he uttered those words, and immediately knelt down again.

"Ah... I'm so sad..."

Brook, head down, told his favorite corny joke.

"My heart feels like it's being torn to pieces by that sentence... even though I don't have a heart, hohoho!"

"Damn skeleton! Die! Die twice!"

Perona snapped her fingers, and a Mini Ghost, about the size of a palm, was released from her body, crashing directly into the playful Brook.

"Mini Ghost - Ghost Bomb!"

The Mini Ghost flew to the front of Brook's skull and exploded with a bang, like a small cannonball.

The powerful shockwave blew the black top hat off Brook's head and sent wisps of white smoke billowing from his afro.

"Ah! My hair! It's smoking!"

Brook could no longer joke around.

A crisp "snap" sound was heard.

Brook removed his skull and then held it in her arms.

To an outsider, it looked as if a headless skeleton was holding his head, carefully clearing the smoke from his thick, frizzy hair—a scene so bizarre it was enough to send chills down one's spine.

"He... he..."

Even Perona, who was used to seeing zombies, couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine at Brook's antics.

"This monster skull! What's going on? Is it dead or alive?"

"This is the power of his Devil Fruit called the [Revive-Revive Fruit]."

Storm watched Brook carefully tidying her hair and gave a very sarcastic comment.

"However, I feel that Brook hasn't fully developed the potential of the [Revive-Revive Fruit], even though he's already eaten it... well, at least fifty years, right?"

"Fifty years?"

Perona looked at Brook in surprise.

"How old is he now? He can't be a hundred years old, can he?"

No, it's not.

Storm raised his hand and pointed at Brook, then at the giants beside him.

"It may sound strange, but among these five, Brook is the youngest."

"Yes, he's also the only one who's died once."

"Yo ho ho ho! Captain."

Brook put his skull back onto his spine, twisted it a few times, and found the most suitable angle.

"I can't pretend I didn't hear what you just said..."

"Actually, I've been working really hard to develop the [Revive-Revive Fruit]!"

"Ah, yes, yes, yes."

Storm first gave Brook a perfunctory reply, then spoke to Ghost Princess.

"Don't believe this nonsense, and don't learn from his laziness, Perona."

"If Brook's musical talent is rated as 9 points, then his development of the [Revive-Revive Fruit] is at most 3 points."

He is a great musician, but not a particularly Devil Fruit User.

"It's not good, at least not right now."

Storm's rating criteria are roughly based on the star rating system of the [Big Trophy].

Brook wore a complex expression that was both happy and sad—it was truly baffling how his skull could produce such a wide range of expressions.

"Captain, are you praising me or blaming me?"

"Both, I suppose!"

"White Dragon, if this skull is only three-tenths of an inch long, how many would I have?"

Perona looked at Storm with anticipation, hoping he would give her a high score.

However...

"You get four points."

Storm replied somewhat coldly.

"Moreover, these four points are entirely due to the special abilities of the [Hollow-Hollow Fruit]."

Perona's face stiffened, and she immediately puffed out her cheeks, glaring angrily at Storm.

"That despicable guy!"

"I'm just telling the truth."

Storm raised his right hand and unleashed his [Clay Fruit] ability, instantly creating a lifelike white clay ghost in his palm.

"Regarding the [Revive-Revive Fruit], I don't know how to develop it... After all, it's an ability that can only be obtained by someone who has 'died' once."

"But your [Hollow-Hollow Fruit] does have considerable potential... I also have a small, insignificant suggestion."

Perona's eyes lit up instantly when she saw the Mini Ghost in Storm's palm.

"White Ghost!"

"It's just 'clay'."

Storm extended his right hand and handed the miniature clay ghost to Perona.

The latter immediately took the clay ghost with both hands, seemingly valuing the clay doll very much.

"Let's get back to your [Hollow-Hollow Fruit]."

Storm casually conjured up another Mini Ghost.

"For example, you can develop a move like 'Mini Ghost,' so why not increase the number of 'Mini Ghost'?"

Storm released his right hand, and the Mini Ghost in his palm fell to the ground.

The next instant.

Numerous clay ghosts appeared on the ground, resembling countless small white mushrooms, densely packed together.

"If it is White Ghost, then it can create white mist and obscure vision. This is -- White Ghost: Maze of Malice!"

"If it's Bomb Ghost, then it can create explosions and area-of-effect attacks. This is -- Mini Ghost Fireworks Festival!"

"If it's Emotion Ghost, then it can evoke negative emotions, or it can uplift them, or it can guide emotions to other categories, such as Negative Ghost, Positive Ghost, Angry Ghost, Fear Ghost..."

Storm looked with satisfaction at the "White Ghost" he had created, then turned to look at Perona.

"Ghost Princess, do you understand?"

"You..."

Perona looked at the overwhelming White Ghost before her, and her heart suddenly began to pound wildly like a deer's.

"Ugh! Ugh! I'm not going to develop those abilities just because of you!"

"Yeah?"

Storm then looked at the clay ghosts, and with a thought, kneaded them into a ball.

Hey! You!

Perona, who had just said "I hate it," immediately became restless.

Why did you destroy those ghosts?

"Since you don't like them, then there's no need to keep them."

Storm's eyes were fixed on the large lump of clay, and he began to carefully sculpt its shape.

"Let's choose a more suitable gift..."

Under Storm's control, waves rippled across the surface of the white clay.

First the head, then the body, and finally the limbs and tail...

In just a few breaths.

A massive, robust Clay Giant Bear appeared aboard the Thriller Bark.

Under Storm's control.

The Clay Giant Bear shook off the scattered fragments clinging to its body and approached its creator.

Storm raised his hand and placed it on the Clay Giant Bear's nose.

Starting from his palm, dreamlike and magnificent colors appeared on the body of this giant white bear.

With a black nose, black eyes, and pink fur covering its body, the giant bear has a white patch on its belly, adorned with a large red heart, making it look sweet and cute.

Sweetheart Baby Bear!

What should we call it?

Storm took a good look at the "sweetheart".

"How about we call it 'Tibbles'?"

Storm had barely finished speaking.

A crisp, clear voice immediately rang out in refusal.

"Don't want!"

Perona, with her toes slightly turned inward, bumped headfirst into the belly of this Sweetheart Baby Bear, almost burying herself entirely inside.

"So soft! I've made up my mind! This is my Kumashi now!"

"That..."

Storm tried to correct Perona.

"I think the name 'Tibbles' is actually quite good."

Ever since an archaeologist, who wished to remain anonymous, forcibly renamed "Godzilla" to "Big Cute".

Storm expressed his deep disgust at such name changes.

Of course he knew who "Kumashi" was.

That was a Stuffed Bear Zombie that Perona kept on the Thriller Bark.

Storm decided to sculpt a Sweetheart Baby Bear for Perona because of her love for bears.

But when it comes to naming...

Storm is determined not to back down this time!

"Kumashi! Kumashi!"

Perona completely ignored Storm's words, simply hugging her Sweetheart Baby Bear and shouting happily, her two thin legs twitching incessantly.

She seemed to absolutely adore the large, pink Bear.

"I said, Tibbles— "

"Kumashi!"

"Tibbles..."

"Kumashi!!"

"Carry--"

"Kumashi!!!"

Storm sighed in exasperation.

He's so stupid, really. He knew Perona was obsessed with "Kumashi," but he never expected her to be this obsessed.

Sorry, Tibbles...

Storm shook his head, no longer watching the interaction between Perona and "Kumashi".

And at this time...

Brook walked over carrying a steaming cup of black tea.

"Captain."

Brook said, seemingly very seriously.

"Like Miss Perona, I am also a new member."

"Excuse me, can I also own a clay doll?"

"Human, female, blonde, breasts are just decoration, can be omitted, but the curves of the hips must be full and rounded... It would be best if the panties could be changed regularly every day."

Storm glanced at Brook, raised his right hand, and placed it on his shoulder.

Brook was taken aback.

"Captain?"

"The clay doll you wanted."

Storm released his right hand, as if tearing out a soul, and copied a skeleton from Brook one-to-one.

"By the way, you like blonde hair? I'll add a few more details for you."

Storm looked at the "clay skeleton" and performed a series of actions.

A brand new "skull" appeared in front of Brook.

A frizzy, golden hairstyle, and a delicate, pinkish-white frame...

Aside from looking somewhat like a cross-dressing version of Brook.

This "Pink Male Skeleton" is so exquisitely crafted that it looks like a work of art.

"Ah!!!"

Brook looked at "another version of myself in the world" and suddenly let out a terrified scream.

"It's a pink skull!!"

Storm didn't bother with Brook's little quirks.

Even he himself never actually sculpted a "clay woman".

Brook wants to get a clay female doll first?

Let him play "by himself" for a while first!

Storm abandoned Brook and Perona and returned to the four Titans.

It's clear that these four giants have been starving for a long time.

The four giants paid no attention to Storm's interaction with Perona and Brook; they were busy eating the whole time.

The giants have already consumed nearly half of the food supplies on the Thriller Bark!

Storm quietly summoned the [Big Trophy], directly transferring the [Star Trophy] he had just obtained by defeating "Thousand Shadow Giant Moria" into his [Speed] attribute.

The illusory little star that adorned the [Speed] attribute fluctuated and changed before being filled up.

[Speed: ★★★★★★★★] (Eight stars)

This moment.

Storm's [Physique] and [Haki] attributes have both reached Eight-Star!

If we consider "Admiral" and "Pirate Emperor" as the pinnacle of power on the high seas...

So, at this moment, Storm...

Aside from [Conqueror's Haki].

All other attributes have reached the Eight-Star, which is the level of the Admiral and the Yonko!

Common name--

Half-step Peak Grand Perfection!

After adding points, Storm joined the giants in their struggle for food.

Brogy and the other three Titans, who hadn't paid much attention to Storm's arrival, were startled to see that Storm was eating even faster than they were.

The four giants simultaneously quickened their eating pace.

But Storm continued to devour everything in its path like a whirlwind.

Until all the food supplies on the Thriller Bark were used up.

Storm and the four giants then stopped eating.

"Crack! Crack! Crack!"

After eating and drinking his fill, Brogy patted his belly and let out a loud laugh.

"As expected of the man I approve of! Storm, your appetite is bigger than a giant's!"

"Hehehe! Haven't we already experienced this kind of thing before?"

Dorry, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but burst into joyful laughter.

"No matter how you look at it, Storm is an incredibly capable man!"

Storm smiled and shook his head, briefly skipping over the topic of "eating".

The strong in the ocean are all useless.

This is nothing to be proud of.

"Brogy, Dorry."

Storm looked at the two Captain of the Giant Warrior Pirates.

What are your plans now?

Brogy spoke first, "Chop down trees, build a raft, and then leave Thriller Bark! Head to the New World!"

Dorry then added, "The environment here is so gloomy, my beard is getting damp."

"In that case, I won't keep you any longer."

Storm nodded to the four giants.

"See you in Elbaf next time!"

A 10,000-word poem delivered at midnight!

It rained heavily last night, and my house was flooded...

Wow!

There's more to come.

I will definitely finish my work today!