Silba Silba made his way back to his family's base in a daze. It was fully equipped, and clearly no ordinary house.
It belonged to his adoptive father, Silba Bonaparte, a famous sniper on Gunslinger Island. Bonaparte had once narrowly lost to the previous World's Number One Sniper. He had been middle-aged, unmarried, and childless when he adopted Silba, an exceptionally talented orphan, in his later years.
Silba Silba had remarkably keen eyesight and perception, allowing him to shoot accurately over long distances at a young age. He had entered numerous shooting competitions and won plenty of honors, and the praise had made him increasingly conceited.
His adoptive father, Silba Bonaparte, had urged him to stay humble and not be blinded by vanity. Silba had agreed, but he hadn't taken the advice to heart. So Bonaparte had forbidden him from entering competitions and told him to focus on getting familiar with different firearms and practice by hunting various beasts.
Then Silba Bonaparte had died the previous year, and Silba Silba had gone straight back to his old ways, entering all kinds of long-range shooting competitions. He won every time and was hailed as the future World's Number One Sniper, which only swelled his confidence further.
He never expected to lose his first life-or-death duel today to an unknown pirate sniper. Years of honors had been wiped away in a single day.
"Sorry, Father. I was wrong. I really haven't earned the right to bear that title!"
Silba burst into tears as he remembered his adoptive father's words. How could a sniper who had never faced a life-or-death duel earn the title of future World's Number One Sniper? They only wanted him to compete so they could take bets, while also attracting merchant convoys and pirates to spend money on the island.
"Roger Pirates, this is all your fault! You ruined everything for me!"
Silba's thoughts suddenly went awry, and he turned his hatred toward the Roger Pirates, convinced that Petermoo had taken everything from him.
"If you lost something, then go take it back. What good does it do to sit here blaming fate?"
Brook watched the young genius's bizarre train of thought. Hadn't he accepted Petermoo's challenge fair and square? If he'd won, his reputation would have risen even higher. Since he'd lost, he could only become someone else's stepping stone.
"Who are you?!"
Silba clutched the wound on his shoulder. He hadn't had a chance to treat it yet, and the sight of a stranger made him instantly wary.
"My name is Brook, and I'm a pirate too. Do you want to become stronger than Petermoo? You're clearly more talented than he is, yet you still lost. Looks like you need some experience out at sea. Come aboard my ship, and I'll show you the world's strongest fighters."
With that, Brook entered his Underworld Ghost Qi state. Frost formed around him, and Hell Underworld Qi began to pour out, making Silba feel waves of deathly presence, as if he'd entered hell itself.
"Y-You're a pirate too? Then how do you compare to the Roger Pirates? Are you strong enough to beat them?"
Silba still seemed unable to move on from Petermoo. He was stuck in a rut.
"Petermoo is just a small goal for you. What's the point of keeping your eyes fixed on him? Can't you think bigger? Head into the New World and witness the truly strong!"
Brook's shout startled Shakky and Antonio behind him. Silba fell silent too.
"If this is all the ambition and magnanimity you have, then you don't seem worthy of boarding my ship either. Stay here and whimper like a coward!"
Silba's face turned as white as a sheet. Already weakened by blood loss, he toppled over with a thud.
Brook and the others looked at each other. He seemed to have delayed Silba from bandaging his wound, then dealt him a double blow by attacking his pride. Shakky and Antonio said nothing; they immediately helped Silba up and bandaged his wound.
Feeling awkward, Brook wandered around and noticed the many pieces of equipment there. There were even blueprints for improving firearm power, along with plenty of machined parts and gun components.
A little while later, after Shakky had given Silba some blood-replenishing medicine, he finally woke up.
"You bandaged me?"
"Obviously. Did you think you'd bandage yourself after you passed out?" Shakky rolled her eyes.
Silba fell silent again, not knowing what to say. The atmosphere turned strangely quiet.
"So, are you interested in joining us and exploring the seas? You won't become the World's Number One Sniper by staying cooped up on this island!"
Brook broke the silence and invited Silba to join them.
"I can't even beat a sniper from a pirate crew right now. How could I ever become the World's Number One Sniper?!"
Silba's voice sank. The duel seemed to have nearly shattered his faith in himself, and his confidence was gone.
"Just because you can't beat him now doesn't mean you won't be able to later. People have to keep growing. Tell me, how determined are you?"
Brook grabbed Silba by the collar, his icy blue eyes fixed on the dejected young man.
After a long silence...
"I understand, Captain Brook. Please take me to see the strong people in this world! I'm going to become the World's Number One Sniper!"
Silba shouted through his tears. Remembering the contemptuous looks from the islanders and pirates after his defeat, his stubborn refusal to accept it flared up. One day, I'll make you all see me differently!
"Welcome aboard, Silba Silba, our future World's Number One Sniper."
Blueno smiled faintly as he helped Silba to his feet. He even straightened his collar for him.
"Shakky, Antonio, help pack all this stuff up. There's still plenty of room on the ship."
Brook planned to bring Silba's entire firearms workshop aboard so he could continue studying guns.
"Isn't this a little soon, Captain Brook? My wound still hurts!"
"Just tell us what you need. We'll pack it for you, and I'll carry it back myself."
As their strongest fighter, Brook was decisive and quick to act. Before long, he was carrying a huge bundle back toward the ship.
Along the way, plenty of islanders and pirates pointed and whispered, making Silba, whose shoulder was bandaged, turn livid.
"The strong don't care what the weak shout."
Brook said this casually to Silba, and the words suddenly made things clear to him. His resolve to become stronger had taken root deep in his heart.
"Captain Brook, you really brought back a sniper?"
Tom, the Fish-Man shipwright, grinned broadly. He hadn't expected Brook to complete the recruitment so quickly.
"Silba Silba, our future World's Number One Sniper. Tom, our shipwright and future World's Number One Shipwright!"
Brook briefly introduced them to one another so they could get acquainted.
The Great God Great Karma Fire who provided this chapter: One Piece: Hell Brook.
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