The News Agency and the Slave Ship

"Disco, how dare you lay a hand on me! I will expose you tomorrow and have bounty hunters and the Navy hunt you down!!"

Moore Thomas, a user of the Bird-Bird Fruit, Model: Seagull, is the president of the World Economic News Agency, one of the world's three major news organizations. He is currently stationed at the Sabaody Archipelago, where he keeps a large number of seagulls as news birds.

"Moore Thomas, your recent news has been a bit out of line. I've been ordered to deal with you, and I'll be taking your news agency for myself."

Disco laughed. His true identity is that of a slave-trading ship captain secretly under the Celestial Dragons, as well as a pirate captain. The World Peace Dove News Agency, controlled by the World Government, has been suffering from the impact of the World Economic News Agency, losing a significant share of the market.

The World Peace Dove News Agency, led by president White Pigeon—a user of the Bird-Bird Fruit, Model: Pigeon—keeps a large number of pigeons as news birds. It is an official news outlet dedicated to promoting the rule of the Celestial Dragons, the glory of the Navy, and the deeds of the member nations.

In contrast, Moore Thomas's World Economic News Agency reports on both the underworld and the legitimate world. Thanks to creative editing and planning, it has a wider audience and higher sales, but it lacks backing from powerful forces and possesses very little combat strength.

There is also the World Dark News, founded by a coalition of New World overlords and underground industries. Its current president is the pirate merchant Candor, a user of the Bird-Bird Fruit, Model: Vulture.

The vulture news birds he keeps run rampant in the New World and are frequent visitors to pirate ships and non-member nations. However, because it is aligned with the pirates and poorly managed, its reporting is quite biased, and its sales are only average.

Currently, the World Economic News Agency is more comprehensive in its coverage of both the underworld and the legitimate world, making it deeply popular with everyone. Pirates use the newspaper to learn about the Navy, the Navy uses it to learn about pirates, and civilians can keep track of the movements of both.

Moore Thomas never expected that while returning to his wife and one-year-old son after leaving his Sabaody base, he would be intercepted and hunted by Disco on the open sea.

"World Government, Disco, you are ruthless! If I manage to escape, you won't have an easy time!"

Moore Thomas angrily cursed at Disco. It was a grave mistake not to have brought all of his agency's guards along this time.

"There, there, don't cry, Morgans. Watch Daddy beat up the bad guys!"

At this moment, the son in the arms of Moore Thomas's wife began to wail. She hurriedly tried to soothe him, while Moore Thomas, transformed into his seagull hybrid form, looked at his son with concern.

Brook, who had just jumped onto the ship, couldn't help but pause upon hearing that name. Why did it sound so familiar?

Morgans, the future "Big News," president of the World Economic News Agency, and one of the six great Emperors of the Underworld.

"Hey, who are you?"

Both sides of the battle looked at the person who had suddenly jumped onto the ship. Could he be a bounty hunter?

"Humming Brook? Weren't you killed in the Florian Triangle?"

Moore Thomas said in shock. Some time ago, the Poison Smoke Pirates had been spreading the word everywhere that they had destroyed the Rumbar Pirates, which had saddened him.

He was a fan of Humming Brook; it was Brook who had spread "Binks' Sake" from the West Blue to the rest of the world. Furthermore, the Rumbar Pirates were a musical pirate crew with a stellar reputation—a group of adventurers who truly lived for music.

Although Brook's appearance was slightly different now, Moore Thomas recognized him at a glance.

Brook no longer wore his black top hat, his afro was tied back casually, and his small suit jacket was unbuttoned, revealing his chest. His slightly pale complexion gave off a cold, unapproachable aura!

"You know me?"

Brook was also stunned. He hadn't expected someone to recognize a small-time pirate like him so quickly.

In truth, Humming Brook was like a star among pirates; even Count Patrick Redfield was an admirer of his.

"Humming Brook, bounty of 33 million Berries, acting captain of the Rumbar Pirates."

Disco also recognized this pirate star musician, but he wasn't afraid in the slightest. A pirate with a bounty of only 30-something million? He had captured plenty of those. Only the Supernovas with bounties over 100 million were the ones he wouldn't dare provoke easily.

"Mr. Brook, please help us repel these pirates. I, Moore Thomas, will surely reward you handsomely."

Moore Thomas knew that the crew of the Rumbar Pirates were kind-hearted adventurers, so he reached out to Brook for help.

"Humming Brook, I advise you not to meddle in other people's business, or I'll slaughter you too and let you reunite with your crew."

Seeing that Brook was alone, Disco guessed that the Poison Smoke Pirates might have been telling the truth, though he didn't know how Brook had survived on his own.

"It just so happens I want to try out my new moves."

Brook's speech was accompanied by cold white mist, indicating he had entered the Underworld Ghost Qi state. He also discovered a surprising new ability: he could sense the fluctuations of life energy in nearby living beings.

Seeing the different energy fluctuations of the crew members on the ship, it was like a thermal detector seeing different colors. His own Nether Qi and Underworld Ghost Qi felt completely out of place compared to these life energies. It was like a special type of Observation Haki—was this his cheat code?

Brook named it "Observation Haki: Life Detection." Looking at the size of Disco's orange-red life fluctuation and comparing it to his own ghostly blue one, he felt they weren't even on the same level.

Could he actually one-shot this guy?

Could it be that his efforts to absorb Nether Qi and Underworld Ghost Qi in the Underworld had turned him into a max-level powerhouse, just like Bone King Ainz Ooal Gown?

Brook suppressed his racing heart, eager to test his hypothesis on these people!

Underworld Ghost Qi: Direct Piercing

Brook quickly drew his cane sword and lunged at Disco, a path of white ice forming beneath his feet.

Shave

Unexpectedly, Disco knew a few moves of the Six Powers, narrowly dodging the strike. A massive ice-covered hole appeared in the cabin behind him, venting white mist.

"That's incredible! Mr. Brook is so strong!"

Moore Thomas flapped his wings in the air, shocked by Brook's destructive power. Seeing a glimmer of hope for survival, he realized that as a news agency president, his own combat strength wasn't very high, and having to protect his wife and child had led to him being repeatedly wounded by Disco's sneak attacks using the Six Powers.

"What is going on! Humming Brook can't be this strong; he's just a 33-million-Berry pirate! It's impossible!"

Disco shouted. If he hadn't dodged at the last possible second, his heart would have been pierced by that single strike.

"Life is a part of the cycle, and your part has come to an end!"

Underworld Ghost Qi: Desolation Slash

Brook exhaled a breath of cold white mist, his ghostly blue eyes filled with the intent of death. He stared at Disco, dashed at high speed, and vanished from his spot.

"I do not believe you have grown this much stronger!!"

Iron Body

Disco accelerated his blood flow frantically on the spot, his skin turning crimson and taking on a metallic luster as he assumed the Vajra Immovable stance, intending to withstand Brook's slash.

Everyone watched the battle between the two with rapt attention; everything fell silent.

One Piece: Hell Brook by Great Hellfire