Seeing that the Qilin Lion still refused to submit, Redfield went after it again. It wasn't long before he defeated it.
"Look at all these rare beasts you've been protecting. They've all run off, and not one of them came back to protect you—except this parrot! What do you say? Come sail with me and see the exciting world beyond this island!"
Hearing Brook's words, the Qilin Lion turned its head away, ignoring him despite its serious injuries.
"No other choice, then. Redfield, make a record of its inner memories! Memory Seahorse, devour its memories. I'm starting this character over from scratch!"
Yazhu tried to stop them, but Brook knocked him unconscious too.
"Memory Seahorse, devour this parrot's memories as well. But be careful—leave its ability to speak intact. From now on, it'll be our ship's translator and lookout."
The Memory Seahorse came scampering over, eager to feast on the delicious memories. At Brook's direction, it devoured the memories of the two animals from the period after they became the kings of the beasts.
"Captain Brook, is this really all right?"
Fish-Man Tom felt a little uneasy. His people hated oppression and deception.
"We haven't taken their lives. They'll be reliable companions from now on!"
Belching, the Memory Seahorse finished its task, and Shakky and Antonio immediately helped stanch the Qilin Lion's and Wuzhu's bleeding and bandage their wounds.
"Don't worry, Tom. The Waterfall Cloud here does a great job of protecting the island. I'm sure a new Beast King will appear soon!"
Tom might not have known that the Beast King of Rare Beast Island inherited the title through the Beast Horn. Redfield didn't particularly like recruiting crewmates this way either, but he understood Brook's decision.
After the destruction of his pirate crew, Brook surely wanted to find a group of powerful companions. Then Redfield would have to grow stronger too, so he could help Captain Brook achieve his dream—and fulfill his own.
They carried the Qilin Lion and the parrot back to the ship. They could take them out to sea first and figure out the rest later. The rare beasts didn't start wailing loudly on the island until they saw the humans carrying off the Qilin Lion King. Their king was gone—and yet they hadn't been nearly so quick to mourn when they'd run away.
Back aboard the Yomi, they rested briefly, then immediately deployed the Waterfall Cloud and continued toward Drum Island!
Half a day later, the newly awakened Qilin Lion King and Wuzhu gazed at Brook and the others in confusion. Redfield and Brook began teaching them all over again.
The Qilin Lion's memories were still those of a powerful lion-like rare beast from before it had fused with the Beast Horn. Wuzhu was just a parrot who had recently learned human speech.
After Brook repeatedly brainwashed them, they finally came to believe without question the story that their captain had rescued them and made them members of the crew.
The Qilin Lion became Brook's mount, and every day it practiced its abilities with Wuzhu translating for it.
Little by little, Fish-Man Tom and Redfield accepted the two clueless rare beasts as well.
"Captain Brook, I can see it! The snow-covered island up ahead!"
The lookout, Wuzhu, flew down from the top of the mast to report. The navigator, Shakky, immediately brought out the chart and checked their position against the Eternal Pose. It was indeed Drum Island.
The shipwright and helmsman, Fish-Man Tom, made a slight adjustment to their course and steered toward Drum Island. Redfield, who had just finished sparring with Brook, began helping turn the sails.
Below deck, the sniper, Silvers, was improving his bullets, while Antonio, the intelligence officer, spoke with the Den Den Mushi to see if he could glean any information from it.
Soon, Brook spotted three white, snow-covered peaks shaped like drums. This famous winter island in the Grand Line was also a great medical nation.
"By the way, do you all have warm clothes?"
Brook had been resurrected from the dead and was constantly chilled by the Underworld Ghost Qi, so he wasn't afraid of the cold!
Shakky hurried off to change into her lovely winter clothes, and Silvers and Antonio put on thick coats too. The burly Fish-Man Tom said he didn't need one.
Redfield saw that Brook wasn't putting on a coat, so he couldn't put one on either. This was part of his training!
Brook silently shook his head. I'm immune to the cold. I'm not training for it! He could only tell Antonio to fetch him a spare coat.
Since Drum Kingdom was a World Government Member State, Brook and the others couldn't openly bring the Yomi into one of its official ports, or they would be attacked.
That was how life was for pirates. They could enter ports only in certain pirate towns and pirate nations. Everywhere else, they had to land somewhere secluded. It was a way to protect their ships too.
Brook had come to Drum Island not only to see if he could find a doctor with good potential, but also to get his body of the underworld examined and find out whether he could still have children.
If it really was impossible for him to have children, he wanted to put that hope behind him early and devote himself entirely to becoming the strongest and achieving immortality!
Brook sat on the Qilin Lion, and Shakky jumped up behind him without the slightest embarrassment. She had no shame at all.
Wapol's grandfather should be king at this point, right? His policies were good too, attracting many medical talents to study there. Medical techniques and medicines were constantly advancing, and the country had a fine reputation.
The medicine practiced here was said to be powerful enough to reattach even a severed head. Its medical skills were clearly extraordinary, and all sorts of cutting-edge treatments flourished here.
"Everyone, go do your own thing. Find whatever you need!"
Before the Hell Pirates headed into town, Brook handed out several million Beli to each person and let them explore freely. Antonio, the most timid of them, chose to stay with his captain, while Shakky's professional instincts kicked in and she went to gather information.
The shipwright, Fish-Man Tom, went looking for the buoyant materials he needed. The sniper, Silvers, needed some ingredients to add to his bullets. Redfield decided to wander around and see if there were any strong people he could challenge to a duel.
The Memory Seahorse and Wuzhu stood on the Qilin Lion's back. Seeing that Antonio looked a little pitiful, they brought him up there too. Their little procession attracted quite a few stares.
The Qilin Lion looked incredibly magnificent. Its golden Beast Horn and noble wings made countless wealthy merchants and nobles drool as they gazed at it, their eyes filled with envy and greed.
Fortunately, there weren't any arrogant, mindless Celestial Dragons around, or they would have tried to steal it at once. Only gods like them could have a mount like this.
Brook asked a passerby if he knew anything about Dr. Kureha. The man was intimidated by Brook's presence.
"You mean that witch of an old woman? She's quite eccentric, and her fees are sky-high. I wouldn't go to her if I were you. There are plenty of famous doctors in our country with excellent medical skills!"
As Brook watched the man prattle on, his brow furrowed and his expression turned cold. The passerby jumped in fright, quickly pointed Brook in a direction, then bolted.
. "You are reading One Piece: Hell Brook by Great God Great Karma Fire."
Before you continue