Luffy pulled up a chair, and relieved the story of Brook's life. It was something he knew before, but to be able to get the story once more, and to once again relieve his struggles with losing the Rumbar Pirates...it was tough.

Meanwhile Hancock had been catching up with Rayleigh and Shakky, updating them on their status and how she joined the Strawhat Pirates.

"You've gotten really big since we last saw you little one." Shakky commented as the trio sat on a booth. It wasn't busy anyway so they took a little break. She sat beside her husband who had his arms around her.

"How long has it been? 5 or so years I think." Hancock was thinking of the date that they arrived in Amazon Lily, for the life of her she could not remember.

"Yeah something...I can't remember it either." To this they shared a laugh. Rayleigh then had some questions for the snake princess. "I heard you joined the Royal Shichibukai?"

"Well yes I joined to protect my people. You see, I became the Empress of Amazon Lily due to my devil fruit ability and fighting prowess." She then played with a mini heart manifested from her power on the palm of her hands. "But I declared my loyalty to my...I mean Luffy." She sighed at saying his name, this did not fail to be noticed by the couple.

"So how long have you two been together?" Shakky knew that look, she was once a lovestruck young girl.

"Whatttt no I..." Hancock feigned surprise but the Dark King and his lady were not buying it.

"Right right little one, spill it." Rayleigh said with an amused smile. Then she looked at Shakky then back at Rayleigh, she was found out.

"Well it was actually about a week…" Then she continued to tell them about their current relationship, definitely leaving the physicality of their relationship out of the conversation.


Katakuri and Arlong stood by checking the surrounding for any potential threat.

"So you and my sister huh." Katakuri had been simply observing, but the arm around each other and disappearing for a long period of time was suspicious.

"Well you see, she's an amazing woman and she makes me a better person." Katakuri then got close to his face.

"I'm warning you Arlong." Arlong thought that Katakuri was going to hold his race against him, all humans did before. "Crewmate or not, if you hurt her, I'll kill you myself."

"Got it bro!" Arlong took a big gulp but quickly recovered. "So that means your practically my bro now right?"

Suddenly, something moved a couple hundred yards from their current location. They noticed movement and are now monitoring it.


Mihawk and Lucci were doing the same, but they found troubling movement. "Captain." Lucci pulled out his mirror shard. To which Luffy was unable. Crap, there were about 300 marines moving towards their location. "Boa." He called on the shard to which Brulee, while watching over the ship, routed the mirror call to Hancock.

"Yes I have joined him in his journey, I feel that he will be King." Hancock was in the middle of talking with Rayleigh and Shakky when a call came in from Lucci.

"Boa, emergency." Lucci said to the mirror shard.

"What's going on?" Hancock excused herself and went to take the message.

"300 marines have circled our location and slowly closing in. We've been pinned in the middle." Lucci transmitted. Then another person manifested on the call, this time it was Katakuri.

"The marines are clever, making minimal movement to avoid detection. But we are monitoring. What are the captain's orders?" Katakuri had been trying to reach Luffy to no luck.

"He's not available at the..." But before Hancock could finish, Luffy and Brook emerged from the room, grasping each other by the shoulder, laughing at something Brook said. Brook was a tall skeleton figure, standing at a jaw dropping height of 8 ft ⅓ inc. To those who were ignorant to the strange world of the Grand Line, Brook would scare the crap out of them, but to Hancock, who quite possibly could have seen everything, was not fazed slightly.

"So this must be the woman who encompassed your heart!" Brook comically floated to Hancock but fell on his face. "Ouch." Hancock rushed to help him up but Brook immediately turned his head and sneaked a peak up Hancock's dress. "May I see your panties?" To which Hancock responded by stomping on his face.

Classic Brook, glad that part of him was still him. But Luffy could sense tension in the perimeter, something was definitely not right. He pulled out the mirror from his pocket and found that Katakuri and Lucci were continuing to try and call him.

"Luffy, a message from Lucci and Katakuri." She paused her beat down of Brook to relay the message to which Luffy took immediately.

"Status?" He got careless, after conversing with his friend, he forgot about their current position deep in enemy territory.

"Captain, about 300 marines have surrounded our position. They are slowly moving in on your location." Relayed Lucci. His and Mihawk's location was currently on the roof of a fairly tall building. Marines were passing them by as they relayed the information to Luffy.

"They seem to be led by one Rear Admiral, I do not recognize the name but he seems to be strong." Katakuri remained in his spot, hiding on a tree branch way up in the air. The marines were passing by below his, and Arlong's position.

"Alright listen carefully. Brulee." The mirror call shifted into the three faces that he needed to speak with.

"Yes Captain?" Brulee was hiding behind the deck railing. Some pirates have taken notice of their ship. Many were attempting to survey if anyone was aboard so that they could board it and raid it. Brulee has been projecting mirror clones all around the ship, hopefully they don't notice the clones.

"Brulee I need you to get ready, cause shits about to get wild." With a smirk on his face, Luffy gave his command as the captain gave out the order to his people. "Clear out the field." With that order shit did indeed go down.

As with this order, wherever the strawhats were, they smiled.

"What is happening?" Brook got up from the ground and looked at Hancock and Luffy who were smiling at his orders.

"Brook, my goal is to be the king, My crew will now prove why I should be king. Care to join us?" Luffy explained his command to which Brook smiled and pulled a blade out of his cane. He swung it left and right before holding it to his side.

"You saved my life, I'm with you captain." To this Luffy smiled and shit did indeed go down. Luffy went outside, gave his woman a kiss before disappearing in a blur.

"So what now?" Asked Brook, although he pledged his allegiance to the Strawhat Captain, he was still a bit confused on what is going on.

"Captain's orders is to make our names known, so go crazy." To this Hancock waved Shakky and Rayleigh goodbye before heading North, Brook followed right after her finally understanding what they needed to do. Pirates were defined by notoriety, and this will shoot them close to the top.

"Those kids are crazy." Commented Rayleigh who closed the door to the bar as their guest left.

"Yes but you do see it don't you?" Shakky commented as she joined her husband and gave him an embrace.

"Aye, the look in his eyes is reminiscent of Roger."


Grove 66-Sabaody Marine HQ

"Report in, status team one?" The lead for the ambush on the Strawhat Pirates was left to the care of a Vice Admiral but which one was it?

"Vice Admiral, Team one is in position, awaiting team two, three, four, five, and six." Replied the second in command of the ambush, Rear Admiral Mozambia. Each unit consists of 50 well trained marine officers. One of the six units is led by a rear Admiral, the rest were led by a marine captain and the overall force was led by an unknown vice admiral. How did they know Mugiwara was coming? Well Cipher Pol's last transmission involved the complete and systematic defeat of the entire special division. In the massacre, a lone agent managed to tag the strawhat's ship with a tracking snail, one in which they were able to use to keep tabs of the strawhat's destination.

"Team two in position awaiting orders."

"Team three in position ready to board enemy pirate ship."

"Team four ready at your command."

"Team six ready, what the hell happened to team five?" The members of team six were led by a muscular man wearing his open marine coat to show his muscular body. His mouth consisted of three cigars as he puffed them heavily. "Captain Smoker, team five is not responding!" Exclaimed the communication expert in his unit.

"Oh? What do you mean team five has disappeared? Fifty men can't just disappear in thin air." Within grove 66, the Vice Admiral listened as feeds from multiple units were disappearing.

"Vice Admiral Unit Two is…" Then static emptiness.

"Vice Admiral Unit Three is under attack by light beams ahhh!"

"Sir, please help...this is unit four!"

"Oh...oh...not good…" The Vice Admiral rubbed his goatee, using his other hands to fix his sunglasses. "Fine I will do it myself-yo." He began to dissipate in a million light particles, but his transformation ended, before the Vice Admiral could move from his position, the man with the strawhat ripped the roof off of the Grove 66 Marine HQ. Their target, the super pirate with a bounty of 1 billion beri stood on the roof of the Marine HQ, staring down at the Vice Admiral.

"Mu~gi~wa~ra."

"Hello Vice Admiral Borsalino, we meet again." The man whose reputation had been tarnished by the defiance of Mugiwara would not take anymore chances as he swiftly shifted into light particles, manifesting his light blade on his right hand. Borsalino immediately went for the head, slicing it at the speed of light. And to the light user's surprise, his head was gone.

"Couldn't be that easy-ne?" Borsalino commented as his body was still in the posture of swinging his light blade on Mugiwara's head.

"Nope!" Luffy had retracted his head back, anticipating the attack from the Vice Admiral, thank you future sight. He then retrieved his head, giving Borsalino a head butt, squire on his forehead.

Borsalino was knocked back slightly, catching his nose from the blood the dripped freely. "I should've expected you would know Haki, the government doesn't just hand out bounties…" He then let the blood settle down and shook himself to form. "Alright Mugiwara, you will get it, me actually trying." And in a matter of millisecond, Borsalino had disappeared in the naked eye.

But Luffy, well Luffy was ready for it.


With Katakuri and Arlong

Meanwhile, Katakuri and Arlong made quick work of Unit two and Unit 4. Katakuri had unleashed his mastery in his devil fruit, skillfully weaving through the wave of enemies. Arlong continued to show his strength, by honing his fishman karate and unleashing his training within a real world setting. Thousands of palm strikes, left and right hook kicks,etc...are paying off big time.

"Bro catch!" Arlong was enjoying the acceptance in which Katakuri gave him, not just with Brulee, but also his humanity. The Fishman threw Katakuri two marine officers who attempted to stab him in the back.

"Don't get careless." Katakuri kicked the two marines out of the air and to the ground but manifested a trident to throw at Arlong. But it truly wasn't aimed at him, it was aimed at the marine behind him. The trident pierced the marine and Arlong immediately understood what Katakuri did for him.

"Got it." Arlong returned the favor by catching bullets in mid air with a stream of water Arlong pulled out of the ground. The bullets that were aimed at Katakuri fell on the ground and he immediately went after them before they could shoot their guns again.

"That's the end of that." Katakuri knocked the air out of a surviving marine officer by stomping on his chest. "Thanks bro…" For a man who looked after his entire family under Big Mom, becoming the perfect brother and feared amongst those who defied him...to be accepted within his family, well it was an amazing moment.

"Anytime bro." Arlong replied with a smile. He then turned his body to not show the tears that escaped from his eyes because he was crying, tears of absolute joy.

"Brulee, we are heading your way right away, hold your position." After annihilating unit two and unit four, Brulee was surrounded by unit three.

"Bro I wouldn't worry about it." Arlong commented after turning around, his eyes still red from shedding some tears.

"What do you mean?" Katakuri continued to dash to grove 7, where their ship was currently situated. Arlong was close behind, keeping pace.

"Well you see during our free time, we got physical." The way he said it, Katakuri thought of something else. In which he took one second to punch Arlong over the head. "Not like that bro! Really physical, like training!"

"Oh, So get to it then."

"Alright alright we're here now anyways." Arlong increased his pace and overtook Katakuri. And to his delight, the results were as expected. As Katakuri joined him on the top of the hill, he immediately understood what he meant.

"Ah, you did this Brulee?" Katakuri called out to the top of the ship where Brulee was waving at them with a giant smile on her face.

"Yes brother I did! I used the mirror deflection technique that me and Arlong worked on together." She yelled back, in which Arlong joined her on board and gave her a massive embrace. Katakuri joined them right after, still amazed by her fighting prowess.

"Good job Brulee." He commented as bodies of unit three covered grove 7. Brulee had unleashed her ultimate attack to clear out the enemy marines who were closing in on her position.

Now to wait for the rest of the crew. They could go back and assist them, but they wouldn't like that, they fight their own battles. In the time they have gotten to know each other, Katakuri understood the power of each individual in that crew, but none more so than Captain Luffy, that man was on another level.


With Lucci and Mihawk

Lucci and Mihawk were busy as well, though they hit a wall, the wall who happened to be Captain Smoker of unit six. But it wasn't like either one of the pirates was concerned.

"Rob Lucci, I know you by name, seeing you in person, I am not impressed." Captain Smoker was a strong, upstart marine captain who rose through the ranks with ease. "And Mihawk, your stupid for not taking the government's offer." With that statement, Mihawk went for a vertical slash across the chest of the marine captain.

"Fine you can have him, I'll deal with the lackeys." Lucci gave the battle to Mihawk while he punched and kicked his way through unit six's fifty man unit.

Dracule "Hawkeye" Mihawk vs Marine Captain Smoker

Mihawk kept his sword pointed at the marine captain knowing that one slash couldn't be the end of it.

Smoker did indeed return to form, his entire body was covered in white smoke.

"White smoke? You must be a fruit user then." Commented Mihawk.

"So what of it?" Smoker shifter the cigar in his mouth and pulled his tofa from his belt holster. He then made his lower body white smoke and his upper body remained normal. He rushed forward meeting Mihawk at blade point. "Eat shit Hawkeye!" Smoker persisted forward but Mihawk pushed him backwards.

"I'd rather not, and I have a place to be." Mihawk pushed him backwards creating a small space in between them. And with his black blade, Mihawk used it as a fan and blew Smoker farther away from him.

The cocky marine captain couldn't believe it when Mihawk's blade went actually cut him across his chest. Blood began to seep through as his confidence suddenly disappeared, fear over taking his thoughts.

"How the hell..." It was instantaneous, the swordsman fanned his blade, causing him to be sent backwards and then the distance was cleared by the swordsman and now his chest was cut,

"Warriors who rely on devil fruits are no warriors at all." To this Mihawk continued walking forward as Smoker collapsed on his face. Lucci was finished with the fifty marines that were sent to ambush them.

"Good job on your fight." Commented Lucci as he joined Mihawk on their walk back to Grove seven.

"Not much of a fight really." Mihawk shrugged. And the duo continued their way to the ship. "You did well on your battle as well."

"Yeah I guess, back in Cipher Phol, this is a regular occurrence for me."

"Interesting, whenever we have free time, care for a spar?" Other than Luffy, Mihawk has yet to fight anyone that challenges him, maybe Charlotte Snack, but that wasn't too difficult.

"Sure." The rest of the way, the two warriors walked casually to their ship. Finally arriving when Katakuri and Arlong had rejoined with Brulee.

Now all that is missing is Hancock, the Brook guy that kept being mentioned by Luffy, and of course Luffy.


With Brook and Hancock

"You are formidable Brook-san." Hancock had delivered a deadly hook kick at the neck of a marine who charged at her.

"Yes well may I see your panties now?" Brook began but was met with a fist over his skull. "Ouch ouch."

"Enough of this.." Rear Admiral Mozambia held himself up with his sword. His entire unit had been wiped out, he was the last man standing. He trembled as he tried to regain his balance.

"Rear Admiral I insist." Began Hancock but the Rear Admiral drew his sword pointing it at the two strawhats.

"Hancock, this treachery to the world government will not go unpunished." He then looked at Brook. "And you are Rumbar Pirate Vice Captain Brook...what happened to you…" It wasn't a question but more of a statement on his skeletal appearance.

"I'm still me." Retorted Brook, who despite all his losses, hopefully found a new home with the Strawhat pirates.

"Justice will be…" Though Mozambia collapsed, finally succumbing to exhaustion. Unit 1 had been defeated by Hancock and Brook.

"Unit 5 on site, Vice Admiral, hello vice admiral?" Brook and Hancock looked at the direction of 50 marine officers who went to their location to probably give Unit 1 some backup.

Both Brook and Hancock looked at each other with a smile. More practice!


Monkey D Luffy vs Vice Admiral Borsalino

"Vice captain help…" Unit 5 exclaimed over the line but static shock replaced the voice of the Marine officer.

"Your fight's with me Borsalino." Luffy unleashed a plethora of punches, raining down on the Vice Admiral, but the Vice Admiral turned into his element, light, absorbing the punches through his body.

"Ooh, you earned a bounty of 1 billion for being hot headed?" But Borsalino found his face caught in the end of a punch infused with black resin substance that could only signify haki. The punch sent the Vice Admiral flying back, but Luffy was not done with him as he continued to barrage the man while still mid air, with more punches.

"Don't worry Borsalino, I won't kill you. But tell your marine buddies to get off my back or they will be next." Luffy then stamped at the side of Borsalino's head, creating dent on the earth where his foot impacted the ground.

He was Vice Admiral Borsalino, a man who's light fruit is the pinnacle of Logia type devil fruits. And here he was, manhandled by a teenage rubber boy.

"Owww...Headquarters is not going to like this..." Borsalino said as he could not move an inch of his body. Just a couple weeks ago, he had been defeated by the combined effort of Mugiwara, Arlong, and Hawkeye, and now he was beaten handily by Mugiwara himself. This man is going to be a problem. And he has yet to gather his fleet...what a scary thought.

Luffy stepped over the fallen Vice Admiral and walked to grove seven, each step people began to kneel at his presence. They saw him as a god amongst man, but more importantly, they respected him.

Borsalino was left to his own thoughts. 'With this power, I should be steam rolling through these brats. Maybe its time to really try. Thank you Mu~giwara...you have shown me my limits...'


He passed by the grove which housed the former auction house, he was happy to find that it was still closed down. He waved at Shakky and Rayleigh who stood at the top of their bar, and they waved back at him with a smile on their faces.

Finally he was back to his crew, he was the last to arrive as everyone was already on board.

"Welcome back." Hancock immediately went for a hug with her man. He planted a kiss on her lips before addressing the rest of the crew.

"I assume that everyone's battle went well?" He looked around, not a single one of his people was injured. Mihawk stood by Katakuri with Brulee and Arlong talking to each other about something right next to him. Then Lucci sat on a barrel right next to Brook who was conversing. Hancock was by him, as he held her by her waist. Everyone stopped what they were doing, and listened to the Captain.

"We met a snot nosed brat marine captain, he had white smoke emitting from his body. A Logia type, could be trouble in the future." Mihawk commented. Luffy found this interesting, Smoker was a Captain this early? He must've done something stupid to still be a captain in his actual timeline.

"No trouble with the unit sent our way either." Added Lucci who sat on a barrel.

"Miss Boa handled the Rear Admiral with no trouble." Brook interjected trying to bring light to Hancock's accomplishment.

"No, you had as much to do with that." Though Katakuri decided to move one.

"We took care of the marines on our end."

"Aye we did indeed." Cooed Arlong who was still happy about being called Katakuri's bro.

"Good job everyone. And from here on out, Brook will join our crew." Everyone either gave him a handshake, a hug, or just placed a hand on his shoulders...or his bone shoulder..bone joke yohohohoho.

Due to clearing out the marine forces in Sabaody, Luffy was in no rush to set sail just yet. "We are getting big enough to start defining our crew role. Now my end goal will always be to obtain an Armada big enough to challenge the Yonkos. Eventually I want each and every one of you to head a division. Taking some inspiration from the old man of course." He was referring to Whitebeard, but not all of them understood that reference.

"What do you mean Captain?" Brook was the one to ask.

"You will all lead your own division while I am the overall leader of the entire Pirate Grand Armada." And then he fired off with the Grand Armada Commanders. "First Commander Katakuri...Second Commander Mihawk...Third Commander Lucci...Fourth Commander Arlong along with Brulee...Fifth Commander Brook."

"How about me darling?" Hancock asked confused that she did not have her own division.

"If I am to be King them you will be one of my Queens." Hancock took note of being one of Luffy's queens, but it would be a conversation for later.

"Any comments or concerns?" Luffy looked at his people, not one of them had shown any questions. He has shown them his will to be the best and they are there to emanate his will. "Alright then, next course of action. Alabasta."

And with that, the mold of the Strawhat Grand Armada was finally forming.