Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 16.
This area once had a bright future, but it was destroyed in a small-scale battle between the Beasts Pirates and the Roger Pirates.
To this day, the ruins remain.
But humanity's special superpower is its incredible adaptability.
Intact streets have their uses, and ruins have their own rules for survival.
This district, which was turned upside down by the attack of the Yamata no Orochi, had become an even more perfect hiding spot.
At least, the Marines or World Government's agents rarely came to this pitted and scarred land.
More illicit transactions took place in this area.
Deep within the ruins, a woman with black shoulder-length hair stepped back, hiding her entire body in the darkness.
"Ohohohoho~ Ohohohoho!!"
"A super rare red fishman, an extremely valuable slave… I've hit the jackpot this time~!"
"Hey, hurry up! I want to return to Holy Land Mary Geoise right now!"
"Hmm~ my fish tank isn't ready yet… this is such a troublesome problem!!"
'A Celestial Dragon…'
Shakky stubbed out her slim cigarette, her eyes narrowing.
'Here to capture slaves? That fishman's skin…'
After a brief moment of thought, Shakky recognized the bound fishman.
'That's the famous fishman adventurer. But why is he here…'
After the Celestial Dragon's entourage moved away, Shakky stepped out of the shadows, thoughtfully glancing down the path they had come from.
"This is…"
She crouched down and picked up a small bottle scattered on the ground.
"Medicine?"
Shakky didn't linger. She quickly followed the narrow path.
Finally, she stopped beside a shallow pit filled with fresh corpses.
"The strength of fishmen is truly terrifying."
After this remark, a red light flickered in her eyes.
As she activated her Observation Haki, a somewhat terrifying presence emerged from deeper within.
However, that presence felt as if it had just recovered from a serious illness, giving Shakky a very strange sensation.
Shakky drew a pistol from her waist and cautiously moved toward the target area.
When she pushed open the slightly ajar door, light streamed into the room, and she finally saw the face of the man on the bed.
Her pupils shrank to pinpricks, and her expression turned to one of shock.
"The Captain of the Beasts Pirates~ Oh hohoho, I've really stumbled upon something good this time!"
In that moment, Shakky finally understood why that somewhat famous fishman adventurer had been lingering on Sabaody Archipelago.
There had long been rumors among pirates that Fish-Man Island had formed an alliance with the Beasts Pirates, and that the Beasts Pirates' flag now flew in the depths of the ocean ten thousand meters below.
Anyone who dared to abduct or capture mermaids or fishmen would face the full pursuit of the Beasts Pirates.
This had been confirmed by the few lucky slave traders who had survived.
As a result, the price of fishmen in the slave market had recently skyrocketed. After all, not many were willing to risk angering that murderous madman by continuing to capture fishmen.
But 'not many' didn't mean 'none'. Where there's great reward, there will always be reckless fools.
Everyone understands the principle: humans die for wealth, birds die for food.
Especially in the current market where fishman and mermaid slave prices were soaring, capturing just one of them could potentially earn someone several years' worth of hard work.
And there was another key point.
The World Government had shown no reaction whatsoever to the alliance between the Ryugu Kingdom and the Beasts Pirates, as if they were completely unaware.
Shakky didn't believe the World Government's agents couldn't uncover this information.
The only possibility was…
The World Government was unwilling to completely sever ties with the Ryugu Kingdom over such a 'minor matter'. In other words, the Ryugu Kingdom possessed something that the World Government feared… something even she didn't know about.
This was the answer Shakky was currently seeking, and today, the breakthrough had delivered itself to her doorstep.
"Kaido-kun, your Beasts Pirates owe me a big favor."
She took out a black duffel bag from the backpack she carried.
After opening it, she slipped it over Kaido, then put on a black coat and hat, hoisted the duffel bag onto her back, and quickly ran out of the half-collapsed house.
"No, no, a 'big favor' isn't enough… this is a life-saving grace~"
"Bazel-kun, what will your Beasts Pirates use to repay my kindness~"
…
Meanwhile, deep in the waters of the New World, on the island of Elbaf.
Underworld, Ida's Bar.
Bang!
Ding-ling-ling~
The bell behind the swinging door chimed.
"Welcome… oh my, it's the members of the Beasts Pirates."
At first glance, Mato recognized the leader.
Bazel looked at Mato with a stern expression, "Do we know each other?"
"You probably don't know me, but Dorry and Brogy brought your portraits a long time ago. Here~"
Mato took out a sketch of Bazel and Kaido from under the counter.
"They said you would come to Elbaf one day, and if you did, they asked me to make sure to treat you well."
"Wow... I didn't expect you to be so famous even in the Land of Giants, Bazel..."
Just as Toki's exclamation left her lips, mocking laughter erupted from the bar's booth.
"This woman is so ignorant. 'So famous'? Mere rookies! What the hell is the Beasts Pirates? Do they think killing a bunch of trash in Paradise means they can rule the seas?"
"Don't make me laugh!"
"That's right, Captain Bellen! These guys think reaching here is the end of the sea… just a bunch of country bumpkins who've never seen the world!"
"Zehzehzeh~ Captain Adams, why not just knock them out with your Conqueror's Haki? They're just trash pirates from the countryside anyway!"
"Yeah, yeah! Must be another bunch of country pirates from the Four Blues!"
Various taunts and laughter filled the air.
'Regional discrimination in the world of pirates?'
Bazel found it absurd, 'Since when could pirates from the New World look down on those from the Four Blues?'
'Besides, our Beasts Pirates hadn't started in the Four Blues either.'
"Adams Bellen, a somewhat famous pirate in the New World. He's a dual-wielding swordsmaster."
Olga, now the Beasts Pirates' intelligence expert, made her entrance, holding a bounty poster.
[Adams Bellen, the Ghost Swordsmaster. Bounty: 410 million Berries]
"Ghost Swordsmaster?"
Bazel casually tossed the bounty poster to the ground. As the Beasts Pirates walked over it, the poster was trampled under countless footprints.
"410 million in trash. Not worth our time."
Hanafuda glanced at Adams Bellen, whose expression had suddenly turned gloomy, and let out a weird chuckle.
"Hey, kid, try it if you dare. Don't say I didn't warn you… Bazel's already pissed off about Tiger."
"Though I don't know how you earned that 'Ghost Swordsmaster' title, if you dare make a move, I'll bet my head on it…"
"You'll become a real 'ghost' swordsmaster, wahahaha~"
If Hanafuda had kept quiet, it might have been fine. But his words ignited fury among Adams Bellen's crew.
"Are you talking out of your ass, you bastard? How can your words stink so much?"
"How dare you disrespect Captain Bellen's reputation?"
"Kid, this is the New World. Don't think just because you scraped together a few hundred million in bounty in Paradise, you can do whatever you want here."
Hanafuda wasn't angry, nor did he plan to fight.
"Same as before… if you've got the guts, make a move. Let's see who ends up dead."
"Hanafuda, shut up."
Bazel shot a glance at his comrade and sat at the bar, ordering a mug of ale.
"I'm not really in the mood to fight right now, so…"
Boom!!
Conqueror's Haki suddenly erupted.
Adams Bellen sneered, "Kid, what are you going to do now that I've made a move? Under my Haki, you won't even be able to resist!"
"Haki? You call this Conqueror's Haki? Wahahaha!!"
Hanafuda laughed so hard he doubled over, slapping the floor repeatedly.
"Your Conqueror's Haki must have a special ability… it's making me burst out laughing! That's an amazing power!"
"That's a talent neither Kaido-sama nor Bazel possesses!"
"You're wasting your gift by not becoming a comedian, wahahaha~!"
The Beasts Pirates who had followed Bazel into the bar also laughed uncontrollably without restraint.
"Stop it, Captain! Damn, my stomach's about to split from laughing!"
"You bastard captain, stop making us laugh! You should go become comedians together, wahahaha!!"
Seeing that the pirates not only remained conscious under his Conqueror's Haki but were also moving freely, Adams Bellen's arrogant smile froze.
"You're probably wondering why we can still move, right?"
Acier, who rarely left the ship, straightened up.
"Kaido and Bazel often use Conqueror's Haki for willpower clashes on the ship."
"To us, your level of Haki is less frightening than a tornado."
Adams Bellen's expression darkened instantly, his right hand gripping his sword hilt.
He drew his blade and instantly unleashed several flying slashes.
"Arrogant fools! I am the man destined to become the Pirate King! Die!!!"