Every sea in the world had its own title.
The second half of the Grand Line was known as the New World. People said that if you wanted to make a name for yourself there, you needed real strength. Without it, you would be swallowed whole and leave nothing behind.
The first half of the Grand Line, meanwhile, was called Paradise—a gathering place for failures.
Many pirates who had been driven out of the New World settled there. Some spent the rest of their lives in Paradise, while others quietly accumulated strength, hoping to one day charge back into the New World.
Although the New World was overflowing with pirates, Paradise actually had even more. You could run into pirate crews almost everywhere.
The Marines increased their suppression efforts year after year, but pirates were like weeds. Cut down one batch, and another would immediately sprout up.
Every Fleet Admiral ended up with a headache because of it.
After Sengoku took office, he implemented a policy of driving pirates from Paradise into the New World. It worked for a while, but before long, countless new pirates appeared.
Still, Sengoku wasn't worried.
He understood the principle of boiling a frog slowly.
The East Blue was known as the weakest sea.
Among powerful pirates, that title was universally accepted.
Among Marines, however, it was called the most peaceful sea.
The South Blue was recognized as the poorest of the Four Blues.
After Morgans exposed the truth behind its situation, many people began blaming the region's nobles.
The South Blue aristocracy became so furious that they collectively placed bounties on Morgans.
It accomplished absolutely nothing.
If Morgans didn't have the ability to protect himself, he never would have earned the title King of News.
The West Blue was acknowledged as the strongest sea.
Every generation produced outstanding talents from there.
One of the most famous examples was the current rising star of the Great Age of Pirates—
Shanks.
As for the North Blue, it was universally recognized as the most chaotic sea.
Wars between nations broke out almost daily.
One example was the infamous Germa 66.
Germa 66 was a military nation built entirely on advanced science and technology. It possessed no permanent territory and functioned as a mercenary army.
Yet because of its overwhelming technological power, it still held tremendous influence throughout the world and was even permitted to attend the World Conference.
As for the "66" in its name—
That came from the sixty-six days its king had spent attempting to conquer the North Blue before angering the World Government.
The Government dispatched Borsalino, who ended the campaign with a single laser assault.
From start to finish, the conquest had lasted exactly sixty-six days.
Pirates flourished here.
Mafia organizations were everywhere.
Almost every island had some form of underworld presence.
The largest criminal force in the past had been the Donquixote Family, though its leader, Donquixote Doflamingo, was now thriving in the New World.
The North Blue was also the birthplace of future Marine powerhouses such as Sakazuki and Borsalino.
The moment White Ghost's crew entered the North Blue, countless pirates descended upon them.
Every one of them had bloodshot eyes.
It was as if White Ghost's ship contained mountains of gold.
White Ghost had only one response to them:
Kill.
And keep killing.
The newest recruits—Sai, Boo, Daz Bonez, and the others—were exhausted from the nonstop fighting.
The veteran crew members, however, were completely used to it.
After all, they had climbed their way to the top through endless slaughter.
"Seriously, this place is ridiculous."
Zango watched yet another pirate ship approach and couldn't help complaining.
"No wonder it's called the most chaotic sea."
Kuro sipped wine while watching the battle unfold ahead.
"It really is. Ever since we entered the North Blue, we've been attacked by pirates nonstop.
"Every time we dock for supplies, another group of suicidal killers appears.
"It's becoming impossible to enjoy ourselves."
Señor Pink puffed on his cigarette expressionlessly.
"The North Blue has always been like this.
"When I was with Doflamingo, we fought every day.
"You get used to it."
Kuro nodded.
"Let the newcomers handle it.
"Nothing makes people grow faster than killing."
Ahead of them, on a pirate ship stained with blood, Lafitte examined the corpse dangling from his hand.
"Hohoho...
"I think I fit in quite well here."
Daz Bonez sliced several pirates apart with a kick before glancing at him.
Then he looked at the mutilated corpse.
Its eyes had been gouged out.
Its ears and tongue had been ripped off.
The methods were excessively cruel even by assassin standards.
"I agree.
"You're even more ruthless than professional killers like us."
Lafitte maintained his professional smile.
"I accept your compliment."
Nearby, Boo unleashed a punch.
"Hasshoken Secret Art—Lion King's Fist!"
White shockwaves erupted from his fist and expanded outward in circular rings.
Boom!
The pirates before him instantly collapsed, blood pouring from all seven orifices.
Sai fought his way through the crowd with his weapon, slaughtering pirates left and right.
At first, he had struggled with the killing.
But after enough battles, he had grown accustomed to it.
Once the fighting ended, everyone began searching the ships for treasure.
That was one activity nobody complained about.
The constant pirate attacks were annoying, but nearly every pirate crew carried some kind of wealth.
White Ghost had recently established a new rule:
Eighty percent to the crew.
Twenty percent to the treasury.
Anyone who participated in defeating pirates received a share.
As a result, everyone had earned quite a few valuable rewards recently.
They had even recovered several Devil Fruits.
Most of them were ordinary Zoan types, which White Ghost simply added to his collection.
One particular Devil Fruit nearly made him lose composure.
It was yellow.
Its shape was... questionable.
After comparing it with the Devil Fruit encyclopedia, he confirmed it was exactly what he thought it was.
White Ghost stared at it for several seconds before finally commenting:
"Was this fruit created specifically to disgust people?"
The rest of the crew couldn't help twitching at the corners of their mouths.
The only conclusion they could reach was:
Devil Fruits truly came in every imaginable form.
After everyone returned, Bai Hezi swung her blade.
Black flames surged across the pirate ship.
Boom!
The vessel was quickly engulfed.
This was the law of the sea.
The losers either escaped—
Or died with their ship.
White Ghost sat comfortably with a cup of coffee prepared by Sara.
It was surprisingly good.
No wonder she had opened a café after escaping prison in the original timeline.
She genuinely had talent.
Watching another pirate ship burn to ashes, White Ghost waved his hand.
"Keep moving.
"Whoever comes, kill them.
"Not a single one of these scum is innocent."
And so the slaughter continued.
White Ghost cut a bloody path through the North Blue.
Eventually, fear began spreading.
Every crew that challenged him disappeared.
None ever returned.
Just as many people were beginning to lose their nerve, a new rumor suddenly swept across the sea.
White Ghost had visited the legendary city of gold—
Shandora.
And his ship supposedly carried hundreds of billions worth of gold.
The moment that information spread, the North Blue exploded.
Pirates.
Mafia organizations.
Corrupt nobles.
Everyone's eyes turned red.
Hundreds of billions!
What did that amount even mean?
Fifty billion was enough to buy an entire kingdom.
The North Blue, which had only recently begun calming down, instantly went mad again.
Countless people charged toward White Ghost's ship.
After all, even the golden dragon figurehead alone was worth a fortune.
Many now truly believed he had discovered Shandora.
White Ghost's face darkened.
Watching wave after wave of desperate fools approach, he gritted his teeth.
"What exactly are those idiots from Lampfire trying to do?
"Are they planning to exhaust me to death with cannon fodder?"
Just as he was considering how to return the favor, five more pirate ships appeared on the horizon.
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