The waves roared, the light flickering off their jagged surfaces, as a gentle breeze swept across the ocean, ruffling the sailors aboard a merchant ship.
The New World isn't entirely filled with malevolent weather; as long as you stick to the routes, most of the time it's quite normal, especially for those who live in the New World with enough experience to avoid those violent climates.
It's even truer for the merchant on the balcony of the second-floor structure on the deck. He closed his eyes, feeling the sea breeze, his heart incomparably calm.
As a merchant and navigator, even in a place like the New World, he could live well.
No, it should be said that only a place like the New World can earn big money.
The chaos of pirates dominates here; besides making the already disconnected seas even more so, many looted goods seem almost free. As long as other pirates can be avoided, these goods can be sold elsewhere for a huge fortune.
Compared to this wealth, the risks at sea are insignificant; he also has strong guards here.
"Boss, a pirate ship spotted!"
At that moment, a voice rang from the watchtower, trembling slightly.
"A pirate ship is just a pirate ship, don't panic, just avoid it!" The boss waved his hand, looking relaxed.
Encountering pirates is quite normal.
"But, boss... that's the Disaster Pirates' emblem!" the sailor cried out in horror.
"Disaster Pirates?"
The merchant was shocked, took out his telescope, and looked in the direction the sailor was watching. Sure enough, he saw a fast-approaching brig on the sea, the sails and flag all bore the familiar Starry Sky Skull Flag known in the New World.
Occupying Gares and renaming it O'hara, the Disaster Pirates have always been a hot topic on the seas, and these roaming merchants were definitely aware of it due to their information channels.
This merchant had thought about doing business there, but upon hearing about the 40% trade tax, he refused. You can do business anywhere, why should one pay taxes to a pirate.
Why doesn't he return to the first half of the Grand Line and pay taxes to the local nobility; that would be safer.
"No need to be afraid, just a notorious pirate crew, it's just one ship. Let's sail to ten o'clock direction portside, avoid them!" the merchant ordered.
Just a single pirate ship, such a far distance, there's absolutely no need to worry.
Moreover, this sea area happens to be one he's quite familiar with, he could shake them off.
The merchant ship turned to ten o'clock, ready to continue its voyage, but the sailor above exclaimed again: "Boss, there's another Disaster Pirates' ship in this direction too!"
"Two ships? Change course again!"
The merchant frowned and instructed the merchant ship to change direction. However, as soon as the wind was picked up, the trembling voice of the watch sailor made his heart sink.
"An-another one!"
Within sight, another ship bearing the Starry Sky Skull Flag drifted on the sea, gradually approaching this direction.
Three pirate ships formed a triangular formation on the sea, surrounding the merchant ship.
"Boss, what now?" The sailors showed fear, but also unsheathed their weapons.
"No, it's fine, this ship is custom-made, we'll break through in this direction!" The merchant quickly regained his composure from the panic.
He's seen all sorts of scenarios, even escaped from ships bearing the Four Emperors' symbols, let alone the Disaster Pirates. It would definitely be fine!
The merchant ship was surely larger than the pirate ship, as it had to carry a lot of cargo, pirate ships focus on swift maneuvering. Generally, you can't escape when encountered, but this merchant ship was different; it was modified at a great cost, had stronger wind reception and faster speed, slightly faster than those pirate ships.
It was with this ship that he had escaped pirate plunder several times.
This time, it would be the same!
Boom boom boom!
Suddenly, from the surrounding triangular formation came a barrage of cannonballs, exploding in the sea water around the merchant ship, splashing huge water sprays and rocking the ship a little.
"Don't panic, too far away to hit!" The merchant shouted: "Keep breaking through, they know they can't catch us, that's why they're using cannonballs!"
As the merchant ship turned to break through, Bellamy in one of the twin-masted pirate boats lowered his telescope and clicked his tongue: "Can't hit?"
"Captain Bellamy, should we let them go?" A pirate approached, asking.
"How could that be!"
Bellamy shook his head: "It's rare to encounter a merchant ship, since we did, definitely don't let it go. If bombardment is useless then..."
Boom!
His words had barely fallen when a sound wave beam suddenly erupted from a distant pirate ship on the right, bombarding the merchant ship's mast.
"Yes, just like that!"
Bellamy laughed menacingly, his tongue hanging out, hopping upward onto his own ship's mast, his legs transforming into springs, compressing fiercely, rolling into smoke rings, and with a "bang", faster than cannonballs, directly shooting into the air, whistling above the merchant ship and fiercely crashing into another mast.
Boom!
The mast shattered, and the figure in the air crashed into the deck, digging a deep pit, stirring up a brief cloud of dust. Within the dust, Bellamy emerged with a clenched fist, moving his sunglasses away from his eyes, and licking his lips at the people on the deck:
"You can't escape!"
Someone on the deck exclaimed in fear: "It's the 95-million-Berry 'Hyena' Bellamy!"
After half a year of venturing in the New World, Bellamy followed Lily to take out the nobility and deal with those troublesome pirates, his bounty also increased to 95 million.
"Take him out, take him out quickly!"
In the chaos, the merchant pointed to Bellamy shouting, the guards and sailors on the deck unanimously aimed their weapons, with the guards first charging, then some people in the rear pulling triggers, firing lead bullets.
"Tekkai."
Without even needing to use Haki, Bellamy sneered, his body tensed up, allowing the lead bullets to hit him, sparking a series of sparks.
With the lead bullets finished, Bellamy stretched his body, swinging a fierce punch, sending a guard who charged forward flying.
"Rankyaku: Dog Bite!"
He kicked out a flying slash that ricocheted across the deck, like a hunting dog, piercing through the people ahead, leaving splashes of blood as they fell.
"Damn bastard!"
A burly guard gritted his teeth, suddenly lifted the cannon barrel from the deck, lit the fuse, and aimed at Bellamy, "Prepare to die!"
Bellamy was startled, just about to dodge when he suddenly sensed something. He only stuck out his tongue, "You can't hit me!"
Boom!
As the cannonball flew out, a figure quickly swooped down from the air, blocking the cannonball, causing a puff of smoke and revealing a figure.
"Who, who is it?!" the guard shouted.
"Since you're asking so sincerely!" A somewhat goofy voice came from within the smoke.
As the voice sounded, the smoke cleared, revealing a guy wearing a luminous stone hat with a fringe of bangs showing on his forehead, grinning widely.
"Since you're asking so sincerely..."
He repeated, waited for a while, then suddenly turned back and shouted, "Hey, Bellamy!"
"No way!"
A vein bulged on Bellamy's forehead, "Find Jean Bart for this sort of thing, not me!"
"Jean Bart isn't here, of course I'm looking for you, you promised back then!" Pearl shouted.
"When did I promise that?!" Bellamy growled through gritted teeth.
"Three days ago when we had a drinking contest, you lost, you agreed to cooperate, you won't back out, right?"
"I won't! I'm not that kind of person!"
Bellamy's face turned various shades of green and red, finally bursting out through clenched teeth, "We mercifully inform you..."
Pearl bared his teeth, "To prevent property destruction!"
"To protect the Captain's territory..." Bellamy closed his eyes.
"Uphold evil with love and truth!"
"Cool, cool..."
Bellamy's lips twitched, barely able to continue, but under Pearl's urging gaze, he closed his eyes tightly, "Cool and charming pirate role!"
"Pearl!" Pearl raised a thumbs up, teeth glinting.
"Bellamy!" Bellamy, resigned, lowered his sunglasses.
The two spoke in unison: "We are the Disaster Pirates plundering the seas, the treasures, and the wealth of tomorrow await us!"
Just then, another figure bounced down from the air using Moon Step, landing between the two.
"Hmm!"
Mute whimpered as if responding to their words.
"How was it? Pretty skilled, right?"
Pearl said confidently: "Even though I'm not the Shield Man anymore, I've become the Handsome Man, indeed, I am the absolute defense, Master Pearl with a bounty of eighty-five million!"
The sea breeze turned into a lonely howl, blowing past the dumbfounded crowd.
"Enough!"
Several veins appeared on Bellamy's forehead as he shouted angrily, "Deal with them, Rankyaku!"
He didn't want to stay here a moment longer.
If he'd known, he wouldn't have rushed to seize this merchant ship!
...
Meanwhile, on the other side, another pirate ship flying the Starry Sky Skull Flag approached an island.
"Is that it?"
A dark-skinned person raised a telescope, looking at a town near the coast, said in a deep voice.
On the dock of the town, Whitebeard's flag could be seen waving in the wind.
"Master Gin, it's there, the island under Whitebeard's protection," said a merchant-like figure, slightly hunched over.
"Alright, let's start here, make it flashy..."
Gin put down the telescope, thought for a moment, and reached out, "Bring me a solid cannonball, I'll shoot personally."
A subordinate ran over with an iron ball, respectfully placing it in Gin's hand.
Instantly, his arm shone with a metallic glow and transitioned to a high-temperature state, the scorching aura making those nearby subconsciously back away, wiping the sweat from their faces.
It's too hot.
Under the high temperature of his palm, the solid lead ball quickly melted, turning into liquid. Just before the lead ball fully melted, Gin lifted a foot, his body leaning back swiftly, adopting a familiar throwing posture.
Like Sage's throwing posture...
"Fist Bone..."
Thud!
Gin's eyes widened, the lifted foot stomped heavily on the deck, and the liquid lead ball was flung out explosively.
"Flowing Fire!"
Bang!
The palm slammed against the air, triggering a loud explosion, and at that moment, the lead ball completely melted, turning into hot, fiery liquid. It flew towards the flag above the town gate, instantly melting the flag and impacting the gate below. It melted the gate and set it ablaze, turning the town gate into a fiery red spectacle.
"This place now belongs to the Disaster Pirates, to Master Sage!"
Gin's full-voiced declaration echoed across the sea.