The harbor of Thriller Ghost Island.
One after another, coated ships — merchant vessels, passenger liners, and pirate ships alike — slowly docked at the bustling piers, where crowds of people came and went.
Although the World Government and Marine Headquarters had ordered a total embargo on trade with the Davy Jones Pirates, until new, safe routes were charted, most ships still chose to sail the Undersea Route.
It was safer, cheaper, and more efficient.
Especially for pirate crews — they could hardly risk the Red Line or the Calm Belt, where both the climate and the Navy made travel lethal.
Most ships stayed a few days at Thriller Ghost Island, either to trade or to restock supplies.
But some came here on purpose.
"Ah ~ what a sweet air! So this is the air they breathe? It's completely different from the 'Paradise' side!"
A man with a bright green mohawk stood in the middle of the crowded harbor street, closed his eyes, stretched out his arms, and inhaled deeply as if intoxicated.
Behind him, a group of followers mimicked the same motion, looking for all the world like cultists performing a bizarre ritual.
But the air at the harbor was anything but "sweet" — it reeked of fish, sweat, and dung.
Their strange behavior drew stares from the locals; some even whispered about reporting them to the Davy Jones Pirates.
Others were less subtle in showing their disgust.
"First thing we see after landing is a pack of lunatics. What rotten luck."
A man with short golden hair and sunglasses spat on the ground as he led another group past.
"Knew it. This place is no good."
"What did you just say?!"
The green-mohawked man snapped.
Leading his followers, he strode forward.
"What's so bad about this place, huh?"
The two groups actually knew each other — they'd met briefly on Fish-Man Island not long ago.
They were among this year's Supernova rookies, though far less notorious than the previous batch.
The blond one was "Hyena" Bellamy.
The green-mohawked one — "Cannibal" Bartolomeo.
Bellamy was baffled.
He's mad not because I called him a lunatic, but because I insulted Thriller Ghost Island?
"You'd better explain yourself!"
Bartolomeo jabbed a finger into Bellamy's chest again and again, right where the clown-smile emblem was, his head tilted arrogantly.
"Looks like you're not just crazy — you're deaf too."
Bellamy slapped Bartolomeo's hand away and, without warning, threw a sharp punch at his face —
His arm suddenly stretched like a spring, shooting forward with brutal force!
But Bartolomeo didn't flinch.
He didn't even bother to step back.
Crossing his index and middle fingers, he conjured a transparent, sun-glinting Barrier between them.
BOOM!
Bellamy's spring-powered fist smashed into Bartolomeo's shield.
A tremendous recoil surged back through his arm, flinging him a full meter backward before he could stop himself.
He stared at his fist, then at Bartolomeo.
Bartolomeo grinned smugly.
"It's useless! You'll never break my defense — because I've received Captain Davy Jones's blessing!"
"Tch — raving nonsense."
A vein bulged on Bellamy's forehead. He turned to his crew.
"Get them! Kill every last one of these freaks!"
"But … the cargo from that man is still on board … if we start trouble here—" one of his men hesitated.
Bellamy grabbed him by the collar and hauled him up.
"You think now's the time to whine about that?! If you can't even handle these idiots, how are you going to face that man?"
He hurled the trembling underling to the ground.
His first mate, Sarquiss, knew Bellamy's temper well. He didn't bother trying to stop him — just muttered a warning:
"We're carrying that man's cargo … and some contraband from the Undersea Route. This is the new Emperor's territory. Better finish this fast."
"Yeah, yeah," Bellamy muttered carelessly.
"'New Emperor,' huh? What a puffed-up title. In the New World, that guy's nowhere near as seasoned as our boss."
The Bellamy Pirates lunged forward — and the Bartolomeo Pirates weren't about to back down.
Soon, the two sides were brawling across the harbor, drawing a crowd of shouting onlookers.
Bellamy and Bartolomeo clashed head-on, neither yielding — but overall, Bartolomeo clearly held the upper hand.
No matter how Bellamy ricocheted off the nearby buildings, he couldn't crack the Barrier-Barrier Fruit.
Each time, he was sent flying back in humiliation.
Disheveled and red-faced, Bellamy couldn't bear the shame.
He was, after all, an officer under Heavenly Yaksha Doflamingo — yet here he was, outmatched by another rookie pirate.
Seeing the watching townsfolk, his fury exploded.
"What are you staring at?!"
Most of them shrank back in terror.
Only an old man with a cane remained where he was.
Lifting his thick white brows, his cloudy eyes glanced between Bellamy and Bartolomeo.
In a trembling voice, he asked:
"Say … young man … aren't you going to run?"
Run?
Run from what?
Bellamy was momentarily dumbfounded.
Could this decrepit fossil be taunting him?
I might not be able to handle Bartolomeo … but an old man halfway to the grave?
Snarling, Bellamy charged at the elder, coiling his spring arm for a killing blow.
Screams erupted from the bystanders — but none dared intervene.
The old man didn't move.
Whether frozen with fear, crippled by age, or simply calm, no one could tell — but he stood his ground.
"Bellamy — !"
He heard Sarquiss shouting somewhere behind him, but he didn't care.
He'd vent his rage first — and think later.
But from the side, a shadow flashed.
Bellamy caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye — then a massive spiked iron club filled his vision.
BOOM — !
The blow landed like a meteor.
Bellamy crashed into the ground, carving out a crater, before his body bounced up and flopped lifelessly to the dirt like crumpled paper.
Blood poured freely; his head was caved in like a deflated ball, white fluid leaking out.
One strike.
Just one strike — and Bellamy was down.
Alvida swung her iron club once, the "Smooth-Smooth" Fruit keeping the weapon spotless.
Hoisting it effortlessly onto her shoulder, she didn't spare the old man so much as a glance.
She was merely carrying out her duty.
"If you lot don't stop now," she said coolly, "you'll end up just like him."
The pirates froze.
The Supernova "Hyena Bellamy" had been killed — in an instant?
Recognition rippled through the crowd.
Alvida — bounty 440 million Berries — officer of the Yonko Davy Jones!
No wonder Bellamy had been crushed so quickly, so easily.
Caught up in their own brawl, they'd forgotten whose territory this was.
No one dared move.
Bellamy's men, led by Sarquiss, howled in despair and threw themselves over their captain's corpse.
Alvida ignored their grief.
"Looks like you've forgotten our rule here," she said evenly.
"Those who cause trouble… must pay the price."
More of the Davy Jones Pirates arrived — humans, fish-men, even merfolk — surrounding the offenders completely.
"Handle them by the usual protocol," Alvida ordered.
Adjusting the wide white hat on her head, she gave a faint smile.
"Everything on your ship will be confiscated.
If anyone has objections… now's the time to speak."
The Bellamy Pirates were paralyzed with fear.
Their captain had been made an example of — who among them would dare defy her?
All eyes turned to Sarquiss.
Sweating profusely, his face pale, he clutched Bellamy's body and trembled.
He had never imagined that the Davy Jones Pirates would strike down one of Doflamingo's men — so decisively, so mercilessly.
Worse yet, their ship held Doflamingo's cargo … and contraband from the Undersea Route.
If that was discovered — they were finished.
Alvida, ever the sharp observer after years handling intelligence for Davy Jones, immediately noticed something off in his reaction.
He's afraid of us searching their ship…?
Without hesitation, she issued a crisp order.
"Search the Bellamy Pirates' ship."
"Aye!" her crew responded, rushing off.
Sarquis's breath caught.
He collapsed to the ground, realizing it was all over — and he no longer even had the will to resist.
Alvida turned to the other group — Bartolomeo and his followers.
To her surprise, they all rushed forward under Bartolomeo's lead — and dropped to one knee before her.
"Esteemed and beautiful Miss Alvida!" Bartolomeo cried, his tone dripping with reverence, eyes shining.
"We are willing to offer everything — to dedicate it all to the Sea Devil King, Davy Jones!"
Alvida blinked in confusion.
Calling her "beautiful" was, of course, entirely accurate — but pledging everything to her captain right off the bat?
What on earth is with these people…?
PS: Access the complete/finished chapters/series at Patreon: NanamiTL
Please drop some power stones support me at my Patreon