The Blood Eagle Pirates had been crushed, and the survivors were absorbed into the crew. All the wealth the Blood Eagle Pirates had accumulated through plundering and collecting tolls now belonged to the Divine Eye Pirates.
It was no small fortune. The Berries and various treasures were worth around 2.5 billion Berries in total.
It was inconvenient to leave the absorbed Pirates here, so Carlos brought them all aboard the Dark Moon. All the menial and heavy labor aboard the ship would now be their responsibility.
Afterward, they destroyed the various bases and buildings in One Line Gorge, wiped out the Blood Eagle Pirates' lair, and dealt with everything else. By the time they departed, more than two hours had passed.
After passing through One Line Gorge, the rest of the journey went very smoothly. Aside from encountering a hurricane and tsunami, which the Dark Moon slightly detoured around, nothing else happened. Nearly two days later, they safely arrived at the outskirts of the Calm Belt.
That evening, the setting sun dyed the horizon crimson. Waves rolled endlessly, and crystal-clear droplets reflected dazzling red light. The sea breeze was cool and pleasant, yet several hundred meters to the west lay an entirely different scene.
Not a bird could be seen, and the water was utterly still. The sea was as smooth as a mirror, without the slightest ripple, immersed in an eerie silence.
On the deck of the Dark Moon, Carlos stood with his hands behind his back. Aside from the crewmates steering the ship, everyone else had gathered behind him.
"Shiryu, this year is nearly over, isn't it?"
"Yes, Captain. The year will be over soon."
"Time really does fly."
Carlos sighed softly before his expression turned solemn. "All right, pass the order down. Activate the other propulsion system,