Beehive Island was the headquarters of the Rocks Pirates, universally acknowledged as the most dangerous island in the New World. Nearly everyone turned pale at the mere mention of it.
Though word of mouth painted the island as no different from a den of demons, it was actually blessed with beautiful scenery and pleasant weather. Its golden beaches were no worse than anywhere else, and with its year-round summer climate, it could even be called an exceptional vacation destination.
It was just that the ones gathered at this vacation destination were all heinous pirates.
When the great ship slowly descended from the sky, the pirates at the harbor erupted into cheers.
"Boss Shiki is back! Does that mean the Golden Pirates have been wiped out?"
"As expected of Boss Shiki! That was the Golden Minister with an 800-million bounty!"
"Isn't that obvious? Anyone who dares oppose the Rocks Pirates only has one fate: death!"
"They should look at their own standing before trying to build a pirate island like Boss Rocks!"
Roa stood at the railing, the small child folding his arms as he looked down and sighed. "Ohhh, Uncle Shiki is really popular. You're the superstar of Beehive Island. Unlike me—I clearly contributed too, but nobody even mentions me. How tragic."
"Cut the crap."
Golden Lion had long since passed the age where others' cheers could excite him. After setting the ship down at the harbor, he soared into the air. "Come on. Let's go see Rocks."
"Help me send my ghost slaves back to the arena."
Roa turned and instructed the pirates on deck.
"Yes!"
The pirates hurriedly lowered their heads and answered respectfully, not daring to hesitate in the slightest. It was as though the smiling Roa were some savage beast that devoured people whole.
"Wait for me, Uncle Shiki!"
Roa instantly transformed into a black tiger-man with wings sprouting from his back. His dark feathers beat once, and he shot into the sky like an arrow, chasing after Golden Lion.
The heart of Beehive Island was a massive skull-shaped building. The executives of the Rocks Pirates generally handled their affairs there, and it was also Rocks's residence.
However, Roa and Golden Lion did not find Rocks.
"That bastard took Linlin and Kaido to hunt down Roger,"
In the spacious office, a huge man with flowing golden hair and a white crescent-shaped mustache drank as he spoke. "That damn bastard actually made me stay behind to guard Beehive Island."
"What? Roger?"
Uncle Shiki wore the same expression as the man before him. "Why the hell didn't Rocks wait for me to return? How could they chase Roger without me?"
Another top executive of the Rocks Pirates, Whitebeard Edward Newgate, angrily smashed the wine glass in his hand onto the table. "That bastard just wants to deal with Roger personally!"
Roa scratched the back of his head. "Haha, you uncles really like Roger."
Gol D. Roger, known as the Pirate Succubus.
Hearing his voice, Whitebeard lowered his head to glance at him, his eyes filled with obvious disgust.
Roa was not surprised in the slightest. Among all the executives of the Rocks Pirates, Uncle Whitebeard was one of only two who disliked him.
"Hey, hey, hey, Newgate, that's no way to treat a child."
Shiki rested his left hand atop Roa's head and puffed out smoke. "This brat was quite active this time too."
"I've got nothing to say to this vicious little brat."
Whitebeard sneered.
"Haha."
Roa gave a tactically foolish grin, his cute little face looking utterly innocent.
Whitebeard was one of the more principled pirates, and he deeply disliked Roa for feeding on human suffering.
"Jihahahahaha!"
Golden Lion burst into laughter and rubbed Roa's head, not taking it to heart.
This was a good thing. The Rocks Pirates would fall apart sooner or later, and when that happened, the destination of a brat with limitless potential like Roa would be crucial.
Shiki believed Newgate was the only one capable of competing with him.
But Newgate hated Roa.
"And you, Shiki,"
Whitebeard's gaze settled on Golden Lion's face. "You went too far this time. You destroyed all of Doldia Island?"
"If you don't use ruthless methods, how are you supposed to intimidate those dogs? And then, Newgate—"
Shiki did not accept the criticism at all, his voice suddenly turning cold. "Are you dissatisfied with what I did?"
"Hm?"
Whitebeard frowned. "You got a problem with that?"
"Jihahahahaha!"
Accompanied by the lion's wild laughter, black lightning began to crackle around him. "Looks like you want to fight me?"
"If that's how you want to see it, I don't mind!"
Whitebeard's mustache began to tremble.
Boom!
The skull building suddenly began to shake. Though he could not see it, Roa guessed that all of Beehive Island had probably started trembling.
"Oho! Are you two uncles going to war?"
Roa sensibly stepped back.
This was an everyday occurrence in the Rocks Pirates. The executives would start fighting whenever they disagreed over a word or two.
After all, the executives of the world's strongest pirate crew were practically united by mutual distrust.
And every clash between executives was what Roa looked forward to most.
Fight. The more seriously they fought, the better.
When two monsters clashed on this island, how delicious would the black mist emitted by everyone on it be?
Saliva began to flood Roa's mouth. On the journey back, he had only been able to eat ordinary food. He had been craving it.
But it was at that moment—
"Newgate!"
A woman's affected voice rang out. "I baked a cake for you! Come taste it!"
A woman pushed a dining cart into the room, rushing in excitedly.
She was a very beautiful woman, with the same short golden hair, exquisite features, and a graceful, alluring figure. Her beauty was beyond question.
But when such a woman wore a strange flush on her face, twisted into an eerie grin, with nosebleed still running from her nostrils, she was not very heart-fluttering at all.
What a waste of that face.
The little Roa sighed inwardly.
Aside from Whitebeard, this woman was the second person who disliked Roa. She was madly in love with Whitebeard, so naturally she disliked anyone Whitebeard did not like.
Fortunately, there was still another Stussy.
Even Uncle Whitebeard, who had been confronting Uncle Shiki, no longer cared about clashing with Shiki. He immediately revealed an expression of extreme disgust. "Stussy, what did you add this time?"
"Something?"
The woman wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth and gave a strange chuckle. "Nothing, there's nothing in it! Hurry, Newgate, come have a taste!"
"That's enough,"
Another woman walked in, also a ravishing beauty. She had long white hair and a great snake beside her. "Newgate, you'd better not eat it. That idiot Stussy added aphrodisiac meant for elephants into the cake."
"Gloriosa!"
The future mother of Whitebeard Jr., the original body of the clone Stussy, Bakingum Stussy, shrieked and lunged at the newcomer. "You want to die!"
The woman named Gloriosa, the former ruler of Amazon Lily, rolled her eyes and nimbly dodged Stussy's pounce.
She even had enough leisure to greet Roa. "Little Roa is back too?"
Looks like they would not be fighting after all.
Roa sighed. What a pity.
Though he was sighing inwardly, the most polite good child in the Rocks Pirates still answered earnestly, "Good afternoon, Aunt Gloriosa! You look super beautiful today too!"
"Oh, what a sweet-talking good child!"
Gloriosa dodged another one of Stussy's attacks and still found time to rub Roa's head. "Did you have fun on this trip?"
"I did."
Roa grinned.
It had been a long time since he had tasted such delicious black mist. Uncle Shiki truly was a fine chef.
Seeing that Whitebeard no longer intended to fight, Golden Lion clicked his tongue in displeasure. "Brat, I'm going to eat. Coming?"
"No."
Roa politely declined. "I'll go back and eat."
Golden Lion raised a brow, then gave a strange smile. "No wonder Newgate doesn't like you, kid."
"Hmph."
Whitebeard snorted.
Roa scratched the back of his head and gave a tactically foolish grin.
After bidding farewell to his colleagues, all far older than himself, Roa returned to his residence on Beehive Island.
It was a small arena located very close to the skull building.
Before he even entered, a man came up to greet him. "Lord Roa! You're back!"
"Oh! Dylan, I'm back! Thanks for watching the place these past few days!"
Roa waved at him.
The man named Dylan was Roa's follower.
The Rocks Pirates were like that. Nominally, they were one pirate crew, but internally they were divided into separate factions, with the executives only one step away from splitting apart.
Even Roa had his own little group.
"The new ghost slaves have been settled in,"
Dylan was meticulous before his smiling master. "Will you be dining now?"
"That's right, that's right!"
Roa's cute face was full of anticipation. "I could only eat ordinary food these past few days. Hurry and bring all the gourmet dishes out for me!"
"Yes."
Thus, shortly afterward—
Roa had once again transformed into a massive black tiger, lying expectantly on the throne at the highest point of the arena stands.
In the arena below, the iron gates on both sides rose with a thunderous crash, and two groups of anxious people emerged from the two entrances.
Most of them were injured and looked miserable, but every one of them held a blade.
The moment they noticed each other, their expressions turned even uglier.
At the side of the throne, Dylan raised his voice. "Now, begin slaughtering each other! Only the victors may live!"
Saliva seeped from the corner of Roa's mouth.
Hehe, time to eat.
Before you continue