Sin Island, the criminal paradise of the West Blue

Sin Island, a paradise for crime in the West Blue, is a place where there are no rules, crime is the norm, and no one comes to catch them; there is only endless crime and killing.

In other words, this is a place that harbors evil. As a place that is famous throughout the entire West Blue, it accommodates criminals from the entire West Blue and even other sea areas who are wanted and pursued by various countries.

Because of the special nature of this place, the strong connections behind it, and the combined power of the criminals on this island, no kingdom dares to enter the island to arrest people.

More importantly, this island constantly provides fresh blood to the Underworld of the West Blue, and many notorious villains in the West Blue come to this Sin Island.

The leaders of the Underworld also like to recruit their subordinates on this island, since most of the criminals who come here have a skill that is suitable for the brutal competition of the Underworld.

Today marks the opening of the Dark Council, an annual Dark Council held on Sin Island.

It turns out that all of this was done in secret, and only the bigwigs and powerful figures of the Underworld knew about and participated in each Dark Council.

Ordinary people and those whose power level is not high enough simply do not know about the Dark Council, because the Dark Council will only send out an invitation to join if it feels that you are qualified.

The Dark Council, which was originally operating in the shadows, is now moving into the open, specifically into the open Underworld of the West Blue's underworld.

In recent days, the West Blue Underworld has been in chaos, with one after another the leaders of the West Blue Underworld forces mysteriously disappearing or being assassinated. Some of these forces have been absorbed, while others have successors.

News and intelligence about the Dark Council began to spread in the Underworld of the West Blue, becoming known to many.

They all knew that this Dark Council was very different from the previous ones. This was the first meeting after the major reshuffle that had taken place in the West Blue Underworld this month. The effects of that reshuffle had not yet ended and might even concern the future of the entire West Blue Underworld. The number of participants was also much larger than expected.

Many factions received invitations to the Dark Council. Although many did not participate and were observing, they were all secretly paying attention to this Dark Council.

Because, it is said, this time the Dark Council is truly going to be established, and the people who will establish the Dark Council are the giants of the West Blue Underworld. The person in charge is the guy who instigated the massacre in the West Blue Underworld before, a mysterious person codenamed "Hades".

This forced them to pay attention, because it represented a force they could hardly resist. After all, even these Underworld giants had three of them killed directly, and their power was either divided up or replaced by someone else. Even if someone was replaced, their power was greatly weakened compared to before.

The same applies to the larger powers below them; the plundering, annexation, and consolidation of their power and industries cannot be accomplished in just over a month.

Meanwhile, the establishment of the Dark Council also stirred the hearts of many people. They all knew that this was tantamount to a dark government ruling the Underworld the West Blue, and most of the opponents were dealt with.

The success or failure of this meeting, as well as the specific situation of the Dark Council, will determine whether they will join it. After all, the giants of the West Blue Underworld have joined the Dark Council, and there must be a reason for it, with the interests they represent being the main factor.

They also guessed that this Dark Council wouldn't go so smoothly.

In the underground center of Sin Island, there is a huge conference hall. This hall is newly built and has been expanded, with many seats available.

Meanwhile, the leaders of various powerful Underworld forces have arrived here. There is a secret entrance outside; as long as they show their invitations, someone will naturally lead them here.

The Dark Council was scheduled for 8 PM, and by then, almost everyone who had received an invitation had already arrived.

Since only invitations are recognized, these invitations can be traded outside. After all, one invitation represents a faction, and each faction can bring three people. Therefore, it is unknown how many monsters and demons are among them.

In this huge underground conference hall, the lighting was not very bright, and the atmosphere was elegant, showing that the entire venue was carefully arranged.

They can see each other.

He glanced around and immediately recognized the familiar faces and the various factions that had come from there.

Many of them didn't know each other, after all, the West Blue was very large, but they had all heard of it, so quite a few important figures had come to the Dark Council today.

Of course, there are also those who hide their identities, not wanting to reveal them, so they wear a black robe.

The seating arrangements here are very particular. The entire venue is divided into three areas, arranged in a triangular pattern. The number of these areas varies, which means that the positions are arranged according to the level of power.

The fewer the number, the stronger the power they represent. This is also stated on the invitation. Look, the giants of the Underworld are already seated, and everyone else has taken their seats.

Although some people expressed dissatisfaction with their positions, they did not show it, because those of similar strength were all seated in the same area, and that was not their purpose in coming today, nor did they want to cause trouble here.

It can be said that all the major forces in the entire West Blue have gathered together. Although no one has arrived yet, more than half of them have come. This shows the influence of these West Blue Underworld giants. Some of them, though hidden behind the scenes, contain extraordinary energy.

Among his talents are Lafitte's remarkable eloquence and diplomatic skills, as well as his concern for the future of the West Blue Underworld.

Teach underestimated the influence and power of these giants. In the eyes of these powerful forces, the choice of these Underworld giants and kings is extremely important, like a weather vane. In their eyes, it is this mysterious guy named "Hades" who is going to establish the Dark Council.

Whether these giants genuinely wanted to join or were forced to, they had no choice. These dark world giants combined represented half of the West Blue Underworld, because in addition to their own power, their tentacles extended to many other forces.

Suddenly, with a "thump," even brighter lights came on, illuminating the previously dark stage ahead.

In the center of the stage, a figure appeared. Upon closer inspection, it was Stephanie. With Stephanie's abilities, this task was perfectly suited for her.

Stephanie held a microphone in her hand, wearing a sexy off-the-shoulder red dress, with her long blue hair cascading down her back and a small hat on her head. Instantly, many fiery gazes fell upon her.

Stephanie didn't seem to care. "First of all, welcome everyone here. You should all be familiar with the details of this meeting, so I won't waste any more time and will get straight to the matters concerning the establishment of the Dark Council."

No one expected the meeting to start so quickly. Looking at the area where the bigwigs were, their expressions didn't change, so they must have known all along.

This aligns with the desires of other factions, who want to know the specifics and details regarding the formation of the Dark Council.

"First, regarding the goals of the Dark Council, it is to stabilize and strengthen the Underworld of the West Blue, to facilitate the integration of the entire underground forces of the West Blue, and to prevent the invasion of external forces."

"Of course, we generally won't interfere in the internal disputes of forces that have joined the Dark Council. This is also beneficial for the advancement of our forces and the renewal of our bloodline."

Some faction leaders nodded in agreement. This way, the Dark Council wouldn't interfere too much in the affairs of its members. Besides, the underground forces were inherently chaotic, and no matter how stable they were, the rise and fall of forces, competition, and war would always exist and could not be eliminated.

"Unless the conflict between the two sides becomes too significant, causing turmoil, chaos, or even decline in the entire West Blue Underworld, the Dark Council will intervene to stop the conflict and, if necessary, impose sanctions."

If it really comes to that point, it's extremely rare. It would be a dispute between giants or a war waged by a coalition of powerful forces. It's only right to stop it. Although chaos can be beneficial for the development of power, it's only chaos to a certain extent. When it really affects the entire Underworld, no one can escape it. Very few people can benefit from it, and most will suffer great losses.

Seeing that no one else had any questions, Stephanie continued. This was a very tedious process, and Stephanie explained the main systems and departments of the Dark Council, the Dark Council, the Dark Parliament, the Dark Bank, the Dark Court, the Dark Arbitration Court, the Dark Audit Court, and their main functions.

The hierarchy of power is more clearly defined, and these departments wield considerable power, especially the chairman of the Dark Council, who can be considered the spokesperson for the Underworld. Of course, he cannot act arbitrarily and is subject to certain restrictions. He can be reported, and the Dark Court has this right.

Meanwhile, the ministers and members of these departments will be selected from the Underworld or from within these forces, but they must maintain absolute neutrality. If any favoritism is discovered, they will be punished.

Stephanie explained in great detail, and the other factions could see that she was serious. At the same time, they began to show interest in the Dark Council. However, at this point, Stephanie had not yet begun to explain the privileges and benefits that its members could enjoy.

However, as can be guessed from the previous narrative, the advantage lies in intelligence; they can obtain the information they need from the Dark Council.

You can also borrow money from Dark Bank when you're short of cash, where the interest rates are much lower than those of loan sharks.

Some who feel they have no future can leave their own faction and develop within the Dark Council.

These important officials of the World Government are all important figures in their respective seas. Becoming a minister in the Dark Council is equivalent to standing on equal footing with those giants.

If the Dark Council is truly established and develops, its prospects are very promising. Although there is a system like the Dark Council, this is normal. These giants are qualified to make laws for the Underworld, and with the Dark Parliament in place, it won't become a place where these giants have the Dark Council say. Moreover, as long as their power grows, they will also be qualified to become members of the Dark Council.

The Dark Parliament, however, caught their eye. This voting system was very reasonable to them, as it could effectively limit the Dark Council and gain the approval of most forces.

This is somewhat similar to the World Government's quadrennial Reverie, where the Dark Parliament not only votes but also discusses issues related to the West Blue Underworld.

The Dark Council is somewhat like the Gorosei, while the Dark Parliament is equivalent to the Reverie, with an additional nominal leader connecting the two: the Speaker of the Dark Council.

This reveals the Dark Council's ambition; it wasn't just a whim. There were some initial guesses, but now it's clear that the Dark Council is the World Government of the West Blue's Underworld.

Thinking this way, they couldn't help but feel excited about being able to participate.

Just then, a voice suddenly appeared, interrupting Stephanie's words, "So, the Dark Council wants to control the entire Underworld of the West Blue, right? Then, our identities and intelligence will also be under your control." Everyone's gaze fell on a corner, where a man shrouded in black bubbles stood, and the voice came from him.

"That's true, but it's only part of the information. In the Dark Council, this is necessary for information sharing. As for your identity, you should be a member of 'Ghost Fire,' and you should be the leader of Ghost Fire. You don't have any secrets from the current Dark Council." Stephanie looked at the man and couldn't help but smile.

These words caused an uproar, and everyone's expressions changed. Ghost Fire was the most famous assassin group in the West Blue's Underworld. It was said that no one who was targeted by them had ever survived. They had a huge reputation throughout the West Blue.

"Besides, we keep information about our internal members confidential," Stephanie added with a smile.

The man whose identity had been exposed was now radiating anger and a powerful aura. People around him scattered in fear to avoid being caught in the crossfire. From his appearance, it was clear that Stephanie was telling the truth.

"Since that's the case, there's no need for this Dark Council to exist anymore. Let's kill you all. This is a perfect opportunity to reshuffle the Underworld of the West Blue once again." The man said coldly. As soon as he finished speaking, figures throughout the venue stood up. In this large hall that could hold a thousand people, more than twenty figures stood up.

His words made everyone present look rather ugly. They hadn't expected the Ghostfire Assassin Group to be so crazy. They could feel the cold aura emanating from these people, and on the back of their hands, there was a Ghostfire mark. It was said that each member of the Ghostfire group was a powerful elite.

For these assassins, having their intelligence controlled by others is the most intolerable thing.

They dared not act rashly, focusing their attention on Stephanie and these dark giants. They had hosted this meeting, so they must have already prepared a solution.

Moreover, although Ghostfire is very famous, they have an absolute advantage in terms of numbers. The people they brought are not much worse than Ghostfire's members. It mainly depends on Stephanie and her group.

The leader of the will-o'-the-wisps charged directly at Stephanie, Stephanie showed no sign of nervousness, a faint smile on her face.

In that instant, endless shadows appeared, enveloping the entire venue, and everyone was deprived of their sight.

In just a few seconds, a faint sound came from the side, and then the darkness disappeared, and the meeting room returned to its original state. However, everyone was shocked by what they saw.

All the members of the Ghost Fire had fallen, stabbed to death with a single sword strike. The strongest Ghost Fire leader, too, lay dead in front of the stage, his chest pierced by a knife.

At that moment, a person shrouded in shadow stood before the leader of the will-o'-the-wisps, placing a hand on his head. After a long while, the hand slowly released the leader.

Everyone else knew that this was the mysterious "Hades," whose power was legendary. Now, they had truly witnessed it. Their palms were sweating as they clearly felt the immense power of "Hades." The powerful ghost fire was killed in seconds, leaving behind the previous darkness.

They couldn't help but swallow hard, a sense of fear creeping into their hearts. They had no doubt that if this man wanted to, everyone present would die at his hands, utterly powerless to resist.

"Let's continue." Hades glanced at Stephanie and said calmly. With a flash, he appeared where the giants were and casually found a seat to sit down.

But the air felt heavy.

Stephanie looked surprised, guessing the man's identity as Teach's second-in-command, a completely different person from before. These underworld tycoons naturally knew this as well, but said nothing.

"Hades" is just a code name; it doesn't represent a single person, but rather a group.

Stephanie continued to recount all aspects of the formation of the Dark Council. With Rediat, a powerful figure in the group, they listened intently, tense but focused.

The meeting lasted for more than four hours. Seeing that Hades did not make any move, some of those who were interested in the Dark Council began to raise their questions. Stephanie answered them carefully, and the overall picture of the Dark Council began to emerge in their minds.

They were particularly tempted by those special privileges.

"Finally, the meeting is adjourned. Is there anyone who wants to join the Dark Council?" Stephanie asked with a smile.

In the shadows, many eyes turned towards "Hades," and at that moment, the leader of one of the factions raised his hand, "I join."

With a leader in place, things became much easier. One by one, the leaders of various factions decided to join the Dark Council and become its members.

Soon, all the forces present joined the Dark Council. Even those who still needed to consider it, seeing so many people join and Hades sitting there, fearing they would be killed if they disagreed, agreed as well.

Not only Stephanie, but other Underworld giants were also somewhat surprised.

Watching this scene, Rediat couldn't help but think that things were much easier than he had imagined. He and Teach had expected it to be very difficult at first, but it was much easier than they had thought. This was mainly because he had shown great strength. This world was, after all, a world where the strong preyed on the weak.

After everyone announced their intention to join the Dark Council, Hades stood up, instantly captivating everyone's attention. Rediat stepped onto the stage, Stephanie readily made way for him.

"I am Hades, and the first Speaker of the Dark Council. I don't think any of you will object," Rediat asked, looking at them.

No one answered; how dare they object?

Seeing that they didn't answer, Rediat. "Over the next three months, people from the Dark Council will be in talks with you. The Dark Council will also begin to improve. Three months later, the first Dark Conference will be held at the Dark Council's headquarters on Kagris Island. At that time, we will discuss various matters of the Dark Council, the nomination of ministers of each department, and the selection of members. You can prepare yourselves."

"Furthermore, before the first Dark Conference begins, we can have a joint operation to prepare for and refine future joint operations." Hades' words surprised them somewhat. An operation so soon? Who was it targeting?

"I have just obtained the locations of the Ghostfire headquarters and two other strongholds. The Ghostfire headquarters is on Conch Island. As punishment for their provocation of the Dark Council, I have decided to annihilate the Ghostfire assassin group, leaving no one alive. Do you have any objections?"

How could there be any objections? Everyone present was intelligent. Thinking about the information Hades had just obtained—how did he obtain it? The image of Hades' hand resting on the head of the will-o'-the-wisp leader for several seconds flashed through their minds, and a chill ran down their spines. They truly feared Hades.

Moreover, the leader of the Will-o'-the-Wisps had previously said he would kill them all, so they naturally wouldn't let the Will-o'-the-Wisps go. Eliminating them completely is their style, in order to prevent any accidents.

With the Dark Council's conclusion, the members of this powerful force left Sin Island with heavy hearts. They all knew that the entire West Blue was about to undergo a major upheaval, and if nothing unexpected happened, an era in which the Dark Council would rule the West Blue's Underworld would begin.

They had some expectations for this era, but at the same time, they felt somewhat lost and unfamiliar with it. However, the eeriness of "Hades" was so powerful that it had cast a shadow in their hearts, making it impossible for them to resist.

They need to integrate their elite forces in the shortest possible time to participate in the operation to wipe out the Ghostfire Assassin Group. This is their first operation, and they cannot afford to be absent.