A massive sea chart hung on the wall.
It was so enormous that it encompassed the vast New World. Although many areas were shrouded in mist and impossible to survey clearly, the chart still marked every region of the New World that had been explored.
Just this one sea chart would fetch an astronomical price.
However,
Compared to the chart itself, the densely packed shipping routes recorded on it were the true inexhaustible gold mine. At every moment, a river of wealth flowed along each route.
This was the result of Umit's efforts over most of his life.
The precise data for every shipping route, the detailed conditions of every port, and information on the winds, waves, tides, currents, reefs, and drifting ice in every sea area—all of it formed the flesh and bones of the Black Water Association, supporting the King of Maritime Transport's position in the New World.
"What's going on with the Dallama Kingdom? Why haven't I seen the latest report from the Dallama Kingdom Shipping Company? And Aliye, too. Where's the report? Why is there no report from them?"
Umit looked at his secretaries, who had their heads bowed, with a gaze so cold it could make someone forget the scorching climate of Summer Island and feel as if they had fallen into the depths of an ice cellar.
He had a huge secretarial team.
As the King of Maritime Transport in the New World, he couldn't steer the Black Water Association, a supercommercial vessel, by himself. His energy and time were limited, so he needed enough people to help him pilot the ship.
His team of over fifty secretaries served as the tentacles with which he controlled his vessel.
"Can anyone tell me? What exactly happened?"
Umit asked again.
The oversized dark blue hat on his head, with its distinctive anchor design, bobbed gently as he looked around.
The secretaries didn't remain silent for long. After a wordless exchange of glances, one stepped forward and bowed respectfully before Umit's desk. "Lord Umit, we haven't received a detailed report from our people on the ground. So far, we've only heard a few scattered bits of information..."
"Give me the conclusion!"
Umit stared at the secretary who had stepped forward.
"It's...the Ekmondo Kingdom." The secretary forced himself to say the name.
As Umit's subordinates, the secretaries understood his ambitions and methods better than anyone. In fact, they had devised the specific plan against the Ekmondo Kingdom together. They would use the Amento Kingdom as a cover to fool the Whitebeard Pirates, then, once the deed was done, placate their anger with money and heads.
The plan wasn't particularly brilliant, but it was simple and practical, and easy to carry out.
Unfortunately,
The plan had barely begun, and they couldn't see it through.
Black Prince Sokachio Aleus had made a name for himself in a single battle. All their hard work had become a stepping stone for Aleus, helping the previously obscure prince secure a place in the New World, where powerhouses abounded.
The message brought back by Ghost Sword Venkura was still etched in their minds.
After all,
It had been nearly ten years since anyone had dared tell Umit, "Before I take your head with my own hands, make sure you keep my spoils of war safe! Don't lose them!"
The most infuriating part was that Venkura, that spineless loser, had been scared out of his wits. In front of Lord Umit, he'd gone on and on about how terrifying Aleus was, exhausting his meager vocabulary until he had practically wrung his brain dry.
Exaggerating an enemy's strength to cover up one's own incompetence was hardly unusual.
But they hadn't expected Venkura, who had once inspired such high hopes, to be so fragile. He'd made the enemy sound as terrifying as one of the Four Emperors... It was almost enough to make them laugh. But once the laughter passed, all that remained was deep disappointment.
Venkura was still locked up in the cells!
And now they had to bring up the unpleasant name of the Ekmondo Kingdom again.
"The Ekmondo Kingdom... So this is revenge?"
Once Umit understood who was behind it, his anger subsided instead. Seventy percent of his rage had come from the unknown. The fear of the unknown was the greatest fear of all, but once he learned the enemy's true identity, that fear naturally disappeared.
Compared to the unknown, what did a known threat amount to?
Unless the ones coming for him were one of the Four Emperors, one of the Three Admirals, or a monster like Hawk Eyes.
Otherwise,
There was nothing else he had to fear.
He was the King of Maritime Transport,
one of the undisputed giants of the Dark World.
"I'd planned to spare them out of respect for Whitebeard's flag, but if you insist on asking for trouble...then you can only blame yourselves for not knowing when to quit." Umit tugged at his curled mustache, his cold eyes filled with a chilling murderous intent.
Ever since reports of the battle on Whale Tail Island had spread the news that he'd interfered in a dispute over Whitebeard's territory, he'd been forced to focus on the Whitebeard Pirates and carefully guard against their thunderous wrath.
Instead of facing the Whitebeard Pirates' fury, though, he'd been bitten by the little dog of the Ekmondo Kingdom, a kingdom he'd never taken seriously.
"Contact..."
Umit began to speak, then stopped.
Who should he contact?
Venkura wasn't the best of the hidden agents he'd kept in reserve, but he was certainly among the top five. The fact that Venkura had been left in such a miserable state, his confidence utterly shattered, said something about the Ekmondo Kingdom... No, it said something about Black Prince Sokachio Aleus. He wasn't just a bloodthirsty butcher.
A fighter of Venkura's caliber probably wouldn't be of any use. But a powerhouse far superior to Venkura... Was Umit supposed to take action himself?
There was also the matter of continuing his attacks on the Ekmondo Kingdom. How would the Whitebeard Pirates respond? Would they ignore it, or decide he'd gone too far?
He realized that his murderous intent had been somewhat too rash.
The New World was simply this complicated.
The New World belonged to the Four Emperors—not to any one Pirate Emperor, but to all four. Even a Pirate Emperor couldn't truly do whatever they pleased. Restrictions, seen and unseen, surrounded everyone, including a giant of the Dark World like him.
No one was truly free to do whatever they wanted.
Even Big Mom, the Mad Emperor who would conquer a country for the sake of sweets, had been restraining her desires and avoiding Fish-Man Island, despite coveting its treats and Fish-Men. The island was protected by Whitebeard, after all.
"Whitebeard... Since I can't exactly march up to his door, then... I'll make him come to me." Umit looked at the massive sea chart on the wall. "Spread the word that I'll meet Joker in Dressrosa in the middle of next month. And send an invitation to our Black Prince, too. Tell him..."
A self-made kingpin,
Umit had never lacked courage or decisiveness.
He didn't hesitate for even a moment to use himself as bait. Risk and opportunity went hand in hand; he understood that better than anyone. No one unwilling to pay a price could hope to reap a worthwhile reward. He wanted to eliminate Aleus, the parasite trying to destroy his Maritime Kingdom, as quickly and effectively as possible. Naturally, he had to accept the corresponding risks.
"Tell him I'll be waiting for him in Dressrosa. I'll give him the chance to kill me. If he wants his spoils of war...how can he claim them without showing up to fight?" Umit kept his eyes fixed on the chart.
That unwavering gaze,
was as if he were looking at his own life.
And in truth, he was. This chart, these densely packed shipping routes—this was his life. He had poured most of it into these routes.
"If you want my head, then come and take it!"
He murmured to himself.
The secretaries stirred uneasily.
They didn't approve of Umit putting himself in danger, especially in Dressrosa, the home base of that shameless scoundrel Joker. Compared to Aleus, who might not even have the courage to accept the invitation, Joker was clearly the more dangerous man: greedy, despicable, and cunning.
"Lord Umit, Joker..."
"Don't worry. Don't underestimate that scum's instinct for survival."
Umit cut off the secretaries' objections.
As one of the Dark World's giants, Joker's ambitions were common knowledge. The former Celestial Dragon, now a Shichibukai, had always followed his own creed: "Justice will prevail." He believed that only the final victor could define "justice," and he knew full well that he wasn't strong enough to become that victor yet.
So,
He wouldn't deliberately undermine the existing rules.
On the contrary, to protect his position as a man who profited from both the underworld and the surface, he would do everything he could to maintain the current order. Before the so-called "new era" he dreamed of arrived, he wouldn't be the one to tear down the old one.
That was why Umit had deliberately chosen Dressrosa.
When necessary, he might even pay a price to enlist Joker's help.
Of course,
If Aleus didn't show up in Dressrosa next month...then Umit would simply have to find another way to deal with this nuisance. His Maritime Kingdom wasn't something a little parasite could destroy so easily.
Before you continue