The Black Pearl arrived at Sphinx's harbor at dawn.
It was a small town. From the Black Pearl's lookout, you could see from one end of it to the other.
The harbor was ringed with ships of all sizes. Most flew pirate flags, while a few bore the flags of underground gangs and slave traders.
Fierce-looking pirates disembarked. Some cursed as they headed for the town's taverns, while others went straight to its Pleasure District.
Yeah, that kind of place.
Sailing was a boring business. Most pirates had little desire to grow stronger. They robbed the weak of their wealth, then spent most of what they stole indulging their own desires.
Rocks was different.
Ever since Mongge had laid his cards on the table with Rocks, he'd realized the kid was frighteningly disciplined.
All he did, day in and day out, was train.
There was a stunning beauty right beside him, yet he wouldn't even spare her a glance.
February in Sphinx still carried a chill.
But Lipri had long since grown used to such weather in Elbaf. Apart from a fur coat draped over her shoulders, she wore only denim shorts and a tight top, brimming with youthful energy.
You'd never guess she was already over fifty.
Well, fifty-something was practically the same as a human teenager for a member of the Giant Tribe. A few years earlier, Lipri wouldn't even have been considered an adult.
"So this is Sphinx?"
Lipri leaned on the railing, looking around in every direction. You could easily forget that although she'd made her debut by defeating three CPO agents, she was still a genuine rookie pirate. She'd spent her whole life in Elbaf, and now that she was out in the world, everything seemed new to her.
"Yeah. The harbor's a lot bigger than when I left, and much cleaner and tidier. At least I haven't seen any pirates fighting in the streets."
In the New World, two pirate crews might clash simply because they didn't like the look of each other at first. If neither side could get the better of the other, they might end up sitting down together for drinks and a chat.
But if one side was weaker, the other would swallow them without mercy.
"Once we're ashore, Lipri, come with me to the underground market here. Rocks, you stay on the ship and guard the Black Pearl."
"Okay."
"Got it."
Lipri and Rocks answered together.
There was no such thing as order in a pirate harbor. If not a single person stayed aboard a ship, it wouldn't take long for everything inside to be stolen.
If the pirates found out that the Black Pearl was carrying goods worth a full two billion Beli, it wouldn't be long before every pirate in Sphinx came after them.
Of course, that was assuming they weren't afraid to die.
Mongge swept the area with Observation Haki and confirmed there were no particularly powerful Great Pirates nearby. At most, they were small fry with bounties of ten or twenty million. If it came to a fight, Rocks might well be able to hold his own.
And if anything happened, the town was small enough for Mongge to get back to the harbor in an instant. Rocks would have no trouble guarding the ship.
He was bringing Lipri along simply to rotate their watch.
Last time they'd landed on another island, Lipri had guarded the ship, so this time it was Rocks's turn.
"We really don't have enough people!"
Mongge sighed. Other pirate crews either recruited enough crew in the Four Blues or gathered them along the Grand Line before entering the New World.
But Mongge had started out in the New World.
Of the three of them, Lipri and Rocks were both fighters. Thanks to the Mini Fruit, Lipri could pass as half a quartermaster. Besides them, Mongge was the captain, but he also had to serve as navigator, cook, and doctor.
"Being the navigator is fine, but I'm no real doctor or cook."
"In that case, should we recruit a few crew members here?"
Lipri asked with a giggle, a backpack slung over her shoulders.
"The pirates who make it here ought to be pretty strong, right?"
"Haha, that depends on luck."
Mongge didn't expect much, but he still couldn't help hoping.
What if?
What if they ran into that man?
Edward Newgate, the man who would one day be called the World's Strongest Man. But Mongge wanted him for more than just his potential to stand at the pinnacle of the world.
He wanted him because of his dream.
Edward Newgate was powerful, but he had little ambition. All he wanted was a family at sea.
As a captain, Edward Newgate would be a rock-solid ally.
As a crewmate, Edward Newgate would be someone you could trust to watch your back.
If you treated him as family, he would return the favor in kind.
Could a captain ask for a better crewmate?
The Black Pearl docked.
After paying a mooring fee of one hundred thousand Beli, Mongge and Lipri headed toward town.
They drew plenty of curious looks along the way.
"Captain, I get the feeling those people are up to no good."
"Yeah, your instincts are right."
Observation Haki was naturally suited to detecting hostility. Those born with an innate talent for it could even sense other people's emotions.
Mongge couldn't do that, but he could still tell friendliness from malice.
He couldn't help wondering, too.
Had the White Wolf Pirates' flag really lost its effect in just one year?
The Marines attacked as soon as they saw them, and now even these pirates—who were no better than thugs—were showing their hostility so openly?
He didn't find out until he overheard the pirates whispering.
"The White Wolf Pirates' flag again?"
"Tch, how many times has this happened this year? There's always some fool pretending to be with the White Wolf Pirates to swindle people. Do they think the real crew are all dead?"
"Who knows? I heard the White Wolf Pirates disbanded. They haven't taken on any new crew in ages, have they? The ones aboard are all old-timers."
"..."
Only after hearing the pirates' conversation did Mongge understand what was going on. He couldn't help finding it a little ridiculous.
In the future, after the Straw Hat Pirates were broken up, a bunch of pirates would impersonate them to swindle people. They'd even managed to recruit a pile of pirates with high bounties.
Now that word of the White Wolf Pirates' disbandment had spread, some pirates were pretending to be them and throwing their weight around. It seemed they'd even pulled it off.
At the harbor.
A group of boys hid in a corner. When Mongge and Lipri had walked far enough away, they quietly slipped into the water and swam toward the Black Pearl.
"Newgate, do you think this'll be all right? What if that really is the White Wolf Pirates' ship?"
As they neared the Black Pearl, one of the boys lowered his voice and asked anxiously.
"Impossible." The boy at the front shook his head and said firmly, "How could the White Wolf Pirates have only three people?"
He'd watched the ship carefully. There were only three people aboard: the woman and the old man had left, leaving just one young man about their age.
"Don't overthink it. We'll grab the money and go."
The boy sprang out of the water. Though he was even bigger than an adult, he moved astonishingly fast, reaching the ship in almost an instant.
"Quick!"
He shouted and charged straight at Rocks, who was sitting at the bow.
"Hm?"
Rocks opened his eyes. Seeing the boy charging at him, he grinned.
"Interesting."
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