Dark Clouds Gather

North Blue, an unnamed island.

That night, a full moon hung high in the sky. The island, usually deserted, suddenly welcomed over a hundred unusual "guests."

These men had fierce temperaments and arrogant eyes. Most carried curved swords and flintlock pistols, their faces full of unrestrained arrogance.

They were pirates—pirates under the Belik Pirates.

"Ha ha ha! Bayas really had quite the stash. It's enough for the brothers to enjoy themselves for a while!"

Thinking of the dozen or so large chests they had just dug up, Belik's first mate burst into laughter. Although most of it had to be handed over to their great captain, the leftovers alone were enough to make them wake up laughing from their dreams.

"Lord Dorok, once we're aboard the ship, please look after us brothers."

Taking advantage of the first mate's good mood, several former Iron Hook Pirates crewmen who had just been absorbed into the Belik Pirates gathered around. As they offered a toast, they slipped a bag of gold coins into Dorok's pocket without leaving a trace.

"Heh heh, good. Good."

Feeling the weight in his pocket, Dorok beamed with pleasure.

He gave the flattering pirate lackeys a long look, then nodded slightly. These clever fellows certainly knew how to handle things. If the chance arose later, it would not hurt to promote them a little.

Draining the wine in his cup in one gulp, Dorok had never felt better.

As the Belik Pirates grew stronger, his status as first mate rose with them. After swallowing two pirate crews of comparable strength, the Belik Pirates had become one of the top pirate forces in the North Blue.

With the first mate in high spirits, the lackeys under him naturally laughed along. A grand banquet began.

The previously clean beach instantly became a mess, and the entire island rang with the pirates' drunken howls.

Just as the pirates threw their arms around one another and drank without restraint, the appearance of one figure brought the cheerful atmosphere to an abrupt halt.

The man wore a dark red overcoat. Though it was already old and tattered, its fine material was still easy to recognize. Compared to that luxurious coat, however, the coarse linen shirt and finely striped flax trousers beneath it greatly lowered his overall appearance.

But the man clearly did not care about matching his clothes. To him, the flintlock pistol and curved sword at his waist were the foundation of his life, the most important parts of his attire.

The firelight fell across his face, making his features appear somewhat savage. He curled his lips into an ugly smile, and a flash of conceit passed through his remaining single eye.

He was "One-Eyed Belik," the boss of every pirate here!

"Boss Belik, you're here. Come, have a drink!"

Dorok grinned and personally filled a large cup with rum before respectfully offering it to Belik.

At a time like this, the difference between newcomers and old hands of the Belik Pirates became clear. Those pirates who had only recently joined always appeared especially nervous when facing Belik.

After all, they had been enemies not long ago. Such mental barriers were not so easily erased.

"Don't mind me. Keep drinking."

Belik waved a hand casually. He had already had his fill of his subordinates' awe. Though there was no need for it, he enjoyed displaying his authority before them.

"The boss has spoken! Keep drinking!"

Dorok had always known how to read the room; otherwise, he would never have become first mate. After Belik spoke, he shouted at the top of his lungs while giving several trusted men nearby a meaningful look.

Receiving the first mate's signal, those pirates immediately put on exuberant, carefree expressions. Led by them, the banquet soon returned to the liveliness it had possessed before Belik arrived.

"Heh heh, Boss. Let's have one."

Dorok moved up to Belik and clinked cups with him. He and Belik had grown up in the same village, so their relationship was naturally closer than his was with the others.

"Good!"

Belik answered and took a large gulp of wine. Squinting his single eye at the pirate lackeys, he fell into thought. After a long while, he suddenly smiled.

"Dorok, our ambition is finally about to be realized."

Dorok froze slightly at Belik's words, but once he understood, endless excitement filled him.

"Boss, you mean...!"

Belik did not answer. He merely took another gulp of wine, reached up to touch his eyepatch, and spoke in a distant tone.

"Yes. It's time to take another trip around the Grand Line."

Belik's tone reminded Dorok of the days shortly after they first set out. Back then, the Belik Pirates were nowhere near as strong as they were now, yet high-spirited and arrogant as they were, they had still chosen to challenge the Grand Line directly.

The result had been utterly disastrous.

Of more than thirty crewmen, only Belik and Dorok had luckily escaped with their lives. Belik himself had even left one eye behind on the Grand Line forever.

"We were too weak before, but things are different now. We have men, money, and strength! We may not be able to claim the throne of the Pirate King, but we can at least fight for it on the Grand Line!"

Draining his cup, Belik's ambition blazed fiercely in his chest.

To challenge the Grand Line again, he had spent a full three years preparing.

Over those three years, he had raided everywhere, desperately evaded the Marines' pursuit, and secretly developed his strength in the cracks.

Finally, while the Iron Hook Pirates and Mad Blade Pirates were fighting each other, he seized the opportunity to absorb both crews' strength, multiplying the Belik Pirates' power.

"Obtaining Bayas's treasure was only the first step of the plan. The next step is here."

As Belik spoke, he pulled a sea chart from his coat. On it was a large red mark.

"According to information obtained by the Mad Blade Pirates, a Devil Fruit seems to have been discovered in this village. Heh heh, those foolish villagers are planning to sell it to the Marines at a high price. I'm planning to give this fruit to you."

Hearing Belik's words, Dorok excitedly licked his lips.

Devil Fruit. What a wonderful name. If he also gained the power of a Devil Fruit, then the Belik Pirates would have two Devil Fruit users.

"Boss, a toast to you!"

Excited, Dorok raised his cup, fully expressing his respect for Belik.

Belik laughed heartily, casually tossed aside the sea chart, and began drinking against Dorok.

The flickering firelight silently illuminated the red mark on the chart.

That place would become the site of another feast of plunder.

For someone without sailing experience, going to sea was no different from suicide.

On seas fraught with danger, there were not only pirates who plundered without restraint. The various beasts lurking beneath the waves were also threats that could not be ignored. But none of that mattered to Long Yi.

No danger before him could stop his determination to set sail.

After handing the completely unresisting Bayas over to the Marine branch and receiving a considerable bounty, Long Yi bought a small wooden sailboat at the port of Ulabia.

At the captain's kind suggestion, he stocked up on enough food and fresh water, bought a simple compass and several nearby sea charts, and made every preparation for departure.

"Kid, good luck."

Looking at Long Yi, who was about the same age as his own child, the captain offered him a heartfelt blessing and silently prayed that the sea would not take this child's life.

"Thanks, Uncle!"

Raising anchor and unfurling the sails, Long Yi waved goodbye to the captain on the dock. Aboard the wooden boat, he slowly sailed toward the sea.

"Don't go dying on me, kid."

Muttering quietly, the captain took one last drag from his crude cigarette and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. Watching the black dot out at sea, he narrowed his eyes slightly.

After a moment, he shook his head and turned away.

Every qualified Marine possessed some basic knowledge of sailing. Identifying directions and handling a sailboat were naturally no challenge for Long Yi, who had once trained as a Marine Seaman Third Class for two years.

Based on Bayas's account, Long Yi marked a spot on the sea chart with a pencil. The place where the treasure was hidden was not far from Ulabia. At his current speed, he would only need about a day to reach it.

Long Yi sat cross-legged on the boat in silence, letting the sea breeze stir his black hair.

A closer look would reveal that he was not as calm as he appeared. His right hand constantly rubbed the hilt of his sword.

The excitement before revenge and fear of the unknown mixed together, leaving Long Yi with a suffocating sensation. Breathing in the slightly salty air, he stared blankly at the sea ahead.

Long Yi had imagined revenge countless times in his dreams, yet he had never expected that when the day truly came, it would feel so rushed.

To be honest, he was not ready.

At present, he was roughly as strong as a Marine sergeant. Challenging Belik, who possessed the strength of a commissioned officer, was undoubtedly courting death.

He even wondered whether he would be worn to death by the lackeys of the three pirate crews before he ever got to see Belik.

"If only I had learned Observation Haki."

Long Yi gripped his sword hilt tightly, his knuckles turning white. With the aid of Observation Haki, his situation would be far better than it was now.

Unfortunately, there were no ifs.

In other people's eyes, Long Yi's actions were undoubtedly foolish. He could have secretly accumulated strength, advanced steadily with the system's help, and eventually gained power that surpassed all else. Then, setting out to sea for revenge would have been effortless.

It was not that he had never considered that path, but in the end, he had still chosen to go to sea.

On the road to becoming strong, Long Yi would not allow himself any retreat. Even if death was certain, he would face everything head-on.

This was the last stubbornness in his bones: he would rather die than yield!

"If I really die at those pirates' hands, then it only proves that I'm nothing special. What talk is there of an ambition to stand at the top of the world?"

Taking a deep breath, Long Yi prepared himself to die.

"Belik! I'm coming!"