The Ship Bound for Hell / No Matter Where You Go, You'll Meet People Who Aren't Afraid to Die

Kuzan looked up and met Carteles's icy gaze.

He already knew the answer.

"The World Government..."

He quickly looked away, turned, and headed into the kitchen to have the Cipher Pol Aigis Zero agents bring out the food and wine.

Hopefully, he was overthinking it.

How many people would have to die to leave behind that many souls?

Souls varied in strength. Kuzan knew little about the subject, but he knew ordinary people left no souls behind when they died. Only those who harbored deep resentment and possessed an unyielding will could have their souls preserved by a Devil Fruit ability at the moment of death.

Carteles watched Kuzan walk away. The coldness in his eyes vanished, and as he drew on his cigarette, he once again looked like a harmless tavern keeper.

The Ship Bound for Hell

Without Kuzan or his companions knowing, the Freedom suddenly changed course toward Carter Island, island number three.

Whether that change of course was lucky for Kuta's group or Kuzan's was hard to say.

Probably both.

Whichever side was stronger, avoiding each other this time meant both could live a good while longer.

A pirate crew already on Carter Island was not so lucky.

Carter Island.

It was a small island devoted to shipbuilding.

Situated between several large islands, it drew customers from all of them whenever they needed ships built.

Alabasta was one of those islands.

Seen from high above, the entire island resembled a giant clock. That was why it was also called "Clock Island."

In the waters upstream of Clock Island lay a vast territory inhabited by Ironhead Fish.

As the name suggested, an Ironhead Fish was a fish with an iron-hard head.

Well, that was a joke.

These fish had extremely hard skulls and vicious tempers. What they loved