Tacit Understanding

Who would have thought that the Great Pirates who kept arriving had actually been lured here by Gino with promises of profit?

He used the opportunity to throw the island into turmoil, eliminate certain factions while interests were being reshuffled, and secretly prop up smaller factions under the Family's control.

Little by little, he increased the Family's influence on the island.

It was working, but it was far too slow.

This approach would take too much time.

Besides, some factions were not so easily dealt with. Some had even used each upheaval to expand their own interests, leaving the Iskanbel Family feeling threatened.

The Iskanbel Family could crush them by force, of course.

But it had no desire to bear the resulting turmoil and backlash.

What Gino had been waiting for was finally about to happen. The Iskanbel Family would rule the island completely, and every outside faction would have to play by his rules.

By now, Iskanbel Island had become too important to replace. Too many interests were tied to it.

It was not something those factions could easily abandon.

Gino knew which factions had to go and which could remain as partners.

They would have no choice but to compromise. They could no longer do whatever they pleased.

With the Kronos Kingdom joining in, this "trade island" might well take on new life and become even more attractive.

Even a tiny slice of the Kronos Kingdom's vast trade would be enough to benefit them.

At last, the long-awaited Farazul appeared, closing in at tremendous speed.

Its fearsome Three-Headed Dragon Figurehead, its flying pirate flag, and the terrible pressure it gave off could all be felt from afar.

As it drew closer, the figures aboard came into focus.

Hades stood at the front with his arms crossed, his piercing