Somewhere above the Grand Line, a medium-sized Sky Island made of island cloud drifted through the sky.
This was "Artificial Sky Island: Road Island," Bondrewd's nominal headquarters.
It was only "nominal" because even Road Island's members had no idea how many Sky Islands Bondrewd actually controlled.
Thick island cloud and a small amount of artificial land supported the layers of modern buildings above.
The surface buildings were predominantly silver-white and pale gray, with streamlined platforms and arched bridges connecting the various areas.
Overall, it looked like an ordinary research base. In reality, much of its structure extended deep "underground."
At that moment, inside a small villa in the upper residential district...
Drake sat on the living room sofa with a copy of the World Economy News Paper spread out before him.
A bold headline graced the front page-Shocking! Great Angel enters marriage alliance with Fish-Man Island!
The article was just as sensational-total domination of land, sea, and air! His new marriage partner was suspected to be a "mermaid madam"! The Great Angel had finally set his sights on married women!
Drake stared at the news for a few seconds, then lowered the paper, leaned back against the sofa, and rubbed his brow.
He turned a page, hoping to read something else, but nothing registered as his eyes swept across the print.
The recent online meeting reviewing the Paramount War still played through his mind.
Among the avatars that had lit up on the screen one after another, one had cost him several nights of sleep-Patrick Redfield, the Red Count.
On the screen, the man had looked like a refined elderly aristocrat, but Drake knew very well what lurked beneath that elegant exterior.
Mind reading. Not some vague form of perception, but genuine mind reading that could read surface thoughts.
Drake