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Chapter 343: Aet Vole
Chapter 343: Aet Vole
In uncharted waters, the hues of the sky and ocean mirrored each other, one a vast cloudless expanse and the other, a serene body of water.
A pirate ship drifted on the waves, its cheerful crew's voices carrying across the open sea.
"Captain, we've had a bountiful haul this time!"
On the deck, a group of pirates gathered excitedly around a pile of spoils. The loot included a variety of items—food supplies, medicines, gold, and beri—overflowing from sacks and chests, scattering across the deck.
"Hahahaha! It should be bountiful; these are the spoils of two villages!"
A man with a captain's hat, a bushy beard, an eye patch over his left eye, a wooden leg, and a hook for a hand—the epitome of a classic pirate captain—laughed heartily.
This was a relatively small pirate crew, with only about sixty members, but they had been living comfortably of late.
They had just raided a small island with two villages, pillaging everything in their path.
In the past, they wouldn't have dared to raid an island, as it was clearly Whitebeard's territory.
But things were different now; Whitebeard had been dead for a year!
And in that year, their fortunes had taken a turn for the better.
"Let's dispose of this batch of loot and then move on to plunder new places!"
The pirate captain waved his hand grandly, his voice filled with enthusiasm.
"Hey, Captain, aren't we going to take a break?" asked a bespectacled pirate.
"We can't afford to rest now," the captain replied. "Lately, this sea has been too chaotic. I've heard that both the Heavenly Disaster and Blackbeard are expanding their territories, and I don't want to cross paths with them. We need to plunder as much as we can before they expand into this area!"
Being a pirate was all about amassing wealth.
Not all pirates dreamed of finding the elusive One Piece, even though Whitebeard himself had confirmed its existence before his demise. There were still plenty who were uninterested in such pursuits.
The reason they ventured into the Grand Line and made their way to the New World was simply because this place was chaotic and devoid of the Navy's influence.
As fearsome as the Four Emperors were, they didn't pursue fugitives as relentlessly as the Navy.
Here, they encountered nations that couldn't afford to pay the Sky Tax, and some that simply refused to submit. There were even independent islands that didn't consider themselves nations at all.
To pirates, this was undoubtedly a paradise.
After all, in places that hadn't joined the World Government, human rights didn't exist, and they could do as they pleased.
Especially after Whitebeard's death.
But things were changing once again.
This pirate captain intended to take advantage of the shifting landscape and plunder as much as he could before the Heavenly Disaster and Blackbeard made their moves. He was a man with foresight.
"Crew, we just need to tough it out for a while longer. Let's endure and reap the rewards later."
The captain encouraged his crew, "In a few more months, if we work hard, we'll have earned enough to do as we please!"
"Captain, have you considered joining one of the rising powers? I've heard that both the Heavenly Disaster and Blackbeard are recruiting," asked one of the pirates.
"They are both candidates to become the next Yonko," he added.
The two figures making waves across the Grand Line were well-known. One had conquered the World's Desire, and the other had taken control of the chaotic island of bees.
And their methods of recruitment differed as well.
For the Heavenly Disaster, any pirate who wished to join must forsake their own flag and pledge loyalty solely to their new captain.
However, the benefits were significant. Once you were in, you need not worry about being cast aside. Even if you were injured and disabled, they would provide for you, and should you perish, your rightful earnings would be sent without reduction to those closest to you.
Although these pirates were skeptical that such a generous pirate existed, the offer had been made, and it was spreading.
They couldn't confirm if the promise of preserving one's wealth after death was true, but they had seen disabled pirates given a place within the crew.
As long as the Heavenly Disaster remained undefeated, they would be safe.
Blackbeard, on the other hand, had no restrictions. He didn't demand loyalty, and his base, Hive Island, was open to anyone who didn't oppose him.
But conversely, should they fall in battle, no one would care, and there were no guarantees regarding their possessions.
Both paths had their advantages and disadvantages, but compared to the established Yonko, these two rising powers had lower barriers to entry—any pirate could join their ranks.
"Yonko candidates? Even if they become Yonko, it doesn't matter much to us. We're not planning to be pirates forever," the captain said.
"You've all been with me for a long time and know my personality. I have no desire to join those grand pirate crews, no matter how enticing their offers may seem. Their vision is limited, and they can't possibly care about us ordinary pirates."
"To them, we're just numbers. If we die, they won't even notice. Others may join them for fame and fortune, but I just want to survive."
"Once I've plundered enough and amassed a substantial fortune, I plan to retire. At that point, if any of you still wish to continue the pirate life, you may do as you please."
"Captain, are you planning to step down?"
"Yes, I'm getting old," the captain admitted. "This sea is no longer as welcoming as it used to be. Whitebeard is gone, and it's time for me to move on as well. Hey, stop laughing! Don't judge me by my lack of fame. I started my pirate life when I was just a teenager, and it's been four decades now!"
"When I began my pirate career, Whitebeard hadn't even formed his crew yet! I've witnessed the sea change over the years, and every few years, there's a major shift. Now, another era is upon us, and I can't keep up with the times. It's time for me to retire."
The captain lifted his head, a nostalgic gleam in his lone eye.
"After I retire, I'll find a place to settle down, buy a large piece of land, and live the rest of my life as a wealthy man, surrounded by servants and enjoying the fruits of my labor."
Whoosh!
Before he could finish the last word, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air, and a black projectile shot toward them from the distance, striking the deck with a thunderous impact.
BOOM!!
The explosion set off the gunpowder magazine, engulfing the ship in a massive blast. Wood and metal fragments flew in all directions as the ship disintegrated, leaving only debris floating on the ocean surface.
Far away, a massive black silhouette cut through the waters, sailing forward without a care for the wreckage it left behind, as if it had merely crushed an ant underfoot, with no thought to the treasures it might have carried.
"Yes! Cannon fire!"
On board the Death's Harbinger, Renetia stepped away from the cannon she had just fired, sliding her goggles up onto her pink hair and pumping her fist in the air. "Direct hit!"
"Let's go, Reti. Time for a snack."
"Marika!" a voice called out from the balcony on the second floor.
"Coming, coming!"
Renee Tia clapped her hands and ran upstairs.
In the captain's room, Sark lay slanted on his throne, clicking his tongue. "I should've brought Bellana and Pasia. Now there's no one to dance with."
"We're on a campaign, not a pleasure trip. It would've been too dangerous for them. Bellana is the head maid, and she needs to maintain the daily operations of the palace. Pasia also needs to teach the newcomers how to dance," Lily explained as she grabbed a bottle of wine from the liquor cabinet.
"What about Lefrey?" she asked while pouring white wine into Sark's glass.
Sark pushed the wine glass forward, signaling for more, and picked up a pastry from the table in front of him. Just as he took a bite, Renee Tia burst into the room in a fluster.
"What were you doing out there?" Sark asked.
"I was so bored I was looking for something to shoot. You won't let me blow up fish, but I just spotted a pirate ship, and I took it out with one shot. It was awesome!" Renee Tia exclaimed as she plopped down on the sofa and reached for a spoon to eat a small cake.
"Wash your hands first," Marika said with a smile as she walked over.
"Oh!" Renee Tia exclaimed and ran off to wash her hands.
"A pirate ship?" Sark paused, but he didn't seem concerned.
It was common to encounter pirate ships, and those that could be taken out by a single cannon weren't much to worry about.
Insignificant things that no one cared about could be destroyed without a second thought.
He didn't even bother to salvage whatever was left of them.
In the past, he wanted money because it brought influence and could be used to develop his business.
Now, he had plenty of money and territory, and he lacked nothing. So, naturally, he wasn't interested in small sums of money.
There was no need to change the fleet's course for something so trivial.
"How much longer?" Sark asked as he finished his pastry.
Lily thought for a moment and replied, "According to our schedule, we should arrive at the sea area agreed upon with Teach in another two days."
The journey of the grand fleet was never meant to be a quick one.
While the Death's Harbinger could move swiftly, the same couldn't be said for the rest of the ships.
Lily glanced out a window at the back of the Death's Harbinger, where a multitude of ships followed in its wake.
This ten-thousand-man fleet was indeed a formidable force.
Right behind the Death's Harbinger were four massive ships leading the way.
There was Moria's small Horror Tripolean, Hawkins' Grudge Dolph, Urgi's Pancheng Maru, and Jin's Fearless Warship Sabre, each capable of carrying a thousand people.
Further back were the ships of the captains, all three-masted sailboats modified to carry over three hundred people.
Bellamy's ship had a statue of a spring at the bow, and the building on the ship was also constructed in a spring-like fashion. Above the hanging starry pirate flag was an additional flag with a skull and crossbones logo, a tongue sticking out from the skull's mouth.
This was his flagship, the Springboat.
Palu's ship, on the other hand, had shields hanging on both sides, and the logo was also a skull and crossbones on a shield.
He had also named his ship the 'Undefeated Handsome'.
Myot's ship was more conventional, with a flag similar to Bellamy's, featuring a lip design. However, the mouth was wide open, revealing circles representing sound waves.
This was his 'Mute Beast'.
That was the end of the distinctive ones.
The remaining captains, including the newly joined Suleiman, also had their own flagships.
However, after the battle with Big Mom, Lily felt that this configuration was inadequate, especially considering that the Death's Harbinger also required a dedicated crew.
So, it was decided that during the Death's Harbinger's campaigns, certain individuals would remain in specific positions. Strong Barrel was the helmsman and had to steer the ship, while Suleiman assisted in command.
As for Stan Sen, his flagship wasn't as large, and if he boarded it himself, he wouldn't have as many crew members. Moreover, he didn't like commanding a single ship, so he returned to the Death's Harbinger.
In battle, if the ship sustained damage, his large build would allow him to quickly repair it.
These captain-level flagships sailed alongside the smaller, diverse ships that lacked independent flags.
Nearly thirty pirate ships sailed alongside the captain-level vessels, each captained by members of the Heavenly Disaster crew who had joined with their own vessels.
The Heavenly Disaster crew was growing larger by the day, attracting more and more people and increasing their overall strength.
In the past, one only needed to be respected to become a captain. However, after some time, only a handful of individuals had earned that distinction.
Now, things were different. Not only was there competition for these positions, but even the two thousand slots on the Death's Harbinger were being contested.
In the past, anyone could join the crew of the Death's Harbinger.
At that time, Sark had offered two options.
First, they could keep their own ships and crew but forgo the flag. If they wanted to earn the right to fly the flag, they would have to build a reputation within the crew that inspired respect.
Second, they could give up everything and join the crew of the Death's Harbinger.
A typical pirate ship only had about a hundred crew members, so there was always room for more, especially considering that battles often resulted in casualties.
But now, things were different. With a larger crew and fewer campaigns, the positions on the Death's Harbinger had become highly coveted.
Aside from the three hundred Demon Race slots, the remaining one thousand seven hundred spots were hotly contested.
Even the ship's doctors, navigators, and cooks had people vying to prove their superior skills and earn a spot on the Death's Harbinger, the true elite of the pirate crew.
As a result, the crew of the Death's Harbinger was now comprised of seasoned pirates with exceptional combat capabilities and experience.
After all, it was the main ship, the soul of the Heavenly Disaster crew.
Of course, there were also those who chose not to join and instead remained as independent pirate crews under the Heavenly Disaster banner, even without their own flags. They could still compete from that position.
"Sark, something's not right!" Lily said, snapping out of her thoughts as she looked towards the front window. Her eyes narrowed, and she exclaimed, "There's a fleet!"
"A fleet? Marco?" Sark asked, taken aback.
"No, it's not him," Lily shook her head. "It's a massive fleet, not like Marco's Moby Dick. It looks like..."
Her pupils contracted, and her expression turned solemn.
She could make out the details of the fleet.
And she remembered this sea area...
This was Aet Vole!
(End of Chapter)
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