Chapter 179: Clash in the Calm Belt: The Mafia’s Gamble

It was from this moment that large numbers of Mafia members began departing from East Blue and West Blue, heading for North Blue and South Blue.

Thanks to cutting-edge black technology from Cake Island, some ships now sail easily through the Calm Belt—one of the main reasons trade across the Four Seas has flourished in recent years.

“Lord Clyde!”

A man in a black suit rushed into Clyde’s room, panic written all over his face.

At that moment, Clyde was counting money inside the room. Interrupted, a hint of irritation flashed across his face.

With a steely voice, Clyde demanded, “What’s going on?”

He knew too well—his men would never bother him without good reason.

If they were disturbing his midday rest, something serious must have happened.

The subordinate, visibly terrified, stammered, “Th-The Rocks Family… they just announced they won’t protect us anymore.”

Clyde burst into a wild, arrogant laugh. “No protection? Fine! What, are they going to come all the way from the New World to give us trouble? Ridiculous!”

But the subordinate couldn’t conceal his anxiety. He continued quickly, “That’s not all. They also ordered the people from East Blue and West Blue to come after us.”

At that, Clyde’s crazed grin faded. His voice took on a chill. “Then let them try. You think I’m scared of those two?”

“Word is, they’re already in South Blue.”

After the subordinate finished relaying all the news, Clyde broke into his manic laughter again. “I was just worrying about how few ships could cross the Calm Belt. Looks like they’re hand-delivering some for me!”

“Pass on my orders.”

“Starting now, launch attacks against the Mafia in East Blue and West Blue!”

Seeing the confident Clyde before him, the subordinate nodded and dashed out to spread the boss’s message.

But after delivering the message, he quietly slipped away from the island.

“Just because you’re brainless doesn’t mean I am. Things are this bad, and you still want to fight?”

Looks like this was the only underling to make the right choice.

A few hours later, near the Calm Belt, dozens of ships slowly sailed into South Blue.

“Boom boom boom!”

As soon as the people from East Blue and West Blue entered South Blue, they were met with a storm of cannon fire.

“Counterattack!”

The ones lying in ambush? The Felix Family.

“Never thought our two families would end up working together.”

“Heh, neither did I.”

Never in his wildest dreams did Batoia expect to join forces with Stac to attack South Blue.

Since they’re Mafia, and as long as they’re not the first to provoke the Navy, the Navy has no right to deploy force against them on the open sea.

Batoia let out a quiet sigh.

He wasn’t sure whether teaming up with Stac to invade South Blue was a good idea or not, but right now, he didn’t dare disobey the Rocks Family’s orders.

He wasn’t like the fools in South and North Blue. He’d felt Karl’s strength firsthand and knew that if he didn’t follow orders, he’d face even harsher consequences.

Not to mention, Karl and Linlin were family.

That’s right—you heard right. Karl and Linlin are family, though word never really spread widely through the Four Seas.

After all, Karl and Linlin simply lived together. They never had a wedding, nor openly admitted they were husband and wife.

Back when Rocks still ruled these seas, information was tightly controlled.

The Navy didn’t want New World’s news spreading to the Four Seas or the first half of the Grand Line, since that would just turn more people into pirates and undermine their grip on the Four Seas.

Remember how, in the original story, people in the Four Seas didn’t even know about Haki?

Haki was so common in the New World, but hardly anyone in the Four Seas or the First Half of the Grand Line knew about it—that says a lot.

It’s because the Navy intercepted all information from the New World, weaving lies so the people of the Four Seas lived blissfully unaware, making them easier to control.

Of course, the emergence of the Visual Transponder Snail meant the people of the Four Seas eventually learned a little about the New World.

But keep in mind—who invented the Visual Transponder Snail? That was Vegapunk! And Mor Morris, from Cake Island, would never openly broadcast Karl and Linlin’s private affairs.

Batoia was different. Early on, he’d paid Shakky’s network for info and learned about Karl and Linlin’s secret romance.

“Let’s make our move,” Stac said, standing at the bow, eyes fixed on the cannonballs flying in from the distance.

“Yeah, it’s about time to end this farce.” Batoia nodded.

After using the Great Revitalizing Pill, their strength was at vice admiral level.

“Dragon Tiger Fist—Dragon’s Might!” Batoia leapt from the ship and threw a punch straight ahead!

A vast golden dragon over ten meters long materialized out of thin air.

“Roar!”

Radiant with golden light, the dragon shot straight at the enemy ships!

“What the hell is that?!”

The crew on the enemy ship stared at the incoming dragon, panic etched across their faces.

But before they could react, the golden dragon swallowed the lead ship whole.

“Boom!”

With a thunderous crash, the foremost ship shattered in an instant. The Mafia onboard tumbled into the sea.

“Fire the cannons!”

“Boom boom boom!”

“Bang bang bang!”

Gunfire erupted, growing more and more intense. The sea blossomed with sprays of blood.

“Not good, full speed ahead!” In their minds, Batoia and Stac both pictured a giant red sign screaming ‘DANGER’.

Their men didn’t dare hesitate. They pushed the ships to maximum speed at once.

Pressing forward through the storm of bullets and shells, a few minutes passed.

Suddenly, a gaping abyss opened where they had just been. It swallowed a Mafia-laden ship whole before slowly lifting its head.

Towering hundreds of meters above the waves rose a massive Sea King.

To be fair, they had brought this upon themselves—battle in the Calm Belt had filled the air with blood, sure to attract the king of this domain: the Sea King.

“Raaaawr!”

The Sea King glared down at the tiny ships below and let loose a tremendous roar.

Then, swinging its long neck, it slammed downward toward the fleet.

“Every man for himself now.”

All gunfire had ceased. Every ship was now scrambling to escape in terror.

Terrified they’d be crushed by that monstrous head.

“Boom!”

A monstrous rumble shook the sea, sending giant waves crashing everywhere.

The ships were hurled hundreds of meters by the blast, dozens went under, survivors clinging to debris dotting the sea.

After seeing there were no more ships on the surface, the Sea King slowly slipped beneath the waves again.

Maybe the fighting over its head had disturbed its nap.

Once the Sea King disappeared, Stac and Batoia gathered any surviving Mafia and boarded the few ships left.

Where there had once been dozens, only five battered ships limped along now.

As for the Felix Family’s ships, they’d vanished long ago.

“Damn it, today’s payback isn’t over,” Batoia snarled, his eyes bloodshot. He never expected the Sea King to show up and wipe out most of his men.

Stac, born with the Capone Family’s cold-blood, didn’t mourn his losses. He only remarked coolly, “Looks like taking South Blue just got even more complicated.”

Seeing Stac’s detached expression, Batoia wanted nothing more than to get away from this icy man and hurried back to his own ship.

The two groups split up on the spot, each steering off in a different direction.