The mast snapped in the middle, its upper half tilting, on the verge of collapse. The entire ship shuddered violently at that moment. Crewmen, unable to keep their footing, barely managed to grab onto the surrounding railings to avoid being flung into the sea.
The situation was critical!
"Maintain direction," Wilder said, his voice surprisingly calm amidst the chaos. He glanced at the sailor at the helm, then his entire right arm suddenly gushed forth a large amount of swamp. Bubbles emerged from the morass and then burst.
Boom!
Swamp surged from his arm, forming a gigantic swamp hand that gripped the toppling mast. A continuous flow of swamp poured out, some of it wriggling downwards, enveloping the broken section. Under this force, the mast, which had been tilting downwards, actually began to slowly rise, gradually returning to its original position.
"Harden!" Once the upper part of the mast was perfectly aligned with the lower half, Wilder manipulated the swamp encasing the break, transforming it into a hardened state.
The ship's rocking immediately lessened somewhat. The people on board stared wide-eyed at the now unmoving, stabilized mast. "This…"
The wind and waves began to show signs of abating. Everyone sighed in relief, their bodies nearly collapsing from exhaustion.
Kaneshiro cast a grateful look towards Wilder.
The storm had been weathered without major mishap. The ship continued its slow advance.
"Do you know of any relatively large islands in the New World? Ones that aren't occupied by any major power, I mean," Wilder casually asked Kaneshiro, who was seated beside him during a meal.
Kaneshiro paused, then thought carefully for a long while before shaking his head. "Islands like the ones you describe hardly exist. Perhaps there are some, but they would be islands that have never been discovered. Most islands in the New World are under the protection of the Four Emperors."
Wilder nodded and said nothing, lost in thought.
"It seems that, aside from the Blackbeard factor at this current stage, the situation in the New World is largely fixed. No matter how things change, it's all under the shadow of the Four Emperors. Wanting to possess an island with no existing power is almost impossible. Even if it were possible, it wouldn't be a large island. Do I really have to start by targeting a nation?"
There were many countries in the New World not under the sway of the Four Emperors, but such nations were important countries recognized by the World Government. Wilder didn't want to make a move on them, because that would first require targeting the royal family, which could lead to a lot of trouble. After all, this wasn't the East Blue.
Moreover, Wilder's expectation for his New World base was that there could be no dissent or disloyalty towards him or his organization on the island. He wanted to control a base that was completely united.
Whether it was the Marines, the Warlords, or the Four Emperors, if he wanted to grow to a point where he feared nothing, his organization needed a solid foundation.
Taking a light sip of wine, Wilder didn't want to make a decision too quickly. It was better to assess the situation in the New World first.
But at this moment, Kaneshiro seemed to remember something. He frowned and said, "If it's uninhabited islands, there should still be places not controlled by the Four Emperors. Uninhabited islands generally don't offer profitable ventures, unless they possess some special resources or mineral deposits."
Kaneshiro's words made Wilder raise an eyebrow. With an inquisitive look, he gestured for him to continue.
Kaneshiro understood Wilder's meaning. "Currently, the only uninhabited island I know of that isn't occupied by any power and might meet your requirement for size, Mr. Wilder, is one."
"However, that island has nothing worth developing. It's just a barren wasteland, mostly rock, and even the soil is extremely poor."
"What about its surroundings?" Wilder paused his drinking, interjecting, then downed the wine in his cup in one go.
"The sea areas relatively far from its periphery do have many islands, and they are quite prosperous," Kaneshiro said.
"Doesn't make sense," Wilder refilled his cup.
"What?" Kaneshiro was taken aback, not understanding Wilder's meaning.
"If the surrounding area is so prosperous, there's no reason for that island to become uninhabited. Even if it's barren, it's still a piece of land," Wilder said, perplexed.
"Er… is… is there something strange about that?" Kaneshiro didn't quite see the connection. "If it's barren, without any resources for survival, of course, no one would want to live on a worthless piece of land. There are so many other islands around, why choose that one?"
Kaneshiro's words made Wilder pause, then nod. He had forgotten that this world didn't lack land, nor did people particularly value it. Because even if one had the heart to develop an island, who could guarantee that once it was developed, a band of pirates wouldn't come along and claim it for themselves?
"Where is that island located?" Although Wilder wasn't particularly interested, he still asked.
"Er… actually, Mr. Wilder, you should know of this island. But now, it's not just barren; it's fundamentally uninhabitable for living creatures. That island is called Punk Hazard."
"Punk Hazard…" Wilder fell silent upon hearing the name. Of course, he knew this island—a stepping stone that led to Doflamingo's downfall, the place where two Marine Headquarters Admirals had fought for ten days half a year ago. It was now an island split in two by ice and fire.
One side was endless ice and cold, the other scorching magma. Kaneshiro was right; such an environment was truly unsuitable for living beings.
But that only applied to ordinary people or creatures.
However, Kaneshiro had clearly misunderstood Wilder's intentions. That island, while not small, was far from meeting Wilder's requirements. The island he envisioned needed to be at least as vast as Alabasta. Punk Hazard fell far short.
"Then there are no others." After hearing Wilder's requirements, Kaneshiro looked as if he'd seen a ghost, shaking his head to indicate his regret at not being able to help.
This result was within Wilder's expectations. However, the mention of Punk Hazard just now did spark some ideas in Wilder's mind.
"Perhaps I can find a chance to visit," Wilder thought silently.
Compared to Wilder's seemingly nonchalant attitude towards the island matter, Kaneshiro couldn't afford to be careless about that other matter. Next, Kaneshiro seized the opportunity to start talking with Wilder.
Wilder knew his intentions, and by now, he had also made a decision in his heart. The two chatted more and more enthusiastically, almost giving the impression of old friends who regretted not meeting sooner.
Of course, Wilder was putting on an act. Kaneshiro, however, was sincere. He truly felt fortunate to have encountered such an opportunity. As long as he latched onto a Warlord, he could eventually avenge himself.
And Wilder also took the opportunity to express his agreement to Kaneshiro's request. From now on, Kaneshiro would be Wilder's inside line, his breakthrough point into Doflamingo's industries.
The ship was still sailing. Gradually, a merchant ship approached from the distance, heading in their direction, apparently going the opposite way.
Wilder glanced at it without much interest, but Kaneshiro's expression turned grave.
"What is it?" Wilder asked, noticing Kaneshiro's expression as he sipped his wine.
"I've heard there's a group of pirates in this sea area who disguise themselves as merchant crews, specifically robbing passing merchant ships. I just never encountered them before. That ship's description is very similar to this one. I hope it's not them," Kaneshiro said worriedly. "I hear those pirates are not simple."
"Not simple?" Hearing this, Wilder couldn't help but look again at the approaching merchant ship.
"I don't know the specifics," Kaneshiro shook his head. "I only heard they are connected to a 'Warfare Group.' It's said they are a pirate crew supported by that Warfare Group. By disguising themselves as merchant ships, they make newly arrived pirate crews in the New World or passing merchant ships lower their guard. When they are careless, they strike suddenly, thereby acquiring large sums of money."
*"Warfare Group…" *After hearing Kaneshiro's words, Wilder became thoughtful.
The ship drew closer and closer to Wilder's vessel, the distance now less than forty meters. However, it looked as if that ship intended to ram them directly, its speed suddenly increasing.
A distance of forty meters was indeed short enough to make it impossible for a ship to react in time. Over a dozen cannon ports were revealed on that ship. Without giving any time to respond, a dozen cannonballs were already flying towards Wilder's vessel! "Looks like you guessed right, ne," Wilder said with a schadenfreude-filled smile, sitting in place, showing no intention of moving.
Kaneshiro's face was grim. Not towards Wilder, of course. He just hadn't expected to actually encounter such a thing, and he worried whether they could survive this ordeal.
"Open fire! Don't let it get close!" At this point, Kaneshiro was decisive. The sailors, clearly experienced in dealing with pirates, had actually already sprung into action before Kaneshiro even spoke.
Swish…! But the enemy's dozen cannonballs had already arrived.
"Let me see the strength of New World sailors," Wilder thought, looking at the dozen or so sailors. They were already prepared as the cannonballs reached the space above their ship.
Swish, swish, swish…! Bullets simultaneously shot out from specially made gun barrels. This was clearly a weapon the Red Leaf Company had specifically developed to deal with such situations.
The bullets struck the cannonballs above the ship, and the projectiles instantly exploded one after another, blooms of thick smoke blossoming in mid-air.
"Impressive," Wilder remarked sincerely. These sailors were truly not simple. They handled this situation with composure and calmness, having their own methods of response.
The two ships were still being forced closer, exchanging cannon fire, but neither side achieved much. Shots either missed or were intercepted. Apart from making the ships rock violently, they couldn't damage each other.
"Not good." Kaneshiro's expression was not looking too good as he observed the situation. Not only was the enemy ship still approaching, but the way they intercepted cannonballs clearly looked effortless. Comparing that to his own sailors, who were already showing signs of losing focus under the increasingly dense barrage, the difference in skill was immediately apparent.
This situation was even more dangerous than the storm earlier!
At this point, the distance between the two ships was within ten meters. Cannonballs were clearly unsuitable now. Both sides tacitly ceased fire, preparing for a boarding battle.
The sailors drew their cutlasses and firearms, guarding the ship's railings, ready to use their advantageous position to kill any enemies who tried to board and prevent them from getting on deck.
On the opposing ship, pirates dressed as sailors also revealed ferocious grins, their greedy eyes fixed on this side.
"Something's wrong…!" Kaneshiro's pupils contracted at this sight, a bad premonition rising in his heart.
As if to confirm Kaneshiro's premonition, a man walked out onto the deck of the opposing ship, followed closely by two others. The two flanked the first man, their gazes turning towards Wilder's ship.
The trio stood quietly by the ship's railing, their eyes dangerous as they looked over. The one on the left had short, choppy brown hair and a scar running horizontally across his face from left to right. His hand gripped a sharp cutlass.
The one on the right wore a white suit, was bald, and expressionless, with very sharp eyes. He was short and stout but had a sturdy build. On his right hand, he wore a gem-studded Tiger Claw.
The man in the middle was tall and slender, with a standard build, the tallest of the three. He wore close-fitting black casual attire and carried no visible weapons.
The moment Kaneshiro and his sailors saw these three, their faces paled drastically, their pupils trembling.
"No wonder… no wonder…" Kaneshiro's lips trembled, a dawning realization mixing with the shock in his eyes. "No wonder even pirates with bounties over a hundred million couldn't escape when entering the New World…!"
"Gulp…" A sailor swallowed hard, his body involuntarily recoiling. He looked at the three men, his face drained of color. "Why did we have to run into them… the Goren Three Brothers."
The Goren Three Brothers were indeed the trio opposite them. The three brothers were originally bounty hunters, but half a year ago, news of their deaths had suddenly spread. A month later, however, they reappeared, but with a new identity: they had turned from bounty hunters into pirates!
Among the three, the tall, slender one in the middle was the eldest brother. He had once single-handedly killed a pirate with a bounty of 120 million Beli.
The bald, expressionless, short, and sturdy man in the white suit was the second brother. He had once single-handedly killed a pirate with a bounty of 150 million Beli.
The one with short brown hair and a cutlass was the third. He had once single-handedly killed a pirate with a bounty of 75 million Beli.
The trio's cold eyes stared at Kaneshiro and his men, instantly making them feel as if they had been plunged into an ice cave, their bodies stiffening from the cold.
Due to the angle, no one on the opposing ship, including the three brothers, had noticed Wilder's presence. Naturally, they also didn't know that someone was still calmly sipping wine at a time like this.
Kaneshiro and his men were completely immersed in tension and fear, momentarily forgetting Wilder's existence as well.
"So this is the New World? Indeed, there are many strong individuals. Interesting." Wilder could clearly sense the three men, and he gained an initial understanding of the New World.
Just as Wilder was thinking, a cold, calm voice suddenly reached his ears: "Let's begin."
The speaker was the tall, slender man. As his words fell, the three of them leaped, their speed too fast for the eye to follow. By the time they were seen clearly again, the trio had already appeared in the middle of the deck where the crew stood.