"I think Snack is probably dead."
Even though Perospero knew their mother was furious, he still braced himself and spoke.
"Davy Jones hasn't made any demands for an exchange, nor has he announced that Snack was captured. Thinking about it that way, it's very likely that he's already—"
"Enough—!"
Charlotte Linlin gripped the arms of her chair; with a crack, they splintered beneath her fingers.
She suddenly leaned forward from the shadows—her massive, round face looming into view before her two sons like a monstrous jack-in-the-box.
Perospero stumbled back a step and lowered his head, not daring to speak further.
Katakuri, however, stood tall and unmoving, like a steadfast pine tree.
"I don't want your speculations. I want the truth—and I want revenge."
Linlin's wrinkled face was caked with powder, and her lips painted with thick crimson lipstick. Instead of restoring any charm, it only made her look more grotesque—almost terrifying.
"I want you to send people over there. I want Davy Jones to hand over the culprit, to tell me the truth, to give me Fish-Man Island as compensation, and to come before me in person—surrendering eighty years of his lifespan."
"Yes, Mama," Perospero and Katakuri replied in unison.
"And I want you to find the Vinsmoke family. I want them to take action—to hunt down Davy Jones and his core crew. For every head they bring me, I'll pay them double the original bounty!"
"Yes, Mama," the two brothers echoed again, not daring to question Linlin's decree.
"Other than that, I won't accept any form of negotiation. If Davy Jones dares to resist—then he can wait for my armies to crush him. I don't mind grinding him into dust myself."
Just then, Linlin's stomach rumbled. Hungry again, she crudely reached out and grabbed an unfinished cream puff, stuffing it into her mouth without a shred of grace.
"Go."
"Yes, Mama."
Perospero and Katakuri hurried out of the room. The elder was drenched in cold sweat; the younger's face remained calm and resolute.
The direct distance from Black Pearl Island to Terror Ghost Island was actually shorter than from Black Pearl Island to Thriller Ghost Island.
Raising its tattered sails, the battered Terror Ghost soon caught sight of Terror Ghost Island's silhouette on the horizon.
A few days earlier, Davy Jones had personally gone to clear out the remaining threats on Thunder God Island, claiming it as part of his own territory.
After resting there, he left Hawkins, Apoo, Killer, and Bege behind under Kuro's supervision—both to discipline them and to alleviate the shortage of crew. Then, he set sail again.
Now, aboard the Terror Ghost, besides Davy Jones himself, only Kid, Drake, and Bonney remained.
None of them were the talkative type, and the atmosphere on deck felt heavy—deadly quiet.
Davy Jones had intentionally separated Kid and Killer—the inseparable duo.
It was time for Killer to understand that the one he followed now was not Eustass Kid—but Davy Jones.
Kuro would surely make him understand that in time.
As for Kid, whose "cornerstone" had been stolen away—he had yet to realize it.
He was still drowning in frustration from his recent defeat at Enel's hands, tormenting himself endlessly.
Within less than half a month, Kid had suffered crushing defeats at the hands of two people—and clearly couldn't even match Kuro, who wielded Haki. So many were now standing above him that his chest burned with a suffocating rage.
So this is the "New World"? At the very entrance alone, there are so many stronger than me?
Kid's fury had nowhere to go. He was like a powder keg ready to explode, and neither Drake nor Bonney wanted to go near him for fear of being caught in the blast.
Drake rested both hands on the ship's railing, eyes hidden beneath his black eyepatch as he stared at the outline of Terror Ghost Island, deep in thought—wondering when he might find a chance to report back to Marine Headquarters.
Perhaps he could only manage it by arranging a secret meeting with a Marine officer—and that officer would need to hold a sufficiently high rank to bear the weight of his message.
He recalled that the nearest Marine branch was likely G-5, whose commanding officer, if unchanged, should be Vice Admiral Vergo.
Unlike the Marines stationed in the Four Seas, officers of the Marine branches along the Grand Line hold ranks equivalent to those at Marine Headquarters.
That is, a Grand Line Branch Vice Admiral is equal in authority to a Headquarters Vice Admiral.
By contrast, Marine officers in the Four Seas automatically lose several ranks when transferred to Headquarters.
For instance, a Rear Admiral from the East Blue branch would be roughly equivalent to a Major at Headquarters.
Thus, "Demon Bamboo" Vergo's standing was high—nominally equal to Vice Admirals like Onigumo or Doberman.
Drake had heard that Vergo was both brave and shrewd. If he could somehow contact him, perhaps Marine HQ would finally learn of his current situation—and one day, they could strike Davy Jones at his most unguarded moment.
Drake was already looking forward to that day.
Bonney, however, was itching for action for entirely different reasons.
She'd heard that Terror Ghost Island lay near Punk Hazard—the abandoned research site of the "genius scientist" Dr. Vegapunk.
Unable to leave Davy Jones's crew to search freely for information, Bonney clung to any hint related to Vegapunk's research.
She thought, Maybe I can find some clue on Punk Hazard… some reason why my father became that way.
She had never believed that "Tyrant" Kuma would willingly offer both his body and mind to the World Government and the Marines for Vegapunk's experiments.
The Terror Ghost neared Terror Ghost Island. Soon, it entered the harbor and anchored by the shore.
This was said to be the very beach where "Tea Beard" Chadros Higelyges and the "Sweet Commander of the Four" — the Minister of Fried Foods, Charlotte Snack — had been slain in succession.
Now, not a trace of blood or corpses remained—just an ordinary stretch of sand.
"Tea Beard's" head had already been buried, a pile of stones marking the spot, with Davy Jones's pirate flag thrust into the mound.
Law, Buggy, Perona, and Porche were already waiting there with their crews to welcome their captain.
"Captain, you've finally arrived," they greeted warmly.
Davy Jones ordered them to take him to the Terror Ghost Island's pirate stronghold.
Law, wearing his spotted hat and carrying the cursed blade "Kikoku," took the lead a few paces ahead.
Behind him, Buggy, Perona, and Porche trailed a little behind, quietly observing the "Supernovas" — Kid, Drake, and Bonney — and whispering among themselves.
"So those are the captain's defeated foes? I heard their bounties were higher than mine… I wonder how strong they really are?" Buggy muttered, wrinkling his big red nose in frustration.
"You really don't know how inflated your own bounty is, do you?" Porche brushed back her blue hair and rolled her eyes.
"And weren't you the one whining before about not wanting such a high bounty? What's the matter, regretting that now?"
Perona covered her mouth and giggled softly, her dark, jewel-like eyes glancing at them.
"Things are different now!" Buggy snapped. "And my bounty isn't inflated—it's called latent potential! Don't forget, I was once a member of the Roger Pirates!"
"Yeah, yeah—why don't you shout that a little louder, so the whole world knows you were just an apprentice on the Roger Pirates' ship?" Porche said impatiently.
Buggy froze for a moment, then noticed the way Kid, Drake, and Bonney were looking at him—skeptical, almost pitying.
The legendary Roger Pirates had… this guy? The Supernovas clearly thought he was lying.
Buggy wanted to explain himself, but the words caught in his throat. Then he thought, Fine. I'll make a name for myself here in the Davy Jones Pirates. I'll let the world know who Buggy the Clown really is!
I don't need Roger or Rayleigh's fame to boost mine—because one day, I'll be a great pirate in my own right!
Lost in his fantasy, Buggy began to laugh triumphantly—only making the Supernovas even more convinced that he was just a boastful fool.
While those in the back exchanged wary glances, the conversation up front continued between Davy Jones and Law.
"You did well handling Snack," Davy Jones said, once again acknowledging Law's methods. "I have no use for timid subordinates."
The burns on Law's face from that day had long since healed. His lips curled slightly before he replied evenly, "It was my duty."
"How many prisoners survived?" Davy Jones asked.
"Three," Law answered. "One was Snack's subordinate. The other two were ordinary soldiers."
"I've had them interrogated separately—using different methods—then cross-checked their statements. That's how I confirmed their true objective this time: Fish-Man Island."
"Who was Snack's subordinate? Is he still of use?"
"His name is Pekoms, a Mink and the user of the Turtle-Turtle Fruit," Law said calmly.
"He should know plenty of information about the Charlotte Family. But he's stubborn—refuses to talk. The intel I've gathered so far had to be drawn out through indirect questioning."
"Keep pressing him. See what else he knows."
"I understand, Captain. I'll continue tonight."
The group passed through a small village on Terror Ghost Island and climbed a winding mountain path until they reached a few wooden cabins built near the summit.
This was Law's encampment—even simpler than the one on Black Pearl Island.
But with their newly claimed territories still developing, the resources generated by their undersea trade routes were being funneled first into Thriller Ghost Island, then Black Pearl, and finally here. Simplicity was inevitable.
Law led them into the largest cabin—a spacious hall with a cold, empty fireplace. Only ashes remained within.
Please drop some power stones support me at my
PS: Access the complete/finished chapters/series at Patreon: NanamiTL