"Unbelievable..."
After making landfall, the trio made their way toward the capital of the Kingdom of Nodis. Along the route, both Dom and Dolan found themselves struck speechless by the devastation surrounding them, unable to suppress their expressions of shock and dismay.
It was, as they say, exactly what one would expect from the North Blue.
The island nation existed under the absolute rule of the Nodis royal family, yet what they witnessed defied all conventional understanding of functional governance. In other regions, the East Blue's Kingdom of Goa, for instance, royal authority extended beyond the capital to encompass numerous settlements: the Uncertain Terminal, Gray Terminal, Windmill Village, and countless other communities that fell under the crown's protection.
Generally speaking, an island nation's territory encompassed far more than just its capital city, which served merely as the concentrated seat of royal power. The kingdom itself included all the towns, villages, and territories that owed allegiance to the throne.
In the other three seas, even in the West Blue where mafia influence ran rampant, a nation described as "wealthy and secure" would display beautiful landscapes dotted with thriving communities. Without such widespread habitation and development, how could any territory truly claim to be a powerful kingdom?
Yet throughout their entire journey, the three travelers witnessed nothing but land that had been baptized by warfare, scarred earth marked by craters and trenches, scattered remnants of buildings destroyed in countless conflicts, and an eerie absence of human life.
No one.
No signs of civilization beyond the capital's boundaries.
Only after walking considerable distances did they finally glimpse the massive walls rising on the horizon, marking the approach to their destination. The capital loomed ahead like a fortress island in an ocean of desolation.
Only here did human figures occasionally appear, ragged refugees with disheveled hair and tattered clothing who clearly existed beyond the royal family's protection. Each bore visible injuries, the telltale marks of warfare etched into their flesh and spirits.
Within the Kingdom of Nodis, the term "wealthy" applied exclusively to those fortunate enough to live within the wall's protection.
This situation represented the better end of the spectrum. In other North Blue nations, even surviving outside the capital might prove impossible.
By comparison, while the Kingdom of Goa could orchestrate cold-blooded atrocities like burning entire settlements including their "undesirable" populations, acts of heartless brutality that defied human decency, at least basic safety existed there. As long as the ruling class chose not to "eliminate" the lower castes, those people could survive indefinitely.
In the North Blue, ordinary citizens lacking a nation's protection faced perpetual warfare that could erupt anywhere at any time.
"This truly is a natural breeding ground for criminals," Dom observed with analytical detachment. "Population displacement, weapons trafficking, political manipulation... Even member nations cannot escape the region's overall trajectory. What they can protect, what the World Government can protect, remains limited to the core power structures, the privileged few who matter."
The surrounding refugees watched the three newcomers with a mixture of desperate hope and predatory calculation. Some clutched crude weapons with obvious hostile intent, clearly contemplating robbery or worse.
Yet none dared make their move.
Their hesitation stemmed from uncertainty about the trio's backgrounds. What if these well-dressed strangers possessed connections to the capital's power structure? Such influential figures could not be safely threatened.
The towering city walls bore scattered evidence of artillery impacts, though the damage appeared relatively minor, testament to the capital's defensive capabilities.
The three travelers underwent thorough inspection by gate guards and gained entry only after paying substantial bribes. Oboro's merchant identity, supported by his elegant attire and refined bearing, proved convincing enough to satisfy the soldiers' scrutiny.
Dom's more distinctive appearance required explanation as a hired bodyguard. Despite careful examination, the guards detected nothing suspicious about his heavily bandaged form.
Stepping through the gates was like entering an entirely different world.
Even in the evening hours, the streets blazed with artificial illumination while crowds of people moved through busy thoroughfares. Many pedestrians wore bright, genuine smiles, a stark contrast to the misery they had witnessed beyond the walls.
"Interesting," Oboro murmured with dark amusement.
"Boss," Dom acknowledged, having noticed the same details.
Despite their refined clothing and proper behavior, certain pedestrians radiated the unmistakable aura of seasoned pirates. Even in the North Blue's most orderly capital, illegal forces had clearly established their presence. These criminals likely employed methods similar to Oboro's group, assuming false identities and maintaining low profiles to avoid unwanted attention.
The crucial difference was that within this city, the presence of royal guards and military forces prevented pirates from operating openly. As a member nation, the local rulers could summon nearby marine support with a single communication.
This represented the full extent of the Marine's capabilities within the war-torn North Blue: protecting the "interests" of member countries, nothing more.
Soon, they located suitable accommodations and established temporary residence. After several days of exploration throughout the city, they purchased a relatively isolated manor and began settling into a quiet routine.
Though they called it "living," Oboro's true focus centered on training Dom and Dolan in advanced combat techniques. He taught them refined physical skills and methods for improving their fighting capabilities.
Dolan finally received the enhancement he had long craved. Oboro employed a demon card to transform his physiology, then supplemented the change with experience cards that dramatically increased his combat effectiveness. The transformation altered his appearance significantly, forcing him to adopt disguises, tight black clothing that concealed his new features.
The World Government and Marine already understood Oboro's ability to grant power and transform others, making concealment essential. Without proper disguises, enhanced individuals could be easily identified and captured.
Demons existed within the pirate world, Kaido's Beast Pirates included numerous examples among their crew, but the creatures created through Oboro's cards differed fundamentally from naturally occurring specimens. Size, appearance, and most importantly, raw strength separated these artificial demons from their more powerful counterparts.
The Beast Pirates' demon-like warriors possessed giant-scale physiques and combat capabilities that far exceeded anything achievable through card enhancement. Their battle prowess could not be underestimated by any measure.
Time flowed steadily onward.
Oboro and his companions settled into their Nodis capital residence, maintaining strict isolation from outside contact. Unless absolutely necessary, the three rarely ventured beyond their manor's boundaries, avoiding unnecessary communication with local residents.
Yet even the most sensational news stories could not escape time's erosive influence. Almost without notice, nearly a full year had passed since the explosive events at Sabaody Archipelago.
The God Slayer who had once stirred the seas into chaos seemed to have vanished completely, his perfect concealment rendering him invisible to pursuing forces. Except for occasional mentions in minor publications several months ago, Oboro's name had largely disappeared from newspaper headlines. No one could locate him, and speculation about his fate grew increasingly desperate.
Was he still alive? Had the World Government secretly assassinated him? Had he joined one of the Four Emperors and been hidden within their territories? These questions remained unanswered.
Following the East Blue crisis's resolution, various media outlets including news agencies continued speculating about Oboro's situation. But even Morgans appeared to lack reliable intelligence about the God Slayer's whereabouts.
This vast ocean was not exclusively Oboro's stage.
Every day, every moment brought new developments in distant corners of the seas. When public enthusiasm waned, fresh scandals and exciting events were needed to capture attention.
The ocean had not disappointed those expectations.
In the New World, Portgas D. Ace, Fire Fist and captain of the Whitebeard Pirates' second division, had begun hunting the notorious traitor Marshall D. Teach, also known as Blackbeard!
This represented the first major explosive development.
The newspaper Oboro had acquired at Sabaody Archipelago containing reports about the Spade Pirates was now thoroughly outdated. He had assumed Ace had only recently entered the New World, but departing Sabaody had revealed the true timeline.
Ace had already joined Whitebeard's crew months ago.
However, the Spade Pirates he had originally founded had indeed caused significant waves throughout the maritime world, otherwise, no one would have preserved that newspaper for so long.
Ace was also notable for having rejected an invitation to join the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
This news had emerged during Oboro's early days in the North Blue.
More precisely, Ace had already begun his pursuit of Teach, but previous reports had been overshadowed by the Celestial Dragon assassination. Coverage of Whitebeard Pirates internal affairs had ended before gaining traction, only to be mentioned again now.
The second explosive development naturally involved the Four Emperors themselves.
Kaido and Big Mom had clashed violently in a disputed New World territory, their battle reportedly fierce and destructive. Officially, the conflict centered on resource competition for a particular island's wealth.
But the underlying tensions could not be separated from their previous rivalry over recruiting the God Slayer. Both Emperors' fleets had experienced friction during the East Blue convergence.
The third major story involved the Revolutionary Army!
In the South Blue, civil unrest had erupted within a corrupt but powerful member nation. News agencies reported Revolutionary Army involvement behind the scenes, suggesting deliberate destabilization efforts.
The Revolutionary Army had apparently launched a "liberation campaign," causing complete regime change and forcing the nation to sever ties with the World Government entirely.
This represented a tremendous loss of face for the World Government.
This had been a member country!
Although government and marine forces eventually arrived to restore order, the Revolutionary Army had escaped cleanly, leaving authorities with essentially nothing. Moreover, the national situation remained difficult to control, with surface stability masking deeper institutional collapse.
The government had technically protected the territory, but gained only an empty shell.
These constituted the major events, while numerous smaller incidents also captured significant public attention.
Thanks to these distractions, Oboro could maintain perfect concealment in the shadows.
However, the Revolutionary Army's actions surprised him considerably.
Historically, the Revolutionary Army had focused primarily on non-member countries, rarely confronting the Marine and World Government directly. They remained in a "strength-building" phase, prioritizing safety over aggressive action. Their willingness to target a member nation represented unprecedented boldness.
Oboro's intuition suggested the Revolutionary Army's recent actions were connected to him, specifically, to the Celestial Dragon assassination.
That death had served as a signal to every force opposing the World Government's authority.
"Now that the immediate chaos has subsided," Oboro announced with satisfaction, "it's time to venture back to sea."
His plan had reached completion.
He had used time's passage to erase as many traces of his presence as possible, waiting for the peak attention to diminish. Everyone still remembered him and recognized his name, but without fresh incidents to maintain focus, public interest had naturally shifted elsewhere.
This was precisely the environment Oboro needed for his next phase.
The training period had also allowed him to develop Dom's capabilities while positioning Dolan as a useful chess piece.
The ocean had never remained static.
Even Roger himself was now ancient history!
"Let's call it..." Oboro paused thoughtfully, considering various options before settling on the perfect name. "The Hell Pirates."