LightReader

Chapter 180 - Chapter 180: Let’s Go Visit Fish-Man Island

Back on the Sabaody Archipelago, Ozz lingered for once, dusting off his duties as boss. He presided over Gild Tesoro and Stella's wedding, then made the rounds to inspect every arm of his network.

Tesoro's application to build a golden pleasure ship received a lavish budget.Ozz toured Umit's shipping lines and gave pointed guidance.He reviewed Donquixote Doflamingo's family operations, the talent quality in Stussy's pleasure quarter, Du Feld's cash flow, Gibberson's warehouses, and Drug Peclo's hit team.And of course Morgans's News Coo. He even gave special praise to the Seagull King.

Out of curiosity he tried something. For reasons unknown, his Conqueror's Haki could not make that bird faint.

He rarely stayed put, so this was already a long visit, enough to soothe the lonely hearts of the young and not-so-young women under his roof.

Mihawk spent his days between aristocratic idleness and sword practice. Crocodile trained, then unwound at the casino. Ozz did much the same, and had just returned from inspections.

Bored, he drifted into Sammi's office.

"Tell me, Sammi, do our people trade in mermaids?"

He stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking down over the grove and out to sea, eyes settling on a newly coated ship that was easing beneath the waves.

"Mermaids…" Sammi paused her pen at the sound of his voice, thinking it through. "Yes, and likely at scale. We umbrella half the underworld. Someone is always willing to do dirty work."

Among the gray businesses under Ozz's banner was human trafficking. Not because he delighted in it. Before he consolidated the underworld, things had been ten times worse. Slavers can never be wiped out where profit calls. The most he could do was regulate, constrain the harm, and pull some souls out of the fire.

Sammi worked the same calculus. Many girls who would have been sold into torture were bought out and given survivable work in the red-light district.

Ozz and his people were not saints. The underworld was shadow and would never disappear. Making the shadow controllable was his greatest good.

"In that case, prepare to pivot. Mermaid trafficking is headed for a slump."

He nodded at her answer and issued the order.

On Fish-Man Island the trade had grown rampant, not only among underworld brokers but pirates and even World Government slavers. If nothing changed, the world's strongest man, Whitebeard, would soon plant his flag, bringing the island under his protection.

Fish-Man Island sits right under Sabaody's nose. Ozz had no interest in ruling it, but whether or not friction flared, once Whitebeard moved, the island would belong to someone. Prices for mermaids would spike. Supply would shrink. Consider this an early heads-up.

"Are you putting to sea, Lord Ozz?"

Sammi was sharp, and she knew him well. His tone said the world was about to shift. And wherever the big moments happened, Ozz would be there to spectate.

"Yeah. Hard to believe it is already Sea Circle Calendar 1505. Time flies."

"Feels like a good day to play on the open sea."

Sabaody Archipelago.

Shakky's Rip-off Bar.

Business never boomed here, at least whenever Ozz came by. Reputation kept customers away. In truth the place survived on information and Ozz's patronage.

"You have been saying 'Fish-Man Island, Fish-Man Island' for ages, only to keep putting it off."

Mihawk shot Ozz a dry look.

"What is the rush."

Crocodile did not care either way. After so long in Sabaody, a change of scenery sounded fine.

They stepped inside. Only Shakky stood polishing a glass behind the counter. Seeing them, she smiled.

"Well now, if it isn't Boss Ozz. Thirsty?"

Her booze was overpriced and notorious, but a man for whom money had lost meaning would not blink. Sure enough, Ozz ordered an eye-wateringly expensive fruit spirit, plus red and white wine. The three took stools at the bar.

Ozz sipped and got to the point.

"We are here for Mr. Rayleigh. Need him to coat the Oro Jackson. We are thinking of a little trip."

Shakky propped her chin on a hand and curved her lips. "The Black Emperor heading to sea again. Now that is a headline. Worth a mint."

She joked, lit a slender cigarette, then added, "Bad timing though. Rayleigh should be at work right about now. Give it a bit."

They were in no hurry, so they chatted.

Footsteps sounded outside. Near the door they halted as if frozen. Then shuffled back, trying to retreat.

"No need to run after you have come all this way. Do I look that terrifying."

Ozz turned toward the boy with six arms. Squid-faced and gangly like an octopus.

Hatchan. Still a teenager.

"L-Lord Ozz…"

"You are here, so sit."

"Y-yes."

Hachi crept in, sweating under the combined pressure of Mihawk's and Crocodile's stares. Shakky chuckled and slid him a glass of juice.

Ozz did this every time. If he ran into Hachi at the bar, he would spook the kid for fun. The poor boy had developed a complex. Still, Ozz knew his lines. Hachi had once saved Rayleigh's life. Ozz never crossed into cruel.

For the life of him, he still could not figure out how a monster like Rayleigh, who swam the Calm Belt for sport, had needed a little fish-man to rescue him.

"Perfect timing, Hachi."

Ozz hooked a finger in the back of the boy's shirt and lifted him lightly, smiling as six arms flailed.

"I am heading to Fish-Man Island for a bit. You have plenty of friends there."

"Be our guide, will you. No problem, right?"

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The tides are shifting, and secrets linger in the dark... Step into the shadows early on P@treon, where the next chapter awaits before the world sees it.

[email protected]/_theon

Change @ to "a"

More Chapters