Weeks had passed since Marcus arrived at the laboratory. For the first time since he began walking the path of an alchemist, he had enjoyed the most peaceful period of his life. He spent every minute inside the underground lab, creating whatever he wanted with the materials at hand while waiting for the equipment he had asked Anna for.
He didn't waste time on personal projects alone. He had already developed the new formulas and production methods for Red Tide v2. Today was the day he would finally make it; all the necessary machines were now in place.
First step: extracting the venom from the Crimson Flowers.
Marcus had tried several new extraction methods, but none were as versatile and perfect as the original one described in the formula, so he stuck with it.
This time, however, he had an entire section of the lab fitted with huge containers equipped with slow-rotating agitators at the bottom. The Crimson Flowers were submerged along with their stems, and the constant, gentle movement extracted every single drop of poison. He now had enough pure poison to run dozens of experimental batches and perfect the final product.
He assigned five workers (Olbap had personally assured him they were completely trustworthy) to monitor the tanks 24/7 and ensure nothing went wrong.
Second step: processing the Somber Coral.
In the old method, the coral was simply crushed into dust and then mixed with the poison and Sea King blood. Marcus refused to accept that mediocrity. He had the perfect way to achieve the superior quality Olbap had demanded.
The new process began with the five crucible furnaces. The Somber Coral was placed inside the crucibles and melted into a thick, glowing liquid. Once it reached the exact consistency he wanted, it was transferred (still molten) into the temperature-controlled mixers. These machines kept everything at a perfectly stable temperature, preventing the coral from cooling and ensuring all ingredients entered the blend at the exact same heat.
The result was maximum molecular compatibility.
Next came the Sea King blood: approximately ten large bottles per batch, poured into the mixers. The full fusion process took roughly one day.
When the mixture was ready, it was poured into perfectly square molds (exactly as Olbap had specified). The final step was to place the filled molds into the five industrial drying ovens. Over the next hours, the liquid solidified into flawless, translucent crimson crystal bricks that looked like blocks of pure frozen blood.
That was Red Tide v2: higher potency, cleaner effect, zero risk of death, and quality far beyond anything the old version could dream of.
Of course, perfection required failure. Dozens of ruined batches, exploded crucibles, scorched walls, and sleepless nights came first. But Marcus Cotton was not the kind of man who gave up, especially when it was his project.
Weeks passed exactly as he had predicted.And then, one morning, in the main hall of Krakenport's tallest building, Rabocse Olbap and the entire family gathered around a long table. On it rested the first official batch: one hundred perfect bricks of Red Tide v2, ready to be packaged and sold.
From the stunned, delighted, and hungry expressions around him, Marcus knew they were all overjoyed that Red Tide sales could finally resume, and at a level no one had ever imagined.
Olbap placed one brick in the center of the table and clapped twice, sharp and commanding. Silence fell instantly.
"From this day forward," he declared, voice echoing through the room, "Marcus Cotton is officially a core member of the Rabocse Family." Applause and cheers erupted.
A few days later – Northern waters of Brackmor Island
Three ships had silently surrounded another in open water. Liro, head of maritime defense, knew exactly who they were the moment he saw their flags. They had approached quietly, but not quietly enough to slip past the lookouts. Within minutes, three vessels formed a perfect triangle around the Rabocse patrol ship.
The only reason they weren't already at the bottom of the sea was the white flag flying high on the lead ship: a universal sign they came to talk, not fight. Liro stepped to the railing. He already knew the man now crossing the plank.
The Harley Family. And the one boarding was Diesel, Jack Harley's right-hand enforcer. The two men stood face-to-face, close enough to speak without shouting.
"Harley Family," Liro began, hand resting on the cutlass at his waist. "These aren't your waters. What brings you here?"
Diesel gave a crooked grin. "So you know who we are. Then you'll know why I've come. Silco had a long-term deal with us. He hasn't delivered in months. The boss is pissed. I'm here for answers."
Liro nodded once, pulled the Den Den Mushi from his belt, and called Olbap. Thirty seconds of quiet report was all it took.
"Diesel," Liro said, pocketing the snail, "follow us. I'll take you to the boss. He'll explain everything."
Fifteen to twenty-five minutes later they docked at Krakenport. Diesel couldn't hide his shock as he took in the reborn town: new buildings, bustling markets, ships loading and unloading, life pulsing through streets that had once been half-dead under Silco.
Liro led him straight to the tallest building in the city, took the elevator to the top floor (Olbap's office; the very top level was his private residence), knocked twice, and opened the door.
Diesel stepped inside… and froze. There was no Silco.
Behind the desk sat a boy who looked no older than fifteen, dressed in an immaculate white suit, calmly smoking a pipe. The most striking feature: amethyst eyes that seemed to see straight through a man's soul and his spiky hair golden like a sun.
"Welcome to Brackmor, Diesel," Olbap said, exhaling a thin stream of smoke. "It's been a long time since our paths crossed. Sit. We have things to clear up."
Diesel sat. Liro leaned against the wall by the door, hand never leaving his cutlass.
"I'm here on Jack's orders," Diesel said, voice hard. "He wants answers about the deal with Silco. No Red Tide in months. People are desperate. And why am I talking to you instead of Silco? I don't even remember who the hell you are."
Olbap smiled faintly and set his pipe down.
"Bad news, Barracuda Silco and his old crew no longer exist. Red Tide now belongs to the Rabocse Family. And I am its leader: Rabocse Olbap."
The realization hit Diesel like a cannon shot. His eyes widened.
"Now I remember," he spat. "You're that little brat who once delivered a shipment for us. So you slithered out like a rat and betrayed your own boss to take everything." said Diesel in a mocking tone
"From my point of view it wasn't betrayal," Olbap replied calmly. "But not everyone needs to know the details. Let's talk business. I'm willing to continue the old deal… with some changes. Interested?"
"What kind of changes?" Diesel asked, leaning forward.
"Before, you usually bought large quantities at a fixed price and resold however you wanted. That ends now. From today forward, I give you a set amount to sell. Of everything you earn, 80% comes back to me."
Diesel barked a laugh and shot to his feet. "Let me get this straight. You want us to do all the work and give you eighty percent? You think we're your employees? We were partners, never anything less. Looks like power's gone to your head, kid."
"It's not about power, Diesel. It's how I run my product. If you don't like my terms, there's no deal and you can leave."
"You really think Jack will accept this?" Diesel roared. "You have no idea who you're talking to! Without the Harley Family's help at the beginning, your little Red Tide would've died in the cradle. You should be grateful!"
Olbap's smile vanished. His voice turned to ice
"Grateful? I know exactly who put us on everyone's radar. I know who sold information about our routes, our island, our product. You should be grateful you're still breathing."
"What the hell are you assuming , you little—"
Diesel never got finished.
A cold blade pressed against his throat. Warm blood trickled down his neck. From the corner of his eye he saw Liro's shadow behind him, expression carved from stone.
"You've said enough," Liro whispered. "You're alive because he hasn't given the order yet."
Olbap rose and walked to the massive window overlooking Krakenport.
"I had my suspicions from the start," he said, gazing at the city below. "How someone always knew our movements, even when we barely left the island. Then your family's name filled in the missing piece. I understand why you did it: money, control, taking Red Tide for yourselves. I would've done the same. But you failed. And now I have everything."
He turned.
"I'm a man who repays in the same coin he receives. If you want to keep working with Red Tide, it will be under my command. New final terms: 90% for me, 10% for you. I'll let you leave to deliver the message to Jack. If I don't receive a call within one week, I'll take it as refusal."
Olbap's eyes narrowed to slits.
"And if I discover even the slightest hint that you've sold information, moved product behind my back, or breathed a word about Red Tide… the Rabocse Family will declare total war on the Harley Family. Liro, escort him to his ship."
Liro removed the blade. Diesel, pale and silent, walked to the elevator without a word. Whatever insult he wanted to spit died in his throat.
Five minutes later the Harley ships were gone.
Liro turned back toward the building. Popeye was waiting on the dock, hammer resting on his shoulder.
"So that's how it ended, huh?" Popeye said, falling into step beside him.
"Yeah," Liro replied. "Olbap went full boss mode. Started at 80%. Diesel threatened him, so he raised it to 90% and made it the final offer."
Popeye laughed, a deep belly rumble. "Hahaha! Wish I'd been there. Something tells me the next few days are gonna be fun. Anyway, I'm off to see Anna. Catch you later."
They parted ways.
Back in the office, Olbap held a Den Den Mushi in one hand and a fountain pen in the other, finishing a note.
"What do you think of the deal?" he asked into the snail, a sly smile spreading. "I told you I was interested in moving Red Tide like never before. You're not going to stay behind, are you?"
A familiar, theatrical laugh crackled through the receiver.
"Hehehehe! You always know how to tempt me, little bird. Count me in. 40% for me, 60% for you, seems fair. You know where to send it. Until next time, Rabocse Olbap."
The call ended.
Silence returned to the office. Olbap pinned the freshly written sheet to the wall among other documents detailing the rebirth of Red Tide. Five names stood out above the rest. He shook his head slowly
."In one week the entire South Blue will be full of addicts desperate for more Red Tide."
He looked at the name at the very top of the page.
"That's how I'll pay my debt… Morgans giving you all the news to publish."
End of the chapter.