The Sky God was certainly massive, large enough to accommodate the two giants, Dorry and Brogy, albeit barely. Their immense size meant proper quarters were out of the question; they were relegated to sleeping on the main deck.
Having roughed it exposed to the elements on Little Garden for over eighty years, neither Dorry nor Brogy was particularly fussy about accommodations. As long as there was fine booze and good food readily available, they couldn't care less where they slept. Bege had already discussed his intention to help them rebuild the legendary Giant Warrior Pirates, and plans were also being formulated to eventually construct a vessel enormous enough to truly serve as a giant's flagship.
The Sky God set sail once more, this time navigating the open sea. The powerful thrust generated by the giant Breath Dials granted the ship astonishing speed as it charted a course towards the West Blue.
Normally, traveling from Paradise – the first half of the Grand Line – to the West Blue was a convoluted affair. Standard routes required entering the perilous New World first, only to then navigate back through the treacherous Calm Belts bordering the West Blue. The Marines, however, faced no such hurdle; to ensure swift deployment and maintain control across the Four Blues, they had carved incredible, ship-navigable tunnels straight through the colossal Red Line itself.
But Bege's Sky God possessed the invaluable ability to fly. There was no need for the lengthy detour into the New World. They could simply soar directly over the Red Line, saving a significant amount of time. Since Little Garden wasn't far from Reverse Mountain's entrance, the aerial crossing took a mere two days, bringing them swiftly back into the waters of the West Blue.
Their destination: Kullen Island, West Blue.
Kullen Island was a large landmass, formerly home to a small kingdom. However, the previous year, three separate pirate crews – all forced to retreat from the brutal competition of the New World – had formed an alliance, stormed the island, and seized control. They now ruled it from the shadows.
Over the past year, this pirate alliance had steadily grown, absorbing over a dozen smaller West Blue crews and extending their clandestine influence over more than ten other islands. They had become a force of considerable, if localized, power.
It was precisely this alliance that Bege had targeted for his return to the West Blue.
As the Sky God approached Kullen Island's main port, the docks came into view, lined with numerous vessels. To the untrained eye, they might have passed for merchant ships. But Bege, the young master of a major West Blue Mafia family, possessed an experienced eye; he immediately identified them not as legitimate traders, but as smuggling vessels.
The moment the Sky God arrived at the port, a group of uniformed guards rushed towards them, armed with rifles and cannons. A quick glance at their rough appearances and undisciplined demeanor told Bege they weren't professional soldiers, but rather common street thugs radiating hostility.
The guards' eyes widened in undisguised fear upon spotting the colossal figures of Dorry and Brogy on deck. A burly man, evidently their captain, hastily made a call on a Den Den Mushi before running forward, shouting belligerently at Bege and his crew.
"Identify yourselves! Which pirate crew are you, and what business do you have on Kullen Island?"
Bege descended the gangplank, his elite soldiers following close behind. The mere presence of Dorry and Brogy standing sentinel on the docks was enough to make the guards turn deathly pale with fright.
Bege calmly met the guard captain's gaze. "Are the Ghost Leopard, Bone Crusher, and War God pirate crews currently on this island?" he asked evenly.
Bege's own powerful aura, amplified immensely by the intimidating presence of the two giants beside him, seemed to press down on the guards. The captain trembled visibly as he replied, "Y-Yes, my lord. Kullen Island is indeed the territory of the Ghost Leopard, Bone Crusher, and War God Pirates."
Summoning a measure of courage, the captain elaborated, attempting to impress – or perhaps intimidate – the newcomers. "The Ghost Leopard, Bone Crusher, and War God crews are all powerful crews who have braved the New World! They formed an alliance here on Kullen Island, which now boasts fifteen affiliated crews and a combined force of three thousand pirates! Are… are you perhaps interested in joining our alliance, my lord?" As he spoke, reciting the alliance's strength, a sliver of confidence returned to his posture. After all, an alliance of this magnitude was virtually untouchable in the West Blue, save perhaps by the Marines themselves.
A cold, mocking sneer touched Bege's lips. "Three washouts chased out of the New World? What makes you think they possess the qualifications for me to join them? Don't make me laugh."
Anger flashed across the guard captain's face, but he wisely bit back any retort, mentally plotting how he'd humiliate these arrogant newcomers once they were inevitably crushed by the alliance's might.
"So, they are on the island," Bege mused, ignoring the captain entirely. "That simplifies things." The familiar castle gates materialized on Bege's chest, swinging open as hundreds of fully armed soldiers leaped out onto the docks.
"Secure the port," Bege commanded coolly. "Anyone who dares to resist is to be eliminated without mercy." His soldiers moved swiftly, fanning out to seize control. Any guards foolish enough to resist were gunned down on the spot.
"Come," Bege said, grabbing the terrified guard captain. "You'll lead the way. Let's go pay a visit to these New World washouts." With the captain forced to guide them, Bege and his formidable entourage strode purposefully into the island town.
Along the way, they encountered another group of pirates rushing towards the port – clearly reinforcements summoned by the captain's earlier Den Den Mushi call.
"Halt! How dare you trespass on Kullen Island!" roared the leader of the approaching group, a muscular brute standing nearly three meters tall. He hefted a massive, two-meter-long spiked mace onto his shoulder, his face a mask of brutal aggression. "Running into me, Skullcrusher Els, is the worst luck you could have!"
"Skullcrusher?" Hank scoffed from Bege's side, a dismissive smirk on his face. "What kind of dumb name is that? Sounds like a total nobody!"
"Watch your mouth, brat!" Els snarled, his face contorting with rage. He stomped towards Hank, dragging the tip of his enormous mace along the ground. "I am the great pirate Skullcrusher Els, worth eighty million belli! And I hate disrespectful little punks like you." He leered menacingly. "I'm going to enjoy smashing your limbs first, then crushing that little skull of yours. Trust me, brat, I'll make sure you die a truly miserable death."
An ugly expression crossed Hank's face, his eyes burning with sudden, intense killing intent. He turned to Bege. "Godfather, permission to kill this nobody?"
"Go ahead," Bege replied with a slight chuckle, casually retrieving a cigar from his pocket and lighting it. "Just don't keep us waiting too long."
"Don't worry, Godfather! I'll finish him instantly!" Hank grinned fiercely, stepping forward. His body rapidly shifted and contorted, transforming into his powerful beast-man state. A wild, ferocious aura exploded around him.
Across from him, Skullcrusher Els flinched in surprise at the sudden transformation but quickly recovered his sneer. "Hoh? A Devil Fruit user, eh? Heh heh, no wonder you're so cocky. But don't think that makes you invincible, brat! Back in the New World, I killed plenty of Devil Fruit users!"
"Too much talk!" Hank growled, impatience flashing in his eyes. "I need to end this quickly; can't keep the Godfather waiting." He drew the pair of wicked-looking daggers from his waist – specially forged blades, viciously serrated on both edges with a deep blood groove running down the center.
Dropping low, Hank exploded forward using Soru, instantly closing the distance to Els.
Despite his bluster, Els had survived the New World, a genuine accomplishment that warranted a degree of pride. His eighty-million-belly bounty undeniably carried far more weight than an equivalent sum earned solely within the relative safety of the Four Blues. As Hank blurred towards him, Els reacted instantly, yanking his mace from his shoulder and bringing it crashing down in a powerful arc aimed directly at Hank's head.
CLANG!
With surprising strength, Hank met the crushing blow head-on, catching the massive spiked club on his crossed daggers. He flashed his sharp canine teeth in a predatory grin. "Is that all the strength you've got? Guess I wasn't wrong calling you a nobody after all."
Els stared, momentarily stunned, before his face flushed crimson with fury.
"What did you say, you little—?!"
He ripped his mace back violently, hoisting it high above his head, the muscles in his arms bulging grotesquely. With a furious roar, he brought the weapon smashing down towards Hank with ferocious force.
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