"Captain, what exactly is this Boin Archipelago?"
Drake considered himself well-traveled, but he had never even heard of such an island.
"It's a very special place," Bellamy said. "It would be best for us to go there at least once."
On the surface, the Boin Archipelago looked like a cluster of islands blooming like a flower. In reality, it was a peculiar island chain composed of several carnivorous plants floating on the sea, known as the "Stomach Barons." The island was teeming with fragrant, tempting food, whose aroma constantly lured in Sea Beasts and Sea Kings.
The center of the Boin Archipelago was the mouth of the Stomach Baron. When it was time to feed, it would open its mouth and close its petals, causing all the prey on its surface to fall into its maw.
The very reason Bellamy was so determined to go to the Boin Archipelago was because of its inexhaustible supply of high-grade ingredients. The high-energy food that grew naturally on the island was more than enough to fuel their training needs. Not only that, but the island naturally attracted Sea Kings and other beasts to their deaths.
For Bellamy, if he wanted to conduct high-intensity training, the Boin Archipelago was without a doubt the perfect training ground. Hunting Sea Kings out on the open ocean was not only dangerous but also incredibly wasteful. After months of hard work in the Four Blues, Bellamy had only managed to hunt a few dozen. Factoring in the loss of ingredients during preparation, they had probably consumed less than twenty in total. It was a time-consuming and laborious process. How could it compare to the convenience of the Boin Archipelago?
Bellamy's plan was to conduct an intensive training regimen for the entire crew there. At the very least, he needed to awaken both types of Haki in Drake. Then, for the rest of the crew, he would train them in Armament Haki if they had the aptitude for it.
"Did that guy say where we could get an Eternal Pose for the Boin Archipelago?"
"He did," Drake confirmed. "He said the auction house on this island might have one."
"An auction house, huh."
As soon as one entered the Grand Line, places like auction houses became much more common. The establishments here were typically backed by the Celestial Dragons, so very few people dared to cause trouble. Whether it was black-market contraband or rare treasures not available to the public, you could get your hands on anything at an auction house—as long as you had the money. They were places that truly had a hand in both the legitimate world and the underworld, their influence reaching everywhere.
If Bellamy wanted to buy something, a straightforward auction might have gone smoothly. But if he were to specify a particular item he wanted to purchase, he was bound to be extorted for an exorbitant price.
"If the auction house might have it, what are we waiting for?"
His original plan had been to slaughter everyone on the black market street, rob them of all their money, and then burn the place to the ground before leaving. But now, the plan had changed. Since the black market couldn't meet his needs, Bellamy's new target was the auction house.
"Let's go. We'll start by killing everyone in the auction house."
When it came to acquiring things, Bellamy's philosophy was simple: if he had money, he'd pay; if he didn't, he'd kill. He was certainly short on cash at the moment, so he decisively chose to kill.
"Captain, doing this will provoke the Celestial Dragons," Drake warned, clearly wary of them.
"It's fine, Drake," Bellamy waved off his concern. "They're just Celestial Dragons."
It was obvious that Bellamy couldn't care less about the so-called Celestial Dragons.
"When we have the time, we'll take a trip to Sabaody and grab a few of them," he declared. "I'll flay them, layer by layer, in front of the whole world. That kind of scene would be pretty fun, don't you think?"
Just the thought of it made Bellamy burst into a fit of roaring laughter. "Gyahahahaha!"
"Those damn Marines will probably chase after us like their mothers just died," he continued. "The whole situation will be absolutely hilarious."
This wasn't just hilarious; it was pure madness.
As his captain described the scene, a few drops of cold sweat trickled down Drake's forehead. If they actually did that, the Marines and the World Government would truly lose their minds. It would be worse than just slapping the Celestial Dragons; it would be like shoving their heads into a cesspool and forcing them to take a few gulps.
I guess it's true what they say: a nickname may be given by mistake, but it's never wrong, Drake thought, stealing a glance at Bellamy. The epithet 'Mad Dog' seems like it was made just for the captain.
By following a captain like this, could he really get his revenge on Doflamingo?
Drake suddenly felt that sticking with Bellamy was an incredibly dangerous affair. Bellamy had been crazy enough back in the Four Blues. Drake had thought he might tone it down upon entering the Grand Line, but he had only become even more unhinged.
Will I end up dead before we even get anywhere?
The more Drake thought about it, the more likely it seemed. And he didn't even know that the Marines had already dispatched three Vice Admirals to pursue them. This wasn't just a bad feeling.
Just then, Ross and the others emerged from the back room with several clones, carrying a large pile of treasure.
"Boss, we found a few million Beli and some gold and jewels."
"Keep the Beli, toss the jewelry," Bellamy commanded. "Let's go. We have people to kill."
Ross and the others had been busy looting and didn't know their next destination. But having followed Bellamy for so long, they were used to his methods. Hearing the captain's order, Ross simply dropped the larger, bulkier items on the ground, keeping only a few bags of gems and a large sack of Beli.
The auction house on Stilt Island was located in the city built by the Longleg Tribe, right in the heart of the most prosperous downtown district. With its powerful backing and strength, even the local rulers didn't dare to provoke it, so its security was naturally guaranteed. One could only imagine how good business was.
By the time Bellamy's group arrived at the entrance, people were coming and going in an endless stream. News of the bloody incident on the island had already spread, but the people here were clearly unconcerned. In their eyes, no one would dare cause trouble in this place. Aside from a few major figures who rarely made appearances, an auction house with Celestial Dragon backing was the safest place on the Grand Line.
But this rule didn't apply to Bellamy.
"Kill them all."
Bellamy gestured to his crew. He then lit a cigar for himself and squinted, sizing up the massive building.
"Transform: Allosaurus!"
"Transform: Black Rhinoceros!"
The two Zoan Fruit users immediately shifted into their beast forms and charged headfirst into the building. Mia and Muret followed right behind them with the clones, cutting a path of slaughter.
The crowd gathered at the entrance was instantly trampled, half of them killed on the spot. The air, once thick with the scent of money, was now filled with the stench of blood and the sound of screams.
A wave of immense chaos began to sweep across the entire city.
This was what it meant to be a pirate. No matter where they went, they were the greatest source of chaos. This was especially true for someone like Bellamy, who regarded life as worthless and order as a joke. For him, starting a riot was easier than eating or drinking.