The Florian Triangle is a crucial maritime route to the New World, where hundreds of ships go missing every year. The vessels discovered are all empty, with no crew left aboard.
Bazel heard many rumors about the Florian Triangle before transmigrating.
Some said the hidden shadow here was Imu, while others claimed Uranus was stored here...
But Bazel was more intrigued by another theory.
The way the Beasts Pirates entered the Florian Triangle was different from other ships.
At that time, he had accidentally killed a Celestial Dragon. To prevent a Buster Call from storming in, Kaido directly used his Flame Cloud ability to lift the ship into the sky, swiftly departing from Sabaody Archipelago.
The method of entry was also very simple.
Kaido maneuvered the flying ship to the center above the thick fog and then descended straight down.
During this process, Bazel noticed the range covered by the black fog.
It was vast but not impossibly so.
If this black fog, which interfered with magnetic fields, did not move, the ships caught in it could definitely sail out of this sea by heading in one direction consistently.
Yet, over the years, there had been very few reports of ships surviving.
In other words...
The ships that strayed into this sea panicked and moved recklessly.
And since most ships relied on wind power for propulsion...
Suppose the Florian Triangle was 'alive'.
The wind could blow into the black fog under certain conditions, propelling the ships while simultaneously circulating the black fog within this unique corridor-like sea.
That would mean that no matter where the ships went, they always moved in the same direction as the black fog and at nearly the same speed.
This would explain the terrifying legend of the Florian Triangle.
Moreover, it was currently the year 1492 of the Sea Circle Calendar. The Thriller Bark should still be docked in a corner of the West Blue.
Without other factors interfering, if a normal ship wanted to leave this sea...
It was simple.
Retract the sails and remain stationary. Once the wind's direction was detected, use oars to row in the opposite direction. This would allow them to sail out of this sea in the shortest time possible.
"John wouldn't dare lie to Big Bro Kaido when he was on the verge of defeat. Assuming this black fog can be moved by the wind..."
Bazel raised the Eternal Pose in his hand.
"The place where Rocks' treasure is stored might be a small island exposed when the black fog moves to other seas."
"The location of that island is precisely the location recorded by this Eternal Pose."
"Babanuki, retract the sails. Since there's wind flowing here, it means the black fog is already migrating. We just need to wait quietly."
"Understood!"
Bazel put away the Eternal Pose and turned to Kaido "The situation isn't fully confirmed yet. Seven days—we'll stay here for seven days at most. Once the black fog disperses, we might find that island."
…
Four days passed in the blink of an eye.
On the early morning of the fifth day, as the sky was just beginning to brighten.
"Wait, brightening?"
Bazel looked at the clearing sky, wearing an expression of there's only one truth.
Yet, there was a trace of inexplicable confusion mixed in.
As he watched the black fog drifting away ahead, he felt as though he had overlooked something important...
"It really turned out just as you analyzed, Bazel."
King, who had been resting on the deck, slowly stood up, his expression complicated.
"Can Devil Fruits really grant users smarter brains?"
"Or is it that eight heads are truly better than one?"
"Hahaha~~"
Bazel patted King's shoulder, comforting him warmly, "My stupid Otouto, you still have a long way to go before becoming a real man."
"Follow behind me and learn more in the future. A man must not only possess a powerful body but also a clever mind."
"This is all part of life's training, Arber!!"
The slight complexity in King's heart instantly vanished. He expressionlessly swatted away Bazel's hand, which was vigorously patting his shoulder.
"I wish those words had come from Kaido-san, not from a human-shaped snake with seven extra heads like you."
Bazel rolled up his sleeves: (ÒωÓ!)p
"Are you looking down on your great older brother?!"
"Sorry," King said, walking toward the cabin, "I really don't see what's so great about a drunk who cries when he's had too much. In that regard, you're just like Kaido-san… trash."
"Damn you, King! I challenge you to a duel!"
King walked into the cabin with Bazel clinging to his neck from behind.
"Kaido-san, the sky has cleared. It's time for the treasure to make its appearance."
Two vertical-pupiled gleams suddenly lit up in the darkness.
"Finally! I've almost run out of patience. Arber, tell Babanuki to set sail immediately!"
"Yes, Kaido-san!"
…
The Beasts Pirates were not far from the location indicated by the Eternal Pose.
After just half a day of sailing, the ship anchored at a lush, uninhabited island.
Bazel slightly parted his lips, and gray Naraku's Poison silently flew out, landing on the fallen skeletons scattered on the sandy ground.
Amid the creaking sound of grinding bones, one skeleton after another missing limbs or heads stood up before Bazel.
"Atoner, transform."
At his command, the skeletons roared and charged at each other.
Bones collided, deformed, and then fused together under a wave of gray energy.
In just a few seconds, a large open-top off-road vehicle capable of seating multiple people had taken shape.
Bazel sat in the driver's seat, with Toki naturally taking the passenger seat.
"Get in."
"S~Sugoi!!!"
Olga quickly circled the skeleton car, her eyes turning into golden stars.
"This is amazing, Bazel!!"
The skeleton car was over ten meters long, its tires made of several large, perfectly round skulls, while the seats were pieced together from ribs and spines.
Although it wasn't powered by an engine or gasoline, Bazel had fashioned it into a standard doorless off-road vehicle based on his past memories.
He'd even placed a pristine white bull's skull on the front hood for aesthetic appeal.
"Bazel, it seems a bit too spacious~"
Bazel glanced back.
"Olga, the last two seats are for Kaido and King. Your seat is in the middle."
"Hurry up and get in. Did you two plan to walk to find the treasure?!"
Kaido and King somewhat awkwardly took their seats at the back, looking around and touching everything, their eyes filled with curiosity.
"Quite a novel contraption, Bazel. How did you come up with this?"
"Why have I never seen anything like this before?"
"Just a bone car, a flexible application of the Atoners' abilities."
Bazel patted the steering wheel made from a skull and vertebrae.
As his ability activated, two eerie blue lights flickered to life in the skull's eye sockets.
"Babanuki, leave some men to guard the ship. The rest of you, enter the island from the right and make sure to thoroughly search the entire place."
"Hundred Beasts Land Rover, move out!!"
Babanuki watched the departing skeleton car with immense envy.
"So incredibly cool! Bazel Aniki is truly a man ahead of his time~"
"Alright, men, get moving! If this trip goes smoothly, I'll beg Bazel Aniki to make a few cars for us to play with too!"
"Oh!!! Long live Babanuki-sama!"
"Long live Bazel Aniki!"
…
"Bazel, this car..."
As a scientist, Acier sensed a whiff of scientific innovation.
"If we installed a power source in this car, could it operate independently of your control, allowing it to move quickly?"
Kaido and King's eyes lit up from the back seat.
If this could really be achieved, the Beasts Pirates would undoubtedly be the coolest crew on the seas.
"What I mean is, hold on, let me sort through my thoughts..."
Acier pondered for half a minute before speaking again.
"What I'm trying to say is, if we had a group of skilled craftsmen who could replicate the skeleton car's form using steel..."
"And if I could figure out a way to provide an energy source, then it would become an independent entity, right?"
"Wait, Acier."
King cut in early, nudging Kaido with his elbow.
"Kaido-san, we could fulfill all the conditions Acier mentioned in the future, right?"
"You said Wano is a nation of master smiths, so there must be plenty of skilled craftsmen there, right?"
"And didn't Bazel mention an illegal scientist before? If we could recruit him into the Beasts Pirates, then all the conditions would be met."
Kaido slowly nodded, one hand under his chin, signaling his agreement.
"Bazel."
King called out to Bazel, who was busy figuring out the direction, "If everything goes smoothly, we could even incorporate some Seastone and weapon modifications into the design."
"That way, in the future, whether it's for combat or funding, we'd have a solid supplementary resource."
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