Chapter 19: The King Of Maritime Transport’s Reaction
A huge sea chart hung on the wall.
It was so huge that the vast New World was encompassed within this sea chart, even though there were many areas shrouded in fog that could not be clearly explored, but this map had already marked all the explored areas of the New World.
Just this one sea chart would fetch a sky-high price if taken out.
However,
Compared to the sea chart itself, the densely packed routes recorded on it were the real inexhaustible gold mine, with mountains of gold and seas of silver flowing through every route at all times.
This was the result of Umit’s lifelong efforts.
The specific data of every route, the detailed situation of every port, the wind directions, waves, tides, currents, hidden reefs, and drift ice of every sea area, and so on—these pieces of intelligence formed the flesh and bones of the Black Water Association, supporting the King of Maritime Transport’s position in the New World.
“What’s the situation with Dallama Kingdom? Why haven’t I seen the latest report from Dallama Kingdom Shipping Company? And Aliye too, where’s the report? Why isn’t there their report?”
Umit looked at the secretaries who had lowered their heads with eyes so cold that they could make one forget the hot climate of Summer Island, as if they had fallen into the depths of an ice cellar.
He had a huge secretary team.
As the King of Maritime Transport in the New World, he could not possibly control the Black Water Association, this super commercial warship, single-handedly; both his energy and time were limited, and he needed enough manpower to help him steer this super commercial warship, the Black Water Association.
The secretary team of over fifty people was the tentacles he used to control his warship.
“Who can tell me? What exactly happened?”
Umit asked again.
The uniquely styled, deep blue oversized hat on his head, featuring an anchor pattern, trembled slightly with his scanning movements.
The secretaries did not remain silent for long; after a silent exchange of glances, someone stepped forward and respectfully lowered their head in front of Umit’s desk. “Lord Umit, we haven’t received specific reports from below yet. So far, we only have some fragmentary messages······”
“Tell me the conclusion!”
Umit stared at the secretary who had stepped forward.
“It’s······Eckmond Kingdom.” The secretary gritted their teeth and said the name.
As secretaries under Umit, they knew better than anyone his ambition and actions. In fact, the specific action plan targeting Eckmond Kingdom was something they had collectively devised, using Amento Kingdom as a disguise to deceive the Whitebeard Pirates’ attention, and then soothing the Whitebeard Pirates’ anger with heads and hefty sums after the fait accompli.
The plan was not particularly ingenious, but it had the advantage of being simple and easy to execute.
Unfortunately,
This plan had only just begun and failed to reach its end.
[Black Prince] Sokachio Elus rose to fame in one battle, turning all their efforts and sacrifices into stepping stones for Elus, helping this originally obscure prince to secure a place in the New World where strong persons abounded.
The message brought back by Ghost Sword Venkura was still deeply etched in their minds.
After all,
It had been nearly ten years since anyone dared to make such an arrogant declaration to Umit: “Before I personally take your head, please keep my trophy safe! Don’t lose it!”
The most infuriating thing was that Venkura, this gutless waste, was so terrified that he repeatedly exaggerated Elus’s terror in front of Lord Umit, exhausting his rather limited vocabulary, nearly squeezing his brain pulp dry.
Covering up one’s own incompetence by deliberately exaggerating the enemy’s strength—such foolish behavior was all too common.
It was just unexpected that Venkura, once highly anticipated, would crumble so easily under pressure, portraying the enemy as terrifying as one of the Four Emperors······It was almost laughable, and after the laughter came deep disappointment.
Venkura was still locked up in a cell!
And now, they had to bring up the unpleasant name of Eckmond Kingdom once again.
“Eckmond Kingdom······So, this is revenge?”
After figuring out who was behind it, Umit’s anger subsided instead. Seventy percent of his anger came from the unknown; the fear of the unknown was the greatest fear. As long as he could identify the enemy’s true identity, this fear would naturally dissipate.
Compared to the unknown, what was known fear worth?
Unless the one targeting him was a monster like one of the Four Emperors, the Navy’s Three Admirals, or Hawk Eyes.
Otherwise,
To him, nothing else was truly frightening.
He was the King of Maritime Transport,
One of the undisputed magnates in the Dark World.
“I was originally going to let them off for the sake of Whitebeard’s flag, but since you’re asking for trouble······you can only blame yourselves for not knowing when to drop dead.” Umit tugged at his curly whiskers, his cold eyes filled with chilling killing intent.
Ever since the Whale Tail Island conflict made the news and intelligence spread about his involvement in a dispute over Whitebeard’s territory, he had to focus his attention on the Whitebeard Pirates, cautiously guarding against their thunderous wrath.
In the end, before the Whitebeard Pirates’ fury arrived, he was bitten by Eckmond Kingdom, this little pup he hadn’t even considered.
“Contact······”
Umit started to speak but then paused.
Who should he contact?
Venkura was not the strongest hidden pawn he had tucked away, but he was definitely in the top five. Venkura’s devastated, confidence-shattered state somewhat indicated that Eckmond······no, that [Black Prince] Sokachio Elus was not just a bloodthirsty butcher.
Experts on par with Venkura probably wouldn’t be of much use, but a strong person far superior to Venkura······Did he have to handle it personally?
Also,
He needed to consider what reaction the Whitebeard Pirates would have if he continued to act against Eckmond Kingdom—would they ignore it, or see him as overstepping?
This made him realize that his killing intent was somewhat too presumptuous.
The New World was just that complex.
The New World was the Four Emperors’ New World, not one Pirate Emperor’s, but four Pirate Emperors’. Even a single Pirate Emperor could not truly act with complete impunity; visible and invisible constraints existed around everyone, including him, a magnate of the Dark World.
No one could truly act as they pleased without restraint.
Even BIG·MOM, the mad emperor who would conquer a country for sweets, no matter how much she coveted Fish-Man Island’s sweets and Fish-Men, was still enduring her desires to this day, avoiding confrontation with this island under Whitebeard’s protection.
“Whitebeard······Since it’s not good to proactively go knocking on his door, then······let him come to me himself!” Umit looked at the huge sea chart on the wall. “Spread the word that in mid-next month, I will go to Dressrosa to meet joker. At the same time, send an invitation to our Black Prince Your Highness, saying······”
As a hegemon who rose from nothing.
Umit never lacked boldness and decisiveness.
Even using himself as bait gave him no hesitation. Risk and opportunity coexisted, a truth he understood better than anyone. Those unwilling to pay the price could not reap sufficient rewards. To eliminate Elus, this worm trying to destroy his ‘maritime transport kingdom’ in the fastest and most effective way, he naturally needed to bear the corresponding risk.
“Say that I’m waiting for him in Dressrosa, and I’ll give him the chance to kill me. If he wants the trophy······how can he get it without fighting?” Umit continued to stare intently at the sea chart.
That persistent gaze,
Was just like looking at his own life.
And indeed it was—this sea chart, these densely packed routes, these were his life. Most of his life had been poured into these routes.
“If you want my head, come and get it!”
He muttered to himself.
The secretaries stirred slightly.
They did not approve of Umit putting himself in danger, and in Dressrosa no less, joker that shameless scoundrel’s lair. Compared to Elus, who might or might not have the courage to accept the invitation, joker, that greedy, despicable, cunning scoundrel, was clearly the more dangerous one.
“Lord Umit, joker······”
“No need to worry. Don’t underestimate that scum’s survival instincts.”
Umit stopped the secretaries’ remonstrations.
As fellow magnates of the Dark World, joker’s ambition was well-known. This former Celestial Dragon and current Seven Warlord of the kingdom always followed his own “justice will prevail” theory, believing that only the final victor could define “justice,” and he knew full well that with his strength, he could not yet be that final victor.
So,
He would not maliciously break the existing rules.
On the contrary, to maintain his position of eating both black and white, he would strive to uphold the current order. Until the “new era” he anticipated arrived, he would not proactively destroy this old era.
This was precisely why Umit deliberately chose Dressrosa.
If necessary, by paying a certain price, he might even borrow some of joker’s power.
Of course,
If Elus did not appear in Dressrosa next month······it would just mean finding another way to deal with this trouble. His maritime transport kingdom could not be so easily destroyed by a single little worm.
