The black market.
As the na suggested, it was part of the underworld.
Places where human trafficking, organ trading, arms dealing…
And countless other transactions that couldn't be conducted openly—
Were all carried out.
These islands were built by people engaged in such dealings.
Ordinary people had no way of entering them.
That was the black market.
After two days of sailing—
Ike, Newgate, and their group finally arrived at the nearest black market island.
"So this is it?" Ike stood on the deck, looking down at the island below. On the surface, it didn't look much different from a normal trading island—just a place selling goods.
But anyone with even a little knowledge would understand what was really being sold here.
"Gurararara~~~"
Newgate laughed. "Ike, let's go."
"Mm."
Ike nodded. After arranging for people to guard the ship, the two of them, along with a pair of subordinates, stepped onto the black market island.
Walking through it—
Ike quickly realized that anything and everything was for sale here.
Weapons.
Human organs.
Slaves.
Basically—
Anything you could think of could be bought in a place like this.
"I'm telling you, what I sell is definitely real! If you couldn't find it, that's your problem!"
"Bastard!"
"I'll kill you!"
"Hm?"
Hearing the commotion nearby, Ike and Newgate, along with their group, were drawn toward it and walked over.
In front of a stall without a proper storefront, a rchant was looking disdainfully at a pirate.
"Damn it!"
The pirate was furious, his teeth grinding as he roared, "You damn bastard! The treasure map you sold was fake! Fake! My brothers all died on that island—pay back!"
"Heh…"
The rchant sneered. "Are you stupid? Of course the map is real. It's just that maybe soone else got there first. After all, who knows how many copies of a treasure map exist?"
"You bastard!"
The pirate drew his blade, ready to attack.
But—
The mont he did, people rushed in from all sides and dragged him away.
This was the black market—territory controlled by underground emperors. Causing trouble wasn't allowed.
"Tch."
The rchant straightened his clothes and scoffed. "What trash. Who knows how many copies a treasure map has? And even if it was fake, the fact that your whole crew died there—that's the suspicious part, isn't it?"
To be fair—
The rchant wasn't wrong.
If the treasure was real and you fought others over it, losing and suffering casualties—that made sense.
But if the treasure was fake and your crew still died in droves…
That was a much more interesting problem.
Ike found it rather amusing. Walking over, he asked, "What rare treasure maps do you have here?"
"Sir!"
The rchant imdiately switched to a flattering smile.
Especially when he noticed Newgate beside Ike—the man holding a naginata, with the crescent-shaped white mustache—
His face instantly turned pale.
Whitebeard.
Edward Newgate.
A genuine monster.
No joke—
Newgate had gone out to sea around the age of ten. Now, ten years later, he had already built a small pirate crew of thirty to fifty people.
Though not large in number, their strength was terrifying.
At just twenty years old, Newgate's na had already spread across the seas.
An absolute monster.
"Ah… uh…"
"Sir!" The rchant hurriedly bowed respectfully. "Please take a look! See if any treasure map interests you. But I should say in advance—whether these maps are real or fake, I truly don't know. They're all ancient maps. Their authenticity… I can't guarantee."
The rchant spoke honestly.
After all—
For small-ti pirates, the underground rulers might step in to maintain order.
But for soone like Newgate?
Offending him could an death on the spot.
"It's fine." Ike smiled. "I'm just browsing. If sothing interests , I'll take one."
"Take? No, no!"
The rchant imdiately changed his tone. "Sir! If you like any of them, please take it as a gift. It would be my honor!"
Ike didn't mind.
Free was always best.
As for whether these maps were real or fake—
That was hard to say.
On the seas, there were countless treasure maps.
—true and false mixed together.
It all depended on whether you could tell the difference.
"Hmm…"
After looking around, Ike picked up an old, worn map and asked, "What's this one?"
"Sir!" The rchant replied respectfully, "I bought that map this morning. It's said to be a map to one of the Supre Grade blades. But… I personally think it's fake. After all, if it were real, why would soone sell it to for just 100,000 Beli instead of going to find it themselves?"
"A map to a Supre Grade blade, huh?"
"Give him 110,000 Beli."
"Let him make a profit. No problem, right?"
Ike asked with a smile.
"No problem! No problem at all!" the rchant quickly replied. "Sir, I should be giving it to you for free!"
"Then I'll just take it without paying," Ike said casually.
"Of course! Of course!"
The rchant nodded frantically.
With the map in hand, Ike said, "Big brother, let's go."
"Alright."
Newgate didn't care either. Taking their two subordinates, they left the stall.
Watching the four of them leave, the rchant wiped the sweat from his forehead.
He wanted to slap himself.
He had bought that map for just 1,000 Beli.
It could've been sold for 110,000—
And yet he just had to open his mouth and offer it for free.
…
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