Because William, as a newly appointed navigator, was unfamiliar with the location of the treasure, the Redbeard Pirates had no choice but to rely on Barbarossa's memory to navigate, which led to several more days of delays. By the time they reached the island, the treasure had already been emptied by Sherlock and his crew.
Faced with an empty cave, the crew of pirates stood frozen, their hands and feet cold. The treasure within was not only Barbarossa's but also shared by them all.
These riches were the result of years of fighting and risking their lives at sea. Even though their alliance with the Navy and Arkadia had made their lives more comfortable compared to other pirates, every piece of that treasure still bore the blood and sweat of every Redbeard pirate.
Barbarossa stood with his hands on his hips, looking up at the cave ceiling as if lost in thought. Although the crew was anxious, no one dared disturb him, for they all remembered well what happened to the last crew member who had dared to do so.
After a long moment, Barbarossa seemed to snap out of his reverie and said calmly, "Stolte, come here."
William, who had been waiting outside, stepped forward. Barbarossa continued, "We are going to the Calm Belt!"
William paused, momentarily stunned. To ensure he hadn't misheard, he repeated, "Did you say we're going to the Calm Belt?"
Several nearby pirates who had heard Barbarossa's command murmured in surprise, but when Barbarossa cast them a sharp glance, they fell silent.
It was natural for William and the other pirates to have reservations. When William was learning navigation, he had read many books, and every one of them, without exception, mentioned the Calm Belt when discussing the world's geography. All of them described the Calm Belt with one phrase—extremely dangerous.
This sea area was a true ocean graveyard.
The world's geography was peculiar; the Red Line and the Grand Line divided the world into four major sea regions. These two rings that surrounded the planet separated the four seas, and the Grand Line, in particular, played a major role in dividing them, largely due to the existence of the Calm Belt.
William, whether in his past life or this one, was not a scholar and had no interest in delving into the strange geographical makeup of the world. He only knew that the Grand Line was surrounded by two Calm Belts, which were windless areas that posed a deadly threat to ships relying on sails in the Age of Sails. Even more dangerous, these areas were home to countless sea monsters. For these creatures, called "Sea Kings," the enormous sailing ships that were vast for humans were little more than toys.
So anyone who had heard of the place could easily imagine its danger.
One could imagine a sailboat without power, stranded in an endless sea with no land or supplies, rowing desperately toward an unknown destination, with the bottom of the sea teeming with monsters waiting to pounce.
The threats of food scarcity, lack of supplies, and Sea Kings were enough to wipe out any pirate crew.
The Redbeard Pirates were one of the most powerful pirate forces in the East Blue, but daring to enter the Calm Belt was tantamount to suicide. William knew this, and Barbarossa surely did as well.
"We're going to the area near the Calm Belt," Barbarossa added after glancing at William. "We're going there to find a Devil Fruit."
Devil Fruit!
William's heart quickened, though he forced a puzzled expression. "Devil Fruit? Does it really exist? Is it found in the Calm Belt?"
"I don't know where it grows, but in the East Blue, the Calm Belt is the only place where it's most likely to be found," Barbarossa replied.
William frowned, still skeptical.
Barbarossa sighed in frustration. Although they were only going to the vicinity of the Calm Belt, it was still not much safer than venturing into the belt itself. Even if Sea Kings only occasionally crossed the Calm Belt to wander in nearby waters, it was a disaster for anyone in their path. For this reason, few ventured near the Calm Belt. Apart from some wild tribes, there were few civilized settlements or supply points, making long journeys a significant challenge.
Barbarossa knew that to reach the remote area near the Calm Belt safely, he needed the navigator's full cooperation. So, despite his impatience, he explained, "All across the seas, pirates dream of making their name in the Grand Line…"
Barbarossa's voice turned dark as he laughed lowly, as if mocking the foolish dreams of pirates. "At the same time, in the Grand Line, pirates are constantly trying to escape this sea of death."
The treasure of the Pirate King, Roger, had drawn countless pirates to the Grand Line. While some were relentless and fearless, many regretted their impulsive decision soon after setting sail.
Not to mention, the Navy Headquarters was located on the Grand Line, where the World Government's attention was focused. The Navy there was stronger than the combined forces of the East, South, West, and North Seas. Pirates also had to worry about clashes with other pirate crews, not just the Navy.
For pirates terrified by the Grand Line's harsh environment, crossing the Calm Belt to return to the "peace and stability" of the four seas was an enticing idea—especially for a crew that had managed to obtain a valuable prize from the Grand Line.
For example… a pirate crew that had managed to get a Devil Fruit.
A single Devil Fruit was worth 100 million Berries, and that was the base price. Very few would be foolish enough to sell it for that price, and in the East Blue, where Devil Fruits were even rarer, the price would skyrocket to an astronomical level.
"This season is when Sea Kings are the least active. If any lucky fools manage to cross the Calm Belt to escape the Grand Line, it would be now," Barbarossa said with a wicked grin. "And they'll definitely choose the East Blue!"
William nodded slowly and added, "Because the East Blue is known as the weakest sea for pirates. Everyone knows that. Any crew that can enter the Grand Line isn't weak. Even if they escape the Grand Line, they still have overwhelming strength compared to other crews and even the Navy in the East Blue!"
In fact, a few years later, a fish-man pirate crew would come to the East Blue with a similar idea, confirming William's words at that time.
______________________________________________
If you want 10 chapters ahead, check out my Patreon:
patreon.com/PureParadox