The White Wolf Alliance was a non-military pact built around the White Wolf Pirates by the Eleven Iron Countries, Elbaf, Fishman Island, Sphinx, and many other nations and forces.
It wasn't founded to wage war—
But to share what each lacked.
Most importantly, it aimed to forge a sea-trade network spanning the New World, so ordinary people in every nation could live better.
That said, once the "White Wolf" name was attached, merchantmen flying the Alliance flag tended to be feared by pirates.
To plunder a White Wolf Alliance ship was to offend the White Wolf Pirates—and by extension, powers like Elbaf.
Thus—
Among New World pirates, aside from a few brainless hotheads, almost no one dared touch an Alliance merchantman.
Especially since—
Alliance ships were often escorted by guards dispatched from member states—fishmen from Fishman Island, giants from Elbaf.
A typical small pirate crew might not have an easy time taking one of these ships.
That is—if the attackers were pirates at all.
The New World is a harsh place. Even back when the Marines were strong, they often couldn't deliver supplies to New World branches in time. Discipline rotted in some units, and many "Marines" turned to banditry.
Yes—the ones attacking this White Wolf Alliance merchantman weren't pirates.
They were Marines.
Enemies of the White Wolf Pirates either way, these thugs—Marines more in name than truth—didn't care about reprisals.
As if not robbing White Wolf ships would make the White Wolf Pirates spare them.
After the Battle of Acropolis Port, the already short-staffed, broke New World Marine presence was gutted; some branches were Marines in name only.
A few still had "structures" on paper, but in reality headquarters had severed contact.
The only one still functioning—
Was the G-1 Branch near Acropolis Port.
At such a time—
Someone made a proposal.
Since the White Wolf Pirates were the enemy anyway, why not use these de-commissioned Marines to raid White Wolf Alliance merchantmen?
Whether they succeeded or not, they'd threaten the Alliance's trade lanes—
Forcing the White Wolf Pirates to spend time and energy.
Many Marines objected, of course—but under grim circumstances more accepted the plan that might hobble the White Wolf Pirates.
Hit the Alliance's trade lanes, and White Wolf funds would shrink. Expansion would slow.
So, as most Marines withdrew from the New World, a handful of the unruliest—Marines in name, pirates in spirit—were left behind
For one purpose: sabotage the White Wolf trade routes.
Boom-boom-boom!
Cannons thundered over the cold sea. Black shells burst around the merchantman, heaving waves sky-high.
The people aboard fell into chaos.
Shouts, sobs, curses—voices crashed over the deck.
"I thought the Alliance route was jointly protected! We're flying the 'White Wolf' flag—why are blind pirates hitting us?"
"Guess the 'White Wolf' name isn't as magical as they say."
"I told you—building trade routes in the New World isn't easy. We should've stuck to nearby trade and called it a day."
…
Though only one merchantman was under attack, it was co-owned by several traders; its cargo was in parts—sell some at one port, buy new goods for the next.
To the World Government, the New World was barren.
That didn't mean it truly was.
Lack of goods in many nations stemmed largely from brutal climates. Even Elbaf, with fertile land, could face famine—let alone other countries.
But those extreme climates also bred unique specialties. Plenty of minerals fetched sky-high prices if sold in the right place.
Kokoro was one of this ship's managers.
A native of Fishman Island, she had finally fulfilled her promise to Magnus upon coming of age and started running her own caravan.
At first she just brought pearls and treasures. Things seen as pebbles by many fishmen and merfolk sold for unbelievable prices in the human world.
Yet most fishfolk were afraid to trade openly with humans.
Fishman Island had paid tribute as a member nation for over a century but had never formalized ties nor even attended a single Reverie.
Thanks to the Government's indulgence of human slavers, countless fishfolk harbored deep hatred of humans.
In this climate, the White Wolf Pirates appeared.
They smashed slave operations again and again, rescuing Fishman Island's people from traffickers. In the end, Fishman Island repaid that protection with trust—
And after the Battle of Acropolis Port, formally quit the World Government, seeking the White Wolf Pirates' protection like the Eleven Iron Countries.
Truth be told, the Government had expected some fair-weather allies to defect.
They hadn't expected the first to leave would be Fishman Island—who had never once missed paying the Heavenly Tribute in over a hundred years.
Consider: ten thousand meters down, the things humans prized were everywhere around Fishman Island.
Among them—
A mineral that burns underwater—a fist-sized lump can throw off tremendous heat and burn an entire day.
Trivial to Fishman Island, but for nations in frigid polar seas, it was life-saving.
By chance, Kokoro learned that Baldimore—the Karakuri Island at the New World's entrance—had huge demand for this combustible mineral and was willing to trade advanced tech in return.
Hence this voyage.
Unlike others bringing heaps of rarities, Kokoro hauled nothing but these ice-like stones.
Many laughed, saying she'd take a loss.
Kokoro herself felt it was a "loss"—
Because she knew just how badly Karakuri Island needed the stuff. What she carried was a drop in the bucket.
She even carried a draft contract:
If Karakuri Island was satisfied, she wanted to represent Fishman Island and formalize a trade deal.
Karakuri Island was a Government member state, not part of the White Wolf Alliance.
But since it was on the way, none of the merchants cared whether their client was a member state or in the Alliance—
They'd go where the money was.
At first they strictly adhered to White Wolf's mapped trade lanes. But after a few runs, they found that with White Wolf dominance, flying the Alliance flag even deterred pirates in Government waters.
Their courage swelled.
Who'd have thought—right after this voyage began, they ran into a bunch of "pirates" brazen enough to pick them as prey.
"Enough noise! I've already hailed the Alliance patrol and the New Navy. Hold out and reinforcements will be here soon!"
The ship's captain, Evan, was no greenhorn—an old man, but not one who'd never seen the world. Pirate attacks were nothing new to him.
Still—that was all in the past.
"Kid! If those Marines board us, you're first out!"
"Why me?"
The blond youth in the cabin stared.
"Because I saved your life!"
He leaned back against the wall, hands pillowing his head. "Old man, how do you know they're Marines and not pirates?"
"Of course I know."
Evan shot the youth a look. "I've dealt with Marines more times than brats like you can count."
As a helmsman he'd led his mates out of countless Marine dragnets. His biggest dream had been to own a ship of his own.
Now he did.
If he'd escaped the tiger's jaws before, he'd do it again.
"A bunch of scum raiding civilians—don't even think about boarding my ship!"
But fate wasn't cooperating.
Once, his ship had been built from the best: Adam wood—among the swiftest in the world.
Now, it was just a plain merchantman.
And there were no powerful comrades aboard.
Clang!
Metal scraped the hull.
Age hadn't dulled Evan; he barked without thinking, "Guards! Check the rails—those bastards are boarding!"
He turned to the youth.
"Kid! Your cue!"
The youth couldn't help snarking, "Even without me, old man, you could handle a few Marines, right?"
His Observation Haki was still crude, but he could sense that the boarders weren't particularly strong.
If anything, the unassuming old man before him was the unsettling one.
"You little punk, you can say that with a straight face?"
Evan kicked him in the backside. The youth tried to dodge, but with his posture he still took the boot.
"Take a look at how old I am!"
Maybe he had been something in his youth, but now he was just an old sailor—and there was a golden hitter right here. Why not use him?
"Your name's Rayleigh, right? Bounty seventy million. Your crew clashed with Rocks's lot under the White Wolf banner a while back. Careful or I'll hand you in."
"You recognized me, old man?"
"I may be old, but I ain't blind."
Evan rolled his eyes and feinted another kick.
"Well? Move!"
"Sigh. Fine, I'm going."
The future "Dark King" Rayleigh was, for now, an unknown young pirate. Under the old man's "pressure," he reluctantly stood.
"Got a weapon? I'm a swordsman."
"How about this?"
Rayleigh stared at the mop Evan tossed him. The corner of his mouth twitched.
"You call this a weapon?"
"Heh. A true master can use a twig. And the boarders aren't much—one mop is plenty."
"…Fair point."
Three months ago, his crew had run afoul of Rocks's under-White-Wolf fleet. After a fierce battle, several crewmates were captured. Rayleigh barely floated away clinging to driftwood, badly injured.
Luckily, Evan's merchantman passed by and plucked him from the sea.
From that first meeting, Rayleigh knew Evan wasn't a typical captain.
The old man's presence was subdued, but it felt like a beast with fangs sheathed. Hard to imagine him bared.
Over time, Rayleigh learned Evan's temperament. Sharp tongue, soft heart.
Otherwise he wouldn't have saved him.
When in good spirits, the old man would even offer a pointer or two. In his words, he was just a nobody; most of what he knew was hearsay—worth a listen, not gospel.
If Rayleigh were fully grown, he'd take an old captain's advice with a grain of salt.
But he was still growing, and he'd only just grasped the two basic Hakis.
At a time like this, the old man's pointers were precious.
Rayleigh needed to save the crewmates Rocks had taken—but with his current strength, that was impossible.
So he had to grow stronger.
"I wonder how Roger and Gaban are doing…"
He sighed inwardly.
No matter how much he worried, in the endless sea he could only do what stood before him—and pray he wouldn't run into Rocks's crew, or the White Wolf Pirates, before he found the others.
But when you're unlucky, even a sip of water chips a tooth.
"Yo."
A voice exploded in the cabin.
"Long time no see, Evan."
Rayleigh hadn't run into any of the other White Wolf Pirates.
He ran into the White Wolf himself.
(End of Chapter)
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