One Piece: Scourge of the Seas

The Wall Mountain.

True to its name, the mountain resembles a massive wall, stretching across the midpoint of Mad Hat Island and splitting it into two halves.

From a distance, the Wall Mountain looks like a top-down view of a hat placed squarely on the island.

Though its origins remain a mystery, it's likely that the island's name, Mad Hat Island, comes from this very feature.

On the front half of the island lies the decadent and bustling Mad Hat Town, a place teeming with indulgence and vice. The back half, however, houses the dismal Pig Farm, where ordinary people kidnapped from across the seas—and a few captured Marines—are imprisoned.

The moment these people are thrown into the Pig Farm, they lose their identities, stripped of names and pasts, and are reduced to slaves. Each is given a numbered garment, marking their new status.

Inside the Wall Mountain, they labor endlessly, tending livestock or cultivating crops to provide Mad Hat Town with essential supplies. Among these slaves are children as young as five or six and elders well into their seventies.

The overseers of the Pig Farm have no regard for the age or health of their slaves. Those who fail to meet quotas are punished indiscriminately, subjected to reduced rations, whipping, or other tortures. Those who perish under the strain are discarded, their bodies thrown off the cliff into the ocean below, deemed unworthy even of a proper burial.

As night falls, the Pig Farm glows with the light of numerous torches. Armed overseers patrol the compound, ensuring order.

Beneath the Wall Mountain, several prison-like buildings stand in rows. These serve as the slaves' quarters after dark.

Under the silent cover of night, two agile figures slipped past the patrolling overseers, making their way to the base of the Wall Mountain. They stopped a few hundred meters from the slave quarters.

These two figures were none other than Sabo and Koala, who had returned to Mad Hat Town after several months away.

For the Revolutionary Army, freeing slaves is a vital means of spreading their influence. This was the primary reason Sabo and Koala had come to Mad Hat Town.

Their previous visit was solely for reconnaissance. This time, however, they were prepared.

Still, until their comrades arrived, they would not take action. Tonight's infiltration was merely a preliminary survey.

Shrouded in darkness, Koala first glanced at the slave quarters before looking toward the island's edge in the distance. That direction led to a series of sheer cliffs, offering no paths to the sea.

She then turned her gaze back to the Wall Mountain behind them.

"The cliffs make escape nearly impossible. If we're going to get the slaves out, we'll need Morley's ability to carve a proper passage underground," Koala remarked, withdrawing her gaze.

The front half of the Wall Mountain housed Mad Hat Town, swarming with pirates and underworld figures. Moving slaves through such a well-guarded area was out of the question. Their only viable route was via the cliffs at the island's edge.

Using Morley's powers, they could tunnel through the ground to create a pathway leading down the cliffs to the sea. From there, they could transfer the slaves onto the waiting ships and make their escape.

"It's a shame Karasu couldn't come. His ability would've been perfect for this operation," Sabo commented, referring to the Northern Army commander.

Koala shook her head. "You're forgetting something. Not everyone can hitch a ride on Karasu's crows like you do. Most of these slaves are ordinary people. Even if the crows could carry them to the sea, there's no guarantee of their safety."

"Fair point." Sabo nodded thoughtfully. "When will Morley and the others arrive?"

"If all goes as planned, they'll be here the day after tomorrow."

"Good." Sabo rubbed his chin. "Once they're here, we'll act immediately."

Koala nodded in agreement, about to say more when Sabo suddenly motioned for silence.

Following his gaze, Koala turned her attention to a large, carved-out gate at the base of the Wall Mountain.

A group of about thirty people emerged from the gate, entering the Pig Farm. Leading them was a tall man with slicked-back hair, dressed in a burgundy suit that shimmered under the torchlight.

Koala's eyes narrowed as she recognized the man instantly. "It's Ralph."

Ralph was the proprietor of the Mad Hat Auction House and the mastermind behind the Pig Farm.

Sabo remained silent, nodding slightly.

Hidden in the shadows, they watched Ralph and his entourage make their way toward a tunnel entrance carved into the Wall Mountain.

Sabo and Koala, having scouted the area thoroughly, knew exactly where that tunnel led.

As Ralph's group disappeared into the tunnel, Sabo and Koala exchanged a glance before pulling back their gaze.

The tunnel descended deep underground to a munitions factory. Though small in scale, the factory was significant in the West Blue, where such facilities were rare.

"Given enough manpower, we could liberate the slaves and seize the weapons," Sabo remarked earnestly.

Koala shot him a glare. "Focus on what's possible."

She was right. Ralph's forces, combined with the pirates in Mad Hat Town, made any large-scale operation nearly impossible for their current team. Successfully rescuing the slaves would already be a monumental achievement.

Sabo chuckled. While the Revolutionary Army valued weapons as a vital resource, he knew Koala was right. Dwelling on unattainable goals would accomplish nothing.

"Let's head to the Nightshade Bar," Sabo said, glancing up at the cloud-filled night sky. "We need to notify Tatamu before making our move."

With that, Sabo pressed his Dragon Claw into the rock wall. The seemingly solid surface yielded like tofu under his fingers. Koala leaped onto his back, and with her in tow, Sabo effortlessly scaled the Wall Mountain under the cover of darkness.

Nightshade Bar.

Nestled deep within a quiet alley, the Nightshade Bar rarely saw any customers, even during its late-night hours of operation.

Inside, Wolfrat sat alone at the bar, nursing a drink. For weeks, he'd tried to convince Tatamu to leave Mad Hat Town, knowing full well the dangers of staying in such a place.

But no matter how much he pleaded, Tatamu refused to leave, eventually snapping, "I have my reasons."

Accepting defeat, Wolfrat stopped pressing the matter, though he still occasionally voiced his concerns.

Draining his glass, he glanced at Tatamu, who was polishing glasses as usual.

"Been over two weeks now, and Ma—"

Wolfrat's sentence was cut short by the sound of the bar's door creaking open.

Both men turned toward the entrance. There, standing in the doorway, were Maude, Sunny, and a plump, snow-white ferret.

"Still open?" Maude asked with a smile, his gaze sweeping over Tatamu and Wolfrat.

"Always," Tatamu replied with a grin.

Wolfrat, however, stared at Sunny, momentarily stunned.

----------------------------

Join my patreon to access advance chapters: patreon.com / emperorgarus