Chapter 25: Devil’s Island

"Haha! I see the island!" The remaining crew members erupted in cheers, their excitement reinvigorating them, infusing newfound energy into their weary bodies.

"Prepare yourselves, everyone! Set sail at full speed, heading straight for that island!" The captain, relieved to see the island on the horizon after narrowly avoiding the perilous tornado earlier, directed the merchant ship's course with a mixture of tension and elation. With a broad smile, he shouted words of encouragement, lifting the spirits of the entire crew.

Through the collective efforts of the crew, the island drew nearer and nearer. Towering trees, some reaching dozens of meters high, and lush forests preserved their natural beauty. The fresh air and earthy aroma put everyone at ease as they stepped onto the solid ground.

Stepping off the merchant ship, Mobius couldn't help but jump in place a couple of times, his face beaming with excitement. After spending countless days at sea, this sensation of being on firm land was a comfort he'd longed for.

As he gazed into the depths of the forest, an eager anticipation filled Mobius. His heart quickened, and he couldn't shake the feeling that this was his first real adventure. Memories of the tales he had read in scripts flooded his mind, and he couldn't help but wonder – was this the beginning of his own thrilling journey?

"Everyone is free to explore the island. The merchant ship will remain here for about a day. Just be sure to return early and avoid getting lost on the island!" The captain, brimming with excitement upon reaching the island, addressed the sailors and travelers, including Teach, who had disembarked.

"Boss,shall we go?" Mobius was eager to explore the island and flashed a smile at Teach.

As they ventured into the forest, some members of the group scattered while others gathered together. Teach and Mobius walked side by side, with Mobius displaying an almost impatient pace, as if he wanted to sprint to the farthest end of the island. He silently urged Teach to pick up the pace, hoping to explore quickly, and Teach could sense his enthusiasm.

Hearing Mobius, Teach gazed into the island's depths and then turned to Mobius, his tone serious. "Mobius, stay calm, and stick close to me. Don't wander around. This island can be very dangerous."

"What?" Mobius looked puzzled and slowed his pace to approach him. Seeing the seriousness on his face, he knew Teach wouldn't make such a statement lightly.

Suddenly, a rustling sound in the grass was followed by a swift, purple figure darting out from the nearby bushes, heading straight for Mobius. Without warning, Mobius only heard the sound and then caught a glimpse of the purple blur.

Teach moved quickly, positioning himself in front of Mobius. He seized the purple figure with a powerful grip, revealing it to be a purple-skinned snake, clearly venomous.

The snake measured two meters in length, its head captured by Teach. The portion of its body behind it writhed and coiled around Teach's arm, as if attempting to free itself by such means. But Teach's strength easily prevented any relaxation of his hold. When he exerted a bit more pressure, the snake opened its mouth, its fangs exposed, and spat out its forked tongue. Due to Teach's overwhelming force, the snake couldn't even close its jaws. A drop of dark green venom dripped from the snake's mouth, landing on the grass below. Instantly, the grass withered and corroded, changing from vibrant green to a withered yellow. The venom appeared capable of draining vitality.

Mobius shivered at the sight of the corrosive venom. "This is incredibly potent!" Teach's frown deepened as he tightened his grip on the snake's head.

"This island is inhabited by ferocious beasts!" Teach couldn't help but comment.

Meanwhile, on the coast of Anonymous Island, aboard the merchant ship, the old captain was shocked when he heard the report from a sailor, "What? This is a beast-inhabited island!" The sailor confirmed,

"Yes, Captain, I've double-checked multiple times. Due to the deviation caused by the tornado, we've ended up on this island, the infamous Devil's Island." The sailor wore a bitter expression and spoke urgently, "We must recall those who ventured into the forest."

The old captain had sailed these waters for decades and was familiar with the rumors of an island named Devil's Island along this route. He knew the terrible reputation it held.

On the table in front of him lay a chart, aged and yellowed with time. This chart represented decades of the captain's experience, documenting the islands in the vicinity, some rumored to hold treasures worth millions of Berries.

On the right side of one of the routes, the same route the merchant ship had taken, there was an island marked with a blood-red skull symbol, signifying extreme danger. It was labeled "Devil's Island."

"Curse our bad luck! How could I forget about this?" The captain pounded the table in frustration. "After so many years, I haven't seen a trace of this island, and because I navigate this route so frequently, I rarely consult the map. I never expected such a terrible mistake."

He looked at the sailor beside him and commanded urgently, "Quickly, send a team ashore. They mustn't have ventured too far. Keep to the island's outskirts. We must find them all and bring them back safely. We've sailed as brothers for so many years; we can't let them perish in vain."

"No, that won't do! You know this is Ferocious Beast Island, it's too dangerous," the person in charge of the cargo protested after receiving the captain's message. "We should leave as soon as possible."

The captain was furious. He couldn't fathom the idea of abandoning the sailors. "How can we leave? We can't even operate the ship without those sailors. If we don't bring them back, we're condemning ourselves to death!" The captain shouted, his face flushed with anger. He found the cargo manager's reluctance to act rather foolish.

Finally, the cargo manager was persuaded, and he reluctantly sent guards and remaining sailors into the forest to search for those who had ventured into it.

"Ferocious Beast Island!" Mobius exclaimed, his eyes wide with realization. He knew exactly what Ferocious Beast Island meant—an island teeming with ferocious beasts, some of which resembled prehistoric dinosaurs, inhabiting a primitive ecosystem.

"Well, this island isn't a place for someone like you to survive. That venomous snake you encountered is just a minor predator in this food chain. You should hurry back to the ship," Teach advised with a smile.

"But, Boss, what about you?" Mobius hesitated, aware of the danger he had just faced. He knew that he owed his life to Teach's quick actions.

"Of course, I plan to explore this island thoroughly. I sense the presence of an intriguing opponent," Teach replied with an excited expression, his aura becoming palpably dominant. He gazed into the depths of the island.

As his intimidating presence spread, the surrounding forest fell silent. "I've taken care of the immediate threats. Now, you should head back quickly." Teach instructed Mobius.

"I'll go now then, Boss. Please stay safe," Mobius said, running back to the path without hesitation. In his heart, the desire for strength burned brightly. He had found a goal: to train hard, become stronger, and return to this perilous island one day, where he would face its dangers head-on.

Teach continued to forge ahead. He sensed a faint scent of blood in the air, not just in this vicinity but throughout the entire island. It was a sign that creatures across the island were engaged in fierce battles, killing and fighting constantly, as well as flourishing in the favorable climate.

Teach kept his guard up when he noticed his aura flaring. He heard distant screams, followed by the abrupt cessation of a person's life force, indicating their demise. Teach had no intention of rescuing them. They were strangers, and if so many people ventured into this treacherous forest, they were essentially inviting death upon themselves.

In the distance, Teach sensed a powerful aura. It was one of the island's apex predators. Although its size was significantly smaller than the other island overlords, it exuded a more aggressive, murderous aura. Its strength and ferocity intrigued Teach. Most of the island's other monsters were massive, while this one was only about two to three meters tall, making it a mystery to him.

Deep within the island, within a massive cave, lay a gigantic mine with a diameter of hundreds of meters. Metallic-hued giant ants occupied this space. They bit into hard ores, effortlessly chewing them and swallowing. These one-meter-tall, two-meter-long supergiant ants were formidable denizens in the ant world.

With six limbs adorned in spikes and sharp blades, the giant ants made quick work of a four-meter cheetah, tearing its abdomen apart with ease. Surrounding the beast's remains were the corpses of other creatures, their bodies bearing the scars of giant ant claws and the remnants of gnawed bones. Among them, the largest was a towering ten-meter-tall giant ape.

At the heart of this scene, on a lofty platform that resembled a throne, sat a golden figure. Unlike the other ants that moved on multiple limbs, this ant-like creature stood upright on only two legs.

With a paw, it grabbed a massive beast bone and began nibbling on it incessantly, producing a crunching sound as the hard bone quickly crumbled under its sharp teeth. Then, with a loud "Kakaka," the beast bone was reduced to mere fragments and swallowed.

Suddenly, the golden figure rose from its throne, reaching a height of nearly three meters. It sported a hard exoskeleton that resembled golden armor and exuded a powerful, domineering aura, as if it were the king of this domain.

Its scarlet pupils held a boundless air of menace. This ant-like being had a humanoid shape and, as it stood, it emanated a fierce presence that dominated everything around it. The giant ants were startled by its actions and promptly ceased their activities. They knelt down and lowered their heads, as if paying homage to a king—this figure was indeed their ruler.

This spectacle sent shockwaves through the other overlords on the island, provoking their wrath. Each of them unleashed a terrifying roar, throwing the entire island into chaos.

As the horde of overlords projected their fearsome auras, the weaker creatures within the island fled in terror, making a frantic dash toward the island's perimeter.

"Hahaha! Is this your way of making a statement?" Teach, sensing the unfolding spectacle, couldn't help but laugh. He observed the dominant figure's seemingly telepathic exchange with others, conveying emotions even though he couldn't understand their words.

Teach, however, didn't hold back either. He steadily advanced, releasing his own surging dominance. It continued to escalate, reaching a peak, and his aura grew increasingly fearsome. The creatures surrounding him were driven away in fear, and some, too feeble to withstand the mental pressure, lost consciousness.

Teach's overwhelming presence blanketed most of the island, forming a vivid silhouette of his mighty opponent. This was a monstrous entity, one that could stand against Teach in the open.

At the pit of the mine, the golden creature let out a resounding cry, a roar that sounded like a challenge or a battle cry. It sensed Teach response and the potent energy emanating from a distance.

The antennae atop its golden head shifted, as if communicating with the other giant ants on the island.

Seemingly having received its orders, the giant ants began to raise their heads, producing shrill cries as they moved their limbs rapidly across the ground, pivoting and surging in Teach's direction.

"Oh, are you eager for a warm-up? Intriguing!" Teach couldn't help but chuckle. He sensed that a figure was approaching him from that direction. Despite its remarkable speed, it still lagged behind Teach by a considerable margin.

However, Teach remained prepared for a battle and didn't halt his pace. This was a test of sorts, to determine whether the approaching figure could surpass him. He had no intention of letting it down. He grew increasingly fascinated by this mysterious creature.

Encountering such a being for the first time left him astounded. In the world of pirates, most powerful creatures possessed intelligence that rivaled or closely approached that of humans. They could comprehend human speech and understand language to a certain extent. Nevertheless, their thought processes remained fundamentally beast-like.

The intelligence of this monster, however, was a level beyond what Teach had encountered before. Through their unspoken communication, Teach could already sense its remarkable intellect.

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Note: Yo sup, back, somone replied to my comment in a different novel asking if I was gonna continue. It gave me motivation so I guess I will pick this up again!