As the scene unfolded, the Fire Tank Pirates stood on the hillside a short distance away, feeling their stomachs churn with unease.
Several crew members couldn't hold back and vomited on the spot. Even Capone Bege, the captain of the Fire Tank Pirates, who boasted a bounty of 138 million Berries, was overcome with terror upon witnessing the sight before him.
"These guys are even more ruthless than I had imagined!" one trembling crew member of the Fire Tank Pirates exclaimed.
"It's unbelievable... They slaughtered hundreds of people within minutes, leaving nonalive!" another crew member gasped.
"The power gap was immense. Those kidnappers didn't last a few rounds against them," someone added, their voice quivering.
"This... This wasn't a battle, it's a massacre—a one-sided, bloody massacre!" a crew member remarked, their voice filled with horror.
"I heard rumors that they massacred thousands of innocent civilians. It seems those rumors were true!" another crew member whispered.
"They don't even grant a decent death to their victims... What kind of monstrous individuals are they?" someone asked, their voice filled with disbelief.
As they spoke, the members of the Fire Tank Pirates couldn't help but feel a shiver run down their spines.
They instinctively touched their necks, their eyes trembling slightly. Even though they had no direct involvement with the Gale Emperor Pirates, they couldn't help but contemplate the terrifying possibility.
"Let's go. There's nothing for us here," Capone Bege declared in a deep, somber tone, taking a deep drag of his cigarette.
Despite the crew's reactions, he turned away and walked back in the direction they came from.
His face was clouded with a dark expression.
Though he didn't say much, witnessing the strength and cruelty of the Gale Emperor Pirates had firmly convinced Capone Bege to never get involved with them, no matter the circumstances.
It would be utter madness to cross paths with them.
He had seen clearly that the Gale Emperor Pirates had dispatched only ordinary crew members, excluding their commanders except for Power.
Yet, even with just ordinary crew members, those kidnappers couldn't withstand their might and were swiftly slaughtered.
Capone Bege could only imagine the sheer horror if the commanders were to take action.
Moreover, he couldn't shake off the inexplicable sense of apprehension he felt whenever he glanced at the Gale Emperor Pirates' commanders.
It was as if they could turn their attention towards him at any moment.
After dealing with the kidnappers, Albedo continued to guide Carnes to the pre-arranged hotel.
Wherever they passed, Albedo's beauty caused quite a stir. However, once the onlookers noticed Carnes and his companions, the commotion quickly died down.
They didn't dare provoke the Gale Emperor Pirates, fearing the consequences. The Gale Emperor Pirates were now a completely different force from before.
Their notoriety had soared after their confrontation with Vice Admiral Tsuru.
Previously, when people heard the name "Gale Emperor Pirates," they might not have known who they were, but now, they couldn't help but recognize them.
Upon reaching the hotel, the crew were given free rein to explore the Sabaody Archipelago as they pleased.
With Ship Spirit replacing the Den Den Mushi, Carnes had no worries about a repeat of their previous encounter.
In the privacy of their room, only Carnes and Albedo remained. Albedo silently served Carnes' tea while he contemplated their next move.
Although Carnes had a fair understanding of the Sabaody Archipelago, he couldn't recall the exact location of their target, as it had been very long since he had visited this island.
He vaguely remembered a clue about the auction house and the possibility of that person being in the area 1 to 29.
"If we can find that bar, it would save us a lot of trouble," Carnes thought to himself, gazing out the window.
The day was drawing to a close, and even if they searched immediately, darkness would soon descend.
Besides, after drifting at sea for so long, Carnes decided it would be best to rest for the night and resume their search the following day.
Their objective was to find the vice-captain of the Roger Pirates, the Dark King, Silvers Rayleigh.
The next day, Carnes set off from the hotel with his sword "Eclipse" securely fastened at his waist.
Initially, he had planned to search for Rayleigh alone, but Albedo insisted on accompanying him.
Carnes considered it for a moment and accepted her company. Together, they made their way to the auction house in search of clues.
Meanwhile, in the waters surrounding the Sabaody Archipelago, two ships, one large and one small, sailed towards their destination.
The larger vessel was towing the smaller one, which appeared empty. However, peculiar individuals adorned the large ship's deck.
At the top of the mast sail, a flag displayed a skull symbol wearing a straw hat—a clear indicator that this ship belonged to a notorious pirate crew.
Just like Carnes, this group of pirates was also among the most feared and infamous pirate group of Worst Generations—the Straw Hat Pirates, led by Monkey D. Luffy, with a bounty of 300 million Berries.
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