Chapter 76 - CHAPTER 76 - Sacrifices Under the Blade

On the northeastern side of the nameless island, in a sunken basin, there was a small village consisting of around seventy to eighty households, sparsely scattered across the low-lying terrain. After climbing to a suitable vantage point, Mr. 5 and Valentine spotted an unusual glow that remained bright despite the heavy rain. At first, they thought a fire had broken out in the village. But after observing for a while and seeing no signs of people, they moved in closer—only to discover that the entire village had been massacred. Elderly, children, men, women... not a single survivor. Blood stained the ground, houses were set ablaze, and crimson streams mixed with rainwater, flowing through the village. Upon closer inspection, Mr. 5 realized that the victims had only recently died, and their bodies bore clear cuts and bullet wounds. The varying sizes of the bullet holes indicated that the attackers had used non-standardized firearms. This suggested that there were other dangerous groups on the island. Judging by their methods and weaponry, they were likely pirates. Mr. 5 wasn't particularly moved by the sight, but he felt it necessary to report it to the Boss. "Not a single survivor," Valentine muttered, floating slightly above the scene to get a clearer view. Her expression darkened. She had killed plenty of people before, but she had never been part of such a ruthless massacre. Slaughtering even children and the elderly—she despised pirates like that. They thoroughly searched the area, but there were no survivors. Soon after, Rosen, Urouge, and the others arrived, following the route Mr. 5 had provided. The horrific sight unsettled Rosen. He was especially disturbed by the corpses of the elderly and children. But he knew that in these seas, this was the reality of true piracy. Pillaging, arson, slaughter—without any regard for humanity. Urouge, upon witnessing the scene, also looked sorrowful. He sat cross-legged, hands pressed together, quietly praying for the dead. After a long silence, he finally spoke. "I bear responsibility for this." Rosen's expression darkened, his gaze locking onto Urouge. "Your people did this?" His voice was cold as ice. For a moment, he had nearly forgotten that, at the end of the day, Urouge was also a pirate. "No. These are the last of my men. The storm took away too much from me. "But this island appears to be isolated—there are no other ships in sight, and it seems largely cut off from the outside world. "By all logic, something like this shouldn't have happened here. "Unfortunately, before arriving, one of my men accidentally leaked the location of a certain map... "I believe those pirates are the ones responsible for this." Urouge's voice was heavy. "A treasure map?" Robin immediately made the connection. If anything could draw greedy pirates to an isolated island, it would be treasure. "Yes. It looks like they arrived before we did," Urouge admitted. "Captain," one of Urouge's crew members muttered, confused as to why he was revealing information about the treasure map to strangers. But those closest to him understood. Their captain was filled with guilt. The crew member who had leaked the map's location had already perished in the storm, but that didn't ease Urouge's conscience. "Greed consumes all... Desert Sunflower," Rosen sighed as he placed his hand on the ground and activated his ability. There was nothing he could do to change what had already happened. A large section of the earth caved in, burying the bodies and ruined houses beneath it, preventing animals from feasting on them. "This island is big. Those pirates are probably still searching for something. "Would you mind sharing that map?" Rosen asked, glancing at Urouge. If Urouge had been lying or had been involved, Rosen wouldn't have hesitated to eliminate him. After all, he had done so to others before. But he found Urouge to be somewhat likable. He was also curious about what kind of treasure map could drive pirates to commit such atrocities. "I don't mind. This should never have happened... My greed was to blame. This map has been passed down on our Sky Island for nearly a thousand years. But it only specifies that the treasure is on this island—nothing more. So it's not of much use anymore." Urouge seemed exhausted. He had seen too much death in one day. Without hesitation, he pulled out an old, weathered map and handed it to Rosen. Rosen took it, glanced at it, and handed it to Robin. "See if there are any other clues." Robin examined the map for a while but didn't find any detailed or useful information. She asked for some time to study it further. Before Rosen could answer, Urouge spoke. "Take it. It's useless to me now. I'm going to make those pirates pay." Without waiting for a response, he gathered his remaining men and disappeared into the stormy night. But on an island this large, finding them—especially in a storm where tracks were easily erased—would not be easy. Rosen was caught off guard by how quickly Urouge had given up the map. "If we do find treasure, half of it will be yours," he said. He had only intended to look at the map, but Urouge had simply handed it over. That was rare. Normally, people would fight to the death over treasure maps. Did Urouge not care about wealth? It was possible. Or maybe he simply believed the map was worthless. Or perhaps he understood that provoking a Shichibukai over something insignificant wasn't worth the risk. Otherwise, he and his men might have ended up like the villagers. Even if Rosen didn't seem like that kind of person, trust was a gamble. Regardless of the reason, Urouge's ability to let go left an impression on Rosen. "A strange man," Robin remarked as she watched him leave. "Indeed. Next time we meet, I might invite him to join the Dawn," Rosen mused. "You're thinking of recruiting them?" Robin was surprised. "Why not? He's strong, and I find him likable." Rosen spoke honestly. He needed more capable people. Even if Urouge's peak was only strong enough to defeat a pirate with a 600-million bounty, that was still a solid level of strength. And given the story's trajectory, the Supernovas were bound to become even more powerful. Urouge didn't seem overly ambitious either. Not everyone set sail to become the Pirate King. And even if he was... It didn't really matter. "That's not the issue. It's just rare for someone to catch your interest." Robin shook her head. "Inform everyone to stay alert. Assign more patrols, report any findings immediately, and check in via Den Den Mushi at regular intervals. The rest should rest while they can." Rosen's crew had been through the storm and were exhausted. They needed the rest. Not everyone had his endurance. They returned to camp. The night passed uneventfully, aside from the storm. By the next morning, the rain had stopped. Sunlight once again illuminated the island. Robin, however, had stayed up all night. As soon as Rosen woke up, she was waiting at his tent. "Boss. There's a hidden message on the map. The four corners contain faintly inscribed numbers, concealed with a special technique. If I'm right, when combined, they form coordinates—the exact location of the treasure." (End of Chapter)