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The Kingdom of Noitem was located in the middle-front section of the New World, meaning Noir and his crew had a long journey ahead of them.
Fortunately, their ship was the Ark Maxim. With Enel working tirelessly through several nights (fueled by who knows what), they finally caught sight of an island.
The island of the Noitem Kingdom was called Noitem, a land with four distinct seasons, allowing a variety of crops and animals to thrive.
Noitem was also quite large. Including the surrounding archipelago, Noitem's territory was comparable in size to the desert kingdom Alabasta that Noir had previously visited.
Reha leaned over the railing, tears welling in his eyes as he gazed at his long-lost homeland.
As they drew closer, the Kingdom of Noitem came into view.
As Noir expected, the island was a desolate wasteland, strewn with ruins and debris. The ubiquitous crumbling walls spoke volumes about the tragedy that had befallen this place.
Reha spoke with a tremor in his voice, "The once-Great kingdom is now nothing but a memory…"
Noir frowned. The island was practically a wasteland. No wonder the Marines and the World Government had so readily relinquished it.
The Ark Maxim docked at the shore. Noir and his companions disembarked, with Reha rushing ahead.
"Thud…"
Reha dropped to his knees, heedless of the dirt and grime, and touched the ground with trembling hands, his voice thick with emotion. "Noitem… After twenty long years!"
"We're back! We're finally back! Hahaha!"
Noir watched Reha's unrestrained display of emotion with a gentle smile.
To witness the destruction of his beloved country in his youth and endure twenty years in hiding, no one could truly understand Reha's feelings at this moment.
"Tch… Pirates will be pirates. Disgusting…"
A chill ran down Noir's spine, his eyes narrowing as he turned to the source of the voice.
A tall, muscular man in a white suit, his muscles straining against the fabric, stood with a group of underlings, sneering at them.
'Government Agents, huh? Probably here to hand over the island.'
The man's sneering voice was loud, but Reha ignored him, his face still radiant with joy, seemingly oblivious to the insult.
Reha might not care, but Noir wasn't so forgiving.
Noir strolled towards the man, hands in his pockets, his gaze cold. "Repeat what you just said."
The man blinked, then burst into laughter.
Towering over Noir, he reached out and grabbed his collar. "What? You got a problem with it?"
"I'm a World Government Agent. If you hurt me, you can kiss off this island you so pathetically begged for goodbye!"
Noitem, something he'd pathetically begged for?
'Heh… No wonder this guy is so cocky.'
He was probably too low-ranking. The Gorōsei likely hadn't informed him of Noir's exploits, so he assumed Noir was just some pirate groveling to the Government.
Noir chuckled, his voice dripping with irony. "You don't even know who I am, and you dare to take on this assignment?"
The man paused. He had indeed been in isolation at a Government training facility and was unfamiliar with this up-and-coming pirate.
When he accepted the mission, he had noticed the strange looks from his colleagues.
Now that he thought about it, those looks seemed to be a mixture of pity, schadenfreude, and…condolences?
The man shook his head, dismissing the unsettling thought, and tightened his grip on Noir's collar. "Cut the crap! Who the hell do you think you are, huh? Why should I know you?"
Noir shook his head, muttering to himself, "Ignorance is bliss… what a load of crap."
Robin, ever perceptive, emerged from behind Noir, cradling the blood-red cursed blade, Devil Blade, in her arms.
Noir smiled coldly and reached for the sword. An aura of infernal energy erupted from the blade!
In an instant, the man's eyes widened in pain, his vision flooded with a searing crimson as his arms were severed.
"Aaaagh!"
Noir sheathed Devil Blade casually and brushed off his clothes, looking down at the man writhing in agony on the ground. He calmly instructed, "Entertain our guest. And since they're useless, remove his teeth and tongue."
Upon hearing their captain's command, Enel and Wyper exchanged a disgusted look before turning away. The women, needless to say, were even less inclined…
In the end, the dirty work fell to Lucci.
Lucci sighed in resignation, pulling on a fresh pair of white gloves. "Fine. I'll handle it," he said curtly.
Noir nodded and patted Reha on the shoulder. "Let's go. We have an island to explore."
Reha quickly wiped his tears and nodded. "Yes, but…"
Seeing Reha's concern as Lucci pried open the man's mouth, Noir reassured him, "Don't worry. As long as he doesn't die, the Government won't make a fuss."
Reha nodded, following obediently behind Noir.
The man's screams echoed in the air, but Noir remained unmoved.
Some people just had a death wish. Noir was merely obliging him.
Arrogant, blind, and full of trash talk – Noir had encountered plenty of such individuals, and none had met a good end.
With Reha's guidance, they navigated the ruins.
Noitem was comparable in size to Alabasta. Reha led them to the former Capital of Noitem, a city called Anel.
According to Reha, Anel had suffered the least damage after Noitem's fall.
Because many classified documents, important research, and treasures were located in the capital, it became the Marines' and the Government's base on Noitem after the war.
Rebuilding Noitem from the capital was the most logical choice.
Due to Noitem's vast territory, the journey would take too long. So, Noir decided to call for backup!
He shook the Underworld Mirror, and a bewildered Blueno, who had been directing the crew in transporting supplies within the Underworld Portal, suddenly found himself teleported to Noir's side.
Noir grinned. "We need your help to get around. Think you can manage it?"
This was the power of the Underworld Dimension. To an outside observer, Noir was alone. But in reality, he could summon a small army with a flick of his wrist…
However, staying in the Underworld also restricted the freedom of those inside, which is why Noir was so eager to establish his own territory.
He couldn't keep people cooped up in that dark, sunless world forever.
Blueno, after hearing Noir's explanation, understood and confidently rolled up his sleeves. "Leave it to me! I'll get you there in a flash!"
The Air Door rippled, and Noir's group stepped through. Moments later, another Air Door materialized on a different part of Noitem.
...
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