Colombus, if the routes of the New World align vertically, it is located to the right of the fourth route, partly near the Calm Belt.
The island has a Navy base, guarded by a Vice Admiral, and serves as the only port, importing crude iron and exporting refined steel. Combined with local iron ore production, this has always been a place valued by the World Government.
This was originally a Winter Island, where it snowed all year round, but due to the presence of smelting plants, it emits high temperatures, causing the snow to melt as soon as it hits the ground. This keeps the island's temperature very high, but stepping off the island, it becomes very cold; if not careful, it can lead to illness.
The entire island is like a high-collared shirt, half surrounded by mountain walls and the other half facing the Calm Belt.
"Ha, ha, ha..."
On the scorching, twisting beach, due to the high temperatures, a barefoot boy runs desperately, with a group of navy men chasing him.
"Stop!"
"Don't go any further, or we'll shoot!"
"I refuse to listen to you!"
The boy's bare feet tread on the sand, almost turning to crystals, his feet glowing red from the heat. He bit his lip, pointing a finger at the snow-covered sea ahead, "Beyond the sea..."
Bang!
A lead bullet hit his calf, causing him to fall to the ground with a muffled grunt.
"Got him!"
A group of navy men quickly rushed over, pressing the boy to the ground, the scorching sand leaving several burn marks on his face.
Struggling to lift his head, he shouted towards the sea, "It's freedom!!"
Rumble!
A sudden shadowy lightning bolt tore through the snowy sky, transforming the sky into gloom and rolling up dense clouds.
Below the clouds, the previously calm sea suddenly turned into a storm, whipping up waves and stirring the sand on the beach, forming swirling clouds of sand.
Crash!
Bean-sized raindrops fell from the sky, wetting the boy's cheeks and blurring his vision.
The peaceful sea had turned into a stormy scene, and as the waves surged, a moray eel-like creature emerged from the depths, its mouth full of sharp teeth, roaring at the people on the beach.
"Sea King!"
The navy men cried out in fear, instinctively running backwards, leaving the boy alone, terrified.
"Roar!"
The Sea King noticed the small ant below, its golden eyes moving downward, its mouth opening wider than before, leaning in to bite.
The boy gritted his teeth, wanting to say something, but before this giant creature, he completely lost the will to speak. Yet instinctively, he didn't close his eyes; instead, he stared straight at the Sea King.
Was it to remember this enemy before dying, or hoping to scare it away with his gaze?
Sizzle!
Just as the Sea King, whose teeth were larger than the boy, was about to bite down, something like a blue Flying Bird suddenly darted from its forehead, flying with the expanding storm towards the horizon.
The Sea King's body stiffened, its head plunging downward, collapsing into the sea near the shore, splashing huge waves that swept onto the boy and rolled him several times.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
The boy coughed out several mouthfuls of seawater before looking toward the sea.
Behind the giant Sea King corpse, a strange silhouette appeared in the violent storm.
Having seen it in books before, the boy knew... it was a ship!
"Here! I'm here!"
The boy stood up excitedly, waving his hands, jumping to catch the ship's attention.
In the wind and rain, the ship rapidly approached, docking at the shore, a gangway lowering from the side, and leading was a figure with white hair.
He walked down the gangway, followed by Mute holding an umbrella; at three meters tall with a large umbrella, it shielded Sage from the wind and rain.
Glancing at the fallen Sea King, he remarked irritably, "Damn it, how many is this already!"
Beside him, under Jean Bart's umbrella, was Lily, who had just sheathed her rapier. Hearing this, she replied:
"Ten minutes, the sixth one. We've entered the Calm Belt; it's a Sea King's nesting ground."
Sage clicked his tongue: "But it's at the edge. I never encountered Sea Kings at Impel Down, but I've run into them here."
Starting from Dressrosa, crossing half a route in ten days to reach Colombus.
The plan was to bring all the subordinates except for the Demon Race, but Sage later discovered Doflamingo didn't have such a large ship.
His ships could only hold about three hundred people, so Sage simply switched, leaving the other subordinates in Dressrosa and taking the Demon Race with him.
Stansen the Giant was left behind, with the other officers unchanged.
The journey was fine; everyone was used to the storms. But arriving at the destination, Sage realized the island was half surrounded by cliffs, entering the Calm Belt when following the cliffs.
If not for Letty using power, this ship would stay in the Calm Belt.
Doflamingo's ship lacked extra power, unlike warships. Without wind, a sailing ship would basically stop.
That's one issue, but the moment they entered the Calm Belt, Sea Kings appeared immediately.
In ten minutes of travel, they encountered five, and when landing, another appeared at the shore.
"Leave some behind to guard it."