Out on the vast sea, Akainu, Kizaru, and the others pursued Bege's direction at full speed aboard a Marine warship. Utilizing the ship as a launch platform, Akainu and Kizaru scouted ahead using their respective high-speed movement abilities. At the very edge of their vision, they spotted Bege's small flying ship fleeing into the distance.
Bege knew he couldn't possibly defeat the CP0 Vice-Commander in his current heavily injured state; a decisive retreat was his only option.
Suddenly, hundreds of cannonballs erupted from the gates on Bege's body, blasting his own flying ship into pieces! In the same instant, Bege leaped clear of the exploding vessel just before it plummeted towards the ocean. As he fell, a small Waver emerged rapidly from his castle-body. He landed deftly onto the jet ski-like vehicle and sped away across the sea's surface.
The flying ship disintegrated completely upon impact with the water. The CP0 Vice-Commander landed heavily on a large piece of floating wreckage, his face a mask of utter fury as he watched Bege escape on the Waver. He clutched at the bleeding wound on his abdomen; Bege's earlier stab had pierced internal organs, and the lingering heat from the flames was exacerbating the injury significantly. He was too weak to continue the pursuit. Powerless, he could only watch Bege disappear over the horizon.
After traveling a considerable distance on the Waver, Bege switched to a small, conventional sailboat he had stored, continuing his desperate flight. He had brought two small flying vessels down from Skypiea for this mission, and both had now been destroyed, leaving him reliant on sea travel.
However, the Marines clearly had no intention of letting Bege go. Their warship pursued relentlessly, following his last known trajectory even after losing visual contact. They simultaneously contacted Marine HQ, requesting Fleet Admiral Kong issue orders for all New World Marine forces to coordinate a massive search effort for Capone Bege.
Back in the Fleet Admiral's office at Marineford, the sounds of furious roars echoed once again. Kong's unfortunate desk met its demise for the second time in recent history. The Marines stationed outside the door trembled fearfully.
"CP0! That damned CP0!" Kong raged. "You assured me killing Bege was a foolproof plan! And yet, you still let him escape! Damn it! DAMN IT ALL!" In his fury, Fleet Admiral Kong directed the blame for Bege's escape squarely onto Cipher Pol.
He reflected on the overwhelming force they had assembled: a CP0 Vice-Commander nearing Admiral-level strength, an elite CP0 combatant comparable to a high-ranking Vice Admiral, plus three Marine HQ Vice Admirals and the two prodigious "Monsters."
His initial suspicion fell on CP0 deliberately letting Bege escape, but he quickly dismissed the thought. If CP0 hadn't wanted Bege eliminated, they wouldn't have orchestrated the ambush in the first place.
"That Capone Bege... he actually has the ability to escape from an Admiral-level opponent," Kong realized grimly, rubbing his temples as a headache throbbed.
He immediately contacted the New World Marine bases, ordering Admiral Zephyr to personally lead the hunt for Bege, emphasizing that the pirate must be found and eliminated, permanently removing this future menace.
A massive, highly publicized manhunt for Capone Bege began throughout the New World. Hunted like a cornered rat, Bege fled desperately. To shake off the relentless Marine pursuit, after countless hardships, he made a daring move – plunging directly into the perilous waters of the Calm Belt. Finally, he had managed to escape the Marines' dragnet.
The sky above was a brilliant, clear blue, dotted with fluffy white clouds. Seagulls cried cheerfully as they soared overhead, occasionally diving down to snatch fish from the water's surface. Bege stood at the bow of his small boat, gazing out at the sea. The entire ocean surface was preternaturally calm, like a vast, smooth mirror, without even the slightest ripple disturbing its tranquility.
This was the Calm Belt.
A zone utterly devoid of wind and sea currents, the Calm Belt is a region of perpetual calm. It acts as an invisible barrier separating the four Blues from the Grand Line, and bisecting the Grand Line itself. For most sailors, it is an impassable death zone, halting the ambitions of countless pirate crews.
However, the lack of wind preventing conventional sailing isn't the primary reason for its deadly reputation. Powerful vessels, both Marine warships and the flagships of great pirates like Whitebeard's Moby Dick or Roger's Oro Jackson, possess external propulsion systems – like turbines – capable of navigating these windless waters.
The true, terrifying danger of the Calm Belt lies lurking beneath the surface: the Sea Kings.
These waters serve as the primary nesting ground for the colossal creatures; innumerable Sea King lairs carpet the ocean floor here. Countless Sea Kings constantly patrol beneath the surface, many exceeding hundreds of meters in length, with even larger specimens being far from rare. Even a casual bump from one of these behemoths could instantly capsize a ship. To make matters worse, Sea Kings seem to possess a particular affinity for attacking vessels. Sailing through the Calm Belt is, for most, tantamount to suicide.
However, the World Government scientist Dr. Vegapunk discovered a solution: embedding Seastone into the underside of a ship's hull masks its presence from Sea Kings, causing them to perceive the vessel as merely part of the sea, thus ignoring it. The Marines utilized this discovery first, establishing safe, rapid transit routes through the Calm Belt connecting the various seas. Eventually, some of the more powerful pirate crews uncovered this secret as well.
Naturally, Bege was aware of this trick. Upon entering the Calm Belt, he had immediately ordered Seastone plating affixed to the hull of his current vessel.
Thanks to this precaution, they had sailed uneventfully through the deadly waters for an entire day.
On the deck of the small boat, Bege, covered head to toe in bandages, reclined on a lounge chair, idly soaking up the sun. His complexion, however, was ghastly pale. The battle on Jijinia Island had left him even more severely injured than the fight on the deserted island; even the slightest movement sent waves of agonizing, bone-deep pain through his body. Each throb of pain fueled his simmering rage. He vowed inwardly that, given the chance, he would make the Marines and CP0 pay dearly.
Suddenly, Bege's eyes snapped open. Beneath the eerily calm sea, his Observation Haki sensed something massive approaching from the depths. A sharp, cold glint entered his eyes as he moved swiftly to the ship's bow, peering down into the water. Sure enough, ripples began to disturb the mirror-like surface, growing stronger, vibrating outwards. A colossal dark shadow materialized beneath the boat, drawing closer. The water began to churn violently as the shadow neared the surface.
"Godfather! Another Sea King!" one of the crewmates called out nervously, pointing at the immense shadow. Their fear was palpable but quickly subsided under Bege's steady presence. This was already the fifth Sea King they had encountered since entering the Calm Belt.
While Seastone could effectively 'hide' the ship from Sea Kings dwelling deep below, it wasn't foolproof. Sea Kings swimming closer to the surface might spot the vessel visually, or detect the currents displaced by its passage.
SPLASH!
The water erupted violently upwards. The massive shadow burst from the sea, sending torrents of seawater raining down like a sudden downpour. A colossal Sea King, resembling a giant, monstrous ribbonfish, towered before them. It looked like a mountain suddenly rising from the seabed. Even with only the upper half of its body exposed, it stood easily several dozen meters tall.
The Sea King let out a cry that sounded almost joyful, seemingly pleased by the encounter. The next instant, its massive jaws opened wide, lunging towards the small boat. Its joy stemmed from finding a tasty meal.
"Whoa! Another Sea King! Brother, this one will feed me for days!" Edward Weevil yelled excitedly from the deck, hefting his enormous Bisento. To him, the terrifying leviathan looked like nothing more than a giant piece of food.
As the Sea King lunged to attack the ship, Weevil bent his knees deeply, then launched himself explosively from the deck. Swoosh! He shot into the air with the speed of a gale. Bringing his massive polearm down in a powerful upward arc, he swung the Bisento viciously at the Sea King's neck. The immense blade carved a gruesome gash deep into the Sea King's throat, slicing through thick hide and muscle deep enough to reveal bone, nearly severing its head entirely.
The Sea King, its head lolling grotesquely, let out a piercing, horrific shriek of agony. The ear-splitting sound reverberated across the calm sea, making even Bege's eardrums throb painfully.