Black Sail

The Beima Duchy Maritime Bureau, the Far East Islands Western Commerce Alliance, and the Cross Alliance had all pooled together data from their archives.

Over the past ten years,

the percentage of merchant ships that had disappeared in the East Sea Domain reached seven percent of the total.

The percentage of lost passenger ships had reached five percent of the total.

Pirate ships normally do not sail with the Jolly Roger flag raised; it is only hoisted when nearing the target, as a warning. If one surrenders without resistance, aside from the loss of property, nothing else happens—it’s best not to engage in a fight if one can simply take money instead.

It’s only under these circumstances that the bloody and terrifying flags are raised. Everyone on board is prepared to kill without blinking, so think carefully before acting.

Lowering the merchant ship’s flag signifies submission, and from there, everything tends to proceed in a better direction.

This rule was mentioned in the Pirate Bill enacted 110 years ago as a golden principle, a code of conduct for all pirates, aimed at sustainable, long-term development—after all, pirates are also made of flesh.

Pirates who violate this rule and continue to kill even after the other party has surrendered are considered enemies of piracy and will incite more unnecessary resistance, endangering the interests of their peers. There are always worse villains to deal with such breaches.

Occurrences like getting lost en route, hitting reefs or encountering weather disasters can be disregarded.

When adding ships that disappear after paying a ransom or were raided by pirates of the east, merchant ships account for nineteen percent and passenger ships for eleven percent of their respective total numbers.