"Those people fancy themselves as the lords of the sea, but to me, they're nothing more than a bunch of muscular fools." Rackham often boasts to his crew after a drink, yet no one ever dares to challenge him, even though he only has a smuggling ship converted from a fishing boat with fewer than ten crew. His ship has sailed the seas for over a decade without crossing paths with any major force. Even when the occasional pirate took an interest in them, Rackham could typically turn adversaries into friends. The only noticeable change was their gradually growing wealth. When Rackham set sail, he was a poor, lonely young man. Now, he has to purchase a private island to store his mountainous treasures. No one knew the story of Rackham's rise. They could only speculate from his drunken tales. Years ago, he was taken as a servant by pirates. Yet, he skillfully moved up the ranks among the crew, gaining the captain's trust. He earned his first fortune by trading the ship's goods on the Black Market. What happened afterward, Rackham never disclosed. All that was known was the pirates who had once captured him were now nowhere to be found, and only Rackham continued sailing the seas. Rackham still adheres to this way of survival. He never picks fights and shows no interest in grand ships or mighty cannons, appearing to be an unambitious smuggler using a fishing boat for simple smuggling. In the eyes of the grand pirates, smuggling types like Rackham are as insignificant as a single shrimp, just one of many traders paying protection fees, which is precisely what Rackham wants. He hides his wealth and ambition with a tattered coat, while his network of transactions quietly infiltrates the lower ranks of every fleet. As low-level pirates exchange tales of Black Market goods at the docks, little do they know that the network’s master is standing behind them with a bottle, eavesdropping and collecting the sea’s most precious commodity: intelligence. Some believe that commanding enormous ships and cannons equates to success, but Rackham knows that's merely a façade. He controls something deeper, the greed and desires of pirates. Pirates flaunt their might, much like the great whales of the ocean, believing they can reign supreme, yet blind to the harpoon hovering above.