Chapter 51: Undersea Crisis
After two days on Qilan Island, Charlotte had spent nearly 50 million Baileys, depleting half of his funds. He swore to himself never to set foot on that accursed island again.
Now, with his ship coated and ready, Charlotte waved his hand.
"Sail and sink!"
The ship slowly descended into the depths of the ocean.
Looking at the surrounding seawater and the various fish swimming by, Charlotte felt both excited and a little thrilled.
It was his first time experiencing something like this firsthand. In his previous life, he'd only seen such sights in aquariums. To now live it in the world of One Piece was surreal.
He watched curiously as schools of fish passed by the ship, seemingly oblivious to the fact they were often prey for one another.
As the ship sank deeper, the surrounding light dimmed. If not for the glowing light ahead, illuminating their path, Charlotte doubted they'd have made it this far.
Paul, standing nearby, pointed to the light. "Captain, that's the Sunlight Tree Eve. It provides light to Fishman Island and this part of the deep sea."
Charlotte nodded. The Sunlight Tree Eve was essential for navigating the dark depths, leading directly to Fishman Island—the only route to cross the Red Line underwater.
However, Charlotte had no plans to stay on Fishman Island longer than necessary. A day at most, he thought. Despite the allure of its famous mermaids, Charlotte dismissed any thoughts of lingering.
"I'm not that kind of guy," he muttered to himself with a faint smile.
As the ship sailed deeper into the dark waters, Charlotte's mind began to wander.
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"Ming~!"
A sudden, eerie sound echoed through the depths.
Charlotte snapped out of his thoughts, immediately remembering where they were—10,000 meters below the surface, surrounded by the vast unknown of the ocean.
He recalled that nearly 70% of ships traveling to Fishman Island sank, with most victims falling prey to Sea Kings.
The cry he'd just heard sent a chill down his spine. If it belonged to a Sea King, then danger was dangerously close.
Charlotte activated his Observation Haki. Though its range was greatly reduced due to the dense water pressure, it was still his best tool for gauging their surroundings.
What he sensed made him gasp.
"Hiss~!"
Dozens of Sea Kings were within range of his Observation Haki. While most appeared to be asleep, a few were awake and actively swimming nearby.
Among them was a massive, whale-like Sea King over 100 meters long, slowly approaching their ship.
"Of all the rotten luck," Charlotte muttered under his breath.
His heart raced. On the surface, such a creature would have been a welcome feast. But here, 10,000 meters underwater, it was they who were the prey.
Charlotte broke into a cold sweat. Around him, the crew remained oblivious to the looming threat.
The ship creaked as it drifted through the silent abyss. The men, unnerved by the oppressive darkness, huddled together under the dim glow of their ship's lights.
"Ming~!"
The cry sounded again, this time much closer.
"Boss, what do we do?" Paul asked, trembling as he approached Charlotte.
"Shut up!" Charlotte hissed sharply.
In this eerie silence, even the smallest noise might draw the Sea King's attention.
The massive creature was now only 50 meters away. Charlotte clenched his fists, racking his brain for a solution.
---
Suddenly, an idea struck him.
"Conqueror's Haki! Why didn't I think of it sooner?"
Recalling a scene from Rayleigh's demonstration, Charlotte's eyes lit up.
He took a deep breath, and just as the Sea King closed within 10 meters of their ship, Charlotte unleashed a powerful burst of Conqueror's Haki.
The invisible force rippled through the water, colliding with the Sea King's presence.
"Ming!"
The massive creature froze for a moment before letting out a panicked cry. It turned tail and swam away at full speed, as if fleeing from a predator far greater than itself.
In his Observation Haki, Charlotte sensed the Sea King's retreat until it disappeared completely.
"Ha!" Charlotte smirked. "Problem solved."
The crew, having held their breath during the ordeal, exhaled in unison, relief washing over them.
---
Charlotte leaned against the railing, reflecting on his abilities. His danger-sense had been on high alert, similar to Spider-Man's "spidey sense" from his previous life. Unlike Katakuri's ability to predict the future, Charlotte's Observation Haki provided immediate warnings of imminent threats.
This foresight had saved their lives today.
He pondered the nature of his abilities, realizing he'd never actually trained his Observation Haki—it had simply grown stronger over time. The same applied to his Conqueror's Haki.
Charlotte theorized that his unusual proficiency might be due to his soul being a fusion of his past and present selves. Twice the soul strength likely meant twice the potential, explaining his rapid growth in both Haki and physical abilities.
"Seems like being a time traveler has its perks," Charlotte mused with a grin.
Looking back at his crew, who were now celebrating their narrow escape, Charlotte allowed himself a moment of pride.
"We're not out of this yet," he muttered, gazing into the dark waters ahead. "Let's keep moving."
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