Chapter 59: Hedging
"Moses! Is that Admiral Kong? I'm Major General Wells! I've discovered something unusual here. The great pirate Charlotte is now meeting a strange pirate.
That pirate is none other than the Red Earl, Patrick Redfield, who has been gaining fame in the first half of the Grand Line in recent years! Currently, the two pirates are heading towards an uninhabited island, and their intentions are unclear!"
Kong, who was reviewing documents with Sengoku and Tsuru, turned on the Den Den Mushi and frowned slightly after hearing Major General Wells' report.
He glanced at Vice Admiral Tsuru, who had also been listening carefully and now wore a thoughtful expression.
"The Red Earl?"
Tsuru furrowed her brows slightly, pulling a bounty poster from a file bag.
"Eleven million berries! What could Charlotte be planning, meeting with someone like him?"
Kong held the bounty for the Red Earl and spoke with confusion. Sengoku and Tsuru shook their heads slightly, unable to provide an answer.
"Major General Wells, continue to monitor the situation and prioritize your safety."
Kong spoke firmly to the voice on the other end of the Den Den Mushi.
Wells, sitting on his rented Blu, gave a wry smile.
"Admiral Kong, I believe I've been noticed. However, the two pirates seem uninterested in me."
Wells' voice was tinged with both humor and unease as it reached Kong.
Kong was taken aback.
"You've been discovered? When?"
"Just now. The Red Earl noticed me, but neither he nor Charlotte seems inclined to care."
Wells reported with a tinge of relief.
"Understood. Maintain your distance and observe from afar. If you sense danger, retreat immediately. Keep in touch."
"Yes, sir!"
---
After docking their Blu vehicles, Charlotte and the Red Earl stepped onto the deserted island simultaneously.
Charlotte scanned the surroundings, ensuring there were no other people nearby.
Seeing this, the Red Earl chuckled, watching Charlotte with intrigue.
"Would a pirate with a bounty of 950 million berries really care whether or not civilians are present on the island?"
Charlotte scratched the back of his head, slightly puzzled by the Red Earl's comment.
"Haha! I wouldn't say that. I simply don't kill civilians without reason. It goes against my moral principles."
Charlotte responded candidly.
The Red Earl tilted his head, curious.
"Oh? And what moral principles might those be?"
Unable to read Charlotte's thoughts—a rare occurrence for him—the Red Earl felt increasingly intrigued.
Charlotte blinked and smirked.
"My moral principle? It's simple: 'Don't offend others unless they offend me. If someone offends me, I'll return it a hundredfold.' That's the code I live by."
Hearing this, the Red Earl was momentarily stunned. Charlotte's response was unexpected but resonated with his own perspective.
"Interesting. That's quite the moral compass."
The Red Earl praised him, though inwardly, he found it fascinating how similar their views were.
But the time for words had passed.
"Enough talk. Let's begin."
The Red Earl placed his umbrella on the ground and pointed it toward Charlotte.
"Hahaha! Very well. Let's fight!"
Charlotte unsheathed his sword, releasing a wave of overwhelming energy.
A flood of Conqueror's Haki surged toward the Red Earl.
Feeling the purity and intensity of the aura, the Red Earl smiled with admiration.
"Impressive spirit! But don't think you're the only one capable of this!"
He unleashed his own Conqueror's Haki, clashing against Charlotte's.
The air between them seemed to crackle with energy as their Haki collided.
---
From the nearby sea, Major General Wells watched the scene unfold, his jaw dropping in disbelief.
"Conqueror's Haki!"
He blurted out in shock.
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Kong heard Wells' exclamation and frowned.
"What happened? Did you just say Conqueror's Haki?"
"Yes, Admiral Kong! Charlotte and the Red Earl have started fighting on the deserted island. Both of them are using Conqueror's Haki, and... the sky has split!"
Wells reported hastily, his voice trembling with awe.
Back at Marine Headquarters, Kong, Sengoku, and Tsuru sat frozen for a moment.
"The sky split?"
Sengoku asked incredulously. He, like the others, struggled to process what they were hearing.
Few could achieve such mastery of Conqueror's Haki, and the implications were staggering.
"Major General Wells, are you certain?"
Kong's tone was stern, though disbelief still lingered in his voice.
Staring at the incredible sight before him, Wells could only nod.
"Absolutely, sir. The sky is literally torn apart, and the surrounding waters are surging from the shockwave of their Haki!"
Even with Wells' confirmation, Kong found it hard to believe. Then, he remembered the video-recording Den Den Mushi he had instructed Wells to carry.
"Major General Wells, activate the video-recording Den Den Mushi and point it at the fight. Let us see for ourselves!"
At Kong's insistence, Sengoku and Tsuru leaned closer, anticipation in their eyes.
Wells obeyed, setting up the Den Den Mushi and positioning it to capture the confrontation.
The feed began transmitting back to Marine Headquarters, and everyone's breath caught.
The video showed Charlotte and the Red Earl standing ten meters apart. Charlotte held his sword pointed at the ground, while the Red Earl rested his hands on his umbrella.
Neither moved, yet their Conqueror's Haki filled the air with palpable tension.
Dark red energy emanated from Charlotte, clashing violently against the purple-red aura of the Red Earl.
The sheer force of their clash split the sky above them, leaving an ominous rift that made even the sea churn in response.
"The Conqueror's Haki... is evenly matched."
Sengoku muttered, his voice laced with awe.
Tsuru narrowed her eyes, studying the Red Earl.
"Where did this Patrick Redfield come from? To rival Charlotte's Haki at this level is no small feat."
Kong said nothing, his eyes fixed on the screen.
The fight was just beginning, yet it had already surpassed their expectations.
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