Chapter 79: Discussion at the Navy Headquarters
Is this goodbye?
The thought lingered in Redfield's mind as he watched Charlotte walk away.
For someone who had lived a solitary life, the feeling of parting was new and unsettling.
Charlotte smiled as he strode toward the dock where his ship was moored. Activating his observation Haki, he scanned half of Water Seven, sensing the chaos spreading throughout the city. The panic was likely caused by the aftermath of the auction incident.
Charlotte chuckled softly to himself and dismissed it from his mind.
---
"Boss!"
"Boss!"
The moment Charlotte approached the ship, his crew spotted him and shouted in relief.
Hearing their voices, Charlotte waved nonchalantly.
"Boss! Where have you been? Do you know how worried we were?"
Paul rushed up to him, clinging to Charlotte's leg as tears streamed down his face.
"Huh?"
Charlotte stared at Paul's exaggerated display, utterly speechless.
"Is this really necessary?"
He shook his head and explained lightly, "I just got delayed meeting someone interesting. Anyway, let's get going!"
Charlotte would never admit that he had been captured and nearly sold as a slave. That would be far too embarrassing.
"Understood, Boss! But we need to wait a moment. Since you hadn't returned, we sent Isaac to look for you. I'll fire a signal to call them back," Paul said quickly.
"Alright," Charlotte nodded, acknowledging that his crew had acted appropriately in his absence.
Paul took out a bamboo signal tube, raised it, and launched a flare.
Whoosh!
A cloud-piercing arrow shot into the sky.
Bang!
A dazzling firework lit up the heavens.
Isaac, searching the city with his group, looked up at the sound of the explosion.
"Time to head back! The boss has returned!"
Without hesitation, Isaac led his group back toward the ship.
---
Charlotte sat at the bow, gazing at the city while waiting for the rest of his crew to return. Not long after, Isaac and his group arrived.
"Boss!"
Isaac greeted him eagerly the moment he stepped aboard.
"Mm," Charlotte acknowledged with a nod.
"Set sail!"
Charlotte gave the order, and the crew got to work raising the sails. Slowly, the ship began to leave the port.
As it departed, Charlotte felt a sudden sensation and instinctively turned to look back.
Standing in the distance, atop a roof, was a solitary figure clad in a purple-red robe—Redfield.
Seeing him, Charlotte smiled and waved.
The Red Earl, noticing the gesture, allowed a small smile to cross his lips as he watched the ship fade into the horizon.
---
Bang!
"What did you say? Charlotte slaughtered people in Water Seven? What happened?"
Admiral Kong slammed the table in his office, his voice booming as he questioned the person on the other end of the Den Den Mushi.
"Admiral, Charlotte was captured by a slave-catching team after getting drunk. When he woke up, he found himself in the auction house. Enraged, he massacred nearly everyone there. Only a few people survived," Wells reported cautiously, holding the Den Den Mushi tightly.
Bang!
"Damn that Charlotte!"
Admiral Kong roared, slamming the table again.
"Admiral, we've lost Charlotte's trail. His ship is no longer at the port, and we've completely lost track of him. What are your orders?"
Wells asked hesitantly.
Behind him, his subordinates, including the colonel, discreetly listened, hoping the admiral would not order them to pursue Charlotte. None of them had any desire to face him again after witnessing the horrors at the auction house.
There was a long silence on the other end of the Den Den Mushi.
Bang!
Wells flinched as another loud noise came through the receiver.
"Call off the search and return to base," Admiral Kong finally said, his voice heavy with frustration before abruptly hanging up.
Wells let out a deep breath of relief.
The colonel and the other officers behind him also visibly relaxed, grateful that they wouldn't have to confront Charlotte again.
"Pack it up. We're heading back," Wells said, leading the group back to the port.
---
At the Navy Headquarters, Admiral Kong sat at his desk, rubbing his temples in frustration. He tapped the desk three times, summoning Sengoku and Tsuru.
"What's the situation, Admiral?"
Tsuru asked as she entered the room alongside Sengoku.
Admiral Kong sighed and gestured to his notes.
"Charlotte caused a massacre at the auction house in Water Seven. Nearly six to seven hundred people were killed. According to the report from Wells, he was captured as a slave but broke free and exacted revenge. Only a handful of people survived."
Tsuru and Sengoku exchanged troubled glances as they read the details.
"Slaves," Tsuru muttered, her brow furrowing deeply.
The mention of the slave trade struck a nerve. Although officially outlawed by the World Government, slavery persisted in places like Water Seven and Sabaody Archipelago under the protection of influential figures and even the Celestial Dragons.
"The mayor of Water Seven is Hoyle, right? A government official?" Tsuru asked, recalling her extensive knowledge of personnel.
Admiral Kong nodded.
"Correct. Hoyle was appointed by the World Government and reported directly to them."
Sengoku sighed heavily, recognizing the complexity of the situation.
"If government officials are openly engaging in the slave trade, there's little we can do. The Navy can't intervene in such matters without facing repercussions from the World Government."
Admiral Kong nodded grimly.
"Exactly. Our hands are tied when it comes to Hoyle and the auction house. However, Charlotte is another matter. We'll issue an increased bounty for him, both to appease the World Government and as a means of capturing him. But finding him in the vast ocean is nearly impossible. For now, we'll treat him as a high-priority fugitive."
Both Tsuru and Sengoku silently agreed, knowing that even the Navy's power had limits when dealing with the murky politics of the world.
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