Chapter 91: Interesting Colonel
As the standoff continued, a navy officer with the rank of lieutenant commander stepped forward.
"Who are you?"
Charlotte glanced at the major with interest. The man, puffing on a cigar, reminded him of someone familiar. The corners of Charlotte's mouth lifted in amusement as he sized up the navy men before him.
"Haha! Are you planning to stop me?" Charlotte asked disdainfully.
The sailors behind Charlotte immediately gripped their weapons, their faces brimming with confidence and contempt for the navy soldiers.
The atmosphere grew tense as the major drew his standard-issue longsword, pointing it directly at Charlotte.
"Who are you?" the navy officer repeated, his tone serious and cautious.
Charlotte chuckled softly but said nothing. It was Paul, standing just behind him, who answered impatiently.
"Haha! Who is he? Of course, he's a pirate!"
The moment Paul uttered the word "pirate," the major's expression darkened.
"Pirates! Sound the alarm!"
The navy soldiers instantly tensed, their weapons aimed as they surrounded Charlotte and his group.
"Pirates, release the girl you're holding!" the major commanded, taking a step forward.
"Hahaha!"
Charlotte glanced at Elena, who was staring at the navy with an eager, almost hopeful expression.
Seeing her anticipation, Charlotte felt speechless.
Really? After all this, you're still hoping for the navy to save you?
Suppressing his irritation, Charlotte placed Elena on the ground. However, the moment her feet touched the ground, she tried to run.
"Oh no, you don't," Charlotte said, grabbing her wrist before she could escape.
"You'll never escape from me, Elena. Not in this lifetime." His voice was low but filled with conviction as he whispered in her ear.
Elena froze at his words, her face pale as she stood motionless.
Meanwhile, the navy soldiers had surrounded Charlotte and his group of over twenty people.
"What's going on here?"
A deep voice cut through the tension as a figure approached from behind the navy line.
The major quickly turned and saluted.
"Colonel! These are pirates, and they've taken a girl hostage!"
"Pirates?" the colonel repeated, walking into the encirclement for a better look at the group.
As soon as his eyes landed on Charlotte, the colonel's expression shifted into one of contemplation.
The face of the man in front of him seemed familiar.
Charlotte, meanwhile, was whispering something to Elena, causing her to tremble.
The colonel racked his brain, the memory of a recent navy bulletin surfacing. He remembered seeing this face on a wanted poster.
Suddenly, the realization struck him like lightning.
"You… you're Rockefeller Charlotte! The Blood Swordsman! A pirate with a bounty of one billion berries!"
The colonel's voice trembled with both shock and excitement.
But as the weight of his words sank in, his face paled.
"One billion… one billion berries!"
The colonel's knees buckled, and before anyone could react, he collapsed to the ground in a faint.
"Colonel!"
The major rushed to his side, panicking as he tried to rouse his superior.
"Hahahahahaha!"
Paul burst into laughter, his booming voice echoing through the tense air.
"This is too good! The guy fainted just from realizing who the boss is!"
The other crew members joined in, their laughter ringing out as the tension dissipated.
Even Charlotte couldn't help but smirk.
If he hadn't recognized me, I might've thought my bounty poster was fake!
The remaining navy soldiers looked at their fallen colonel in disbelief.
Their leader's panicked exclamation had confirmed that they were facing one of the most notorious pirates in the world—a pirate with a bounty of one billion berries.
They were just a regional naval detachment, meant to maintain order in the local sea, not to take on monsters like Charlotte.
"Colonel! Wake up! I can't handle this alone!" the major cried, shaking the colonel in desperation.
Meanwhile, the colonel, who had been pretending to faint, cursed inwardly.
You idiot! Stop shaking me! This is your chance to retreat. Don't blow it!
But Charlotte, a master of observation Haki, saw through the colonel's ploy.
Pretending to be unconscious?
What an interesting fellow, Charlotte thought with amusement.
Sensing that Charlotte was watching him, the colonel panicked internally.
He tugged on the major's pant leg, signaling him.
The major, startled by the gesture, quickly understood.
"Quick! Get the colonel back to the base! He's having a sudden medical emergency!"
Without hesitation, the major hoisted the "unconscious" colonel onto his back and bolted for the naval base, not daring to look back.
The remaining navy soldiers, though confused, followed their lead.
Within moments, the entire navy force had retreated, leaving the townspeople watching in stunned silence.
The sight of navy soldiers fleeing left Charlotte shaking his head in disbelief.
"This colonel is a talented man," he remarked to himself. "He should go into politics."
With the navy gone, Charlotte tightened his grip on Elena's wrist and resumed walking toward the port.
His crew, still chuckling at the absurdity of the encounter, followed closely behind.
Elena, however, was in a daze.
She couldn't understand why the navy, her last hope, had fled so quickly.
What was this about one billion berries? The Blood Swordsman?
Everything she had just witnessed left her reeling.
---
Read up to 20 Chapters ahead on patreon.com/Fanglin
[Please leave a 5 Star review and power stone for this novel]
*Thank you*