Chapter 6: Conqueror's Haki
Three pirate ships, flying their Jolly Rogers, docked at the harbor, bombarding the port with cannon fire.
"Captain! This is going to be a huge score! There are plenty of merchant ships docked here, and the town has no means of resistance. We're about to hit the jackpot!"
A pirate with a headscarf and a sword in hand grinned as he spoke, eyeing the harbor greedily.
"Kahahaha! Boys, get moving! Loot this town clean!"
The pirate captain, wearing a tricorn hat and wielding a massive sword, roared as he pointed toward the town.
"Kill, kill! The women and treasure are all mine!"
The pirates stormed off the ships and into the harbor, their faces alight with greed and excitement.
Meanwhile, the townspeople, realizing the danger, fled toward the inner parts of the town. Some even jumped into the sea in desperation.
"Help! Pirates are coming ashore! Run for your lives!"
"Damn it, stop pushing! Let me through!"
Cries for help and shouts of panic filled the crowded port.
Cannonballs flew over their heads, striking buildings and setting them ablaze, further plunging the scene into chaos.
"Waaaaah! Save me! Save me!"
Amidst the screams and wailing, a child stood frozen, too scared to move.
"Ahhh!"
A terrified scream rang out as a dock worker was cut down by a pirate's blade.
"Run!"
The crowded port descended into hysteria as people scrambled to escape, trampling over one another in the process.
Ironically, while the pirates had only killed one person, the ensuing stampede claimed countless lives.
"Captain, the harbor's all clear! Time for us to step in!"
The first mate grinned, gesturing toward the now-vacant space at the port.
Smack!
"Idiot! Did I ask for your input?"
The captain slapped his first mate aside and strutted down toward the port with exaggerated confidence.
"I am Alex Jesse, captain of the Wild Bear Pirates! My bounty is 45 million berries! If you want to live, hand over all your treasure!"
Alex Jesse's thunderous voice silenced the chaotic port.
The townspeople stared in terror at the three-meter-tall man towering over them.
Charlotte, who had just arrived at the scene, heard the declaration loud and clear.
"Forty-five million berries…" he muttered to himself.
In this era, 45 million berries was worth much more than it would be decades later. Adjusted for inflation, such a bounty would easily equate to a major pirate with a bounty in the hundreds of millions.
Charlotte wasn't entirely confident he could take on such an opponent.
Seeing that the crowd was completely subdued, Alex Jesse burst into laughter.
"Boys, loot the town! Kill anyone who dares resist!"
With a wave of his massive hand, over a hundred pirates charged into the town, weapons raised.
"Let's see who dares!"
Charlotte could no longer stay idle. He leaped from the rooftop, landing in front of the charging pirates. With two swift punches, he took down the leading pirates.
"Huh? Who's there?"
Alex Jesse turned toward the commotion and saw a young boy standing amidst the chaos.
"Kahahaha! A brat like you dares stand in my way? Go cry to your mama!"
The other pirates laughed heartily at their captain's mockery.
Charlotte frowned but said nothing.
He jumped, disappearing from their view, and reappeared behind two more pirates.
Bang! Bang!
With two punches, the pirates coughed up blood and collapsed.
"What!?"
Alex Jesse's expression darkened as he watched Charlotte's effortless takedown.
"Kill him! All of you, kill him!"
Alex Jesse roared, pointing his massive sword at Charlotte.
"Charge! Kill him!"
Over a hundred pirates surged toward Charlotte, brandishing swords and firing flintlock pistols.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bullets shot toward Charlotte, but with his Observation Haki, he dodged them with ease, tilting his head or shifting his body slightly.
"What the…?"
Alex Jesse's frown deepened, a sense of unease creeping over him. This boy wasn't easy to deal with.
Charlotte, however, showed no fear. Instead, he plunged into the crowd of pirates, swinging his sword wildly.
Pirates fell left and right, their limbs severed and screams filling the air.
Charlotte paid no heed to their cries, fully immersed in his rampage.
For the first time in a long while, he felt exhilarated. The slaughter was a cathartic release for all his pent-up frustration.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
Charlotte's bloodshot eyes and the blood-soaked blade in his hands struck fear into the remaining pirates.
Though they hesitated to approach, Charlotte showed no mercy, cutting them down one by one.
To the pirates, Charlotte was like a tiger among sheep.
"Damn it!"
Alex Jesse watched as his crew was decimated, his face contorted with rage. These men were the result of years of recruiting and training, and now they were being wiped out on this tiny island.
Meanwhile, the townspeople who had stayed behind watched Charlotte in stunned silence.
They couldn't believe the young man slaughtering pirates with ease was the same Charlotte they knew.
"Ha!"
Charlotte let out a roar, and suddenly, an overwhelming aura exploded from his body.
Centered on Charlotte, the aura spread outward, knocking out pirates and civilians alike.
"What… what is this!?"
Alex Jesse's eyes bulged in shock.
"This is Conqueror's Haki! How does this brat have Conqueror's Haki!?"
As a veteran pirate, Alex Jesse immediately recognized the phenomenon.
But Charlotte, lost in his bloodlust, didn't care. Whether his enemies were unconscious or not, he continued cutting them down mercilessly.
Alex Jesse, now thoroughly terrified, could only watch as Charlotte's rampage unfolded.
Even Ivan, who had arrived late, was overwhelmed by the Conqueror's Haki. His legs wobbled as he clung to a pillar for support.
"What… what's happening?" Ivan stammered, struggling to stay conscious.
He saw a sight he would never forget—his boss, Charlotte, mercilessly slaughtering pirates, with only one figure standing on the platform: the towering Alex Jesse.
With a final slash, Charlotte severed the head of the last pirate.
He threw his head back and laughed maniacally.
"Hahaha! Hahahahaha!"
A wave of red, crackling with lightning, surged outward from Charlotte, unleashing another blast of Conqueror's Haki.
This time, Ivan collapsed entirely, losing consciousness.
Alex Jesse, trembling under the pressure, knelt with his sword for support, barely holding on.
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