Chapter 10: The Treasure Chest
Early the next morning, Charlotte set out to sea with ten crew members aboard the three pirate ships he had converted into fishing vessels.
The crew, skilled sailors, had volunteered enthusiastically to assist Charlotte after learning of his plan to hunt Sea Kings.
The fishing boats sailed out of the port, heading into the vast and unknown sea.
For Charlotte, this was his first time venturing so far from the port.
As the harbor disappeared from view, he calmed his mind, readying himself for the inevitable battles ahead.
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"Captain, there's a ship ahead!"
A pirate on a distant ship had spotted Charlotte's vessel.
Standing on the deck, Charlotte closed his eyes, extending his Observation Haki.
Within moments, he sensed the ship approaching, piquing his interest.
"A ship this soon?" Charlotte thought. "Pirates or merchants?"
Before he could decide, a loud explosion echoed from afar.
Boom!
No need to guess anymore—it was pirates.
Charlotte opened his eyes, watching as a cannonball arced toward his vessel.
Fortunately, the gunners' aim was off, and the cannonball splashed harmlessly into the water nearby.
Still, the commotion threw the crew into a panic.
"Stay calm! I'm here!"
Charlotte's commanding voice rang out, steadying the frightened sailors.
"Keep the ship steady. These pirates are mine to deal with," he said.
With a leap, Charlotte launched himself into the air, intercepting a cannonball with his fist.
Boom!
The cannonball exploded mid-air, leaving Charlotte unharmed as he landed gracefully back on deck.
"Boss is amazing!"
The sailors cheered, their fear replaced by awe.
---
On the pirate ship, the captain and crew were taken aback by what they had just witnessed.
"Captain, this guy's not someone we should mess with!" the lookout warned, lowering his telescope.
"Shut up! We outnumber him! Get closer and prepare to board!" the pirate captain barked, shoving the lookout aside.
"Yes, Captain!"
As the pirate ship closed in, Charlotte smiled.
"I was worried they'd keep firing from a distance. Looks like they're making this easy," he muttered.
"Stay on the ship. I'll handle them," Charlotte instructed his crew before leaping into the air.
Using a rudimentary version of Geppo (Moonwalk), Charlotte propelled himself toward the pirate ship, landing on their deck.
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"Who the hell are you?"
The pirate captain glared at Charlotte, his expression wary. What he thought was easy prey had turned out to be a formidable opponent.
"You're pirates, right?" Charlotte asked, pointing at the ship's flag.
Before the captain could respond, Charlotte lunged forward, landing a powerful punch squarely on his face.
Boom!
The captain collapsed to the deck, clutching his face in pain.
"Kill him!" the pirate captain roared, his voice filled with rage.
Dozens of pirates charged at Charlotte, weapons drawn.
Charlotte grinned, not even bothering to draw his sword. Instead, he raised his fists and charged into the fray.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
One by one, the pirates fell. Charlotte's punches shattered skulls and caved in chests, leaving a trail of broken bodies in his wake.
The deck was soon littered with blood and corpses.
"Huh?"
The pirate captain, seeing his entire crew decimated, scrambled backward in terror.
Charlotte's bloodied fists dripped as he walked toward the captain. Without giving him a chance to react, Charlotte delivered a final, devastating punch.
Boom!
The captain's head snapped back unnaturally, his lifeless body crumpling to the ground.
Looking at the carnage he had wrought, Charlotte shook his head.
"When did I become so ruthless? Not a single survivor…"
He waved at his crew to bring their ship closer. The sailors, who had been watching in awe from a distance, quickly maneuvered their vessel alongside the pirate ship.
"B-Boss!"
The sailors hesitantly boarded, their legs trembling as they took in the blood-soaked deck.
"Pile up the bodies. We'll use them to attract Sea Kings," Charlotte ordered.
Though horrified, the crew obeyed, dragging the bodies into a heap.
Meanwhile, Charlotte searched the pirate ship for valuables.
In the captain's quarters, he found a single treasure chest.
"Could this be… a Devil Fruit?"
Charlotte's hands trembled as he picked up the chest. Its size was perfect for holding a Devil Fruit.
With a deep breath, he broke the lock and opened it.
"Hmm?"
Inside was a rolled-up map.
"A map? Could it be a treasure map?"
Examining the map, Charlotte saw a series of routes and markings but couldn't discern its exact purpose.
"Maybe it's the location of their hidden treasure? But where is this place?"
Unable to determine the map's origin, Charlotte decided to keep it for future reference.
He also found some bounty posters in the room, including the pirates' own wanted notices.
"Ha! Only 11 million berries, and they dared to act this arrogantly?" Charlotte sneered, pocketing the posters and some cash he found—about six million berries.
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"Boss! Help! Sea Kings!"
A frantic shout from one of his sailors interrupted Charlotte's search.
"How many?"
Charlotte activated his Observation Haki and immediately froze.
"Damn it, did I stumble into a Sea King nest?"
Rushing to the deck, Charlotte saw the pirate ship surrounded by massive Sea Kings.
"Throw the bodies overboard! Distract them and get us out of here!" Charlotte barked, trying to keep the crew calm.
The sailors hurried to follow his orders, but the Sea Kings had already blocked their path.
"Boss, we're trapped!" the helmsman shouted, his voice trembling with fear.
"Damn it!"
Charlotte drew his sword, preparing for a fight.
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