Chapter 23: John, Silver Axe, and Ochoku
A flash of sword light!
Charlotte's blade collided with John's!
Bang! Clang!
Charlotte, unable to endure John's taunts, drew his sword without hesitation.
John, quick to react, unsheathed the blade from his waist to parry.
"Yo, yo, yo! You're angry? How can you be angry? We're partners!" John said nonchalantly, holding a wine jug in one hand and the Sunset Sword in the other.
Charlotte glanced behind her at Rocks and the other officers. They were all watching with great interest, showing no intention of intervening.
The surrounding pirates were whispering amongst themselves, but Charlotte could hear every word.
"Is this the new captain of the 8th Division, Rockefeller Charlotte, with a bounty of 300 million? Why is he fighting with Boss John?"
"Who knows? Maybe the new guy doesn't respect the old-timers, or maybe John is testing him."
Some pirates casually chatted while sitting on makeshift sofas, watching the confrontation with mild curiosity.
Hearing these comments and seeing Rocks and the others enjoying the spectacle, Charlotte's patience snapped.
With a burst of strength in his right hand, he swung his sword with a slash.
"Hey, hey, hey! Let's not get carried away now!" John exclaimed, dodging the attack before launching a counter-slash toward Charlotte.
Charlotte, his blade coated in Armament Haki, deflected the incoming strike effortlessly.
"That's all you've got?" Charlotte scoffed, glaring at John.
John shrugged, tossing the wine flask from his left hand. He pulled out a pistol from his waist, aimed it at Charlotte, and fired.
Bang!
Charlotte's Observation Haki alerted him to the bullet, which was wrapped in Armament Haki. With a slight tilt of his head, the bullet barely grazed his cheek.
Charlotte retaliated with another slash, this time putting more strength into it. The sword energy extended ten meters, leaving no room for John to escape.
This display caused Ochoku and Silver Axe to raise their eyebrows slightly.
"This Charlotte has some skill," Silver Axe murmured.
The power behind the slash was not ordinary—it was at least on par with a Navy vice admiral.
Seeing the intensity of the attack, John became serious for the first time. His drunkenness evaporated as he brought the Sunset Sword up to block the blow.
"Yo! You managed to block it. But what about this one?"
Charlotte unleashed a thirty-meter slash. The sheer force of the attack caused pirates all over Hachinosu to stop and take notice.
"Is someone attacking the island?"
This thought crossed the minds of countless pirates before they dismissed it. After all, who would dare attack the headquarters of the Rocks Pirates?
John, now fully alert, swung his sword with all his might, releasing a slash of equal magnitude.
Bang!
The red and white slashes clashed mid-air, locked in a stalemate. Ultimately, Charlotte's white slash overpowered John's, though it dissipated two meters before reaching him.
Charlotte smirked slightly. "Not bad. I'm starting to get excited!"
He radiated a domineering aura, pressing it toward John.
John, gun in one hand and sword in the other, said nothing but tightened his stance, fully alert.
Charlotte raised his hand, ready to deliver another attack.
"Stop it!" Rocks suddenly appeared behind Charlotte, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Charlotte's back was drenched in cold sweat. Rocks' speed had left him stunned.
"Charlotte, we're all comrades here. There's no need to escalate things," Rocks said calmly.
Hearing this, Charlotte relaxed and sheathed his sword. The oppressive aura around him dissipated.
With a faint smile, Charlotte turned to Rocks and said, "Of course. I was just joking."
The sudden shift in Charlotte's demeanor, from murderous to cheerful, sent chills down the spines of the surrounding pirates.
John, realizing he was outmatched, silently put away his weapon and refrained from provoking Charlotte further.
"Hahaha! Charlotte, that was great! I've been annoyed with John for a long time," Shiki the Golden Lion said, floating over with a cigar in his mouth.
"That guy does nothing but reap the most rewards after every raid. It's infuriating!"
Even Edward Newgate nodded in agreement.
"I don't even have enough money to buy cake!" Charlotte Linlin interjected.
It became clear that many people in the Rocks Pirates were dissatisfied with John.
Charlotte observed the collective disdain directed at John, who remained indifferent, drinking and chatting with Silver Axe and Ochoku.
"What's the relationship between those three?" Charlotte asked, pointing at John, Silver Axe, and Ochoku.
"They? They're among the earliest members who followed Rocks," Shiki explained, his tone dripping with disdain.
"John handles the finances of the Rocks Pirates, but he's not much of a fighter. Silver Axe and Ochoku, on the other hand, are skilled warriors, each at the level of a basic great swordsman. But they're getting old, and it's unclear if they can still fight at full strength."
Shiki's eyes were filled with contempt as he glanced at the trio.
"So, if you fought them, who would win?" Charlotte asked with a sly grin.
"If it's a life-or-death battle, I could take them all down in a day," Shiki replied confidently, his arrogance palpable.
The sight of Shiki's unshakable confidence made Charlotte's blood boil.
"One day, I'll have that kind of power," Charlotte thought, clenching his fist.
He followed Shiki and the others into a grand hall.
The room was lavishly decorated, with gold ornaments lining the walls and a massive throne in the center. Behind the throne hung a detailed map of the second half of the Grand Line.
Charlotte's eyes narrowed as he studied the map, noting the extent of the Rocks Pirates' influence.
Rocks sat on the throne without hesitation, exuding an aura of dominance. The other officers took their seats in order, each representing their respective divisions.
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