Chapter 32: Plundering at Sea
As Kurozumi Muramaru entered his sister's room, he saw Kurozumi Murasaki lying on the ground, her eyes filled with hatred as she stared at the door.
"Sister! What's going on? Why are you lying on the ground?"
He rushed over to help her up, instantly sobering up as he noticed the red marks on her neck. His mind raced with wild assumptions.
He knew that Charlotte had been there earlier. Could it be that Charlotte had harmed her? His thoughts spiraled further. Could Charlotte have assaulted her in some twisted way?
The idea alone made him furious, though he failed to notice the mixture of anger and humiliation on Kurozumi Murasaki's face.
"Where were you when this happened? Your sister was almost killed, and you had no idea!"
Kurozumi Murasaki grabbed her brother's ear and twisted it angrily.
"Sister, stop! I just came back from Flower Street!"
The mention of Flower Street only made her angrier.
"Do you even know what happened? That bastard Charlotte came here and threatened me to hand over the training method for Ryuo Haki! He nearly killed me for it!"
Her voice was sharp, filled with rage.
"What? That guy dared to threaten you? I'll kill him!"
Kurozumi Muramaru shouted in a fit of bravado, storming toward the door.
"Stop right there! Do you think you can beat him?"
Her words stopped him in his tracks.
"This… I… uh…"
He stammered, unable to come up with a convincing answer.
"Are you just going to throw your life away?"
Kurozumi Murasaki glared at him, her frustration growing.
"Fine, maybe I can't beat him, but he can't kill me either!"
Kurozumi Muramaru said, puffing out his chest. His confidence came from his Barrier-Barrier Fruit ability, which made him invulnerable to most attacks.
"Forget it. We'll deal with this humiliation later. For now, he didn't get the training method of Ryuo Haki from me."
Kurozumi Murasaki sighed and decided not to pursue the matter further.
Relieved, Kurozumi Muramaru quietly sat down, his earlier bravado fading. He had no real intention of fighting Charlotte. The mere thought of Charlotte's devastating swordsmanship was enough to make him shudder.
---
Meanwhile, Charlotte had already returned to his training ground. With the Ryuo Haki training method now clear in his mind, he began to focus on his practice.
According to Kurozumi Murasaki's memories, Ryuo Haki involved controlling the flow of Haki like liquid. This was an advanced application of Armament Haki, far more refined than simple hardening.
Charlotte stood in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by broken rocks and shattered trees—remnants of his relentless training.
"Let's begin," he muttered, his eyes narrowing.
---
Later that day, one of his crew members came running toward him.
"Boss! Boss!"
Charlotte paused his training, turning toward the voice.
"What's the matter? Why the rush?"
"Boss, we've run out of supplies, and we're completely out of money!"
The crew member's words made Charlotte frown.
Running out of money and supplies was inevitable. They had been training and living off their savings without going on any raids for months.
"Prepare the ship. We're heading out to sea. I'll speak to Rocks first."
Charlotte gave his orders before heading toward the center of the island.
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At the main hall, the aroma of wine and food filled the air.
"Hey, isn't this our baby-faced Charlotte? What brings him here today?"
Charlotte didn't need to look to know who was speaking.
"John, if you don't want to keep your head, I can remove it for free," Charlotte replied coldly, giving John a sharp glare.
"Hahaha! That's our Charlotte! Always so serious!"
Shiki the Golden Lion laughed, biting down on his cigar.
Even Whitebeard chuckled.
John, however, was less amused, especially when Shiki joined in mocking him.
Rocks, seated on his throne, ignored the banter among his cadres.
"Charlotte, what brings you here?"
Rocks' voice silenced the room, and all eyes turned toward Charlotte.
"My squad is out of money and supplies. We need to go out to sea for a raid," Charlotte stated plainly, as if plundering were as routine as breathing.
"Hahaha! Of course, go ahead. We're pirates, after all. It's only natural to raid," Rocks said with a laugh.
Then, his tone turned serious.
"I have a mission for you. Take this map and raid the Kingdom of Goron. Kill the king and bring me his head. You can keep fifty percent of the treasure."
Rocks tossed a map toward Charlotte.
Charlotte caught it and glanced at the marked location. The Kingdom of Goron was nearby—a convenient target.
"I understand," he replied, nodding before leaving the hall.
Rocks watched him leave, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"A cadre with no interest in treasures or parties, only strength… Such a man is rare. I'll make sure he stays under my control," Rocks mused.
Charlotte, meanwhile, headed back to his crew, ready to set sail. For him, this was just another step toward his ultimate goal: becoming the strongest.
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