Chapter 33: The Kingdom of Goron
"Boss!"
Charlotte, with a long sword hanging at his waist, walked to the port. A crew member carrying a gun hurried over.
"Boss, we're ready!"
Charlotte nodded and handed the crew member a nautical chart.
"This is your position. Prepare for plundering."
The crew member took the chart, studied it for a moment, and then saluted.
"Yes, sir!"
He sprinted onto the ship, shouting orders.
"Brothers! Our target is the Kingdom of Goron! Set sail!"
Charlotte stood at the bow, his gaze fixed on the vast sea ahead. The enormous hundred-meter-long ship began to move, its flag flying high.
Other pirates on the island watched the vessel depart.
"It's the Rocks Pirates' 8th Division," someone muttered, recognizing the flag.
"Looks like they're off to plunder," another whispered.
To pirates, raiding was a way of life, so no one was particularly surprised.
---
Meanwhile, hidden among the crowd at the port, a man disguised as a pirate activated his Den Den Mushi.
"Hello, Navy Headquarters? The captain of the 8th Division of the Rocks Pirates, Charlotte Rockefeller, has set sail. They're likely heading out to plunder. Be prepared."
"Navy Headquarters received," came the response before the line went dead.
---
At Navy Headquarters, a messenger ran into the office of Admiral Kong, holding a report.
"Admiral, the Rocks Pirates are on the move again!"
"What? Who's leading this time, and what's their target?" Kong demanded, his voice filled with frustration.
"Admiral, it's Rockefeller Charlotte, the captain of the 8th Division. The target is unknown, but it's suspected they're heading out to plunder."
Bang!
Kong's fist slammed onto his desk.
"These damn pirates!" he roared, his voice echoing through the office.
He waved the messenger away, picked up his Den Den Mushi, and hesitated.
He knew no lieutenant general stationed in the New World could stand against Charlotte. The Navy was already stretched thin, with powerful officers scattered across the four seas to maintain order.
"Damn it!" Kong muttered as he set the Den Den Mushi down.
His frustration only grew.
"Why are all the strong ones joining the pirates while the Navy is shorthanded? I need to speak with the Five Elders about expanding the navy!"
But Kong knew this would be a long process.
---
"Boss! We're nearing the target!"
A crew member approached Charlotte at the bow, his tone cautious.
Charlotte opened his eyes, looking at the black dot on the horizon growing larger.
"Prepare the cannons," he ordered calmly.
"Yes, boss!"
Charlotte stood on deck, watching his crew scurry about. The ship was equipped with forty cannons, though Charlotte knew they were only effective against civilians and soldiers—not against true warriors.
At the port of the Kingdom of Goron, citizens spotted the approaching ship.
"There's a ship coming!"
The lookouts raised the alarm, peering through their scopes.
"No! It's pirates!" one of them shouted, his voice filled with terror.
"Pirates?"
The citizens panicked, their faces pale as they stared at the pirate flag fluttering in the wind.
---
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Charlotte's ship began firing its cannons from a hundred meters out, bombarding the port.
"Ahhh!"
Cannonballs struck the ground, killing several people instantly.
"Run! Pirates!"
The port descended into chaos as citizens fled in all directions.
"Where are the pirates?"
Shouts rang out as the city guard mobilized. A general with a thick mustache led over a thousand soldiers to the port.
Charlotte sensed the approaching force using his Observation Haki.
"Interesting," he murmured with a hint of amusement.
The general, however, was anything but amused. When he saw the pirate flag, his face turned ghostly pale.
"I knew this day would come," he muttered, despair evident in his voice.
Charlotte's ship docked, and the pirates disembarked, their eyes gleaming with greed as they looked at the city and the luxurious palace atop the mountain.
"Boss, the stairs are ready," a crew member reported as he lowered the gangplank.
Charlotte descended the stairs, his expression calm yet intimidating.
"What a prosperous island," he remarked, surveying his surroundings. Memories of his hometown, Kami Island, briefly flickered in his mind.
His attention shifted to the more than a thousand soldiers standing before him.
"Surrender, and I'll spare your lives," Charlotte declared, his tone indifferent.
His pirates repeated the command, their voices loud and intimidating.
"Surrender and live! Surrender and live!"
The soldiers wavered, their morale crumbling under the pirates' fierce presence.
The general stepped forward, his face pale but resolute.
"Pirate scum—"
Swish!
A flash of white light interrupted him as Charlotte unsheathed his sword.
The general's words were cut short as his body was split in two, blood pooling beneath him.
"General!"
The soldiers cried out in shock, their morale shattered.
One by one, weapons clattered to the ground as the soldiers surrendered.
"Long live the Rocks Pirates! Long live the Rocks Pirates!"
The officers, dressed in fine uniforms, shouted the loudest, eager to save their own lives.
Charlotte sneered at their cowardice but said nothing. With a flick of his sword, he sheathed it and led his pirates toward the city gates.
"Let's get started," he muttered, his gaze cold and focused.
The Kingdom of Goron was about to fall.
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