Chapter 35: Haiyuan Calendar 1481
Upon returning to Hachinosu, Charlotte handed the severed head of King Colant to Rocks.
From the beginning to the end, Charlotte hadn't even bothered to learn the king's name.
Rocks, with a dismissive gesture, grabbed the head and tossed it aside as if it were trash.
"Wahahaha! Charlotte, you did an excellent job! Is there anything you need?" Rocks asked, looking at one of his most trusted and promising subordinates.
Charlotte was momentarily stunned.
What did he need? He paused and thought. Reflecting on the fate of the recently deceased king, he realized that in this world, strength was everything.
"I want all the information you have on Haki application and swordsman training," Charlotte said firmly, staring directly at Rocks.
With such an opportunity presented to him, how could Charlotte not push his limits?
Rocks was momentarily surprised but quickly broke into laughter.
"Hahaha! No problem! The materials will be delivered to you. Go back and wait," Rocks assured with a confident nod.
Charlotte trusted Rocks to keep his word. Without saying another word, he turned and left the room.
---
Back on his ship, Charlotte settled into his cabin. Reclining on the sofa, he gazed up at the ceiling, where a pull ring dangled—his designated storage spot for Devil Fruits.
Currently, two Devil Fruits hung there.
The first was the Cold-Cold Fruit, which Charlotte had acquired earlier.
The second was the Bomb-Bomb Fruit, famously wielded by the snotty pirate from the anime.
Upon recognizing it from the Devil Fruit encyclopedia, Charlotte had been intrigued. With his scientific knowledge from his previous life, he knew the fruit could be incredibly powerful if developed properly.
However, after much deliberation, Charlotte decided not to eat any Devil Fruits.
The vulnerabilities of seawater and Seastone were too significant. He didn't want to have any glaring weaknesses, choosing instead to keep the fruits for future use or as part of a collection.
---
As the weeks passed, news of the destruction of the Kingdom of Goron spread across the seas.
With it came updates to Charlotte's bounty:
Blood Swordsman Charlotte – Bounty: 510 million berries!
The bounty poster described him as:
A cadre of the Rocks Pirates, captain of the 8th Division, implicated in the attack on the Navy Fleet, the theft of Heavenly Tribute, and the destruction of multiple kingdoms. Wanted dead or alive.
Charlotte, unimpressed, hung his new bounty poster at the head of his bed.
---
A year passed quickly.
During this time, Charlotte participated in numerous raids with Rocks, leaving a trail of destruction and chaos across the seas. The Rocks Pirates' reputation grew to terrifying proportions, feared by the world.
Yet, Charlotte found no joy in their increasing infamy.
The Rocks Pirates were a cauldron of internal strife. Alliances and rivalries festered among the crew. Charlotte observed the ever-widening rift between two major factions:
The Golden Lion's Second Division Fleet:
Under Shiki's leadership and empowered by the Float-Float Fruit, this fleet had expanded to nearly two thousand members. Their mobility and Shiki's cunning strategies made them a dominant force in the New World. Even the Navy struggled to counter them effectively.
The John-Silver Axe-Ochoku Alliance:
Led by John, with support from Silver Axe and Ochoku, this faction had gathered about 1,500 pirates. Though formidable, they still played second fiddle to Shiki due to their lack of mobility and strategic finesse.
Charlotte suspected Rocks encouraged this division to maintain control.
The remaining cadres, however, stayed neutral:
Whitebeard Edward Newgate:
A lone wolf, he spent his days drinking and rarely heeded orders from anyone, not even Rocks. His unparalleled strength kept even the most ambitious pirates at bay.
Charlotte Linlin (Big Mom):
Constantly occupied with childbirth or recovering from it. Shockingly, she approached Charlotte with the intention of having a child with him.
Charlotte was infuriated by the suggestion. "Who do you think I am?" he thought. Rejecting her outright, he made it clear he had no interest.
This led to a massive battle between the two, lasting two days and two nights. The fight devastated much of Beehive Island—the new name for what was once Hachinosu.
The battle ended not because of a clear winner but because of Linlin's unexpected bout of anorexia. Charlotte knew that had the fight continued, he would likely have lost.
This experience only reinforced the need to grow stronger.
---
By now, it was 1481 of the Haiyuan Calendar—just three years before the infamous God Valley Incident that would shatter the Rocks Pirates.
Determined to strengthen himself, Charlotte spent the year leading his crew on relentless raids across the seas.
He carefully avoided confrontations with future legends like Roger, focusing instead on smaller pirate crews and Navy outposts.
Yet, despite his precautions, he encountered one of the Navy's rising stars: Black-armed Zefa.
The battle was intense. Zefa, known for his monstrous Armament Haki, relentlessly pursued Charlotte.
"You're going to Impel Down, pirate scum!" Zefa roared, his fists cloaked in Haki so potent they could block Charlotte's slashes with ease.
Charlotte, for the first time in a long while, felt outmatched.
The clash left him both shaken and inspired. Zefa's strength was a wake-up call, a reminder of how much further he had to go.
Unbeknownst to him, the fight was captured by the infamous newsman Morgans, earning Zefa the title Black-armed Zephyr.
Charlotte returned to Beehive Island, vowing to surpass his limits before the inevitable storm that would engulf the Rocks Pirates in the coming years.
---
Read up to 20 Chapters ahead on patreon.com/Fanglin
----------
[Please leave a 5 Star review and power stone for this novel]
*Thank you*