Chapter 60: Favorability
After hearing Sengoku's remark, Tsuru silently left the meeting room. As the Navy's chief of staff, it was her duty to handle such matters.
Now, a pirate with strength comparable to Charlotte had emerged, right under the Navy's nose. The pressure was immense.
For a pirate who could rival Charlotte, the bounty should be at least 500 million berries. Yet now, this individual had a mere 11 million berry bounty—a clear embarrassment for the Navy.
As Tsuru left, Admiral Kong didn't stop her. He knew she had gone to investigate. Instead of merely watching events unfold, it was more pressing to uncover the Red Earl's background.
Kong and Sengoku continued watching the footage. Although the quality was slightly blurry and the distance great, it was sufficient for observation.
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After a prolonged clash of Conqueror's Haki, the Red Earl finally smiled.
Neither had emerged victorious, but the intensity of the confrontation left him eager for what would follow.
He planted his umbrella firmly into the sand and advanced with his bare hands.
Seeing this, Charlotte immediately understood his intent. Without hesitation, Charlotte sheathed his sword into the sand and moved forward unarmed.
When the two stood five meters apart, they shouted in unison, charging forward with raised fists.
Their fists, shrouded in Armament Haki—Charlotte's in red-black and the Red Earl's in purple-black—collided with a deafening bang.
The impact generated a massive shockwave, scattering the surrounding sand into the air.
Despite the force, neither took a step back.
Feeling the weight behind each other's blows, both men smiled.
They pulled back briefly, only to strike again with renewed vigor.
"Hahahaha!"
Both erupted in laughter, exhilarated by the strength of their opponent.
Their fists clashed repeatedly, the speed of their blows increasing until their movements blurred. The beach shook under the force of their punches, while their opposing Haki created a mesmerizing contrast of colors.
Finally, Charlotte's punch, reinforced with all his strength, forced the Red Earl to take a step back. That single step brought their exchange to a halt.
The Red Earl examined his throbbing arm with a frown. Despite using Armament Haki, he still felt pain.
Charlotte, noticing his confusion, smiled.
"That last attack wasn't ordinary. It incorporated an advanced form of Armament Haki called Ryuo. It targets internal organs and bypasses external defenses. This technique is a specialty of Wano Country. Pretty impressive, isn't it?"
Charlotte spoke proudly, having no intention of hiding such a powerful technique. In fact, he hoped others would know of it—it made competition more interesting.
The Red Earl flexed his arm, acknowledging the slight pain as he nodded.
"Indeed, it's impressive. A technique like that could easily catch an enemy off guard."
He lowered his arms and smiled at Charlotte.
"Hahahaha! Of course. You should make your way to the New World. Staying in the first half of the Grand Line forever won't do you much good!"
Charlotte suggested with a grin.
The Red Earl chuckled and nodded.
"I will. After this battle, I plan to head to the New World to challenge some of its strongest."
Hearing the Red Earl's decision, Charlotte felt a sense of satisfaction.
This was the Red Earl, Lonely Red! The fact that someone so proud and independent would take his suggestion was a story worth bragging about.
"Hahaha! The New World is filled with formidable opponents—people like Whitebeard Edward Newgate, Golden Lion Shiki, and Charlotte Linlin. They're all top-tier powerhouses. You'll gain much by challenging them."
Hearing these names, the Red Earl's interest piqued.
"Are they truly that strong?"
He had heard of these names but had never fought them personally.
"Strong? They're absolute monsters. Even I might struggle to beat them right now. But give me a few years—once my body fully matures, I won't fear anyone!"
Charlotte declared confidently, pride evident in his tone.
The Red Earl smiled, appreciating Charlotte's straightforwardness and ambition.
"And your captain?"
Curious, the Red Earl inquired about Rocks, whom Charlotte hadn't mentioned yet.
Charlotte's expression turned serious.
"If you trust me, don't challenge Rocks—at least not for a few years, until you're at your peak. He's incredibly strong. So strong that even the World Government avoids going to war with him lightly."
The gravity in Charlotte's voice prompted the Red Earl to nod solemnly.
Still, Charlotte caught the glint of fighting spirit in his eyes but chose not to press further.
"Of course, the Rocks Pirates aren't the only powerhouse crew in the New World. The Roger Pirates are also incredibly strong. Though they're not as dominant as our crew, they're still top-tier. Captain Roger, Vice-Captain Rayleigh, and Fighter Scopper Gaban are all renowned powerhouses."
Charlotte explained, sharing knowledge about their rivals.
"The Roger Pirates!"
The Red Earl's gaze sharpened at the mention of their name. He had heard of them but associated them more with being pursued by a Marine Vice Admiral than as a formidable crew.
Sensing his disdain, Charlotte quickly added,
"Don't underestimate them. None of their members rely on Devil Fruits. They're all masters of physical combat and swordsmanship. Roger and Rayleigh are both great swordsmen, with Rayleigh being a senior-grade swordsman. Scopper Gaban
is equally strong, wielding axes like a master. Their strength is nothing to scoff at."
The Red Earl listened attentively, though his skepticism lingered. After all, he was Lonely Red. He feared no one.
Having said all he could, Charlotte let the matter rest. Whether the Red Earl heeded his words or not wasn't his concern.
Charlotte's willingness to share so much stemmed from his growing fondness for the Red Earl.
Similarly, the Red Earl found himself liking Charlotte. For someone so straightforward and free of malice, conversing with him felt oddly relaxing.
"Well, I've told you everything I know about the New World. Now, shall we continue our contest?"
With a swift motion, Charlotte retrieved the sword he had planted in the sand.
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