Chapter 230: Exchange
After hearing Charlotte's response, the white-masked CP0 agent stiffened momentarily but chose to remain silent.
Instead, he pulled out his Den Den Mushi and began dialing.
After a few rings, the line connected, and a calm yet authoritative voice sounded from the other end.
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"Moshi Moshi! Is it resolved?"
Hearing the voice, the CP0 agent immediately straightened up and replied with energy.
"Mr. Charlotte has agreed to the exchange, but he has conditions. He doesn't want ordinary Zoan forms. He demands at least Ancient Zoan types!"
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"What?! Bastard! He's asking for too much!"
The Five Elders on the other end exploded with rage, their curses echoing through the receiver.
Even for the resourceful World Government, the demand for eight Ancient Zoan Devil Fruits was excessive and heart-wrenching.
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Hearing the angry tirade through the Den Den Mushi, the CP0 agent looked visibly uncomfortable.
After all, Charlotte was standing right in front of him and could hear everything.
Charlotte, unimpressed by the vulgar outburst, casually reached out and snatched the Den Den Mushi from the agent's hand.
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"Moshi Moshi! This is Charlotte.
"If you want to trade, bring me useful Devil Fruits. I have no interest in garbage.
"When you deliver the fruits, I'll return the kingdoms."
Charlotte's calm yet domineering voice reached the ears of Saint Satan, one of the Five Elders.
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The old man, identifiable by his black hat and the long scar on the left side of his face, instantly erupted in fury.
"Asshole! How dare you speak to the World Government like that?!"
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"Haha! Aren't you the ones negotiating with me?"
Charlotte replied with a mocking smile.
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For a moment, there was silence on the other end.
But Charlotte could still hear the heavy breathing of Saint Satan—clear evidence of his suppressed rage.
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To be fair, the Five Elders rarely faced such defiance.
They wielded the highest authority in the world, bowing only to Imu, the true ruler behind the scenes.
To have a mere pirate speak so brazenly was nothing short of humiliating.
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"Charlotte!" Saint Satan growled, his tone icy.
"Eight Ancient Zoan fruits are impossible. Change your conditions.
"And don't think the World Government is without options!"
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Charlotte smirked, sensing victory.
"This is my bottom line.
"I won't accept ordinary Zoan types.
"As for the rest, you can decide.
"Of course, if you throw in a Logia, I'll accept it in place of three fruits."
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"Bastard! A Logia?! Dream on!"
Saint Satan's voice cracked with fury.
But after a tense pause, he finally relented.
"Fine! The World Government agrees to your terms.
"The Devil Fruits will be delivered to you as soon as possible.
"But you'd better not cause any trouble during this period.
"And I expect you to keep this deal quiet.
"If word gets out that the World Government is negotiating with a pirate, it won't be good for either of us!"
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"No problem!" Charlotte chuckled.
"I wouldn't want the world to know the mighty World Government is cutting deals with pirates!"
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"Asshole!"
Saint Satan roared, his anger boiling over.
With a loud crack, he crushed the Den Den Mushi in his hand, ending the call abruptly.
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The other Four Elders remained silent, watching their colleague seethe with rage.
After a moment, the blond-haired Elder spoke up.
"Give him the eight Devil Fruits and keep him quiet. We can't afford another mess right now."
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The Elder with the birthmark on his forehead stood and added:
**"Four Ancient Zoan types and four Paramecia types.
"I'll select them myself."**
Everyone nodded in agreement.
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Charlotte, still standing in the snow, shook his head as the line went dead.
He turned his gaze toward the two CP0 agents beside him.
Both men, now drenched in cold sweat, froze under his scrutiny.
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"Forget it. Just go."
Charlotte waved them off.
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"Thank you! Thank you!"
The two agents bowed deeply, grateful for the unexpected mercy.
To think that members of CP0, the so-called protectors of the Celestial Dragons, would show such relief when spared by a pirate—it was almost comical.
The white-masked agent supported his black-masked comrade, whose severed arm still bled profusely, and they staggered away without another word.
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Charlotte surveyed the wreckage left by the confrontation and shook his head.
With a sigh, he returned to the castle and resumed his sword practice.
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Several days later…
A man in sunglasses approached Charlotte, carrying a sealed wooden box.
"Mr. Charlotte, these are the Devil Fruits for the exchange."
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Charlotte opened the box, revealing eight distinct Devil Fruits, each adorned with intricate patterns.
Satisfied, Charlotte nodded.
"Good. I'll have my people evacuate those kingdoms immediately."
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The man bowed slightly and departed without another word.
Charlotte picked up his Den Den Mushi and dialed.
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"Hey, Barrett!
"Pull our people out of those eight kingdoms. We only need the surrounding islands."
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"Yes, Captain!"
Barrett's reply was immediate and unquestioning.
There was nothing he wouldn't do for Charlotte.
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Charlotte picked up the Devil Fruits and headed upstairs.
Eight Devil Fruits!
His collection had grown significantly richer.
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Upon reaching his study, Charlotte spread the fruits across his desk.
But there was one problem:
None of the fruits were labeled.
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It was obvious the World Government had intentionally withheld the names to frustrate him.
While Charlotte was certain they weren't ordinary fruits, he had no idea what specific powers they held.
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"Fortunately, I have the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia!"
Charlotte retrieved the thick, leather-bound book and began cross-referencing each fruit.
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Half an hour later…
Charlotte leaned back, a satisfied smile on his face.
"Ha! I'm glad I didn't underestimate these fruits!"
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The earlier annoyance vanished as he reviewed the results.
While none of the fruits were truly extraordinary, they were far from disappointing.
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Here's what he found:
1. Zoan-Type: Snake-Snake Fruit, Titan Python Form – A monstrous snake form with immense strength and constriction power.
2. Zoan-Type: Cat-Cat Fruit, Saber-Toothed Tiger Form – Enhanced agility, strength, and ferocity.
3. Zoan-Type: Dragon-Dragon Fruit, True Dimorphodon Form – A prehistoric aerial predator with sharp claws and fangs.
4. Zoan-Type: Bird-Bird Fruit, Archaeopteryx Form – A swift, intelligent flyer with enhanced perception.
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And the Paramecia types:
5. Paramecia: Paper-Paper Fruit – The ability to manipulate paper in countless forms, both offensively and defensively.
6. Paramecia: Jacket-Jacket Fruit – A fruit that allowed the user to "wear" others like suits, controlling their bodies.
7. Paramecia: Thorn-Thorn Fruit – The ability to generate and control sharp thorns, useful for both attack and defense.
8. Paramecia: Ton-Ton Fruit – The power to control weight, making the user as light as a feather or as heavy as a mountain.
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Of the eight fruits, only the Jacket-Jacket Fruit seemed underwhelming.
But the Ancient Zoans exceeded Charlotte's expectations.
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It seems there really are no weak Ancient Zoan types.
Charlotte had initially suspected the World Government might try to deceive him, but they had surprisingly delivered on their promise.
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For once, Charlotte almost felt embarrassed by his own distrust.
Maybe the World Government isn't as shady as the rumors suggest…
Of course, he quickly dismissed the thought.
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In reality, the World Government had simply played it safe.
The Five Elders feared Charlotte might retaliate if tricked, so they chose to fulfill the deal without tampering with the fruits.
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Charlotte carefully packed the Devil Fruits into a secure safe.
These weren't just trophies.
They were investments—gifts for his children when they came of age.
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Charlotte had always been more than a fearsome pirate.
He was a father—and a meticulous planner.
He would ensure his children had everything they needed to conquer the seas, just as he had.
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