It's Just Arrogant!
After the first round of gunfire, the two pirate ships quickly closed the distance, locking into brutal hand-to-hand combat.
The members of the Hiberfield Pirates clashed with their opponents, using this as an opportunity to sharpen their skills. However, Charlotte Linlin and a few others remained on the sidelines, choosing not to intervene. For them, such battles were the best training grounds for the crew.
After all, in war, it's always the nameless ones who suffer the most.
And in the coming years, war and chaos would become the norm.
On the battlefield, death came swiftly—like grass being cut down without hesitation.
Yet, for those who survived, wounds were just temporary setbacks. As long as they were treated in time and supplemented with food—especially meat—they would recover quickly.
Naturally, such opportunities to gain battle experience couldn't be wasted.
Just as Charlotte was lost in thought, a sudden war cry shattered the moment:
"Kill!!"
The corners of Charlotte's mouth twitched.
"Tch. The situation's getting out of hand."
With a flicker, he vanished from his spot.
A chorus of metallic clashes rang out as steel met steel. The battlefield descended into utter chaos.
Amidst the carnage, a blond man in a refined tuxedo wielded a noble-looking sword, his face grim. He was none other than Rango, the captain of the Gentlemen Pirates.
Originally, Rango had only planned to capture some slave traders during his voyage. However, he hadn't expected that the seemingly unremarkable ship they encountered—one without any flags—would carry such formidable warriors.
The opponent now standing before him was Douglas Barrett.
Charlotte observed the fight with interest. The Gentlemen Pirates' strength was completely inconsistent with their low bounties. The battle was far more intense than expected.
"As I thought, bounties can't always be trusted. The gap between them is ridiculously misleading."
Charlotte's gaze swept across the battlefield, focusing on the most heated clash. The pirate leading this crew wasn't weak.
"So, this guy was hiding his true strength? Smart move."
Nearby, a man with an amused smirk taunted, "Blondie, is that all you've got?"
The speaker was Beta, another of Charlotte's crew members.
Rango's face twisted with rage. "Damn brat! If you keep running your mouth, I'll deal with you after I finish him!"
The battle between Rango and Barrett escalated into a frenzied brawl.
Charlotte continued watching with interest. It was clear—Barrett had improved significantly.
"Oi, Barrett! You've been fighting for a while now. Need some help?" Beta smirked, casually picking his ear.
"SHUT UP!" Barrett roared. His aura flared, his attacks becoming even more ferocious—like a lion driven into a frenzy.
Charlotte sighed internally. Beta's taunts were relentless. Even he sometimes had to remind himself to stay calm.
But there was no doubt—Barrett had the upper hand. His attacks rained down like a storm, and soon enough, the battle reached its climax.
With one final, devastating blow, Rango fell lifeless to the ground.
The moment their captain died, the remaining Gentlemen Pirates lost all will to fight. The battle turned completely one-sided.
Charlotte no longer paid attention to the aftermath. His crew knew what to do—rescue the captives, seize the loot, and clean up.
After a while, he returned to the captain's cabin, sipping iced juice in a rare moment of peace.
Still, he reflected on the encounter.
"I was reckless this time. What if an even stronger enemy had been hiding among them?"
While things turned out fine today, there was no guarantee the next fight would go the same way.
He had to be more careful.
Just then, the door burst open. Lina, one of his crew members, entered with excitement in her eyes.
"Captain Charlotte! We've sorted the loot. We found about 300 million beli, plus some other treasures!"
"What?!"
Charlotte's eyes widened in shock.
"How is this random pirate crew so damn rich?!"
Since setting sail, they had never seized such a massive haul from a single pirate ship.
Lina, noticing his disbelief, nodded in confirmation. She had been just as stunned when they counted the money.
Charlotte quickly composed himself. "Alright, follow the usual rules."
"Yes, Captain!" Lina responded.
Their system, established by Xia Luo, ensured fair distribution. Unexpected windfalls like this meant 30% would be divided among the crew as a reward, with extra bonuses for outstanding performance.
After all, he couldn't expect them to work for free.
Even though he took 70%, he also covered their living expenses—food, drinks, supplies. Running a pirate crew wasn't cheap.
They had a big family to support, after all.
"By the way, Captain," Lina continued. "We also found a Devil Fruit."
Charlotte nearly choked on his juice.
"A Devil Fruit?! This is insane!"
Taking the small treasure box from her, he examined it closely. The box had a distinct white shield emblem with a large 'G' engraved on it.
"Huh. That's an interesting symbol."
"Lina, do you recognize it?"
She studied it for a moment, then shook her head.
Charlotte shrugged. "Probably just the Gentlemen Pirates' insignia."
Every pirate crew had their own unique symbols—whether it was tattoos, clothing, or flags.
The Hiberfield Pirates, for example, stood out because their insignia lacked the typical skull-and-crossbones design found on most pirate flags.
They were an anomaly among pirates.
Opening the small chest, Charlotte's gaze fell upon the mysterious Devil Fruit lying inside.
He frowned. He couldn't immediately identify its type.
After all, there were hundreds of Devil Fruits in the world, and only a handful had well-documented appearances.
But one thing was certain—every Devil Fruit had potential. Even the weakest of them could be powerful if developed properly.
If this fruit wasn't useful for combat, he could assign it to a crew member for other purposes.
For example, Wapol's Munch-Munch Fruit wasn't just for fighting—it could synthesize Wapol Metal, a valuable resource.
Or Vegapunk's Brain-Brain Fruit, which enhanced intelligence rather than strength.
Many Devil Fruits had hidden potential, yet few took the time to explore them properly.
But then again, plenty of powerful Devil Fruits had been wasted by their users.
That, in Charlotte's eyes, was the real waste.
And as he stared at the fruit in his hands, he couldn't help but smirk.
"This is more than just luck… This is pure arrogance!"