Perfect Takeoff
After spending nearly 70 million Berries in Rob Town over the course of ten days, Charlotte was heartbroken.
He swore he would never return to this wretched place. It was just too much.
Especially since he couldn't understand the allure Lilith had—his crew always flocked to the Beautiful Bar to throw their money away.
This place wasn't beautiful at all. It was simply a scam.
Of course, Charlotte had been somewhat curious about Lilith's obsession with money, but at the time, he had been more shocked to learn about her past as a former Celestial Dragon slave. That revelation had occupied his mind, leaving little room for other concerns.
So he asked Qianzang if he knew the reason behind her obsession.
Qianzang naturally provided the answer.
Lilith's closest friend had died in front of her, suffering from a rare disease because they couldn't afford the medical expenses. That tragedy was the reason she was so fixated on money.
Upon hearing this, Charlotte couldn't help but sigh at the sheer ruthlessness of the world and the cruelty of fate.
It was undeniable—this was the essence of the pirate world. The determination of those willing to die for their beliefs was moving.
Behind every seemingly absurd motivation lay untold sorrow and tears.
Because of this, Charlotte did not stop his crew from drinking.
However, his wallet was running dry, and he couldn't take it anymore!
These fools really had no sense of financial responsibility! Charlotte felt his teeth ache in frustration.
No wonder most pirates resorted to plundering for survival. At this rate, even if they were printing money, they'd still struggle to keep up! Who could endure such reckless spending?
If it weren't for this, Charlotte wouldn't have been in such a hurry to set sail.
As soon as the supplies were fully loaded, Charlotte waved his hand decisively.
"Set sail!"
The Heberfil embarked once more.
Qianzang and Lilith, watching from the shore, gazed at the departing vessel with undisguised envy.
That was true freedom.
Unfortunately, they had their own commitments that kept them tied to this place.
If Charlotte knew what they were thinking, he would probably be furious.
Freedom? I just want to sail peacefully and collect some rare oddities!
---
Two days later, Beta approached Charlotte, who was standing on the deck, gazing into the distance.
"Captain, we're approaching the Calm Belt."
Charlotte rolled his eyes. "No need to announce the obvious, Beta. I can see the stretch of sea ahead myself. My eyes aren't just for decoration."
His next destination was O'Hara, located in the West Blue.
This decision had been made on impulse.
Upon realizing that Rob Town was relatively close to the Calm Belt and that they were about to leave the area, the idea had formed in his mind.
O'Hara's destruction was still more than a decade away. By then, the world-renowned island of scholars would be reduced to ashes.
And O'Hara housed the most brilliant scholars and the grandest library in the world—the Tree of Knowledge.
To Charlotte, its destruction would be a tragedy.
With the Navy tightening its grip elsewhere and the World Government yet to fully turn its attention toward O'Hara, now was the safest time to visit.
Missing this opportunity would be a waste!
Any attempt to visit later would not only be dangerous but nearly impossible.
"Boss, how do we cross the Calm Belt? Our ship doesn't have an engine!" Beta asked hesitantly.
Charlotte glanced at him, a smirk forming on his lips.
"Why don't we just find a Sea King, beat it up, and make it pull the ship?"
"????"
The entire crew's minds blanked for a moment. Was that even possible?!
Beta was in awe. He had always thought of Sea Kings as food, but using one as a ship's engine? That had never crossed his mind!
Slowly, Beta raised his thumb. "Boss, that's genius."
Charlotte basked in the admiration.
He possessed Conqueror's Haki. If characters like Shanks and Gol D. Roger could intimidate Sea Kings into submission, why couldn't he?
All he had to do was subdue one. If it resisted, he'd beat it into obedience. Simple.
---
The helmsman soon shouted, "Captain! A Sea King is approaching fast!"
How convenient.
Charlotte remained unfazed.
They hadn't entered the Calm Belt yet, but that didn't mean Sea Kings couldn't appear in surrounding waters. These creatures weren't hermits—they roamed freely.
He stepped onto the deck, watching the massive shadow beneath the waves. As it surfaced, towering waves crashed around them.
It was enormous.
A Sea King with black and yellow striped scales, resembling a monstrous eel, emerged from the water, its gaping maw larger than the Heberfil itself.
It roared, aiming to swallow them whole.
But in that instant, an invisible, overwhelming pressure erupted from Charlotte.
Conqueror's Haki burst forth like an unstoppable wave.
Many crew members immediately foamed at the mouth, their eyes rolling back as they collapsed unconscious.
The monstrous Sea King flinched, freezing mid-attack. Its enormous, millstone-sized eyes filled with a very human-like fear.
"Hey! How about pulling the ship for me?" Charlotte's voice rang out.
The Sea King hesitated. It was bewildered—this tiny human exuded an aura that made it tremble.
Then, without further thought, it nodded hastily.
The scene was so absurd that the conscious crew members struggled to keep a straight face.
It was just too ridiculous!
Yet Barrett, among them, was exhilarated. Charlotte had spoken many times about Conqueror's Haki, and Barrett had the highest potential among the crew to awaken it.
Now, seeing Charlotte's display, his desire for Conqueror's Haki only intensified.
This is power! This is the ultimate dominance! I need this too!
Under Charlotte's command, the crew swiftly tied ropes to the subdued Sea King.
Charlotte, however, was dissatisfied. It had taken them too long to recover from his Haki's impact. If they faced an enemy with the same power, would they collapse before even drawing their weapons?
Clearly, they had grown complacent. Training was necessary.
As for himself, he still had a long way to go in mastering the precise control of his Haki.
The path to true strength was arduous.
---
The Sea King, now their reluctant steed, propelled the Heberfil forward at astonishing speed.
The ship raced across the waters, looking more like an accessory to the massive creature than an actual vessel.
Charlotte mused at the absurdity of it all. How did Sea Kings even grow so massive? And to think that this one, nearly 700 meters long, wasn't even classified as a "large" Sea King.
The world was full of mysteries and wonders.
And Sea Kings, apparently, made excellent travel companions.
One thing was certain—Conqueror's Haki was truly a power fit for kings.
Charlotte leaned back, satisfied.
What a brilliant idea.