Lucky or Unlucky
Today was a calm and sunny day—a perfect day for hunting.
Everyone was in high spirits!
Warm sunlight streamed through the window of the captain's quarters. Charlotte lounged in his chair, resting his feet casually on the table, swirling a glass of red wine in his hand. A satisfied smile played on his lips.
Leaning back lazily, he took a slow sip, savoring the taste. Of course, this wine had been plundered from other pirates—it was one of the perks of their trade.
Beside him, Lina chuckled softly. At that moment, Charlotte exuded an air of nobility, his refined mannerisms making her momentarily entranced.
"Hululu!"
The sun was shining, the breeze was gentle—it was a perfect day.
"Hululu!"
They were nearing their designated location. No pirate crews in sight. Fishing, drinking, and enjoying the sea breeze—what a wonderful life!
"Hululu!"
These were the kind of peaceful days Charlotte cherished. Fighting and bloodshed? They really weren't his style.
"Hululu!"
"OI! Beta, you damn idiot! Stop snoring!" Charlotte's forehead twitched with irritation as he roared.
A little distance away, Beta, who had been sleeping soundly, jerked awake. He groggily rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Huh? What's wrong, boss?"
"You bastard! Your snoring ruined my good mood!" Charlotte snapped, his face darkening.
"Heh, my bad, boss! I'll be more careful next time!" Beta scratched his head sheepishly.
Charlotte let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples in frustration. Beta's carefree attitude always made his head hurt.
Meanwhile, Lina struggled to suppress her laughter. Watching Charlotte fume over Beta's antics was amusing—he looked almost adorable when he was mad.
"Hmph… Lina, quit smirking. You're enjoying this too much." Charlotte grumbled.
"Oh? I'll definitely be careful next time," Lina replied with mock seriousness, straightening her posture slightly.
Charlotte's eyebrow twitched. Tch. Those who associate with troublemakers become troublemakers. He shot Beta a glare. "Damn it, Beta, you're a bad influence."
"Captain Charlotte!"
A series of hurried footsteps approached from outside.
The door burst open, and a panting crew member reported urgently, "A pirate ship has been spotted nearby!"
Charlotte's expression darkened.
Pirates… Again?
Just a moment ago, he'd been thinking about how quiet the sea was, and now—bam! Reality smacked him in the face.
"This is just bad luck," Charlotte muttered under his breath.
"Pirates? Hell yeah!" Beta grinned excitedly, stretching his limbs.
Charlotte shot him a sharp glare. What the hell is there to be excited about?
Ignoring Beta's enthusiasm, Charlotte stood up and strode toward the deck. Lina followed suit, and Beta, realizing the action was starting, quickly trailed after them.
When Charlotte reached the deck, his gaze locked onto the unfamiliar pirate flag approaching in the distance.
Just our luck. We barely set sail, and we've already encountered pirates.
Was this luck or misfortune?
It was hard to say.
The enemy vessel drew closer, and the air was soon filled with arrogant laughter.
"You lot! Board their ship! Kill them all and take everything!"
The enemy captain—a burly man wielding a massive black axe—raised his weapon and roared orders to his crew.
Charlotte sighed in exasperation. Pirates are so damn reckless. Where do they get this baseless confidence?
Before Charlotte could react, Beta clapped his hands together, grinning. "Boss, leave this to me!"
Charlotte didn't even bother stopping him. "Go."
Beta's grin widened. With a sudden burst of strength, he launched himself forward. His takeoff was so powerful that the ship's deck creaked under the force, causing waves to ripple violently.
Charlotte instinctively grabbed Lina's arm to steady her. His face darkened. "That idiot… He turns into a lunatic the moment there's a fight."
Beta soared through the air, landing on the enemy ship like a cannonball. Without hesitation, he unleashed a devastating kick.
BOOM!
The Black Axe Pirates' captain was sent rolling across the deck, coughing up blood.
"You… you bastard!" the captain roared, staggering to his feet. "How dare you humiliate the Black Axe Pirates?! Kill him!"
Beta only laughed wildly. His fists clenched with excitement as the enemy crew charged at him.
Within moments, the deck was littered with defeated pirates. Not a single one stood a chance.
Charlotte watched from his ship with satisfaction. All that harsh physical training wasn't for nothing, after all.
Beta had spent years under Charlotte's grueling regimen—splitting mountains with his fists was just part of his daily routine.
The Black Axe captain paled at the sight of his fallen crew.
Before he could react, Beta grabbed him by the throat, hoisting him effortlessly into the air.
CRACK!
With a sickening snap, the captain's body went limp. The once-mighty leader of the Black Axe Pirates was no more.
Beta clicked his tongue in disappointment. "Too weak."
Charlotte smirked. At least he's useful when it counts.
With the enemy crew taken care of, Charlotte issued his next command.
"Dock the ship. Collect the loot."
The crew cheered in excitement.
"Boss!"
Beta approached with his usual goofy grin.
Charlotte nodded approvingly. "Good work."
Despite Beta's irritating personality, his strength was undeniable.
If only I could teach him Armament Haki… Charlotte mused. If Beta could master it, his power would increase significantly.
For now, though, there was work to do.
"Clean up the battlefield and gather the spoils!" Charlotte ordered.
"YES, CAPTAIN!" the crew responded eagerly.
Charlotte shook his head with a sigh. He was completely helpless when it came to his rowdy crew.