Tragic Situation
Lati Island, Port
"Boss!"
Charlotte Linlin strode toward the dock, the famed sword Shigure hanging at her waist. As she approached, Ivan walked up to her, his usual calm demeanor unwavering.
"Boss, everything is ready!"
Charlotte gave a slight nod. "Ivan, keep an eye on that woman. Make sure she doesn't wander around Lati Island."
Ivan smirked confidently. "Don't worry, boss. I'll handle it."
Relieved by Ivan's assurance, Charlotte turned her gaze toward the massive Silberfeller anchored before her. It had been docked here for too long, but now, at last, they were setting sail.
With a wave of her hand, she boarded the ship, followed closely by Beta and Barrett.
As soon as they stepped onto the deck, a crew member rushed over.
Charlotte casually took the sea chart from Qiqiya and scanned it before speaking in a firm voice.
"Set sail."
The crew member holding the chart glanced at it briefly before shouting, "Aye, Captain!" Then, he sprinted toward the wheelhouse.
"Brothers! Our target is the Kingdom of Elon! Weigh anchor!"
Charlotte stood at the bow, her gaze fixed on the endless horizon.
Pirates, governments, and so-called laws—they were nothing more than fragile constructs that could be shattered with power.
As the Silberfeller slowly pulled out of the port, its distinctive Jolly Roger fluttered in the wind. Watching from the shadows, those harboring ill intentions shuddered at the sight of the legendary hundred-meter-long ship finally setting sail.
---
The Kingdom of Elon – Open Waters
After two days of steady sailing, the Silberfeller entered the waters of the Kingdom of Elon.
On a distant ship, a lookout gripping a spyglass suddenly shouted, his voice filled with excitement.
"Ship spotted! Ship spotted!"
From the cabin emerged a middle-aged general with a receding hairline, a thick mustache, and silver-white armor. A massive iron spear rested in his hands. He let out a wild laugh.
"Men, close in! Be careful not to sink it—we need the loot intact. Once aboard, kill everyone and take everything!"
"Aye, General!" the soldiers responded in unison.
Three warships immediately maneuvered into a zigzag formation, surrounding the Silberfeller.
Charlotte had sensed them long before they even came into view—his Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) alerted him to their twisted, almost gleeful bloodlust.
"Pirates, huh?" Charlotte muttered, frowning.
Annoying.
With a swift motion, he drew Shigure. Three terrifying flying slashes tore through the sea.
Slash!
With a sharp cracking sound, the enemy warships were cleaved in half, the wreckage sinking into the depths in mere moments.
"Dammit!"
An enraged roar echoed across the sea. A silver blur emerged from the largest sinking vessel.
The furious general, his eyes bloodshot, gripped his massive steel spear tightly, pointing it directly at the Silberfeller.
"Oh? A bit of a challenge?"
Beta's eyes gleamed with excitement as he leaped onto the floating wreckage.
Charlotte's expression darkened. Beta was a Devil Fruit user—if he fell into the sea, the consequences would be disastrous.
He sighed. "Still too reckless…"
A safer approach would have been to bombard the ship from a distance and let it sink. Less trouble, fewer risks. But seeing Beta's eagerness, Charlotte didn't stop him. If worst came to worst, he'd just have to fish him out of the ocean.
Devil Fruits—such power, yet such a fatal weakness.
"Die, brat!"
The general roared, thrusting his massive spear forward.
Beta scoffed. "Tch. Old man, save the talk."
In an instant, he disappeared—"Razor!"
With a sharp burst of air, Beta's feet propelled him at high speed, leaving a jagged trajectory in midair. The moment he vanished, the general lunged, his silver spear shattering the floating wreckage Beta had just been standing on.
Beta reappeared above him, smirking. "Not bad… but not enough."
With a sudden burst, he kicked off the air—"Geppo!" (Moon Step)
A shockwave exploded beneath his feet as he launched downward.
"Iron Fist: Explosion!"
His fist, coated in blackened Armament Haki, struck like a meteor.
The general's pupils shrank. He thrust his steel spear forward in desperation.
Boom!
The impact obliterated the spear instantly. Beta's punch tore through the man's chest.
Without a second glance, he flung the lifeless body into the sea.
A cheer erupted from the crew of the Silberfeller.
Charlotte gave a slight nod of approval. Beta had finally mastered Armament Haki under his training. It seemed to be paying off.
"Keep moving."
The Silberfeller continued toward the Kingdom of Elon, this time unchallenged.
---
The Kingdom of Elon – Port Town
When they finally docked, Charlotte frowned.
The port was eerily quiet.
No guards. No merchants. Not even a single wandering civilian.
He signaled his crew. "Stay alert. Leave some men to guard the ship."
With that, Charlotte and his officers disembarked.
The town beyond the port was barren—desolate ruins stretched as far as the eye could see.
The road ahead was cracked and lifeless, devoid of even a single blade of grass.
Then, as they reached the town entrance, their expressions hardened.
The streets were lined with bodies—long-dead, strung up in gruesome displays.
Men, women, the elderly… even children. Judging by their tattered clothing, they had once been residents of this town.
It was like walking into a nightmare.
Collapsed buildings, scorched walls, blackened bloodstains—signs of a brutal war were everywhere.
Even hardened pirates like Charlotte's crew felt the weight of the scene.
This was nothing like Lati Island.
This… was hell.
A few malnourished children scavenged through the wreckage, their eyes devoid of hope.
Even as Charlotte's crew approached, the children barely reacted.
Mitis clenched his fists, his throat dry.
He had once lived like this—digging through garbage, starving, abandoned by the world. If it weren't for Charlotte, he and his sister would have suffered the same fate.
"Mr. Charlotte…"
Charlotte nodded. He already knew what Mitis wanted to say.
"Lina, distribute food to the survivors."
"Jillian, check for the injured."
The two crew members immediately moved to follow his orders.
"Mitis, find out what happened here."
"Yes, Mr. Charlotte!" Mitis hurried off, two guards following to ensure his safety.
Beta and Barrett stayed behind. Their rough, intimidating presence was ill-suited for delicate matters like gathering intelligence.
It wasn't long before Mitis returned, his expression grim.
He had found the ones responsible for this atrocity.
And Charlotte was already thinking of how to deal with them.