Chapter 368: The Gathering
"There's no pirate flag?"
Robert looked toward the battle at the port but didn't see any pirate flags.
"I'm not sure either, but since there's fighting, we should report it,"
Deidara said as he headed back into the ship and into the captain's cabin.
"Dad! There's a battle happening on the island ahead!"
Deidara reported to Charlotte.
Charlotte glanced toward the barely-visible silhouette of the island ahead, then extended his Observation Haki to cover the area.
At the port, chaos reigned—constant clashes of weapons, and corpses littered the ground.
"What the hell is going on?"
Charlotte was briefly stunned.
"Whiskey Peak… isn't that bounty hunter territory? Could they be fighting over my bounty?"
He muttered to himself.
"But why are some of them shouting my name with such reverence? Could there be another guy named Rockefeller?"
Charlotte rubbed his chin, deep in thought.
"Pass the word—everyone prepare for battle,"
Charlotte ordered the signal officer.
"Yes, sir!"
The alarm was immediately raised to level three.
As the alarm blared, an emergency assembly was called aboard the Sea God Poseidon.
Countless warriors rushed to the deck, each with a serious expression as they looked toward the emerging island.
Charlotte's alert wasn't necessarily about an immediate threat—it was to call everyone out and keep them ready to fight at a moment's notice.
These days, Charlotte rarely acted personally.
Unless the enemy was at his own level, he left the fighting to people like Esdeath and Barrett.
Still, Charlotte kept a close watch. You never knew when a hidden powerhouse might appear out of nowhere to ambush them.
He'd encountered plenty of such sneak attacks over the years.
After all, the Great Pirate Era hadn't officially started yet, and not all pirates sought to enter the New World.
Many strong fighters remained in the Four Seas, ruling as local tyrants.
---
At the Port
"Look! The Rockefeller Pirates are coming! The world's strongest swordsman is here!"
A sharp-eyed onlooker cried out.
With that, everyone turned to look out at sea.
The next second—
"Kill! Kill every last one of these trash! We cannot disappoint the great Lord Charlotte!"
The fighting intensified.
Even those who were previously holding back erupted with full strength.
Within moments, the battle at the port ended.
Roughly five to six hundred swordsmen cleaned up the area and lined up in two neat rows to welcome the approaching Rockefeller Pirate crew.
Aboard the Sea God Poseidon, the crew that had been readying for battle now stood stunned as they witnessed this scene.
When the ship finally docked at the port—
"Welcome, Rockefeller Pirates!"
Hundreds of swordsmen cheered in unison with great fervor.
Charlotte was even more baffled.
What was this? When did he become a mafia boss?
This felt like some kind of gang welcome.
Then he remembered—ah yes, back when he first transmigrated, he had built his empire starting with collecting protection fees.
The gang-style reception wasn't completely unfamiliar.
The gangplank was lowered.
Charlotte descended first, walking down the path formed by the swordsmen.
They all looked at him with fanatical reverence.
"What is the meaning of all this?"
Charlotte asked aloud.
His voice carried clearly through the crowd.
Everyone watched him with excited expressions.
Eventually, a leader stepped forward.
"Captain Rockefeller, please allow us to follow you!"
He bowed deeply as he spoke.
Only then did Charlotte understand what was going on.
These bloodied warriors, each with a sword or blade, were battle-tested swordsmen—clearly seeking to join him.
Normally, Charlotte wouldn't refuse such loyalty.
He already had a thousand-plus swordsmen aboard, gathered from places like Carmine Island during his tour of the Four Seas.
But this number had already reached his ship's capacity.
Still, Charlotte hesitated.
He wanted to accept them.
Three years ago, a great war in the New World had drastically weakened his forces.
After enduring waves of attacks from the Pirate Alliance and Big Mom's crew, many of his lower-tier forces had been wiped out.
These new recruits could be crucial in rebuilding.
But how to take them?
Should he let them travel to the New World on their own?
Store them in the castle space?
Or have them sail behind his flagship?
Charlotte sank into thought.
Seeing that he still hadn't responded, all five to six hundred swordsmen fell to their knees in unison.
"Captain Charlotte! Please allow us to follow you! We shall become your most loyal knights!"
Charlotte sighed at the sight.
"…Very well. I accept your allegiance,"
he finally said.
With the turbulence ahead, he would need more men.
Sooner or later, he had to recruit anyway—might as well be now.
If he refused at this point, it would be too heartless.
At his words, cheers erupted from the crowd.
Everyone shouted with overwhelming excitement.
"Long live the Rockefeller Pirates! Long live Captain Charlotte!"
As their voices echoed through Whiskey Peak, Charlotte smiled.
"Welcome aboard—let's have a feast!"
He spread his arms wide.
Thunderous cheers followed again, shaking the entire island.
Many people watched from afar.
Some frowned.
Among them, several quickly pulled out transponders and made reports.
---
Nearby, on a hilltop
A lone figure stood, silently watching the port.
"…The world's strongest swordsman… I've come!"
With those words, the man with the massive sword on his back leapt down from the hill.
---
That night
The Rockefeller Pirates hosted a grand banquet to celebrate their new recruits.
"Captain, how do you plan to arrange these new crew members?"
Barrett walked over, drink in hand, and asked.
Charlotte glanced toward the large group of newcomers.
"I plan to have them follow behind us into the New World,"
Charlotte said.
Barrett frowned slightly.
"Captain, won't that draw too much attention? The Navy won't just watch us return to the New World without interference. They'll definitely try to intercept us. With so many people… how will we get them across safely?"
Barrett sounded concerned.
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