One piece: Establishing a Pirate Family

Chapter 34: The Destruction of the Kingdom of Goron

"Oh no! The city guards have surrendered! General Solo has fallen in battle, and the Kingdom of Goron is about to be destroyed!"

As Charlotte led nearly a hundred pirates into the city, chaos erupted in the once-quiet town.

Citizens ran frantically through the streets, screaming in terror. The chaos emboldened villains and thugs, who began to loot, kill, and even commit heinous acts against the innocent. It was as though the city's darkest shadows had come to life.

Charlotte, seeing such behavior, did not hesitate to strike down several offenders with his sword.

This act stunned his own crew, silencing any thoughts of unchecked greed. The pirates who had been ogling the city with covetous eyes quickly stifled their urges and followed their captain in orderly fashion.

Guided by a trembling officer, Charlotte and his men soon arrived at the palace.

As they approached, a cannonball shot out from the palace gates, heading straight for them.

Charlotte casually raised his sword and slashed at the air, causing the shell to explode mid-flight. Without pause, he unleashed another slash, obliterating a section of the palace wall.

"Go, loot everything!" Charlotte ordered calmly.

The pirates' faces lit up with excitement.

"Brothers, follow me!"

They charged through the breached gates, weapons raised high. Charlotte, however, hung back, observing the chaos with a measured gaze.

Turning to the officer beside him, who was visibly trembling, Charlotte issued another command.

"Take me to your king."

The officer, pale and quaking, nodded quickly.

"Yes… yes, sir!"

The officer led Charlotte through the palace halls, which echoed with screams and the sound of raucous laughter. Pirates plundered freely, their cries mixing with those of the terrified palace staff.

Unmoved, Charlotte strode forward with purpose, heading straight for the main hall.

"Traitors! Rebellious thieves! You will all die horrible deaths!"

A middle-aged man with disheveled hair and a defiant expression stood alone in the grand throne room.

This man was the king of the Kingdom of Goron.

His voice echoed in the empty chamber, but no one was there to hear him—no one except Charlotte.

Charlotte stepped into the room, his expression cold and indifferent.

The king glared at him with unyielding fury.

"You scum will never prosper!" the king roared, raising his sword and slashing at his own throat.

Thud!

The sword fell from his lifeless hand as his body collapsed to the ground.

Charlotte stared at the lifeless king, his expression unchanging.

"Well, that makes my job easier," he remarked dryly.

Rocks had demanded the king's head, and Charlotte intended to deliver it.

"Cut off his head," he instructed the officer who had been leading him.

The officer froze, his eyes wide with shock.

"W-what?"

Charlotte frowned, his tone turning icy.

"Do it."

Faced with Charlotte's piercing gaze, the officer could only obey. Trembling, he picked up the sword the king had used to take his own life. Closing his eyes tightly, he swung the blade, severing the king's head.

"Good. Now carry the head and follow me," Charlotte commanded.

The officer, pale and shaken, did as he was told.

Charlotte stepped outside the palace and surveyed the scene. The city was in ruins. Smoke billowed into the sky, and screams echoed in the distance.

Calling over two pirates, Charlotte handed them the king's severed head.

"Keep this safe. We'll need it later," he said.

The pirates, though visibly unsettled, nodded and took the head.

Charlotte then turned his attention back to his scattered crew.

"Gather everyone. It's time to finish this," he ordered.

---

After regrouping his men, Charlotte noticed their plunder included bags of gold coins, jewelry, and Bailey. Yet, to him, it still felt insufficient.

Spotting the officer who had guided him earlier, Charlotte's eyes narrowed.

"Do you know where the nobles gather?" he asked.

The officer's face twisted with a mix of fear and defiance.

"You devil!" the officer shouted, swinging the broken sword at Charlotte in a futile attempt to attack.

Charlotte caught the blade effortlessly with his bare hand, his armament Haki nullifying the strike.

With a cold laugh, he crushed the sword and grabbed the officer by the throat.

Through his Observation Haki, Charlotte gleaned the information he needed.

"Let's pay the nobles a visit," he said with a smirk, motioning for his crew to follow.

"Oh! Long live the boss!" the pirates cheered, raising their weapons in the air.

The nobles' district proved to be far more lucrative than the royal palace. Charlotte and his men looted from house to house, uncovering untold wealth. By the time dawn broke, their ship was laden with treasures.

---

Back on the deck, Charlotte surveyed the haul.

"Hah! These nobles were wealthier than the king himself," he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

The kingdom's treasury had contained roughly 300 million Baileys, but the nobles' estates had yielded a staggering 5 billion Baileys.

"Boss, we've got it all!" one of the pirates exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement.

Charlotte's expression darkened slightly.

"Half of this goes to Rocks. The rest is ours," he said through gritted teeth.

The thought of giving up half the treasure made him furious.

Still, he turned to his crew and made an announcement.

"Five million Baileys for each of you. No one is to take more," he said firmly.

His crew erupted in cheers.

"Long live the boss!"

The remaining treasure, though diminished, would be enough to sustain Charlotte for a year.

"Set sail. We're returning to Hachinosu," Charlotte commanded.

The ship pulled away from the smoldering island, leaving behind a once-thriving kingdom reduced to ashes. The Kingdom of Goron was no more.

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