One piece: Establishing a Pirate Family

Chapter 42: Great Swordsman

"Hahahaha! I wasn't mistaken after all!"

Shiki the Golden Lion exclaimed, watching Charlotte's actions with admiration.

The strike Charlotte had just unleashed officially signified his entry into the realm of a great swordsman. From this moment on, the world would recognize Charlotte not only as the Blood Swordsman but as a true master of the blade.

"Hah…"

Charlotte exhaled deeply, feeling a newfound strength surging through his body. A smile spread across his face. He had become stronger yet again, finally breaking through the threshold to become a great swordsman.

"Hahahaha! Boy, your talent is truly enviable!"

Shiki slowly descended, landing gracefully on the bow of Charlotte's ship.

Charlotte did not stop him.

"Then I must thank you, Shiki. If it weren't for your attack forcing me to confront my true will, I don't know when I'd have broken through to this level!"

Charlotte laughed, his tone sincere.

"Hahahahaha! No need to thank me! Just remember this—I'll need your help one day. Of course, it'll only be something you're capable of, and you're free to refuse if it doesn't suit you."

Shiki stood beside Charlotte, gazing out at the now-calm sea.

Hearing Shiki's words, Charlotte frowned slightly. He hated owing favors, but this was one he could not deny. After all, his breakthrough had been sparked by Shiki's attack.

Seeing Charlotte's conflicted expression, Shiki chuckled.

"Just remember, boy, one day in the future, I'll call on you for a favor. And don't worry—it won't be beyond your ability."

With that, Shiki floated into the air, heading back to Beehive Island. His voice lingered in the air long after he was gone.

Charlotte stood in silence, deep in thought as he watched Shiki disappear into the distance.

What could Shiki want from him?

Charlotte recalled the events of later years when Shiki had sought to conquer the world. Could it be that Shiki wanted his help to overthrow Rocks and seize power?

The more Charlotte thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Shiki's dissatisfaction with Rocks had been evident for some time. Not only Shiki, but even Whitebeard had grown distant, spending most of his time at sea and only returning when summoned by Rocks.

"It seems the Rocks Pirates' days are numbered…"

Charlotte murmured to himself. With less than two years until the infamous Battle of God Valley, he felt a sense of urgency.

Once Rocks fell, the sea would plunge into chaos.

The vacuum left by the demise of such a dominant figure would drive countless pirates to vie for supremacy. It would be a turbulent period until the emergence of the three legendary pirates—Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom—who would stabilize the New World.

Even then, the peace would not last long. With Roger's surrender, the seas would descend into chaos once more, this time directed at the Navy.

Currently, the Navy's future admirals had yet to rise, and its forces were weaker than ever, having been forced out of the New World by the Rocks Pirates.

Charlotte could foresee the challenges ahead. With Zefa as his benchmark, he knew his current strength was insufficient.

"Damn it…"

Frustration bubbled up within him. Charlotte swung his sword in irritation, splitting the sea in two with a single slash.

The display of power did little to soothe him. He looked at his weapon—a decent blade, but nowhere near the quality of a legendary sword.

He thought of the famed swords of the world, many of which were katanas or rapiers. Charlotte preferred Western swords and currently possessed one of the 21 Great Grade Swords in his treasury: the Holy Realm Judgment.

It was a beautifully crafted Western sword, razor-sharp and luxurious in design. However, even this blade could not withstand prolonged battles without Armament Haki reinforcement.

Charlotte had considered forging his own black blade, but the process required constant use of Haki—a feat that would take years of dedicated practice.

For now, his primary focus was on strengthening his Haki. The best way to improve was through combat against equally skilled opponents. Unfortunately, suitable sparring partners were hard to find.

His thoughts turned to the swords he had heard of in the future.

"I remember Luffy encountering a demon sword… the Seven Star Sword, I think. It was on some island in the first half of the Grand Line…"

Charlotte rubbed his chin, trying to recall the details.

"The island… Askaka Island? I'll need to confirm its location."

When it came to information, one name came to mind: Shakky. As a former Rocks navigator and an underground intelligence agent, she would undoubtedly know the whereabouts of Askaka Island.

"Shakky…"

Charlotte smirked. He had always found Shakky intriguing. In the future, she would be known as Rayleigh's partner and the owner of Shakky's Rip-Off Bar.

But for now, she was an enigma—one who had taken a particular interest in him.

Shakky had thoroughly investigated Charlotte's background, only to find inconsistencies. Before the age of ten, he had seemed like an ordinary child. But after that, his behavior became increasingly strange.

"Looks like I'll be paying her a visit soon…"

With a plan forming in his mind, Charlotte felt a renewed sense of purpose. The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: he would carve his destiny with his own hands.

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