Pirates: Building a Pirate Family

As the domineering aura faded, Charlotte's eyes suddenly snapped open.

An invisible force erupted again, centered on Charlotte. This time, the aura was even more potent than before.

The waves churned and rippled. Coconut leaves on the beach quivered in response to the shockwave.

Charlotte glanced at the sea fish stunned by her aura and chuckled to herself.

"I'm such a genius," she declared.

With a single thought, Charlotte withdrew her aura, and calm returned.

Only the fish washed ashore by the waves bore witness to the incredible display of power.

"Hahaha! I've finally mastered the ability to control my Conqueror's Haki. I'm one step closer to becoming truly strong," she exclaimed.

With reckless abandon, Charlotte swung her long sword, releasing waves of sword energy across the beach. The strikes seemed sharper and longer than before.

As she observed the results, her delight grew. She continued slashing until she was utterly exhausted.

Time passed, and Charlotte dedicated herself to training.

By 1480 of the lunar calendar, she had spent an entire year honing her skills on the beach, rarely venturing into the mountains. Meanwhile, the Rocks Pirates had caused chaos on the seas, leading to an increase in pirate activity.

Almost every month, a new pirate crew would land on the island to plunder. However, Charlotte dealt with them decisively, collecting bounties through her subordinates to remain unnoticed.

Thanks to her efforts, the island became a safe haven. Its strategic location as a transit hub for sea transportation to Umis boosted its prosperity. Over the years, the population grew from 1,000 to more than 7,000, many of whom were refugees from the New World rescued by Charlotte.

Charlotte's reputation soared, and even Chamberlain, a subordinate of the Sea King, treated her with newfound respect after witnessing her pirate-slaying prowess. Despite her annoyance, Charlotte assigned Ivan to handle most discussions with Chamberlain.

With pirate attacks increasing, Charlotte handpicked 50 talented subordinates and trained them weekly. They were either loyal brothers or slaves she had freed, and they trained diligently under her guidance. Now, even five or six idle pirates posed no threat to them. Some had even begun mastering the basics of the Navy's Six Styles.

Charlotte envisioned these men as the foundation of her future crew. She also arranged for some of them to study navigation, while others trained in medical knowledge under Chamberlain's guidance.

Over the year, Charlotte rescued numerous trafficked slaves, including many women. She provided them shelter and arranged for them to assist her. Cooks, shipbuilders, and other skilled workers were plentiful on the island.

Originally, Charlotte planned to build a modest ship 50 meters long. However, with her increasing wealth from pirate bounties, she decided to construct a grand vessel: 120 meters long, 30 meters wide, and 20 meters tall.

Chamberlain supported her endeavor, supplying funds and high-quality materials—though not the legendary Adam Treasure Tree, it was the best available alternative.

With resources, skilled labor, and funds in place, construction began at the port. The ship was expected to take about a year to complete due to the limited number of shipbuilders—only about 70 on the island, with a dozen dedicated to her project.

Charlotte was in no rush. With three years before she planned to set sail, she focused on mastering Armament Haki and training her crew.

A few months ago, a notable pirate crew led by a captain with a bounty of 100 million appeared at Kame Island.

Sensing malice, Charlotte didn't hesitate. She unleashed a 30-meter flying slash, aiming to obliterate their ship from hundreds of meters away.

To her surprise, a man emerged from the crew, blocking the attack with his bare fists. Though injured, he succeeded in deflecting the slash, piquing Charlotte's interest.

She allowed the pirates to dock but ordered everyone at the port to retreat, leaving her alone to face the crew.

The pirates retaliated, bombarding the port with cannon fire. But Charlotte effortlessly neutralized the shells, either slashing them mid-air or deflecting them into the sea.

As she awaited their next move, a sudden chill swept over her. Confused, she wondered: Winter is still two months away. Why does it feel so cold?