Chapter 47: Qilan Island
Chapter 47: Qilan Island
A group of people hid in the cabin, watching the drizzle and hail outside.
It had been raining for what felt like an eternity, and the storm still showed no signs of ending.
But there was hope.
Charlotte noticed a faint ray of sunlight piercing through the distant sky.
The storm was dissipating.
"Finally…" Charlotte exhaled a sigh of relief. At this moment, he truly understood the infamous unpredictability of New World weather.
The weather here changed faster than flipping the pages of a book.
Though he had encountered storms before, nothing had come close to the magnitude of this one.
Thankfully, their ship was well-built; otherwise, it would have been torn apart long ago.
After what seemed like an eternity, a warm beam of sunlight fell on Charlotte's ship and illuminated his face.
Feeling the warmth of the sun, Charlotte let go of the tension that had built up over the storm's duration.
"I don't even know how long we've been in this storm," Charlotte muttered. It felt like at least seven or eight days had passed.
As he looked at the now-calm sea and felt the gentle breeze, he gave the next command.
"Let's set sail for Fishman Island!" Charlotte shouted.
"Yes, Captain!"
More than twenty crew members immediately began adjusting the sails and preparing to continue their journey.
Charlotte watched them busily working and silently prayed that no more unforeseen incidents would arise.
---
Fishman Island was their next destination, as it was the only route to the first half of the Grand Line.
The Red Line divided the Grand Line into two parts: the first half and the New World. There were only two ways to reach the first half from the New World.
One was through the World Government's special route, which Charlotte couldn't use for obvious reasons. He was a pirate, after all.
The other option was to coat the ship and dive 10,000 meters below the ocean to reach Fishman Island.
This route was notoriously dangerous, with a 70% shipwreck rate due to Sea Kings and other perils. Many ships were destroyed, leaving no survivors.
Despite the risks, Charlotte had no choice but to take this route.
---
The ship sailed for another three or four days, stopping at islands along the way to resupply.
However, the reception they received was less than welcoming.
As soon as people on the docks recognized Charlotte's youthful face, they panicked.
"Run! It's Charlotte, the Blood Swordsman!"
The islanders fled in terror, abandoning their goods and shops.
Charlotte, understanding their fear, didn't bother arguing or explaining. He simply replenished his supplies and left.
For convenience, Charlotte had decided not to fly the Rocks Pirates' flag this time, but his reputation seemed to precede him regardless.
---
"Captain, we've arrived at Qilan Island. We can start coating!" Paul reported as they approached the shore.
"Good. Let's dock and begin the process," Charlotte replied.
As the ship slowly approached the shore, a group of coating workers lounging by the port noticed their arrival.
"Hey, a ship's coming in. Hope they're here for coating!"
The workers perked up, eager for business.
Paul stepped off the ship and shouted, "Coater! We need our ship coated!"
Instantly, the workers sprang to life, rushing forward to offer their services.
"Sir, pick me! I only charge one million Berries!"
"No, no, I'll do it for 900,000!"
"Don't listen to them! I may charge 1.5 million, but I guarantee safe passage to Fishman Island!"
The ship was quickly surrounded by eager coating workers, each vying for the job.
Charlotte, curious about the commotion, approached the ship's edge to observe.
The moment the coating workers saw Charlotte, however, their excitement turned to fear.
"Blood Swordsman Charlotte! It's him!" one worker screamed before dropping his tools and bolting.
"What? Charlotte?! Run for your lives!"
In an instant, every worker fled, leaving their tools and materials behind.
"…What just happened?" Paul asked, dumbfounded.
Even Charlotte was taken aback. Am I really that terrifying?
"Let's head into the town and figure this out. Also, put up a sign to find another coating worker," Charlotte instructed.
---
As Charlotte and his crew entered the small town, it reminded him of Kami Island, his hometown. The only difference was that this town had no towering mountains and seemed primarily focused on servicing travelers and merchants.
As they walked through the streets, shopkeepers and townspeople turned to look at the new arrivals.
Charlotte's group stood out. With over a dozen armed men, they exuded an aura that made it clear they weren't ordinary travelers.
"Wait… that's Charlotte! The Blood Swordsman!" someone shouted, recognizing Charlotte almost immediately.
Panic erupted in the streets.
"Run! The Rocks Pirates are invading!"
Within seconds, the townsfolk abandoned their goods and fled, leaving the streets eerily empty.
Children, who had been playing on the street moments ago, were swept away by their panicked parents.
The once-bustling town square became deserted, with only Charlotte and his crew remaining.
---
As they walked further into the town, Charlotte's Observation Haki swept over the area, confirming that everyone was hiding in their homes.
Do they really think they're safe in there? Charlotte thought, amused by their naivety.
His attention was drawn to a fruit shop, where a two- or three-year-old child lay crying in a cradle outside the door.
Perhaps in the chaos, the parents had forgotten the child.
Charlotte approached the cradle and gently stroked the baby's head.
The child, who had been crying moments earlier, stopped and looked up at Charlotte with wide eyes.
The contrast between his fearsome reputation and this tender moment was striking.
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