Chapter 48: Coating
Chapter 48: Coating
Everyone hiding in their homes and peeking through cracks in doors or windows gritted their teeth in anger and fear.
To them, it seemed as though the pirate before them, Charlotte, had just killed the baby in cold blood. In their minds, pirates were cruel and inhumane.
Charlotte, however, was simply reminded of his two-year-old daughter, Esdeath, as he gently stroked the baby's head.
"Be good, don't cry," Charlotte said softly, comforting the child.
The baby, surprisingly, stopped crying. Charlotte turned and walked away, leaving the child unharmed.
---
Charlotte walked to the center of the street and scanned his surroundings. Almost everyone was watching him through the cracks in their doors or windows, fear etched on their faces.
He took a deep breath and addressed the town.
"Listen up! Send out ten coating craftsmen immediately to coat my ship, or I will massacre the island!"
To emphasize his words, Charlotte released a fraction of his Conqueror's Haki. It wasn't his full power, just enough to pressure the townspeople.
The oppressive force made everyone feel as if they were being strangled. Ordinary people froze in fear, holding their breath, too terrified to move or speak.
Charlotte, noticing their inaction, frowned. He activated his Observation Haki and sensed the emotions of the people around him.
Seeing no response, Charlotte's patience wore thin.
He drew the long sword from his waist in one swift motion and swung it forcefully.
A powerful slash tore through the street, leaving a deep trench in its wake. The tiles of the road and nearby buildings were destroyed as the slash traveled to the end of the street, hitting a large building.
The building collapsed instantly, burying its occupants under the rubble.
This wasn't a random act of destruction. Charlotte's Observation Haki had detected a spy from the World Government hiding in the building, making a Den Den Mushi call. Charlotte had no tolerance for spies and took action without hesitation.
"I'll say it again! Send ten coating craftsmen to coat my ship immediately, or I'll massacre this island! My patience is limited!"
Charlotte's cold, commanding voice echoed through the town, chilling everyone to the core.
The townspeople, gripped by fear, still didn't dare to come out.
"You want me to resort to force, don't you?" Charlotte muttered, raising his sword for another slash.
"Wait!" a voice called out, breaking the tense silence. "I'll do it! I'll coat your ship! Just leave the townspeople alone!"
Charlotte turned towards the voice, along with his crew.
A young man emerged from the shadows, carrying a bucket and a brush.
"Who is that? Why is Conan coming out?" whispered some of the townspeople, recognizing the young man.
Charlotte studied him carefully. "You? You can coat a ship?"
"Yes," the young man, Conan, replied nervously. "Coating has been a craft in my family for generations. We've coated many ships before."
"Are you the only one?" Charlotte asked, his tone skeptical.
"Yes, it's just me," Conan answered, nodding.
Seeing no other volunteers and not wanting to waste more time, Charlotte sighed. Massacring the island would be unnecessary.
"Fine," Charlotte agreed. "Coat my ship, and I'll spare the people of this island."
"Are you serious?" Conan asked hesitantly, his voice trembling.
Paul, one of Charlotte's men, stepped forward angrily. "How dare you question the captain? Do you want to die?"
Charlotte gave Paul a subtle nod of approval. A good subordinate should speak for his captain at critical moments.
"No! No! I didn't mean it that way!" Conan stammered, waving his hands frantically.
Charlotte raised his hand to silence Paul. "Enough. Let him coat the ship. I never break my promises."
Conan sighed in relief and nodded.
"Let's go," Charlotte said, turning to leave the town. "And get this coating done quickly."
---
As Charlotte and his men left, the townspeople slowly emerged from their hiding spots.
A woman ran to a cradle near the fruit shop, crying out, "My child! My child!"
She reached the cradle and found her baby unharmed. The child began crying again, but this time it was out of hunger, not fear.
The woman's cries of anguish turned to relief. "My baby is safe! He's alive!"
The townspeople, who had been cursing Charlotte moments ago, now fell silent. Even the merchants, who had been loudly condemning him, looked away in embarrassment.
---
Back at the ship, Charlotte turned to Conan.
"How long will it take to coat the ship?" Charlotte asked.
"Uh… about two days," Conan replied hesitantly, eyeing the large vessel before him.
This ship was over fifty meters long, much larger than the average ship he had worked on.
"Two days, then. If you have any helpers, call them in. I'll pay you three million Berries, but I want results within two days. If you fail…" Charlotte's voice trailed off menacingly.
"I understand!" Conan quickly nodded, swallowing nervously.
Charlotte crossed his arms and watched as Conan got to work.
"I hope you're as good as you say," Charlotte muttered. The coating process had begun.
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