Chapter 30: Shipbuilding

"Gwahaha! It's truly enviable that John and his crew get to loot an entire nation, while we only get the leftovers and have to hand over seventy percent of it. It's outrageous!" Golden Lion Shiki complained, ending with a harsh curse.

"Wahaha, Little Lion, you've become quite bold lately. You even dare to curse our captain?" Rocks' laughter echoed from afar.

"Pfft!" Shiki sneered before forcing a smile. "Gwahaha! Captain, how could I? You know you're the one I respect the most!"

Despite his words, Shiki was internally disgusted by his own flattery.

"Good," Rocks replied curtly, turning his attention to the two large transport ships behind them. With his years of plundering experience, Rocks instantly recognized these as ships used by the World Government to transport the Heavenly Tribute from various countries.

"Wahaha! Excellent work, my trusted officers! Once we tally the loot, thirty percent of it is yours to do with as you please," Rocks declared, addressing the four of them.

"Gwahaha! Thank you, Captain!" Shiki responded, his eyes flashing briefly.

"Wahaha, no need for thanks among brothers!" Rocks dismissed with a wave, then turned and left, leaving Sharlot silently watching his retreating figure.

Once Rocks was out of sight, Shiki spat out his cigar. "Tch! What a miser! Giving us only thirty percent of all that Heavenly Tribute. Hope it chokes him!"

Sharlot had inspected the treasure himself. The total value was around four billion Beli. Thirty percent of that was about one billion, divided among the four of them, each would get around two to three hundred million. For officers with large crews like Shiki's, this was a mere pittance.

Sharlot returned to his ship. It had been docked for almost three months now. Each time he set out to sea, he either borrowed a ship or hitched a ride with another officer. It wasn't that he didn't want to use his own ship, but it lacked combat capabilities. However, Hachinosu had many shipwrights, and Sharlot had enlisted their help to upgrade his vessel. Now, after three months, it was almost finished.

"How much longer until this ship is ready?" Sharlot asked an elderly shipwright.

The old man, once a pirate and now a shipwright on Pirate Island, had offered his services to Sharlot, seeking protection and favor from a powerful figure.

"Lord Sharlot, it's nearly complete. It should be ready in two or three days," Old Jack replied respectfully.

"Alright, notify my crew once it's done," Sharlot instructed before leaving.

Watching him leave, Old Jack mused, "Such a young but important figure."

"Boss!"

"Boss!"

Sharlot's path was lined with greetings from his subordinates. As the captain of the 8th Division, this area was his territory, and these were his men, loyal followers from his adventures. They recognized and respected him. Sharlot wasn't one to mistreat his subordinates. In the past three months, he had gone on several expeditions, sharing the loot with his crew—around fifty thousand Beli per person each time. This was enough for them to live comfortably for a month on the island, even enjoying the company of women in the red-light district.

Life on the island could be dull. Some pirates threw parties to pass the time, others frequented the red-light district. Sharlot spent his time either training with his sword or with his maid. Constant sparring with Golden Lion and Wang Zhi had highlighted his weaknesses, prompting targeted training to improve, especially in Armament Haki. While he had perfected full-body hardening, internal destruction eluded him.

BAM!

A large tree split apart under his fist, but Sharlot was not satisfied. He aimed for internal destruction, wanting to shatter the tree's core, but no matter how hard he tried, it remained unattainable. Frustrated, he surveyed the barren area around him, filled with fallen trees.

"Why can't I do it?" he muttered, staring at his Haki-covered fist. "It seems I need guidance. The Kurozumi siblings from Wano might know how to train this."

With this thought, Sharlot headed towards the 7th Division's base.

"Lord Sharlot!"

The guard at the entrance straightened up and greeted him nervously.

"Are the Kurozumi siblings here?" Sharlot asked.

"Yes, sir!" The guard stammered.

"Take me to them," Sharlot ordered without looking at him.

"Yes, sir!" The guard hurriedly opened the gate and led Sharlot inside.

Entering the camp, Sharlot felt the presence of many swordsmen, though none were strong enough to be worth his attention. Ignoring them, he walked straight towards Kurozumi Kurozumi's quarters.

"So powerful! Is this what a swordmaster is like?" The swordsmen could sense Sharlot's presence and were in awe.

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(40 Advance chapters)