One piece: Establishing a Pirate Family

Chapter 125: The Clouds of War

If Kaido hadn't stopped them, another fight would likely have broken out.

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Bang! Bang! Bang!

Charlotte was relentlessly punching the large rock before him.

Every strike carried the weight of Armament Haki. The green and black hue of his Haki had dimmed, evidence of its constant consumption. Charlotte maintained his Armament Haki without pause, depleting his reserves in the hope of honing his control.

He had a wild idea: to integrate Armament Haki into his bones, allowing him to capture logia Devil fruit user even without activating Haki.

But after three months of relentless effort, he had made no progress.

It was an ambitious and possibly unrealistic goal, but Charlotte refused to give up.

"If swords can be trained into black blades, why can't a person become a living black weapon?"

With this thought, Charlotte pressed on, letting exhaustion refine his technique. The island he had chosen for his training bore the scars of his efforts—pockmarked with craters and flattened into a barren wasteland.

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"Boss! Boss!"

Charlotte, lost in his training, heard his crew calling out from a distance. He stopped mid-punch, and the massive rock before him split cleanly in half.

He approached the crew, sweat glistening on his muscular frame.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Captain Rocks has summoned you!"

The urgency in their voices made Charlotte frown.

"Rocks?" He wiped his face with a towel handed to him and turned toward the ship.

---

As the ship sailed back to Beehive Island, Charlotte stood at the bow, deep in thought.

"Has anything happened on Beehive Island over the past half month?" he asked Paul, who was standing nearby.

"Yes. Over the past month, Rocks has been calling in all his crew to gather on Beehive Island. There are nearly a hundred pirate ships docked now, and even the officers' subordinates have been summoned."

Hearing this, Charlotte's frown deepened.

"It looks like war is coming."

The port of Beehive Island was teeming with activity. Pirates swarmed the docks, their ships crammed together like sardines. The tension was palpable.

---

As Charlotte disembarked, his imposing figure immediately drew attention.

"Captain Charlotte!"

The pirates on the docks fell silent, their eyes widening in awe and fear. They whispered amongst themselves, remembering the tales of his ruthlessness.

Charlotte walked past them without a word, his focus on the task ahead.

"Captain Charlotte, all the other officers have already arrived. Only you were left."

A messenger greeted him nervously.

"Understood," Charlotte replied curtly, heading straight for the center of the island.

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The atmosphere on Beehive Island was tense. Pirates were sharpening their weapons, loading ammunition, and preparing for battle. Nearly 30,000 to 40,000 men had been gathered, each one aware that something monumental was on the horizon.

Charlotte soon reached the grand hall where Rocks awaited.

"Wahahaha! Charlotte, you're finally here! You're the last to arrive!" Rocks' voice boomed from the throne.

"I was training nearby. My apologies for the delay," Charlotte said calmly, taking his seat.

"Hahahaha! Training? Training won't make you stronger. Only real combat will do that!"

Golden Lion Shiki puffed on his cigar, smirking as he addressed Charlotte.

Charlotte simply nodded, unwilling to engage in an argument.

"Kulala! Captain, why did you call us here?" Whitebeard Edward Newgate, seated at the forefront, spoke up, his deep voice cutting through the room.

"Yeah, Captain! You've gathered us all here. What's the big deal?" John asked, taking a swig from his flask.

All eyes turned to Rocks, waiting for his answer.

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"Wahahaha! Look at this information!" Rocks held up a stack of papers, passing them down the line.

Whitebeard was the first to take them, his expression growing grim as he read. He passed the papers to Golden Lion, who furrowed his brow in concentration.

One by one, the papers made their way to Charlotte. As he read, his expression darkened.

"May 4th: The Celestial Dragons will hold a once-in-40-years ceremony in the Valley of the Gods, located in the New World."

Charlotte's eyes narrowed. He looked up at Rocks, waiting for an explanation.

Rocks surveyed the room, noting everyone's reactions. A sinister grin spread across his face.

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