One piece: Establishing a Pirate Family

Chapter 213: The Pace of War

Charlotte surveyed the entire ship and was extremely satisfied, leaving the rest of the details to the maids.

On this day, the sea breeze swept through, gently ruffling Charlotte's bangs.

He lay comfortably on a beach chair, surrounded by a group of bikini-clad women playing joyfully on the beach.

Charlotte enjoyed this moment.

Taking a sip of lemonade, his expression instantly twisted from the sour taste.

He picked up a newspaper and began reading the latest headlines.

The Navy Headquarters dispatched Admiral Garp and Fleet Admiral Sengoku to encircle the Roger Pirates at the Reverse Mountain entrance to the Grand Line.

A bold headline with several key phrases immediately made Charlotte frown.

Why is the Navy Headquarters making such a major move now?

But as he continued reading, Charlotte's frown faded, replaced by a smirk.

As expected! How could the protagonist of this era be caught so easily?

The Roger Pirates had successfully broken through the naval blockade and were now marching into the Grand Line.

"Hahahaha! Those navy guys must be furious!"

Charlotte chuckled while reading the news.

Seeing the navy suffer a setback was always entertaining.

After flipping the page, another headline caught his attention.

The Flying Pirates Strike Again! A World Government Member Kingdom Destroyed – The King Has Been Executed!

Another blood-red headline.

"Shiki can't hold back anymore? He's been quiet for nearly two years—this isn't like him."

Charlotte shook his head at the tragic fate of the fallen kingdom.

But speaking of kingdoms, Charlotte's mood darkened as he reviewed the recent intelligence report.

"You've got some nerve! My Rockefeller Pirates may not have started this war, but do you really think Rockefeller Charlotte is someone you can exploit so easily?"

"It seems it's time to remind these kingdoms of the true power of the Rockefeller Pirates!"

Charlotte placed the intelligence documents on the table and picked up the Den Den Mushi.

Just a few days ago, the cost of all raw materials imported into Kami Island increased by more than 30%.

This was clearly a coordinated attack—a long-planned conspiracy.

The neighboring kingdoms had banded together, hoping to cripple Kami Island's economy by controlling resource prices.

Under Charlotte's governance, Kami Island had flourished, becoming a prosperous trade hub.

But the island still relied heavily on imported resources.

Seeing this prosperity, the surrounding kingdoms had schemed to exploit the island's dependence on trade.

This move struck directly at Charlotte's economic foundation.

But they had severely underestimated him.

Since making Kami Island his home, Charlotte had strategically developed its economy, strengthened its trade networks, and implemented a taxation system to support the Rockefeller Pirates.

Unlike typical pirate crews that relied on looting, Charlotte's 2,000-strong crew was fully salaried.

Charlotte generated nearly hundreds of millions of Berries monthly.

But with salaries exceeding 700–800 million Berries, maintaining this pirate-army hybrid required stable revenue streams.

If not for Kami Island's booming economy, Charlotte could never afford such an operation.

His pirates weren't just a crew—they were an army.

While the New World had always been chaotic, things had deteriorated rapidly.

After Shiki the Golden Lion made his move, countless pirate crews began plundering islands.

In the second half of the Grand Line, Captain John's pirate crew finally ran out of their treasure stockpiles.

Unwilling to spend his own wealth, John turned to raiding neighboring islands, igniting conflicts.

The plundering around Beehive Island escalated quickly, plunging the region back into warfare.

Meanwhile, Charlotte Linlin (Big Mom), taking advantage of a brief break between pregnancies, had set sail once again—this time to hunt rare species and hoard desserts.

Many kingdoms had been destroyed simply because they failed to provide the right sweets.

Her bounty rose rapidly, nearing Charlotte's own.

Kaido, determined to form the Beast Pirates, embarked on a mad quest to acquire Zoan-type Devil Fruits and powerful recruits.

His mass-scale raids and destructive conquests quickly turned entire regions into war zones.

Unlike these reckless warlords, the Rockefeller Pirates had remained relatively peaceful—until now.

But with recent events, Charlotte knew it was time to act.

Mobilizing his entire 2,000-man fleet, he placed them under the command of his top officers:

Carter

Paul

Isaac

Wolfe

Their mission:

Seize all resource-rich islands near Kami Island.

Charlotte was done tolerating the schemes of neighboring kingdoms.

This blatant attack on his economy was unforgivable.

The war had begun.

Charlotte's forces launched a rapid military campaign, swiftly capturing twelve islands in one fell swoop.

Leading the charge was Barrett, who had proven himself in the battle against Bondi Wald.

This was his first leadership test, and he passed with flying colors.

Within days, the Rockefeller Pirates' territory expanded fivefold.

However, this rapid growth led to an immediate shortage of personnel.

How bad was the shortage?

Charlotte even deployed his maids to manage occupied islands.

Many of these maids were former noblewomen or princesses from various kingdoms—making them ideal candidates for administrative roles.

Unlike Shiki, who merely demanded tribute, Charlotte sought complete control over his new domains.

Of course, this earned him the hatred of the remaining kingdoms.

Inside a royal palace, a heated debate was taking place.

"Your Majesty! The Rockefeller Pirates are too arrogant! We have already lost two islands, and they continue their aggression!"

A high-ranking general roared in frustration.

"If we don't resist now, our entire territory will be devoured!"

The aging king on the throne remained silent.

"The General is right! The Rockefeller Pirates have invaded our land without cause! We must strike back immediately!"

The noble advisors added fuel to the fire.

Charlotte's expansion had disrupted their influence—and they weren't about to accept it quietly.

Charlotte had drawn his line in the sand.

The neighboring kingdoms now faced a choice:

Accept his dominance

Or be crushed

With the New World already engulfed in chaos, the Rockefeller Pirates had officially joined the war.

And for the first time, the kingdoms of the New World found themselves at war with a pirate empire unlike any other.

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