One piece: Establishing a Pirate Family

Chapter 499: The Tyrant—Kuma

"We've had our feast; it's only fair to let others sip some soup. We can't hoard everything for ourselves."

Charlotte grinned as he wrapped an arm around Sophie's slender waist.

Sophie rolled her eyes at him, a little embarrassed with so many people watching.

But Charlotte was already imagining the next three months—

The black market would be in total shortage of weapons. Prices would skyrocket.

And he'd be there to rake in the profits again.

Watching Dragon's ship disappear into the distance, Charlotte smirked.

With that arsenal in hand, the Navy and World Government were about to have a really bad time.

"Come on! Let's celebrate! With 250 billion berries locked in, we're set for the whole year!"

Charlotte raised his arms, addressing the officers of the Rockefeller Pirates.

Everyone broke into smiles.

"Dad, since you're so rich now, can I build my own ship?" said Caesar, grinning.

"Your son here's worth 1.32 billion berries! A big name in the New World!

But I don't even have my own ship. It's embarrassing for you too, isn't it?"

Over the past three years, Caesar's bounty had crossed the billion mark.

He'd been roaming the seas, taking down World Government vessels and Navy surveillance ships, occasionally clashing with other pirates—earning him notoriety and raising his bounty further.

Charlotte rolled his eyes.

Caesar had been begging for his own ship for years.

Charlotte had tried to instill some independence in his kids, encouraging them to build their own legacy.

But Caesar? The guy blew every berry he got on gambling dens and pleasure houses.

Not a coin saved.

"Didn't you say you wanted to build your ship with your own hands? Why come crawling to me now?"

Charlotte snapped.

"Hehe, you know me, Dad—I burn through money like crazy. I've got no savings.

Come on, just a bit of help! It's not like a ship costs much for you!"

Charlotte sighed. This guy's shamelessness must've come from his mother.

"Fine, fine. I'll give you three hundred million. Not a berry more."

Charlotte wasn't going to be stingy, given his good mood.

Caesar lit up with joy—until he heard the amount.

Three hundred million?!

That could barely build a wooden pirate ship.

He wanted something more like his dad's Poseidon, an ironclad fortress that could fly.

He'd asked Caesar Crown about a mini version—it would cost two billion berries.

No wonder he hadn't built it yet.

"Dad! I want one too!"

"Me too! You can't just spoil big bro!"

"Yeah, Dad! Don't play favorites!"

Hearing that Caesar was getting a ship, the rest of the kids started whining.

Robert, Shiva, Deidara—they all joined the chorus.

Charlotte clutched his forehead.

Exactly what he was afraid of.

Give to one, and the rest come begging.

He sighed.

"Fine, fine! Everyone gets three hundred million. That's it!

And once the younger ones turn 18, I'll give them the same.

Build your own damn ships!"

He looked at the teenage crowd, then turned to Esdeath and Tesla.

"You two can build whatever kind of ship you want as well."

Esdeath nodded with no strong reaction.

Tesla adjusted his glasses and gave a subtle nod.

Neither seemed too interested in flashy ships.

"All right! Party time!"

Charlotte clapped his hands and led his younger children into the grand hall.

Honestly, he was starting to find the grown-up kids less fun than before.

---

While Charlotte was throwing a party for his latest win…

Dragon, Kuma, and Ivankov sailed far away from the Rockefeller Pirates' territory.

After several days—

Dragon looked at the island in front of them.

"This will be our base.

From now on, this place will be the Revolutionary Army's secret stronghold."

The island was nestled on the border between Whitebeard's and Rockefeller's territories—perfectly hidden.

It flew a pirate flag. But Dragon already had a plan.

"Kuma, this island is yours now.

The Revolutionary Army can't be exposed just yet.

You've already been publicly branded and bounty-listed.

Even if your identity's revealed, it only helps our plan."

Dragon gave Kuma a serious look.

Kuma nodded, closed his Bible, and raised his head toward the island.

On the island, the pirates continued their debauchery, totally unaware of the danger heading their way.

"This island is filthy.

It needs to be cleansed."

Kuma's voice was cold as screams of women echoed in the distance.

Dragon, still under his cloak, frowned.

He had seen these horrors countless times, yet every time ignited his inner rage.

This was why he betrayed the Navy and created the Revolutionary Army.

Kuma removed his gloves and pressed a hand to his chest.

In an instant—he vanished from the ship.

Dragon's eyes shifted toward the port.

Kuma's towering figure stood there.

Ivankov followed his gaze.

Kuma clapped his hands together.

A translucent paw-shaped energy appeared, rapidly expanding until it enveloped the entire island.

Everyone—every pirate on the island—was within its range.

Then, Kuma brought his hands down.

BOOM!

A deafening blast echoed.

Every pirate caught in his Observation Haki exploded on the spot.

Blood drenched the island.

---

Days later, headlines flooded the world:

> "King of the South Sea, the Tyrant Bartholomew Kuma, Appears in the New World—Massacres Over 10,000 Pirates!"

The entire New World knew his name after that.

Killing over 10,000 pirates—in the New World no less—sparked intense hatred among pirate crews.

To them, it felt like the World Government had sent Kuma to exterminate their kind.

---

Back on Carmel Island, Charlotte glanced at the headline and smirked.

As he watched weapons being loaded onto ships, he whispered:

"More chaos…

The more chaos there is, the more profit I make."

A flicker of greed sparkled in his eyes.

---

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