Chapter 153: The Prosperous Kami Island

Chapter 153: The Prosperous Kami Island

"Dad! Dad! When are we going to go out to sea?"

Charlotte was resting in the living room with a cup of tea when the loud voice of his daughter echoed from the door.

Charlotte shook his head, already knowing who it was without needing to look.

"Have you finished your homework for today, Esdeath?"

Rather than answering her question, Charlotte turned it back on her.

"It's done! I finished it a long time ago. Dad, when are we going to go out to sea?"

Esdeath asked again, lying across Charlotte's lap and looking up at him with expectant eyes.

"You're eager to go out to sea, aren't you?"

Charlotte gently patted Esdeath's head as he spoke.

"Dad, you're a pirate! Pirates don't stay at home! I want to fight!"

Esdeath rolled her eyes at her father before raising her small fists and punching the air a few times for emphasis.

Charlotte couldn't help but smile. Her enthusiasm was both endearing and amusing.

"Alright, since you're so keen on going to sea, I'll take you out so you can see the world," Charlotte said as he ruffled her hair.

"Yay! Let's go out and beat up pirates!" Esdeath cheered, throwing her fists into the air in excitement.

Charlotte chuckled at her enthusiasm but shook his head. "You know your dad is a pirate too, right?"

Esdeath simply giggled in response, sliding off Charlotte's lap and running toward the door.

"I'm going to tell Uncle Paul the good news! They'll be so happy!" she called out as she ran.

Charlotte watched her leave with a smile. It was no surprise that Paul and the others were growing restless.

After a year of staying on the island, even Charlotte himself was feeling the itch to go out and stretch his legs. He knew that if he didn't make an appearance soon, people might start doubting whether the "Great Swordsman of Blood" truly lived up to his reputation.

During the past year, Kami Island had faced several pirate attacks.

These were dealt with swiftly by Charlotte's men, who successfully repelled the invaders. The pirates were either drawn by the island's prosperity or were seeking to claim Charlotte's bounty.

But the island itself was indeed thriving.

After the destruction of the second half of the New World by Rocks, many people fled to the first half, and Kami Island became a prime destination.

Those who made it to the island were often wealthy individuals, carrying their savings with them. Combined with the island's strategic location and Charlotte's fearsome reputation, it became a hub for traders, tourists, and figures from the underworld.

Notably, the island had attracted the Four Kings of the Underworld: the King of Shipping, the King of Usury, the newly emerged Queen of Joy, Stussy, and the King of Intelligence, Morgans.

Their presence brought significant business opportunities to the island.

With low tax rates and Charlotte's leadership, the island flourished as a free port. The prosperity was unmatched, drawing people from across the seas.

The island, however, had its limitations. At just over 20,000 square kilometers (about half the size of the Bay Area), most of its terrain was mountainous.

Charlotte took it upon himself to expand the usable land. With punches wrapped in Armament Haki, he flattened entire mountains, turning them into rubble.

This display of strength astonished the island's inhabitants and visitors alike. Many had never witnessed such raw power before.

The event was even captured by Morgans and published in newspapers, complete with photos and videos. It sent shockwaves across the world, offering a rare visual demonstration of the power possessed by someone with a bounty of 1.2 billion.

For the first time, the world had an intuitive sense of how terrifying such pirates could be.

The Navy Headquarters quickly realized the value of such demonstrations and began their own publicity campaigns.

Garp, who had planned to take a vacation, was called back by Marshal Cyborg Sora to film a promotional video.

In the video, Garp, cloaked in dark red lightning, leapt into the air and shattered an island with a single punch.

The video showcased Garp's immense power and solidified his status as a Navy hero. It left viewers around the world in awe and made many aspiring pirates reconsider their ambitions.

Not to be outdone, Golden Lion Shiki also staged his own display of power.

Using his sword skills in tandem with the Float-Float Fruit, he destroyed an entire kingdom as his backdrop.

The footage, along with a bullet as a message, was sent to Morgans' newspaper. Despite opposition from the World Government, Morgans published it the next day, distributing it globally.

The world was once again plunged into chaos. Shiki's actions inspired countless pirates to take to the seas, overwhelming the already-stretched Navy.

The Five Elders issued a direct order to Cyborg Sora: capture and publicly execute Shiki the Golden Lion.

However, the Navy was at a loss. With his fleet constantly airborne, Shiki was nearly impossible to track, and the Navy lacked the ships needed to navigate the doldrums where Shiki often hid.

Shiki's reputation soared, and he was officially titled Captain of the Flying Pirates and Pirate Admiral. His bounty rose to 2.36 billion berries, surpassing even Whitebeard and placing him just behind Roger.

Charlotte's role in inspiring these displays of power wasn't lost on the world.

His mountain-flattening demonstration had inadvertently ushered in the "short video era" in the pirate world, forever changing how power was perceived.

As a result, Charlotte's bounty increased to 1.57 billion berries, despite not leaving Kami Island for an entire year.

Morgans profited immensely from this new trend, solidifying his position as a media tycoon. In a world surrounded by oceans, his News Coo delivery system was unmatched, ensuring that everyone, everywhere, could stay informed.

Charlotte looked out over the thriving Kami Island, a proud smile on his face. The prosperity and safety of the island were a testament to his leadership, and soon, he would take to the seas again, not only to protect his legacy but to create new ones.

---

Read up to 20 Chapters ahead on patreon.com/Fanglin

[Please leave a 5 Star review and power stone for this novel]

*Thank you*