CHAPTER 21
Just Chop Him to Death
Scientists hold a special place in the world, and their research can have a profound impact on its future.
Charlotte Linlin naturally sought to form a secret scientific force—not for the world, but for Totto Land. After all, who wouldn't want a more comfortable life?
Upon receiving intelligence from Saga Liduo about a group of scientists, she acted without hesitation.
At that moment, chaos engulfed the entire island. The Wang Zhihai Pirates had launched a full-scale invasion of Food City, throwing it into violent turmoil.
Explosions, clashes of steel, and the screams of the innocent filled the air. Buildings crumbled, and once-thriving markets were reduced to smoldering ruins.
For Charlotte, this chaos was a perfect cover. She carefully changed her attire, preparing to move unseen.
Boom!
A towering building split in half, debris raining down like a collapsing colossus.
The once-peaceful residents of the island were now in grave danger, their lives hanging by a thread.
Just a street away, a gang of pirates prowled through the ruins, capturing civilians to sell into slavery.
In the heat of battle, morality had vanished.
Men and the elderly were slaughtered without hesitation, leaving only women and children.
To these marauders, human life was just another form of currency.
"Sir Pirate, please! Let them go!" A sobbing woman clutched her husband and child, pleading desperately.
The pirate sneered, backhanding her to the ground. He drew his blade, ready to carve her life away.
Tap. Tap. Tap…
Footsteps echoed through the chaos. Slow, deliberate, cutting through the surrounding noise.
The pirate froze mid-swing. His comrades turned toward the sound.
A man approached.
Dressed in a crimson shirt beneath a black suit, his presence was sharp and foreboding. A dark cape billowed slightly behind him as the wind stirred the dust and rubble.
"Ha! Look at this guy—he's dressed like a noble! He'll fetch a high price!"
The lead pirate's grin stretched wide, his tongue flicking out greedily.
"Boss, you're right! He's gotta be worth a fortune!"
Their laughter was short-lived.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
The pirate leader had pulled the trigger.
But in the blink of an eye, the man in black was gone.
A shadow flickered.
A heartbeat later, he reappeared behind them, his back turned.
Silence.
Time itself seemed to freeze. The pirates remained in their previous postures—smirking, mid-laugh, reaching for their weapons—until…
Click.
Charlotte calmly sheathed his sword.
A heartbeat later—
Splurt!
A rain of blood filled the air.
Heads tumbled from shoulders, bodies collapsing like lifeless dolls.
The woman, her face pale with shock, remained unharmed.
Charlotte didn't even spare the fallen a second glance. He simply stepped forward, continuing toward his true objective.
Behind him, soft cries of relief broke through the still air.
"This swordsmanship… it's terrifying!"
A man crawled out from beneath a collapsed stall—clearly a journalist. Sweat dripped down his forehead, but his hands trembled with excitement as he clutched his camera.
He had captured something incredible.
Though the swordsman's face remained unseen, this moment was worthy of print. A headline-worthy shot.
Charlotte continued moving through the ruins.
Wherever he went, the wicked perished. A growing trail of headless corpses marked his path—he left no evil alive.
At last, he reached the heart of the city—the royal district of Food City.
Built by Domi Sis, this grand palace once stood as a symbol of prosperity. Now, it lay in ruins, shattered under the weight of battle.
The gates had been completely obliterated.
Charlotte advanced without hesitation, following the layout given to him by Saga Liduo. His target lay deep beneath the palace—in the underground scientific facility.
A lone, seemingly intact palace came into view.
No guards. No backup forces.
Charlotte stepped inside.
At the far end of the hall, an enormous, reinforced door stood tall.
One-Sword Style: Wind Severing—Prime Mist.
A flash of steel.
Crash!
The reinforced door crumbled into shards.
Charlotte stepped into a long, sterile corridor leading downward.
Meanwhile…
Inside the underground research facility, alarm bells rang furiously.
Guards scrambled to their stations, eyes glued to the Surveillance Den Den Mushi screens.
"Enemy intrusion!"
"Quick! Alert Lord Dibi!"
Den Den Mushi calls crackled with urgency.
In another chamber, Dibi, a burly pirate wrapped in a fur-lined coat, scowled as he listened to the report.
"Hold them off. I'll handle this."
He turned to his subordinates.
"You lot, stay here. Protect Dr. Saga Yar and finish loading everything onto the submarine. Now move!"
"Yes, sir!"
With that, Dibi stormed toward the security sector.
Back to Charlotte
Charlotte took in the scene before him.
"This place is massive."
The underground facility stretched far beyond his expectations, filled with research stations and a fully functional manufacturing plant.
This was one of the Gourmet Pirates' core bases.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunfire erupted.
A horde of pirates charged at him.
Charlotte barely registered them.
They were nothing but small fry.
With a single flying slash, he cleaved through them—his blade slicing effortlessly through steel and stone.
Boom!
Half the underground complex collapsed, burying the enemies in rubble.
Charlotte paid no mind to the destruction.
He was here for the scientists. The rest was meaningless.
Suddenly—
A presence.
Charlotte's instincts flared.
He leaped just as an explosion erupted behind him.
Landing smoothly, he dusted himself off.
From the smoke, a figure emerged.
A burly man, wrapped in a heavy coat, eyes burning with hostility.
Bent Dibi.
A notorious pirate with a 580-million-berry bounty.
A man wielding the power of the Explosive-Explosive Fruit—a dangerous foe.
Charlotte's eyes narrowed slightly.
Among all the pirates he had encountered, he knew this Devil Fruit well.
This power didn't belong to Bent Dibi originally.
But now—he was its new master.
Dibi glared.
"Who are you?"
His voice carried unease.
An unknown swordsman had infiltrated one of their core bases.
Was he sent by the Marines? The Revolutionary Army? A rival pirate crew?
Too many questions.
Charlotte ignored him.
Instead, he sighed.
"What a hassle," he muttered.
Then, he grinned.
"Guess I'll just chop you to death."