Chapter 440: Sea Circle Calendar Year 1499
As the calendar turned to Sea Circle Year 1499, the Rockefeller Pirates began to stabilize after half a year of unrelenting chaos.
Though rogue pirates still lurked in their territory, those foolish enough to blatantly invade had all but vanished.
Or more accurately — they had been slaughtered into fear.
Over the past six months, the Rockefeller Pirates had executed pirate crew after pirate crew with overwhelming force. Countless lives were sacrificed, painting a grim warning:
"Invade us, and perish."
This fear spread quickly. Many pirates avoided Rockefeller territory entirely.
Yet Charlotte knew — it was only temporary.
Soon, another wave of greedy fools would flood the New World, lured by the wealth of the islands under his banner.
Still, this temporary reprieve was precious.
---
If one looked at the Rockefeller Pirates' timeline, starting from the latter half of 1496 up to 1499, it had been non-stop war:
Fighting the Marines.
Fighting the Big Mom Pirates.
Cleansing Wano.
Seizing the front half of the New World.
Fending off the flood of pirates after Roger's death sparked the Great Pirate Era.
There had been no rest.
Now, for the first time, the crew could breathe.
That ever-tight tension in their minds began to ease.
---
"Carter, what's the current situation in the New World?" Charlotte asked, turning toward his long-time officer.
Though Carter was stationed at Kamei Island, no pirate dared to challenge a place where Charlotte personally resided.
With little to do, Carter had taken on intelligence gathering across the seas.
He thought for a moment.
"Still chaotic, Captain. The Whitebeard Pirates are rushing everywhere to put out fires. The Big Mom Pirates are barely holding on to the islands guarded by her children — the rest are in flames. Aside from us, no other crew is stable. I've even heard that Edward Newgate himself has taken action."
---
"Whitebeard personally entered the fray?"
Charlotte raised an eyebrow.
The chaos, in the end, was mostly the result of weaklings running wild. He had never taken them seriously — they were merely live training dummies for his children.
For six months, Charlotte had never once drawn his weapon.
Neither had Big Mom, Charlotte Linlin.
---
"I heard many of Whitebeard's sons have been killed during these months."
Carter's tone was somber.
"Ah… that explains it." Charlotte nodded.
If Whitebeard's sons are dying, of course the old man would go berserk.
But this also reminded him of something crucial —
His own children were still out there fighting.
He stood up and walked to a hidden compartment, unlocking a small chest inside.
Inside were Devil Fruits, neatly arranged and shimmering with power.
"…Time to strengthen them."
---
He summoned the children who hadn't eaten a Devil Fruit yet.
Soon, a maid led in twelve children, all eagerly anticipating what was on the table.
"Dad!"
"Father!"
Their eyes sparkled at the sight of the Devil Fruits piled on the table.
Simon and Ackerman, in particular, had been longing for this day.
Charlotte had simply been too busy over the years and had forgotten.
He looked over the group:
Hilde and Sweifa (9 years old)
Simon, Lorrine, Ackerman (7 years old)
Rachel, Daisy, Sarah, Kofi, Tina, Powell, Fortes (5 years old)
Back then, Hilde and Sweifa had refused Devil Fruits — and the others had been overlooked in the chaos.
Now was the perfect opportunity to equip them all.
---
Charlotte's Devil Fruit Inventory (Remaining: 19):
Logia-Type:
Mercury-Mercury Fruit
Paramecia-Type (Superhuman):
Temperature Fruit
Stone Fruit
Glass Fruit
Silent Fruit
Cube Fruit
Fungus Fruit
Barrier Fruit
Paper Fruit
Weapon Fruit (New)
Gold-Gold Fruit (New)
Repel Fruit
Thorn Fruit
Zoan-Type:
Mythical Zoan — Bat Fruit: Vampire Form
Mythical Zoan — Horse Fruit: Kirin Form
Ancient Zoan — Titan Python
Ancient Zoan — Archeopteryx (Proto-Bird)
Ancient Zoan — Imperial Crocodile
Ancient Zoan — Triceratops (New)
---
The Weapon, Gold, and Triceratops Fruits were spoils from pirate commanders they killed over the last half-year — the only three Charlotte deemed worthy of collecting.
Others had been used by Caesar Clown to build Devil Fruit weapons or run synthetic fruit experiments.
Some animal-type fruits, like the Rabbit or Cat, had been given to the maids… for obvious reasons.
Now only these 19 remained.
After today, the inventory would be nearly depleted.
---
Charlotte looked at his twelve children.
"Come forward. Eldest first."
His eyes landed on Hilde.
She had refused a Devil Fruit once before. Would she again?
The girl clutched her sword and stepped forward, meeting her father's gaze.
"Dad… I still don't want a Devil Fruit. I want to be a swordsman, just like you."
Charlotte was silent for a long moment… then nodded.
"I respect your decision."
He would never force his children to eat a Devil Fruit.
(Except Caesar — but that was because his talents would've been wasted otherwise.)
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To be continued…
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