Chapter 547: The Impact of the Warlords (Part 1)
This scene left Mihawk and Crocodile utterly dumbfounded. Some of the other commanders' jaws dropped in astonishment.
Seeing the effect he had on the crowd, Buggy breathed a sigh of relief, the cold sweat on his back finally drying.
"Star Clown!"
"Star Clown!"
"Star Clown!"
With roar after roar of adulation, the entire Buggy Pirates crew accepted the title of Warlord of the Sea, and the moniker the World Government had bestowed upon their captain.
Buggy the Star Clown, Warlord of the Sea, was officially online.
Listening to the cheers around him, Buggy's mouth twisted into a wide, crooked grin.
"Men, let's have a feast!" he shouted to his crew. Starting a party at the drop of a hat was something Buggy had learned from Captain Roger.
"YEAH!" countless voices roared in celebration.
And just like that, the crisis of trust was resolved. Buggy had dispelled all the dissatisfaction in their hearts and put their concerns to rest.
The news of Buggy becoming a Warlord continued to spread, traveling from the Grand Line to the Four Blues, and eventually reaching the ears of those in the New World.
On Camelot Island, Charlotte held a newspaper, staring at the information on it.
"Damn it, that Buggy actually became the first Warlord of the Sea? Has history been completely rewritten? Does my foreknowledge still give me any advantage?"
If anyone was shocked by Buggy becoming a Warlord, it was Charlotte. The entire reason he, with no system to aid him, had been able to build the colossal Rockefeller Pirates with just a single sword was his knowledge of the future. At every critical juncture, Charlotte had always been able to choose the most advantageous path. Whether it was during the Rocks era, the age of legendary pirates, or the current Great Pirate Era, Charlotte had always managed to be on the right side of history's turning points. This was what had given the Rockefeller Pirates their slippery, elusive reputation in their early days. Any power that tried to target them would find that at the critical moment, the Rockefeller Pirates were always just out of their reach.
By the time the world realized it, the Rockefeller Pirates had already grown into a behemoth.
"Father, is there something wrong with this Buggy Pirates?" Klein asked, seeing the astonished look on his father's face. His older brothers and sisters were all out on missions, leaving only the younger children at home to keep their father company.
"It's nothing. I'm just a little surprised that a member of the Roger Pirates would join the World Government," Charlotte lied casually.
But it was true. The Buggy Pirates had roamed the Four Seas and the Grand Line for years, riding on the fame of their captain's former identity. Everyone was shocked by Buggy's choice. After all, you were a crewmate of the Pirate King! A pirate as authentic as they come. One could only imagine the impact of the Buggy Pirates becoming dogs of the World Government.
"Hmph. A pirate siding with the World Government. I am ashamed to be associated with such a person," Simon said, looking at the picture in the newspaper.
Charlotte looked at the expressions on his children's faces and smiled faintly.
"Alright, it was his choice. Everyone has the right to choose their own destiny. Pay him no mind. As long as he doesn't come to the New World, let him wreak havoc in the Four Seas. Let the World Government deal with the headache. Legal plunder, heheh!" Charlotte chuckled meaningfully.
He knew exactly what the Seven Warlords of the Sea were. A group of treacherous individuals with their own agendas; how could they ever be on the same side as the World Government? The Warlords existed solely to keep the growing number of pirates in check. If the pirates were ever wiped out, the next to go would be the Warlords themselves. When the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is boiled for stew. Anyone with a bit of intelligence could see what the Warlord system was all about.
With that thought, Charlotte put the matter out of his mind. He picked up his newborn child. In the past three years, Charlotte had had three more children. He was going further and further down the path of a breeding hog.
The three new children were:
Rockefeller David, born on September 23, 1502. The twentieth son of the Rockefeller family. His mother was the chief secretary, Susan.
Rockefeller Walker, born on November 9, 1502. The twenty-first son of the Rockefeller family. His mother was the maid, Salina.
Rockefeller Dillon, born on January 19, 1503. The twenty-second son of the Rockefeller family. His mother was the maid, Jennifer.
With the birth of these three, the Rockefeller family now totaled thirty-six members: twenty-two sons and fourteen daughters. This was the result of Charlotte's nearly thirty years in this world.
Charlotte held his youngest son, Dillon, rocking him gently. He watched his other children frolicking in pairs and glanced at his many women by his side.
Thirty-six is enough, he thought to himself. No more after this.
Elena and the other women seemed to sense his thoughts and looked over at the pensive Charlotte. They exchanged glances and smiled. It was a rare moment of warmth that all the women cherished. They knew what their man was capable of. He controlled nearly a third of the New World. His days were spent either fighting or on the way to a fight. They were terrified that one day they would suddenly lose their husband and their children. But fear was useless. This was not a world where you could hide from danger. The only way was to face the crises head-on. Strength was, and always would be, the greatest guarantee.
In contrast to the relaxed atmosphere of the Rockefeller Pirates after the war, the Whitebeard Pirates were much more subdued.
After the war ended, they returned to their home base. The war had truly changed people. All those who had survived the battle were no longer clamoring to rule the New World. Their hot tempers had cooled, they had become calm and reasonable, and they had even started training on their own initiative. These were all things that would have been impossible to see among the Whitebeard Pirates before the war.
All of this unfolded before Marco's eyes. It all felt so surreal.
"Pops, this is the latest news. The World Government has created a 'Seven Warlords of the Sea' system to keep us in check," Marco said, handing the newspaper to Whitebeard.
Whitebeard sat in his usual chair and reached out to take the paper.
"The Buggy Pirates... that red-nosed brat who used to be with Roger, right? To think he's grown to this extent in the blink of an eye," Whitebeard murmured, reading the description of Buggy's crew.
Buggy the Star Clown, Captain. Vice-captains: "Hawkeye" Dracule Mihawk and Crocodile. Dozens of commanders. Over thirty thousand crewmen under his command.
They were truly a force to be reckoned with.
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