Even though the Straw Hat Pirates set out half a day before Charles, there was no way they could make up for the speed gap with Zhongming.
When Zhongming carried the two of them to Mock Town, the Going Merry wasn't docked at the harbor.
Looking at the Log Pose stubbornly pointing upward, Charles couldn't help showing an interested expression.
The reason you can only sail by relying on a Log Pose or an Eternal Pose on the sea is that the Grand Line's magnetic fields are chaotic.
According to the official explanation, this phenomenon is caused by magnetic ores present on every island along the Grand Line.
Each island functions like a giant magnet, and the layered magnetic fields they emit ultimately create the Grand Line's uniquely complex magnetism.
That raised a question for Charles. As everyone knows, Jaya Island, where Mock Town is located, exists only in part.
The original Jaya looked like a skull. But during a Knock Up Stream, one of the Grand Line's unique meteorological phenomena—a super-sized Knock Up Stream at that—the skull's "jaw" was sent to a Sky Island ten thousand meters above.
So here's the problem: with most of the island still below, why does the Log Pose point to the Sky Island?
Then again, the sea is full of unreasonable things. Charles wasn't a professional scholar, so he was just curious.
Zhongming landed at Mock Town's harbor, drawing a large crowd of onlookers. The looks they gave were anything but friendly.
Jaya Island is the location of the City of Gold from the famous tale "Noland the Liar."
For hundreds of years, no one has found any gold here, so the City of Gold is dismissed as a baseless fabrication.
In sharp contrast to the City of Gold's splendor, Jaya is now known only as a lawless zone overrun by thugs.
Gangs, bounty hunters, pirates…all sorts of scum gather in Mock Town, keeping the island choked in foul air year-round.
And the first thought that came to the people at the port when they saw Zhongming was the same as Crocodile's—"That thing must be worth a fortune."
Charles glanced at the eyes full of greed and snorted coldly.
Crocodile might have been disappointing, but he was still worth a special trip to Alabasta. What were these bottom-feeding scraps supposed to be?
Charles lifted his eyelids, and magic flared out.
The weaklings dropped with their eyes rolled back, and even those who held up under the pressure all showed pained expressions, looking utterly overwhelmed.
That made everyone viscerally understand that the man before them wasn't someone they could provoke at will.
People mixing in Mock Town don't even have dreams anymore, let alone any courage. More than making money, they want to keep their little lives.
Only after he felt the malice disappear did Charles withdraw his magic and recall Zhongming.
Stepping into Mock Town, Charles and Stella found the most eye-catching tavern on the street.
A Grand Line specialty and a Mock Town specialty—liquor and cherry pie—Charles wanted to try both.
Whether it was to highlight the difference between Luffy and Blackbeard or not, the two had completely opposite opinions on these two things.
Blackbeard thought the cherry pie was delicious but the booze was awful. Luffy loved booze, and though he was never picky about food, he had a strange hatred for cherry pie.
Even a Devil Fruit hadn't made Luffy say "this tastes awful" on the spot, so Charles was genuinely curious what that cherry pie was like.
The proprietor, who gave off a distinctly "Sebas" vibe, polished a glass as he curiously watched Charles.
With the World Economy News' reports, Charles had made a name for himself at sea.
"The mysterious powerhouse who defeated a Warlord" made for a great hook, but it also sparked most people's doubts.
Mock Town had a tradition of measuring strength by bounty amounts, and that was a view common across the seas.
Fame and strength aren't necessarily related, but in this world they're tied together.
For a previously unknown person like Charles to show up and defeat Crocodile made it hard to believe it was done with real skill.
The proprietor was curious what kind of person this trending figure was, who had ordered booze and cherry pie as soon as he came in.
"Not many people know our specialty here is cherry pie," the proprietor said. "First time here, but you seem to know your stuff!"
Charles smiled without answering and put the cherry pie into his mouth. How to put it—odd-tasting, but still edible. It didn't seem as bad as Luffy made it out to be.
Stella, who never turned down sweets, finished her share and immediately ordered another.
No fools came to make trouble in the tavern, likely because word of what had happened at the port had spread and kept them honest.
But Charles's peace didn't last long. After a while, raucous noise came from outside.
"It's the Hyena!"
"Bellamy's here!"
"Move it! You want to get killed?!"
…
The tavern doors swung open, and the already quiet tavern fell dead silent.
A burly man who fit Charles's stereotype of a small-time punk walked in and headed straight for Charles.
"Hey, you're the guy who beat Crocodile, right?"
Hearing a tone that was pure provocation, Charles couldn't help but sigh. He finally understood the saying "When you're famous, trouble follows."
Charles knew who this was: Bellamy the Hyena, a pirate who loved snatching away what others had worked hard for—hence the "Hyena" moniker.
Without even turning his head, Charles said, "I'm busy. Let me eat in peace, will you?"
Bellamy's mouth split in a grin, and the next moment he reached for the back of Charles's head, intending to shove his face into the plate.
But halfway there, Charles tapped a finger into the crook of his elbow. Bellamy's arm went numb, and he couldn't extend it any farther.
"Figures, a flunky of that sea thug Doflamingo," Charles sighed. "No more class than your boss."
Both Bellamy and Doflamingo had come from the North Blue to the Grand Line, so Bellamy had always idolized the now-famous Doflamingo and struggled hard to join his crew.
But Charles saying he was like his idol didn't make him happy, because Charles's tone was full of disdain and contempt.
His numbed arm hung limp, and Bellamy swung his other fist to smash Charles.
The next instant, everyone's vision blurred. When they focused again, Charles had Bellamy's head pressed into the floor.
"Hyenas should stick to scavenging carrion. Don't go provoking a dragon for no reason."
Charles stood and brushed the dust from his hands. "I didn't come here to deal with small fries like you."
Bellamy only fainted after hearing Charles's words. The fact that he was just a minor character would be his nightmare for a long time to come.
To be honest, the current Bellamy wasn't even worth a second glance from Charles.
There was a time Charles didn't understand why Luffy chose not to fight back when they crossed paths in the original story, but later he understood.
Luffy is a man with a clear goal, and his conflict with Bellamy was the clash between one who clings to dreams and one who has abandoned them.
Violence is never the way to resolve that conflict. Even if Luffy had beaten them up, it wouldn't make them reclaim their dreams.
On the contrary, Luffy showed everyone that no matter how badly he was beaten, he wouldn't give up on his dream. There was no question he won that fight!
And Bellamy, who couldn't even see that much, was just at the level of a small-time punk.
Having been hassled by a small-timer, Charles lost his appetite. He called to Stella—who hadn't spared Bellamy a glance—and the two of them left the tavern.
They'd had their little "experience," and now it was time to find Blackbeard. Better take care of him quickly—Stella had been looking forward to going to Sky Island for a long time.
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