One Piece Gunslinger

As a bright red spray of blood spurted out, Charlie cried out in pain. Andrew, who was locked in combat with Haku, was also momentarily stunned upon hearing the sound.

Haku seized the opening, assumed a lunge stance, and then delivered a powerful punch forward.

"Hah!" Haku shouted as he threw a punch, "Four thousand tiles straight punch!"

Andrew hurriedly parried with his steel knife, but due to that momentary lapse in concentration, he failed to block the punch. The solid punch passed between Andrew's hands and slammed into his chest, sending him flying.

Haku shouted at Andrew, who was lying on the ground, "Being distracted during a duel is not a good thing."

That's what he said, but Haku himself also understood that during the few days he spent with Li Ang in this phase, he had gradually come to regard him as an important partner. If Li Ang were to let out a cry of pain, he would probably be distracted as well.

Andrew, who was lying on the beach in the distance, struggled to his feet, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and continued to raise his long sword: "That's true. Being distracted in a duel is not the behavior of a samurai."

However, Li Ang didn't care about what was happening on the other side. After the first shot hit Charlie's shoulder, that mysterious feeling disappeared.

Moreover, the situation just now had some aftereffects; Li Ang even felt a little dizzy. He frowned and massaged his temples, seemingly trying to relieve his symptoms.

Charlie got up from the ground and covered his wound with his hand. By then, he had canceled the effects of the speed-up fruit on himself.

After all, speed-up has its advantages and disadvantages, just like the shipwright's experience. If Charlie continues to use the Speed-Up Fruit while his shoulder is injured, the bleeding rate will increase tenfold. Without Leon's intervention, Charlie could bleed into shock on his own.

Charlie looked at Li Ang, who was rubbing his temples, and laughed bitterly, "Heh, your gaze just now, the sudden aim of the gun, and your current state... I hate to admit it, but you must have awakened a legendary ability back then, you were domineering."

Li Ang lowered his hands and pondered, "Domineering? That's all there is to it. That move just now was truly indescribable. A target that would normally be difficult to aim at was as easy as aiming at a stationary target."

"As expected, it's Haki. I thought I could escape this time." Charlie said with a wry smile, "I didn't expect you to be able to comprehend the ability of Observation Haki in this critical moment. It seems that I am really destined to die here."

"Fate?" Li Ang asked loudly, "Fate may determine many things, but it can never determine everything about you. Until just now, weren't you trying your best to resist? Weren't you racing against time to master the Devil Fruit's abilities?"

Charlie retorted loudly, "But didn't all my efforts ultimately prove meaningless? I used the time I spent talking to you to gradually familiarize myself with the fruit's abilities, and I almost defeated you. But what good did that do? You still used Haki at the last second, doesn't that prove the cruelty of fate?"

Upon hearing this, Li Ang roared, "So this proves that your determination to defy fate is not as strong as mine!"

"??!"

Seeing the shocked expression on Charlie's pale face, Li Ang continued, "What bullshit fate? For you, fate is to kill you, and for me, it is the same."

"I just happened to discover your secret passage, and I just happened to use it to escape. For you, you were caught by pursuers and your life was in imminent danger. But conversely, for me, I also just happened to be in danger because of this, watching our duel, watching the two fighting on the shore. Fate is always intertwined!"

Charlie was so shocked by Leon's words that he was speechless.

"If you've already resigned yourself to your fate, then what are you struggling for? What's the point of fighting me? Why don't you just surrender already?" Li Ang pressed aggressively, continuing to interrogate Charlie.

"But you still want to struggle, don't you? You still want to defy fate, don't you? So what if you fail in the end? Although resistance may fail, if you don't try, you will definitely fail!" These words were not only spoken to Charlie, but also to Li Ang himself.

Compared to the World Government, Leon and the other revolutionaries are worlds apart. Even now, the World Government barely notices this insignificant revolutionary army.

Doesn't Dragon know the power of the World Government? Don't the other Revolutionary Army warriors understand what kind of enemy they are facing?

No! Everyone knew perfectly well, more so than anyone else, the World Government's power. Under the World Government's shadow, the Revolutionary Army dared only cower in a hidden location, secretly eroding the World Government's power bit by bit. The Revolutionary Army's actions were like walking on thin ice; the slightest misstep would send them plummeting into an abyss.

But so what? The Revolutionary Army did not succumb to the power of the World Government. Even if the Revolutionary Army was eventually wiped out by the powerful Navy, they had no complaints.

Only if someone resists can the World Government and the Celestial Dragons be overthrown. If there's no will to resist, then the Celestial Dragons and the World Government will not disappear until the end of the world.

Finally, facing Charlie, Li Ang clenched his right fist and punched the sky hard, saying, "So, those who keep talking about fate but don't fight against it are just prisoners of fate. Those who dare to break free from fate are the true heroes. Even if they fail in the end, such people can still stand on the earth and shout to the sky, 'My life has been without regrets.'"

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Monster of Darkness

Charlie burst into laughter after hearing what Li Ang said.

"So this is what fate is all about? So everything I did was just to sit more comfortably in that cage? Hahahaha, hahahahaha!"

As he spoke, Charlie stopped covering his wound and let the blood flow out.

“Dear Li Ang, if only we could have known each other for five years, then you could have woken me from my madness. But now, it’s too late. Not to mention the many sins I’ve already committed, even with my current pride, I would never surrender to you.”

Charlie steadied himself. From Leon's perspective, the wound on his shoulder was bleeding rapidly, almost frighteningly so. Presumably, Charlie had disregarded his injury and forcibly used his ability again.

"Charlie, can you still use your abilities?" Leon asked.

"No need for words, Leon! Take this!" Charlie shouted. "Bear this final blow from this dying man, and then, with my obsession, shatter that damned fate!"

After saying that, Charlie rushed towards Leon.

Li Ang, of course, was not to be outdone: "Bring it on, Charlie! Even if you don't, I'm thinking the same thing!"

With Li Ang's words, he once again entered that mystical state, and now every movement of Charlie was clearly visible in Li Ang's eyes.

Although Charlie had used the fruit, his injuries and the loss of a lot of blood still made him stagger. His once-luxurious clothes were now tattered, and half of them were stained red with blood. Some blood even dripped down his sleeves, forming a bright red spot on the small bed.

He raised his uninjured arm, no longer bothering to dodge bullets, and ran straight towards Li Ang with all his might.

"Look at that pathetic sight, charging in without any strategy, and that smile on his face, he looks like a complete fool, Charlie," Leon muttered to himself, then raised his pistol. "But I don't dislike you, you idiot."

Li Ang gently pulled the trigger, silently saying in his heart, "Goodbye, Charlie."

"boom!"

It was as if the whole world had fallen silent, except for this one loud noise that echoed in the sky.

With the sound of the gunshot, a bloody hole the size of a thumb appeared on Charlie's forehead.

With Charlie's death, the effects of his Devil Fruit were lost. Charlie's body fell heavily onto the ship, a slight smile still lingering on his face.

After seeing Charlie fall, Li Ang's vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Intense pain swept through Li Ang's brain. "Damn, I just awakened my Haki, and to use it twice in a row like this is really uncomfortable." Although Li Ang was enduring the pain, there was no trace of suffering on his face, only a faint smile.

The moment Charlie reactivated his abilities and charged toward Leon, Haku and Andrew had already stopped fighting in perfect unison and looked toward the two on the small boat.

Watching Charlie's final performance, Haku wanted to say something, but it all turned into a sigh. He then turned to Andrew and said, "Andrew, your Majesty is now also..."

Andrew interrupted, "No need to say more, I saw it a long time ago. His Majesty saved my life, and I swore that I would follow him wherever he went."

"Come on!" Andrew raised his long sword and shouted, "Striking Water Flow, Maeda Tokimune, reporting for duty!"

Haku also assumed a fighting stance and roared, "Fishman Karate, Haku!"

"Strike the flowing water, cleave the waterfall!"

"Four thousand, Wa Zhengquan!"

……

"Wow, that's amazing! So Andrew's real name was Maeda Tokimune!"

After Kerr pestered Leon to tell her what happened afterward, her eyes sparkled even more, and she looked at Leon and Haku with adoration.

“But, but then?” Kerr asked, “Why did Charlie end up like that? He was clearly capable of governing the country well.”

“Sigh.” Li Ang sighed when he heard Kelra say this. “Because he is too smart. So smart that he has seen through some of the true nature of this world, but he does not have the corresponding mind and strength, which led to this tragedy.”

"Too smart? Isn't being smart a good thing?" Kella asked doubtfully.

Leon didn't answer Klar's question directly. Instead, he thought of two other figures: the future Admiral Fujitora Issho, and the founder of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon.

Fujitora Issho chose to close his eyes because he saw too much darkness and evil in the world. This behavior is akin to an ostrich mentality—does something cease to exist just because you can't see it? Even if you can't see it, evil still exists in the world.

After discovering these things, Charlie lost his mind, frantically wanting to amass a fortune and then find a place to live a life of debauchery, no longer caring about worldly affairs. Faced with an overwhelmingly powerful monster, Charlie's spirit simply collapsed.

As for Monkey D. Dragon, the founder of the Revolutionary Army, he also saw the darkness of the world and this terrifying monster, but he did not choose to escape or turn a blind eye. Instead, he chose the most difficult path: to assemble the Revolutionary Army and gather like-minded people from all over the world to fight against the Celestial Dragons.

“This question might still be too terrifying for you.” Leon stared at young Kerr. “If you hear it, you might change your personality like Charlie. Do you still want to hear it?”

Seeing the two suddenly become very serious, Kerr released her grip on Li Ang's sleeve, clasped her hands together, and lowered her head in silence.

Looking at the silent Kra, Li Ang nodded and said, "Choosing not to listen now is the right thing to do. I'll wait until you're an adult..."

“No, Professor Li Ang, I want to know, I want to understand the deepest darkness in this world.” Kerr’s eyes hardened, interrupting Li Ang.

Upon hearing this, Li Ang asked again, "Are you really sure? Are you really sure you know about the greatest darkness that shrouds the world?"

“Yes, teacher, I’ve made up my mind. No matter how terrible the truth is, I will remember it firmly and turn it into motivation to move forward.” Kera had never been so determined.

“And what about you, Haku?” Leon asked. “Would you like to come and see this monster with us, or retreat outside the captain’s cabin and wait until we’ve finished talking?”

“Haha,” Haku laughed, “Is there anything that I, an old man, cannot understand? You underestimate my intelligence. How could I be less intelligent than a little girl?”

“Sigh.” Li Ang sighed again. “Since you all want to know, then come over a bit and let me explain slowly.”

Chapter Twenty-Three: Charlie's Childhood

"After we buried the two of them at sea, we returned to the kingdom, where I finally determined the reason why Charlie became like this and the changes he had experienced, through the preserved materials and the diary that Charlie carried in his luggage."

Leon lay back in his chair and let out a long sigh. “This story probably goes back to many years ago, before Charles became king.”

Charlie actually has two older brothers, but because Charlie is still too young, the succession to the throne has always been a struggle between the two brothers.

Although Charlie displayed exceptional intelligence from a young age, he had no ambition for power and only wanted to enjoy traveling and having fun. Many children in the city even joined him in mischief, and Charlie was known among the people as the most approachable prince.

At the time, Charlie thought being king was incredibly restrictive, with so many affairs to handle every day. He didn't even want to read the newspapers his father gave him, let alone deal with domestic politics. He figured his brothers could handle those troublesome matters; he preferred to be a carefree little prince.

Andrew, or rather Maeda Tokimune, was rescued by Charlie while he was playing pirate games with other children on the beach.

Charlie carried Maeda Tokimune, who had drifted ashore, back to the palace. The palace staff, noticing Tokimune's strange attire and the long sword hanging at his waist, wondered where he had come from—perhaps a shipwrecked pirate. They urged Charlie to throw him back ashore and let him fend for himself.

When Charles's father, the former king, learned of this, he immediately ordered Charles to get rid of the man. This was an extremely critical period, and no changes could be tolerated.

Charlie was struck dumb by these words. His usually gentle, kind, and compassionate father, who treated everyone like his own children, had actually uttered such a statement. Was this crucial period really that important?

Subsequently, if Charlie hadn't used his wisdom to argue logically and persuasively, citing numerous historical examples and explaining many profound truths to convince his father to allow the doctor to treat Maeda Tokimune, then Andrew, Charlie's future captain of the bodyguard, would not exist.

So Maeda Tokimune was absolutely right when he said that Charlie saved his life.

Although Maeda Tokimune received medical treatment, Charlie's lingering doubts remained unresolved: why his usually gentle and kind father had become so strange during this so-called special moment.

Charlie found his two older brothers and, in conversations with them, realized that they understood what had happened, but were unwilling to tell him.

A few days later, his father told Charlie that he was growing up and that he should not wander off the next day. Instead, he should put on royal clothes early in the morning and go with him to greet the navy.

Charlie didn't understand why the navy came here every day, nor did he understand why he had to greet them. But since his father had given the order, Charlie had no choice but to do as he was told.

Charlie, along with his father and two brothers, came to the shore to greet them, and even set up an honor guard to make it look like a warm welcome to the navy.

Charlie had seen navies before, but he had never seen anything like this. More than ten naval warships were neatly arranged and moored along the shore, each equipped with a dense array of cannons. Countless naval soldiers disembarked one after another and lined up in formation.

In contrast to Shi Yingguo's enthusiasm, the leading naval officer treated the group with indifference, looking at the welcoming entourage and the smiling crowd, and asked casually, "Are the supplies ready?"

"Ready, all set."

"Since you're going to show this off, just take us to move it. We're in a hurry."

"Alright, alright, please follow me, soldiers."