One piece: Establishing a Pirate Family

Chapter 174: Short of Money

Charlotte encouraged the scientists to design their own blueprints and submit them for his approval. If he found them feasible, he would provide full support for their experiments.

This announcement caused a stir among the scientists.

For many of them, the biggest hurdle in their careers had always been funding. It was why they had joined the World Government in the first place—despite the risks and moral compromises. Now, under Charlotte's leadership, they were being offered the chance to pursue their own dreams without constraints.

This newfound freedom and support ignited their passion. They worked tirelessly, some even forgetting to eat or sleep as they poured their energy into projects they had long dreamed of but never had the resources to pursue.

Soon, they produced a vast array of blueprints, some practical and others purely theoretical.

Charlotte pored over the hundreds of submissions, his emotions a mix of frustration and excitement.

On one hand, the sheer volume of projects was overwhelming. On the other, many of the ideas were exactly what he wanted.

These forty-odd scientists were experts in their respective fields—biology, mechanics, electronics, chemistry, and more. Though none of them matched Vegapunk's genius, they were still far above average.

Charlotte couldn't help but feel fortunate. His decision to raid Punk Hazard had been a stroke of genius.

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But with great ambition came great expense.

The cost of supporting all these projects was astronomical. Charlotte couldn't help but wonder if his savings, including the fortune he had amassed from the Valley of the Gods, would last.

"I need more funds," Charlotte muttered. His thoughts drifted to the legendary treasure of Captain John, rumored to be massive enough to spark greed even in future generations.

"If I could intercept that treasure, it'd solve all my problems," Charlotte mused.

John, along with Ochoku and Silver Axe, had holed up in Rocks' old territory, Honeycomb Island. The three had clearly joined forces, making it difficult to approach them without stirring up trouble.

"Even if I manage to take the treasure, would Shiki or Whitebeard sit idly by and let me have it?" Charlotte sighed.

The treasure of Captain John was a tempting target, but claiming it would invite a storm of conflict from all sides.

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Leaving his musings behind, Charlotte visited the dock where his ship, the Poseidon, was being dismantled under Vinsmoke Judge's supervision.

"Judge, how's the design coming along?" Charlotte asked.

"Mr. Charlotte, I've developed a concept," Judge replied, holding up a blueprint. "We can replace wind power with electricity. The challenge is generating enough electricity to sustain the ship's operations. I propose using solar energy as a backup source to store power."

Charlotte's eyes lit up. Though he wasn't worried about electricity, thanks to the Thunder Fruit, he appreciated Judge's innovative thinking.

"Excellent. Build the ship, and you'll earn your freedom," Charlotte promised with a smile.

"Thank you, Mr. Charlotte," Judge replied, bowing slightly. However, as he lowered his head, a fleeting look of humiliation crossed his face—a detail Charlotte didn't catch.

Watching the Poseidon being dismantled piece by piece, Charlotte couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.

"Five years of work, gone in an instant," he muttered. "I can't bear to watch this any longer."

---

Charlotte returned to the camp, his mind racing with ideas to generate funds.

The New World offered few opportunities for honest profit, and most of the wealth here was controlled by powerful pirates like himself. But then an idea struck him.

"Why not sell something revolutionary?" Charlotte thought. "The kind of thing that can change the course of wars."

The more he considered it, the more excited he became.

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Back at the camp, Barrett and Caesar Clown were busy with a prototype submarine.

"Captain!" Barrett called out when he saw Charlotte approaching.

"What are you working on?" Charlotte asked, curious.

"We're developing a submarine, Captain. My Fusion Fruit solves the sealing issue, and Mr. Clown is handling the technical aspects," Barrett explained.

"Yes, yes! It's going to be groundbreaking!" Caesar added nervously.

Charlotte examined the prototype with interest.

"Good work. Keep me updated on your progress," he said, patting Caesar on the shoulder.

As he walked away, Charlotte's mind returned to his earlier idea.

"If I'm going to sell something, it has to be revolutionary, something people can't ignore. And what's more profitable than selling tools of war?"

Charlotte's heart began to race with anticipation.

To be continued...

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