It is common knowledge that there are three types of Haki in the world of pirates: Observation Haki, Armament Haki, and Conqueror's Haki.
The first two can be mastered and refined through training and discipline.
In the New World, while Observation and Armament Haki aren't exactly dime-a-dozen, those capable of using them are certainly not few in number.
But Conqueror's Haki is different.
You are either born with it, or you aren't. It cannot be acquired later in life.
In the entirety of the pirating world, those capable of wielding Conqueror's Haki are as rare as phoenix feathers.
Every single wielder is a renowned figure in the New World.
The future Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the Emperor of the Sea "Hundred Beast" Kaido, "Red Hair" Shanks, "Dark King" Rayleigh, and the original Child of Destiny known for his endless resilience, Luffy—all of them possess Conqueror's Haki.
They represent the apex powerhouses of the sea.
Even those slightly weaker in comparison, like the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock and the "Heavenly Yaksha" Doflamingo, are warlords who dominate their respective domains with absolute authority.
Naturally, for Reno, the third mission held the most appeal.
The moment he mastered Conqueror's Haki, he would officially step into the ranks of the strong.
"System, select the third mission!" Reno commanded in his thoughts.
To him, this was merely killing two birds with one stone.
Even if the System hadn't assigned him this task, he would have set sail to recruit talented individuals and build his own powerful force anyway.
The Karst Kingdom was merely a mid-sized nation; its strongest fighter was only at the level of a Marine Vice Admiral.
Individuals with genuine talent for cultivation were few and far between.
Therefore, this voyage was imperative!
[Congratulations Host! Mission Accepted!]
If Roge was rated as having A-Rank aptitude, then anyone with S-Rank aptitude or higher was destined to become a top-tier powerhouse of the seas.
For a moment, several figures flashed through Reno's mind.
However, he quickly ruled most of them out. They were either already older than ten or belonged to enemy factions.
He couldn't take that risk.
Finally, his mind settled on one specific figure.
Thinking of her, Reno couldn't help but smile knowingly.
Both her age and her aptitude were a perfect match.
Especially her aptitude—in the entire world of One Piece, there was likely no one who could surpass her!
If even she couldn't reach S-Rank, then no one else could.
That person was Charlotte Linlin!
Better known as Big Mom!
The future Emperor of the Sea! The sole ruler of Totto Land! A born destroyer and a true monster!
At five years old, Charlotte Linlin could kill a bear with a single punch. Trying to help a giant swat a mosquito, she slapped him hard enough to break his ribs.
She possessed the "Iron Balloon" talent. Blades that struck her skin wouldn't leave a scratch; instead, the weapons themselves would shatter.
She single-handedly brought ruin to Elbaf. Mother Carmel had no choice but to whisk her away from the land of giants.
At age six, after Carmel's mysterious death, Linlin accidentally acquired the Soul-Soul Fruit. Under the manipulation of Streusen, she formed a pirate crew and officially set sail.
By age ten, her bounty had already reached 500 million Berries!
Note that this wasn't the inflated bounty era of Luffy; this was the era of Rocks. In these times, a pirate with a bounty over 100 million was already considered a big shot.
In terms of raw talent within the One Piece world, Charlotte Linlin was truly in a league of her own. No one stood shoulder to shoulder with her.
The reason she didn't become the absolute strongest in the world later on was largely due to Streusen.
Linlin had been led astray by that man.
After gaining some fame on the seas, instead of honing her god-tier talent through rigorous training, she focused most of her energy on bearing children, aiming to build a pirate crew bound entirely by blood.
This arduous task began when she was seventeen and continued until she was sixty-eight.
For fifty-one years, if she wasn't giving birth, she was eating sweets while waiting to give birth.
She completely neglected her cultivation and coasted through life.
Yet, even with such neglect, she relied on her freakish natural talent to become one of the four great pirates dominating the New World.
"Heh... Not training for decades and still sitting firmly as an Emperor. That talent is terrifying."
"If I start training her from childhood, just how strong will she become?!"
The thought made Reno increasingly eager.
If his memory served him right, this year was exactly when Charlotte Linlin was abandoned.
Finding her wouldn't be difficult. The original story stated that her parents abandoned her on Elbaf, where she was taken in by Mother Carmel.
Regardless of whether she had been abandoned yet, Elbaf was where she was destined to be.
The only person Reno was wary of was Mother Carmel, nicknamed the "Mountain Witch."
To the outside world, she was a kind nun who loved children and cared for them deeply. She even established an orphanage called the "House of Lambs" for homeless kids.
In reality, Carmel was a child trafficker who had long collaborated with the World Government.
She sold children to the Government for profit. They would take the talented ones, brainwash them, and turn them into killing machines. As for those with mediocre talent, they were left to fend for themselves.
"A Soul-Soul Fruit user, huh?"
Reno narrowed his eyes instinctively, a dangerous glint flashing within them.
The original story never specified Carmel's combat strength, so Reno wasn't sure how well she had developed the fruit's powers. He only knew she had a soul homie named Pandora.
Although Pandora was usually just used to light her cigarettes, it likely possessed offensive capabilities that he needed to guard against.
But since Reno had set his sights on her target, Carmel's fate was already sealed.
"Roge, how long will it take to get to Elbaf from here?" Reno asked without turning his head.