Red-Haired Pirates!
Shanks gazed at the sky in astonishment, his thoughts drifting into a trance.
"Is that a pirate ship crafted from Treasure Adam?"
"Fate works in mysterious ways."
Shanks couldn't help but chuckle, reminiscing about his days as a member of Gol D. Roger's crew, even if only as an intern.
As a crew member of Roger's Pirates, he intimately knew every detail of the ship, and those moments held a special place in his heart. Roger's pirate ship was constructed from Adam, the legendary Treasure Tree!
This material, with its unimaginable toughness, had allowed them to navigate through countless perils during their adventures.
The craftsman who built Roger's pirate ship was none other than Franky's master. Now, as his disciple, Franky had replicated the feat with the same material, creating a pirate ship of remarkable strength.
Moreover, Shanks himself had passed on the iconic straw hat, a symbol of Roger's legacy, to Luffy. Luffy's determination and bond with his crew mirrored Roger's, creating an uncanny connection between the two generations.
All these coincidences converged, making Shanks feel that it was all destined—a fate that intertwined their lives.
"Luffy, destined to inherit Roger's will."
A content smile played on Shanks' lips. "Luffy, is it your dream to find One Piece?"
"I'll be watching closely. Don't forget the promise we made."
...Water 7!
From the shadows, Franky watched the scene unfold, his emotions stirred.
Now he understood why, despite his initial disdain for pirates, he willingly joined the Straw Hat crew. It was the deep camaraderie of the crew that had touched him.
Witnessing their love for their ship and the selfless devotion of Merry, he realized that his master's dream—building a ship for Gol D. Roger—had come full circle.
Unlike his master, however, Franky chose not to remain in Water 7, opting to travel the seas on the ship he himself had built.
"My dream ship..."
"The Thousand Sunny?"
"What a fitting name!"
Franky muttered, a reassuring smile gracing his face. Little did he expect that the childhood designs he had sketched would find purpose when the Straw Hats arrived.
It seemed like fate had destined him to step onto the pirate ship and become their ally.
In his euphoria, Franky was interrupted by a subordinate.
"Boss, CP9 is on our tail! They're turning Water 7 upside down to find us!"
"They've discovered dozens of our hiding spots, and even members of the Galley-La Company and the shipbuilding company have been captured!"
Upon hearing this, Franky snapped to attention.
"What!?"
Having seen all the images, any misunderstandings about his senior brother had dissolved. Now, the only thing unresolved was the chance for a reunion. Learning that his actions had implicated his comrades and the entire shipbuilding company left him anxious.
"Damn it, to apprehend innocent people..."
Franky's face contorted with anger as he realized the trap set by CP9.
"All because they're after those Pluto drawings on our bodies! But am I just going to let them have their way like this?"
Yet, staying hidden could mean real danger for his senior and junior brothers at the hands of the ruthless CP9.
In deep contemplation, Franky grappled with conflicting thoughts.
[The Enies Lobby arc concludes, and the bounties following the Straw Hat incident are now revealed!]
[Enies Lobby, representing the world government's judgment, suffered a severe blow when the Straw Hats forcibly infiltrated, defeated CP9, and annihilated the island. This deeply scarred the reputation of the Marine Headquarters and the World Government!]
[Consequently, the Straw Hats has become a prime target, resulting in a significant surge in bounties for all crew members!]
[Captain: Luffy, bounty... 300 million Berries!]
[Combatant: Zoro, bounty... 120 million Berries!]
[Historian: Nico Robin, bounty... 80 million Berries!]
[Chef: Sanji, bounty... 77 million Berries!]
[Sniper: Usopp, bounty... 30 million Berries!]
[Navigator: Nami, bounty... 16 million Berries!]
[Shipwright: Franky, bounty... 40 million Berries!]
[Ship doctor: Chopper, bounty still remains... 50 Berries!]
With the bounties announced, the world once again trembled.
The staggering bounty of 300 million for Luffy wasn't the only surprise.
The audience knew that after Enies Lobby came the Moria arc, and despite defeating Moria, the world government kept their bounty increase under wraps for the sake of their reputation.
With Luffy's 300 million, Zoro's 120 million, and the rest totaling 7,800, it was expected, if not exactly welcomed.
The real shocker was the tens of millions bestowed upon the remaining crew members!
Except for the ship doctor, Chopper, whose bounty remained at 50 Berries, the others received substantial increases.
People were bewildered—did the Marine consider Chopper as part of the Straw Hat Pirates, or perhaps a beloved pet or mascot?
Surely, in any town, they could find a dog with sharper teeth and a sturdier body, and it would be worth more than 50 Berries!
Was this bounty some sort of joke?
Everyone had witnessed Chopper's terrifying transformation after consuming three Rumble Balls, turning into a monstrous force that even had CP9 members on the verge of defeat.
If not for the time limit in that form, Chopper alone could likely take down everyone, except maybe Lucci.
Moreover, even in his regular form, after consuming the Blue Ball, Chopper's combat power isn't weak. So, why is his bounty so low!?
Everyone was puzzled, feeling as if the World Government's bounty assessment was some kind of joke.
Meanwhile, at the Marine headquarters!
Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the three Admirals, including Admiral Aokiji, had extremely serious expressions. Their thoughts were complicated at this moment.
One reason was the destruction of Enies Lobby, and the other was because of Chopper.
They couldn't comprehend why a pirate with such a high level of threat had a bounty of only 50.
Even though he's clearly a reindeer who gained the ability to speak human language after eating a Devil Fruit, shouldn't they add a few more zeroes to his bounty?
"How did the bureaucrats come up with these bounties? It's truly absurd!"
"We should really give them a good beating when we have the chance!"
Sengoku expressed his frustration.
At this point, Admiral Akainu, who had been silent for a while, spoke up.
"Marshal, I believe it's time to take action against the Straw Hat kid."
His words immediately grabbed everyone's attention.
Admiral Kizaru, Vice Admiral Garp, Admiral Aokiji, and Seven Warlords—all eyes turned to Fleet Admiral Sengoku, who remained silent with a furrowed brow.
In contrast, Akainu, with a stern expression, continued, "The threat posed by the Straw Hat kid is too significant, and the entire Straw Hat Pirate crew poses a serious threat."
"The incidents in the Thriller Bark and the Sky Island were overlooked as they didn't compromise maritime security. However, the Enies Lobby incident is different."
"They annihilated the entire island, challenging the authority of the World Government."
"A group of pirates like this already poses an unimaginable threat to the seas and the world."
"Therefore, we must deal with them swiftly."
Upon hearing this, Garp was furious. He pointed directly at Akainu and retorted, "Sakazuki, don't spout nonsense! The destruction of Enies Lobby was caused by that fool Spandam using the Buster Call!"
"This is not about my grandson! You need to find him. Stop blaming everything on Luffy!"
Aokiji: *sigh*
He somehow got implicated.
However, it's true that Spandam had the Golden Den Den Mushi capable of activating the Buster Call.
Thinking of this, Admiral Aokiji couldn't help but feel frustrated.
Why did this have to happen?
Akainu maintained his cold demeanor, "Even if the destruction of Enies Lobby wasn't caused by them, they were also involved parties. Moreover, stepping onto Enies Lobby is a violation of the World Government's authority."
"Vice-Admiral Garp, whether you agree or not, your grandson has become a pirate with significant threats."
"Such a presence leaves us no choice but to eliminate it."
Garp was genuinely furious!
Whatever Akainu said, he was essentially suggesting killing Luffy... Unforgivable!
"Sakazuki, if you dare to make a move!..."
"I dare to face you!"
A terrifying aura emanated from Garp's body.
Akainu, too, didn't back down, and red magma surrounded him. For a moment, the entire conference room was tense, the atmosphere on the brink.
It seemed like a fight could erupt at any moment, making everyone in the room nervous.
**********
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