Author: Xiao Yifeng
Translator: PapaSmurf0700
In actuality, Sanji wasn't the only one on the crew who lacked a strong desire for power. Luffy aspired to become the Pirate King, and Zoro aimed to be the greatest swordsman in the world. However, for the rest of the crew, a deep-seated need for strength wouldn't truly manifest until they witnessed the tragic events at Marineford, including the death of Luffy's brother. Reflecting on these circumstances, Bai Ye gained clarity on why there was such variance in the crew's progress and understood the underlying reasons.
In the subsequent days, Bai Ye playfully teased Sanji using Zoro as an example. This strategy seemed to work, as it motivated Sanji to dedicate himself more diligently to the training sessions. Ultimately, Sanji was able to awaken both Armament Haki and Observation Haki.
On the other hand, Bai Ye acknowledged that Nami and Usopp still had a long journey ahead in terms of their training and personal growth. Despite the challenges, their training under Bai Ye's guidance wasn't in vain; both of them experienced substantial improvement in their strength.
As time relentlessly marched forward, an unexpected visitor arrived on their ship one day: a bird with an unusual appearance. Luffy, ever the enthusiast for anything remotely resembling food, immediately exclaimed, "Meat!"
Thankfully, the crew intervened just in time, preventing Luffy from plucking the bird's feathers. Nami quickly explained, "This is a news bird! If you eat it, we won't receive newspapers anymore!" She punctuated her statement with a punch to Luffy, who apologized immediately.
With the situation defused, Bai Ye offered the news bird 200 Bellys as compensation for the trouble, which seemed to appease the bird. Taking the newspaper it delivered, Bai Ye eagerly scanned through the pages until he found what they had all been anticipating: the bounty orders issued for their capture.
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Cocoyasi Village:
In a state of urgency and with rapid footsteps, Genzo burst into the room, his hands tightly clutching a small stack of bounty orders. His face, marked with concern, told a story of unease and haste.
"Nojiko, something's not right here!" he exclaimed, his voice laced with anxiety.
Nojiko, upon hearing Genzo's distressed tone, immediately turned her attention towards him. Her eyes quickly fell upon the bounty orders in his grasp, and she couldn't help but notice a familiar face on one of the posters.
"Is that... Nami's bounty order?" she asked, her voice filled with disbelief as she recognized her sister's image.
Her eyes scanned the poster further, finally resting on the bounty amount listed. Shock and disbelief washed over her face as she read the figure aloud, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Nami has a bounty of 15 million Bellys? What on earth did she do to deserve this?" Nojiko questioned, her mind racing with thoughts and concerns for her sister.
The poster, now the center of attention, displayed a bold and unmistakable headline:
"Cat Burglar Nami: A bounty of 15 million Bellys is offered!"
-----
Syrup Village:
With a gentle and respectful knock on the door, Butler Merry approached Kaya, bearing news that he thought would capture her interest. In his hand, he carefully held a bounty order, its contents crucial and surprising.
"Miss Kaya, there's something here that I believe you would find quite intriguing," Merry said, extending the bounty order towards her with a subtle sense of urgency in his voice.
Kaya, intrigued and a bit puzzled, took the bounty order into her hands and quickly scanned the information. Her eyes widened slightly as she took in the details, and a hint of surprise laced her voice as she spoke.
"This is the first bounty ever set for him, isn't it? But why is the amount so substantial?" Kaya mused aloud, her mind buzzing with curiosity and astonishment.
However, her surprise soon melted into a warm, proud smile as she thought about the person in question. "Well, it's just like Usopp to achieve something so remarkable," she said, her smile reflecting her pride and affection.
Meanwhile, atop a hill in the village, Onion and his three companions excitedly gathered around, each holding copies of the same bounty order in their hands.
"Look at this, everyone! It's Captain Usopp's very own bounty order!" Onion exclaimed, his voice filled with awe and enthusiasm.
The group of friends couldn't contain their excitement as they took turns examining the bounty order, their voices loud and filled with disbelief and pride.
"Sniper Usopp: A bounty of 15 million Bellys is offered!" they read aloud together, their eyes shining with excitement.
-----
Sea Restaurant Baratie:
"Can you believe it? Sanji, of all people!"
In the bustling back kitchen of Baratie, Patty and his fellow chefs stood gathered around, their focus entirely on a single piece of paper in front of them—a bounty order. The air was thick with astonishment, so much so that they didn't even notice the head chef approaching from behind.
In hushed tones and wide-eyed wonder, they exchanged their thoughts. "Is Sanji really that strong?" Patty questioned, his voice laced with disbelief and awe.
Their whispered conversations, however, were abruptly cut short by a sharp, commanding voice. "What on earth are you all doing? There's cooking to be done!" Zeff barked, his presence now unmistakably felt by everyone in the room.
With a swift motion, he kicked, sending the chefs scrambling back to their duties. But as his eyes fell upon the bounty order that had captivated his staff, his stern demeanor softened, and a proud smile played on his lips.
"Hey, you lot!" Zeff called out, his voice now carrying a different tone. "Let's get this bounty order posted on the restaurant's front door!"
And there it was, for all to see:
"Black Leg Sanji: A bounty of 25 million Bellys is offered!"
-----
Shimotsuki Village, Isshin Dojo:
"Gather around, everyone, I have something to share," Shimotsuki Koushirou announced, addressing the eager group of young children before him, all of whom were diligently learning the art of swordsmanship under his guidance.
A small voice piped up from the crowd, filled with awe and curiosity, "Master, did Zoro really train here with you?"
Koushirou couldn't help but feel a touch of helplessness upon hearing this, realizing the impact of Zoro's reputation on these young minds. He looked at each of them and said gently, "Yes, Zoro was indeed my student for some time. I want you all to understand that while I can't promise to make masters out of you like Zoro, I will give it my all to teach you."
With a serious yet warm tone, he continued, "The path of Kendo is not a simple one; it requires dedication and hard work."
His eyes then dropped to the bounty order in the child's hand, and despite the situation, a proud smile graced his face. "It seems Zoro has held up his end of our agreement," he whispered to himself, filled with a sense of pride and accomplishment.
And there, for all the young aspiring swordsmen to see, was the confirmation of Zoro's achievements:
"Pirate Hunter Zoro: A bounty of 30 million Bellys is offered!!"
-----
Foosha Village:
In the cozy tavern owned by Makino, the atmosphere was abruptly stirred when a man burst through the doors, exclaiming with great excitement, "Hey, hey, everyone, take a look at what I've got here!"
Curiosity filled the air as the villagers gathered around, their eyes widening in surprise and disbelief as they recognized the familiar face on the paper. "This is Luffy's bounty poster, isn't it?" one of them exclaimed, while others started to chime in, sharing their own thoughts and astonishments.
"Can you believe this number? Is this some kind of joke?" a villager questioned, his voice filled with astonishment.
"Indeed! Could it be that our Luffy went ahead and destroyed an entire navy base?" another pondered aloud, sparking a murmur of speculation among the crowd.
The village chief, amidst the growing noise, expressed his concern, "I hope this doesn't bring the navy knocking on our doors, all thanks to that rambunctious Luffy."
"I've been saying it for years; that boy is nothing but trouble for us," another villager added, nodding in agreement.
Despite the mixed feelings and the cacophony of voices, the tavern's atmosphere shifted as, almost simultaneously, everyone raised their glasses high. "To Luffy, that incredible boy!" they cheered, united in their moment of celebration for the young adventurer.
The village chief, however, stood at the bar, his expression tinged with worry. "Luffy has really done it this time. How on earth am I going to explain this to Vice Admiral Garp when he returns?" he murmured to himself.
Sensing his concern, Makino approached with a comforting smile, handing him a glass of wine. "But just look at him," she gently pointed out, gesturing to Luffy's grinning face on the bounty poster. "He seems to be really happy."
There, for all to see, was Monkey D. Luffy, with a bounty of a staggering 60 million Bellys, smiling brightly as if he hadn't a care in the world.
Makino's eyes then drifted to another bounty poster in her hand. Observing the handsome face on it, she couldn't help but think to herself, "That Luffy, he seems to have found himself a pretty good partner." And with that thought, she smiled, finding reassurance in the knowledge that Luffy wasn't alone on his grand adventure.
-----
Back on board the Golden Merry ship, a wave of shock and disbelief washed over the crew as they laid eyes on the bounty order in their hands.
"Are you actually serious right now?" Usopp exclaimed, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. Beside him, Nami was equally flabbergasted, staring at the paper as if it held too many zeros to comprehend. "This bounty for Bai Ye... it has to be some sort of mistake," she stammered, unable to make sense of the astronomical figure.
Meanwhile, Luffy couldn't contain his laughter, clapping his hands together in amusement. "Wow, Bai Ye is truly something else!" he exclaimed with genuine awe.
Sanji, however, was quick to point out a detail that seemed to have slipped everyone's mind. "Hey Luffy, you do realize that Bai Ye's bounty is even higher than yours, right? And you're our captain!"
Luffy, undeterred and brimming with confidence, simply grinned and replied, "Don't sweat it. Bai Ye is one of us, a part of my crew. I'll just have to work harder and surpass him soon!"
On the sidelines, Zoro scrutinized Bai Ye's bounty, comparing it to his own. A determined glint in his eye, he silently vowed to intensify his training regimen.
Bai Ye himself, however, was at a loss for words, his feelings a mix of amusement and irritation as he studied his own bounty poster. "Is this Sengoku's doing? Is he holding a grudge or something?" he wondered aloud, half-amused and half-annoyed. "The admiral of the navy, being petty? It couldn't be because of that skirmish with Hawkeye, could it? Sengoku should be clever enough to figure out what really happened there."
He had anticipated that his actions might raise his bounty a bit—maybe by 5 to 10 million more than Luffy's. But to be the catalyst that propelled the Straw Hat Pirates' collective bounty to a whole new level? That was beyond his wildest imaginations.
With a rueful smile, he read aloud his own bounty, "Priest Bai Ye: A bounty of 100 million Bellys is offered!"
He paused, then added with a mix of pride and disbelief, "And that brings the total bounty on the Straw Hats to a whopping 245 million Bellys!"