Ochoku raised an eyebrow as he scanned the freshly delivered bounty posters. One in particular caught his attention.
"Huh, looks like Kaito's on Marine's radar now. They've raised his bounty quite a bit," he remarked, holding up the new poster.
"A bounty?" Golden Lion noticed the paper in Ochoku's hands and snatched it away with a sly grin. "What's it say?"
"Hey, give that back, Shiki!" Ochoku growled.
But Golden Lion paid him no mind, examining the bounty poster carefully. His eyes widened in surprise.
"Kaito's bounty... it jumped to 450 million berries?!"
Previously, Kaito's bounty had been a mere 100 million. But now, after his clash with Garp, it had skyrocketed.
"For a newcomer, that's one hell of an increase," Whitebeard commented as he approached, his towering figure casting a shadow over the two.
"This kid must've really made an impression on the Marines," he added, his deep voice laced with interest.
When Kaito first joined the crew, his abilities were promising, but not yet at the level of a seasoned veteran. Over the past few days, however, his rapid growth had been undeniable. His mastery of advanced swordsmanship techniques, Haki, and even his command of abilities reminiscent of Rasengan had catapulted him into a whole new league.
"Looks like Marine's finally realized what kind of monster they're dealing with," Whitebeard said with a small smile.
"Monster indeed," Charlotte Linlin chimed in from her perch on the ship's railing. "It's no wonder Kaito turned down our offers when he joined. He knew he didn't need us."
Charlotte Linlin prided herself on her own innate talent—her unyielding strength and indestructible body. Yet, even she had to admit that Kaito's potential outshone her own.
"He's something else," she muttered.
Golden Lion chuckled, though it was tinged with envy. "If only we could get him to work under me. That'd be something."
"But that's not happening, is it?" Linlin smirked.
Golden Lion's grin faltered. He knew Kaito wouldn't bend to anyone's will.
"I don't care about his bounty," Silver Axe scoffed as he strode over, dismissive of the poster in Golden Lion's hands.
His dismissiveness earned him a collective side-eye from the group.
"Not a single one of us had a bounty jump like that when we first joined. You didn't either," Linlin pointed out, her tone dripping with condescension.
The others couldn't help but agree. Kaito's rapid rise was unprecedented among their ranks.
Rocks, of course, remained leagues above them all, with a bounty of 3.2 billion berries. Whitebeard followed at 1.7 billion, then Golden Lion at 1.6 billion, and Linlin at 1.45 billion. Even the likes of Ochoku, John, and Silver Axe, with bounties well over 900 million, hadn't made a leap like Kaito's in such a short span.
Kaito's feat of reaching 450 million so quickly was unheard of. But it also highlighted just how dangerous he was becoming.
Several months passed in relative calm. The Rocks crew used the time to consolidate their strength and prepare for their next move.
Then came the day when Rocks himself called a full meeting.
On the main deck, the crew gathered in a large circle, their attention fixed on Rocks as he stood at the ship's bow, his commanding presence impossible to ignore.
"I'm sure you all remember why you joined my crew," Rocks began, his voice booming over the sea breeze.
"That's right—profit!"
A murmur ran through the crowd. They all knew Rocks was about to announce something big.
"Now," Rocks continued, "I have a plan that will secure us unimaginable wealth. A plan that will shake the foundations of the world itself. We're going to attack an allied nation!"
The announcement hit like a thunderclap.
The allied nations were directly under the World Government's protection. To attack them meant not only stealing vast riches, but also painting a giant target on their backs. It meant open war with the World Government.
"That's insane!" someone whispered.
"Does he mean he wants to take on the World Government itself?" another muttered.
Most of the newer crew members looked uneasy, their faces pale as they considered the consequences.
In stark contrast, the veteran cadres were unfazed.
"Ha! They're worried about offending the World Government?" Golden Lion sneered, lighting a cigarette. "What do they think we've been doing all this time?"
"Exactly," Linlin said with a smirk. "If they thought this was going to be a safe ride, they joined the wrong ship."
Ochoku folded his arms, shaking his head at the grumbling crew. "What did they expect? This is the Rocks Pirates. Risks and rewards go hand in hand."
The crew's mixed reactions didn't faze Rocks. His goal was clear: unparalleled dominance and unimaginable profit. And if it meant clashing with the World Government, so be it.
As Golden Lion's and the others' words sank in, a brief silence fell over the gathered crew on the deck. Then, several pirates began to murmur among themselves.
"Damn right. No risk, no reward! We knew what we signed up for when we joined the Rocks Pirates."
"If we're already aboard this ship, why not go all the way? I'm in favor of hitting those World Government lapdogs!"
"Same here!"
"Me too!"
Rocks, watching their resolve grow, raised his voice again. "That's the spirit! Follow me, and I guarantee riches beyond your imagination. Together, we'll climb to the top of the world. The World Government, the Navy—they're nothing to me!"
"Rocks! Rocks! Rocks!" The crew erupted into chants of their captain's name.
Meanwhile, leaning on the railing, Kaito listened quietly to Rocks' plan. At the mention of targeting an allied nation, he couldn't help but let his mind wander.
"Attacking an allied nation, huh? That's a hell of a gamble," he muttered. But even as he weighed the risks, the promise of riches and possibly uncovering a Devil Fruit in one of these kingdoms tempted him. Unlocking more of Kurama's tails and furthering his strength was a prospect too good to ignore.
With his decision made, Kaito smiled to himself. The wealth of a World Government-aligned nation might be the perfect opportunity to push his power to the next level.
Rocks wasted no time. After rallying his crew, he gave the order to set sail for one of the New World's richest allied nations: the Kingdom of Torres.
---
A Few Days Later
Rocks' pirate ship arrived at the shores of the Torres Kingdom. The captain's order was simple, and the crew wasted no time storming the kingdom. The plan was clear: invade, plunder, and take everything of value.
But as the pirates reached the city walls, they were greeted by an unexpected sight. Black smoke billowed into the sky, and the ground was littered with debris. Blood pooled in the streets, and broken bodies lay scattered like leaves after a storm. The once-majestic cityscape was now a smoldering ruin.
"What…what happened here?" one of the crew members stammered.
"Was there a war?" another asked, baffled.
"That's impossible," a veteran pirate cut in. "This is a World Government member state. Who would dare pick a fight with them?"
"Maybe the kingdom couldn't pay their Heavenly Tribute and some other pirate crew got here first," someone suggested.
"Nonsense," another rebutted. "Torres is loaded. They'd never fail to pay."
The murmurs grew as the crew processed the scene before them. While the rank-and-file pirates speculated, the senior members were more skeptical.
Golden Lion took a long drag from his cigar, narrowing his eyes at the towering city walls. "Something's not right. Let's see what's really going on."
He summoned one of his auxiliary ships and, with a gesture, had the crew lifted over the walls.
Inside the city, they found chaos. Pirates—dozens of them—were already inside, setting buildings ablaze, slaughtering residents, and ransacking everything in sight. Screams of terror echoed through the streets, mingling with the cruel laughter of the raiders.
"Help! Somebody help!"
"Please, I'll give you everything! Just don't kill me!"
"Hahaha! These rich fools have so much loot!"
"Yeah, we'll be living like kings after this!"
Both the Rocks crew and the invading pirates froze as they noticed each other. For a moment, the sounds of destruction stopped.
"…Rocks Pirates!" one of the intruding pirates gasped, dropping a bag of stolen gold.
"Is that…Rocks' crew?" another whispered, trembling.
Panic spread among the attackers. "No way! They're here? Captain Gertello said we'd have no trouble hitting this kingdom!"
"What the hell is going on? How did we end up running into the Rocks Pirates here?!"
Their confusion mirrored that of Rocks' men. Two separate pirate crews targeting the same allied nation at the same time? It sounded like the setup to a bad joke.
At that moment, their captain stepped forward. Gertello, a notorious pirate with a bounty of 1.5 billion berries, emerged from the shadows, his hand tightening on the hilt of his sword. His name was enough to strike fear into many, but not into Rocks or his commanders.
"Rocks…" Gertello's voice wavered as he took a step back, clearly unnerved by the presence of the pirate kingpin.
"You've got guts, I'll give you that. But you picked the wrong target," Rocks said, his voice calm and cold.
"Captain Rocks," Golden Lion interrupted, "what do we do with these rats?"
Rocks' gaze didn't waver. "I extended you an offer once, Gertello. You turned me down. Now you'll pay the price for that decision. This kingdom's riches are mine, and so are yours."
Gertello clenched his teeth, his bravado faltering. "Rocks, listen. We can split it. Eighty-twenty, you get the lion's share."
"Eighty-twenty?" Rocks repeated, his lips curling into a mirthless smile. "The only thing you'll be splitting is your skull."
Before Gertello could respond, Rocks issued his orders. "Golden Lion, Whitebeard, Linlin—take care of this kingdom. Ochoku, John, Silver Axe—clean up the leftovers."
His attention turned to Kaito. He considered giving the promising young crew member special treatment but decided it would cause unnecessary tension. Instead, he grouped Kaito with Silver Axe.
"Kaito, Silver Axe, take a few men and raid Gertello's ship. Choose a few treasures for yourselves. The rest goes to the crew."
"Yes, Captain Rocks," Silver Axe said with a smirk.
Kaito, caught slightly off guard by the directive, nodded. He hadn't expected to be given first pick of the loot, but he could see Rocks' reasoning. While it might be a gesture of favoritism, it also hinted at Rocks' high expectations for him.
As Rocks stepped forward to confront Gertello directly, he glanced back at the others. "Remember, no survivors. Wipe them out."