Chapter 361: Chapter 361: Bounty and Counter-Bounty
Chapter 361: Bounty and Counter-Bounty
The next day, the day the Reverie ended.
"The Warlord system is finished!"
"That’s great! What damn legal pirates? These plunderers should have disappeared long ago!"
"Hahaha! These running dogs of the World Government! They deserve this day!"
Regarding the abolition of the Warlord system, a flood of newspapers was carried by News Coos to every corner of the world.
The Four Seas, the Grand Line...
Whether they were civilians or pirates, they all cheered for the Marines’ operation to round up the Warlords.
And just as the plan to abolish the Warlords was unfolding, another piece of blockbuster news quickly followed.
On a certain island in the New World, inside a lively tavern in a small town...
"Th-this is...?!"
A pirate’s eyes widened, looking in disbelief at the latest newspaper he had just received.
"Kaido... that Strongest Creature in the Sky, on Land, and in the Sea...!"
"Was actually defeated?!"
The pirate’s shocked voice was incredibly clear in the noisy hall. The sound of conversation and laughter in the entire tavern suddenly died down, and everyone’s gaze focused on him.
"Hey, is that for real?"
"Can anyone really defeat that kind of creature...?"
"Was it the Marines?"
"Hey, let me see!"
Several people rushed forward and gathered around the pirate, looking at the photo in the newspaper, their faces filled with disbelief.
"The Straw Hat crew’s Black Snake Reiner!"
"It was him—?!"
The group’s voices were exceptionally clear in the now-silent tavern. All the patrons held their breath.
Soon, the contents of the newspaper were also read out by those few pirates.
Following the news of the abolition of the Warlord system, the news that the Straw Hat crew had started a war with the Beasts Pirates in Wano Country had once again stirred up a huge wave on the seas.
And Reiner, who had defeated Kaido in a head-on battle, had once again become the center of a media storm.
"The Straw Hat crew... didn’t they just replace Big Mom as a Sea Emperor not long ago..."
"Hey, Kaido was defeated by him. Doesn’t that mean this guy has now become the new ’World’s Strongest’?"
"Black Snake Reiner... speaking of which, it seems Black Snake Reiner has never had a single defeat."
"That’s right. I wonder how high his bounty will go this time."
Bounty. This was a topic of high interest. It was human nature to worship the strong. In the New World, where the strong preyed on the weak, admiring or challenging the strong was an extremely common thing among pirates.
And as for the Straw Hat crew’s bounty, while the pirates were looking forward to it, the Marines were having a headache.
At the entrance to the New World, under the Red Line, the majestic Marine Headquarters stood. Inside the meeting room...
"Sigh~ It’s them again~."
"It’s been less than half a month since the last bounty adjustment, right?"
"Tell me about it. The Totto Land incident just ended, and now it’s Kaido. Who’s next? Red-Hair or Blackbeard?"
"Hehehe, don’t say it, Momonga. With their ability to stir up trouble, if they ran into them, they probably really would fight."
Vice Admiral Momonga smiled with his usual gentle and honest expression.
At the side, Smoker held two cigars in the corner of his mouth, his expression cold and flat:
"That’s even better. If it weren’t for the pirates constantly fighting amongst themselves, the Marines wouldn’t have been able to stabilize their position in the New World in just two short years."
"The harder they fight, the fewer enemies we have. The situation on the sea is becoming more and more turbulent. I have a feeling that the final battle for supremacy will probably come soon."
"..."
Bang!
The meeting room was quiet for a few seconds. Suddenly, the door was violently pushed open. Akainu strode in, his face showing a hint of anger.
A Marine soldier holding a stack of documents followed behind him to the front of the stage. He stopped, turned to face the audience, and the crowd also regained their composure, waiting for the meeting to begin.
"Besides the Straw Hat crew, there is another important matter in this meeting. Regarding the situation of the operation to round up the former Royal Warlords, Brannew, you report it."
Akainu’s voice was low and fast. It was clear that his mood was extremely bad.
Brannew nodded at him, and then reported the intelligence about the conference to the officers below.
"Yesterday, the team led by Admiral Fujitora to arrest ’Hawk-Eye’ Mihawk and Gecko Moria... after a fierce battle, both sides suffered heavy losses. Mihawk and Moria broke through the encirclement at midnight and fled Kuraigana Island."
"This morning, the two of them reappeared on Karai Bari Island, repelling our forces that were rounding up Buggy. According to the latest news we just received, these few former Warlords who have gathered together have already formed a brand new alliance with Buggy at its head, called—"
"—[The Cross Guild!!]"
"Furthermore! The Cross Guild has issued a large number of private wanted posters, classifying officers of different ranks by price, and issuing bounties for the heads of Marines! The situation is extremely dire!"
Brannew’s tone clearly also carried some emotion. The moment his voice fell, all the officers below frowned.
Pirates issuing bounties on Marines... to think they would hear such an absurd thing. This action is already a naked provocation against the Marines.
In terms of its viciousness, the existence of the Cross Guild far surpassed that of the Straw Hat crew.
Soon, the meeting room was filled with angry words, and the discussion about updating the bounties for the Straw Hat crew and the Cross Guild became somewhat heated.
And after the meeting...
"Smoker. Wait a minute."
Just as he was walking out of the meeting room, Smoker was stopped by Akainu.
"What is it?"
Smoker turned his head faintly.
The cigar at the corner of Akainu’s mouth lit up. He exhaled a puff of smoke and said in a low voice:
"Intel reports that the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock, has returned to Kuja Island. Coincidentally, the science department has just sent over two more Seraphim. Take them and make a trip to the Calm Belt."
"Understood."
Smoker just nodded and left without saying much.
The moment Smoker left, Akainu also stood up and prepared to leave the meeting room.
Just then, the Den Den Mushi in his pocket suddenly rang.
Buru-buru-buru~
—Click.
"Akainu! Send troops to support Mary Geoise! Immediately!"
"What happened?"
"It’s the Revolutionary Army! Stop asking questions and hurry up!"
Crack!
The urgent and angry voice on the Den Den Mushi hung up immediately. The only ones who would speak with such an attitude to the Fleet Admiral of the Marines were, naturally, those few people who stood high above.
Hasn’t the Reverie already ended! All the kings had just left Mary Geoise on the elevators. That’s why he had held the meeting! Why would they choose to attack at this time!
Boom!!
Crimson magma erupted. An entire wall of the meeting room was shattered and melted away under the magma.
On the last day, just when the Reverie had ended and everyone had let out a sigh of relief and let down their guard...
The Revolutionary Army...!
His mood, which had already been at rock bottom today... and now, Akainu’s face was so grim that water could be wrung from it.
A cluster of rugged, red stones towered into the clouds. Inside Mary Geoise, which was situated on the Red Line, everyone was looking up at the sky, dumbfounded, their faces filled with terror.
A huge shadow covered the land. High above, on a cloud layer higher than Mary Geoise, a dozen or so small, floating islands were suddenly falling!
(End of Chapter)
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