Bounty Announced

Three days had passed since the battle at the Sabaody Archipelago, and Cifer and Jinbe were drifting aimlessly across the sea.

"Cifer-kun, we've been wandering at sea for three days already. Haven't you thought of a destination yet?"

Jinbe had also heard about what happened at the Sabaody Archipelago a few days ago. He could understand that Cifer and Aokiji had fought to a draw; after all, he had witnessed Cifer's strength long ago.

What Jinbe could not understand was that for three straight days, Cifer had sat at the bow and fished whenever he was not eating or sleeping.

"Jinbe, you're too impatient. Since we haven't decided where to go next, why not let fate guide us and see where the ship drifts?"

As he spoke, Cifer tugged on his fishing rod, and a palm-sized fish rose with the hook before landing on the deck.

"I'll leave lunch to you too, Jinbe."

Jinbe suddenly felt his fists itch. He really wanted to punch someone. Not only was Cifer drifting around without a destination, he could not even cook. As a dignified Shichibukai, Jinbe had to serve as both navigator and cook.

"Coo~ Coo~"

The cry of a News Coo came from the sky, drawing both their attention. Jinbe immediately waved it over, bought the latest newspaper for 100 Belly, and began flipping through it with an incredulous look.

New World, the Moby Dick.

"Old Man! Huge news!"

Diamond Jozu rushed toward Whitebeard, who was sitting in a chair receiving treatment, a newspaper in hand and excitement written all over his face.

"Hm?" Marco and the others looked puzzled.

"It's that Cifer guy! He's incredible! He killed a Celestial Dragon on the Sabaody Archipelago and even drove off Aokiji!" Jozu handed the newspaper to Whitebeard.

Marco and the other commanders were not particularly surprised to hear that he had driven off Aokiji. After all, Cifer was a man who could withstand Old Man's full-power strike. But none of them had expected him to dare kill a Celestial Dragon.

"He really is a man who does whatever he pleases!"

"Gurararara~" Whitebeard habitually reached for his sake jug, only for Marco to slap his hand away. "Honestly, Cifer brat got a bounty. How can we not hold a banquet to celebrate?"

"Yeah!!!" The members of the Whitebeard Pirates shouted in agreement.

"Old Man!!!"

Marco's world, where he was the only angry one, continued as usual.

Fish-Man Island, Ryugu Palace.

"What an incredible man~"

Neptune and the princes sighed in amazement after reading the newspaper. However, Neptune began to wonder whether he had made a mistake in agreeing to entrust Shirahoshi to someone so "free."

"Mekaro, look! It's Lord Cifer!" Shirahoshi excitedly held up the newspaper and shared her joy with her beloved shark.

"Lord Cifer is amazing! He even defeated a Marine Admiral! And that Celestial Dragon must have been a terrible person. Lord Cifer is the good one!"

Grand Line, Amazon Lily.

"Someone actually dared to do that?!"

The queen who had just returned from a voyage, the only woman among the Shichibukai and the empress praised as the World's Number One Beauty—Boa Hancock—was staring at the information printed in the newspaper, her eyes filled with disbelief.

The Celestial Dragon's Hoof on her back seemed to ache faintly once more. The shadow those so-called World Nobles had cast over the three sisters had originally been something impossible to erase for a lifetime.

Yet at a time like this, someone had actually dared to kill a Celestial Dragon near Marineford and even drive back Aokiji!

Hancock no longer seemed quite so afraid. So Celestial Dragons could die too! So even Marine Admirals had moments when they were powerless!

"Make preparations. We're setting sail!"

"Where are you planning to go now?!" Elder Nyon, leaning on her cane, tried to stop her. Hancock had only just returned from a voyage, and now she wanted to head out again after reading a newspaper. What was she trying to do?!

"To meet that legendary Cifer!"

At that moment, the empress no longer had her distant aloofness and pride. In its place were flushed cheeks and a shy expression.

The entire world was thrown into an uproar because of this newspaper. The Four Emperors, revolutionaries, Shichibukai, and the World Government—everyone was watching Cifer.

Time returned to three days earlier, Marineford.

"Kuzan, are you saying that even at full strength, you couldn't defeat that guy?!" Sengoku was furious. The Gorosei kept pressuring him to handle the matter properly, yet even a Marine Admiral had returned empty-handed.

"That wasn't a Deserted Island. Naturally, I couldn't push my Devil Fruit ability to the limit." Aokiji, wrapped in bandages, sat across from Sengoku with one leg crossed over the other.

"Besides, he might not have used his full strength either. He was injured first, but he seems to possess some kind of power. That self-healing ability was simply unheard of."

Aokiji recalled Cifer's right hand. In the brief time it took for Aokiji to be sent flying and return, it had actually healed completely. His ice blade had been imbued with Armament Haki!

"As you can see, I was injured too. In a situation where we traded injuries, I might not have been able to defeat him. Strength, speed—he's practically an all-around monster!"

After much debate, Sengoku could only report to the Gorosei that Aokiji had been unable to defeat Cifer. After all, Cifer had never done anything evil before. As for killing a Celestial Dragon...

Sengoku felt a headache coming on. It would have been wonderful if such powerful combat strength belonged to Marineford, but instead, he had provoked the Celestial Dragons.

After meeting with the Gorosei and receiving a harsh scolding, Cifer's Wanted Poster was ultimately issued.

"Cifer-kun, your Wanted Poster is out!" Jinbe's expression was grave. "Black Winged Great Demon - Ulquiorra Cifer, bounty of 1,348,000,000 Belly! Dead or alive!"

The Wanted Poster showed Cifer in his usual form, as though he were standing in a world of ice and snow. It had likely been taken after he fought Aokiji and released his Resurrección.

"Oh? It seems the World Government is quite determined to get my head." Cifer did not care. Honestly, if they truly wanted to place a bounty on him, this amount was far from enough.

"Are you leaving?"

After a stretch of silence, Cifer suddenly spoke.

"Yeah!"

Jinbe had not known how to bring it up, so he was relieved that Cifer had asked first. Still, he felt somewhat embarrassed.

He had promised to accompany Cifer-kun until he found a navigator, yet only a few days into their voyage, he was already about to say goodbye.

Cifer merely sighed. He was about to become a lone traveler again. He knew Jinbe was leaving, and he had also intended to send him away.

One reason Jinbe had become a Shichibukai was to ease the relationship between the World Government and Fish-Man Island. That was why he had never dared openly associate with the Whitebeard Pirates.

Much less now, with Cifer in his current state. If it were discovered that Jinbe was on the same ship as him, the World Government would never turn a blind eye. They might even strip him of his title as a Shichibukai. Cifer did not want to make things difficult for him.

"Are you leaving now?"

"I'll prepare all of Cifer-kun's meals for today in advance!" Jinbe turned and entered the cabin.

It was time to find a companion.