Carnival Celebration, Bounties Issued

Behind the Galley-La Company headquarters,

"Miss Nami, Miss Robin, the Water-Water Meat is ready!"

Water-Water Meat is a specialty of the Water 7. It has a very tender and delicious taste, and both people and 'blue' (vehicles) love to eat it.

"Delicious!" X3

The Straw Hat Trio had their cheeks stuffed full, leaving Zoro speechless.

"Sniper King, you're still wearing that mask... Never mind."

Couldn't Usopp just be a little more decisive? We've already made it through Enies Lobby together.

Eat up!

In high spirits, Sanji said something he later deeply regretted, because:

"Oh, Straw Hat Kid! Are you all alright?"

"It's the Franky Family!"

Although they happened to be out of the way, it was precisely because they 'lured away' the Marines that the Straw Hat crew gained valuable time.

These 'shipmen' who strayed into the battlefield have now been bailed out by Mayor Iceberg —or rather, released by the Navy.

"Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing here?"

"Kashii's hungry!"

"Oimo too! Barbecue!"

"They're shipwrights and Giant race from the Galley-La Company!"

Mayor Iceberg not only brought back all the 'boatmen' who had broken into Enies Lobby, but also two enormous laborers.

As more and more people arrived, even Mayor Iceberg and Franky showed up. —With everyone connected to Water 7 and Enies Lobby gathered together, it was, of course, a sign of:

"The banquet is starting!!"

Fine wine and meat, songs and dances—though it was just a badly off-key pirate song and haphazardly swaying limbs, the enthusiasm and joy on everyone's faces were the best form of entertainment! Everyone was celebrating their survival, except for:

"Roman, why aren't you drinking?"

"Hmm... I'll just watch you guys drink."

Nami shrugged at Roman's answer; for her, drinking was as commonplace as drinking water. As for Roman, everyone was used to his perpetually alert demeanor. —Maybe one day the Straw Hat crew wouldn't be used to Roman not being like this!

Um?

Just as everyone was having a good time, Roman's eyes lit up. As usual, the paper birds he released around him suddenly spotted an uninvited guest.

Robin,

As Robin Guotou, Roman pointed to the wall beside him.

Someone is looking for you over there.

?

As Robin, holding a wine glass, walked to the wall, an unforgettable voice suddenly rang out from behind it.

"Stay where you are, Nico Robin."

Aokiji?!

In an instant, the intelligent and beautiful Robin instinctively wanted to turn around and run away! But the jubilant Luffy and his Luffy behind her, and Roman nodding slightly to her from the side, made her stop in her tracks!

Things are different now; I have a group of partners who will live and die with me.

"... Aokiji..."

Why didn't you run away?

Even without looking, one can imagine the oppressive aura of the cold, tall man behind the wall.

"With your skills, escaping from CP9 shouldn't be too difficult."

"... I've said it before, I'm different now!"

Robin faced the nightmare behind the wall and answered stubbornly through gritted teeth.

"I can't just watch my comrades die."

·······

"Twenty years ago, the giant Hagwar D. Saul fought for Ohara— "

"He is my good friend."

!

"I followed his wishes and let you go. Therefore, I have an obligation to protect your life."

!!

No wonder! Thinking about it carefully, Robin, often still a child, was able to escape from elite agents and bounty hunters all these years not only because of her own caution and skill, but also because of Aokiji's constant presence...

"But for the past 20 years, you have been hiding and have not found a place to live. And you yourself do not want to live anymore, so I plan to end it here."

"I didn't expect CP9 to lose... you,"

Have you found a place to stay?

Faced with the question behind the wall, Robin nodded vigorously.

"Yes!"

"... Then you must live on strongly and not let Hagwar down."

Snap,

With a flash of cold light, the tall figure behind the wall disappeared from Roman's scout bird's sight.

"... Mr. Roman, did you know Aokiji would be coming?"

Roman nodded in response to Robin's question as she approached.

"Not only did I know Aokiji would come, but I also knew that the Buster Call we encountered this time was all orchestrated by him. — You should have noticed it too, right? The Navy's high-ranking officers didn't participate at all, because they were 'following orders'."

And the only person who can command Vice Admiral is undoubtedly Marine Admiral!

"Robin, Roman, watch this—"

The sound from the side made the two stop talking and look over: Luffy's cheeks were stuffed up like two balloons, and chopsticks were stuck in his nostrils!

Hahaha~~

"Luffy, you did a great job!"

Robin smiled slightly at the lively scene before him.

"I'll give it a try too."

???

"No, no, Sister Robin!!"

Her persona has completely collapsed...!

The next day,

"So, yesterday's banquet was paid for with our money? It cost nearly 100 million Beli..."

When faced with Nami's question, Luffy answered confidently.

"But it was still our banquet! Everyone was very happy~~ Hahahaha~~"

Luffy is doomed! X4

Just as Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and Chopper were observing a three-second moment of silence for their captain, Nami sighed and waved her hand.

"Forget it, I never expected you to have any concept of money."

???

"You're not Nami!"

"Could you be—!"

"Where did you hide Nami!?"

Thump! X4

As Chopper stared in shock at the four heads embedded in the mud, and Usopp, wearing a mask, wondered, "Why am I getting hit too?", Nami rubbed her forehead.

"Alright, I'll distribute the remaining fifty million to everyone as procurement expenses later."

"Franky and Mr. Iceburg are working on building the boat, but we still need to prepare our own daily necessities and tools..."

"Nami, I want to go play! Give me some pocket money!"

Faced with Luffy's instantaneous resurrection, Nami ruthlessly rejected him.

"You won't get any! -- What do you, a captain who only knows how to eat meat and fight, need to buy?"

"Aaaaaah, I want to buy meat, meat, meat!!"

······

"Everyone,"

Roman walked in and waved the newspaper in his hand.

"The 'good deeds' we've done have been reported in the newspapers, and a brand new Bounty Poster has been issued."

"Oh?"

Zoro immediately became interested. Although the bounty on Bounty Poster doesn't necessarily equate to strength, it's often one of the indicators pirates use to measure a person's power!

"We're all on the list, so we'd better watch our heads from now on."

That being said, compared to the enemies the Straw Hat crew will encounter in the future, the bounty hunters attracted by the mere 'Bounty Poster' are simply not worth mentioning!

"Oh, oh, let me see~~"

"Hmph, this time I'll definitely be taller than Green Bathhead!"

"I hope you won't start crying later."

"What about mine? What about mine?"

"Why,"

Nami rubbed her forehead, looking speechless.

"Why are you boys so concerned about saving face? Is it really something to be happy about having your head on someone's head?"

Regardless, a series of Bounty Poster were laid out on the table. They were:

Straw Hat Luffy: 300 million Beli!

'Pirate Hunter' Zoro: 140 million Beli!

Robin, the "Devil Child": 80 million Beli!

Nami the Law-Stealing Cat: 66 million Beli!

' Sniper King 'Sniper King: 40 million Beli!

"Huh? Didn't you say everyone had one?" Sanji was so shocked he dropped his cigarette.

"What about mine?"

"Yes, Mr. Roman, what about mine?"

Roman sighed as he watched Sanji and Chopper looking anxious.

"You guys... take it easy."

??

Roman pulled two more Bounty Poster from under the newspaper. One was a hand-drawn portrait of Sanji; while the blond hair, curly eyebrows, and cigarette smoke were all accurate, the overall effect was... well...

'Black Leg' Sanji: Bounty 86 million Beli! (Photo missing)

"Aaaaaaahh..."

Seeing Sanji wearing a 'pain mask' on his face, Luffy casually offered him comfort.

"What's there to be angry about? The first bounty is already this high..."

"Shut up, why is mine the only one that's a portrait?? And it doesn't look like me at all—"

"That's just how you are,"

Zoro, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow. Result:

Sanji: "&￥%&**"

Hey, hey, hey, have you gotten so angry that you've transcended the realm of humanity?

If Sanji's issue is merely a matter of his portrait:

"I'm a pirate, after all!" Chopper, furious, brandishing his Bounty Poster, flew through the air with his antlers and hat! "I fought bravely, even defeating that bull-haired CP9 guy, so why did I only get 50 Beli?!"

Chopper, the Marshmallow-loving Pet: Bounty 50 Beli!

"Never mind, I'll try harder next time," Luffy comforted him with a grin.

·······

"By the way, Roman, what about yours?"

Facing the gazes of the crowd, Roman shrugged and flicked his wrist, revealing a Bounty Poster in his hand.

The image shows a knight in full armor wearing a helmet with ornate patterns that gleam with a cold light.

'White Knight' Roman: Bounty of 180 million!

"Ugh, why is Roman's first bounty over a hundred million?! — I admit he's stronger than me, but this is way too much! But the bounty poster uses 'The White Knight's' face, so it's okay..."

"It's probably because I'm always covered in armor when I fight."

Roman didn't care about whether or not his face was shown. After all, Cracker, one of the Sweet Commanders Big Mom Four Sweet Commanders this point, also had Bounty Poster with a puppet-like face.

"Oh, right, Franky is also on the wanted list."

Roman flicked his Bounty Poster, and his face transformed into that of a middle-aged man with a pompadour and sunglasses.

'Iron Man' Franky: 55 million Beli!

"In short, our combined bounty is 800 million... We're definitely a 'famous' pirate crew."

Roman patted the newspaper in his hand.

"But to be honest, our strength doesn't match the bounty. — It's only because we just gave the World Government a resounding slap in the face. So:"

Looking around, apart from Nami who sighed that she had also become a wanted criminal, no one else showed any fear or unease.

Are we all ready to face an even more powerful enemy?

"I couldn't ask for more!" X3

That's good. Roman seems to have figured it out now. This world is like a turbulent sea, full of rolling waves and surging currents. Only by going against the current and forging ahead can one stand at the top!

Is it content to remain in a corner of the world, intending to become a powerful force out of thin air?

In the end, they will only be overthrown by all sorts of rising stars!

Crocodile is like that, Moria, whom we'll soon encounter, is like that too, and even the former Emperor-level figure Golden Lion, is the same...

"Very good, then let's begin the 'Seastone' training immediately—"

"No!!"