The bounty had shot up by 500 million Berries in one go, putting him not far behind Big Brother Kaido and Uncle Ochoku.
1.5 billion Berries was an unimaginably terrifying figure on the seas of today.
Whitebeard and Shiki were both still below 3 billion, while a lone monster like Redfield had only a little over 2 billion. The only person whose bounty had broken through 3 billion was Roger.
Roa was still somewhat excited.
After all, in the pirate business, a bounty was a symbol of status.
With this bounty, wherever he went, he would probably start raking in black money simply by standing there.
But Roa soon remembered that he was no longer a pirate. From now on, he would be a law-abiding businessman.
Could he contact the World Government and have them withdraw his wanted poster?
Roa felt rather troubled.
It was all Captain Rocks' fault for leading him astray. Now that he wanted to put on a prodigal-son-reforms act, it would not be easy.
Oh right, Kaido's bounty had gone up too, but nowhere near as dramatically as Roa's. It had only increased by 100 million Berries, just to show they had done something.
That infuriated Kaido. He thought the World Government was looking down on him. When they fought Garp, he had clearly been the true core combatant, hadn't he?
Without him holding the line in front, Roa would have been beaten into a Pig Head by Garp's two punches long ago.
Regardless, Roa's new wanted poster spread across the entire world in a very short time.
At a time when the former officers of the Rocks Pirates were expanding wildly and making names for themselves, the rise of yet another former officer of the Rocks Pirates undoubtedly tightened the already-sensitive nerves of the world once more.
"Roa? That monster who had a bounty of one billion Berries at the age of seven isn't dead yet?"
"He's only thirteen this year, right? 1.5 billion Berries? Is the government serious?"
"It's hard to imagine. What kind of monster is he, exactly?"
"There are more and more monsters in the New World. What is this world going to become?"
Sighs rang out from people all over the world.
They all felt that the world was already rotten to the core, standing on the verge of destruction at any moment.
People could only say that everyone was still far too optimistic. This was only the beginning.
Compared with the ordinary people on the seas, Roa's old acquaintances reacted even more strongly.
Whole Cake Island Sea.
"This brat has really grown up!"
Charlotte Linlin held a wanted poster, furious. "His bounty is almost catching up with mine! That brat Kaido's bounty went up too. Are they operating together?"
"Looks like they've truly joined forces, Mother."
Her eldest son, Perospero, wore a complicated expression. "If that's the case, the Beasts Pirates can no longer be underestimated."
That brat was truly a monster as always!
Nearby, Katakuri held the wanted poster and grinned foolishly.
He's grown up, Roa!
But I haven't wasted these past few years either!
I can't wait for the day we meet again!
Somewhere in the sky of the New World.
On an island floating in the sky.
"Gyahahaha! Brat, you really chose Kaido?"
The lion-like, wildly arrogant man laughed loudly. "Don't let me catch you!"
Somewhere in the latter half of the New World.
A whale-like ship rode the wind and smashed through the waves.
"Tsk, that damn brat is still alive?"
Whitebeard, wearing a captain's bicorne and sporting brilliant golden hair, furiously crumpled the wanted poster in his hand. "What a buzzkill."
"Old Man," a young man with a pineapple-shaped head asked curiously from beside him, "weren't you former companions?"
"We just happened to be on the same ship."
Whitebeard sneered. "That damn brat and I are not cut from the same cloth."
He paused, then looked toward his sons, who seemed to understand but not quite. "If you ever run into that brat, be careful. He's a rotten seed by nature—and, unfortunately, a rotten seed with monstrous strength!"
The pineapple-headed boy nodded instinctively.
A monster?
Even Old Man calls him a monster?
At the same time, on Beehive Island, in Daughter Country, and in every corner of the world, the former members of the Rocks Pirates voiced similar sentiments.
"That monster brat has grown up!"
On an island somewhere in the New World, pirates holding a banquet were also discussing the matter animatedly.
"That has to be fake!"
A blue-haired boy with a red nose cried out, "Is he really only thirteen?"
"Of course it's real. That boy joined the Rocks Pirates at five, had a bounty of 300 million on his first wanted poster, and reached a bounty of one billion at seven."
The blond man wearing gold-rimmed glasses looked rather refined as he smiled. "Although I've never fought him, they say he's an extraordinary monster."
"Eh!"
Red Nose was dumbstruck.
Thirteen? Doesn't that mean he's only six years older than me?
I'm seven this year too, and my bounty is zero.
And the other guy...
"That's amazing!"
The red-haired child beside him sounded eager. "I really want to meet him."
"You'll have the chance."
The man beside them, whose beard had begun to grow in, raised his hand and rubbed the straw hat on the red-haired child's head. "In the future, he'll probably be your opponent. Buggy, Shanks!"
"L-Leave it to Lord Buggy!"
Red Nose's legs trembled.
The red-haired boy asked curiously, "Captain, why do we have to be opponents?"
"Why, you ask?"
Roger smiled. "Who knows?"
Perhaps it was because Rocks had said that brat was his successor.
Marine Headquarters, recruit training camp.
"Another new star symbolizing evil has appeared among the pirates of the New World!"
The purple-haired marine instructor, standing ramrod straight, shouted his lecture. "The world will become even more chaotic because of his rise! The people of the world are calling for the power of justice!"
"And you are the hope of the Marines' future!"
Among the marine recruits standing in formation, two were particularly outstanding. One wore a marine cap and had a solemn expression; the other wore sunglasses and looked carefree.
"Strive forward, soldiers! The world is waiting for your debut!"
Meanwhile, in the Marine Headquarters building on the same island.
The Fleet Admiral slammed his fist onto the desk. "That brat must not be allowed to grow! He has the potential to become a second Rocks—no, to surpass even him!"
The world rippled slightly because of Roa.
As for Roa, his excitement had already passed, and he had resumed watching Abel and Bullet's battle with great interest.
Bullet was somewhat dissatisfied with Roa appointing Abel as the head of the security department and making him his personal guard.
I'm the Boss's personal guard!
Naturally, his dissatisfaction was not directed at Roa, but at Abel.
And so, Roa's two right-hand men began to fight.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The two engaged in close combat, pounding each other with one manly punch after another.
Doflamingo, silently watching from the side, twitched at the corner of his eye.
The newcomer is a monster too!
Bullet's Haki-coated fists were completely ineffective against Abel.
The clanging sounded lively enough, but in reality, they could not injure Abel in the slightest.
"The Lunarians possess the strongest defense!"
Judge, who had come over to watch the battle, explained in amazement. "I wonder how it compares with the exoskeleton I designed!"
"His strength is still considerably inferior to Bullet's," Dylan said.
Although Abel was two years older, his strength was still somewhat inferior to the naturally monstrous Bullet's. On top of that, he did not even know Haki, so his fists could not injure Bullet either.
"Bullet?"
Abel's gaze turned solemn. "You're strong!"
As expected of the Boss's subordinate, that strength truly could not be underestimated.
"I'm going to get serious."
Abel flapped his wings and took to the air. Flames surged along the temporary sword he had found.
"There it is!"
Judge continued his explanation. "The Lunarians' ability to control flames!"
"Flames?"
Bullet refused to back down. "Then I'll show you the power the Boss bestowed upon me!"
Half of his body had already transformed into mercury vapor.
If physical attacks were ineffective, then he would use temperature and poison to decide the victor!
"Logia?"
Kaido, sitting cross-legged beside Roa and watching the battle as well, lowered his head in astonishment and looked toward Roa.
Roa shrugged. "The fruit we seized from God Valley."
"..."
Kaido fell silent.
He silently took out his gourd and drank a mouthful of liquor.
"Fire Dragon Emperor!"
Abel had already unleashed a long flaming dragon.
"You're still far from it!"
Bullet roared and threw a punch with all his might. The mercury vapor transformed into a roaring tsunami.
With a howl, a violent aura surged outward.
Kaido's hand, holding the wine gourd, suddenly froze. He looked toward Roa again.
Roa spread his hands.
Kaido raised the wine gourd high.
Glug, glug, glug.
I'm going to find someone with Conqueror's Haki too!
Not long afterward.
"Oh!"
Roa stood atop the snail's head again, gazing at the island rising high above the distant sea. Waterfalls poured down its steep, towering mountain walls.
"We're finally here! Wano Country!"
Before you continue