After they left the restaurant, they saw a crowd gathered around a notice board up ahead. Most of them were whispering with their heads together, as if discussing something, while a few looked deep in thought.
"Hey, isn't that you up there?" When they reached the notice board, they found a Wanted Poster pinned to it. The person on it was Kaiser Lynn, with a bounty of ten million Berry.
"So it really is you. You must have quite the impressive background."
Kaiser Lynn said nothing, so Shirakawa took it as confirmation.
"The princess of the Kingdom of Mol, huh? No wonder your bounty's so high. Turns out you're a big shot from an enemy nation."
Shirakawa looked at her meaningfully.
"Hey, why are you looking at me like that? You're not thinking of turning me in for the bounty, are you?"
Kaiser Lynn clutched herself protectively and stared at him wide-eyed.
"Are you a worm in my stomach? How did you know what I was thinking?"
"That's not fair! You said you'd take me to see the outside world. You can't go back on your word!"
"Did I say that?"
"You did. You just said it!"
Kaiser Lynn was genuinely scared. If Shirakawa and the others exposed her identity, she definitely wouldn't be able to get away.
"Then I really regret it. I passed up ten million Berry for your sake."
"So you mean you're not going to turn me in?"
"Haha, look how scared you are. I was just joking."
"You bastard! Drop dead!" Kaiser Lynn angrily chopped the back of Shirakawa's head with her hand.
"Ah!" But the moment her hand hit Shirakawa's head, she let out a scream.
"Is your head made of iron? That hurt like hell!"
"I suggest you take a good look at what's going on around you."
"Hm?" Kaiser Lynn looked up and realized she had become the center of everyone's attention.
"That scream of yours just drew everyone's attention."
"Hey, isn't that woman the one on the Wanted Poster?"
"Huh? Now that you mention it, she really is!"
"Then what are we waiting for? Get her!" A crowd surged toward them, their eyes gleaming like wolves'.
"Run!" Kaiser Lynn shouted, grabbing Shirakawa and trying to charge through the crowd.
Shirakawa grabbed Shanks, Shanks grabbed Buggy, and Buggy grabbed Rayleigh. In truth, Kaiser Lynn was the only one actually putting in any effort.
That drew the attention of others, and more and more people joined the chase. The crowd of onlookers grew, too.
"Isn't that the First Mate and Shirakawa's group?" A Roger Pirates member spotted them and asked his companion.
"Yeah, but what did they do to get the kingdom's guards and citizens chasing them?"
"Who knows? Should we go help?"
"No. Can't you see nobody else is lifting a finger? Besides, they can't pose a threat to the First Mate."
"Fair enough. Let's get back to having fun."
"Let's go!" The two immediately threw their arms over each other's shoulders again and started discussing where to go next.
"What a bunch of disloyal bastards." They naturally spotted their crewmates along the way, and Buggy didn't hold back as he cursed them.
"Shanks, let go of my hand! This has nothing to do with me!"
"Haha, sorry. Shirakawa's got hold of me, too. Besides, don't you think this is fun?"
Shanks laughed.
"Fun? What the hell's fun about this? It's dangerous! Let go. You guys draw their attention, and the First Mate and I can get away."
"Well, in that case, I definitely can't let go. Right, Shirakawa?"
"That's right. And make sure Buggy holds on tight to the First Mate. As long as the First Mate is with us, we're safe."
"You hear that, Buggy? Grab the First Mate and hold on tight!"
"Don't worry, I..." Before Buggy could finish, he realized one of his hands was empty. He looked back and saw that Rayleigh had vanished.
"Sorry, Shanks, Shirakawa. I think we lost the First Mate."
"What?"
Shirakawa quickly stopped and pulled Kaiser Lynn, who was still running, to a halt.
"That bastard Rayleigh ran off without taking us with him. What a jerk," Shirakawa cursed.
"What do we do, Shirakawa? Are they going to catch us?"
Shirakawa was the strongest one among them, so naturally, they looked to him to lead them.
"Haha, you brats can keep messing around. I'm not playing with you anymore. I still have to go find some pretty girls."
From the roof of a tall building, Rayleigh watched the four below and muttered to himself. Then he broke into a lecherous grin and left.
"Don't worry. I'll knock them all out in one go."
Shirakawa told Buggy. Wasn't this exactly what Conqueror's Haki was for?
Shirakawa stepped in front of the other three. Conqueror's Haki burst from him in an instant. This time, he didn't hold back, unleashing it indiscriminately.
In an instant, everyone blocking their way collapsed. Among them were even a few members of the Roger Pirates.
Was that Shirakawa?
That was the last thought in the mind of one of the unconscious pirates.
"That kid really can't stay out of trouble." Rayleigh felt the Haki and smiled wryly.
He didn't believe Shirakawa couldn't have gotten away without using Haki.
"Hey, what's going on?"
Kaiser Lynn stared wide-eyed behind Shirakawa. The people who had been running around and shouting just moments ago had all suddenly fallen over. She couldn't tell if they were unconscious or dead.
She'd only felt the atmosphere around them grow a little oppressive.
"They're only unconscious. Anyway, we'd better hurry and run. Once reinforcements arrive, it'll be harder to escape."
"Okay."
The four went into a clothing store, changed their clothes, and smeared some strange makeup on their faces.
"What should we do now?"
"Let's just take it one step at a time."
"Could you take me home?" Kaiser Lynn asked them.
"Take you home? Do you have any idea how much trouble you've gotten us into?" Buggy demanded angrily.
"I'm sorry. It's my fault for dragging you into this. But you four are the only people I can trust right now."
Kaiser Lynn said pitifully. It was hard to tell whether she was putting it on.
"No. Once the Log Pose has recorded the next island's magnetic field, we should leave."
"Then there's no problem. It'll take three years for your Log Pose to record the next island's magnetic field."
"What? Three years?" The three of them exclaimed at once. Three years was far too long, and Shanks and Buggy had never seen an island that took that long to record.
"That's right, three years. It's no secret on this island. You can ask anyone and they'll tell you."
Before you continue