At dawn, tens of thousands of News Coo took to the skies from the Marine Headquarters News Agency on the Grand Line, their heavy newspaper bags making them look like a sea of white clouds as they flapped their wings and flew to every corner of the world.
On what seemed like a peaceful morning, the glaring red numbers on the front page swept across the Four Seas and the Grand Line like a Level 12 hurricane.
East Blue, Goa Kingdom, Foosha Village.
"Bang!"
The village chief shoved open the wooden door of Makino's bar with tremendous force. Clutching a wanted poster in his hand, the old chief trembled with rage, even his mustache quivering. "What a disaster! This is a complete disaster! How could our peaceful village keep producing such heinous criminals?"
Makino stopped polishing her glass and curiously leaned over to take a look.
When she saw the brazen face on the poster and the astronomical figure of "770 million Beli" beneath it, she didn't look frightened at all. Instead, she covered her mouth and chuckled warmly. "It seems Ace and Sabo have had quite an amazing adventure out there."
Meanwhile, on the mountain behind the village.
"770 million... 530 million..."
The bandit Dadan held the newspaper she had just bought, her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. If the earlier bounty of 50 million had frightened her, this figure left her too numb to even feel fear.
"Crash!"
The roof of Dadan's cabin suddenly burst open.
Fourteen-year-old Luffy sprang into the treetops like a monkey, clutching the wanted poster tightly in his hand. His dark eyes shone with dazzling light.
"That's amazing! They stole the Heavenly Tribute and defeated the Navy's highest-ranking officer!"
Luffy held down the straw hat on his head and shouted excitedly toward