Akainu's body slammed hard toward the sea. Fortunately, before he hit the water, he came to his senses in the midst of his fury and quickly used Geppo, avoiding a plunge into the sea.
Deidara poked his head down from high above and glanced at Akainu. He had no intention of sticking around for a fight and, just as expected, took off.
Kizaru's warning had been a wake-up call. If he angered the Navy too much, Akainu might send the First Hokage and Third Raikage to hunt him down together. His future would be miserable.
There was no doubt that Deidara had come away from today's battle with the greatest gains. He had barely lifted a finger throughout the fight, yet had gotten the More-More Fruit for free and made a name for himself by stepping on Fleet Admiral Akainu at the end. It was easy to predict that his bounty would soar after today.
And that was exactly what happened. The day after the battle to capture Walder, Akainu returned to Marine Headquarters and issued an order.
Deidara's bounty, under the epithet "Kingdom Destroyer," was doubled outright, reaching one billion.
At the same time, Akainu convened a meeting of the Navy's senior officers. He emphasized Deidara's danger and destructive potential, ordering any Marine who spotted him to report to Headquarters immediately so that the top combat forces could be sent to capture him.
As one of the Marine Admirals and a rising star admired by Akainu, Hashirama naturally attended the meeting. He even sat to Akainu's left.
During the meeting, Hashirama looked at Deidara's picture and name on the wanted poster, feeling oddly conflicted. He felt like an elder watching a mischievous kid get into trouble.
When the meeting ended, Hashirama left the conference room alone. As he walked