Claiming a Bounty at a Marine Branch

"What an unexpected delight."

Junichi gently rubbed his eyes, smiling. "In the Naruto World, I endured fifteen years without awakening it."

"But after coming here, it's only been a little over a month."

"And I've already awakened the Two-Tomoe Sharingan."

Such a rate of awakening was absolutely genius-level.

Of course, he couldn't compare himself to certain mentally deranged freaks.

Like Weasel and Obito.

It feels like I could defeat Weasel now. Junichi silently assessed the difference between himself and Itachi Uchiha.

Itachi Uchiha had the Mangekyo, [Tsukuyomi], [Amaterasu], and Susanoo.

Even among Kage-level fighters, he ranked among the strongest.

But Junichi had ways to deal with him.

On Junichi's side, the Great Grade Blade, Cutting Steel, Flying Slash, and two types of Haki were all things Itachi Uchiha would never expect.

Used well, they could definitely make Weasel suffer.

"I just don't know how strong Susanoo's defense is."

After thinking it over, Junichi decided on a conservative estimate. "For now, I'll assume we're evenly matched."

"There's no rush to go back."

"The rejection rate is only a little over forty percent."

As he spoke,

he summoned the system panel.

[Rejection Rate: 48.39%/100%.]

Junichi raised an eyebrow slightly. He remembered that before setting out, the rejection rate had only been 46.03%.

Why had it risen to 48.39% now?

"Was that because of you?"

Junichi lowered his head and glanced at Demon Eye. Smiling, he sheathed it.

Two points of rejection rate in exchange for a Great Grade Blade.

That was still a worthwhile deal.

"Next, it's time to head to a Marine base." Junichi entered the captain's cabin and took the helm. "I remember there's a G-4 branch nearby."

Within the Grand Line, Marine branches were directly governed by Headquarters.

Their names all began with the letter "G."

Branches in the Four Blues, meanwhile, operated independently and had purely numerical names.

"My next destination will be the Marines." Junichi glanced at the corpses covering the deck. "I'll treat the Ten Thieves Rat Pirates as a greeting."

Rayleigh and Dracule Mihawk had nothing left to teach him.

Both of them had learned through unconventional means.

They possessed abundant experience, but lacked theoretical knowledge.

Next, Junichi intended to see how the academy-trained Marines taught. Ideally, he could join Marine Headquarters' elite training camp.

Entering the training camp would make him part of the Marines' direct line.

Upon graduation, he would start out as a rear admiral.

"On this sea, for people who abide by the rules, the Marines are absolutely the most suitable force to join." Junichi nodded to himself.

As for whether he himself was a law-abiding person?

Junichi thought he was.

G-4 Marine Branch.

Inside an office.

Vice Admiral Lei Zuo frowned tightly as he looked over the report in his hand.

"Those damned Ten Thieves Rat Pirates!"

He could not help but curse.

"They actually raided an island town and killed more than 2,700 people, including the local security force."

"They've completely lost their minds!"

"They're killing people purely for fun!"

The more Lei Zuo read, the darker his expression became.

"Is it the influence of the cursed blade, Demon Eye?"

Lei Zuo pulled out another intelligence report.

It contained information on Cooper, captain of the Ten Thieves Rat Pirates.

He had originally been an ordinary pirate, no different from the rest.

But a year ago,

Cooper had accidentally obtained a cursed blade—Demon Eye.

It was a cursed blade of Great Grade Blade rank.

Under its influence, Cooper had become increasingly mad. His methods had shifted from plundering to slaughtering innocents.

Sometimes, he would arrive in an impoverished place.

Even when there was nothing worth looting,

he would still begin a massacre, killing for pleasure.

"We can't let this continue!" Lei Zuo's expression turned solemn as he said in a low voice, "We need to request reinforcements from Headquarters, gather our forces, and wipe out the Ten Thieves Rat Pirates!"

The strength of G-4 and himself alone was not enough to handle the Ten Thieves Rat Pirates.

Even if they succeeded, the losses would be devastating.

Lei Zuo was about to pick up his pen and draft a formal request.

Pururururu!

The Den Den Mushi beside him suddenly rang.

Lei Zuo set down his pen and picked up the receiver. The Den Den Mushi immediately took on the appearance of one of his subordinates, who hurriedly said, "Vice Admiral, a bounty hunter has brought in the Ten Thieves Rat Pirates!"

"Really?"

Lei Zuo was immediately delighted and quickly asked, "Which member of the Ten Thieves Rat Pirates is it? The first mate? The second mate?"

He had not even considered Captain Cooper.

Cooper, who wielded a Great Grade Blade, was not someone who could be easily dealt with.

"No, it's the entire pirate crew. Everyone has been taken down!" The subordinate shook his head vigorously.

"What?!"

Lei Zuo was stunned. "The entire Ten Thieves Rat Pirates have been taken down?"

"Yes, Vice Admiral Lei Zuo!" the subordinate confirmed.

Hiss!

Lei Zuo sucked in a sharp breath, his face filled with shock.

These were major pirates with a total bounty exceeding 500 million!

After raiding the island town, the Marines had raised the bounties on the Ten Thieves Rat Pirates. Captain Cooper's bounty had risen to 230 million.

First mate Dustin's bounty had risen to 100 million.

The entire crew's combined bounty had reached a staggering 506 million!

What kind of bounty hunter could deal with a pirate crew like that?

"Was it Hawk-Eye?"

Lei Zuo immediately thought of a name. "He's been at the Sabaody Archipelago recently. It seems he was pursuing the Ten Thieves Rat Pirates."

"No, it was a fifteen-year-old youth," the subordinate replied.

"Huh?"

Lei Zuo froze for a moment before asking, "Other than that youth, who else was there?"

Instinctively, he assumed that a group of bounty hunters had besieged the Ten Thieves Rat Pirates.

That was the only reasonable possibility.

"Vice Admiral Lei Zuo, there was only him," the subordinate said.

"Are you joking?"

Lei Zuo looked down at the Den Den Mushi in disbelief. "You're telling me that a fifteen-year-old boy took down the Ten Thieves Rat Pirates, whose bounty totals 506 million?"

The Den Den Mushi fell silent.

A moment later,

the subordinate said aggrievedly, "Vice Admiral Lei Zuo, I'm not lying. There really was only one person."

Lei Zuo was even more astonished.

He knew his subordinate would not tell such an absurd lie.

It was simply too absurd for him to accept right away.

"Fine. I'm coming down now."

Lei Zuo hurriedly stood up. Just as he was about to put down the receiver, he asked unwillingly, "It really wasn't Hawk-Eye?"

"It really wasn't, Vice Admiral Lei Zuo," the subordinate answered helplessly.

"All right."

Lei Zuo sighed and put down the receiver.

On second thought, it made sense.

Although Dracule Mihawk hunted pirates, he never went to Marine bases to claim bounties.

That great swordsman did not make a living by hunting pirates.

A few minutes later.

Lei Zuo arrived at the bounty reception hall on the first floor and looked up.

At once,

his entire body stiffened, and goosebumps rose all over his skin.

A handsome, slender youth with black hair and black eyes sat in one of the chairs for guests, slowly sipping tea.

The instant he saw the youth,

Lei Zuo's instincts issued a fierce warning.

Danger!

Danger!

Danger!

It was as though the youth was a savage beast wearing human skin.

Beneath that seemingly gentle exterior lurked an immense terror, ready to devour anyone at any moment.

Gulp...

Vice Admiral Lei Zuo swallowed instinctively, enormous waves rising within his heart.