Lay Low and Build Strength

"The bounty really went up again!" In an unknown sea, Xia Zhiqing held his new wanted poster and said.

The poster read: "Worst Generation Thunder Hunter Natsi. Bounty: 400 million Beli. Dead or alive!"

"This bounty is indeed a little high!"

Xia Zhiqing pulled out the one beneath it. "Gun Queen Anna. Bounty: 74 million Beli. Dead or alive!"

"Marine Headquarters must be dying to chop me into pieces now. I wonder who they'll send to hunt me down?"

"Forget it. I should find a place to hide and build up my strength first!"

Xia Zhiqing might have killed Fokichi decisively, but when it was time to back down, he still had to admit defeat!

After all, the fury of Marine Headquarters was terrifying!

He had no intention of ending up like Luffy and the others in the original story, only realizing the immensity of the world after being driven into a corner by an Admiral!

"That guy is getting more and more reckless. First he killed the king of a World Government member nation, and now he's killed a Marine Vice Admiral!"

"If he keeps being this arrogant, his end will come soon!"

In Rainbase, Alabasta, someone said this.

"What a willful and reckless fellow!"

Pirates all over the world were stunned by Xia Zhiqing's "courage" after learning of his exploits!

Killing a Marine Vice Admiral! Even some great pirates would not dare do something like that!

Yet Xia Zhiqing had simply gone ahead and done it!

But just as everyone awaited the Marines' response and further news of Xia Zhiqing, he suddenly vanished!

It was as though he had evaporated from the face of the earth, leaving behind no trace at all!

Some said he had hidden away on some deserted island, while others claimed he had already been killed by the Marines!

Others even said that an enemy had taken him out and torn him limb from limb!

There were countless theories, but none of them convinced anyone!

"Damn it, Thunder Hunter! You coward, you craven! If you're a man, show yourself!"

"You had the guts to kill my big brother, but not the guts to show yourself and face my pursuit?"

With Xia Zhiqing gone, Iron Arm Kuga was naturally the most enraged!

Xia Zhiqing had vanished, but Iron Arm Kuga did not give up searching for him! He refused to believe Xia Zhiqing could truly disappear from the world!

At the same time, Marine legend Vice Admiral Garp was also searching for him!

He sailed around the New World aboard a warship, racing all over the seas!

Though he had not caught Xia Zhiqing, he had captured quite a few other pirates guilty of every crime imaginable!

Faced with this reality, even Garp had to admit that Xia Zhiqing was truly skilled at hiding!

"Gurarara, it's rare for you to admit defeat, kid. I didn't expect you to hide yourself so thoroughly!"

"Not bad, not bad. But if you really can't hold on, come back to the Whitebeard Pirates!"

In the New World, Whitebeard said this after receiving a Den Den Mushi call from Xia Zhiqing!

Xia Zhiqing's voice came from the other end of the Den Den Mushi. "It's not time for that yet, Pops. I can still handle it!"

His tone brimmed with confidence, and the Den Den Mushi perfectly mimicked his confident expression!

Seeing that, Whitebeard did not press the matter any further. He knew Xia Zhiqing's temperament well!

"Did you hear? Blamenco of the Whitebeard Pirates and Iron Arm Kuga fought a great battle somewhere in the New World. In the end, both sides were badly injured!"

"I heard about it ages ago. But what I don't understand is why Blamenco suddenly clashed with Iron Arm Kuga instead of staying put with the Whitebeard Pirates!"