Golden Employee! Baratie!

However, the next second, he was easily subdued by Luffy's rubber ability and slapped onto the deck in a miserable heap~

"What's with you?" Luffy looked down at the defeated man beneath his hand, completely baffled~

"Huh... aren't you Johnny?" Hearing the voice, Zoro stepped out of the cabin as well. When he saw the guy pinned to the deck, his eyes widened~

"Z-Zoro!?" Johnny snapped back to his senses, his eyes widening as he scrambled to his feet~

"Zoro! Why are you on such an unknown pirate ship?!" Johnny cried out in astonishment~

"I quit being a bounty hunter ages ago. This guy's Johnny. Back when I was a bounty hunter, we used to work together." Zoro explained to his companions~

"What do you mean, an unknown pirate ship?! You bastard!" Luffy immediately took offense~

If not for the fact that Zoro knew him, Luffy would have absolutely given the guy a rubber punch~

"Looks like our crew's reputation still needs some work." With both hands in his pockets, Rayson leisurely strolled out of the cabin, looking at Johnny with a faint smile~

"H-Heavenly King Rayson?!" The instant Johnny saw Rayson's face clearly, his entire body froze in terror~

Unlike Zoro, who dreamed of becoming the world's greatest Swordmaster and only moonlighted as a bounty hunter because he lacked travel funds, Johnny and his partner Joseph were professional bounty hunters~

And for bounty hunters, gathering intelligence was of utmost importance~

At the very least, they had to know the bounty amounts and combat assessments of every wanted pirate so they could choose opponents they were confident they could defeat and claim the reward~

Naturally, all kinds of newspapers and magazines were the primary channels through which bounty hunters acquired pirate intelligence~

Among them, publications issued by the World Economy News Paper, the world's leading media giant, were required daily reading~

Although the paper's front pages overwhelmingly focused on the vast Grand Line, where powerful figures gathered, and rarely spared any space for the East Blue, known as the "Weakest Sea," reading it still broadened one's horizons~

But not long ago, the World Economy News Paper had unprecedentedly devoted an entire special edition to reporting on the situation in the usually overlooked East Blue~

And "Heavenly King" Rayson had been the most dazzling super rookie featured in that special section!

The article had even described him in striking terms: "Upon these seas, a new king is about to be born~"

Such high-profile and exaggerated praise naturally left an unforgettable impression on Johnny~

"'Heavenly King'? That's so cool! Your title is seriously awesome, Rayson!" Usopp looked at Rayson with undisguised envy~

Usopp's father, Yasopp, had set out to sea early in pursuit of his dreams, while his mother had died of illness when he was young. There had not been much money at home~

On top of that, Usopp usually liked tinkering with inventions, and those required financial support~

The World Economy News Paper was expensive, so Usopp could not afford every issue in the past. He only gritted his teeth and bought one occasionally to broaden his horizons—though mainly to give his tall tales more solid material~

Unfortunately, he had happened to miss the issue that reported on Rayson's exploits~

"And he's more famous now than Luffy, our captain in name." Nami chimed in from the side, teasing them with a bright smile~

For some reason, hearing others marvel at Rayson's reputation stirred a faint, almost imperceptible joy within Nami's heart~

After their late-night talk at Kaya Manor, she had also begun to vaguely understand certain feelings~

She secretly glanced at Rayson, her cheeks faintly flushed as shyness and attachment mingled in her gaze~

In fact, before entering the dangerous Grand Line, Zoro's title as the "Pirate Hunter" had also been far more famous than the little-known Luffy~

"I'll be famous across all four seas someday too! My bounty will rise to a terrifying amount!" Luffy was not jealous of his companions' fame in the slightest. Clenching his fists, he boldly declared his fighting spirit~

"Captain?" Johnny turned his head blankly and looked at Luffy~

"What? Don't I look like captain material?" Luffy puffed out his chest and planted his hands on his hips~

Nami, Zoro, and Usopp shook their heads in perfect unison~

What kind of competent leader insisted on finding a musician instead of a cook right before entering the Grand Line?

"..." Deeply wounded, Luffy silently crouched in a corner and began drawing circles on the deck with his finger~

"Unbelievable... the renowned 'Heavenly King' Rayson, along with Zoro, actually acknowledge you as their leader..." Johnny muttered, his understanding of Luffy utterly overturned~

"By the way, where's Joseph? Why isn't he with you?" Zoro swept his gaze across the small boat, finding it strange~

Johnny and Joseph had always been inseparable partners, yet today only Johnny was here~

"Joseph! He..." Johnny's face immediately fell, filled with grief~

"What happened?" Seeing Zoro's worried expression, Johnny cautiously helped Joseph up from the small wooden cabin tied alongside the boat~

Joseph's face was ashen. He lay motionless on the deck, looking as though he had only a thread of life left~

"He was perfectly lively just two days ago! Then, without warning, he turned deathly pale and fell unconscious! I have no idea what's going on! His teeth are falling out, and old wounds are bleeding again... I really don't know what to do!" Johnny wailed as he looked at his partner, whose fate hung in the balance~

"I was planning to take him ashore on that remote rocky island nearby so he could rest, but then a cannonball suddenly came flying from your ship!" Johnny accused them through sobs~

Luffy and Usopp were so shocked their jaws nearly hit their feet~

Oh no! Wasn't that the cannonball they had fired while testing the cannon just now?

"W-We're sorry!" The two hurriedly bowed ninety degrees and apologized again and again with complete sincerity~

"If apologies worked, what would we need the Marines for?!" Johnny tearfully accused them, while Joseph in his arms conveniently coughed up a mouthful of bright red blood~

"Brother! Hang in there! Great Zoro, he's not going to die like this, is he?!" Johnny frantically shook Joseph in near hysteria~

"If you keep shaking him like that, even if his illness doesn't kill him, you will." Rayson and Nami walked over side by side, and Rayson cut in~

"Relax. This is just scurvy, the most common illness at sea. Luffy, when we were stocking supplies, didn't I specifically tell you to get extra apples? If you sail the sea without getting enough vitamins... forget it, you wouldn't understand even if I explained. In short, if you go too long without vegetables and fruit, this is what happens." Rayson pointed at Joseph as he explained~