A Bounty of 130 Million

Ata, is thirty years old this year. Don't let her status as a cook fool you; she was once the captain of the renowned Cook God Pirates and a Two-Sword Style Swordmaster. Her culinary skills and strength are both outstanding. Her bounty is a staggering 130 million, which is an extremely high sum in the world of pirates.

Years ago, Ata won the cooking competition on Chef Island with her superb culinary skills. However, on the very day she won the championship, she encountered a sudden conspiracy. Her crew suffered heavy casualties, almost all of them were wiped out, and only she herself managed to escape the calamity.

This incident drastically changed Ata's personality; she became extremely irritable and prone to violence at the slightest provocation. Despite this, she remained convinced that the person who had plotted against her was still lurking on Chef Island, so she stayed there, searching for the mastermind behind it all.

This was all the information about the Ata, recorded on the paper in Moke's hand. After reading it, his eyes were filled with astonishment. He never expected that this seemingly ordinary cook would have such an amazing past and such a high bounty. Such a bounty was comparable to that of the Supernova.

Moreover, since Ata has been searching for the murderer on Chef Island for the past few years, her bounty has remained unchanged. This means that if she can be captured, not only will a huge reward be obtained, but a secret hidden for many years may also be uncovered.

"Interesting..." Moke muttered to himself, his interest fully piqued. Without hesitation, he said to the seller, "Information on the people who plotted against her back then? If you have it, give it to me! I'll buy it too..."

Upon hearing Moke's words, the waiter paused for a moment, then narrowed his eyes slightly, revealing an enigmatic expression.

"Considering this is your first time working with us, and you have the potential to become a valuable customer, I'll make an exception and give you this reminder." The waiter's voice was low and slow, as if every word had been carefully considered. "Anyone who buys this information will also have their own information in their hands. So, are you sure you want to buy this information?"

Upon hearing this, Moke was startled, and his relaxed expression instantly turned serious. The information revealed in the waiter's words made him realize that this matter was far more complicated than he had imagined.

First, this means he wasn't the first person to buy information about the killer from the Underworld. So what happened to those who bought information before? Did they successfully find the killer, or did they meet with misfortune?

Secondly, this also shows that the murderer must be someone of considerable importance; otherwise, why would anyone be willing to spend a large sum of money to buy his information? Moreover, since the waiter said that the person who buys the information will also have their own information leaked, then this murderer is likely an extremely dangerous person, or even an important figure in some powerful organization.

Moke's mind raced through these questions, and he couldn't help but think of Ata's time on Chef Island. If the people who bought the information hadn't been dealt with, why did they back down after learning the killer's identity? Was it out of fear of the killer's retaliation, or because they had discovered something far more terrifying?

Despite his many questions, Moke decided to continue purchasing the intelligence report. He nodded and said to the waiter, "Thank you for the reminder, but I still want to see this report. After all, I'm starting to get quite curious about this killer..."

The waiter didn't seem surprised by Moke's decision. He smiled slightly and said, "Okay, but this isn't cheap. After all, everyone knows that this intelligence could very well bring a pirate with a bounty of over 100 million into our ranks."

In this new world, under Doflamingo's command is a man Gladius, a member of the Donquixote Family. Gladius possesses the Paramecia Boom-Boom Devil Fruit Ability, making him an extremely powerful warrior. His bounty is a staggering 31 million, but in reality, his true strength far exceeds that number, possibly even reaching over 100 million.

Recently, Gladius used his Boom-Boom Devil Fruit Ability to set a trap and successfully ambushed Ata. Ata was a famous chef and the captain of a pirate crew, whose Cook God Pirates were renowned at sea. However, in this ambush, Gladius mercilessly detonated his Devil Fruit Ability, killing all the crew members except Ata.

When Moke learned of this news, he couldn't help but show a shocked expression. He never expected that the person who made the move would be Gladius, a member of the Donquixote Family. After all, Gladius was backed by Doflamingo and the entire Donquixote Family, a background that sent chills down his spine.

However, Moke was also filled with doubt. What kind of Devil Fruit could attract the attention of a powerful figure like Gladius? Moreover, Gladius chose an ambush instead of a direct confrontation with Ata, indicating that he was wary of Ata's strength. Yet, even with such a meticulously planned ambush, Gladius failed to completely eliminate Ata, which was enough to prove that Ata's strength should not be underestimated.

In other words, while Gladius is also very strong, he is still slightly inferior to her. However, a powerful figure like Doflamingo would naturally not make a personal trip for someone who is slightly weaker; there must be other reasons behind it. This has led to the current delicate situation.

Moke secretly pondered to himself that the money was well spent. Not only had he tasted such delicious food, but he had also taken the opportunity to meet such a remarkable person. Moreover, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that making this culinary genius Ata, his first partner would be an extremely wise choice.

As Moke pondered these matters, he suddenly remembered something and quickly said to the waitress, "Oh, and could you please give me a map to Chef Island as well?" The waitress smiled slightly, seemingly unsurprised by Moke's request. She deftly pulled a map from her pocket and handed it to Moke, saying softly, "Consider this map a small personal gift to you."

A flicker of surprise crossed Moke's eyes. He quickly took the map and said gratefully, "Thank you so much!" Then, as if remembering something, he added, "In that case, shouldn't we get down to business?"

The waitress paused slightly, clearly not expecting Moke to be so direct. However, she quickly recovered, a smile playing on her lips, and said, "You're quite perceptive... you even noticed that!" She then took a deep breath, adjusted her clothes, and solemnly said to Moke, "Now, on behalf of Baroque Works, I formally invite you to join Baroque Works. With your abilities, once you join Baroque Works, you will immediately become a senior agent..."

"Holy crap..."

I just saw Doflamingo's Donquixote Family, and now Crocodile's Baroque Works has appeared too. It's truly astonishing... But thinking about it carefully, it makes sense. After all, in the underground intelligence network, Doflamingo of the New World and Crocodile's Baroque Works in the first half of the Grand Line are both very powerful figures.

However, he had absolutely no intention of becoming Crocodile's henchman. Just as he was about to refuse, the waiter preemptively added, "Don't be so quick to refuse... Why don't you listen to our terms first? First, we'll share intelligence with you. That means any information you need will be provided to you free of charge. Not only that, if anyone tries to harm you, or if someone tries to buy information about you, we'll notify you immediately... and even send people to help you directly. Second, as long as you join our Baroque Works and complete the tasks we assign, you're completely free to act without any restrictions at other times. Moreover, after each completed mission, our Baroque Works will give you a very generous reward!"

Third, you can choose a cooperative approach. We will prioritize providing you with intelligence, and we will also promptly alert you if anyone tries to target you. However, you will need to give Beli... Of course, you will also need to complete certain tasks. If you choose this cooperative approach, you have the right to choose. Not every task is mandatory... Within a year, you only need to choose two or three tasks from the assigned tasks to complete."

It has to be said that this third form of cooperation does sound quite tempting. However, Moke knows very well that this is not what he wants. After all, problems that can be solved with money are not problems for him. As for intelligence, he can just buy it with Beli. Moreover, no matter how good the other party's words are, once he agrees to this form of cooperation, it is equivalent to him already belonging to Crocodile's Baroque Works.

Therefore, Moke decisively rejected the suggestion. Seeing this, the waiter could only shake his head helplessly and leave with a hint of regret. Moke, on the other hand, continued to look at the route map to Chef Island. Soon, he noticed the names of two small islands, which made him shudder.

The two islands are named Whiskey Peak and Asuka Island. Moke thought to himself that this route was somewhat similar to the one Luffy and his Luffy had taken.

The former is the lair of bounty hunters, where Princess Vivi and Luffy will be heading. The latter is a mysterious island that houses Holy Sword... Especially the latter, its allure to Moke is indescribable. That Holy Sword is an exceptionally strange and incredibly powerful entity! It can not only heal wounds automatically, but also amplify the strength of the user and their companions, and even possesses miraculous effects such as mind control and achieving perfect Man-Sword Unity. If Moke could absorb such a powerful weapon, his strength would undoubtedly reach a new level!

However, Whiskey Peak is a place that must be visited. It's not to see Princess Vivi, nor to reunite with Luffy's crew. It's because there, there lies a Meito — Kashu. If Moke remembers correctly, this Meito seems to be in the possession of an agent of Baroque Works. In the original story, it was eventually obtained by Tashigi. Since Moke wants to win over Ata, besides providing information about the culprit, he should at least prepare a decent gift!

For a Swordmaster, what gift in the world could be more fitting than Meito? After enjoying a hearty meal in the tavern, Moke patted his belly contentedly and then rested comfortably for the entire night.

The next morning, as the sun rose, sunlight streamed through the window onto Moke's face. He slowly opened his eyes, stretched, and felt a surge of energy coursing through his body. After washing up, Moke unhesitatingly unleashed his astonishing speed once more, rushing straight towards Reverse Mountain like a dazzling beam of light.

Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral Sengoku was working on documents in his office. Suddenly, as if he had heard some shocking news, he jumped up from his seat, his face filled with astonishment, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "What?!"

The sudden exclamation drew the attention of both Garp and Vice Admiral Tsuru, who happened to be in his office. Garp, in particular, was holding a donut and about to put it in his mouth when the shout startled him so much that he almost dropped it.

Garp stared wide-eyed at Sengoku in disbelief, for he rarely saw Sengoku so out of sorts. Vice Admiral Tsuru, on the other hand, frowned slightly, a sense of foreboding rising within her. She felt that something significant had likely occurred again.

Vice Admiral Tsuru quickly asked, "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Call..."

Sengoku slowly put down the Den Den Mushi his hand, as if it weighed a ton. He let out a long breath, as if only in this way could he calm himself down a little.

"East Blue Wild Dog, who succeeded Smoker in the East Blue, has been killed." His voice was low and serious, as if the news had brought him immense pressure.

"What?" Garp stared in astonishment, his eyes wide with disbelief as he looked at Sengoku. "How could this be?"

Garp was extremely familiar with the East Blue; he frequently visited it and knew the situation there like the back of his hand. In his understanding, although there were some pirates in the East Blue, none of them were particularly powerful, and very few possessed any real strength.

However, in such a seemingly peaceful sea area, such a serious incident occurred—the highest-ranking officer of the navy was assassinated! This is truly unbelievable.

Clearly, He thought so too. She frowned and asked doubtfully, "Could it be that some powerful figure has emerged in the East Blue?"

Sengoku nodded, his expression grave. "The specifics are still unclear, but according to intelligence, the killer's Moke, and his age and birthplace are unknown. However, it is certain that he possesses considerable swordsmanship and is also a Devil Fruit User."

He paused here, as if considering his next words. After a moment, as if making up his mind, he added, "According to the intelligence we have, his swordsmanship was learned from Corporal Tashigi, Smoker's second-in-command. And his Devil Fruit ability is very special; not only does he possess the power of light and earth, but more surprisingly, he also has the Elementalization ability unique to Logia Devil Fruits."

Upon hearing this, both Vice Admiral Tsuru and Garp showed expressions of astonishment, clearly shocked by the news. Garp, in particular, stared wide-eyed at Sengoku in disbelief, exclaiming, "Sengoku, are you sure you heard correctly? What Logia Devil Fruit can control both light and earth at the same time? This is simply a fantasy!"

Indeed, this situation was utterly unbelievable. Even Sengoku himself, upon hearing the news, couldn't help but feel a pang of self-doubt. He muttered to himself, "Logia, Logia... Logia should be some kind of natural element in the natural world. How could there be Devil Fruit that allows one person to possess two natural abilities at the same time? This is simply too illogical!"

However, despite his doubts and confusion, Sengoku had to admit that the source of this information was quite reliable. He had just confirmed it multiple times, which was why he had told Vice Admiral Tsuru and Garp. But even after confirming it repeatedly, deep down he still found it hard to believe that such a thing could happen. Or rather, that this person possessed two Devil Fruit abilities simultaneously?

However, both scenarios were far beyond their previous understanding. Just then, Vice Admiral Tsuru suddenly snapped out of her reverie. She quickly turned to Sengoku and said, "Since this person learned swordsmanship from Smoker's second-in-command, Corporal Tashigi, why don't we ask them? Perhaps they'll know the reason!" Sengoku's eyes lit up upon hearing Vice Admiral Tsuru's words, as if he had suddenly thought of some important clue.

Meanwhile, Smoker, who was in full pursuit of the Straw Hat Crew, was gazing at the turbulent sea, seemingly deep in thought. However, a short while later, a soldier rushed up to Smoker, holding a Den Den Mushi). The soldier respectfully said, "Captain Smoker, this is Fleet Admiral Sengoku from Headquarters."

Upon hearing this news, Smoker's pupils contracted sharply, a sense of unease instantly rising within him. Not only him, but Tashigi beside him also looked over, her face mirroring his worry. Smoker had acted first and informed the Straw Hat Crew later; if he hadn't been so decisive, Marine Headquarters would never have approved his actions. Now it seemed there was serious trouble ahead; otherwise, why would Fleet Admiral Sengoku have personally called?

However, at this moment, Smoker and Tashigi had no way out. They could only grit their teeth, take the Den Den Mushi with a forced smile, and say tremblingly, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, this is Smoker."

A deep, authoritative voice came from Sengoku other end of the phone. "Do you know anything about Moke?"

Smoker and Tashigi were both stunned by his words. They had expected Fleet Admiral Sengoku to give them a stern reprimand, but they never expected him to suddenly ask about Moke. The two looked at each other, filled with doubt and confusion, not understanding why Fleet Admiral Sengoku would be interested in Moke.

However, despite their doubts, they quickly regained their composure and realized they had to answer Fleet Admiral Sengoku's question immediately. Smoker, after a moment's thought, hurriedly replied, "I know a little about him. He's a friend of my second-in-command, Corporal Tashigi. As far as I know, he not only possesses terrifying swordsmanship talent, but also a very special Devil Fruit ability!"

Sengoku was clearly interested in Smoker's answer and immediately pressed, "Tell me more!"

Smoker glanced at Tashigi, who immediately understood and continued, "Three months ago, I ran into Moke at a weapon shop in Loguetown. He bought two Meito without hesitation and even offered to teach me Meito in exchange for one of them. Seeing his sincerity, I agreed."

At that time, he was completely ignorant of swordsmanship, a complete novice. However, in just three months, his swordsmanship improved by leaps and bounds, far surpassing mine, and he was only one step away from becoming Swordmaster! I had never seen such talent in my life, and even the Vice Admiral in headquarters who were known for their swordsmanship paled in comparison to him.

Furthermore, his Devil Fruit ability is also very unique. During their first meeting at the weapon shop, he demonstrated an ability similar to the Paramecia Dice-Dice Fruit, allowing him to turn people into blades. Later, during the operation to capture the Straw Hat Crew, he even offered his assistance. But it was at that moment that he also revealed his ability to Elementalization and control the earth.

At this point, she glanced thoughtfully at Smoker before adding, "After some deduction, Captain Smoker and I believe he might possess multiple Devil Fruit abilities!"

"What?!" Tashigi's words exploded in Sengoku's ears like a bombshell, causing him to gasp in surprise. Immediately, he grabbed the Den Den Mushi and shouted into the receiver, "Find out exactly what this guy is all about right now!"

He even possesses an ability similar to the Paramecia -type Dice-Dice Fruit? Doesn't that mean he can not only turn himself into soil but also manipulate light? Wouldn't that make him a Level 3 Devil Fruit user with terrifying swordsmanship talent?

These three abilities are all incredibly powerful! Especially that light elemental ability, similar to the Glint-Glint Fruit —it's practically a carbon copy of Kizaru! Anyone facing someone like that would likely have a major headache. After all, whether he wants to fight or retreat is entirely up to him. This is going to be troublesome!

Smoker, finally unable to contain his curiosity, asked, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, what exactly did this kid do to warrant your personal telegram...?"

The Fleet Admiral Sengoku answered without hesitation, "Because this guy killed the Wild Dog Colonel who was supposed to replace you."

"What?" Smoker and Tashigi exclaimed in unison, their faces filled with disbelief. At the same time, both of them were filled with doubt.

Tashigi quickly said, "That's not right! I spent three whole months with him, and I could clearly sense that he had no ill intentions towards the Navy!"