The Public Enemy of the World, the Legendary Pirate Captain John!

"Turns out you could do it like this. Captain Pete really is resourceful!"

"If you don't know how to praise someone, keep your mouth shut!"

Pete shot the pirate an irritated glare. Not knowing what he had said wrong, the man lowered his head in grievance.

Meanwhile, inside the captain's quarters.

John leaned against the headboard and tipped back a bottle of rum, using Mantra to hear every secret conversation with perfect clarity.

Is that all the ambition you have?

He was deeply disappointed.

He had thought Pete had painstakingly planned all this to obtain an enormous fortune, then use it as a foundation to accomplish something great.

For example, recruiting men and becoming the new overlord to fill the void left by the Rocks Pirates.

Yet he had never expected Pete merely wanted to use the money to buy a noble title in one of the World Government's member nations, erase his bounty, and live out the rest of his life in peace.

"Eh, no, that's not right."

"In a way, that kind of life actually sounds pretty good!"

After all, in a World Government member nation, there was no need to worry about being chosen by the Celestial Dragons as a hunting game venue.

Even if one did something illegal within the kingdom, as long as the king did not pursue it, the Marines could not interfere.

The only concern would be the Revolutionary Army coming to liberate the place twenty or thirty years later, turning years of hard work into smoke.

Still, even that was a low-probability event. The Revolutionary Army had been active for so many years, yet altogether, it had liberated at most a dozen or so nations.

And there were more than one hundred and seventy World Government member nations!

"Using my money to live the life you want, huh? Pretty damn nice!"

John laughed in anger, yet he had to admit that Pete was truly clever.

Taking a step back, even if Nika or the Revolutionary Army overthrew the World Government in the future and liberated the entire world.

As long as they cleaned up their dirty work properly over the years, they could still retain vast fortunes after liberation and continue living above everyone else.

Better yet, if they were clever enough, they could place bets on both sides. Secretly fund the Revolutionary Army, then worm their way into some official position once the new regime was established.

For ordinary people who bore neither bloodline nor destiny, this was absolutely the optimal choice in the end!

"Why does that sound a little like the great clans back in my hometown?"

John recalled a saying.

A dynasty lasts a hundred years, but great clans last a thousand!

As long as he could resist the glory of standing in the spotlight and let Nika and Imu fight it out, he would definitely be the one laughing in the end.

"But I... just can't stand being lonely!"

John lowered his head and stared at the bedsheets. His blazing gaze seemed to pierce through countless obstacles and land on the worms hiding in the lower decks.

"Come on, you bitch goddess of fate. Let's see how I make you beg for more."

"..."

Several days later, Ohara.

This small island was rich in vegetation. In particular, the enormous Tree of Knowledge, shaped like a giant pod, spread its lush canopy over more than half the island.

Yet what made this island famous was not its landscape, but the world's finest archaeologists gathered here, along with the world's largest library.

A pirate ship flying a gold-trimmed skull flag, reeking of extravagant wealth, slowly towed a golden ship toward the shore. The island's residents merely grew wary at the sight and did not scream or flee in panic.

Perhaps their research into the Poneglyphs had taught them something, or perhaps it was because Dr. Clou D. Clover had once been a pirate. Either way, the residents did not have a particularly poor impression of pirates.

On the contrary, if Marines or World Government vessels had arrived, they would have panicked.

"Mm! The air here is so fresh."

John stepped onto the island via the gangplank, spread his arms, and took a deep breath with an intoxicated expression.

The pirates aboard the ship had gone so long without bathing that they stank. Staying around them for too long made it feel as though even his lungs had been polluted.

Washing his lungs with fresh air was good for both body and mind.

"Teach and I will stay on this island."

Alice walked over to John's side and gave him a meaningful nod.

After observing them for the past few days, she had discovered that the atmosphere within the John Pirates was all wrong. It carried an eerie, oppressive tension, like a storm was about to break.

As a former pirate, she could more or less guess what was happening.

This group was about to fight over the enormous treasure!

John smiled at Alice with pursed lips, then reached toward the ugly little brat following behind them.

"Come on, Teach. Uncle will take you to buy some candy."

"Mm!" Having come ashore, Teach seemed a little more cheerful. He raised his tiny dark hand and took John's.

Watching the three gradually walk away, Pete signaled to the pirates with his eyes and hurried after them, afraid John might run off.

John's gaze swept over the wary residents standing along both sides of the street. He turned back and said helplessly,

"Can you spread out a little? You're scaring the residents here by moving around in a pack."

"And stop following me too. You're all grown men. Do you still need to trail behind your old man to beg for candy?"

"John, everyone's just worried about you."

Pete scratched the back of his head and hurriedly explained.

"The entire Underworld is hunting you now, and the World Government's Cipher Pol has its eyes on you too. We have to stay vigilant at all times."

Over the past few days, although the newspapers had only mentioned a little information about God Valley, the Den Den Mushi-exclusive channels used by pirates had been ringing nonstop.

This was the Underworld's common method of communication. Whenever a Dark Bounty or a major event was announced, it would be broadcast to every registered Den Den Mushi.

As a former Rocks Pirates officer, John's Den Den Mushi was naturally on the Underworld's notification list, so he had naturally received the latest bounty notice as well.

Captain John: bounty of ten billion Beli!

This was another record high in bounty history, following the five-billion-Beli bounty on the Paramecia Op-Op Fruit!

From now on, it would likely be difficult for any person or object to surpass this astronomical bounty.

Now, pirates, bounty hunters, slave traders, Cipher Pol agents, and all sorts of people were searching the entire world like mad for Captain John.

Even the world itself had come to a standstill because of it!

It made sense. The pirates at God Valley had only seen John take away that enormous golden ship. They had no idea that he had later divided the spoils with Newgate and the others.

Newgate and the others would not be stupid enough to announce to the world that they had shared the treasure.

Thus, the entire world's attention was focused on John alone.

Treasure legends such as the Golden City and Emerald City existed only in books or in the drunken boasts people traded in taverns.

But they had seen John's golden ship with their own eyes. It was a genuine, real, massive treasure!

"I'm the famous Captain John. Why would I need you bastards guarding me at my side? Get lost, get lost, get lost! Stop bothering me!"

John waved Pete and the others away as if swatting flies. If these guys kept following him, how was he supposed to whisper sweet nothings to Alice?

Get lost!