His Price Kept Rising

The rain kept falling, shrouding the entire island in darkness, with only faint lights glowing aboard the ship.

The miners ate cold, hard food, drank cheap liquor, and danced in the rain.

Van did not refuse the feast, but neither did he get too involved. After drinking a pot of wine, he returned to the ship.

The transport ship had been simplified, its cabin divided into two levels. The lower level was a public area, while the upper level served as temporary living quarters.

Due to a lack of materials, the room was extremely bare, containing only a large bed and a huge wooden tub.

The tub was narrow at the bottom and wide at the top, with diameters of four and six meters respectively, while its vertical height was only one meter.

This was the resting place Van had specially prepared for Blue Moon, and it also doubled as a bathtub. At the moment, he was half-reclining inside it with his eyes closed, resting.

The earlier battle and manual labor had consumed a great deal of his strength. He desperately needed rest now, which was why he had not spent the entire night partying with the miners.

Splash!

The still surface of the water was suddenly disturbed. Ripples rose to Van's neck and spilled over the edge of the wooden tub.

He knew Blue Moon was being mischievous, so he paid no attention and continued enjoying the soak with his eyes closed.

"Where are you planning to go after we leave here, my lord?"

Blue Moon held her burning cheeks, secretly filled with anticipation.

She hoped the days ahead would be a wonderful voyage, with only her and Van and no one else to disturb them.

"Wikoff Island," Van explained. "I made an arrangement with some people to meet there."

According to his original plan, he had also intended to cause trouble in the Deliru Kingdom, but Zephyr's appearance had changed his mind.

If the Navy could discover his location so quickly, then the Donquixote Family could do the same. His next target was no longer safe.

Now that Diamante was dead, Doflamingo was bound to be furious. There was no need to keep taking risks at a time like this.

"Are they your companions, my lord?" Blue Moon asked curiously. "What kind of people are they?"

"More or less."

Van smiled and told Blue Moon about Law, Drake, and Baby-5.

"They must be very easygoing people." Blue Moon asked nervously, "Can I become your companion too, my lord? Can I follow you on your adventures?"

This was something he needed to consider carefully. Van weighed it in his heart before opening his eyes.

What entered his sight was an expectant pretty face and an alluring naked body. He could not help taking a few extra looks.

You really don't treat me like an outsider, do you?

Van steadied himself and said thoughtfully, "You've seen everything that happened these past few days. I have many enemies, and I may not be able to protect you forever."

He understood Blue Moon's feelings and did not reject them, but he still needed to make the risks clear in advance.

Under normal circumstances, he could naturally ensure Blue Moon's safety. But if they encountered danger he could not handle, he would not be able to worry about much else.

"If you hadn't saved me, my lord, I would definitely be living worse than death right now." Blue Moon said seriously, "No matter what happens in the future, this life is already a gift to me. I will never regret it!"

"No one can predict the future. I just hope you can keep believing in your choice."

Van sighed, then closed his eyes and said nothing more.

That response was as good as consent. Understanding this, Blue Moon first broke into a smile, then plunged into the water and began frolicking.

Like a fish that had stumbled upon bait, she occasionally brushed against Van. In the end, unable to suppress her curiosity, she bit down.

Even a straight hook could catch fish? Jiang Taigong truly did not deceive me!

Van's eyelids trembled, and his body tensed. Only after a long while did he finally let out a breath.

This world was more free and open than he had imagined, and far more wonderful and comfortable as well. The corners of his mouth could not help curving upward.

The feast continued through the entire night in a way Van could not understand. It was so noisy that he did not get much sleep.

Fortunately, the rain stopped and the sky cleared. At last, they could set sail.

He did not waste any more time. He casually picked a few young, clever miners to handle the ship's miscellaneous tasks, then left Sulfur-Iron Island with Blue Moon that very day.

Over the next ten days, the group encountered no accidents, but the North Blue was far from peaceful.

First, the Donquixote Family's Flamingo was spotted by a Navy training ship in the Deliru Kingdom, and Doflamingo briefly clashed with Zephyr.

Had Vergo not arrived in time and attacked the training ship, forcing Zephyr to return to its aid, Doflamingo might have gone to Impel Down to read newspapers ahead of schedule.

Yet after that crushing defeat, the Donquixote Family's reputation did not weaken. Instead, it became even more resounding.

After all, Zephyr was an Admiral who represented the Navy's highest combat power. Escaping unscathed from his hands was something worth bragging about.

Then news spread that Diamante had been killed by Van. Doflamingo flew into a rage and raised the bounty issued through the Underworld.

It was a full two hundred million Beli, only slightly lower than his own bounty, and it still emphasized that Van had to be captured alive.

The Navy responded as well, raising Van's bounty to eighty million Beli and likewise emphasizing that he was to be captured alive.

The changing bounty not only made countless bounty hunters in the North Blue eager to make a move, but also drew the attention of many forces on the Grand Line to Van.

A death was just a matter of a head hitting the ground. What secret could make both the Navy and the Donquixote Family so determined to capture their target alive?

"My lord, why does the Navy want to capture you?"

Aboard the transport ship, Blue Moon could not help asking the question.

After spending these days together, she had become much less reserved around Van, though her manner remained humble.

Even though Van had corrected her many times, she stubbornly continued calling him "my lord," merely changing the formal "you" to the more casual one.

"Doesn't it say so right here?" Van tossed aside the newspaper. "I stole something the World Nobles wanted and killed a lot of Marines."

"Your previous bounty was fifty million Beli, right?" Blue Moon grew even more curious. "What could be valuable enough to be worth so much?"

"A Devil Fruit. It's the ability I possess now."

Van unfolded the Operation Room, then activated his transfer ability. The hot water that had been heated in the lower cabin instantly appeared in the wooden tub.

"I see. Then it's not strange after all."

Blue Moon did not ask any more questions. With a grin, she removed the only piece of cloth on her body, spread her arms, and waited for Van to embrace her.

Just then, a respectful voice suddenly came from outside.

"My lord, something seems to be happening on the island. Two pirate ships are docked there. Are we still going ashore to replenish our supplies?"

"Isn't that perfect? I was worried we wouldn't have enough money to buy many things."

With a curl of his finger, Van sent Blue Moon into the wooden tub to bathe, then walked out of the room.

Ahead lay a small island called Luteni. It was the kind of remote island not governed by any particular country, with villages and a town, and was basically self-sufficient.

The miner who had spoken earlier had been here before, which was why he had specifically come to replenish supplies.

"My lord, pirates are plundering the island. Should we help them?"

"Of course we should. Otherwise, if the pirates take everything, where are we supposed to buy supplies?"

"Pirates are all scum. It would be best if every last one of them died..."

As they drew closer, the situation on the island came into view, and all the miners became furious.

"You go over and take a look first. Later, search the pirate ships and see whether there's anything useful."