As soon as Brook finished speaking, everyone burst into laughter. Bullong even walked over to Barn, patted him on the shoulder, and said,
"Not bad, brother! You've barely been aboard, and you're already famous before me, the Butt Crusher!"
The laughter grew even louder. Brook patted Barn's shoulder and smiled with pride. "You're a proper pirate now!"
York was even more delighted. "Haha! You're amazing, Barn! Seventeen million Beli for your very first bounty!"
Barn smiled wryly. This had to be one of the quirks of the Pirate King world. Who got excited about their own bounty going up, or congratulated someone for becoming a wanted criminal? Still, he really was a little thrilled!
Seventeen million Beli-that's recognition of my strength. Makes sense. A transmigrator like me, with Asura's powers, couldn't be that weak! Still, this officially makes me a pirate. Just thinking about it is kind of exciting.
A smile gradually spread across Barn's face, and he joined Brook and the others in their joking around. The wanted poster that had fallen to the floor captured Barn's striking figure. His silver-white hair and coat were stained bloodred, and his tightly closed eyes and furrowed brow conveyed a trace of murderous intent and resolve. Nidai Kitetsu had received a close-up too, its eerie red flame pattern sending a chill down the spine.
All in all, Barn's bounty photograph had turned out remarkably well. Unfortunately, he couldn't see any of it. That was what came of being blind.
Fitz, on the other hand, was delighted, hopping back and forth over the wanted poster and pecking at it from time to time. Fitz had recognized the bird claws on Barn's head in the photograph as its own...
A year had passed since Barn received his bounty after fighting Planck, and his reputation had soared during that time. After winning that fight, Barn had discovered that his level had risen from the twenty-five he'd started with upon transmigrating to twenty-six. Fighting could actually earn him experience!
With three members of the Rumbar Pirates, including Barn, now carrying Marine bounties, the crew had naturally been added to the Marines' list of targets for extermination. Dozens of battles, large and small, over the past year had raised Barn to level thirty. He had finally learned the Asura signature skill he'd dreamed of, Asura Evil Light Slash, along with Murderous Intent Wave, which intimidated enemies through killing intent. Unlike this world's Haki, it was pure murderous intent. Once activated, it formed an aura around him that affected nearby enemies.
Finally, after Barn cut through two Marine warships at once with a fully charged Asura Evil Light Slash in one battle, his bounty was raised to 130 million Beli, far surpassing Captain York's mere 58 million.
In those days, before the Great Pirate Era had begun, earning a bounty of over a hundred million was extremely difficult. Barn had even broken the Marines' record for a rookie pirate's bounty, and that record wouldn't be broken again anytime soon-not for at least fifty years.
Fifty years later, though, all bets would be off, thanks to that freak Luffy. Once the Great Pirate Era arrived fifty years down the line, even some random rookie setting out to sea could earn a bounty in the tens of millions. That was simply impossible now.
A bounty of 130 million Beli already represented tremendous recognition of Barn's strength from the Marines.
Bullong, however, kept insisting that Barn had stolen all his thunder, which was why he, the "Butt Crusher," still hadn't received a bounty.
Barn had now grown into a strapping young man of fifteen or sixteen. Mabu had turned the Kaino fur he used to drape over himself into a jacket, and he wore a long, narrow strip of jet-black satin crossed over his eyes. Paired with his snow-white hair and coat, along with his handsome face and occasionally furrowed brow, it gave him a sharp, spirited look.
Fitz had grown to the size of a pigeon too. Barn's head was now its exclusive perch; it didn't even bother with his shoulder anymore.
Today, Barn was fishing at the stern as usual, while Fitz was openly stealing his bait, just as it always did.
Barn had been aboard for over two years. He fished every day and failed to catch anything every day. In all that time, he hadn't caught a single fish. The crew, led by Mabu, all teased him, saying that since he never caught anything anyway, he should stop going fishing every day.
Barn was indignant, but it was undeniably true: he really couldn't catch any fish. With no other choice, he dressed it up with a lofty explanation:
He fished to enjoy the process, not the results!
Standing on Barn's head, Fitz curled its wings into fists and gave a couple of token pumps, then chirped indignantly a few times.
Still, it was probably thinking, If Barn stops fishing, won't I lose my daily extra meal?
Just as everyone was laughing and chatting with Barn, Brook's voice rang out.
"Come look! Come look! There's a little fellow following us!"