When the Straw Hat Pirates ' bounties were announced, the whole world was in an uproar, and everyone set sail for the New World.
Most people in this world can't see themselves clearly. They always feel that if others can do it, they can too. Some even feel that the so-called Five Emperors are nothing special.
Only those who lived through the old era truly understand the significance of the Straw Hat Pirates' bounty posters.
Not only is Luffy's bounty shockingly high, but the bounties of others have also increased significantly.
" Zoro, the Straw Hat Pirates, the great swordsman, with a bounty of 2.35 billion Beli."
" Sanji, the Straw Hat Pirates' cook, Devil Fruit User with a bounty of 1.58 billion Beli."
" Lawrence, a member of the Straw Hat Pirates, a former Marine traitor, with a bounty of 1.46 billion Beli."
" Molly, the navigator of the Straw Hat Pirates, has a bounty of 800 million Beli."
" Straw Hat Pirates sniper, Usopp, bounty 850 million Beli."
" Straw Hat Pirates member, Fisher, bounty 900 million Beli."
" Higgins, a member of the Straw Hat Pirates, has a bounty of 900 million Beli."
The announcement of the bounty caused an uproar not only among pirates but also among all the bounty hunters. The Straw Hat Pirates were no longer just newly Five Emperors; they were a veritable treasure trove!
The idea that you could become rich overnight by simply grabbing someone, and the fact that pirate crews with bounties exceeding 10 billion, drives everyone crazy. They even overlook the fact that the Straw Hat Pirates defeated the Beasts Pirates.
Many pirate crews knew about the Straw Hat Pirates, but no one believed that in just one year, that seemingly ordinary pirate crew could defeat the Beasts Pirates.
Just as the group was frantically heading towards the New World, the Straw Hat Pirates had also recovered and were now heading deeper into the New World.
Just as the group was in high spirits, a bounty poster was delivered to them by the News Coo. It didn't even ask for their Beli. The News Coo wouldn't have delivered it to a pirate crew on the blacklist unless it received orders.
Molly glared at Luffy as he watched the News Coo frantically flee. If he hadn't caught the News Coo intending to roast it, he wouldn't be on Luffy's blacklist now.
Molly picked up the wanted poster from the ground and opened it. She froze on the spot, and then a piercing sound rang out.
"Ah..."
Hearing Molly's shout, the others rushed over, cautiously surveying their surroundings.
"What's wrong with Molly? Is she facing an enemy?!"
Everyone looked around and, finding nothing amiss, breathed a sigh of relief. Sanji asked nervously.
"Ah, I'm fine. I have some great news for you all: we're now the Emperor Pirates! Luffy has been called the Fifth Emperor, and our bounties have increased almost tenfold!"
"What!"
Everyone stared in shock at the bounty in Molly's hand. Lawrence stepped forward, took it, and examined it closely.
"Heh, not bad. It seems the World Government really thinks highly of us. All of our bounties exceed 500 million, with Luffy's at 4.18 billion Beli, befitting a Five Emperors of the Sea)."
Upon hearing Lawrence's words, Sanji and the others were overjoyed and picked up the bounty notices to look at them, their faces beaming with excitement.
Luffy and danced with his bounty in hand, now the king of the New World, one step closer to becoming the Pirate King.
Zoro smiled as he looked at his bounty of 2.35 billion Beli. Although the amount meant little to him, in the world of One Piece, no one would complain about having a high bounty.
However, Zoro quickly frowned, as if he had thought of something.
"While we're happy, we need to be careful from now on. The whole world is probably watching us now, and quite a few bounty hunters and pirates are eyeing us."
"Heh, aside from the other Four Emperors, we're not afraid of anyone else now."
"Yes, we are newly crowned emperors, and we rose to power by stepping over Kaido of the Beasts. Those who want to die, I don't mind sending them on their way."
Everyone chimed in with their own opinions, showing no signs of pressure. They were indeed very strong now, especially with Luffy and Zoro, both at the Emperor level, making them fearless of anyone.
Luffy, in particular, after sleeping for three whole days and eating a lot of food to restore his strength, felt like he had become invincible and unstoppable.
He also mentioned wanting to challenge Lin Yuan, but the entire Straw Hat Pirates rejected it and even forcibly sailed in the opposite direction from the " Abyss " Merchant Guild.
In their eyes, Lin Yuan's strength was clearly inferior to that of other emperors. Being able to defeat Kaido of the Beasts meant that they could challenge Lin Yuan. The fact that Lin Yuan easily defeated Luffy back then was still fresh in their minds.
Zoro and Sanji even discussed it and concluded that the punch that shattered the entire Onigashima was Lin Yuan's doing, and that he might have been watching the whole battle.
As for whether Kaido actually fell into the lava, the two of them weren't sure, since if Lin Yuan really made a move, they wouldn't be able to detect it with their strength.
" Zoro, what should we do next?"
"Let's stick to the original plan: help Luffy become the Pirate King as soon as possible, and then I'll leave."
Sanji remained silent. He didn't stop Zoro, after all, World's Greatest Swordsman was no less than Luffy's dream of becoming the Pirate King.
As for himself, Sanji had also thought about it. His dream was to find the best ingredients in the world, but in the end he discovered that those best ingredients were already in the " Abyss " Trading Company.
Sanji thought of his older sister Reiju again, whom he hadn't seen for over a decade. But since she had already followed Lin Yuan, that man should be nothing to him anymore.
Sanji smiled and then said.
"In that case, I'll go with you then. I've heard they have the best ingredients in the world there, so I'll probably go check it out, but..."
Sanji paused for a moment, then said in a deep voice.
"As you said, Reiju and the others have already landed on the Laugh Tale. I wonder how Luffy will feel when he finds out."
Zoro was taken aback, and then he understood what Sanji meant. His own long-cherished dream was just a tourist attraction to others. If he were to encounter it, how tragic would that be?
For a moment, Zoro felt a chill run through his body and couldn't help but shiver.
"Fortunately, my dream is to become the World's Greatest Swordsman. Although someone already holds that position, I still have a chance to challenge them. As for Luffy..."
Let's take it one step at a time!