After Ye Yu appeared on the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew's ship, the crew members had mostly finished their battles. As expected, they had all achieved victory. Zhang Tian also defeated her opponent, gaining considerable experience, especially since her opponent had inherited the strength of Vergo.
Xia Ling asked, "Captain, how badly did you beat Lin Muxue?"
Ye Yu smirked coldly. "Of course, I beat her to a pulp."
This delighted Xia Ling and the others, as it was a satisfying outcome—after all, they all despised Lin Muxue.
The crew members began adjusting and recovering, preparing themselves to reach peak condition for the upcoming two lists, where they would give their all.
Xia Ling declared, "We must ensure our bounties are as high as possible."
Xiao Ke nodded. "Right. We need the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew's name to appear frequently on the Bounty List."
Zhao Lin speculated, "Do you think our Dominant Feather Pirate Crew could become the crew with the highest total bounty?"
Everyone had their ambitions—the more achievements, the better. The vice-captains and executives were determined to secure high bounties that matched their strength, even pushing their limits to avoid disgracing the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew.
Having multiple crew members ranked within the top 100 bounties would be a prestigious feat.
Another point of pride would be determining which pirate crew currently held the highest total bounty among all crews.
At this, the crew members grew uncertain.
"We hope it's us, but it's not guaranteed. Our crew isn't the largest—in fact, we're relatively small since we only recruit elites from the start."
"Because of our high standards, our numbers are limited, but each of us can take on ten enemies. So, it's possible, but not certain."
"In my opinion, the crew with the highest average bounty is the most prestigious. Some crews prioritize numbers, recruiting tens or even hundreds of thousands. Even if they lack many high-bounty members, their total bounty could still be the highest due to sheer numbers—but their average bounty would be low."
"So, a crew's true strength lies in its average bounty."
"Actually, the most prestigious titles are the 'One King' and 'Four Emperors.' If we consider average bounty, some crews might recruit only a dozen members, each a powerhouse, resulting in a high average. Though no such crew exists now, it favors smaller crews."
...
Everyone stopped discussing this. Indeed, the Pirate Crew List was the most important honor for any crew, as it granted titles.
Sun Long wondered, "I wonder how much our bounties will differ from the Captain's."
"Well, among the executives and vice-captains, the differences won't be huge. But compared to the Captain, the gap will be significant—it's just a matter of how much."
"The Captain will undoubtedly rank first. The question is by how large a margin."
...
Not only did the crew think this way, but the entire world shared the sentiment—news of Ye Yu defeating Lin Muxue had already spread.
Even if Lin Muxue remained silent, the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew's publicity department would ensure the story circulated.
Thus, when the world learned of it, shockwaves followed.
"My god, Ye Yu actually defeated Lin Muxue!"
"It's been over twenty days since reaching level thirty, yet Lin Muxue actually lost. Everyone thought Ye Yu was gradually entering his weaker phase. The reason the four major pirate crews hadn't sought revenge yet was because they were seizing the time to improve, aiming for better rankings on the two lists. But now, Ye Yu is still this strong."
"And he still utterly crushed Lin Muxue."
"Well, though no one saw the fight, rumors say it was a complete domination."
"Of course, such rumors come from the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew's propaganda department, so they can't be fully trusted. Let's wait for the Bounty List—it's about to begin. Then we'll know whether Ye Yu remains the strongest or if the gap with the top Chosen Ones has narrowed."
"He probably is still the strongest, but the bounty difference won't be insurmountable. It hasn't fully reached Ye Yu's weaker phase yet—after all, it hasn't been long since he hit level thirty. It'll take a few more months for the decline to become obvious."
...
Almost everyone shared Lin Muxue's perspective. No one considered that a Non-Ability User could have great potential—that idea was deemed too absurd. After all, this was the Devil Fruit era.
Naturally, those who ate Devil Fruits were stronger. If that weren't the case, what would be the point of Devil Fruits? Could one truly become a top-tier powerhouse through cultivation alone? Impossible.
People in this world couldn't achieve it, nor could those in the Pirate King's world—without Devil Fruits, becoming a top-tier powerhouse was unthinkable.
In this world, Devil Fruits reigned supreme. Only a Top-tier Devil Fruit could surpass all.
Such thinking amused Ye Yu. Only Haki truly stood above everything.
But it wasn't surprising—after all, his knowledge of the Pirate King gave him a godlike perspective.
After a day of adjustments, news reverberated across the world, stirring excitement and shock.
"The Ranking Realm is about to open!"
At that moment, two towering golden steles stood at the center of the world, piercing the clouds. Bathed in radiant golden light, their inscriptions remained indistinct.
"Once the Mystic Realm concludes, the blinding golden light will fade, revealing the rankings."
"The first to begin is the Bounty List Realm. For a pirate, bounty money represents honor, pride, and a symbol of strength—it reflects individual prowess. Thus, in the Bounty List Realm, everyone must strive on their own; no external help is allowed. It tests one's combat ability."
Instantly, pirates worldwide cheered in anticipation.
"It's finally here."
"All our training and improvement were for this—to raise our bounty money."
"Bounty money is like college entrance exam scores from the past—low amounts bring shame, while high ones earn respect, bringing glory to one's family and even village."
"In fact, bounty money might be even more important."
"As an ordinary pirate, I don't expect to make the list—there are only a hundred spots. But I'll still give my all to increase my bounty. Many of my relatives and friends are ordinary people living mundane lives. If they learn my bounty is decent, it'll be something to boast about."
...
Meanwhile, Li Cang stared at the Bounty List with unease. He recalled Ye Yu's earlier words—he should pray Ye Yu didn't make the list. Because if Ye Yu did, one spot would vanish. If Ye Yu ranked 100th, Li Cang, at 101st, would miss the cutoff.
Previously, he thought Ye Yu was finished, freeing up a spot. But now, he knew Ye Yu would undoubtedly be on the list.
Originally, he was confident that he wouldn't fail to make it into the top hundred. After all, the Might Might Fruit inherited from Burgess wasn't weak among Pirates. But now, with both arms severed, his strength was undoubtedly affected. With arms, he would certainly be stronger than he is now. At this moment, he couldn't help but worry and pray.
"I hope I'm not the 101st. That would be too devastating—just missing the list with only a hundred spots. The difference is huge. Please don't let me be 101st."
...
Meanwhile, Yang Luo stared at the Bounty List with determination.
"For now, it's impossible to surpass Ye Yu, so I'll take the second-highest bounty. And I'll do everything in my power to ensure my bounty isn't too far behind Ye Yu's. After all, the one I've contracted with is Rocks! In the world of Pirates, he was the unrivaled ruler of the seas in his era!"
(End of Chapter)