Suppressed Teacher Zephyr?
The Marine Vice Admiral was shocked. To possess such strength, could it mean...
"Continue!"
Sengoku's expression grew increasingly grim. Without further delay, he turned and ordered Brannew.
"Yes! Then, everyone, I will proceed to introduce these individuals in order of their bounties, from lowest to highest."
Brannew's face was solemn as he pointed to the first wanted poster.
It depicted an exceptionally burly man with obvious Fish-man lineage and a vicious countenance.
"Formerly one of the 'Three Calamities,' 'Rumbling' Jack!"
"The term 'formerly' is used because after the man Fleet Admiral Sengoku mentioned appeared, the Curtain Closer's top executives expanded to four, and their title naturally changed to the 'Four Calamities'!"
"This individual possesses a rare Ancient Zoan ability. Though his personality is recklessly impulsive, his loyalty and combat prowess undoubtedly place him in the top tier within the Curtain Closer organization!"
"During the recent Sabaody incident, within just half an hour, he defeated the Science Combat Force's Sentomaru and the ten Pacifistas the latter had brought along!"
"A full ten units! Keep in mind, these represent the pinnacle of the Science Force's current achievements—capable of effortlessly eliminating Supernova-level Pirates!"
"Each unit's production cost equals that of the Marine Headquarters' highest-grade warship. Yet, in Jack's hands, they were utterly crushed, barely able to fight back!"
Crushed?
Many high-ranking officials in the room paled.
Compared to technology, they placed greater faith in their own Martial Arts and Haki. They harbored some disdain for artificial creations like the Pacifistas, which had consumed vast resources.
Yet the Pacifistas' track record of overwhelming Supernovas was undeniable—many junior Vice Admirals could only admit inferiority.
By comparison, this Jack's strength seemed all the more terrifying...
"Based on the above, the threat level of 'Rumbling' Jack must be reassessed. His original bounty of 770 million Berry is hereby raised to 1 billion Berry!" Brannew solemnly declared.
One billion Berry!
The conference room immediately buzzed with murmurs.
"A reasonable figure," Vice Admiral Doberman remarked around his cigar, narrowing his eyes. "But this is only the lowest bounty among the top executives, no? The others are supposedly even more formidable..."
"Quite troubling to think about," Momonga sighed beside him.
"Next!"
Above them, Brannew had already moved on to the second wanted poster on the board—a tall man wearing a Bear-Eared Hat.
His demeanor was entirely different from Jack's, appearing gentle and honest at first glance.
"'Thunderfall' Bartholomew Kuma! Originally one of the Marine Headquarters' candidates for the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea invitation. Unfortunately, after the Dressrosa War, he joined the Curtain Closer."
"With his formidable strength, he surpassed many veterans to become a top executive! His Paw-Paw Fruit abilities have been developed to near perfection, granting him terrifying traits such as repelling anything and instantaneous teleportation!"
"In the recent Sabaody incident, he single-handedly suppressed two members of the God Knights and blasted their bodies a staggering eight hundred times! The sheer brutality he displayed was truly appalling, perfectly embodying his former epithet of 'Tyrant'!"
Indeed, appearances can be deceiving.
Some high-ranking Marines who weren't very familiar with Kuma silently marveled at how this seemingly honest man could be even more ruthless than the notoriously vicious-looking Jack.
"I must emphasize that the specific details regarding the God Riders are currently classified at the highest level. Even within headquarters, very few are privy to this information. Please ensure it does not leak," Fleet Admiral Sengoku stressed before signaling Brannew to continue.
"Thunderfall of the Four Calamities, Bartholomew Kuma. Former bounty: 870 million Berries. After reassessment, his new bounty is set at 1.265 billion Berries!"
Thanks to Jack's precedent, this bounty didn't shock the assembled high-ranking officers too much.
"Next! The first among the Four Calamities, Vice-Captain of the Curtain Closer's main crew—Kuina!"
Brannew pointed to the third wanted poster, featuring a black-haired Master Swordsman wielding Wado Ichimonji. With age, her features had grown more refined, her beauty striking and her spirit indomitable.
Yet her gaze was icy and sharp as a blade, radiating an aura that made others hesitate to approach.
"This prodigious female swordsman is no stranger to you all. After the Dressrosa War, Vice Admiral Gion once remarked that Kuina's swordsmanship was on par with her own. And in the recent Sabaody incident, she displayed extraordinary tenacity, holding off one of our Navy's top combatants—Mr. Borsalino!"
Here, Brannew paused briefly before continuing:
"Though she was overpowered by Mr. Borsalino throughout the battle and ultimately defeated, the fact that she could engage an Admiral for so long speaks volumes about her threat level."
"Given her astonishing growth rate and potential, 'Wind Erosion' Kuina's bounty has been drastically increased from 940 million Berries to 1.38 billion Berries!"
This figure sent a chill through many in the room.
The most fitting comparison was undoubtedly the Beasts Pirates' second-in-command, the foremost of the All-Stars—Fire Calamity King, whose bounty had recently been updated to 1.39 billion Berries.
The difference was negligible, effectively placing them on equal footing.
Yet King had been with Kaido for years, a seasoned veteran long renowned for his strength.
This girl, however, was still so young and had only been at sea for just over a year.
And yet, her strength had already reached such heights!
No wonder that man had appointed her as Vice-Captain so early on…
"Finally, the last of the Four Calamities!"
Brannew's voice rose sharply as he pointed to the final wanted poster on the board:
"This individual has already been briefly introduced by Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Though a newcomer to the Curtain Closer, he is undoubtedly the most dangerous among the current Four Calamities—the blind swordsman, Issho!"
The photo showed the blind swordsman clad in a purple yukata, gripping his cane-sword with closed eyes and a serene expression.
"Alone, he intercepted all reinforcements and suppressed Mr. Zephyr so thoroughly that the latter couldn't advance an inch! As for who Mr. Zephyr is, I doubt I need to elaborate—many here are his students and undoubtedly far more familiar with his strength than I am!"
Brannew scanned the room solemnly before continuing in a grave tone:
"According to Teacher Zephyr's own assessment, the strength of this blind swordsman has completely reached the Admiral level! His mastery of the Gravity Fruit is extremely advanced, even capable of manipulating meteors to descend from the sky!"
"What's even more concerning is that after joining the Curtain Closer, this man seems to fully embrace Xiano's ideology, standing firm in his stance. During the Sabaody incident, when questioned by Teacher Zephyr, he publicly declared his willingness to pave the way for Xiano's 'sins'!"
"A powerful figure emerging from the common folk, never once bountied, yet he doesn't pursue justice or serve the Marines. Instead, he allies with outlaws—utterly detestable!"
"Therefore, Headquarters has decided to assign him a bounty matching his strength. 'Star Fall' Issho's initial bounty is set at 2.1 billion Berry!"
The conference room erupted in uproar.
2.1 billion Berry!
This already surpassed the bounties of all the top officers in the Emperor Crews. One step further, and it would reach the level of the Sea Emperors themselves!
For a first bounty to be this high...
The last person to receive such treatment was Rocks decades ago, who wreaked havoc in the Holy Land and killed a civilian Admiral!
Exaggerated?
Of course it was, but this man's strength had been personally acknowledged by Teacher Zephyr!
As Brannew said, many of the high-ranking officers present were disciples personally trained by Zephyr. They deeply trusted their teacher's judgment.
If Teacher Zephyr said this man's strength was at the Admiral level, then it must be true. At the very least, even if not on par with the current three Admirals, he couldn't be far behind.
The Curtain Closer.
This Pirate Crew, formed barely a year ago, hadn't yet matched the scale of the other Four Emperors.
But in terms of high-ranking officers, only the so-called flawless Red Hair Pirates and the mightiest Whitebeard Pirates could compare!
"Silence!"
Sengoku rapped the table. Once the discussions subsided, he motioned for Brannew to remove all the wanted posters on the whiteboard.
Only one was left in the end.
But the moment this poster was displayed, it proved more effective than Sengoku's shout. The vast conference room fell dead silent instantly, all eyes fixed on that single wanted poster.
In the photo.
A handsome black-haired young man stood bathed in sunlight, draped in a black cloak. The greatsword resting on his shoulder dripped with blood as he gazed down at something ahead with a look of utter disdain.
Every high-ranking officer knew exactly who that gaze was directed at...
Even in a static image, the overwhelming Haki exuding from him made the assembled officers break into cold sweat unconsciously, their breathing ragged...
"Your reactions tell me all I need to know about this man's current standing."
Brannew wiped sweat from his brow, his expression grave:
"The most dangerous existence of this era! The most vicious outlaw! During the recent Sabaody incident, he publicly executed four World Nobles and arrogantly tore up the ceasefire agreement, provoking the World Government's authority!"
"His crimes far exceed those of ordinary pirates. The threat he poses is enough to shake our foundations! By direct order from the Holy Land—"
Brannew took a deep breath, bracing his hands on the table as he announced the answer in a trembling voice:
"The World's Greatest Swordsman! God Slayer Xiano! His new bounty is set at 4.186 billion Berry!!!"
Brannew's voice echoed through the silent room.
4.186 billion Berry... This astronomical figure was terrifyingly beyond comparison.
Yet no one made a sound, nor raised any objections.
Because it was that man!
No one would think this bounty was too high or that the increase was too rapid...
Even though it had surged by nearly one billion Berry from his previous bounty, surpassing even Red-Haired Shanks among the Four Emperors!
It was only natural!
On these seas, only three individuals now held higher bounties than this man... Several high-ranking Marines silently processed this information.
"Brannew," Tsuru suddenly spoke up, "Calculate for me—what is the total bounty of the Curtain Closers now?"
"Yes, Vice Admiral!"
Brannew paused briefly but immediately snapped to attention, saluting before rapidly calculating in his head:
"Among the officers, seven remain stationed with a combined 2.292 billion Berry, while four on active missions total 6.745 billion Berry. Adding Xiano's bounty brings it to 12.223 billion Berry!"
"You missed some."
Tsuru impassively sipped her black tea. "According to intelligence, several of this generation's Supernovas have also joined the Curtain Closers. Including them..."
She lifted her gaze, her voice low. "It already exceeds thirteen billion Berry."
"..."
The atmosphere in the conference room grew even heavier. Many exhaled smoke rings, sinking into silence.
A genuine "Hundred Billion Pirate Crew"?
Such a title carried immense deterrent power in itself...
"The tide of the new era is upon us. The Marines cannot stand idly by."
Sengoku rose to his feet, his expression composed as he solemnly concluded:
"Gentlemen, I urge you to regard this rising force—whose momentum is now unstoppable—with the utmost seriousness! These brutes must not be underestimated in the slightest. Yet there is no need for excessive concern either!"
He had weathered too many storms.
From Rocks to Roger, countless Pirate Crews had risen and fallen, only to vanish. In the end, who still stood firm at the world's summit? None but the Marines!
BANG!
Sengoku's right palm slammed onto the table as his voice suddenly roared with fervor, his beard bristling:
"Upon the honor of the Buddha Sengoku, upon the justice and glory of the Marines! Mark my words—it won't be long before we bury the Curtain Closers, that dangerous monster, beneath these very seas!!!"
———
New World, a remote town.
Knock knock.
Sudden, urgent rapping shattered the night's stillness.
In a dimly lit room, Morgans jerked his head up from a mountain of news drafts, alertly setting aside his quill.
"Who's there?!" he hissed.
"..."
No reply came—only a second, heavier knock. Morgans narrowed his eyes, retrieving a pistol from beneath the desk as he slowly cracked open the window with a wing.
"Long time no see, Morgans."
Moonlight revealed three figures in white coats blocking the window. The leader stood with hands in pockets, his expression icy.
"It took us quite some effort to track down your hiding place, but it ends here. You're coming with us."
"CP-0?"
Morgans blinked in surprise. "Coming after me... is this about the recent newspaper I published?"
"Hey now, let's be reasonable. I was considerate enough to censor all those World Government secrets—like the Pentagram Array or the God Riders' Undying Body—and didn't print them at all."
"If you were truly considerate, you would have completely erased the news about the Celestial Dragons' deaths instead of hiding like a coward in this backwater."
The lead CP-0 agent sneered impatiently:
"Enough talk. This is an order directly from Saint Saturn himself—he wants you to join him for tea in the Holy Land. You don't have a choice in the matter. Drop your weapons and cooperate quietly."
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