"Don't crowd…"
Shirogai repeated firmly, sending three idiots flying as they squeezed together in front of the door, blocking the way.
"I'm talking to you three! Luffy, Usopp, Chopper! Don't cram inside and break the door!"
"Hehe! I'm the first one in!"
Luffy was pushed back, but his hands shot forward to grab the ladder and propel himself inside.
"Wow! What a lavish feast!"
The moment Luffy entered, he lunged toward the massive heap of bone-in meat. But Sanji, holding a bowl of soup, intercepted him with a swift kick.
"Behave yourself! Wait for everyone to eat together!"
Everyone took their seats, and even Zoro, still sweating from training, was pulled down from upstairs by Shirogai using the Pierce-Pierce Fruit.
"Hehe! Another feast, this makes me happy!"
Luffy raised his glass with a broad grin.
"Welcome Brook to our Pirate Crew!"
"Hahaha, welcome, Brook!"
The Straw Hat Pirates clinked glasses cheerfully.
"Wuwuwu…"
Brook, like a bashful new bride, wiped tears streaming from his hollow eye sockets with a handkerchief, too moved to speak.
Brook had been alone in the Devil's Triangle for decades, companions only living in memories.
This moment, which he almost believed was a hallucination yesterday, now made him feel like he was truly surrounded by friends.
"Uh…"
After confirming it wasn't a dream, Brook's hollow sockets rolled around enthusiastically, and he happily fainted.
Thud.
The skeleton fell backward, lying flat on the floor.
"Ah!!! Someone fainted! Doctor! Where's the doctor?!"
Chopper panicked, scurrying around.
"Aren't you the doctor…?"
Usopp complained weakly.
"Oh! Right!"
Chopper paused, then sprinted to Brook's side. After placing his stethoscope on Brook's chest, he exclaimed again.
"Oh no! There's no heartbeat!"
"…!"
The Straw Hat Pirates stared at him dumbfounded, exchanging looks of disbelief.
There was only bone where the chest should be! How could there be a heartbeat?!
"Hahaha, Brook is so funny!"
Only Luffy, while Sanji wasn't looking, began devouring bone-in meat with loud gulps.
"Hehe! Delicious!"
…
East Blue — Cocoyasi Village
Without Arlong's Pirate Crew occupying Cocoyasi Village anymore, the town was steadily recovering.
"This year's crops are growing really well!"
"Yes, our oranges are flourishing, we can sell them for a good price!"
On the streets, the villagers' faces were bright with smiles and confident talk of the future.
"Genzo, you're smiling quite happily!"
Nojiko tilted her head, teasing the police officer who couldn't hide his grin.
"Are you happy to see Nami get a bounty?"
"What kind of talk is that!"
Genzo attempted to hide his smile, feigning seriousness as he slapped Nami's wanted poster — enlarged and pinned on the wall — and insisted sternly:
"This child has really gone off the rails! Wanted for one hundred million Berries! It's too flashy!"
"Haha, you're obviously very happy!"
Nojiko looked at Nami's smiling face on the poster and chuckled.
"Seeing Nami smile like that, you must be relieved, knowing they didn't bully her."
"But…"
Genzo sighed with a father's worry, eyes lingering on Nami's joyful wanted poster.
"Being wanted for one hundred million Berries right after your first wanted notice is really flashy. I'm worried she'll be in danger…"
As he spoke, Genzo turned and glared at several other wanted posters on the adjacent wall, rolling up his sleeves angrily.
"It's all these unstable guys' fault for leading our good Nami astray!"
Genzo slammed his fist against one posted bounty of five billion Berries several times, grinding his teeth.
"And this guy I've never seen before! This wanted poster even says he's the Marines' chief instructor?! What does it mean for a Marine to join a Pirate Crew? Is he planning to arrest Nami and the others at any time? I think this is a Marine conspiracy!"
"Arrogant Emperor Shirogai Yamikuro?"
Nojiko eyed the five-billion-Berries portrait, thought for a moment, then chuckled.
"I don't know, but with someone that powerful protecting Nami, shouldn't you be even more assured?"
Genzo waved his fist in the air, gritting his teeth with determination.
"Hmph! If he bullies Nami, no matter how many billions of Berries he's wanted for, I'll teach him a lesson!"
"Pfft!"
Nojiko covered her mouth, suppressing laughter.
"A pirate wanted for five billion Berries, Genzo, you'd probably be taken out with one punch, wouldn't you?"
"Huh? I'm very strong, you know!"
Genzo retorted, still unconvinced.
"Hahaha…"
Nojiko's joyful aura seemed to brighten the entire street.
…
Other friends and family of the Straw Hat Pirates also gathered to see the wanted posters of the crew. Some felt happiness, some worry, but most felt pride and blessings for their loved ones.
Some stared at comically ridiculous bounty faces, laughing until tears streamed.
…
On the Sea
Five pirate ships flew red skull flags, sailing side by side.
"Huh, a ship is coming?"
On the crow's nest, a crew member squinted through a magnifying glass at the distant sea and suddenly shouted down:
"Captain! A pirate ship is approaching, flying the Straw Hat Pirate flag!"
"Straw Hat Pirate Crew? The crew on the latest wanted posters, wanted for Billions of Berries?"
The one-eyed burly pirate captain looked startled at first, then ecstatic as a grin spread over his face.
Swish!
He drew the scimitar from his waist and laughed, addressing his agitated crew.
"Hehehe, wahahaha!!! Lads, our chance to get rich has come! Such bounty is right in front of us! They only have one ship, and we have five! As long as we fire our cannons, their bounties will be ours!"
With the captain's roar, the pirates on the five ships were ignited with greed, screaming and echoing in unison.
"Roar!!!"
"Kill them!!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
"What Fifth Emperor, it's all just hype! Hmph, pirates killing Marines, isn't that only natural!"
The one-eyed pirate captain, who had never encountered true power, sneered at the approaching lion-headed ship, his eyes filled with greed.
"Meeting us, consider yourselves unlucky!"
…
Moments Later
"Meeting us, consider yourselves unlucky."
Nami squatted beside the bruised and battered one-eyed pirate, her eyes gleaming as she happily counted gold coins from a treasure chest.
"No, no, no! Meeting you all is the honor of our One-Eyed Pirate Ship!"
The One-Eyed Captain, knelt on the deck, face full of fawning smiles as he flattered Nami.
"That's right! It's our honor!"
Behind him, a row of tremulous pirates knelt, still shaken from the earlier encounter.
Just moments ago, these pirates had seen their pride shattered.
One man with a kick, another with a fist, and a skeleton with a sword had forcibly sunk three pirate ships.
Cannonfire and bullets that once seemed fearsome were useless against these monsters.
Kicking cannonballs back onto the ship with a single footstrike?
Bouncing cannonballs back with a strange belly technique?
Returning cannonballs with sword strikes?
The One-Eyed Pirates could not comprehend such overwhelming power.
Is that why these beings had such astronomical bounties?
It was simply terrifying!
"If only I had known they were such monsters…"
The One-Eyed Pirate Captain lamented, filled with regret.
Meeting them had truly been unfortunate.
____
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