Kemi suddenly turned her head toward the triumphant Chopper and asked eagerly:
"Chopper, your bounty must be very high too, right?"
Chopper's smile froze on his small deer face, and he lowered his head shyly.
"Well, my bounty is only a little bit less than Shirogai's!"
The difference between fifty Berries and 5 billion Berries was colossal.
"Wow! It's only a little bit different?!"
Kemi looked at Chopper with admiration.
"Then doesn't that mean Chopper is as strong as the Four Emperors? How amazing!"
Kemi had just witnessed Chopper transform into his giant form, and his powerful body seemed to confirm his own claim.
"Oh, stop it~"
Chopper blushed under the praise, turning his head awkwardly and wiggling.
"Even if you praise me like that, I won't be happy~ you idiot~"
Hachi glanced at Luffy, who was riding a bubble car and zooming through the air, and said with awe,
"Wow, Luffy, your crew is truly amazing now!"
In the past, the crew of five had defeated the Arlong Pirates that once ruled the East Blue.
Now they were even stronger, formidable beyond measure.
Even their vice captain had a 5 billion Berries bounty.
Only now did Hachi understand why they had shown no fear when he mentioned a Marine Admiral or Celestial Dragons earlier.
They were simply strong enough.
"I really envy you, having enough strength to face unknown powerful foes…"
Hachi thought of the late captain of the Sun Pirates, Fisher Tiger.
If he had been as strong as these pirates, could he have saved his superior?
He wouldn't have watched him bleed because he despised the spilling of blood.
Hatchan suddenly lifted his head and laughed toward Straw Hat Luffy:
"You must always be so brave and cheerful, Straw Hat!"
Luffy was too far off to hear him, but he grinned foolishly and shouted something that sounded like:
"Huh? You want to treat us to delicious food? All right!"
"Yo ho ho ho, Hatchan is really interesting!"
Brook's skeletal jaw moved as he laughed, amused like Luffy.
Even though he was still adjusting to interacting with living people, Brook felt a sincere gratitude that he had escaped the Devil's Triangle and become a Straw Hat Pirate.
"Ah ah ah ah!!!"
A sudden scream echoed from the distant street.
"Hmm? Something's happening over there. Let's go see!"
Luffy excitedly drove his bubble car in that direction.
"Hehe, you can't catch me!"
…
"Darling, my stomach doesn't hurt anymore.
Let's not go to a hospital, let's go shopping!"
Shalria grabbed Shirogai's arm, pointing toward the bustling commercial street.
"There are many shops on 30th Street, let's take a stroll!"
Although Kemi had visited 30th Commercial Street many times and no longer felt like going, shopping with Shirogai made even a boring place exciting.
"Shopping…"
Shirogai looked down at the small Celestial Dragon girl clinging to his arm and smiled.
"All right. But first, I need to visit one more place."
"Giggle, okay! As long as I'm with you, Your Highness is willing to go anywhere."
Shalria didn't care where they went; just being beside Shirogai made her incredibly happy.
The two rented a couple's bubble car and slowly drove off into the distance.
"That girl and that man have gone far."
A woman in sunglasses, dressed in ordinary clothes, watched their retreating figures with a sneer into her Den Den Mushi.
"Kidnapper, notify the others. Keep close watch on them! Find an unpopulated area and be ready to snatch them at any time!"
This woman was part of a human trafficking ring.
When she had been seeking prey in the street earlier, her eyes had landed on the attractive girl — a prime catch.
Although humans sold at auction did not fetch high prices, a beautiful, curvaceous female could still bring a good sum.
"There are two of them, a girl and a man who looks…"
The woman tried to recall the man's face, but it felt strangely vague in her memory.
"I really can't remember…"
She shook her head, puzzled.
"Strange, I can't recall his appearance. He must be an ordinary man, right? Anyway, keep an eye on them. Don't lose them."
"Don't worry, Sister Kidnapper! We won't lose track of them!"
…
"So that's what happened, Vice Captain Shirogai has separated from you."
Shakky, owner of Shakky's Rip-Off Bar, exhaled smoke and chuckled.
"I really want to go watch the excitement unfold.
A great pirate with a 5 billion Berries bounty is casually walking around this island right now.
Something interesting is bound to happen."
"Oh Auntie, you know us so well!"
Luffy gulped the coffee Shakky handed him, stuck out his tongue, and complained:
"Ugh, it's so bitter! Is there anything tasty?"
"Of course I know you new pirates well! And…"
Shakky took a light puff from her cigarette and smiled softly:
"Especially your Straw Hat Pirates.
You've risen exceptionally among all the newcomers and drawn a lot of attention."
"Hehehe, so we're that famous! Om nom nom, om nom nom…"
Luffy had somehow managed to get inside the bar's refrigerator and was happily pulling out food to eat.
"Hehehe, of course your presence has caused a huge stir in the pirate world."
Shakky watched Luffy rummaging through her fridge with a warm, aunt-like smile.
If it were any other pirate, she would've broken their legs by now.
"The 5 billion Berries Vice Captain Shirogai, the 300 million Berries Captain Straw Hat Luffy, and all your other crew members with 100 million Berries."
Shakky scanned the Straw Hats one by one and continued:
"It's not just me; many Pirate Supernovas on this archipelago are probably targeting you right now."
Brook sipped his coffee and laughed.
"Yo ho ho ho, we're already targets before we've even arrived on this island?"
"Of course," Shakky's colored contacts blinked gently as she exhaled smoke.
"If they weren't targeting you, those Supernovas wouldn't have gathered simultaneously on this island leading to the New World by such coincidence."
"Wuwu, om nom nom, do they want to fight us?"
Luffy's mouth was full of food.
He poked his head out from behind the refrigerator, swallowed, and said eagerly:
"Hehe, let them come! I want to test my latest combat results!"
"Hehe, little Luffy is quite courageous!
But their real target isn't you, it's that super great pirate worth 5 billion Berries."
Shakky said with a knowing look.
"After all, these newcomers who haven't suffered setbacks in the first half of the Grand Line all believe they are the strongest.
They just lack an opportunity to prove it.
The appearance of Shirogai has given them that chance.
If they defeat and kill him, wouldn't that prove to the world they also have strength worthy of 5 billion Berries?"
"Wow! Is that so? Then Shirogai must be in great danger!"
Chopper stared at Luffy blankly.
"Hehe, it's all right!"
Luffy laughed carelessly.
"Those guys are definitely no match for Shirogai!
He's a super pirate who can defeat an Admiral!"
…
24th Peninsula Restaurant
"What are you looking at?!"
"What if I am?!"
Several pirates in the restaurant were glaring at each other, tension rising.
They all sensed in one another's eyes that everyone here was after the pirate with the 5 billion Berries bounty.
There was only one head worth that much, but many competitors vying for it.
Perhaps it was time to eliminate some rivals.
Expressions among the lawless Supernovas grew fiercer, hostility filling the room like a powder keg ready to explode.
Click.
At that moment, the restaurant door opened.
An aura swept in — one ordinary people couldn't feel, but one that made the Supernovas' hair stand on end — enveloping the entire room.
"Who is it?!"
The Supernovas felt that presence, like a sea of blood and fire, and stood up, wary eyes fixed on the entrance.
"Who has come with such a terrifying aura?!"