On the first day after Higuma and the others returned to the hideout, nothing happened.
His bandit underlings were still buzzing with excitement.
"Boss definitely has deeper meaning! He has some massive plan—he just can't tell us yet!"
Second day. Third day...
Still nothing happened.
Over the next few days, Higuma's life stayed simple. He'd take walks around the area to work out a bit, or head back inside to think about what to do next. He was living like he'd already retired.
Foosha Village had no movement either. Garp's warship still hadn't arrived.
After a while, everyone basically stopped expecting anything at all.
Day six.
"Hey, hey. We can't keep going like this."
"Did you guys forget boss's grand plan?"
That morning, the bald bandit gathered everyone, his expression solemn.
"Boss hasn't given any orders. What are we supposed to do? And… what plan?" someone complained.
"Look at my head! Did you idiots forget what happened last night?"
The bald bandit yanked off his headscarf, revealing a shining scalp—and three huge, obvious bumps on top of it.
At that sight, the bandits' faces lit up in sudden realization.
"Oh! Right, I remember!"
"Last night you suggested we go loot the royal capital, and boss said you were showing off too hard, so he told you to stick your head out so he could give you a buff?"
"But… what's the deeper meaning?"
They all stared at the three lumps on his head, utterly lost.
"You're all too stupid. You don't understand boss's painstaking intentions at all."
The bald bandit looked at them like they were brain-dead and began explaining.
"Boss knocked me on the head three times last night! And you still don't get it?!"
The bandits only looked more confused.
"Sigh…"
With the pained expression of a man watching iron refuse to become steel, the bald bandit continued.
"What boss meant is: at three in the morning, I'm supposed to go to his room."
"Hey, hey, why does three knocks mean three o'clock?" someone protested.
The bald man ignored the question completely and kept going.
"Boss's meaning was obvious. Boss wanted to test me. If I was clever enough, he'd tell me the next grand plan at three in the morning!"
The other bandits looked like their brains were short-circuiting.
After a long pause, someone cautiously asked, "So what did boss say? Was there really a big plan?"
The bald bandit answered instantly.
"Boss was asleep."
The bandits: "...."
Spittle flying, the bald bandit pressed on.
"Obviously, he was testing my patience. So I waited outside his door for a full half hour, and finally I heard boss's instructions."
"He said, 'I'm… gonna… be… the… King… of… Bandits… Zzzzzzzzzzz.'"
The bandits fell silent again for a long moment.
"That was obviously just sleep-talking…"
"Wrong! I've heard that for a true powerhouse, even while asleep, ordinary people can't get close!"
"So boss definitely knew I was there. He said that on purpose—so I would hear it!"
As he said that, the bald bandit couldn't help but thrust a fist into the air.
"This is boss's grand plan!"
"He's going to become the King of Bandits! As his underlings, shouldn't we do something about it?!"
"But if boss really has that plan, why hasn't he done anything these past few days?" someone still doubted.
"Can you even call yourselves bandits under Higuma-boss if you're going to act like this?"
The bald man snapped. These idiots were beyond help.
He had to spell out every single step!
Not one of them understood Higuma's careful intentions the way he did!
Growing impatient, the bald bandit barked, "Didn't boss tell us to watch for news about the Navy Hero, Vice Admiral Garp?"
"In his eyes, only Navy Hero Vice Admiral Garp is worthy of making him lift a hand!"
"This plan is boss's test for us. How could he possibly do it himself?"
The bandits exchanged looks. They were a little dazed—then, little by little, the bald man's logic dragged them along.
"So what do we do…" someone finally asked.
The bald bandit took a deep breath, then spat out two words.
"Pay respects."
...
Gilman had been in a terrible mood these past few days.
That roadblock challenge from a few days ago had practically turned into his nightmare.
And it wasn't just him—every bandit under Gilman was just as depressed.
"Higuma… what kind of man is he, really?"
"Why couldn't I even find the courage to swing? Higuma's bounty isn't even that much higher than mine…"
Gilman muttered to himself.
"Because Higuma-boss isn't just some measly eight million. He's destined to become the King of Bandits!"
As that voice rang out, a shining bald head appeared in front of Gilman.
Looking closer, it wasn't just the bald man—more than twenty bandits had shown up with him.
Gilman jolted.
"You… I remember you. You're that bald guy next to Higuma!"
Then Gilman realized something, and his face changed again.
"So Higuma's going to wipe us out completely? That's too far—"
Before he could finish, the bald man cut him off.
"Don't get excited…"
"I'm here to invite you to join us."
"Join?" Gilman repeated.
Instinctively, he wanted to refuse. But the moment he thought of Higuma—who had already become a shadow in his mind—his resolve wavered.
A terrifying enemy like that… if he became your boss, that wasn't exactly hard to accept.
After thinking it over, Gilman didn't agree right away. He asked instead, "Why invite me?"
"Is Higuma planning to gather all the bandit forces in Goa Kingdom and become the King of Bandits in the East Blue?"
"Heh. Your so-called ambition isn't worth mentioning in front of Higuma-boss's magnificent grand plan."
The bald man sneered.
"Higuma-boss isn't aiming to be some East Blue King of Bandits."
"He's aiming to be the one and only King of Bandits in the whole world—an existence worthy of standing alongside the Pirate King, Roger, and opening the era of the Great Bandit!"
"What are you even talking about?" Gilman stared at him like he was insane.
"No matter how strong bandits get, they can't compare to pirates. That's common sense!"
"Higuma is strong, sure, but even he can't compare to the Pirate King, Roger!"
In the world of pirates, the true monsters were all out at sea.
Bandits who fenced themselves in on a mountain were, at best, island-level tough guys. On a global scale, they didn't even make the list.
The bald man fell silent for a long time.
"You're right. I wrestled with that for ages too… until I finally understood boss's ultimate goal!"
At that, the bald man lifted his head sharply. His eyes seemed to shine.
"There's a mountain in this world that's worthy of the title 'the one and only King of Bandits.'"
"If we seize that mountain, then the title 'King of Bandits' won't be inferior to this so-called 'Pirate King' at all!"
He spoke with grave seriousness.
"...Impossible. No matter how big a mountain is, it can't compare to the Pirate King who ruled the seas!"
"If you can actually make that make sense, I'll bring every last one of my men and join you!"
Gilman scoffed. He didn't believe a word of it.
The bald man's lips curved slightly as he said the name of that mountain.
"The highest peak of the Red Line—Mary Geoise, the Holy Land!"
"Only that peak is worthy of our Higuma-boss!"
(End of Chapter)
[Get +30 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]