East Blue.
Somewhere in the waters near Syrup Village.
On a ship flying a flag with a pattern resembling a cat skull.
"New East Blue Overlord? Fifty million? What a terrifying bounty!"
"Aren't you going? Kuro~" A man wearing a jazz hat, dressed in a jazzy suit, with a vagrant dancer look, adjusted his heart-shaped glasses, yawned, and smiled at the man in front of him.
This man had a slick back hairstyle, glasses, and was dressed in a suit. "This is a carnival for East Blue pirates~"
"I don't want to be a pirate anymore. You know that, Jango. I've already paid the price. I killed all the Navy that were after me, even killed myself."
Kuro adjusted his glasses with his wrist, his face expressionless as he spoke, "I just don't want to be a pirate anymore."
"Are you really planning to stay as a butler forever?" Upon hearing Kuro's words, Jango lowered his hat with his left hand, his right hand resting on his stomach, his feet dancing in a beautiful rhythm.
He suddenly turned his head with a smile, looking at Kuro.
"It's never too late to play house. Let's first enjoy this rare carnival, and we can treat it as a celebration for your retirement. Plus, aren't you planning to get rid of that couple? We can take care of them on the way."
With that said.
Hearing Jango's words, the still-ambitious Kuro showed a hint of hesitation on his face.
Becoming a butler wasn't Kuro's true intention; his real goal was to seize the wealth of Syrup Village's richest family and live a happy life from then on.
For this, even after retiring, he never gave up on the Black Cat Pirates.
He had originally thought East Blue was just a bunch of boring pirates playing a boring game, to the point that he was getting tired of it.
But now, just as he was planning to retire, he had stumbled upon something interesting?
If he didn't join in, wouldn't his pirate life end in a dull way?
Thinking of this, Kuro's eyes flickered slightly, and a cold smile appeared on his lips.
"Fine, becoming the East Blue Overlord isn't so easy. I just hope you're not like that Krieg Pirate Crew guy, only claiming to be the East Blue Overlord with a mere 17 million beli."
He adjusted his glasses again.
"Since that's the case, let me join this pirate carnival before I leave! When I return, I'll play the butler game!"
He then raised his head, his eyes fixed on the calm sea as he stood tall in his perfectly tailored suit.
"The Mok Pirate Crew, let me see if you truly have the qualifications to receive a 50 million beli bounty!"
Bounty: 16 million Berries. Black Cat Pirates, participate!
...
Still the East Blue.
Somewhere on the sea.
The ship's bow is shaped like a swan, and there are hearts placed everywhere on the ship, even the skull of the pirate flag has a heart in it.
"Koby! Who is the most beautiful person on this sea?"
"Hehe, hehe... heh, of course... of course it's..." The person called Koby, a man with pink hair, a round face, and round glasses, was standing face-to-face with a large woman who had a face full of freckles and was holding a spiked club.
Sweat was pouring down his forehead, but he still scratched his head with a forced smile on his face and said, "Of course, it's Miss Alvida!"
Recalling his own experience, Koby sighed helplessly in his heart.
Not long ago, when he was fishing, he accidentally boarded the wrong ship and got captured by the Alvida Pirates. Now, he was here working as a menial laborer.
Every day, Alvida would come to him and ask this question several times, but fortunately... as long as he complimented Alvida on how beautiful she was, nothing bad would happen.
"I knew I am the most beautiful woman on this sea."
Upon hearing Koby's response, Alvida, holding her spiked club, finally showed a satisfied smile on her freckled face. She then turned around and looked at her subordinates, her face twisting into a fierce grin.
"Why aren't you cleaning the ship already? Don't leave a single speck of dust! Only the most beautiful ship is worthy of the most beautiful me!"
"Yes, yes, yes! We'll clean it right away!"
Threatened by their leader, the subordinates didn't dare show any dissatisfaction and quickly nodded in agreement.
At this moment.
Suddenly.
One of the subordinates timidly raised his hand, his voice trembling as he said, "Miss Alvida, the new overlord of the East Blue has issued a summon. Should we participate? I heard many pirate crews are going."
"East Blue Overlord? The Krieg Pirates?"
"It's not the Krieg Pirate Crew, but the new overlord, Captain Mok of the Mok Pirate Crew," the younger brother said, a trace of admiration on his face upon hearing the confusion from the boss. "He's the man with a bounty of 50 million Berries!"
As soon as these words were spoken…
"50 million?" Even the vain Alvida was shocked, her eyes wide in disbelief. "Mok Pirate Crew?"
Then, looking at the younger brother still admiring the bounty, she snapped, "Hurry up and tell me more!"
"The Mok Pirate Crew... I heard about it at the market. Their captain seems to have some grudge with the Navy's 16th Division," the younger brother shuddered and quickly regained his composure, continuing, "So, after the 50 million Berries bounty was placed on him, he suddenly sent out a call to the entire sea, asking all pirates to come together to bloodily massacre the Navy's 16th Division and declare his position as the overlord of the East Blue. He promised that even if we didn't attack, we could freely loot all the wealth inside the Navy's 16th Division."
While speaking, he handed over a bounty poster of Captain Mok of the Mok Pirate Crew, which he had received earlier that morning.
"Bloodily massacre the Navy's 16th Division?" Hearing the younger brother's words, Alvida paused in surprise, then burst into wild laughter. "This is interesting!"
Looking at the bounty poster in her hand, with the image of a muscular man with a bald head…
Alvida's eyes narrowed slightly, and she raised her spiked club high. "Boys, let's join in this wild East Blue celebration and let more people see my beauty!"
With that said…
"Alvida is the most beautiful woman on the sea!"
All the underlings cheered excitedly, including the humble Koby.
However…
Although Koby raised his hand to cheer like the others, a hint of conflict and reluctance appeared in his eyes.
Massacre the Navy's 16th Division?
How many people will die because of this!?
[Maybe I should find a chance to inform the Navy?]
With the sound of cheers, the Alvida Pirate Ship slowly sailed in one direction.
The Alvida Pirate Crew, with a bounty of 5 million, participates!
...
Meanwhile, in the East Blue.
On an island.
This is the territory of the former ruler of the East Blue—Captain Krieg's pirate crew.
At this moment.
"A pirate summon? The new ruler of the East Blue?" After receiving the message, Krieg, the captain of the Krieg Pirate Crew, couldn't help but sneer, "Men, let's go join them! I want to see who dares to steal my title as the East Blue's ruler."
"Captain, are we really joining? That would mean declaring war on the Navy!"
Seemingly sensing the captain's dissatisfaction, the combat commander of the Krieg Pirate Crew, Gin, showed some concern on his face and tried to persuade, "Besides, that guy has a 50 million bounty on his head. Anyone with such a high bounty must be a dangerous person. We don't need to provoke him, Captain. Isn't our dream to enter the Grand Line?"
However.
"Shut up! A bounty doesn't represent strength!" Krieg, looking displeased with his subordinate's advice, coldly glared at him and said, "I am the ruler of the East Blue! No one can take that title from me!"
"But Captain..."
"Prepare the fleet!"
"Alright!" Seeing the increasingly dissatisfied Captain, Gin could only sigh helplessly and compromise, "I understand, but... how many ships and people should we bring?"
"Get my Dreadnaught Sabre, ready and let everyone set sail!" Krieg's eyes gleamed, "Plus the new ship I bought recently, prepare 50 pirate ships!"
"Huh? All of them? That's 5,000 men and 50 pirate ships. Isn't that too much?"
"Shut up, bring them all!" Krieg once again rebuked Gin, who questioned him, and then, with a cold smile on his face, he gazed at the sea ahead, "I'll see how the one who took my title as the East Blue's ruler plans to deal with my invincible fleet!"
The new ruler of the East Blue?
He hasn't asked me yet!
With a large wave of his hand, he shouted, "Hurry up and prepare, we set sail immediately!"
Bounty: 17 million Berries for the Krieg Pirates, join now!
...
Elsewhere.
In the waters near Orange Town.
"Captain, should we join in? The new East Blue overlord is reportedly slaughtering Navy branches. Sounds pretty interesting."
"Shut up!" The Clown with a red nose, wearing a jester's outfit and drinking alcohol, immediately rejected his subordinate's suggestion.
"An East Blue overlord? They think they can summon us? What do they take us for? I am Buggy the Clown"
With those words,
"True! What's an East Blue overlord? Captain Buggy hasn't acknowledged them yet!"
"Just a high bounty in East Blue, what's the big deal?"
"If you ask me, our captain is the real East Blue overlord; he's just being low-key about it."
Upon hearing their captain's bold response, all the crew members cheered loudly, raising their drinks in celebration of their captain.
Yet they didn't notice.
At this moment.
Looking at his cheering subordinates, Buggy subtly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, lowering his head to secretly glance at the bounty on the table.
50 million Berries.
This is East Blue, after all!
His eyes flickered slightly, and he murmured, "Could it be that someone important is about to emerge in East Blue?"
Better not to provoke him. After all, I'm just here for treasure.
Raising his glass, he shouted loudly at the still-cheering subordinates, "Let's celebrate this foolish East Blue Overlord!"
"Yes!"
...
At that moment.
Countless pirate crews received the summons from the East Blue Overlord.
Some crews admired it, some laughed coldly, and others sneered in disdain.
But more and more pirate crews made their way to the sea area mentioned by the Mok Pirates, either to join in the fun or for the excitement.
There was no doubt.
The entire East Blue had become lively because of Mok's declaration of war.
And at the same time.
In a certain sea area of the East Blue, aboard the Mok Pirates' ship.
Chacher looked at Mok seriously, "Do you know what to do tomorrow?"
"Of course~." Hearing the captain's words, Mok patted his chest, "Tell them that our Mok Pirates will charge first and try to trick more pirate crews into joining!"
However.
"What trick? What trick? How can you talk like that?" Facing Mok's words, Chacher, ignoring Nami who was staring at him with disdain, gave Mok a dissatisfied glare.
After shaking his head in disappointment, he looked at Mok seriously, "We're all brothers here. How can we say 'trick'? It should be an invitation for everyone to get rich together, understand? Tell them there's a path, though it comes with higher risk. Remember, show them the grandeur of the East Blue Overlord!"
After the words were spoken.
Mok looked at Chacher with admiration.
He quickly straightened his posture, raising his voice, "I understand, I'm not tricking anyone, just inviting them to get rich together!"
Truly the captain~
Even though it's all about taking advantage of others, the way he says it sounds so sophisticated.
**********
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