"A good show? What good show, Young Master?" Baby 5 asked, her large eyes fixed on Doflamingo, who stood at the edge of the Ark.
Enel and the others also looked at Doflamingo with some confusion, not understanding what "good show" he was referring to.
Surely, no one dared to provoke their Donquixote Pirates now, right? Of course, excluding those blinded by greed. Men die for wealth, as birds die for food – nothing could be more normal.
The world was never lacking in people who weren't afraid to die. For a pittance of profit, they would walk straight into a dead end, beautifully calling it courage, yet little did they know it was ignorance and an overestimation of their own abilities.
"Just wait, the good show is about to begin. For now, we'll just wait for our protagonists!" Doflamingo continued to gaze into the distance, his Observation Haki constantly tracking Red-Leg Zeff and his crew, ensuring they wouldn't escape.
A grand drama was waiting for him to star in!
"Then I absolutely must see this grand drama!" Baby 5 also came to Doflamingo's side, mimicking him as she peered towards the town.
Red-Leg Zeff and his crew had no idea they were already being targeted by Doflamingo. The Cook Pirates were cheerfully replenishing their supplies, while eyes full of dark amusement watched them secretly.
Several days prior, the wanted posters for the Donquixote Pirates, carried by the News Coos, had spread throughout the world. Ever since the Donquixote Pirates defeated the Red Hair Pirates, a new round of bounties for Doflamingo and his crew had been issued. To show the importance they placed on Doflamingo, the World Government had given his bounty a hefty increase this time.
This information had been compiled by Sengoku in coordination with the World Government and Marine intelligence departments, and he had personally determined the amounts. These bounties were a very credible reflection of their strength.
Doflamingo himself wasn't particularly concerned about bounties, but they did indeed represent a pirate's strength. And not everyone could resist the allure of being wanted!
Take Enel, for example. This fellow had been constantly yearning for his own bounty. Previously, he hadn't been wanted at all and had even been mocked by Pica for it. This had become Enel's obsession.
In the eyes of pirates, a bounty was a pirate's public face. Without a bounty, what kind of pirate were you? Only the higher the bounty, the more it reflected the wanted person's formidable strength.
What could inspire more fear than a bounty? Before a battle even began, just hearing the opponent's high bounty would make most ordinary people wet their pants!
The dazzling sunlight shone upon the land. Doflamingo, wearing his sunglasses, felt none of the glare. Seeing a News Coo fly by, Doflamingo beckoned to it. He had been so busy helping Monet and Ibes "get stronger" recently that he had forgotten to check the daily news.
Doflamingo paid the News Coo. Baby 5, beside him, mimicking Doflamingo, had somehow procured a pair of glasses from somewhere and was curiously teasing the News Coo. However, the News Coo paid Baby 5 no mind, merely showing her its tail feathers before diligently resuming its work and flying back into the blue sky.
"Young Master, this bird is so interesting! Just a bit greedy," Baby 5 remarked, watching the departing News Coo, offering her understanding.
"There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world. To gain something, you must give something," Doflamingo said, patting Baby 5's small head, making her shrink back cutely.
"Oh, oh," Baby 5 responded.
Doflamingo curiously glanced at his own reflection in Baby 5's eyes. His golden hair was flamboyant and domineering, but why did his arrogant face look a bit pale? Could it be that the injuries from his battle with Red Hair hadn't healed?
Noticing his unwell complexion, Doflamingo asked Baby 5, "Baby 5, do I look very pale?"
Baby 5, hearing Doflamingo's inquiry, carefully studied his face, then said, "Young Master, have your injuries not healed?"
"Cough, yes! Still a bit painful!" Doflamingo said vaguely.
"Then the Young Master must be careful! You shouldn't drink that alcohol anymore," Baby 5 said with concern.
"Mm! Wine and women are detrimental to one's health! To think they're even preventing my injuries from healing. Starting today, I quit alcohol!" Doflamingo said, patting Baby 5's little noggin.
"Mhm, mhm, mhm," Baby 5 nodded as if she understood.
Enel and the others nearby, however, understood perfectly what was going on. They wanted to laugh but didn't dare, finding it quite hard to hold back.
"What, isn't alcohol detrimental to health?" Doflamingo glanced at Enel and Diamante and asked.
"It is, it is!" Enel and Diamante replied guiltily.
"Good then. We'll all quit alcohol together!" Doflamingo declared.
"Ah, this…" Enel and Diamante looked at each other, aghast, but still didn't dare to refute Doflamingo's words.
It was well known that a swordsman paired with strong liquor was a perfect match. Diamante, having listened to Doflamingo before, had also fallen in love with drinking. And Enel, who hung out with Diamante a lot, had naturally picked up this habit.
Bad company, isn't that how it always starts? One doesn't learn the good things, but the bad habits stick easily!
"Yeah, yeah! For the Young Master's health, let's all quit alcohol!" Baby 5, loving the drama, chimed in enthusiastically.
"Look at Baby 5's resolve!"
Alright, only Enel and Diamante were truly suffering. For the Young Master's health, they would endure it.
With that said, Doflamingo also began to look at the newspaper and wanted posters he had gotten from the News Coo.
There hadn't been any major news recently; the seas were calm, and Marines and pirates were getting along harmoniously.
Then, Doflamingo turned to the wanted posters.
The sharp-eyed Enel immediately noticed the wanted posters.
"This… this is…" Enel excitedly approached Doflamingo, looking at his own wanted poster.
"Your wanted poster. Bounty: 280 million Berries," Doflamingo said, handing Enel's poster to him.
Hearing Doflamingo and Enel, everyone on the Ark's deck quickly gathered around Doflamingo.
"Yahahaha! This great me finally has a bounty! 280 million Berries!" Enel cheered happily, clutching his wanted poster, making the onlookers quite envious.
Doflamingo, seeing everyone gather around, quickly spread the wanted posters on the deck so everyone could see their own more clearly.
"Donquixote Pirates Captain, 'Heavenly Yaksha,' Donquixote Doflamingo, Bounty: 500 Million Berries."
"Donquixote Pirates Executive, 'Swordsman,' Diamante, Bounty: 100 Million Berries."
"Donquixote Pirates Executive, 'Stone Man,' Pica, Bounty: 120 Million Berries."
"Donquixote Pirates Executive, 'Demon Child,' Nico Robin, Bounty: 90 Million Berries."
"Donquixote Pirates Executive, 'Angel,' Ibes, Bounty: 10 Million Berries."
"Donquixote Pirates Executive, 'Mucus Man,' Trebol, Bounty: 90 Million Berries."
"Donquixote Pirates Executive, 'Snow Fairy,' Monet, Bounty: 100 Million Berries."
"Donquixote Pirates Executive, 'Bomb Man,' Gladius, Bounty: 70 Million Berries."
"Donquixote Pirates Executive, 'Surgeon of Death,' Law, Bounty: 200 Million Berries."
"Donquixote Pirates Executive, 'Arms Woman,' Baby 5, Bounty: 30 Million Berries."
"Donquixote Pirates Executive, 'Airplane Man,' Buffalo, Bounty: 30 Million Berries."
"And finally, 'Pet,' Bepo, 10 Berries."
After Diamante finished announcing all the bounties for the Donquixote Pirates in one go, everyone was amused by Bepo's 10 Berry bounty.
Everyone had initially been a bit defensive about their own epithets. Now, Bepo's bounty provided them considerable comfort, making them feel their own epithets weren't so unacceptable after all.
"Big-Eared Thief, what about your epithet?" Pica, remembering something, asked Enel.
Enel, who had been happy moments ago, returned to his usual state. He looked at his wanted poster, then complained indignantly and forcefully, "Don't they know how to pick names?! Isn't 'God in the Clouds' much better? It suits my great name so perfectly!"
"Enough talk, let me see," Pica didn't mince words with Enel, directly taking his wanted poster from his hand and displaying it on the deck for everyone to see.
"Donquixote Pirates Executive, 'Cloud Demon,' Enel, Bounty: 280 Million Berries."
"Haha! Indeed, the Marines are terrible at picking names!" Diamante also laughed, lightening the atmosphere a bit.
"Exactly!"
"Truly, what kind of trash names are these!"
Doflamingo watched this group making a fuss and couldn't help but shake his head. It seemed they still cared a lot about their wanted posters!
While Doflamingo and the others were admiring their wanted posters, Robin and her group were trying on clothes in a dress shop.
"Sister Ibes, how about this one?" Robin asked, holding a dress against herself.
"It looks very nice! Go try it on!" Ibes replied to Robin.
"Then I'll go try it on!" Robin happily skipped towards the fitting room.
Monet was also choosing her own clothes. However, the clothes she picked looked very sexy. One wondered if Doflamingo could handle it!
Ibes, meanwhile, sat with a dazed Bepo, watching Robin and Monet pick out clothes.
"What's wrong, Bepo? Are you unhappy?" Ibes asked Bepo gently with concern.
"Ah! No, Ibes," Bepo, hearing Ibes's concern, snapped out of his daze and replied shyly. If they knew he was out of energy because he had been shopping with them, who knows how they would laugh at him!
Bepo was a smart bear; he didn't want to be humiliated and looked down upon like that!
Hearing Bepo's words, Ibes sighed helplessly, then just patted Bepo and gave him a sweet smile.
Purupurupuru…
The sound of a Den Den Mushi rang in Ibes's mind. Her expression immediately turned serious. After glancing around, she connected the call.
"Speak. This is High Command, Queen."
Bepo, seeing Ibes's state, instantly shed his lazy, tired demeanor, warily scanning his surroundings, acting as Ibes's bodyguard.
"Alright, I understand!" Ibes finished her call using her ability.
"Ibes, what's wrong?" Bepo asked curiously.
"We have to go. Something big has happened!" Ibes said to Bepo.
"Something big!" Bepo also became tense.
Ibes quickly went to inform Robin and Monet, telling them what had happened. Soon, the three of them lost all interest in continuing their shopping and hurried back to the Ark Maxim.
When the three women and one bear returned to the Ark, they happened to see the Family members all laughing together.
"What's so funny, Onii-chan?" Robin asked curiously, though there was no smile on her face, only a grave expression.
The others' expressions were similar. Bepo, however, was somewhat bewildered.
"We got our bounties! Bepo, look, this is yours!" Baby 5 quickly replied, handing Bepo his wanted poster.
Bepo looked at his bounty with a helpless expression, gesturing emphatically to convey that he was not a pet. The adorable Bepo made everyone chuckle.
Doflamingo, however, noticed the expressions on Robin and the others' faces and asked with concern, "Did something happen?"
Robin, Ibes, and Monet all nodded in unison.
The others also looked at the three of them curiously, awaiting the news they brought.
"The Marines are coming!"