Everyone knew who would take first place—it had to be Ye Yu. But as the entire world watched with bated breath, all eyes were fixed on the top spot, wondering just how high his bounty would be.
Countless people gazed at the number one position with envy, admiration, and jealousy, murmuring in awe.
"The treatment for first place isn't something second through tenth can compare to."
"Absolutely, the prestige is on another level. First place even gets unique golden visual effects."
"Both the name and bounty glitter in gold—it's seriously cool."
"It has to be Ye Yu, but how much will his bounty be? Is he still overwhelmingly stronger than everyone else?"
"Even if he's still unmatched, surely it won't be as terrifying as before, right?"
...
This was the prevailing sentiment—most believed that even if Ye Yu took first, his bounty wouldn't be excessively high.
At this moment, Jin Mo and the others frowned as they discussed.
"What do you think Ye Yu's bounty will be?"
Song Ling furrowed her brow, her voice heavy. "Could it possibly reach one billion?"
Wang Quanshi shook his head. "One billion? Impossible. Even if Ye Yu is stronger than us now, he can't be that much stronger. My bounty isn't even two hundred million—if his were one billion, that'd mean he's six times stronger than me? That's just not possible. If all seven of his Contracts were as strong as Kaido, then maybe he could reach one billion and be that much stronger. But there's no way all seven are on Kaido's level."
Jin Mo nodded. "That makes sense. Even if it's high, it definitely won't hit one billion."
Lin Muxue agreed. Despite her crushing defeat in the Arena Duel, she didn't believe Ye Yu could have a one-billion bounty—there was no way the gap between them was that vast.
They refused to believe it, nor did they want to. The thought was too demoralizing.
Meanwhile, Ba Ye frowned and asked, "Yang Luo, how much higher do you think Ye Yu's bounty will be than yours?"
Wang Jue also seemed uneasy. "It won't be by too much, right?"
Even Yang Luo, who believed Ye Yu would remain unmatched as long as he lived, didn't think the difference would be extreme.
Yang Luo speculated, "If all seven of his Contracts were as strong as Rocks, then his bounty would undoubtedly be much higher than mine—maybe even seven times higher. But that's obviously impossible. My bounty is 195 million Berries. I estimate his will be around 800 million—it can't possibly reach one billion. One billion would mean he's five times stronger than me. I don't think the gap between us is that large."
Ba Ye nodded. "That seems plausible."
Wang Jue exhaled slightly in relief, though his expression remained troubled. Even 800 million was staggering—the other top Chosen Ones were all in the 100-million range, with Yang Luo, the second strongest, just shy of 200 million. If Ye Yu hit 800 million outright, it would still be a heavy blow. They had hoped for a maximum of 300 million.
Without Yang Luo's input, they might have stuck to that belief. But knowing Lin Muxue had been utterly crushed without Ye Yu taking a single injury confirmed that Ye Yu was still far ahead of the pack.
Wang Jue ventured, "I think 800 million is too high. Even accounting for your perspective, which keeps me from underestimating Ye Yu too much, I'd say his bounty caps at 500 million—no higher."
Yang Luo sighed softly, "I also wish his bounty could be lower, but it obviously won't be. Eight billion is already my conservative estimate. Never mind, it's pointless to discuss now—we'll know soon enough."
...
Soon, the world's top Chosen Ones and even ordinary people stopped their discussions because the moment of revelation was at hand.
Dominant Feather Pirate Crew.
The crew members were also eagerly anticipating what their Captain's bounty would be, their excitement palpable.
Though it wasn't their own achievement, their hearts still raced with anticipation.
At this moment, the breathtakingly beautiful Liu Huangyi gazed at the top spot on the Bounty List and sighed inwardly.
"To think that even now, he remains the strongest—the only man who has ever left an impression on me. What will his bounty be? Three billion? Four billion? Or perhaps five?"
Liu Huangyi thought five billion would be the absolute maximum, already an outrageous figure considering the second place hadn't even reached two billion. A five billion bounty for first place would create an eye-catching gap between him and the rest.
"Now announcing the first place!"
The entire world fell silent, eyes fixed and ears straining.
"Bounty List, first place—Ye Yu! Bounty: 1.8 billion Berries!"
Instantly, the world was stunned into dead silence!
Everyone stood frozen in place, doubting their ears.
Yet when their eyes turned to the top spot, only the name and bounty amount of first place shimmered in dazzling gold, impossible to ignore.
The name was indeed Ye Yu, and the bounty—1.8 followed by a string of zeros.
Everyone thought they must have misheard. Even if Ye Yu was in a league of his own, this gap was simply too absurd. But after counting carefully, their shock turned to utter disbelief.
Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten-thousands, hundred-thousands, millions, ten-millions, hundred-millions, billions...
After confirming, everyone's eyes widened in shock. The Bounty List clearly displayed 1.8 billion! They hadn't misheard!
The world remained in prolonged silence. Even the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew stood dumbfounded, staring at the top spot.
After what felt like an eternity, the world erupted!
"My god! I didn't mishear—it's really 1.8 billion Berries!"
"This... this is insane! 1.8 billion?!!!"
"Even if Ye Yu is currently the strongest, the gap shouldn't be this huge, right? Many top-tier Chosen Ones are already above level thirty—the difference should've narrowed. How could Ye Yu be so far ahead? Unless his potential grows stronger with each level instead of weakening."
"Nine times higher than second place? Nine times higher than even the top Ability Users? How is this possible? His Contract is only with seven Non-Ability Users! Even if their abilities synergize, this level of power is unimaginable!"
"This number is terrifying! Breaking one billion would've been shocking enough, but 1.8 billion?!"
"This means Ye Yu's strength still stands in a league of its own!"
"Horrifying... absolutely horrifying!"
...
Utterly stunned, the world reeled in shock after confirming the truth.
Meanwhile, the top Chosen Ones stood frozen, their minds reeling as if struck by Thunderclap.
None took the news harder than them.
Jin Mo kept shaking his head. "This... can't be real. 1.8 billion? Our bounties don't even come close to a fraction of his? There must be some mistake—there has to be!"
Lin Muxue was the most devastated, her face a mask of disbelief and horror.
"Even if I suffered a crushing defeat, even if Ye Yu didn't use body techniques and wasn't at full strength, the gap couldn't possibly be this huge! Eighteen billion? What a joke! It's fake, it must be fake!"
Song Ling's expression was extremely grave: "There can't be a mistake, but this number is too fantastical. Could it mean his strength still far surpasses ours by an insurmountable margin? Back during the crew battle, it took ten, even twenty or more top Chosen Ones just to barely fight him to a standstill. Does that mean now, even after inheriting our Ability Users' full power, we'd still need twenty elite Chosen Ones working together to defeat him? How is this possible? Shouldn't seven top Chosen Ones—me, Jin Mo, Lin Muxue, Wang Quanshi, Yang Luo, Wang Jue, and Ba Ye—be enough to take him down? Isn't that right?" Our combined bounty money barely exceeds one billion, while Ye Yu's is eighteen billion."
Originally, they believed their combined strength would surely overwhelm Ye Yu, even to the point of humiliation—perhaps even five or six would suffice. But now, their total bounty didn't even match Ye Yu's, falling significantly short. Did this mean that even all seven of them together might not be able to defeat him?
The realization left them even more shocked and incredulous.
Wang Quanshi was the most shaken. Confident in his own strength, the revelation that someone could surpass him by such an immense margin dealt a heavy blow, nearly shattering his worldview.
"How can he be this strong? Does this mean he's now over seven times stronger than me? Did all seven of his contracted partners each become as powerful as Kaido?"
...
However, Ye Yu wasn't surprised. As for whether each of his seven contracts matched Kaido's strength—of course not. But contracting seven didn't mean his power was simply the sum of seven individual strengths. Instead, they synergized, amplifying one another, making the total greater than mere addition. Thus, an eighteen billion bounty didn't shock him—it was only natural, an expected gap.
Moreover, many overlooked one crucial detail: Ye Yu himself was a prodigy. His talent was the highest in this world, which was why he could contract seven partners. In contrast, Yang Luo could only contract one top-tier Non-Ability User. This proved that Ye Yu's innate talent was also in a league of its own—his personal growth contributed significantly to his overall combat prowess. Therefore, his strength wasn't just the sum of his seven contracts but included his own relentless improvement.
The crew of the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew stared at Ye Yu in awe, their admiration boundless.
"The Captain is too strong!"
"Eighteen billion—amazing, absolutely amazing!"
"This is beyond prestigious! Not only is he ranked first, but he's left the second place far behind. Even the combined bounties from second to tenth place barely come close to the Captain's."
"So cool! So eye-catching! For the next half year, the Captain's name and bounty will dominate the rankings with this insurmountable gap—what an honor!"
"Congratulations, Captain, for claiming the highest bounty! Congratulations on reaching eighteen billion berries!"
...
Ye Yu smiled faintly and nodded, knowing he still had to push further. In the world of pirates, eighteen billion wasn't exceptionally high, but given that the anomalies had only begun two months ago, there was still plenty of time ahead.
Ye Yu was filled with anticipation—just how high would his bounty reach when the Marines arrived? What expressions would the Marine Admirals and the World Government wear when they saw it?
Xia Ling gasped in amazement. "I thought I understood the Captain well, but this is far beyond what we imagined."
Zhao Yan'er nodded. "Indeed. I assumed ten billion at most, but eighteen billion? Unbelievable."
Xiao Ke sighed softly. "The gap between us and the Captain's strength remains as vast as ever."
Sun Long was visibly shaken. "It seems becoming the World's Greatest Swordsman will be incredibly difficult. The Captain is just too strong. At this point, I'll settle for second place."
...
Meanwhile, Yang Luo's expression was grim.
Originally, he had intended to contract multiple Non-Ability Users, but he soon realized he could only bind one top-tier individual. After contracting Rocks, he could no longer take on any others.
Now, he was painfully aware of the sheer magnitude of Ye Yu's talent.
Second place was an admirable rank—but being beneath Ye Yu made him feel like a fool. The gap was simply too vast.
Yang Luo clenched his fists, his face darkening. "How can the reality be so different from what I imagined? Damn it..."
Wang Jue was equally stunned and disheartened. "The disparity is enormous."
Ba Ye fumed. "It's like he's cheating! Among us top Chosen Ones, the differences are minor. But Ye Yu? He's in a league of his own—like an overpowered player ruining the game's balance, making it unplayable for the rest of us."
"Also, I'm starting to believe Yang Luo's words. Even starting at level thirty, Ye Yu never faltered—he remained overwhelmingly dominant. There's no other explanation for such an astronomical bounty."
Wang Jue sighed. "I can't deny it either, as hard as it is to accept. Only this reasoning justifies Ye Yu's bounty. After this, we must unite to eliminate him. If what Yang Luo said is true, then none of us will stand a chance in the future."
At that moment, Yang Luo directly called Jin Mo and the others, his voice grave.
"Do you believe me now?"
Jin Mo and the others were still reeling in shock, disbelief, and resentment.
They had initially dismissed Yang Luo's words as nonsense—but now, their doubts grew stronger.
Could it be true? Even after half a year or a year, would Ye Yu still dominate like this?
Was the potential of Non-Ability Users truly no weaker than that of Ability Users?
The thought shattered them. As top Chosen Ones, they had believed themselves to be the pinnacle of this world. But if they were the pyramid's peak, then Ye Yu stood high above in the clouds.
They couldn't accept it. Murderous intent burned in their eyes.
"Ye Yu must die."
"Agreed. He must be eliminated—he's too terrifying."
"Thankfully, we caught on early. If too much time passes, stopping him would be impossible."
"Once this is over, we must unite quickly. Otherwise, countless people will flock to join the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew—everyone wants a leader like him."
"We should also reach out to other top Pirate Crews and see who's willing to ally with us."
"They'll agree. Even if they relied on us before, after this, they won't stay idle either."
...
Indeed, things were unfolding just as they predicted.
Hei Jie's face darkened in secret, his fists clenched tight. Shock and unease twisted within him as he cursed inwardly.
"How can he be this strong? Far stronger than Bai Shaohan... I thought that after devouring the Tremor-Tremor Fruit and finding another powerful Devil Fruit, with three fruits combined with my own formidable strength, I'd become the strongest in the future. But now, even then, Ye Yu would still reign supreme."
The crew members of the strongest Pirate Crew were stunned and shaken.
"Can a Non-Ability User's potential really match that of an Ability User? Otherwise, this level of power makes no sense."
"In that case, Ye Yu might as well have eaten seven top-tier Devil Fruits."
"Yes, you could think of it that way."
"Could it be that we haven't reached the late stages yet?"
"Almost impossible. He's been at level thirty for some time now. If Ye Yu were at five or six billion, we could still argue that Non-Ability Users grow weaker over time. But clearly, he remains overwhelmingly powerful—eighteen billion! Not one point eight billion, but an extra eight billion on top, far surpassing the second place's one point nine billion."
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