"This is the original message Sengoku asked me to relay," Garp said, pinching his chin. "Wait, no, actually, it seems these were the exact words from the Five Elders. He was just passing it along."
"It seems they've made a mistake about one thing," Xiano said calmly. "Since when have I not been sailing openly on this sea?"
The young man pointed to the Sunset behind him, its white flag fluttering in the wind.
"See that, Old Man?"
"What's this?" Garp burst into laughter. "So you've never even flown a Pirate flag!"
"Stop playing dumb," Xiano grinned. "If I were really doing Pirate business, would you be talking to me like this? But if I signed the Warlord of the Sea agreement, I'd never be able to explain myself. I'd truly become what they call a 'Great Pirate.'"
Warlord of the Sea?
What good would it do him to become a Warlord?
Just to have his bounty canceled? Just for that so-called "legal right to plunder" that countless Pirates dream of?
Screw that!
To willingly become a lapdog of the World Government for something as foul-smelling as the Celestial Tribute, obeying every order, even having to offer up his blood?
He might as well have joined the Marines with Garp back on Mount Colubo!
By now, he'd at least be a Vice Admiral at Marine Headquarters!
"Speaking of which, Old Man," Xiano looked up, locking eyes with Garp. "There's one thing I'm curious about. Does Sengoku, or the other higher-ups at Marine Headquarters, even know that I'm not a Pirate?"
Garp was silent for a moment before sighing. "For the big shots, sometimes face is more important than the truth."
"So that's how it is?" Xiano laughed heartily, tossing the document back. "Then take this scrap of paper back with you. And while you're at it, deliver a message for me. If they want to strip me of my right to 'sail openly on this sea,' they're welcome to try!"
"Ah…" Garp took the document, rubbing his face. "This is such a headache. How am I supposed to report back? Though I had a feeling you'd say something like this…"
Still unwilling to give up, he glanced sideways at Xiano. "Really not going to sign?"
"Nope."
"What if I brought a couple of bags of premium tea to share with you?"
"…" Three black lines appeared on Xiano's forehead.
"Just kidding, hahaha!" Garp stood up, laughing as he tore the document into shreds. The pieces scattered like snowflakes in the sea breeze. "Then keep sailing on this sea, kid! Let me see just how far you can go on this path!"
He strode toward his dog-headed warship, where Bogart immediately came over to drape a new Justice cloak over his shoulders.
Xiano remained seated, watching Garp's retreating figure through the flurry of paper scraps.
"Oh, right," Garp suddenly turned back, scratching his head. "I almost forgot. Sengoku's orders were to arrest you on the spot if the negotiations failed."
"Too tired for that," Xiano spread his hands. "But if you still want to fight, I'm ready to go all the way."
"Hahaha!!!"
Garp laughed heartily and waved his hand dismissively. "What are you talking about? I even used my Conqueror's Haki just now, and I still couldn't take you down!"
He turned and strode toward the warship, waving at Xiano without looking back.
"That's it! I'll just go back and say I couldn't find anyone! After all, the sea is vast, and getting lost is perfectly normal!"
The dog-head warship slowly sailed away, and the marines on the deck still looked fearfully at the shattered ice field.
Bogart stood beside Garp, his face filled with concern, and asked in a low voice, "Mr. Garp, is it really okay to go back like this?"
"What could possibly be wrong?"
Garp carelessly pulled out a pack of senbei. "That kid is right. He's not a pirate, so why should he sign some damn Warlord of the Sea agreement?"
"But what about the Five Elders…"
"Who cares about them!"
Garp stuffed a handful of senbei into his mouth, speaking indistinctly. "I don't have the ability anyway. If those old geezers are so capable, let them come and catch him themselves!"
Huh?
Wait a minute.
Garp suddenly realized something was off and reached for his bald head.
Where's my dog-head hat?
Garp looked around in confusion, searching his body. He clearly remembered that during the intense fight earlier, he had taken off the dog-head hat because it was blocking his vision and stuffed it into his pocket.
This scene felt oddly familiar…
Bogart's heart tightened, and he instinctively reached for his own head.
Phew, thank goodness.
His hat was still there.
...
Meanwhile, on the Sunset.
Nojiko watched the departing warship and couldn't help but ask, "Brother, what do we do now?"
Although she had expected it.
Her brother's decisive refusal of the Warlord of the Sea position was just too cool!
This was a position that countless people coveted!
How many people in the entire Grand Line could do something like that?
Truly, my brother is amazing!
However, with this, the World Government, having been humiliated, would surely be furious, and their retaliation in the future would undoubtedly be even more intense…
Yet, her question went unanswered.
Because at that moment, Xiano, who seemed to be changing clothes with Nami's help, was actually intently focused on the system panel in front of him.
[You sacrificed Garp's dog-head hat and gained 3800 Points.]
[Remaining Points: 27000]
How much was the dog-head hat I sacrificed back in the Goa Kingdom worth? If I remember correctly, it was 4000, right?
Why is this one 200 less?
After some thought, the only explanation was that the previous dog-head hat had been with Garp longer, and the emotional attachment was deeper.
That makes sense.
Xiano shrugged and casually closed the system panel, completely unaware that he had forgotten about Bogart's hat, which could also be "sheared."
Well, it couldn't be helped.
Back when they first met in the Colby Mountains.
Bogart's faint aura of a Master Swordsman, sharp as a blade, had made Xiano wary and curious, prompting him to "borrow" Bogart's hat on the spot to check how many Points it was worth.
But now.
Times had changed, and the gap in their strength was like heaven and earth.
Although Xiano had used Observation Haki to sense Garp's warship, Bogart, who hadn't shown himself much, was categorized as completely non-threatening in Xiano's mind, and he hadn't even remembered the man existed throughout the entire encounter.
"Brother? Brother!" Nojiko raised her voice.
"Huh?"
Xiano snapped out of his daze and turned to look at her.
"What do you mean, what now? Of course, it's time for lunch. I'm starving."
He patted his empty stomach and smiled, "After eating, we'll do what we need to do and continue our adventure!"
He led the way, striding toward the dining area. The rest of the crew exchanged smiles and followed suit.
"Why do I feel like you're especially happy, Nami?" Smoker, walking at the back with a cigar in his mouth, looked puzzled as he glanced ahead to the right.
"Of course!"
Nami rolled her eyes at him, stretching lazily with a look of relief:
"I was most afraid that my brother would agree to sign the agreement. If he became a Warlord of the Sea, wouldn't my bounty be stuck at 80,000 Berries forever?"
"Even if he didn't, it doesn't mean your bounty would increase," Smoker remarked gloomily.
Nami froze, then immediately flared up in anger:
"Ahhh, Smoker, you jerk! I'm going to kill you!"
"Don't even think about it. You don't even know Armament Haki. You can't touch me."
"I don't need Haki! I'll burn you to death with fire!"
"I've never heard of that. If anything, smoke can suppress flames, right?"
"Nonsense, fire overcomes smoke!"
"Smoke overcomes fire."
The corridor erupted into noisy bickering again, and the group laughed and teased each other all the way. The previously tense atmosphere quickly dissipated.
Only Nuomici trailed at the very back, hopping repeatedly, trying to catch everyone's attention—
Hey! Look at me, look at me! I've already completed my first evolution because I couldn't wait to grow stronger and protect my master sooner!
Now, I'm Nyaromon!
Unfortunately, it was still too short.
Even after evolving, it was only about 30 to 40 centimeters tall, and its jumps didn't even reach Nami's knees.
For a moment, no one noticed.
—————
Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
In Pangaea Castle, a CP0 member in a white coat knelt on the ground, sweating profusely as he reported.
The atmosphere in the meeting room was heavy.
"He refused?"
The blond-haired Elder, Shepherd, crushed the teacup in his hand, his face dark:
"This is an invitation to become a Warlord of the Sea, something other pirates would kill for. We even offered more favorable terms than usual, and he still wouldn't sign the agreement?"
"Does he look down on the position of Warlord of the Sea?"
Nasujuro, holding a Demon Blade, said indifferently, "It seems we underestimated that brat's ambition."
"What about Garp?"
The white-haired, long-bearded Elder, Marcus Mars, spoke up, "Since he refused to sign the agreement, why didn't we capture him on the spot?"
"We fought, but the kid still managed to escape."
The CP0 member hurriedly replied respectfully, "According to our intel, Garp chased him for a full day and night afterward, but ultimately lost track of him at sea, allowing him to get away."
The Elders frowned.
"Useless old man."
Saturn sneered, "Where's the skill he used to chase Roger to the ends of the earth? Now, given the chance, he can't even capture an 18-year-old brat."
"Garp's strength may have declined with age, but he's still not to be underestimated. This situation only shows that the kid's strength is greater than we anticipated."
Nasujuro narrowed his eyes, "Of course, there's another possibility, as Sengoku mentioned, that Garp has a past connection with this kid and is deliberately holding back, unwilling to go all out."
"That old man..."
Thinking of Garp's repeated refusals to be promoted to Admiral, Saturn's expression darkened considerably.
He shook his head, not wanting to dwell on the matter any longer, and turned his gaze to the CP0 agent kneeling on the ground:
"What is Xiano's current bounty?"
"Five hundred and forty million Berries," the CP0 agent quickly replied.
"That's not enough! He has consecutively defeated... no, killed two Warlords of the Sea, and escaped from both Akainu and Garp."
"This bounty no longer matches the level of threat he poses!"
Saturn stood up and coldly issued his orders:
"Go, notify Marine Headquarters to immediately draft a new bounty, set it high! Also, the selection for the two vacant Warlord positions must be finalized and submitted as soon as possible. The balance of the sea must not be disrupted."
"Yes, Saint Saturn!"
The CP0 agent saluted and hurriedly left.
————
Marine Headquarters.
The rain poured down heavily, and thick dark clouds loomed over Marineford, as if threatening to engulf the entire fortress.
Ever since the news of Xiano rejecting the Warlord agreement reached the headquarters, the atmosphere within the fortress had become as gloomy and oppressive as the weather.
Navy soldiers hurried through the corridors, their expressions grave, and even their conversations were hushed.
"Yes, Fleet Admiral, I understand. Yes, please rest assured."
Senior Staff Officer Brannew put down the Den Den Mushi and tapped his knuckles lightly on the desk, his brow furrowed.
He looked around the office, where several colleagues had already stopped their work, their eyes fixed on him.
"The situation is worse than expected. The elders of the Holy Land are extremely furious and have ordered that the bounties for this group be updated as quickly as possible."
Brannew stood up and said solemnly:
"Gather the rest of the staff officers, we need to hold a meeting! Within one hour, I want a complete combat analysis report, and within two hours, we must draft a new bounty proposal!"
———
Somewhere in the New World, on an unnamed island.
Morgans was pacing back and forth behind the sofa, a cup of coffee in hand, visibly agitated.
"The results are in, Chief!"
The wooden door of the office was slammed open, and his suit-clad assistant rushed in, panting, "Xiano has rejected the Warlord position, and the higher-ups at Marine Headquarters are furious. The new wanted posters have already been sent over!"
"Rejected?!"
Morgans snatched the document, "Let me see!"
He quickly scanned through the entire intelligence report, then turned his gaze to the new bounty figures.
Clang!
Morgans' coffee cup fell to the ground, the brown liquid splashing onto his white feathers.
The president of the World Economic Journal seemed oblivious, his beak stretching into an exaggerated grin:
"Yahahaha! He didn't disappoint me, big news! This is headline news that will shake the entire sea!"
It doesn't even need any embellishment!
The news of Hanafuda's death can be released now, along with the rejection of the Warlord agreement, Xiano's escape from the renowned Navy hero Garp...
And the final bombshell—the new bounty for Xiano and his crew!
Morgans couldn't even imagine how wildly this edition of the newspaper would sell across the entire world!
He grabbed the Den Den Mushi on his desk and dialed the printing factory:
"It's me, President Morgans!"
"What? The newspaper for tomorrow morning is already being printed? Stop all current printing immediately! Throw those waste papers into the trash heap. I'll personally decide the front page for tomorrow!"
After hanging up, Morgans returned to his desk, humming a tune, and excitedly pulled out a quill from the ink bottle.
He hadn't yet decided on the headline, but without hesitation, he skillfully wrote the first two words on the blank paper:
[Shocking——]
...
The next morning.
In the office, Morgans was sprawled across his desk, his beak slightly open, feathers scattered messily on the surface. Clearly, he had fallen into a deep sleep after pulling an all-nighter to finish the draft.
Beside his claw lay a quill, its ink still wet.
The desk was piled with draft papers, densely covered with repeatedly revised headlines.
As a journalist who was deeply passionate about his work, Morgans always held his writing to the highest standards.
The final version of the front page had already been carefully taken away by his assistant and sent to the printing factory.
The pungent smell of ink filled the factory.
Fresh newspapers flew off the assembly line like snowflakes, quickly bundled by workers and loaded into the mailbags of the News Birds.
"The first batch of newspapers is ready!"
"Release the birds! Release them now!"
At the command, countless News Birds, wearing their mailbags, flapped their wings and soared into the sky, flying toward the four seas under the morning sun.
They carried this monumental news to every corner of the world…
————
In the New World.
On the Moby Dick, a grand banquet was underway.
It was to celebrate the end of the war between them and the Beast Pirates.
Among the Four Emperors, while a balance was generally maintained on the grand scale, it wasn't always peaceful.
There were always some frictions and clashes.
This relatively small-scale war was a microcosm of that.
The main commanders of both sides hadn't personally taken the field, with only a small group of officers leading their subordinates into battle.
The Whitebeard Pirates ultimately emerged victorious, severing the claws the Beast Pirates had extended from Wano Country and successfully expanding their territory slightly.
On the deck, bonfires blazed, and barrels of alcohol were stacked like mountains.
Marco raised his glass and leaped onto the main mast's crossbeam.
"Listen up, everyone!" he grinned broadly. "To our new territory, to our great victory—cheers!"
"Wooohoo—!!!"
The crew roared in response, the clinking of glasses mingling with hearty laughter.
"Gurararara!"
Whitebeard's laughter thundered like a storm. He sat on his massive chair, his naginata leaning against his shoulder, and downed an entire barrel of strong liquor:
"Kaido's little brats are still too green! How could they ever compare to my sons!"
"Hey, Pops! Sneaking a whole barrel in one go is cheating!"
Sachi, the commander of the 4th Division, popped up from behind, displeased, and took away the remaining barrel. "For your health, you should drink less!"
"Sachi!" Whitebeard bellowed in anger. "You're such a killjoy! Give me back my booze!"
"No way, no way, I'm not giving it to you!"
Sachi hid the barrel of wine behind his back, and Whitebeard reached out to snatch it. The two of them wrestled over it, causing the surrounding Pirates to burst into laughter.
Just then, a News Bird flapped its wings and landed on the ship's railing, holding the latest newspaper in its beak.
"Hey, Teach!" Sachi called out to his crewmate nearby. "I'm a bit tied up here. Go grab the newspaper and see what big news there is today!"
"No problem, Captain!"
Blackbeard Teach grinned, revealing a mouth missing a few teeth:
"Zehahaha! Little bird, you've come at just the right time. I bet the newspaper company found out the result of this war and rushed to report it overnight, announcing to the world the victory of our Whitebeard Pirate crew!"
He quickly walked over, took the newspaper from the News Bird's beak, and casually tossed a few coins its way.
He chuckled and patted the News Bird's head once more, watching it fly away.
However.
When Teach unfolded the newspaper, the smile on his face instantly froze.
There was no Whitebeard, no Beast. The headlines had nothing to do with them.
Dominating the front page was a massive wanted poster, featuring a black-haired youth with a sword on his back, laughing wildly in the photo.
Above it, in bold, oversized letters, was the headline:
—"Shocking the Grand Line! The Most Arrogant Pirate, Blade Swordsman Xiano, Kills Two Warlords of the Sea, Rejects Warlord Invitation, Enrages the World Government, Emergency Bounty Increase!"
"Zehahaha... This is really..." Blackbeard narrowed his eyes, staring at the headline, muttering softly, a strange glint flashing in his eyes.
"Hey, Teach!"
Marco noticed his odd behavior and jumped down from the mast, snatching the newspaper: "What's going on? What news has you so shocked?"
When he saw the content, his pupils also contracted sharply, and he exclaimed in disbelief:
"One billion?! A full one billion Berry? This guy's bounty has doubled in one go?
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