"Five BILLION? That's nuts!" Zephyr blurted, jaw practically hitting the Marineford conference table. "Chinjao, that Eight Treasures Navy boss, is only at five hundred million!"
He vibed with Tsuru's bounty idea, but five billion for a measly Rear Admiral? Overkill much?
Kong's eyes glinted, all grim and serious. "Nope, not high at all. Lei Luo's a freak—hiding his true strength. Now he's teamed up with Kaido? Let them grow, and they'll be the Navy's worst nightmare!"
Zephyr nodded, voice low. "Fair point."
"What about Kaido and that Lunarian kid?" Sengoku chimed in, right on cue.
Kong rubbed his chin. "Kaido's bounty stays for now. Got a photo of the Lunarian?"
Tsuru shook her head. "Nada. It all went down too fast—no one expected an escape."
Kong sighed. The World Government was obsessed with that Lunarian. "Alright, one billion Berries for any lead on him."
He slammed the gavel, ordering grunts to print wanted posters and newspapers stat.
Grand Line, First Half.
The Beasts Pirates' ship, rocking its fresh jolly roger, sliced through the waves. Lei Luo skipped Fish-Man Island—no coating hassle—having Kaido hoist the whole ship over the Red Line with his flame clouds like a dragon Uber.
King waved at a news coo flapping overhead. The bird perched on the railing, took some Berries, and dropped a newspaper and fresh wanted posters right in Lei Luo's lap.
"Mr. Lei Luo, latest news and bounties," King said, all proper-like.
Lei Luo was sprawled on a deck chair, soaking up rays like a lizard on vacation. Kaido? Banished to steering duty. Lei Luo couldn't stand the guy loafing around, eating or napping like a dragon-shaped couch potato.
He grabbed the paper, scanned it, and burst out laughing. "FIVE BILLION? Your boy's a certified big shot!"
Kaido, gripping the helm, leaned over, squinting at the poster. His eyes popped, and he slapped Lei Luo's shoulder hard enough to bruise a Sea King. "Wororororo! Five billion! Not bad for my Vice Captain!"
Lei Luo's face darkened, veins popping. Slap YOURSELF, you overgrown iguana! He leaped up and whacked Kaido's dragon dome, raising a cartoonish lump. "Steer the damn ship!"
"Fine, fine, steering!" Kaido grumbled, rubbing his head.
After some sailing, the Beasts Pirates hit Water 7—the Venice of the pirate world. First order of business? Not shipbuilding yet—scouting the black market for Treasure Tree Adam.
Lei Luo knew Elbaf giants sometimes chopped lightning-struck Adam branches, which hit the black market like rare Pokémon cards. Slinging a bag with the artificial Dragon Fruit, he led the pack. Kaido, toting his club Hassaikai, and King, wrapped tighter than a mummy to hide his Lunarian traits, trailed behind.
King's one-billion-Berry info bounty made him a walking target. Kaido and Lei Luo's bounties? Eh, most pirates wouldn't mess with them. But King's black wings and fireproof skin screamed "cash me out." They needed to build a ship here—getting ratted out to the Navy would tank that.
Lei Luo, feeling bad for King's paranoia, popped his Tengshe wings while strolling. Solidarity, bro.
Kaido sulked. Again with the wing club? Rude.
The black market dealer—a slick, all-smiles type who knew the underground's golden rule: Don't ask, don't tell—spotted Kaido and Lei Luo from the latest headlines. The weird wrapped-up guy behind them? Not my circus, not my monkeys.
"Honored guests," the dealer purred, "what's on the shopping list?"
Lei Luo cut to the chase. "Got any Treasure Tree Adam?"
The dealer's eyes turned to Berry signs. Adam was tough as nails but a hard sell—pirates preferred blowing cash on booze, not wood. The Navy used their own ships. So, yeah, he had a stash collecting dust.
Jackpot! Big spenders!
"Plenty, my friend!" The dealer's grin widened, leading them to a warehouse stacked with Adam logs. Kaido and Lei Luo zeroed in on the biggest one—a beast of a trunk.
Go big or go home!
Kaido pointed, voice booming. "Lei Luo, that's the one!"
Lei Luo smirked at the dealer. "How much?"
The dealer's eyes sparkled like Berries. "That beauty? Twenty billion."
Lei Luo spun on his heel. "Too rich. Later." Cue three jaws hitting the floor.
Sure, it was a 500-meter monster log. Luffy's Sunny, 56 meters, cost two billion for Adam. Ten times that? Twenty billion sounded fair… except this was 34 years ago. Inflation wasn't that wild.
Chinese mama haggling mode: ON. Walk away, win the day.
Predictably, the dealer chased. "Sir, sir! Name your price!"
Lei Luo's eyes glinted with mischief. Thank you, haggling gods of Huaxia. After some back-and-forth, he slashed it to ten billion, deal set for pickup in a week. Cash on delivery.
The dealer nodded. Pirates robbing for cash? Not his problem. He'd get his Berries.
On the way out, Kaido shuffled, embarrassed. "Uh, Lei Luo… we're broke."
He and King, fresh from lab-rat life, had zilch. They'd been mooching off Lei Luo's stash.
Lei Luo smirked, deep in thought. "Relax, I got a plan."
Kaido's eyes lit up. "Rob the Heavenly Tribute?!"
Back in the Rocks days, jacking Celestial Dragon gold was their jam. Quick cash, plus a workout.
Lei Luo pointed skyward, a sly glint in his eye. "Close. We're grabbing gold… from the sky."