Seeing Koshiro come out, Zoro immediately handed him the newspaper.
Kuina sidled up to her father, standing on her tiptoes to curiously look at the paper.
The first thing she saw was a profile picture of Cyrus.
Although it was a bit blurry, she recognized him at a glance.
"He defeated the pirate Chinjao, the one with a 500 million Belly bounty?"
Kuina's eyes widened.
How much money was 500 million Belly?
The current Kuina had no concept of it at all.
But from what she had seen before, the bounties of the two Shichibukai, Jinbei and Doflamingo, weren't that high, were they?
"He actually went to the West Blue!" Koshiro said with great curiosity after carefully reading the newspaper.
He wasn't surprised that Cyrus could defeat Chinjao.
He knew Cyrus relatively well and was aware of his hidden strength.
Of course, even without mentioning his hidden strength, just with the power he normally displayed, it would be very difficult to find an opponent for him on these seas.
After all, truly top-tier powerhouses weren't so easily encountered.
"That guy's gotten even stronger!" Zoro grumbled.
He suddenly felt that the distance to defeating Cyrus had grown by another huge stretch, a distance long enough for him to get lost several times over.
"Just focus on your own goal and walk your path. After all, your goal is to become the world's greatest master swordsman. As for Cyrus, his purpose is different from yours."
Hearing Zoro's words, Koshiro smiled and said, then returned to the main hall with the newspaper behind his back, leaving Kuina and Zoro staring at each other.
"What does Master Koshiro mean by that?" Zoro was a bit dazed.
"Father means don't even think about it, you can't catch up to him anyway," Kuina said, her eyes darting around.
"Huh?"
Zoro was stunned for a moment, then looked at Kuina with displeasure.
"You! I challenge you!" Zoro roared in anger.
"You win!"
Kuina turned and walked away with her wooden sword behind her back, leaving Zoro trembling in the wind.
...
Marine Headquarters.
"Teacher Garp, this young man really can't sit still," Aokiji said, legs crossed and looking at the newspaper in his hand, appearing as if he had just woken up.
"He fought that guy Chinjao?" Garp stroked the beard on his chin.
"Of course, to defeat Chinjao, I had to use my fists to flatten several mountains just to flatten his head."
Garp reminisced with a sigh.
"Does that mean this young man has now reached your level, Teacher?"
Aokiji's brow twitched at that. He pulled up the sleep mask on his forehead and looked at Garp.
"Well, that's hard to say. Based on what you described, no one can know for sure without a real fight. But Chinjao was certainly not weak back then. As for now, well!"
Garp tore open a bag of rice crackers and shook his head.
"Just watch. I have a feeling this young man will probably cause another major incident soon."
Aokiji had a premonition.
"But this kid isn't planning to turn Chinjao in for the bounty, is he? The Flower Country is a member nation now, so that might be a bit difficult," Garp shook his head.
Compared to being pirates, the Eight Treasure Navy of the Flower Country was actually more like the country's private armed force.
Although there was still a bounty, it was from a long time ago.
"It doesn't look like it, but I can't be sure either."
After all, Cyrus called himself a Pirate Hunter.
"Forget it. It's not my business anyway. Sengoku can be the one to get a headache over it!" Garp thought for a moment and waved his hand dismissively.
Aokiji nodded in strong agreement.
As Garp said, Sengoku had naturally seen the newspaper as well.
After all, such intelligence definitely had to be reported to him.
Sengoku was just feeling very regretful right now.
That guy Garp was too unreliable.
He had gone out to recruit such a top-tier combatant twice and returned empty-handed both times.
To defeat Chinjao at this age.
Being from the same era, Sengoku knew Chinjao quite well.
Back then, Chinjao's strength was definitely no less than the current Shichibukai.
Although he was old now, considering Cyrus's age...
Sengoku shook his head speechlessly and put the newspaper aside.
"Just don't kill the guy."
...
"Hahaha, you almost killed me!"
At the Eight Treasure Navy's banquet in the Flower Country, Chinjao held up a massive wine bowl and laughed heartily.
Sai and the others around him also laughed loudly.
And Cyrus was like a husky that had wandered into a flock of sheep.
He didn't understand what was so funny.
He could only raise the glass of juice in his hand.
Robin watched Cyrus and couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.
"What are you laughing at!" Cyrus naturally noticed Robin's reaction and said irritably.
"Nothing. I just feel like I understand you a bit better now. You don't seem very comfortable at banquets like this," Robin said in a low voice.
"Yeah, I can't blend in. Or rather, I don't understand how these guys think," Cyrus sighed.
"Then you don't need to understand. The strong are the ones others need to understand," Robin said softly.
Cyrus looked at Robin in surprise.
Those words...
Was Robin trying to groom him?
Cyrus and Robin's quiet conversation didn't affect the liveliness of the banquet.
After all, the return of the strongest weapon of Chinjao, the leader of the Eight Treasure Navy, was a great thing for the navy.
"I'll show you all right now!"
Chinjao, who had drunk a lot, suddenly stood up, touched the horn on his head, and then strode outside.
A group of Eight Treasure Navy executives and members from outside all followed behind him.
The treasure of the Eight Treasure Navy, hidden beneath the Jewel Ice Mountain, was about to see the light of day again.
A short while later, Chinjao leaped high into the air and smashed his head onto the thick ice surface.
Cracks spread out in all directions across the ice from the point of impact, and then the massive ice cap suddenly shattered.
A dazzling golden light flashed.
Cyrus and Robin squinted at the enormous amount of various treasures.
"That's truly astonishing. As expected of a treasure accumulated over centuries!" Robin exclaimed, her eyes wide.
"Then tell me, why did they accumulate so much?" Cyrus turned to ask Robin.
"Huh?"
Robin was taken aback, not understanding Cyrus's meaning at first. But being as intelligent as she was, she quickly understood what he was asking.
"Is it because they couldn't use it?"
"Isn't that just it? If they could use it, they wouldn't have accumulated so much."
Cyrus shook his head slightly and turned to leave.
Robin turned and followed.
Behind them were the excited and celebrating members of the Eight Treasure Navy.
...
The banquet lasted for a day.
On the second day, perhaps because of what Cyrus had said earlier, the Eight Treasure Navy's ship was ready.
Since their benefactor had spoken, Chinjao naturally had to prepare as quickly as possible.
"Benefactor, we'll take the Calm Belt this time. We'd have to wait a long time for the currents at Reverse Mountain."
"Thank you!"
Cyrus waved his hand and boarded the Eight Treasure Navy's ship.
Before long, the Eight Treasure Navy's fleet slowly left the port of the Flower Country, heading straight for Reverse Mountain.
"Cyrus, you're in the newspaper!"
On the ship, Robin held out a newspaper to Cyrus, a smile on her face.
---------
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