Chapter 8 Bounty
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"You said you bumped into someone who could use the Quake Fruit when you came back, and he wasn't Newgate?"
Inside the Marine Marshal's Office at the Marine Headquarters in Marineford, a man with white hair and a strong physique slammed the information in his hand onto the table.
Sitting not far away was Garp, who had just returned from the East blue Sea.
Warring States, standing aside, frowned and asked, "Garp, did you see it wrong?"
Garp, munching on senbei, replied with a mouthful, "I saw it with my own eyes. That kind of power can only come from the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. I won't mistake that!"
"Just now, Garp said that the man claimed to be the vice-captain of the Whitebeard Pirates. Regardless of whether he used the power of the Quake Fruit or not, I think we should be more concerned about the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates."
The speaker was a woman—the only one in the room. Despite being female, no one dared to underestimate her.
Vice Admiral Tsuru!
"Whitebeard has established a pirate group, which is not good news for our Navy!"
Kong, who occupied the position of Marshal, sighed. "We just defeated the Rocks Pirates, and now the Whitebeard Pirates have emerged."
Sengoku frowned, "It's just Whitebeard. His threat can't compare to that of the Rocks Pirates, right?"
"You would be mistaken to think so."
Cyborg Kong shot a glance at Warring States. "You haven't truly faced that man, so you don't grasp his strength."
At that moment, all three individuals present turned their gaze toward Garp, who was sitting on the sofa, enjoying his senbei. When it came to Whitebeard, Garp had the most experience to share.
Feeling uncomfortable under their scrutiny, Garp finally set their snack aside. After a brief silence, he confessed, "If Whitebeard had been present during the battle a year ago, we might not have been able to overcome the Rocks Pirates."
In one sentence, Garp perfectly encapsulated Whitebeard's formidable strength.
A heavy silence fell after that statement.
Garp scratched his head and said, "But the person I know named Larson possesses even stranger abilities. Not only can he wield the powers of the Tremor Fruit, but he can also summon a giant. Its defense is beyond anything I can break."
Everyone was incredulous upon hearing this. What kind of opponent couldn't Garp overcome?
Cyborg Kong sighed in exasperation. "How should we address the Whitebeard Pirates then? You three will have to figure it out moving forward."
Sengoku sighed, "With powers like that, I'm afraid we'll need to deploy equal force against them as we did against the Rocks Pirates."
"They haven't yet caused any societal harm. I propose we avoid provoking them for the time being. They might be similar to the Roger Pirates."
Warring States frowned. "It is our Navy's duty to capture pirates. Whether it is the Roger Pirates or the Whitebeard Pirates, we must bring them to justice! We can't hesitate just because they are powerful. If we can't apprehend these pirates, they will pose a significant threat to the world and to civilians!"
He glanced at Sengoku, asserting, "I'm merely suggesting we avoid conflict for now. Since the destruction of the Rocks Pirates last year, remnants have scattered worldwide, and this year, our Navy has been pursuing them. They are already at their wits' end. If we provoke a powerful enemy like Whitebeard at this time, it would be asking for trouble."
Garp, sitting on the sofa, silently watched the two men bickering while continuing to eat his senbei.
"Da da!"
Cyborg Kong rapped on the table, and Sengoku and Tsuru abruptly quieted, turning their attention to him.
Cyborg Kong said, "As Vice Admiral Tsuru suggested, let's not provoke them for the time being."
Warring States sighed but knew deep down that the Navy simply didn't have the resources to contend with an enemy like Whitebeard.
He nodded. "But what bounty should we place on him?"
Cyborg Kong pondered for a moment. "The bounty for Larson, the vice-captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, is 400 million Baileys."
The bounty orders served as a standard measure of a pirate's strength.
For a newly formed pirate group that had yet to make a name for itself, such a figure was already significantly high.
"What about Whitebeard?" Tsuru inquired.
"What was his previous bounty?"
"400 million Baileys."
"Let's raise it to 500 million."
"Agreed!"
Tsuru nodded and then exited the room.
The only sound left in the office was Garp chewing his senbei.
Cyborg Kong's forehead twitched with frustration. "Garp, can you show some respect? This is the Marshal's office! If you want to eat, do it somewhere else!"
"Okay!"
Garp stood up with a grin, collecting the senbei as he walked out.
"Hey, when will Garp change his ways?"
For Garp, the naval marshal, now over fifty years old, everyone was left pondering what to say.
Regardless of his strength or achievements, it was certain he would inherit the position of marshal upon retirement, but Garp's character was ill-suited for such a role.
In contrast, Warring States possessed the dignity of a superior figure.
At this time, Warring States declared: "Marshal, if there are no further matters, I'll head back."
Seeing Garp still indulging in his snacks made him yearn to return to his own.
Cyborg Kong had no idea what Warring States was thinking as he waved his hand and said, "Let's go."
...
On the sea, a pirate ship slowly docked at the island's port.
"Master Whitebeard, Master Larson, we are here!"
Larson stood at the boat's edge, surveying the town that lay before him, nodding in satisfaction. "You've arrived one day ahead of schedule; not bad."
Plank smiled sheepishly.
Whitebeard, clearly eager, exclaimed, "Let's go down and take a look!"
Larson nodded, then turned to Plank. "Help us secure the ship, and then you're free."
Without waiting for Plank's response, Larson and Whitebeard leaped off the ship.
Plank was left standing on the boat, watching the backs of Larson and Whitebeard as he silently resolved to take action!
As Larson and Whitebeard walked together, he noticed that although their boat displayed pirate flags, the fishermen along the way viewed them without fear, as if accustomed to the presence of pirates.
"Where should we head first?"
Larson asked.
Whitebeard eagerly declared, "Let's go find a bar first!"
The wine on the ship had been consumed. For an avid drinker like Whitebeard, the absence of liquor made this day particularly torturous.
Larson nodded. "Then I'll see if I can find a suitable sword."
"Hey, let's go, let's go!"
Whitebeard eagerly pulled Larson and headed toward the town.
The two searched the area and soon discovered a tavern.
As they pushed open the tavern door, Whitebeard's imposing figure drew immediate attention.
After finding a seat, he eagerly shouted, "Bring us your finest wine!"
"Coming right up!"
Once the wine was served, Whitebeard drank deeply, downing a large mug of beer in a single gulp before slamming it heavily on the table. "Let's have some fun!"
Larson took a big mouthful of his own drink, realizing that as a newcomer to the pirate world, he had to familiarize himself with this aspect of life.
However, just after taking a sip, Larson suddenly froze, putting down the glass as if nothing had happened.
"Larson, what's the matter?"
Whitebeard asked, puzzled by Larson's sudden change in demeanor.
Larson lowered his voice and said, "I think I may have left some money on the ship."
Feeling heat rise in his cheeks as he gazed at the beers before him, he decided it was best to quell this thought.
Whitebeard cared little for such matters and dismissively replied, "It doesn't matter! Worst case scenario, we just don't pay. We're pirates; what do we have to fear?"
Larson could only blink at him.
It certainly made sense!
It appeared he had temporarily forgotten his identity as a pirate.
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