Chapter 132: Perhaps Still a Little Low
Garp wasn't particularly concerned. Even though Maude had scarred his face with a single shot, it didn't weigh on his mind.
In contrast, Tsuru took the matter quite seriously, personally compiling detailed reports and submitting them.
Thanks to her efforts, the Navy finally issued a bounty.
Garp glanced at Tsuru's calm expression and asked curiously, "How much?"
"68 million berries."
"That high?"
Garp was surprised.
While not unprecedented, this initial bounty was far from trivial. Killing a Marine Captain alone shouldn't warrant such a high figure.
"It is a bit high," Tsuru said as she rose slowly, her tone calm. "But the reports submitted by Gion justify that amount."
"Reports, huh…"
Garp's curiosity was piqued.
Tsuru cast a sidelong glance at him and said, "I've left copies of those reports on your desk."
Garp was momentarily stunned, then burst out laughing. "Always so thoughtful, Little Tsuru…"
At the Fleet Admiral's Office.
Behind the desk, Sengoku rested his hands against his chin, contemplating. Before him lay two documents and a freshly printed bounty poster.
"Barcardi Maude."
Sengoku lowered his head slightly, his gaze falling on the poster.
It depicted a youthful yet strikingly resolute black-haired boy.
This boy had left a scar on Garp's face.
Though the scar was insignificant, the gravity of it depended on who bore it.
At first, Sengoku assumed the injury on Garp's face was caused by someone wielding a cursed firearm.
So, when Garp revealed the truth, Sengoku found it hard to believe.
Now, with the detailed reports compiled by Gion, Sengoku had gained a comprehensive understanding of this boy.
"Such talent…"
He muttered, turning his attention to the documents beside the poster.
The details were etched into his memory:
Born into a wealthy merchant family, Maude's life fell into ruin following a tragedy. Eventually, he drifted to Mad Hat Town.
In just a few months, he transformed from a hedonistic, debauched young master into someone capable of wounding Garp with a single shot.
During this time, his exploits included:
Eliminating more than ten pirates with bounties between 10 and 20 million berries.
Defeating two pirates with bounties between 30 and 40 million berries.
Taking down Capone Bege, a notorious West Blue mob leader.
Killing Robbie, a Marine Captain proficient in Rokushiki techniques.
Each achievement underscored the boy's terrifying potential.
This year, Sengoku had only one rookie pirate on his radar: Portgas D. Ace, a brilliant upstart bearing the "D" name.
But now…
Sengoku sighed softly, rubbing his temple.
This boy had a spotless background. With such potential, if he had joined the Navy, he would undoubtedly rise to the rank of Admiral in due time.
But there were no "what ifs."
Sengoku lifted his gaze to Aokiji, who was slouching lazily on the sofa.
"Aokiji, what's your take on this boy?"
"Ara ara…" Aokiji perked up slightly, stroking his chin. "If the reports are accurate, mastering Haki to such a degree in just three months is certainly cause for concern."
"Three months?"
Sengoku shook his head and replied solemnly, "Based on the available intelligence, it's estimated that this boy learned Haki in less than a month. And what's your assessment of his proficiency?"
"Hmm." Aokiji paused before answering, "His Haki is weak, but his technique is exceptionally refined. That's the impression I got."
Sengoku's expression grew serious. "So, he not only learned Haki in an incredibly short time but also quickly mastered its techniques—enough to wound Garp with a firearm?"
Aokiji nodded, recalling the event. "That shot didn't feel like something a novice could pull off."
Sengoku fell silent.
After a moment, he picked up Maude's file and handed it to the goat perched on his desk.
The goat eagerly grabbed the document, chewing it leisurely.
"68 million berries."
Sengoku watched the paper turn to shreds.
This notable starting bounty was primarily based on Maude's victories over opponents like Bege, Abby, and Robbie.
Additionally, the fact that he managed to wound Garp also played a part.
These explicit factors justified the high figure.
However, the bounty didn't account for the implicit factors.
Namely, Maude's potential.
And the man behind Maude—the enigmatic gunslinger, Sol.
"Perhaps it's still a bit low…"
The sun set, and the moon rose in their timeless cycle.
A few days passed.
In a town in the West Blue.
Two pirate ships were docked at the harbor. Nearby, a Marine warship burned fiercely, its charred hull listing to one side.
Dozens of lifeless Marine bodies floated on the surrounding waters.
With the Navy eliminated, the two pirate crews rampaged through the town, pillaging and slaughtering without restraint.
The town descended into chaos, filled with screams, cries, and shouts.
In reality, these two pirate crews weren't allies. Their simultaneous attack on the town was pure coincidence.
Faced with this happenstance, neither crew was willing to share the spoils.
After all, more people meant less loot for each individual.
Thus, the two crews began fighting.
The captains of both crews, skilled swordsmen of comparable strength, clashed fiercely.
Their blades danced in a flurry of sparks, the sound of steel against steel echoing through the air.
For a while, the battle was deadlocked. After hundreds of exchanges, neither side gained the upper hand.
At this rate, it seemed they would need hundreds more clashes to determine a victor.
Then, one captain suddenly pulled a flintlock pistol from his hat.
With a loud bang, the fight that had lasted so long ended in an instant.
"Didn't see that coming, did you? Hahaha!"
The victorious captain laughed triumphantly at his fallen opponent.
The defeated captain, with his last breath, cursed, "You… coward…"
The triumphant captain sneered, "Your defeat lies in underestimating the terror of Usopp-Style tactics."
With those words, he delivered a fatal slash.
Elated, the captain basked in his victory.
Just then, a News Coo flew overhead, dropping several bounty posters.
One of the posters fluttered onto a nearby corpse.
The captain picked it up, his expression changing dramatically.
"68 million berries!"
"This is…"
Staring at the photo on the poster, his eyes lit up with excitement.
At the same time.
The updated bounty posters reached every corner.
In Dressrosa.
By the pool of a luxurious mansion, Warlord of the Sea Donquixote Doflamingo reclined on a sun chair, surrounded by scantily clad women.
"Fufufu…"
Doflamingo's right arm dangled lazily, holding a bounty poster.
The destruction of Mad Hat Town had cost him a potential arms trade route.
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