Chapter 56: Bounty Order!

Soaring through the clouds, Asa retrieved the wooden box and began identifying the four Devil Fruits inside.

This feels just like when I used to play online games in my previous life—like opening a rare treasure chest.

"It's been so long since I felt this excitement. I've missed it! Hahahaha!" Asa laughed to himself.

"Huh? A Zoan-type Sheep Fruit, Model: Alpaca?" He opened one of the wooden boxes, and his excitement instantly deflated as if a thousand blades of grass had trampled over his heart.

Without a second thought, he tossed the fruit down from 10,000 feet. Whoever found it would be the lucky one.

"Zoan-type Dog Fruit, Model: Husky? What the hell?" Veins popped on Asa's forehead, and his good mood was completely ruined.

A Husky? Whoever wants it can have it!

With all his strength, he hurled the fruit away. Based on his calculations, it should land somewhere in the Calm Belt.

"Zoan-type Bear Fruit, Model: Koala? Can I get a normal one, for once?"

Frustrated, Asa threw the fruit away again, watching as it vanished into a streak of light in the sky.

Devil Fruits were incredibly rare on the seas. It was already lucky enough to come across one, let alone sell them for an astronomical price of 100 million beli each. The powerful ones were even more valuable but nearly impossible to find.

But to Asa?

He was completely uninterested.

He couldn't figure out how to make use of these fruits, nor did he care to try.

Finally, when he opened the fourth box, he found what he had been searching for—the Door-Door Fruit!

The fruit had a green color, with eight evenly spaced flat surfaces covering its body. It looked exactly as described in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia. Seeing it lifted Asa's spirits slightly.

Holding the Door-Door Fruit in his arms alongside the Fortress-Fortress Fruit, Asa nodded in satisfaction and turned his attention to finding a ship that could sail the seas.

Marine Headquarters, Marineford

In the Marshal's office, a towering figure with a mohawk and an M-shaped beard leaned over a mountain of documents. Wearing a standard Marine "Justice" coat over casual clothes, Fleet Admiral Kong quietly handled the endless paperwork.

Suddenly, the previously silent Den Den Mushi jolted to life.

"Burorororo... Burororo!"

Kong set the document aside, rubbed his throbbing forehead, and answered the call.

"Hello? This is Kong. What is it?"

"The Heavenly Tribute transport ship was raided. The culprit is the Thunder Fruit user from the West Blue—Xibolai D. Asa! He dared to attack the Heavenly Tribute. This is a grave offense, and he must be punished severely. Handle this matter personally. The only directive is—"

"Ensure the entire world understands the might of the World Government."

With that, the caller hung up.

Kong's expression darkened instantly.

"The Heavenly Tribute... was raided?"

This was a disaster. The ship had been carrying treasures meant for the Celestial Dragons. It had been decades—perhaps even centuries—since anyone dared to rob it.

Who knew what kind of uproar those pampered Celestial Dragons would cause?

Kong felt a splitting headache coming on. He had just returned from chasing down Redfield and barely had time to rest, only to be greeted with this mess. The Five Elders' stance was crystal clear—they demanded swift and severe action.

"That bastard… Didn't Zephyr say he had no immediate hostility toward the World Government?" Kong gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to drop everything and hunt Asa down himself.

"Boom!!"

Fuming, Kong slammed his fist against the office wall, leaving a deep crack. Taking a deep breath to compose himself, he pressed the emergency alarm.

The blaring siren echoed throughout Marineford.

Hearing the sound, all high-ranking officers abandoned their duties and rushed toward headquarters.

Within moments, the room was filled with the most powerful figures in the Navy: Admirals Sengoku and Zephyr, Vice Admirals Garp, Tsuru, Akainu, Kizaru, Aokiji, and others like Smoker, Flying Squirrel, and Ghost Spider.

Even the elusive Vice Admiral Monkey D. Dragon, as well as Tea Dolphin and Peach Rabbit, arrived.

It was rare for the entirety of Marine Headquarters' top brass to gather like this.

"Marshal Kong, why did you call us so urgently? I was about to break my donut-eating record!" Garp complained, a half-eaten donut in hand.

Somehow, he managed to pinch his nose while eating—an impressive feat that no one else in the Navy could replicate.

Among those present, only Garp had the audacity to speak so casually in such a serious situation.

Standing nearby, Dragon—who had yet to embark on his revolutionary path—took a step back, distancing himself from his father.

"Ara ara, Vice Admiral Garp is so cool!" Aokiji grinned, watching Garp's antics like an enthusiastic fan.

"Enough, Garp!" Tsuru scolded, delivering a sharp kick.

Aside from Sengoku, the only person who could rein in Garp was Tsuru.

Though everyone understood that an emergency siren meant serious trouble, Garp's usual antics managed to lighten the mood, if only slightly.

Kong's expression remained grim. Folding his arms, he turned to Zephyr and said,

"The Five Elders just called. The Heavenly Tribute ship was hijacked in the West Blue. The culprit is Xibolai D. Asa. Zephyr, care to explain why you claimed he posed no immediate threat to the World Government?"

Zephyr opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, Garp cut in.

"Who's to blame here? Those damn Tribute ships don't even try to conceal their routes! I've said it before—this was bound to happen sooner or later!"

The Marines were divided into three factions: the loyal followers of the World Government, the staunch justice faction, and the neutrals.

Garp belonged firmly to the justice faction. If the World Government ordered him to do something against his beliefs, he would refuse without hesitation, even if it meant offending the Five Elders.

But Garp's reputation was too great for them to simply get rid of him. Punishing him would cause mass unrest within the ranks of the Navy.

Garp knew this well. To maintain some freedom from the World Government's influence, he had rejected promotion to Admiral countless times.

"Garp, shut up!" Sengoku barked at his longtime friend.

No matter the occasion, Garp always spoke his mind without considering others' reactions.

Kong took a deep breath, acknowledging that Garp had a point.

"The Five Elders demand that Asa be arrested immediately," he stated.

"Marshal, but this man possesses the Thunder Fruit. Capturing him will be incredibly difficult," Zephyr said gravely.

Even Kizaru, who had previously suffered defeat at Asa's hands, nodded in agreement. The other Vice Admirals remained silent, unwilling to voice their opinions. Even the ever-aggressive Akainu held his tongue.

The room fell into a tense silence.

"CP0 will personally take action. Our job is to provide backup at critical moments," Kong said, rapping his knuckles against the table.

"As for the bounty… you decide how much it should be."

His gaze swept across the room, settling on the silent Vice Admirals.

(End of Chapter)

Gimme Powerstones :)))

Also, check out my Patreon at [Patreon.com/GGFanfiction]