Chapter 133: One Billion Baileys, Reactions from All Sides

Marco's exclamation instantly caught the attention of the nearby pirates.

"One billion Baileys?"

"What? Who got a billion? Captain Marco?"

"Idiot! Captain Marco's bounty is already 1.3 billion Baileys! It must be Captain Joz—he made a huge contribution in the war!"

"Yeah, Captain Joz's bounty must've gone up a lot! Treat us, Joz!"

"Hey, hey, what are you all guessing for?"

Marco turned around helplessly and raised the newspaper in his hand. "It's got nothing to do with us. It's probably news from the end of the war that hasn't reached the World Economic News Agency yet."

As he moved, several wanted posters slipped out of the newspaper and fluttered away in the wind. The pirates around quickly reached out to grab them.

[DEAD OR ALIVE]

[Knife Master · Shano]

[$1,000,000,000]

The first wanted poster to fall was also the most eye-catching.

Whitebeard narrowed his eyes, waved his hand, and grabbed Shano's wanted poster. Marco quickly handed him the rest of the newspaper.

After reading it, a surprised light flickered in Whitebeard's eyes.

"Gurararara!"

Whitebeard tossed the newspaper aside, his bold laughter echoing across the deck. "No wonder the bounty reached a billion. This kid really pulled off something extraordinary!"

"Dad?" Marco approached in confusion. "You're interested in this guy?"

He remembered clearly—

Last time the paper published a bounty for this guy, Dad hadn't cared much. He just dismissed Shano as a rising rookie not worth recruiting.

But this time… something was clearly different.

"Gurarara! Of course!"

Whitebeard unfolded the wanted poster so everyone could see it, pointing at the confident smile of the black-haired boy in the photo.

"Look at that smirk, Marco! What an arrogant kid! He killed two Shichibukai back-to-back, turned down the World Government's offer to join them, and even Garp couldn't take him down!"

"Such courage… such spirit… that defiant look… It reminds me of Oden back in the day!"

Whitebeard grinned wide. "If this kid enters the New World and agrees to be my son, how about letting him take over the second division captaincy? Gurararara!"

Captain of the Second Division?

Dad thinks that highly of him?

Marco and several captains exchanged stunned glances.

The captain of the second division had always held a special status in the Whitebeard Pirates. Since Oden's departure, that seat had remained empty. Even though many strong comrades had joined over the years, Whitebeard had never mentioned filling it—until now.

And now he wanted to make an exception?

"Gurarara! Looks like no one's objecting. Then it's settled!"

Whitebeard slammed his armrest, shaking the whole ship.

"When this kid enters the New World, I'll meet him in person!"

"If he's willing to be my son, that second division captain's spot will be his!"

"If not…"

Whitebeard's grin widened as he gripped Kusukimori tightly in his hand.

"Then I'll show him how terrifying and brutal the New World truly is! That Garp guy can't represent the last era anymore!"

The deck erupted again with chatter and excitement.

"Hey! Dad's serious this time!"

"Hahaha, this is gonna be fun!"

"But will that kid really say yes? I heard he turned down the Shichibukai…"

"Hmph! What's the Shichibukai? This is Captain Oden's former seat! That's 10,000 times more valuable!"

Amidst the noisy crowd…

No one noticed that, in the shadows at the edge, Teach silently picked up the newspaper from the ground.

He crouched down, unfolding it slowly. The firelight reflected a sinister gleam in his eyes as he stared at the boy on the front page.

"Zehahaha…"

Teach laughed under his breath, voice full of jealousy and greed.

Eighteen years old.

A kid only eighteen was already world-famous—even Dad had to look up to him!

And what about himself?

Still an unknown name, wasting time on a ship that wasn't even his.

The fruit he'd been waiting so long for hadn't surfaced yet.

Was he going to waste his whole life like this?

This cursed fate… it's so unfair!

New World – Tokushima.

In a grand theater, the velvet curtains slowly opened.

On stage, the classic Dressrosa court drama was being performed. Actors in ornate masks sang in high-pitched arias, praising the glory of a royal family from 900 years ago.

"Great King Donquixote—!"

The lead actor raised his arms and sang,

"Your glory shines over Dressrosa like the sun~!"

Meanwhile, in the VIP box on the second floor—

Doflamingo lounged on the sofa, ignoring the performance. His eyes were glued to the newspaper.

"Fufufufufu... One billion Baileys? That's insane."

He lifted his sunglasses with a finger, grinning wildly.

"Should I say those old farts in the Marine HQ were scared out of their minds by this kid—or just furious?"

"They actually gave that high a bounty to someone who hasn't even stepped into the New World yet."

Still...

He looked closely at the black-haired boy's confident grin.

The kid was strong.

Even Doflamingo might not be able to escape unscathed in a fight with him.

And after killing two Warlords, he turned down the World Government?

This arrogant, headstrong brat… really was one of his kind.

"Hey, Dover."

Trebol walked in with a trail of snot.

"Whatcha readin'? Let me see, let me see!"

"Take it." Doflamingo tossed the paper and moved aside, asking offhandedly, "Where's Kuma? He back yet?"

"Funny you ask. He just arrived."

Trebol, still flipping through the paper, yelled behind him, "Hey! Kuma, come in!"

The door opened. Kuma ducked in, still holding his Bible.

"Hey hey hey, you didn't forget our deal, right, Kuma?" Doflamingo grinned. "How's that second mission going?"

"Complete. The Axe King Pirates and Rimbaud Pirates that disrupted your business have been eliminated."

He tossed two shredded pirate flags on the table.

"Our deal's fulfilled. Now, aren't you supposed to let me see Princess Mansherry?"

"No rush, no rush." Doflamingo lifted a finger lazily. "There's one more thing. A third task."

"A third?" Kuma frowned. "You're breaking your word?"

"Now, now—what are you saying?" Doflamingo chuckled. "I'm a reputable businessman."

"I said I'd let you meet Mansherry, right? But I'm feeling generous, so here's a better offer—finish this third task, and I'll let her leave the country with you to treat your daughter. How's that? Pretty generous, eh?"

Kuma narrowed his eyes at him. "…What task?"

"Hehehe… easy stuff! Just far away."

Doflamingo tossed him a map. "Agatha Island. The locals betrayed me. Kill them all. Find their so-called Holy Fruit and bring it back. Do that, and Mansherry is yours."

"Agatha Island…" Kuma frowned. "So you want me to kill a bunch of civilians?"

"What's the difference?" Doflamingo snorted. "You're the 'Tyrant', right? Think of your daughter. Would you leave her untreated for the sake of some nobodies?"

Kuma stared at the map for a long time, saying nothing.

Onigashima – Skeleton Castle, Top Floor.

Kaido sat drunkenly on his throne, newspaper in hand, eyes dark.

"Hanafuda... is dead?"

The words echoed in the hall, and the atmosphere froze.

"Yes, Lord Kaido…" The Beast Pirates' officers knelt in terror. Quinn trembled silently with a cigar in his hand, and King stood beside Kaido, silent and unmoving.

"Killed by that brat I wanted to recruit?"

Kaido's voice dropped to a whisper, but the temperature of the hall plummeted.

Quinn tried to speak up. "Well, Lord Kaido… Hanafuda was strong, but that Shano kid is a freak who even escaped Akainu. It's not so—"

BAM!

Kaido's mace whipped out before Quinn could finish.

BOOM—!!!

Quinn flew into the wall with a scream. The whole castle shook.

"Shut up, fool!"

Kaido's eyes reddened as he wept drunkenly.

"Hanafuda is dead! My dear brother, my loyal man… gone, in the Paradise!"

"Ulaaaaaah!!"

He clapped suddenly, laughing. "Not bad, Shano! You're strong! Strong enough!"

"But…"

Kaido stood up. His bloodshot eyes were filled with rage. A terrifying Conqueror's Haki erupted, dark clouds engulfing Onigashima. Thunder boomed overhead.

"…You're just a rookie in Paradise! And you dare kill my people?!"

BOOM!

A lightning bolt lit up Kaido's furious face.

"—This is UNFORGIVABLE!!!"

The hall fell silent in terror.

"Brother Kaido." King opened his eyes. "Shall I go deal with Shano?"

"No."

Kaido's voice was quiet, but killing intent pulsed from every word.

"I'll go myself."

He grabbed his gourd and drank deep. Wine spilled over his dragon-scale tattoos.

"Hanafuda was my brother. I'll avenge him with my own hands!"

"But Lord Kaido…" Quinn groaned, "We just finished our war with Whitebeard. Shouldn't we—"

"Shut up!!!"

Kaido hurled the gourd to the ground with a crash.

"I'm Kaido! I do what I want! Who can stop me?! Not even that old geezer!"

He marched to the window, eyes burning.

BOOM!!!

Suddenly, he leapt into the sky and transformed into a massive blue dragon!

"Shano! I'll make you regret touching the Beast Pirates!!!"

The dragon's roar shook the island as Kaido soared off, disappearing into the sky.

King let out a long sigh.

Behind him, the Beast Pirates exchanged horrified looks.

Lord Kaido is going to Paradise himself?!

That kid Shano… is doomed!

Calm Belt – Amazon Lily

In the depths of the palace, Hancock reclined lazily on her throne.

The sea breeze wafted through, carrying the island's floral scent. Her slender fingers tapped the armrest, her gaze distant.

"Hancock! Hancock!"

Granny Nyon banged her cane on the marble floor.

"You threw all the newspapers I collected out the window!"

"We may be isolated, but we still need to follow world news! Especially new, powerful young men like today's headlines!"

"Look! This is Shano—bounty of 1 billion, the strongest rookie in history!"

Hancock gave the wanted poster a glance.

A delicate, black-haired boy. Barely handsome. That's it.

Next to her beauty?

He was no different from any commoner.

"Meaningless."

She lost interest immediately.

"Don't bring me this again. I don't care about people unrelated to me."

"Guards."

She pointed at Granny Nyon. "Toss this nagging old freak out the window."

"Hancock!!!" Granny Nyon fumed as the guards approached.

"If you keep this up, this country will fall into crisis!"

"Crisis?" Hancock stood and looked down at her.

"Even if it's destroyed—so what?"

"No matter what I do, everyone forgives me. Because—"

She tilted her head back proudly.

"I'm just too beautiful!"

"Ahh!"

"Lady Hancock!"

The guards swooned, weapons clattering. Some fainted outright.

New World – Navy G1 Branch

The front-line ships reported: the war between Whitebeard and Kaido had ended.

The branch atmosphere finally relaxed.

On a departing warship, Akainu stood alone at the bow, reading the fresh newspaper.

So that brat Shano…

Rejected the Shichibukai invitation?

Akainu smirked.

Perfect.

Just what he wanted.

Days ago, when the government pressured him to recruit Shano, his face turned green.

Why?

That villain killed two vice admirals and challenged the Navy—yet they wanted to recruit him?

Absurd!

If Shano had become a Warlord, Akainu might've had to see him at meetings… and be unable to act.

Now, that fear was gone.

That arrogant brat had thrown away his only amnesty.

"Heh…"

Akainu closed the paper and stared at the horizon, eyes cold.

Soon, I'll be back at HQ.

Next time we meet… I'll make you regret refusing the Shichibukai.