"Spandine, the matter of contacting Jotaro is left to you. Find out his whereabouts as quickly as possible."
"Rest assured, Lord Vochuli, I will definitely complete the mission."
After putting away the Den Den Mushi, Spandine couldn't help sighing with emotion.
Back then, when Jotaro clashed fiercely with the World Government, he had even thought of capturing him to gain credit.
He hadn't expected the attitude of the Five Elders to change so quickly.
With his keen sense for rumors, he naturally noticed that the Five Elders intended to focus on cultivating Jotaro.
Who knew, Jotaro might even become his superior in the future.
Spandine rubbed his hands together.
"From now on, I have to maintain a good relationship with him."
Beru Beru Beru…
Just after hanging up, the Den Den Mushi began ringing again.
Spandine thought it was some big figure calling. Carefully fixing his appearance, he prepared himself. Who would have guessed, it was only his own subordinate.
Putting on airs, he said proudly, "What is it? Speak quickly. Don't you know I'm very busy?"
"Chief Spandine, there's news about your son. The situation is not optimistic, please hurry over…"
"What?" On hearing the news of his son being severely injured, Spandine jumped to his feet.
Spandam was his only son. If something happened to him, his bloodline would be cut off.
Learning that his severely injured son had been sent to Marineford, he rushed there without delay.
"How's my son's condition?!"
He burst into the hospital room and asked loudly.
Spandine, after all, was a high-ranking government officer. How could the hospital staff dare neglect him? The doctor in charge hurried forward.
"Your son has already woken up, but…"
Spandam's eyes were vacant, his lips moving slightly.
"Abba… Abba…"
Hearing this, Spandine shoved the doctor aside, walked to Spandam's bedside, and said with deep pain, "Son, are you alright? Tell your father, who did this to you? Who beat you up like this!"
"Dad will get revenge for you! CP, those useless trash! They couldn't even protect my son?!"
The CP members in the corner shrank their necks in fear.
Spandam looked at him and repeated the same two words.
"Aba Aba Aba…"
Spandine, "Your dad is right here!"
Spandam turned his head toward a nearby nurse.
"Aba Aba Aba…"
Spandine, "…"
The doctor hurriedly explained.
"Although your son has woken up, the damage to his head is too severe. He has already become mentally disabled, unable to take care of himself."
"From the results of the examination, there's no chance of recovery."
Spandine felt as though struck by lightning. Then he roared furiously, "Who! Who was it?! Who hurt my son like this?!"
The CP members looked at one another, then answered in unison, "Kujo Jotaro! Sir, it was he who beat him like this!"
"Kujo Jotaro?" Spandine's eyes turned blood-red. "I will never forgive him!"
———
The great pirate Kujo Jotaro, in Alabasta, faced the Navy's encirclement and broke through it alone. He also defeated Navy Admiral Akainu Sakazuki and Admiral candidate Tokikake.
Warlords of the Sea Crocodile and Donquixote Doflamingo…
His current bounty, 3,578,000,000 Berries.
This news spread instantly across the world through the World Economic Journal. Jotaro's name resounded far and wide, making him the most dazzling star among the Supernovas.
Of course, in drunken pirate tavern talk, Jotaro's standing had already surpassed that of mere Supernovas.
A bounty of 3.5 billion.
That was the kind of existence whose very name made them tremble, someone they were destined to look up to for life.
In their impression, only the Four Emperors could compare with him.
———
[East Blue, Orange Town]
"Mayor! Great news! Lord Jotaro's bounty has already surpassed 3.5 billion Berries! Do you know how much money that is…"
A simple townsman, holding the freshly delivered newspaper, ran excitedly to Mayor Boodle's side.
Boodle stood with his hands behind his back, gazing down from a high slope.
Sunlight spilled over endless rice fields. The golden stalks of rice, heavy and bent, shimmered as though draped in golden gauze.
From the fields came laughter, the swish of sickles blending with the rustling of rice stirred by the wind, together forming a symphony of harvest.
Wrinkles filled Boodle's face, yet his smile bloomed brightly.
"As long as Lord Jotaro is safe, nothing could be better!"
"Thanks to him, our town no longer worries about food."
The townsfolk's eyes all carried looks of worship.
"More than that! This season's harvest alone is enough to feed us for years!"
"Now several nearby towns want to buy food from us."
"Not long ago, Genzo from Cocoyasi Village came asking, hoping to purchase a batch of rice."
Boodle said, "Then sell it to them, but I have one condition."
The island where Cocoyasi Village lay had fairly large tracts of land, with plenty of fertile soil waiting to be cultivated.
Boodle wanted to expand the planting scale, to use Jotaro's name to aid the hungry people of East Blue.
He was thinking far ahead.
Though Jotaro's name was now resounding, the World Government's strength was still not to be underestimated.
If one day Jotaro were caught, what then?
Among those who received aid, surely one or two capable people would emerge.
In the future, remembering Jotaro's kindness, they might become his strength.
Boodle nodded to himself, deciding to start this matter immediately.
———
[Cocoyasi Village]
In the house left by Bellemere.
Nojiko stared blankly at the wall covered with Jotaro's posters.
"Nojiko! I have two pieces of good news!" Genzo's voice rang out from outside.
Creak~
The door opened.
Nojiko asked in puzzlement, "Genzo, what good news? You look so happy."
Genzo looked much healthier than before, smiling as he said, "Orange Town has agreed to sell us food. Before long we'll be eating steaming white rice."
"I heard the seeds of this rice were left behind by that man you fancy."
"Boodle hopes we can contribute some land to plant this rice."
Nojiko froze for a moment. "Is that true?"
Genzo nodded, "Boodle seems to have a grand plan. He wants to establish a relief association in Jotaro's name, to help the homeless and hungry in East Blue."
"Of course, it's not free. After eating their fill, they'll also have to work."
Nojiko said, "That's a good thing, Genzo. Agree to it. I'll help you too."
Genzo teased, "I think so as well. At the very least, it'll make his name sound better in East Blue."
Nojiko's face flushed slightly. "And the second good news?"
Genzo handed over the newspaper and bounty poster in his hand.
"That he and Nami are both safe now!"
"He's already become an incredible man!"
Looking at his face in the print, Nojiko fell into a silent daze, then carefully put it away.
"That's good…"
———
[Whitebeard Pirates]
When Whitebeard learned of Jotaro's latest uproar, he let out a hearty laugh.
"As expected of the man I had my eye on!"
Marco said, "Defeating an Admiral, that's really good news."
They had already resolved to rescue Ace.
The Navy's weakening strength was exactly what they hoped for.
"Indeed!" Whitebeard's eyes shone brilliantly. "Sons! Let's raise some hell too!"
"We must not let our friend lose face!"
"Uoooohhh!"
At his rallying cry, the members of the pirate crew roared with excitement.
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/XenosX
🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰