Chapter 94: 1.8 Billion Bounty! A Night in the New World!
[New World - The Deck of the Cruiser Pola]
"Lord Suzaku... 1.8 billion Berries... So amazing!"
Rem stood on her tiptoes, her azure eyes wide and sparkling with unconcealed adoration. She stared at the wanted poster in Nami's hands as if it were a sacred text.
"One billion, eight hundred million," she whispered the number reverently. "It is a number befitting the Supreme Lord."
Beside her, Albedo gazed obsessively at the photo of Suzaku on the front page. In the picture, Suzaku was mid-battle, surrounded by black lightning, looking every bit the Emperor the world claimed him to be.
"Ah..." Albedo sighed, her cheeks flushing pink. "How magnificent. The world finally recognizes your brilliance, Lord Suzaku! Even this astronomical sum is an insult; it should be infinite!"
She pressed a hand to her chest, her black wings fluttering with excitement.
"To think that insects like the Marines dare to put a price on your head... it is blasphemy, but also a testament to their fear. I am so proud!"
Ulquiorra, standing near the railing, merely cast a fleeting, disinterested glance at his own wanted poster.
[Ulquiorra Cifer - 1,720,000,000 Berries]
"Hmph," he muttered.
He averted his gaze, looking out at the chaotic waves of the New World. To him, that sum—enough to buy a small country—was nothing more than ink on paper. Meaningless dust. He existed only to serve; the world's opinion was irrelevant.
As the center of this storm, Suzaku stood calmly amidst his crew.
He scanned each familiar face in the newspaper—Albedo, Rem, Ram, Nami, the Giants. They all had bounties now. They were a true pirate crew.
On the surface, he looked composed. But his inner world was exploding with joy.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
On the translucent blue System Panel, visible only to him, the Legend Points counter was spinning like a slot machine that had hit the jackpot.
[System Notification: Global Fame Event Triggered!]
[Event: "The Fifth Emperor"]
[Host: Suzaku Yareon]
Previous Fame: 20,000
New Fame Bonus: +45,000
Current: 65,000
[Subordinate: Ulquiorra Cifer]
Previous: 4,845
New Bonus (Defeating Admiral): +26,155
Current: 31,000
[Subordinate: Albedo]
New Bonus (Clashing with Admiral/Defense): +28,000
Current: 28,000
[Subordinate: Rem]
New Bonus (Flying Ship Feat): +9,500
Current: 9,500
[Subordinate: Ram]
New Bonus (Logia Reveal): +4,800
Current: 4,800
The numbers refreshed rapidly, climbing higher and higher as the news spread across the world.
[Total Legend Points: 138,300]
"One hundred and thirty-eight thousand..." Suzaku thought, his heart racing.
I'm rich! This time, I'm truly rich!
He had spent 50,000 on Pola, leaving him with around 24,000. But now, thanks to Morgans and the Marines, he had replenished his funds and then some.
He struggled to suppress a grin.
This confirms my path. Sitting on an island training is slow. The fastest way to harvest Legend Points is to create earth-shattering events! To shake the world!
With this huge sum, he could perform two Rare Summons and still have points left over for equipment. Or maybe save for the elusive Epic Summon?
He slowly raised his head, tearing his eyes away from the beautiful numbers. He looked at the excited faces of his crew, then directed his gaze toward the horizon.
The sea here was different. The waves were purple. The sky was a swirling mix of storm clouds and auroras.
This was the New World. The final sea.
"The Fifth Emperor?"
He softly murmured the new title bestowed upon him by "Big News" Morgans. A playful arc finally appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"That Morgans fellow really knows how to write a headline... He just put a massive target on my back."
Big Mom. Kaido. Shanks. Blackbeard. They would all be coming for him now.
"But," Suzaku's eyes narrowed, glowing with ambition. "This is good too. Let them come."
His voice was not loud, yet it carried over the wind, reaching the ears of every crew member. It was filled with an undeniable confidence and Conqueror's Haki.
"New World, here we come!"
"Let this sea, from today onwards, remember the name Suzaku!"
"YEAH!" Nami cheered, waving her bounty poster (and ignoring the danger it represented).
[Nightfall - The New World]
Night fell like heavy ink, enveloping the bizarre and kaleidoscopic sea.
The silver disk of the moon hung high in the sky, casting a cool, hazy glow over the waves. The weather had surprisingly calmed down, allowing them to drift.
Two massive ships lay quietly side by side. The sleek steel cruiser Pola and the rugged wooden Viking ship of the Giant Warrior Pirates. A wide wooden plank connected them, forming a bridge.
On the incredibly spacious deck of the Giant ship, a huge bonfire blazed. The flames reached ten meters high, reflecting a warm crimson glow on the faces of the crew.
It was time for a banquet.
"Hurry, hurry!"
The petite figures of Ram and Rem shuttled continuously between the two ships like busy bees.
Rem, using her gravity manipulation to lighten the load, carried a mountain of roasted meat. It was the Sea King they had killed earlier.
Ram had cooked it to perfection. Using her Rumble-Rumble Fruit, she had flash-cooked the meat from the inside out with controlled lightning, leaving it crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The aroma of ozone and spices wafted everywhere.
"Here comes the main course!" Ram announced, placing a giant platter the size of a table onto the deck.
With their repeated trips, the open space around the bonfire was soon filled with a dazzling array of food, fruits from Sky Island, and huge barrels of Elbaf ale.
"GABABABABA!"
"GEGYAGYAGYAGYA!"
Brogy and Dorry were already impatient. They sat cross-legged like two small mountains, drool dripping into their beards.
"It smells so good! Little Ram, you are a genius of cooking!" Brogy roared.
"Let's feast!" Dorry grabbed a barrel of ale in one hand.
Nami, Ulquiorra, Albedo, as well as Kashi and Oimo, also took their seats on crates and barrels. Excitement and anticipation beamed on everyone's faces—even Ulquiorra seemed slightly less bored than usual.
Suzaku picked up a wine glass filled with premium sake. He stood up, the firelight dancing in his eyes.
He looked around at his reliable companions. Monsters, demons, giants, and humans. All united under his flag.
"To celebrate our successful arrival in the New World!" Suzaku raised his glass high. "And to our brand new beginning as the Fifth Emperor crew!"
"CHEERS!"
"KANPAI!"
Everyone shouted in unison.
The resounding clink of glasses—tiny cups against massive tankards—and hearty laughter intertwined, echoing through the lonely night sky of the New World.
"Gulp, gulp..."
Dorry chugged half a barrel of wine in one go. He slammed it down, letting out a satisfied burp that shook the deck plates.
"Ah! That hits the spot!"
He wiped the foam from his beard with a rough hand. Then, his expression turned serious. He looked at Suzaku with eyes full of deep gratitude.
"Captain!" Dorry boomed. "Thank you so much for agreeing to let us return to our homeland, Elbaf, first!"
"It's been a hundred years!" Brogy added, his voice thick with emotion. "Just thinking about seeing the Warland again... seeing the great tree Yggdrasil... it makes my heart pound!"
"That's right!" Kashi and Oimo nodded vigorously. "We miss the warriors! And the semla!"
Seeing the giants' overflowing excitement and homesickness, Suzaku smiled and waved his hand.
"There's nothing to thank me for. It's only right for you to go back and see your homeland after a century away. You deserve it."
He paused, taking a sip of his drink.
"Besides, it's strategic. Go back. See the changes in your hometown. Reunite with your family and friends. Tell them about us."
Suzaku's eyes glinted.
"We will keep in touch via Den Den Mushi. I need you to be my ambassadors. When I find a suitable territory for us in this New World—a place to call home—I'll notify you. Then, you bring the might of Elbaf to my side."
Dorry and Brogy exchanged glances. They understood. Suzaku wasn't just being kind; he was building an alliance.
They nodded heavily.
"Understood, Captain!" Dorry slammed his fist against his chest. "When you call, Elbaf will answer!"
The atmosphere of the banquet grew even more lively. Songs were sung, meat was eaten, and bonds were forged.
Just then, Suzaku noticed a figure out of the corner of his eye.
Near the railing, away from the main group, a cute girl with purple pigtails was crouching. She wore a modified Marine-style mini-skirt uniform.
It was Pola.
But wait... the ship Pola was anchored right next to them.
The girl was clutching a piece of roasted Sea King meat larger than her own head. She was stuffing her face with the ferocity of a starving squirrel, her cheeks bulging, and her face smeared with grease and sauce.
"Mmph... mph..."
Suzaku walked over with some curiosity. He looked at the giant warship quietly anchored in the water, then at the girl eating on the deck.
"Pola?" Suzaku asked. "Why is your main body over there, yet you can still come out in this form? Is this a projection?"
"Burp~"
Pola managed to swallow the massive chunk of meat. She let out a tiny, unladylike burp, then wiped her mouth with her sleeve.
She tilted her head, looking up at him with innocent crimson eyes.
"Commander! I don't know either!" she admitted cheerfully.
"Just now, I saw Lord Ram and Lord Rem making so much delicious food. The smell drifted into my... uh... bridge? And I just thought, 'I really want to eat it,' and then POOF! I transformed and came out like this!"
She gestured to her body.
"It seems I can manifest an avatar! I'm a ship, but I'm also a girl! Isn't that convenient?"
She pointed a greasy finger to the warship behind her.
"But... I don't seem to be able to go too far from my main body. Maybe a few hundred meters. It's like a tether. If I go too far, I feel like I'm fading."
After explaining, she didn't bother to pay attention to Suzaku's questions anymore. Her attention was once again drawn to the delicious food in front of her.
She grabbed a giant sausage from a passing platter.
"Mmm... this is so good! The texture! The spices!" She mumbled indistinctly, taking a huge bite. "Commander, you should eat quickly too! The Giants are going to eat it all!"
Suzaku smiled helplessly and shook his head.
A Heavy Cruiser that eats BBQ, he thought. Only in this crew.
He looked up at the moon.
The New World was dangerous. It was filled with Emperors, monsters, and ancient secrets.
But looking at his crew—feasting, laughing, and enjoying the moment—Suzaku felt no fear.
Only excitement.
"Let's turn this world upside down," he whispered to the wind.
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