Chapter 238 - 96

Chapter 96The members of the Bird Claw unit, led by Pell, were responsible for guiding them to the secret harbor where the going merry was hidden.They had originally planned to wait for the coming-of-age ceremony tomorrow.But plans change.At the palace gate, King Cobra personally saw them off."Luffy, I entrust Vivi to you. Please protect her for me." He solemnly placed Vivi's hand into Luffy's.Luffy set aside his usual playfulness, nodded earnestly, and then grinned, pointing to his companions beside him:"Of course. I'm her Captain, after all. And we will all protect Vivi!"From Zoro to Sanji, Nami to Robin... With this group of companions, the journey should go smoothly.Chapter 131: Bounty Increased, Two Hundred Million Berries!The next morning.Off the coast of Alabasta, on a Marine warship.A light drizzle was falling from the sky, dispelling some of the morning heat in the desert region.Smoker, with two cigars in his mouth and his hands behind his head, lay lazily on a deck chair, staring at the grey sky, wondering what he was thinking about.Footsteps approached. Colonel Hina, tall with dashing pink hair, walked over. Seeing Smoker in this state, she raised her elegant eyebrows:"Hina is very surprised now. I didn't expect the White Hunter Smoker, known for his persistence, to have become so slick.""Instead of using those controversial methods, you used an artificial rain ship to alleviate the drought. Trying to win people's hearts?"Smoker didn't even open his eyes and replied lazily: "I just borrowed your troops and technology. There's no need to complain like that, Hina.""Hina is on a mission.""And it's a mission personally assigned by the World Government. If anything goes wrong, it will be very difficult for Hina."Hina crossed her arms, her tone carrying a hint of professional seriousness. Her gaze shifted to the edge of the deck not far away, where a young girl holding an umbrella stood. She said: "And Hina is also very invested in this matter. After all, the person being escorted this time is a musician I really like."Smoker finally showed a little interest, opened his eyes, and followed Hina's gaze, looking a bit surprised: "Oh? Someone like you actually has things you like?"He really found it hard to associate the iron-blooded female officer Hina with being a fan."Hina is very angry!"Hina glared at Smoker, expressing her dissatisfaction with his blunt remark: "Is there a problem with appreciating beautiful music and art?"Smoker waved his hand dismissively; he wasn't very interested in this topic.Compared to that, he was more concerned with other things.Hina looked at Smoker and continued: "However, Hina is indeed a bit curious. Who exactly is that Straw Hat who could make you, Smoker, unable to forget him, and even defeat Crocodile?"Mentioning Luffy, Smoker's expression became complicated. He exhaled a cloud of thick smoke and said in a muffled voice: "A very strange pirate."Crocodile was defeated by the Straw Hat Crew, and the fact that this country was pulled back from the brink of civil war was largely thanks to them.And what role did they, the Marines ordered to uphold justice, play in this whole event?After learning the truth about this war, Smoker's heart was filled with a sense of powerlessness and absurdity.The Shichibukai, legally recognized by the World Government, was actually the mastermind behind the attempt to overthrow a country?He wasn't entirely surprised by this; he had never truly trusted the Shichibukai system.But the actions of the Straw Hat Crew, as pirates, left him even more confused.Judging solely by their behavior in this incident, it didn't seem like something pirates would do.Therefore, even though he knew that the Straw Hat Crew was very likely still resting in this country, Smoker didn't have the energy to conduct a massive manhunt and, to some extent, adopted a laissez-faire attitude.Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters, Marineford.In that room filled with a serious atmosphere, the meeting king Brannew stood once again before the giant blackboard.He pushed up his glasses and, facing the many solemn Marine officers present, said:"Shortly after entering the Grand Line, he became closely linked to the serious rebellion in the Kingdom of Alabasta. Furthermore, according to the latest news from the Alabasta royal family, this person is audacious enough to have brazenly kidnapped the country's princess, Nefertari Vivi!"He slapped the photo on the screen of Luffy's carefree, grinning bounty poster: "After our evaluation, Monkey D. Luffy, Captain of the Straw Hat Crew.Considering his danger and negative impact, it has been determined that his bounty is increased to—two hundred million Berries!"A stifled gasp echoed through the meeting room.Two hundred million Berries?Even in the New World, that's a famous pirate.Brannew continued reading:"His crew member, Roronoa Zoro, defeated the former Baroque Works high-ranking agent Mr.1 Daz Bones, and his bounty has been increased from twenty million Berries to sixty million Berries.""The 'Cat Burglar' Nami, who defeated the former Baroque Works high-ranking agent Miss Doublefinger, has received her first bounty of ten million Berries.""In addition, according to reliable intelligence, the former Baroque Works member, 'Devil Child' Nico Robin, has been confirmed to have joined the Straw Hat Crew.""And most importantly, for the Alabasta Kingdom princess, Nefertari Vivi, who was kidnapped by the Straw Hat Crew, the World Government has specially authorized a bounty—five hundred million Berries! Requirement: Must be captured alive!"He scanned the room and said emphatically: "This pirate crew, which has only just entered the Grand Line, has a total bounty approaching one billion Berries. This is an extremely dangerous signal that must be given high priority!"The Marine generals present looked at each other, their faces wearing expressions of undisguised strangeness.How long has it been since Luffy was first given a bounty of fifty million Berries?It actually jumped directly to two hundred million!Even if he kidnapped a princess, this increase is too exaggerated.Unless there is some inside story they don't know about.Some sharp-minded generals had already turned their attention to the internal report on the Alabasta incident.Could Crocodile's downfall really be related to this rookie Straw Hat?Just as Brannew was reading the bounty posters in the meeting room, inside the office of the Fleet Admiral at Marine Headquarters.Fleet Admiral Sengoku sat behind his large desk, wearing glasses, with cold light reflecting off his lenses.He held Luffy's brand new bounty poster, printed with 200,000,000 Berries, his brow furrowed.Crunch.Crunch.Crunch.Beside him, that guy who had no self-awareness was making that sound.He slammed the bounty poster onto the desk and roared at the figure on the office sofa who was mindlessly stuffing donuts into his mouth:"Garp, I told you to deal with that brat of yours, so why is he getting more and more dangerous?!""Pwahahaha! A two hundred million bounty, huh? This kid really knows how to stir up trouble."Garp threw his head back and laughed, laughing so hard tears were coming out, as if the person on the bounty poster had nothing to do with him.Sengoku glared fiercely at Garp:"We know that your brat defeated Crocodile, but for the sake of the World Government's face, we can't say it out loud.Originally, based on his involvement in the Alabasta rebellion, headquarters initially decided to increase his bounty to one hundred million Berries. That was already an unconventional jump!"Sengoku took a deep breath, suppressing his anger:"But he, on the other hand, just went and kidnapped their princess!"Is he trying to make Garp a great-grandfather?!Chapter 132: Miss Uta, Are You Interested in Pirates?What Luffy did was essentially a slap in the face to the World Government.That's why the bounty was doubled to two hundred million; it was an expression of the World Government's anger.After all, they had paid the Heavenly Tribute, and yet the country's princess was kidnapped right under the Marines' noses.If it keeps happening like this, who will pay you?To put it bluntly, the Heavenly Tribute is just protection money.Garp picked his nose and curled his lip indifferently:"Isn't it just one Crocodile? I really don't know why the World Government values these Shichibukaibrats so much.""Garp, you're an old man now!"Sengoku was so angry he almost smashed the desk. "Do you really think you're still the invincible Navy Hero from God Valley back then?The best role your actual combat power plays in the Marines now is as a morale booster!"Old guys are meant to gradually exit the stage of history.If it were Garp in his prime, Sengoku wouldn't doubt for a second that he could take out a Shichibukai with one punch.But now, time spares no one, and Garp exists more as a spiritual symbol of the Marines.Thinking of Garp's son, Dragon, who became the leader of the Revolutionary Army, and then looking at this grandson, Luffy, whose bounty was skyrocketing, Sengoku only felt his head ache even more.No, it should be said that in their Monkey family, not a single one is worry-free."Garp, you deal with the trouble your family caused!"Sengoku pointed at Garp's nose and ordered, "We can't let him continue like this. Once a dangerous guy like this enters the New World, how many more variables and turmoil will he add to that already chaotic sea!""Pwahahaha, hasn't the New World always been quite chaotic?" Garp continued to laugh mindlessly."Garp!"Sengoku's roar almost blew the roof off."Alright, alright."Garp finally finished the last donut, brushed the crumbs off his hands, stood up slowly, and walked out of the office. "Next time I meet him, I'll be serious and catch him and lock him up in Impel Down!"Watching Garp's indifferent back as he left, Sengoku's face was full of complexity.He actually didn't have any hope at all.That even more heinous Revolutionary Armyleader Dragon had been let go by Garp—whether intentionally or unintentionally—countless times, let alone his own grandson.After the office door closed, Sengoku sighed wearily and picked up Luffy's bounty poster again, looking at the arrogant, unrestrained smiling face on the photo that seemed to fear no authority."The sea is about to become restless again."He muttered to himself.Although this sea never seemed to have been truly calm....On Smoker's warship.They were neatly and orderly receiving the criminal gang from Baroque Works, and Crocodile had also been imprisoned, ready to be transported to Impel Down.Not long after, a Marine Major came to report: "Colonel Smoker, there is a call from Marine Headquarters.""Moshi moshi?"Smoker made his report, saying: "The Baroque Works criminal gang, including Crocodile himself, has been taken into custody."The government official on the other end of the phone acted as if he hadn't heard, saying: "Regarding this incident of the Marines subjugating Crocodile, the upper echelons of the World Government have decided to award medals to Smoker and Master Chief Petty Officer Tashigi...""Subjugating?"Smoker frowned. "Wait a second. It wasn't us Marines who defeated Crocodile, but the Straw Hat Crew. Did you actually read my report?"He had already written it very clearly in the report.The voice on the other end of the phone remained unchanged, completely ignoring Smoker's words, and continued to speak for itself: "Headquarters has decided to promote you both by one rank. In addition..."Smoker interrupted him, his expression becoming fierce, a vein throbbing on his forehead. "Hey, are you listening to me?"The transponder snail fell silent.Smoker's face was gloomy, and he took a fierce drag from his cigar.Hina, standing nearby, understood instantly and whispered: "It's useless, Smoker. The World Government intends to cover this up. Do you think they would allow the news that the heroes who saved Alabasta are a group of pirates to be made public? Where would that leave the face of the World Government and Marine Headquarters