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Chapter 132: A Billion Berries, Reactions from All Sides
🕑 Added 2025-08-16 14:05:00 +0000 UTCChapter 132: A Billion Berries, Reactions from All Sides
Marco's exclamation immediately drew the attention of the surrounding pirates.
"A billion Berries?"
"What billion? Who? Commander Marco?"
"You idiot! Commander Marco's bounty is 1.3 billion! They must be talking about Commander Jozu! After all, he did a great job in this war!"
"That's right! Commander Jozu's bounty must have gone up a lot! Treat us to a drink, Jozu!"
"Hey, hey, hey, what are you all guessing for?"
Marco turned around, exasperated, and held up the newspaper. "It has nothing to do with us. The news of the war's end probably hasn't reached the World Economic Journal yet."
As he did, all the wanted posters from inside the newspaper fell out, scattering in the wind. The surrounding pirates quickly reached out and grabbed them.
[DEAD OR ALIVE]
[TACHI SWORDSMAN - SHANE]
[B̲ 1,000,000,000]
This was the first wanted poster to fall out, and the most conspicuous one.
Whitebeard narrowed his eyes and, with a wave of his massive hand, snatched Shane's wanted poster from the air. Marco immediately handed him the newspaper.
Soon, Whitebeard had finished reading, a look of surprise in his eyes.
"Gurarararara!"
Whitebeard casually tossed the newspaper aside, his hearty laugh echoing across the deck. "No wonder he's got a bounty of a billion! This kid has really done something incredible!"
"Pops?" Marco asked, leaning in, puzzled. "Are you very interested in this guy?"
He clearly remembered that the last time this guy's bounty was published, Pops had shown little interest in recruiting him, seeing him as just a rookie who had made a name for himself.
But this time, it seemed completely different…
"Gurararara! Of course!"
Whitebeard held up the wanted poster for everyone to see, his thick finger pointing at the confident smile on the black-haired young man's face.
"Look at that smile, Marco! What an arrogant brat! He killed two Warlords in a row and then flat-out rejected the World Government's invitation to become one! Even that guy Garp couldn't take him down when he went after him personally!"
"That kind of courage, that kind of spirit, that kind of untamable nature… it reminds me of Oden back in the day!"
Whitebeard grinned. "If this kid is willing to become my son when he enters the New World, what do you say we make him the 2nd Division Commander? Gurarararara!"
2nd Division Commander?
Pops thinks that highly of this kid?
Marco and the other commanders exchanged a look of surprise.
After all, within the Whitebeard Pirates, the position of 2nd Division Commander was a very special one.
Ever since Oden had left, the position had been vacant for many years.
Although many strong comrades had joined since then, Pops had never once mentioned filling the vacancy.
But now, Pops was actually thinking of making an exception?
"Gurararara! It seems no one objects! Then I've decided!"
Whitebeard slammed his hand on the armrest of his chair, and the entire ship trembled. "When this kid enters the New World, I'm going to go see him myself!"
"If he's willing to become my son, then the position of 2nd Division Commander is his!"
"And if he refuses…"
Whitebeard grinned, his hand tightening on the Murakumogiri. "…then I'll show him just how dangerous and cruel the New World is for him! That guy Garp doesn't represent the remnants of the old era anymore!"
The deck was in an uproar again, the crew members excitedly discussing the news.
"Hey! Pops is serious!"
"Hahaha! This is going to be a good show!"
"But will that kid really agree? I heard he even rejected the Warlords…"
"Hmph, what are the Warlords? This is Commander Oden's position! It's ten thousand times more precious than being a Warlord!"
Amidst the lively atmosphere, no one noticed that in the shadows, on the outskirts of the crowd, Teach had, at some point, picked up the newspaper that had fallen to the ground and was now squatting, silently reading it.
His eyes, in the firelight, shone with a savage light, fixed on the spirited young man on the front page.
"Zehahaha…"
Teach let out a low laugh, his voice filled with an indescribable jealousy and longing.
Eighteen years old?
Just a little brat of eighteen, and he's already so famous that even Pops has to take notice of him!
And what about him?
He's still a nobody, wasting his years on this ship… and the fruit he's been waiting for for so long has yet to appear.
Is he really going to waste the rest of his life on this ship that doesn't belong to him?
This damn fate…
It's so unfair!
...
New World, Dressrosa.
In the massive theater, the velvet curtain slowly rose.
On the stage, an ancient Dressrosan court drama was being performed. The actors, wearing magnificent masks, were singing of the glory of the old royal family from nine hundred years ago in an exaggerated operatic style.
"Oh, great King Donquixote!" the lead actor cried, his arms raised high, his voice rising and falling. "Your brilliance, like the sun, shines upon Dressrosa~"
And in the VIP box on the second floor, Doflamingo was lounging on a sofa, not watching the play. His attention was completely absorbed by the newspaper in his hand.
"Fuffuffuffuffuffu… a billion Berries? How outrageous!"
He couldn't help but push up his sunglasses with his index finger, raising an eyebrow, a wide, exaggerated grin on his face. "I wonder if those old geezers at Marine Headquarters were scared out of their wits by this brat, or if they've just gone mad."
"To give such a high bounty to a brat who hasn't even set foot in the New World!"
But…
Doflamingo's gaze shifted to the freely laughing black-haired young man's face.
This kid's strength was truly formidable.
Even he would have a hard time dealing with him.
And besides, after killing two Warlords, he had then rejected the olive branch that the World Government had extended?
Fuffuffuffuffuffu, that kind of arrogance and self-importance… it seems he's one of my kind…
"Hey, Doffy,"
Trebol said, his thick mucus dripping as he leaned in. "Hey! What are you looking at? Let me see too! Hey! Hey! Hey!"
"Take it,"
Doflamingo said, tossing the newspaper over and discreetly scooting to the side. "Where's Kuma? He's not back yet?"
"What a coincidence you ask, Doffy! He just arrived,"
Trebol said, happily picking up the newspaper. Without turning his head, he shouted, "Hey, Kuma! You can come in!"
The door to the box opened, and Kuma, holding his bible, ducked his head and walked in.
"Fuffuffuffuffuffu, you haven't forgotten our deal, have you, Kuma?"
Doflamingo said with a grin. "The second task I gave you, how did it go?"
"It went smoothly. The Axe Emperor Pirates and the Rambo Pirates, who were disrupting your family's trade, have been eliminated. These are their Jolly Rogers,"
Kuma said, placing two tattered pirate flags on the table, his voice low. "Our deal is complete. Now, isn't it time for you to fulfill your promise and let me see Princess Mansherry?"
"No rush, no rush,"
Doflamingo said, crossing his legs and slowly raising a finger. "There's a third thing. Take care of this first, and then we'll talk."
"A third thing?"
Kuma frowned. "Are you going back on your word?"
"Fuffuffuffuffuffu, what are you talking about, big guy? I'm a reputable businessman. I wouldn't do something like that,"
Doflamingo chuckled. "I only promised you a meeting with Mansherry, right? But now, because I feel a little sorry for you, I've decided to help you out a little more."
"If you complete this task, I'll allow Mansherry to leave the country with you and come back after she's finished treating your daughter. How about that? That's a much better deal than the original, isn't it? You can't blame me for being kind, can you, Kuma!"
Kuma's eyes flickered. He sized Doflamingo up for a moment, and then finally asked, "What is the task?"
"Fuffuffuffuffuffu, it's simple! Simple for you, that is! It's just a long way. It would take too much time and effort. Otherwise, I would have gone myself!"
Doflamingo tossed a sea chart over. "Agassia Island. The islanders there have betrayed me. Kill them all, and then find the so-called 'holy fruit' of their tribe and bring it back to me! When it's all over, Mansherry is yours!"
"Agassia Island…"
Kuma's brow furrowed. "So, this time, the people you want me to deal with are mostly civilians?"
"Fuffuffuffuffuffu, what's the difference?"
Doflamingo said with a strange laugh. "The great pirate known as the 'Tyrant,' are you really going to fuss over something like that? Think of your daughter. Are you really going to let her go without a cure, for the sake of a bunch of strangers?"
Kuma stared at the sea chart, silent for a long, long time.
......
Onigashima, the top floor of the Skull Castle.
A drunken Kaido was coiled on the main throne, the latest newspaper clutched in his hand, his eyes full of disbelief.
"Hanafuda… is dead?"
His low voice echoed in the empty hall, and the air seemed to freeze.
"Y-Yes, Lord Kaido…"
The Beast Pirates' officers, who were prostrated on the steps, were covered in a cold sweat. No one dared to look up.
Queen, a cigar between his teeth, shrank to the side, not daring to make a sound. King stood silently to Kaido's right, his eyes closed, the flames on his back flickering slightly.
"Killed… by the brat I wanted to recruit?"
Kaido's voice grew softer, but the temperature in the hall dropped.
Queen wiped the cold sweat from his brow and said, "Uh, well… Boss Kaido, Hanafuda was strong, but that brat is a monster rookie who managed to escape from Akainu. It's not unreasonable that he would be killed—"
SLAP!
Before Queen could finish his sentence, Kaido had already pulled out his kanabo and swung it!
BOOM—!!!
Queen screamed as his obese body was sent crashing into the wall. The entire castle trembled, and rubble rained down.
"Shut up, you idiot!"
Kaido, like a child, began to bawl. "Hanafuda is dead! My good brother, my former good subordinate, he died in a place like Paradise!"
"Wororororo!"
He suddenly clapped his hands and laughed. "Not bad! Not bad at all, Shane! As expected of the rookie I had my eye on! So you're that strong!"
"But, but…"
In the next moment, Kaido shot to his feet, his eyes as red as blood. A tsunami of Conqueror's Haki erupted from him, and the sky over Onigashima was instantly filled with dark clouds, lightning flashing!
"In the end, you're just a brat from Paradise… a mere brat from Paradise! You dare to kill my men!"
BOOM!
A bolt of lightning struck just outside the window, illuminating Kaido's savage face.
"—AN ACT LIKE THAT IS ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY UNFORGIVABLE!!!"
A few of the newer officers were terrified, completely unsure of what Lord Kaido's attitude toward that Shane really was.
And beside the main throne, King's expression was still impassive. He had been with Kaido for many years and was used to his boss's drunken, moody behavior.
As long as it wasn't a "drunken tantrum" that would pollute everyone's eyes, any other reaction was fine.
"Boss Kaido,"
King said, slowly looking up, his voice low. "Do you need me to take some men to Paradise and take care of that brat, Shane?"
"No."
Kaido's voice suddenly grew calm, but the suppressed murderous intent was even more terrifying.
"I'll go myself."
He grabbed his liquor gourd and tilted his head back, chugging it down. The liquor streamed down the corners of his mouth, soaking the dragon scale tattoo on his arm.
"Hanafuda was my brother. His revenge must be taken by my own hand!"
"But, Lord Kaido…" Queen said, swallowing hard. "The war with Whitebeard just ended, and the situation hasn't stabilized—"
"Shut up!"
Kaido suddenly smashed the liquor gourd on the ground, the shards flying everywhere.
"I'm Kaido! I do what I want! Who dares to stop me?! Not even that old geezer!"
He strode to the window and looked out at the churning sea, his eyes burning with a violent rage.
BOOM!!!
Before he could finish his sentence, Kaido had already leaped into the air, transforming into a massive, azure dragon and roaring as he shot into the clouds!
"Shane… SHANE! I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU KILL A MEMBER OF THE BEAST PIRATES!!!"
The dragon's roar shook the heavens, and Onigashima trembled.
The azure dragon's figure quickly receded into the distance, and in a short while, it was just a blurry black dot on the horizon.
King sighed.
And in the main hall, the other officers of the Beast Pirates looked at each other, their eyes full of shock.
Lord Kaido is going to Paradise himself?!
Isn't that a bit of an overreaction?
That brat, Shane… he's a dead man!
...
The Calm Belt, Amazon Lily.
In the depths of the Kuja royal palace, the Pirate Empress was lounging on her throne.
The scent of the sea breeze, mixed with the unique floral fragrance of Kuja, drifted in through the window. Her long fingers tapped on the armrest, her gaze distant, as if she were thinking about something.
"Hey, Hancock! Hancock!"
Elder Nyon's cane tapped heavily on the marble floor, the sound echoing in the empty hall.
The former, former, former empress of Amazon Lily was now looking up, her face full of annoyance at the current empress on the throne.
"What's with that attitude, Hancock!"
"I went to all the trouble to get these newspapers, and you just threw them out the window!"
"Keeping up with the situation on the seas is your responsibility as empress! Even if we are an isolated country in the Calm Belt and don't have to worry too much about foreign invasions, you still have to pay attention to these major events!"
"And you have to remember the names of the new powerhouses who are rising up! Especially a young and powerful guy like the one in today's paper! He could become the ruler of the entire sea in the future!"
"Here, take a look!"
Hancock, thoroughly annoyed, finally glanced at the wanted poster in Elder Nyon's hand.
So this is the Shane with the billion-Berry bounty, the so-called strongest rookie in history?
A black-haired brat, handsome, you could even say good-looking, but that's it…
In the face of her beauty, what's the difference between a guy like him and an ordinary person?
He didn't interest her in the slightest.
"How ridiculous,"
Hancock said, looking away after only a single glance, bored.
"Don't bother me with this kind of thing in the future. I have no interest in boring newspapers, and I certainly don't want to know about people who have nothing to do with me."
"Guards," she said, pointing at Elder Nyon. "Throw this ugly, nagging old woman out the window!"
"HANCOCK!!!"
Elder Nyon, who was being held by the female warriors, was furious. "If you continue to be so willful, this country will one day be in danger because of you!"
"In danger?"
Hancock stood up gracefully and looked down at Elder Nyon. "Even if the country is destroyed, so what? No matter what I do, everyone will forgive me."
"Because—"
She tilted her exquisite chin back, revealing the swan-like line of her neck. "—I am just that beautiful!"
"Kyaaah!"
"Lady Snake Princess!"
The Kuja warriors who were guarding the throne shrieked, their weapons clattering to the floor. Some even fainted on the spot.
......
New World, Marine G-1 Branch.
The ten surveillance ships on the front line had just sent word that the war between the Beast Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates was over.
The atmosphere in the branch base instantly relaxed.
And Akainu, who had been temporarily stationed here for the past few days to be ready for any changes in the war, was now on a warship heading back to Headquarters.
At this moment, he was standing alone at the bow, the newly delivered newspaper clutched in his hand, his gaze fixed on the photo on the front page.
That brat, Shane…
He refused the Warlord invitation?
A smile spread across Akainu's lips.
This was—
Excellent.
Perfectly to his liking!!!
A few days ago, when he had heard that the World Government was pressuring Headquarters to invite Shane to become a Warlord, his face had instantly turned ashen.
On what grounds?
A villain who had killed two Marine Vice Admirals and openly provoked the authority of the Marines, not only was he not going to be annihilated, but he was going to be recruited?
Ridiculous!
The thought of having to see Shane at Headquarters during a Warlord meeting, and not being able to do anything about it, had filled him with a rage he couldn't vent.
And now, that worry was gone!
That arrogant brat, so ignorant of his own place, had thrown away his own lifeline!
"Heh…"
Akainu closed the newspaper and looked out at the distant horizon, his gaze impassive.
I'll be back at Headquarters soon. You'd better not give me another chance, brat… when that time comes, I will definitely make you understand—
…that refusing to become a Warlord was the most foolish and regretful decision of your entire life!
