Chapter 164: New Bounty

Perhaps it was because they had reunited at Mary Geoise, or perhaps because they had not seen each other for so long, Buggy's eyes brimmed with hot tears.

"Saint Saint Saiwen, the crew... and the crew."

Buggy had not forgotten the crew who had accompanied him all the way from the East Blue to the New World, nor the Foxy Brothers who had joined later.

"Rest assured, I have brought them back."

Saint Saint Saiwen then took out a Den Den Mushi and dialed.

"Please bring Saint Elaine back."

Not long after, a spatial door appeared precisely beside Saint Saint Saiwen. Saint Elaine, holding a box of iced black tea and carrying a jar of dandelion wine, pushed the door open with her head.

After setting the items down, she did not forget to turn back and wave.

"Everyone, feel free to come play whenever you have time."

This scene made the Five Elders' faces turn black with lines; if Saint Elaine were not a descendant of Imu-sama, she would have been executed a hundred times already.

She's been kidnapped into developing feelings, isn't she?!

Now she can even return with gifts and invite people to come play at the Holy Land frequently, right?

She has utterly disgraced Imu-sama's face.

Never mind; there is more than one fool at the Holy Land. Compared to those god-descendants who like feeding Devil Fruits to slaves, Saint Elaine is still considered excellent.

Finally, Saint Saturn broke the silence.

"Saint Saint Saint Saiwen."

"As for the hostages now..."

Saint Saturn had barely spoken half his sentence when he was interrupted by a shocked voice; Saint Elaine herself was so excited that her face flushed red.

"Saint Saint Saint Saiwen?!"

"Are you also a Celestial Dragon?"

Saint Elaine instantly realized: she would no longer need to worry about being kidnapped in the future; she could even invite Saint Saint Saint Saiwen to go down to the lower world to play together.

Staying by Saint Saint Saint Saiwen's side was far more secure than staying by the side of a Navy Admiral.

Full of security, and Saint Saint Saint Saiwen's Donghai Dihuang can fly, you know; flying over the Red Line, just thinking about it makes one feel excited.

Saint Saint Saiwen stood up and smiled.

"Everyone, see you later."

Before Saint Saturn could open his mouth, Saint Saint Saiwen led Buggy and Barrett out through the spatial door, leaving Saint Saturn, whose face was flushed red from holding back, with words stuck in his throat.

It's over, it's all over.

Imu-sama's order has failed once again.

Without thinking twice, Saint Saturn hurriedly took a Den Den Mushi from Saint Vachel's arms and dialed.

"Hello, Saint Saint Saint Saiwen."

"Imu-sama wishes to see you."

The Den Den Mushi looked utterly helpless: "Saint Saturn, we have been traveling for several days and fought for nearly two days at Marineford."

"Let it be for next time."

"Definitely next time."

"At the World Conference in half a year, I will personally represent Wano Country to attend."

Beep beep beep beep beep~

Saint Saturn was on the verge of tears but could only stare resentfully at Saint Elaine without saying a word.

Endure it; this one truly cannot be struck.

Meanwhile, at the temporary Navy Headquarters.

Sabaody Archipelago.

Islands 60 through 69 of the archipelago fall under Navy jurisdiction; before Marineford, the Navy Headquarters had briefly been stationed in the 60-69 area.

Now, one can only say it is a return to the past in a single day.

Inside the large conference room, smoke lingered; Navy high-ranking officers, their bodies wrapped in bandages, were present, with the number of flag officers reduced by two-thirds compared to usual meetings.

Sengoku, wearing his seagull hat to conceal his hair which had turned white overnight, presided over the meeting while suppressing his grief.

"Everyone, please observe two minutes of silence for the Navy soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the Battle of Marineford."

All attending flag officers stood up, removed their hats one by one, and lowered their heads with sorrowful expressions; sobbing sounds rose and fell in succession.

In two hundred years, the Navy has never suffered such a catastrophe; nearly half of the soldiers at the Headquarters were sacrificed.

The flag officers suffered losses of two-thirds.

Navy Admiral Akainu has become a vegetable.

Even the Navy Headquarters at Marineford was erased from the map in this war.

The only thing worth celebrating is that, before the public execution, Sengoku followed Kizaru's advice and evacuated all Navy families residing in Marineford.

And by sending fifty thousand elite Navy soldiers to the surrounding seas to handle the aftermath and blockade, the Navy Headquarters managed to preserve its legacy.

Five minutes later, Sengoku wiped away his tears.

"From today on, all Navy wages will be doubled."

"Whether you are a private or an admiral, as long as you are a Navy member, your wages will all be doubled."

The Five Elders only promised to increase Navy military expenditures by two times within five years; although it is unclear why the World Government did not hold the Navy accountable for the deaths of one hundred Celestial Dragons.

But it does not matter.

Sengoku intends to lead the Navy to grow stronger and create brilliance again within these five years.

And to abandon any wishful thinking, leading the Navy to annihilate all pirates in the Four Seas and the first half of the Grand Line; not a single pirate is to enter the New World.

Without personnel replenishment, the Morning Star Pirates' rate of expansion will only become slower and slower.

"The second matter," Sengoku said in a deep voice.

"Conscription, conscription, and more conscription."

"A Great World Conscription."

"Recruit all who uphold justice into the Navy, leaving no pirate crew even the slightest chance."

Fujitora's life was Sengoku's lifelong pain.

Clearly a person of such benevolence and righteousness, yet poisoned and ruined by Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen into a pirate—it was simply unforgivable.

If the Navy had discovered Fujitora one step earlier, the Navy would have gained another Admiral-level combat power.

"Gion is promoted to Vice Admiral of the Headquarters."

As Sengoku's words fell, the tall female swordsman with the sword Kinkoro hanging at her waist rose and saluted.

"Kaku is promoted to Vice Admiral of the Headquarters."

Kaku, of medium build with a plain and somewhat comical appearance, rose and saluted.

"Brannew is promoted to Lieutenant Colonel..."

"The third matter." Sengoku took a deep breath, his eyes brimming with hatred as he gritted his teeth and spoke word by word.

"Bounties for all members of the Dawn Star Pirates."

Thinking of his beloved son, Corazon, whose bounty would soon be announced for killing two Celestial Dragons, Sengoku saw stars and nearly lost his footing.

Sengoku lowered his head, tears streaming down his face.

"Dawn Star Pirates Intern... Corazon, Paramecia-type Silence Fruit user, for the cruel murder of two Celestial Dragons, bounty one hundred million Berries."

"Dead or alive."

Sengoku understood that Xiao Mi Guo could not be cleared of his name in this life and could only follow Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen down the path of darkness.

How had he lost his mind back then, sending Xiao Mi Guo to infiltrate Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen's side?

Tsuru Vice Admiral, Garp, and Kuzan, all knowing Corazon's identity, remained silent.

"Intern Foxy, Cat-Cat Fruit: Ancient Species: Saber-toothed Tiger Form, for the cruel murder of five Celestial Dragons, bounty two hundred and fifty million Berries."

"Dead or alive."

"Jin Ni, Paramecia-type Door-Door Fruit user, the fruit possesses extremely high mobility, bounty five hundred million Berries."

"Alive capture only."

"Bartholomew Kuma, Bakania race hybrid, Paramecia-type Numa-Numa Fruit user, the fruit possesses extremely high mobility, bounty seven hundred million Berries."

"Alive capture only."

"Yuzhi Xiliu, Swordsman, former Warden of Impel Down, Paramecia-type Teleport Fruit user, the fruit possesses extremely high mobility, bounty five hundred million Berries."

"Dead or alive."

The attending Navy officers felt it was utterly absurd.

How could a single pirate crew gather three Devil Fruits with extremely high mobility: the Door-Door Fruit, the Numa-Numa Fruit, and the Teleport Fruit?

Was there any justice in the world?

Such god-defying mobility; they couldn't be caught up with, and if caught, they couldn't be defeated.

Did the Navy still have a chance to win?

"Fujitora..." Sengoku paused.

"Great Swordsman, possessing one of the Twelve Supreme Grade Blades, Gambler's Fire Line, Paramecia-type Heavy-Heavy Fruit user, bounty two billion."

"Alive capture only."

"Dracule Mihawk,"

Vice Captain of the Dawn Star Pirates, Great Swordsman, possessing one of the Twelve Supreme Grade Blades, Black Blade Yoru, mastering the three types of Haki, bounty three billion Berries."

"Dead or alive."

"Shiki the Golden Lion,"

Honorary Vice Captain of the Dawn Star Pirates, Great Swordsman, Paramecia-type Float-Float Fruit user, mastering the three types of Haki, bounty five billion Berries."

"Dead or alive."

Upon hearing the five billion Berries, the sound of swallowing saliva rose and fell in waves.

Before this, only Pirate King Roger and the Emperor of the Sea Whitebeard had bounties exceeding five billion Berries.

Now another person had been added.

When Sengoku turned to the last bounty poster, he instinctively gripped it tight, the overflowing hatred in his eyes nearly spilling from his sockets.

"Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen."

Captain of the Dawn Star Pirates, Great Swordsman, possessing the mysterious Supreme Grade Blade Mengxiang Yixin; the blade's material is unknown and can merge with the body."

"Human-Human Fruit: Mythical Zoan: Thunder God Form, Paramecia-type Year-Year Fruit... Dual Fruit user."

"Both fruits are suspected to have awakened."

"Can simulate the Magma-Magma Fruit through the Year-Year Fruit and use Sakazuki's move, Hell Dog; should be able to simulate the ability of any Devil Fruit..."

The conference room fell into dead silence.

Can simulate the ability of any Devil Fruit?

Did the Navy really still have a chance to win?

"Mastering top-tier three types of Haki."

"Observation Haki possesses the ability to see the future."

"Conqueror's Haki... anyone below Admiral strength loses consciousness after enduring it for at most two seconds, and possesses more advanced Conqueror's Haki defense techniques."

"Only Conqueror's Haki can break his defense."

"Simultaneously capable of blocking Observation Haki perception."

Sengoku lifted his head, seeing the deathly pale faces of the attending officers through his blurred vision.

Not to mention the Navy officers, even Sengoku himself felt despair flooding his heart upon hearing this.

The Navy... truly seems unable to win.

"Bounty: 5.2 billion Berries."

"Dead or alive."

"Order the headquarters to issue the wanted poster immediately."

"Without orders from headquarters, no Navy personnel are to engage the Morning Star Pirates rashly."