Chapter 263

The New Marine's reputation continued to rise within the New World, and their numbers grew ever larger.

……

Several days after the War at Marineford.

The bounties of those who participated in the War at Marineford and displayed exceptional prowess all surged dramatically.

Luffy, who awakened Conqueror's Haki, had his bounty raised to 4.2 billion.

Sabo's bounty rose to 7.4 billion.

Empress Hacckock's bounty increased to 5.6 billion.

Ace's bounty rose to 6.9 billion.

Marco's bounty warrant increased to 1.01 billion.

Kuina's bounty rose to 260 million.

……

Especially Luo En, who killed the Admiral Huang Yuan, rallied various factions to openly declare war on the World Government.

His bounty skyrocketed from just over 2 billion to 4.7 billion!

Surpassing Kaido's 4.611 billion and Xia Luote Linlin's 4.388 billion!

Second only to Whitebeard's 5.046 billion and Pirate King Luo Jie's 5.549 billion.

And both Whitebeard and Luo Jie were already dead.

The Traveler Luo En, bounty topped the seas!!

In addition,

The World Government also gave him a specific title.

【The Demon King who brings darkness to the world!】

Thus,

On the seas, Luo En acquired another nickname alongside the well-known "Traveler": 【Demon King】.

【Demon King Luo En】

…………

New World.

At this moment, Whole Cake Island.

"Huang Yuan is dead? Whitebeard is dead? Kaido and that Traveler brat teamed up?! And they're declaring war on the World Government?!!"

Bigmom, listening to Katakuri and others, wore an expression of utter disbelief.

She had merely eaten too much and slept a few extra days.

How could the entire sea have turned upside down the moment she woke up?!

What exactly happened?!

227, Nami joins, next preparations (combined)

After hearing everything that occurred during the War at Marineford,

Bigmom was stunned—profoundly stunned.

She never imagined a war initiated by "Fire Fist" Ace, meant to crush Whitebeard, would escalate into such an unimaginable event.

"Mother, the entire New World is now in turmoil. Many pirate factions and the underworld seem eager to exploit this chaos—shouldn't we do something too?"

Katakuri asked Bigmom.

"Do something?" Bigmom frowned, then grinned widely: "Mamamama, rather than do something, let's do nothing at all."

"Huh?"

Cracker was startled: "This is the perfect opportunity—aren't we going to do anything?"

Bigmom gazed at Katakuri and the others ahead and said: "The Five Elders and Koby Kongo and the rest of those old men aren't easy to challenge. Even the former Rocks couldn't dislodge them—World Government's depths are far deeper than you imagine."

"But the alliance between the Traveler Luo En, Kaido, and Dragon of the Revolutionary Army is no less formidable."

Bigmom narrowed her eyes: "Rather than join either side's war, it's better to do nothing and watch them fight—perhaps we'll gain even more in the end."

"Grand Minister" Xia Luote Daifu grinned: "I see—no wonder you're Mother."

"Still, I never expected this war was started by that brat."

Bigmom stared at the photo on the newspaper, narrowing her eyes: "Luo En, the Demon King who brings destruction to this sea…"

"King…"

Bigmom fixed her gaze on the character "King," her eyes suddenly filling with bloodshot veins, a terrifying aura radiating from her body.

Before the stunned eyes of Katakuri, Daifu, and Cracker,

Bigmom's eyes gradually turned red, saliva dripping from her mouth—she suddenly slipped into a frenzy.

"That brat dares to be called a 'King'?!!"

With Bigmom's earth-shattering roar echoing across Whole Cake Island, a terrifying crimson Conqueror's Haki erupted from her blood-red eyes, instantly knocking out countless pirates and cake people, the sky cloaked in crimson, the sea churned by monstrous waves.

Bigmom Xia Luote Linlin's roar reverberated across the entire Whole Cake Island.

"What Demon King?! There can be only one King on this sea—the Pirate King!"

…………

That day,

The Traveler's Ship flew over the Red Line, separating the Grand Line from the New World, passing above Mary Geoise, and descended onto the New World's sea surface.

Luo En lay on a deck chair, staring at the newspaper in his hand, laughing silently.

"What are you laughing at?"

Luo Bin walked behind him, her slender white arms reaching out to wrap around his neck, her perfect, pointed chin resting on his shoulder, curiously gazing at the newspaper in his hand.

"Look at this — the World Government actually calls me the Demon King who will destroy the sea. Isn't that funny?"

"Indeed."

Luo Bin covered her mouth and laughed softly.

The two of them had their cheeks pressed very close together, yet neither felt the slightest embarrassment, as if such an intimate gesture were the most natural thing in the world.

Nami, with her short orange hair, hid behind the cabin door, both hands over her mouth, staring wide-eyed at those two people.

Suddenly, a hand patted her shoulder and gave her a fright.

She turned her head to look.

Konis, wearing a white dress with her golden hair hanging loose, tilted her head and gazed at her with a face full of curiosity.

"What's wrong, Nami?"

"It's you, Sister Konis — you scared me."

Nami patted her chest and let out a breath of relief.

"So nervous — what are you looking at?"

Konis's gaze passed over her and looked toward the two people on the deck.

Nami couldn't help but ask, "Have those two always been this close?"

"Hmm… does this count as being close?"

Konis asked back in confusion.

"Uh…"

Nami stared at Konis's purely puzzled expression and, for a moment, didn't know how to answer.

"Aren't you the Straw Hat crew's navigator? I think your name is Nami, right? Didn't you go to Sabaody Archipelago with the Straw Hat crew?"

A voice rang out behind the two women.

Nami and Konis turned their heads to look.

Bonney, wearing denim hot pants and a crop top, with long pink hair, was standing there holding several bottles of iced beer, looking at Nami with a face full of curiosity.

"Bonney, you still don't know?"

Konis looped her arm through Nami's and said to Bonney with a smile, "Nami is now a crew member on our ship too."

"Eh? Since when?"

Bonney was a little surprised.

"It was after the Summit War ended, when we and the Straw Hat crew were still on that Wurendao, right?"

Konis thought for a moment and said, "Seems like Nami and the captain had some kind of agreement."

"Agreement?"