One Piece: The Strongest Trait System-Chapter 92: [] : Explosive Bounties! The Emperors! Seas in Upheaval!
Chapter 92 - [92] : Explosive Bounties! The Emperors! Seas in Upheaval!
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New World—Somewhere on the Seas!
A colossal ship, resembling a great white whale, lay anchored. Its main sail bore a Jolly Roger: a skull with a white, crescent-shaped mustache.
—The Whitebeard Pirates—One of the Four Emperors!
"Pops! Crocodile—that guy got himself killed," Marco, the 1st Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, reported, holding a newspaper and wanted poster before a massive man.
The man, over six meters tall, with a distinctive white crescent mustache, his body adorned with numerous IV drips, yet radiating an incredibly terrifying aura, took a massive swig of alcohol from a giant gourd.
"Pops! Your health! You can't drink anymore!" The medical team nearby instantly panicked.
"GURARARARA! I'm Whitebeard! My body's just fine!" boomed the man—the one hailed as the World's Strongest Man, one of the Four Emperors, Whitebeard, Edward Newgate!
"Crocodile... that sand-blasting brat is dead, you say?" Whitebeard's eyes shifted slightly as he looked at the news Marco held.
That insolent young fool who challenged him—dead in the first half of the Grand Line?
"Killed by that super rookie pirate, 'Sky Sovereign' Rowen. This man also defeated Marine HQ Vice Admiral, Admiral Candidate Pink Rabbit. And even attempted to overthrow the Alabasta Kingdom in collusion with their princess. These new rookies are really something else," Marco commented, his own eyes reflecting shock.
Pink Rabbit's strength was something even 'he' had to treat with caution. Yet she lost to that super rookie? Sky Sovereign Rowen's meteoric rise was far more dramatic than Ace's initial debut.
"Sky Sovereign, eh? GURARARARA! What an arrogant brat!" Whitebeard laughed heartily.
"The bounty the World Government and Marines put on this super rookie... it's outrageous," Marco continued, showing Whitebeard Rowen's wanted poster.
WANTED - DEAD OR ALIVE
Cause of Extreme Malice: Mastermind of the Alabasta Incident!
User of Multiple Devil Fruit Powers: Possesses the Ability to Hunt Devil Fruits.
The Epitome of Viciousness and Violence! Public Enemy of Devil Fruit Users!
'SKY SOVEREIGN' ROWEN
BOUNTY: 1,135,000,000 Beri!
Looking at the poster, even Marco felt a profound shock. His own bounty was "only" 1,374,000,000 Beri. But that was largely due to his position as the 1st Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, reflecting the threat of the entire Whitebeard crew's influence!
This man's bounty... was based solely on his individual threat!
"Able to use multiple Devil Fruit powers, and hunt Devil Fruits too... Pops, what kind of power is that?" Marco asked Whitebeard. As a Devil Fruit user himself, such a description naturally concerned him.
"That power... sounds a bit familiar," Whitebeard's eyes narrowed slightly in thought. "But, no need to worry too much. Even if he can use multiple fruits, more isn't always better,"
Whitebeard laughed dismissively.
"A Warlord killed... The World Government brands him 'Extreme Malice' and issues such an insane bounty... Whether it's Marine HQ or ambitious pirates, everyone will be after this man. Whether he survives or gets caught... these seas are about to get very turbulent," Marco mused.
"Nothing to worry about! I AM WHITEBEARD!" Whitebeard declared with a booming laugh.
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On a remote island in the New World.
"They're really making waves, huh? Luffy! And Sky Sovereign Rowen!" Shanks laughed heartily, holding two wanted posters.
WANTED - DEAD OR ALIVE
Participant in the Extreme Malice Alabasta Incident!
'STRAW HAT' MONKEY D. LUFFY
BOUNTY: 300,000,000 Beri!
"Boss! Look! It's my son's wanted poster! That little rascal is with Luffy!" A man, nearly identical to Usopp except for the long nose, rushed over, grinning and holding another poster. It was Yasopp.
WANTED - DEAD OR ALIVE
Participant in the Extreme Malice Alabasta Incident!
SNIPER USOPP
BOUNTY: 35,000,000 Beri!
"Hahaha! With Luffy, huh? This is a happy day!" Shanks laughed.
"But Sky Sovereign Rowen's bounty... 1,135,000,000 Beri... That's an astonishing figure," Lucky Roux, the Red Hair Pirates' cook, commented, taking a bite out of a large leg of meat.
"Clearly, the Marines and the World Government are making their move against Sky Sovereign Rowen," Shanks's smile faded, his expression turning serious.
"Shanks... that bounty, plus the fact he defeated Pink Rabbit... If the World Government wants to capture him, they'll have to send an Admiral. An opponent like that—isn't it too early for Luffy and his crew to face?" A man smoking a cigar, his eyes sharp with intelligence despite his rugged appearance, spoke up.
—Vice-Captain of the Red Hair Pirates! Benn Beckman!
"Should we go help them out, Boss?" Lucky Roux asked Shanks.
"No... no need," Shanks replied after a moment of contemplation, slowly exhaling.
An astonishing crimson light flashed in his eyes.
"Though I can't see that far into the future... my intuition tells me Luffy and his crew don't need our help just yet," Shanks finished with a smile.
"Oh? Can that man fight an Admiral?" Beckman's eyes narrowed.
Shanks's Observation Haki was trained to its absolute limit, capable of seeing glimpses of the future.
Of course, this foresight was limited to brief moments, not days or weeks. But as someone who had mastered this advanced form of Haki—an extension of his sixth sense—Shanks's intuition was incredibly accurate.
"Who knows? But didn't Hawk-Eyes say... that man might possess even greater Haki than me someday?" Shanks laughed, looking at Rowen's wanted poster.
"Right now—Whitebeard's side is more important," Shanks stated, turning to Beckman.
"The messenger has been sent. We should have a reply soon," Beckman confirmed.
"First Ace and Teach... now Sky Sovereign Rowen... Is the era of upheaval truly unstoppable?" Shanks gazed out at the sea, an incredible power flaring in his eyes.
'If that's the case! Then... LET IT RAGE!'
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On an island somewhere in the Grand Line.
"ZEHAHAHAHA! One of the Warlords is dead! EXCELLENT!" A man with several missing teeth, a large belly, and an aura of pure malice, let out his signature booming laugh.
It was the man Ace was hunting.
User of the Dark-Dark Fruit—Blackbeard, Marshall D. Teach!
"A Warlord dead means a vacant spot! That spot... is MINE!" Blackbeard's eyes gleamed with terrifying ambition.
"Hey! Laffitte! Your job! Tell the Government—to save that Warlord spot—for ME!" Blackbeard ordered his navigator.
"Understood, Captain. Where shall we rendezvous then?" Laffitte replied with a sinister smile.
"Alabasta, of course! To become a Warlord, I need a valuable head! And conveniently, this 1.1 billion Beri head is currently a major thorn in the Government's side! Take him down, and my name will thunder across the seas! That Warlord position will definitely be mine! Zehahahahaha!" Blackbeard roared with laughter.
"Captain... this is the guy who defeated Crocodile and an Admiral Candidate. Won't it be too difficult?" Jesus Burgess asked doubtfully.
"What's to fear? As long as he's a Devil Fruit user, he's no threat to me! However... this guy also being able to hunt Devil Fruits and use multiple abilities... that is interesting," Blackbeard mused, rubbing his chin.
Such an ability should only belong to him—a user of the Dark-Dark Fruit with a naturally special body.
Feeling the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit within him, Blackbeard quickly grinned again. As long as they were Devil Fruit users, he feared no one!
Whatever secrets they held, he'd just find out!
"Set sail! Things are about to get busy! ZEHAHAHAHAHA!" Blackbeard laughed.
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Somewhere on the Grand Line, the Going Merry sailed onward.
After resting for a few days, Rowen and his crew had set sail again.
Vivi and Robin were now officially part of the crew.
(Karoo, however, had been left behind in Alabasta to lead the Super Spot-Billed Duck Troops.)
"R-Rowen! Th-This is bad!" Nami, having just bought a newspaper, suddenly ran towards Rowen, screaming, her face pale.
"B-Bounties! I got a bounty too!" Nami cried, looking tearfully at Rowen.
"Bounty?!" Hearing the word, Luffy instantly leaped down from his special seat.
"Hahahaha! It went up! My bounty is 300 million Beri!" Luffy cackled, holding up his new wanted poster, hands on his hips.
"Hm? I got a bounty too? 100 million Beri? Hmph. Not bad," Zoro commented with a smirk, looking at his own poster.
WANTED - DEAD OR ALIVE
Participant in the Extreme Malice Alabasta Incident!
'PIRATE HUNTER' RORONOA ZORO
BOUNTY: 100,000,000 Beri!
"Why do I have a bounty too?! 35 million Beri! The Marines will be after me!" Usopp yelled, clutching his head in panic.
"I-I got a 30 million Beri bounty too," Nami sniffled, looking towards Rowen.
WANTED - DEAD OR ALIVE
'CAT BURGLAR' NAMI
BOUNTY: 30,000,000 Beri!
"Hey! What about me?! Did I get a bounty?" Sanji yelled, rushing over upon hearing Zoro's 100 million.
"Yeah, here's yours. 'Black Leg' Sanji. Bounty: 50 million Beri," Usopp replied, handing over Sanji's poster.
Usopp, initially glum about his own bounty, now wore a strange expression.
"How come it's so much lower than that moss-head's?!" Sanji roared furiously, snatching the poster. But the moment he saw it, he froze.
"WH-WHO IS THIS?!" Sanji yelled, staring at his wanted poster. Unlike the others, which featured photographs, Sanji's poster displayed an incredibly abstract, crude sketch.
"Pfft—HAHAHAHA! Looks exactly like you, Curly-Brows!" Zoro glanced at it and burst out laughing.
Even Rowen struggled to suppress a chuckle. 'Looks like even with an earlier bounty, Sanji couldn't escape this fate.'
"ARE YOU BLIND?! MOSS-HEAD!" Hearing Zoro, the already furious Sanji completely lost it.
Armament Haki coated his leg as he launched a barrage of kicks at Zoro.
"He does look just like you, Mr. 50 Million," Zoro taunted, infusing Wado Ichimonji with Haki as he parried Sanji's attacks, continuing to mock him with the bounty amount.
Watching Sanji and Zoro fight, Rowen's eyes flickered thoughtfully.
After awakening Armament Haki, Sanji had also prematurely mastered Diable Jambe.
More importantly, as Sanji awakened Haki, his Modified Exoskeleton genes were also slowly awakening.
This awakening wasn't instantaneous, but gradual. Currently, the 'Strength' and 'Resilience' modifications from Vinsmoke Judge were awakening.
The full 'Exoskeleton' would only manifest once these genes fully awakened.
No wonder Sanji's physical durability in the original story, despite lacking a specific physique Trait like Luffy or Zoro, never fell significantly behind theirs.
"What about me? Did I get a bounty?" Chopper bounced excitedly over to Rowen.
"Sorry, Chopper. Not yet,"
Rowen replied, gently petting Chopper's comfortable fur with a smile.
Because Chopper hadn't made a public appearance during the Alabasta incident, only the East Blue era members received new bounties this time.
Of course... there was one more person.
"I-I got a bounty... 110 million Beri?!" Vivi stared blankly at her wanted poster.
WANTED - DEAD OR ALIVE
Key Instigator of the Extreme Malice Alabasta Incident!
'PRINCESS OF MALICE' VIVI
BOUNTY: 110,000,000 Beri!
"Wait a minute... What is this 'Extreme Malice Alabasta Incident'?" Nami suddenly noticed the common wording.
After reading the accompanying newspaper article, the entire crew stared in shock.
How did 'they' become the ones who tried to overthrow the Alabasta government?!
"Just the World Government's usual tactics," Rowen commented dismissively.
"Because of the World Economic News Agency's report, my defeat of Crocodile and repelling of Gion couldn't be covered up. Plus, with you joining us, Vivi, they simply decided to pin all the blame on us."
"However... this bounty..." Rowen picked up his own new wanted poster.
"Isn't that around 113.5 million Beri, similar to Vivi's? Shishishi! My bounty is higher than yours now, Rowen!" Luffy grinned cheerfully, misreading the number again.
"You can make the same mistake twice, Luffy? That's 1 billion, 135 million Beri," Rowen corrected with a smile. Luffy had misread his first bounty too.
"EH?!!!" Hearing the corrected number, even Zoro and Sanji stopped fighting instantly.
Everyone stared at Rowen, then yelled in unison.
"ONE BILLION?!" Chopper and Usopp hugged each other, screaming.
"ONE BILLION!!!" Nami and Vivi gasped, staring blankly at Rowen.
"With a bounty like this... the next ones they send will be Admirals," Rowen commented, a confident smile playing on his lips.
"Admirals," Hearing the word, even Robin felt a slight tremor. But seeing Rowen's calm, composed demeanor, Robin's own unease gradually subsided.
Rowen looked at his wanted poster thoughtfully. 'Looks like the World Government has completely locked onto me now.'
But everything was still within Rowen's plan.
Soon, they would reach Skypiea—a place beyond the World Government's reach.
Once he obtained the Rumble-Rumble Fruit—based on his projections of optimal Devil Fruit power... even if Aokiji came at them with full force, not holding back, they could still escape.
As for Blackbeard... before reaching Skypiea... Rowen glanced at Luffy.
Through their spiritual bond, Rowen's and Luffy's powers were linked.
Though Rowen hadn't equipped the unawakened Gomu-Gomu Fruit Trait, by transmitting spiritual power to Luffy via Haōshoku Coating, Rowen had received some feedback from that 'Strongest Devil Fruit'.
Namely—they might not encounter the Dark-Dark Fruit user at all.
Nika and the Dark-Dark Fruit seemed like complete polar opposites.
Nika granted limitless imagination, fighting with absolute freedom.
The Dark-Dark Fruit stripped away all abilities, arguably even imagination and desire. Utterly opposed.
Furthermore, both fruits possessed strong wills of their own, choosing their masters.
And based on Nika's behavior—that will could subtly influence events. Despite being obtained by the World Government, it was then 'stolen' by Shanks, brought to Foosha Village, and eaten by Luffy.
Now, Rowen sensed from the fruit's will that it, and the Dark-Dark Fruit, seemed to have some kind of unspoken agreement—to avoid a direct clash until both their masters had fully matured.
In the original story, Luffy and Blackbeard, though they met, never truly clashed due to various coincidences.
Now, with Rowen as an unexpected factor, perhaps the two fruits wouldn't even allow their users to meet prematurely.
'Interesting... The secrets of this world... keep getting more interesting.' Rowen smiled.
The next moment—
BOOM!
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