A few days passed, and the news of Bellamy's challenge finally spread across the entire world. People everywhere began to debate whether this supernova, who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, could actually defeat Doflamingo. The buzz surrounding this topic was even more intense than when Fire Fist Ace had made his debut the previous year.
After all, when Ace first entered the Grand Line, his bounty was only a little over two hundred million Beri—not even reaching three hundred million. Compared to that, Bellamy was a far more explosive topic of conversation. Furthermore, there were rumors that Fire Fist Ace had failed in his challenge against Whitebeard and was now missing. At this particular moment, Bellamy had undoubtedly become the focus of the entire world.
The World Government had long since abandoned any thought of scrubbing information about Bellamy. The mad dog was simply too adept at stirring up trouble. Before they could even clean up one mess, he was already starting another. Even if they followed him twenty-four hours a day, it would be impossible to completely suppress the news of his exploits. Basic intelligence on Bellamy had already circulated throughout the black market. By now, even the small-time crooks in the Four Blues knew he was a powerhouse they could not afford to provoke. It had been a long time since any bounty hunter dared to venture out to sea for a mere bounty on Bellamy's head.
This, at least, saved Bellamy a fair bit of trouble. After all, when you have too many gnats buzzing around, it's bound to get annoying.
Dressrosa.
Doflamingo stood before his flagship, his expression grim.
"Young Master, the supplies are ready."
Due to repeated mission failures that had resulted in massive losses for the family, Diamante, once an elite officer of the Donquixote Family, had been demoted to a low-ranking subordinate. And now, as Doflamingo prepared to personally lead a pursuit into the first half of the Grand Line, Diamante had been specifically summoned to join him.
"When you see Bellamy," Doflamingo began, his voice low and dangerous, "do you know what you're supposed to do?"
"I do, Young Master!" Diamante replied, shrinking back. He didn't dare meet Doflamingo's gaze. Ever since news arrived that the treasure auction house had been destroyed, he knew he was finished. He never imagined that before he could even face his punishment, Bellamy's declaration of war would be plastered all over the World Economic News Paper. When he first saw the outrageously arrogant challenge, Diamante had nearly fainted on the spot.
God only knew why he had accepted that mission in the first place. It wasn't just asking for trouble; it was a death wish. He had expected the Young Master to execute him in a fit of rage. Instead, on the principle of not letting waste go to waste, Doflamingo had decided to bring him along.
"I will be the first to charge!" Diamante declared, his voice trembling but resolute. "Even if I die, I'll tear a chunk of flesh from Bellamy's body!"
"Diamante," Doflamingo warned, "do not disappoint me again." He was rapidly losing patience with his useless subordinate.
"Bellamy... I'm coming for you. Are you ready?"
"Fuffuffuffuffu!"
With his signature, exaggerated swagger, Doflamingo stepped onto his warship. Following a single, piercing blast from the ship's horn, the colossal three-hundred-meter-long vessel departed from Dressrosa, setting a course for the first half of the Grand Line.
Meanwhile, in a small village in the East Blue, two children who had yet to reach adulthood were also following the news about Bellamy with rapt attention.
"The boss is so damn cool!" Mani exclaimed, holding the newspaper. She had already read it two or three times. Beside her, Muret's little brother was waiting, practically bouncing with impatience.
"Big Sis, let me see! Let me see!"
"What's the hurry? I'm not done yet."
Just then, a slender arm suddenly shot out from behind Mani's shoulder. Swoosh! A rubber-like hand snatched the newspaper and vanished in a flash.
Mani stared at her now-empty hands, her brain failing to process what had just happened. A long moment passed before the realization hit her. "Ah! Luffy!" she shrieked. "You little bastard, get your ass out here right now!"
Having been a pirate for a short time, Luffy often came by to hang out. Over time, the three of them had become good friends. Mani's assessment of the rubber boy was that he was a simpleton with a head full of idiotic dreams. He was always shouting about becoming the King of the Pirates—something that was obviously impossible.
"Shishishi!" Luffy giggled, holding the newspaper in one hand while gripping the eaves of a roof with the other, hanging in the air like a monkey. "Wow! Is Bellamy going to become one of the Seven Warlords? That's amazing!"
But the photo in the newspaper... why was it so strange? Bellamy looked so... evil.
Luffy frowned, sensing that something wasn't right. "Bellamy isn't that kind of person."
Though they had only met once, Luffy just knew that Bellamy wouldn't stoop so low. That was just how his one-track mind worked. If he felt something wasn't true, then it wasn't. The reason why was completely unimportant.
"Luffy, you get down from there!" Mani yelled, having run directly below him.
Hanging from the roof, Luffy just grinned down at her. "Mani, I want to go out to sea, too," he announced. "Will you come with me?"
"What?!" What kind of nonsense was he spouting now? None of them were even adults yet.
"Go to sea! I can't wait any longer. I want to go on an adventure," Luffy declared, his eyes shining. "I want to become the King of the Pirates!"
He looked out toward the ocean with a look of pure longing. It had been his greatest dream since he was a child. So many years had passed. Sabo was gone, and Ace was gone, too. Now, he was the only one left on the island. Seeing the news of Bellamy shaking up the world on the Grand Line had finally caused the fire hidden deep within his heart to erupt with uncontrollable force.
"Are you crazy? You don't even have a tiny fishing boat!" Mani had actually spent time at sea with Bellamy; she knew exactly how dangerous it was. No ship, no navigator, not even anyone who knew how to steer... with no preparations at all, how could they possibly set sail?
"Stop fooling around and come down," Mani said, dismissing his words as pure fantasy.
But this time, Luffy was serious. He let go of the eaves and dropped to the ground.
"Mani, I'm serious," he said, his expression firm. "I'm going to sea. Right now!"
Mani saw from his tone and expression that this was different. This kid... he couldn't actually be for real, could he?
"Will you come with me?" Luffy asked again, extending the invitation.
"You're really doing it!" Mani stared blankly at the rubber boy, at a loss for words. "Luffy, the sea..."
She desperately wanted to tell him how dangerous it was, but she also knew that a boy who grew up in a fishing village couldn't possibly be ignorant of that fact. She shouldn't be the one to stop a man from chasing his dream.
Mani opened her mouth, then swallowed the words of caution she was about to speak.
"Luffy, wait!"
She had already witnessed the perils of the ocean and had no desire to ever go back. But during her time at sea, she had diligently recorded important information in a small notebook. Mani rushed back into her house and returned with her sailing log.
"Luffy," she said, holding it out to him. "This is all I can do to help you."
That day. Mid-October, Sea Circle Calendar 1517. Monkey D. Luffy, sitting in a large wooden barrel, set sail toward his dream.
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