Aside from Shirogai Yamikuro, every member of the Straw Hat Pirates had also earned the so called honor of appearing on a wanted poster.
Straw Hat Monkey D. Luffy
Bounty: 300,000,000 Berries
Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro
Bounty: 200,000,000 Berries
Devil Child Nico Robin
Bounty: 150,000,000 Berries
Black Leg Sanji
Bounty: 100,000,000 Berries
Cat Theif Nami
Bounty: 100,000,000 Berries
Sniper King Usopp
Bounty: 100,000,000 Berries
Iron Man Franky
Bounty: 100,000,000 Berries
…
Cotton Candy Lover Chopper (Pet)
Bounty: 50 Berries
…
After careful deliberation, the Marine bounty department ultimately decided that a low recognition reindeer should not be assigned a bounty of one hundred million Berries.
They reasoned that if Chopper were given the same bounty as the others, the very next day the bounty exchange offices would be flooded with fraudsters carrying all manner of dead reindeer, raccoon dogs, and other unfortunate animals, each claiming they had captured the Straw Hat Pirates pet.
…
Chopper exploded in fury.
"I'm not a raccoon dog!! I'm a reindeer!! You idiots!!"
…
Due to the overwhelming influence of Shirogai, every Straw Hat member except Chopper now carried a bounty of at least one hundred million Berries.
When Shirogai's own five billion Berries bounty was included, the total value of the crew reached an astonishing six billion fifty million fifty Berries.
They had become a genuine super pirate crew.
And yet, they were still a rookie crew that had only sailed the seas for a few short months.
In an instant, the eyes of the entire world focused on this newly risen force.
This outcome was precisely what the Marines wanted.
By issuing such exaggerated bounties, the World Government intended to provoke other pirates into hunting the Straw Hat Pirates, hoping to drown them in endless conflict and force Shirogai to develop hostility toward every pirate he encountered.
Those who hunted pirates were not limited to bounty hunters. Many were powerful pirate crews themselves.
Among pirates, hunting weaker pirates was common practice. Turning captured pirates over to underworld brokers in exchange for bounty rewards was an established business.
Even the Whitebeard Pirates, one of the Four Emperors crews, had engaged in such acts before.
The Marine strategy worked.
As soon as the wanted posters spread, countless greedy pirate crews marked the Straw Hat Pirates as their next prey.
At the very top of every list stood one name.
The Plunderer, Shirogai Yamikuro.
Bounty: 5,000,000,000 Berries.
While some pirates abandoned the idea out of fear, many others were driven by arrogance.
They believed he was nothing more than a newly emerged pirate. If they could not defeat him head-on, they would simply rely on schemes and dirty tricks.
Whether they would regret that arrogance later was another matter entirely.
…
"So the World Government has finally moved."
Sanji crushed the cigarette beneath his foot and lifted his gaze toward the man standing opposite him.
"I just didn't expect them to send you, a Shichibukai, personally."
…
Dracule Mihawk stared calmly at the chef before him.
Sanji's aura had become noticeably more condensed and controlled.
"Very good," Mihawk said indifferently. "You are prepared for a battle to the death."
Sanji grinned faintly.
"We can't keep dumping every problem on Shirogai," he said, lifting his leg as flames spiraled around his foot. "Against someone like you, I won't hold back."
"Foolish."
Mihawk lightly adjusted his grip on Yoru.
"You are free to try."
Slash!!
Even without moving, Mihawk's presence alone pressed down on Sanji like a blade against his throat.
Sanji's breathing stalled.
This was not fear born from weakness. Only those who truly understood danger could feel such pressure.
As expected of the World's Greatest Swordsman.
He was overwhelmingly strong.
Far stronger than that moss-headed idiot.
Sanji silently prayed that Zoro and the others had already escorted Nami and the rest away.
…
Lowering his stance, Sanji prepared to close the distance.
"Damn it! Who attacked me?!"
A furious shout suddenly erupted from behind Mihawk.
"Gum Gum Gatling!!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Luffy burst free from beneath a pile of shattered wood, flailing wildly.
"Who buried me under all this junk?! Who did it?!"
…
Mihawk glanced back briefly.
He had sensed Luffy earlier and simply deemed him unworthy of attention.
If someone aiming to become Pirate King could die from a casual probing slash, then that ambition meant nothing.
"Huh? It's you!"
Luffy's eyes lit up when he spotted Mihawk.
"Hawkeye man! I knew you looked familiar! You fought Zoro, right?"
"Luffy, stay back!"
Sanji shouted urgently.
"He's an enemy sent by the Marines!"
"Huh?"
Luffy froze mid step.
"Hawkeye man, are you an enemy?"
"Of course."
Mihawk replied flatly, swinging Yoru with casual precision.
A sword slash tore through the ground where Luffy had been standing.
Luffy clung to a branch, staring at the massive chasm left behind.
"Woah! That was close! If that hit me, I'd be dead!"
Sanji grabbed his hair in frustration.
"Idiot! Be serious!"
"It's time to end this."
Mihawk raised Yoru before his chest, locking onto both of their presences.
"I will send you on your way."
Swish!!
A massive slash surged forward.
"Move!"
Sanji leapt ahead, Armament Haki coating his burning leg as he kicked into the attack.
Sizzle!
The collision sent him hurtling backward through several trees before he barely managed to regain control.
"What terrifying power…"
Gritting his teeth, Sanji kicked the remaining force skyward.
Landing heavily, he glanced at Luffy, who was already trading blows with Mihawk.
"Slashes are Luffy's weakness," Sanji muttered. "Good thing he can use Armament Haki now."
He inhaled sharply.
"Even so, this is brutal."
Vanishing with a burst of speed, Sanji reappeared above Mihawk.
"Even if we can't win, we'll buy Shirogai time!"
"Gum Gum Jet Stamp!"
"Diable Jambe, Premier Hachis!"
Their attacks descended simultaneously.
…
High above.
Shirogai watched silently.
"Sanji's weakness is his limited range," he said calmly. "If his kicks were paired with spatial movement, his combat potential would skyrocket."
…
Elsewhere.
"Let go of Chopper!"
Nami, clad in golden armor, glared furiously at Gecko Moria, who held the unconscious reindeer by the scruff.
"Kishishishishi…"
Moria sneered.
"Little girl, that gold behind you looks familiar. Did you empty my treasury?"
____
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