"Young Master, are we going to take action?"
As one of the executives, Jora asked curiously.
"No," Doflamingo replied, tossing the newspaper aside and leaning back on his sun chair. "This has little to do with us. Let's see how the Marines and Red-Hair react first."
While the Donquixote Family merely watched with cold detachment, the rest of the world had already exploded into chaos.
"Hey, hey, what kind of joke is this—Crocodile's been taken down?!"
"There's no clear face shot, only an image of him using some kind of demonic power!"
"Four-winged angel… 'Demon Ren,' right? I remember Red-Hair went to the East Blue because of him!"
"Terrifying… but wasn't he supposed to be dead?"
"Maybe he resurrected, or used some Devil Fruit ability to fool Red-Hair."
"Wouldn't be the first time a Yonko's Challenger was defeated and survived. There are precedents."
"Look here—after killing Crocodile, he even declared war on Red-Hair! Some kind of three-year challenge?"
"How old is this guy? What's his bounty?"
"The Marines don't seem to have an official wanted poster for him yet. The last known bounty was… four million Beli? You've got to be kidding me!"
From the Four Seas to the Grand Line—and even into the perilous New World where the most vicious pirates roamed—the name of the Demon Pirates sparked heated discussion.
Because this news story was simply too eye-catching.
A man who had once escaped from a Yonko's grasp back in the East Blue… had now slain a Warlord of the Sea after entering the Grand Line.
And what were the Seven Warlords of the Sea?
To most of the world, they stood as one of the Three Great Powers alongside the Marines and the Yonko—granted their titles directly by the World Government itself!
There were only seven such seats in existence.
Of course, veterans of the Grand Line knew the truth—that the Warlords were merely the World Government's attack dogs, tools used to control other pirates.
But even so, not every pirate was qualified to receive that invitation.
Take Crocodile, for instance—once a nightmare to countless pirates in the New World. Though he failed in his challenge against Whitebeard and barely survived, his strength had once been catastrophic.
Every Warlord possessed the kind of destructive power capable of threatening nations.
And yet, such a man had now fallen… to someone who had only just entered the Grand Line.
If not for Ren's already legendary reputation, no one would have believed this story.
"Let's wait for the Marine bounty update," someone muttered.
Indeed, if this earth-shattering news was true, the Marines were bound to respond.
And in fact—they did.
Marine Headquarters — Marineford
In a meeting room at Marineford, Vice Admiral Tsuru had just returned from a transmission with the World Government.
Around the large circular table sat a sparse gathering of officers—though few in number, each bore the cloak of justice and the epaulets of a Vice Admiral.
All of Marineford's stationed Vice Admirals had gathered here today for one purpose:
Demon Ren.
"Then, let's begin the meeting," Tsuru announced, pinning two photographs to the wall.
The first photo showed a handsome young man smiling faintly, with a scar running down the bridge of his nose that lent a cold sharpness to his otherwise gentle features—like a boy next door hiding something dangerous.
The second photo, however, depicted a four-winged angel seated upon a throne of golden flames, thunder raging behind him in the heavens.
Before the throne lay the corpse of Crocodile, the former Warlord of the Sea with an 82-million-Beli bounty.
The image was almost artistic in composition—but what drew every eye was the inscription scrawled across the bottom:
"Red-Haired Shanks—within three years, I'll settle our score from the East Blue. — Ren"
"Everyone's here?" Tsuru turned to face the Vice Admirals, their expressions darkening. "Then I'll begin the briefing."
"Per the World Government's confirmation—Crocodile is dead. The killer is Demon Ren. All known information is compiled in the dossiers before you."
She paused briefly. "Furthermore, it's been verified that Ren, through current Warlord Bartholomew Kuma, formally petitioned to take Crocodile's vacant seat among the Seven Warlords."
Gasps rippled around the table.
"But due to… certain considerations," Tsuru continued evenly, "the Government has rejected the proposal. They've instructed us—the Marines—to eliminate him as soon as possible.
So now, the first question: what bounty is appropriate?"
The room fell into the sound of rustling paper as the Vice Admirals examined the file.
"Fire, lightning, flight, teleportation… and while in that four-winged form, he ignores bullets and summons massive spectral constructs…"
Vice Admiral Maynard muttered as he read aloud Ren's ability list.
Unlike most Devil Fruit users, this one displayed multiple distinct powers with no clear overlap.
It took Maynard nearly fifteen seconds to read the entire list. He grimaced.
"Judging from the sheer number of unrelated Devil Fruit traits," he said darkly, "this man is an enormous threat. But what does that last note mean—'suspected immunity'?"
Every gaze dropped to the final line:
Suspected immunity to seawater and seastone.
"That report came from Marine officer Smoker of Loguetown," Tsuru explained. "He stated that Demon Ren was struck at close range by a seastone weapon and maintained contact without any visible weakening.
"He also reportedly fell into the sea and resurfaced unharmed."
"However," she added, "Smoker is the only witness who claimed so. Other soldiers present said they did not see it happen."
That incident, of course, had occurred in the Arlong Park affair.
Given the tangled circumstances, few knew the full truth—and if Tsuru hadn't insisted on including it, the note might never have made it onto the record.
"Perhaps it's another obscure Devil Fruit trick," said Vice Admiral Onigumo, brushing his long hair back. "Something like an air armor to block seawater. If he already possesses so many powers, one more wouldn't be strange."
He exhaled through his nose. "If he escaped from Red-Hair alive, that too could be from some Devil Fruit ability—not actual resurrection.
But even so… can we truly capture someone like that?"
His question left the room silent.
According to the report, unless Ren had literally come back from the dead, the only explanation was that he possessed an instantaneous long-range movement ability—one that could span tens of thousands of kilometers.
Otherwise, his sudden appearance in the 16th Branch was impossible.
"At present," Vice Admiral Momonga spoke up, "we know Demon Ren has formed his own crew. Those companions may serve as potential leverage."
"Then we'll leave that to the Strategy Division," Onigumo concluded.
The Marines weren't all brawn—they had brains too. The Strategy Division was effectively their think tank.
"The Headquarters Strategy Division reached the same conclusion," Tsuru nodded.
"I see." Momonga set down the dossier. "Still, Red-Haired Shanks won't let this go easily, will he?"
"That, I can answer," Tsuru said, taking a seat. Every Vice Admiral turned toward her. "Red-Hair won't make a move—those were the World Government's exact words."
"Is that so?" Momonga frowned but didn't press further. "Then we'll just have to eliminate him quickly. Set the bounty at… one hundred million?"
"Too low," Onigumo said flatly. "Make it four hundred million."
"That's excessive," Maynard countered immediately. "Such a figure would only cause panic. Crocodile was already a spent force, hiding in Alabasta and playing hero. Whitebeard shattered his pride years ago—he was never the terror he once was.
Even if Ren killed him after surviving Red-Hair, he doesn't merit four hundred million. That's Yonko officer territory."
"Two hundred seventy million," Momonga proposed—splitting the difference.
Tsuru nodded first. "Agreed."
"I concur," Maynard said, and one by one the others followed suit.
Thus, the bounty on Demon Ren was officially set at 270 million Beli.
Marine bounties were not based solely on strength, but on deeds—the destruction, killings, or chaos one had caused.
Their purpose wasn't to make capture easier, but to serve as warnings.
A warning to civilians: This pirate is a danger of this magnitude—flee if you encounter him.
A warning to Marines: Only officers of this rank or higher should engage.
And, of course, a tool to incite rivalry—pitting pirates of similar bounties against each other out of envy and pride.
After finalizing Ren's bounty, they moved on to setting those for his crewmates—each assessed individually.
Once the meeting adjourned, Tsuru carried the stack of freshly printed wanted posters into the Fleet Admiral's office.
She knocked once, then stepped inside. Sengoku looked up from his paperwork.
"Is it settled?"
"Two hundred seventy million Beli," Tsuru replied.
"You've accounted for his growth potential, then," Sengoku said thoughtfully.
"His rate of growth is terrifying," Tsuru sighed, placing the poster on his desk and unfolding it. "It's only been three months."
Sengoku glanced at it once, then murmured, "Perhaps his Devil Fruit is simply that powerful?"
"If that were the case," Tsuru replied quietly, "Crocodile wouldn't be dead. To kill a strong man… you must be stronger still."
She exhaled, settling into the chair opposite him. "It's just a pity."
"A pity he didn't become a Warlord?" Sengoku asked with a faint smile, sliding the poster into a drawer. "Perhaps that's for the best.
At least this way, we won't have to worry about him turning against us once he loses the title."
(End of Chapter)