On the deck of the Beasts Pirates' ship, sunlight spilled onto the wooden planks. The sea breeze, carrying its salty, damp scent, brushed gently past.
Kaido's massive frame sat in a specially-made chair, a stack of fresh bounty posters held between his rough fingers. The paper made faint rustling sounds in the breeze, as if whispering some important news.
"Captain, it's not just you! Big Brother King, Big Fatty Queen, Big Brother Bullet, Big Brother Urouge, Big Brother Moria, Big Brother Sebastian, and Big Brother Gavin all got bounty posters too. Everyone but me." Enel's voice grew softer and softer, his little face drooping, looking utterly dejected. He hung his head, lightly kicking the deck with his toe, the picture of pitiful grievance.
Hearing the commotion, the other officers stopped their training and gathered around.
Queen was the first to rush forward, flustered and indignant as he yelled at Enel. "Hey, hey, hey, you brat! Why are they all 'Big Brothers,' but I'm 'Big Fatty'? And I'll say it again, this isn't fat, it's voluptuous!" He puffed out his round belly as he spoke to Enel.
"But you are a big fatty!" Enel shot back without backing down, even deliberately sticking out his tongue.
The surrounding officers couldn't help but laugh. Queen's face instantly turned an even deeper shade of red.
He waved his short, thick arms, trying to catch the cheeky brat, but Enel nimbly dodged behind Kaido, peeking out with just half his head to continue the provocation.
Kaido watched the scene, his laughter growing even heartier. He reached out to ruffle Enel's hair, then patted Queen's shoulder. "Wororororo... Don't take it to heart with a kid."
The sea breeze gently swept across the flagship's deck of the Beasts Pirates. Sunlight pierced through the clouds, casting dappled shadows on the planks. Kaido slowly unfolded the first bounty poster. The paper looked especially small in his gigantic palm.
[Beasts Pirates Officer, Fallen Angel, King. Bounty: 150,000,000 Berries. Must Be Captured Alive.]
The corner of Kaido's mouth lifted slightly in a satisfied smile. He continued to the next one:
[Beasts Pirates Officer, Evil Scientist, Queen. Bounty: 110,000,000 Berries. Dead or Alive.]
[Beasts Pirates Officer, War Fanatic, Bullet. Bounty: 45,000,000 Berries. Dead or Alive.]
[Beasts Pirates Officer, Master Swordsman: "Moonlight," Moria. Bounty: 35,000,000 Berries. Dead or Alive.]
[Beasts Pirates Officer, Strange Monk, Urouge. Bounty: 30,000,000 Berries. Dead or Alive.]
[Beasts Pirates Officer, Scorpionfish Giant, Sebastian. Bounty: 20,000,000 Berries. Dead or Alive.]
[Beasts Pirates Officer, Bloodthirsty Swordsman, Commodore Gavin. Bounty: 20,000,000 Berries. Dead or Alive.]
Kaido scrutinized each poster, his eyes moving between the numbers and the notes. When he finished the last one, he nodded with satisfaction and turned his gaze to the officers gathered around him.
"Come and see your own bounties!" Kaido's voice thundered across the deck. "As pirates, while bounties don't fully represent strength, they are a form of recognition from the outside world."
He handed the posters to the respective officers one by one. When King received his, the expression beneath his mask was inscrutable. Queen eagerly snatched his own, letting out a proud whistle. Bullet took the paper with a furrowed brow, seemingly dissatisfied with the number on it.
Standing to the side, Enel stood on his tiptoes, gazing longingly at the bounty posters in the adults' hands. Kaido noticed the young apprentice's gaze and let out a booming laugh. "Brat, want a bounty poster? Then get stronger, fast!" He stretched out his massive hand and gently patted Enel's head, his movements surprisingly tender.
Enel looked up, a determined light shining in his eyes. "I'll definitely work hard! When I get my bounty poster, it'll be higher than Big Fatty Queen's!"
"You little punk!" Queen stomped in anger, but a smile unconsciously tugged at the corner of his mouth. The other officers were also amused by Enel's childish bluntness, and a cheerful atmosphere filled the deck once more.
Bullet frowned at his bounty poster. "Why is my bounty so much lower than King's and Queen's?" His voice held clear dissatisfaction. As a warrior who once dominated battlefields, a 45 million Berry bounty did leave him feeling somewhat let down.
King stared quietly at his own bounty poster, his gaze lingering on the words "Must Be Captured Alive." A complex light flashed in his eyes. He spoke so softly it was almost a whisper, yet it instantly froze the air around them. "Mine is probably this high... because of my race."
The officers then realized—King's race had been hunted by the World Government, and he might now be the sole survivor. The cheerful atmosphere on the deck dissipated, replaced by a heavy silence.
"Muhahaha!" Queen suddenly burst out laughing, shattering the quiet. "My bounty's this high probably because that jailbreak I pulled with Big Brother Kaido got exposed." He waved his bounty poster proudly, trying to lighten the mood.
Kaido slowly stood up, his tall figure casting a long shadow in the sunlight. He looked over each officer, finally resting his gaze on King. "King, don't dwell on it. We'll pay back that hatred, bit by bit, sooner or later."
Then, he turned to Bullet. "Forty-five million is very good for a first bounty. Your strength is definitely worth more than that number. You've just had too few chances to act; the Marines don't understand your true power yet."
"Hmm." King nodded.
"Is that so? Seems I'll have to put on a good show out on the seas from now on," Bullet said upon hearing this.
Moria played with his bounty poster, thoughtfully saying, "Thirty-five million... looks like my strength hasn't caught the Marines' full attention yet."
Urouge stroked his chin, looking quite pleased. "Thirty million... Hahaha, not bad for a first bounty."
Sebastian and Gavin exchanged a glance, seeing a shared, unyielding fighting spirit in each other's eyes. Although their bounty amounts were the lowest, hitting twenty million on their first bounty was still quite impressive.
Enel stood to the side, watching the adults discuss. He secretly made a resolution: "I have to redouble my efforts and get my own bounty poster as soon as possible!"
The sea breeze swept across the deck once more, rustling the bounty posters in the officers' hands.
Kaido looked toward the distant horizon, the light of ambition flickering in his eyes. "This is just the beginning. One day, the entire world will remember the name of the Beasts Pirates!"
As one, the officers straightened their backs, the flames of fighting spirit igniting in their eyes.
They understood. These bounty posters didn't just represent the Marines' pursuit. They represented their status and influence on these seas. From this day forward, in the name of the Beasts Pirates, they would stir up even greater storms upon these waters.
***
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