Chapter 77: The Spoils
Afterward, everyone went through and cleaned up the Black Bear Pirates' ships, and in the process, they found the bounty posters that belonged to the crew themselves.
Following the names and faces on the posters, Camon and the others identified and collected the corpses of those who carried bounties, transferring all the valuables and supplies they found.
"There's actually a total of 115 million Berries."
Looking at the stack of bounty posters in his hand, Jiang Qize's lips curved upward—he hadn't expected such a pleasant surprise.
Aside from the unclaimed "bounties," they also discovered 24.3 million Berries in cash on board, along with a fine-grade blade named Scarlet Needle.
It was a katana with a slightly curved blade about 1.2 meters long and only 2 centimeters wide, etched with scarlet patterns along its surface.
Viewed from the spine, it looked just like an elongated crimson needle.
Even the scabbard was ornate, decorated with embedded gemstones.
Jiang Qize held the sword and smiled lightly. "Too bad no one on the ship uses a sword. I'll keep it for now."
This haul was decent—though twenty million Berries couldn't buy much, it was still profit.
Then he took out his Den Den Mushi and made a call.
Gulu gulu…
The Den Den Mushi's face shifted into Crocodile's likeness, complete with a cigar in its mouth.
"What is it?" Crocodile asked coolly.
"I've got something—the Black Bear Pirates' bounties. Help me cash them in."
Jiang Qize spoke directly, with no hint of politeness.
"Wait until you come to Alabasta."
Crocodile ended the call without another word.
Jiang Qize's smile deepened.
"Looks like I really did change him."
He was starting to find this all rather entertaining—working with Crocodile, working with Doflamingo… he was constantly partnering with villains.
Though Crocodile would eventually turn good, for now, it felt like he was playing a character-raising game.
"Yaa~!" came the cry of the Pterosaur.
"Captain, Navy spotted!"
Suddenly, Camon shouted from above.
Tap tap tap…
Aisha and Buck, who had been training on deck, immediately stood up and ran to the bow of the ship.
Curious, they peered out at the two tiny black dots on the horizon—Navy warships.
It was their first time seeing Marine warships from a pirate's perspective, and somehow, it was thrilling.
A few hundred meters away—
On one of the warships, a tall officer stepped up to a clean-cut man with sharp brows and a firm jawline, wearing a Justice cloak.
"Vice Admiral Hais, we've spotted the Dragonflame Pirates."
"They're not running?" Hais asked coldly.
"They're coming straight toward us," the officer said seriously, his expression tense.
They had intelligence on the Dragonflame Pirates—and knew they possessed a powerful sea beast.
"If they won't run, then we'll capture them all."
Hais spoke indifferently, his eyes filled with arrogance.
But he had every reason to be arrogant—he was a Vice Admiral of Navy Headquarters, one of the same generation as Kuzan, Sakazuki, and Borsalino. He had mastered the Six Powers and both types of Haki, and he was also a Devil Fruit user.
"Yes, sir!"
The officer saluted and left.
Soon, both warships adjusted their course slightly and began sailing straight toward the Dragonflame Pirates.
…
"Captain, those two warships are coming our way," Camon shouted, peering through his telescope.
Jiang Qize had already stepped out.
Watching the two ships grow larger in the distance, a faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Confident, aren't they? Looks like they've got some capable people on board."
But so what? Unless one of the future Admirals or Garp himself appeared, the Navy couldn't touch him.
Anyone else was just asking to be crushed.
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