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"Achoo!!"
Aboard the Ark Maxim, soaring through the sky, Noir stood on the deck and sneezed violently.
He rubbed his nose, grumbling as he looked up.
The Bell-mère family's special brand of education told him that Nami was definitely badmouthing him again!
Next time they met, he'd find an excuse to give her a good thrashing…
Noir walked back into the cabin, a stack of bounty posters in hand, a smile playing on his lips.
Lucci was feeding Hattori, his white pigeon. Wyper lay sprawled on the floor, snoring softly. Conis was playing with Suu, her little fox.
Robin, seeing Noir enter, asked, "Well?"
Noir nodded. "We're far enough away. Tell Enel he can stop generating electricity."
Robin glanced back at Wyper, who immediately scrambled to his feet and headed below deck to relay the message to Enel.
Nobody dared disobey the "Queen of the Underworld."
When Enel returned to the meeting room, Noir slapped the stack of bounty posters onto the table.
"Everyone here, including myself, has a bounty now."
Enel's eyes lit up, his earlier fatigue forgotten. "Excellent! How much Beli do I have?"
Everyone looked at the posters. The photos seemed to have been taken in Sabaody Archipelago.
Enel snatched up his own bounty poster, his eyes scanning the details with anticipation.
Enel, "Ten Thousand Thunders," Key Officer of the Underworld Pirates, Logia-type Rumble-Rumble Fruit user. Bounty: 150,000,000 Beli.
Enel exploded at the sight of his epithet.
"What 'Ten Thousand Thunders'? I'm clearly 'God of Thunder'!" he roared indignantly.
Noir rolled his eyes. "Do you think the World Government are your fanboys, giving you a cool-sounding title? They'll choose whatever makes you sound the most threatening."
"Even my own epithet is terribly bland. And you want 'God of Thunder'?"
Enel grumbled but conceded.
Regardless, a first bounty of 150,000,000 Beli was impressive, even in the Grand Line.
Wyper looked at his own poster with satisfaction. The description was similar to Enel's.
Wyper, "War God," Key Officer of the Underworld Pirates, Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit user, suspected Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Pteranodon. Bounty: 130,000,000 Beli.
Enel, seeing Wyper's bounty, immediately felt better.
He burst into laughter, taunting Wyper, "130,000,000 Beli! Hahahaha, less than mine!"
Wyper's face darkened. He'd been one-upped, and it stung.
Are the Marines blind? How could I be worth less than this arrogant fool?!
Robin's bounty had increased, though only by 1,000,000 Beli. Somehow, Conis had also ended up with a bounty poster.
Hers was rather cute, a very girly 13,140,000 Beli.
"What about Lucci?"
Wyper and Enel curiously peered over Lucci's shoulder. They were so shocked by what they saw that they nearly choked.
"Killing Weapon? Why does your epithet sound so cool?!"
"220,000,000 Beli?! Why is your bounty so high?!"
Wyper collapsed to his knees in despair. Enel looked as if all the color had drained from the world.
Aside from Captain Noir and Robin, the acknowledged second-in-command, Wyper, Enel, and Conis were the founding members of the Underworld Pirates, the most senior veterans.
Lucci and his group had joined later, recruited in Water 7.
And now the Marines were telling them that Lucci's bounty was higher than theirs?!
Lucci, unfazed, picked up his bounty poster. "The Government knows my abilities well. They've only seen a glimpse of yours."
"Plus, I specialize in espionage and assassination. The Marines probably think I helped the Captain infiltrate Mary Geoise."
Lucci's explanation eased Wyper and Enel's frustration somewhat.
Those two childish idiots…
The women weren't concerned about bounties. Robin turned to Noir and asked, "What's our next move?"
Noir paused, considering their options. "The number of Celestial Dragons is dwindling. I doubt the Government and the Marines will sit idly by."
"And after these recent setbacks, they'll be even more determined to retaliate."
Mihawk, who had been absent earlier, emerged and sat beside Noir.
"The Government's authority and the Celestial Dragons' status cannot be challenged. The Marines have a week at most before they make their move."
Lucci nodded, his expression grim. "A major confrontation is inevitable. And the Marines will likely launch a full-scale assault."
Noir nodded, considering the forces the Marines could deploy.
Among the Admirals, Aokiji had lost a leg in their previous encounter and wouldn't be fighting anytime soon. Akainu had nearly been taken down by Ace.
That left Kizaru, but Mihawk was still with them, so that shouldn't be a problem…
Along with Garp and Sengoku, there were only three combatants at Admiral level or higher.
At this point in time, Zephyr should still be with the Marines!
Noir's face turned serious.
A former Admiral from the same era as Garp and Sengoku, Zephyr possessed Haki comparable to Garp's, making him a formidable opponent.
Add to that Vice Admirals like Momousagi and Chaton, along with numerous other Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals, and the Marines' fighting strength was not to be trifled with.
But Noir wasn't afraid. With the underworld river, he wasn't worried about being surrounded by the Marines.
However, if Sengoku sent Zephyr after him, he could consider copying his talents.
There were also several Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals. The Underworld Pirates' key officers alone might struggle against such a force…
As Noir stared out at the vast ocean, Robin's voice broke the silence. "At this rate, we'll reach Sabaody Archipelago soon."
Sabaody Archipelago… and then… Fish-Man Island…
Noir looked thoughtfully at the distant sea. After a moment of contemplation, his eyes glinted. "To bolster our strength, I need to go to Fish-Man Island."
Robin frowned. "Isn't that too rushed? Coating the ship will take several days."
Noir shook his head, his voice firm with resolve. "I can go alone. There's something I need there…"
Princess Shirahoshi, the mermaid princess of Fish-Man Island, was Poseidon, one of the Three Ancient Weapons. She possessed the ability to communicate with and command Sea Kings.
That ability was highly likely to manifest as a talent. If Noir could copy Poseidon's power, dealing with the Marines would be much easier.
The ability to command Sea Kings to attack would be a game-changer in a large-scale Marine battle.
As Captain, Noir's words were law. No one objected.
But Robin looked at him with concern.
Noir, understanding her unspoken worries, leaned down and gently embraced her.
"I'm just going to make some preparations for the upcoming battle. I'll be back soon."
Robin nodded, a smile gracing her lips. "I understand."
She lifted her head and gently kissed Noir "Be safe, and come back soon."
The air suddenly filled with an inexplicable romantic tension. Kalifa and Conis watched with starry eyes.
Lucci rolled his eyes. Wyper and Jabra were playing cards. And Enel…was hanging from the ceiling, generating electricity and light, as usual.
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