One Piece: Rising to Power as a Warlord of the Sea

Chapter 33: Chapter 33: The Super Rookie Pirate Crew with a Bounty of Nearly 600 Million



One day later, Marineford, Admiral's Office.

"Hahaha, you're really something, Natsu! In just a few months, you've defeated two Warlords of the Sea. You truly are my grandson!" Garp exclaimed as he read the newspaper, unable to contain his laughter, which finally drew the ire of Sengoku.

"Garp, shut up! You old fool! This is all your fault. With such strength, why not let him join the Navy?" Sengoku snapped, snatching the newspaper from Garp's hands and slamming it down on the desk, his forehead vein bulging. If he didn't know this old guy's temperament, he might have slapped him.

"Two Warlords have been defeated by a single young pirate. The world government has worked hard to maintain the balance of power, and now it's become a joke. How can a bunch of failures claim to be top forces in the sea? The world government plans to revoke Crocodile and Gecko Moria's Warlord status and recruit new, powerful pirates into the ranks of the Warlords," Sengoku continued.

"Moreover, recently, Red-Haired Shanks has risen rapidly, conquering territories and accumulating an increasing number of subordinate pirate crews. He has subtly begun to stand shoulder to shoulder with the other three emperors of the New World. Many are already calling them the 'Emperors of the New World' in hushed tones."

"Since Gol D. Roger's last words seventeen years ago ignited the Great Pirate Era, the pressure on the Navy has only increased. A swarm of pirates is flooding into the New World, which has become a paradise for their reckless behavior. What are we, the bearers of justice, supposed to do about this?" Sengoku slowly laid out the current turmoil on the seas, acknowledging that times are changing and the Navy must work even harder.

"Alright, this isn't an issue we can solve in a day. The purpose of gathering everyone here is not only to analyze the current situation but also to discuss the Celestial Dragon's tribute issue. We must…" Vice Admiral Tsuru chimed in, taking over Sengoku's words, which turned the already serious topic dull and awkward.

"Creak~" Garp heard yet another tedious topic about a bunch of garbage and got up to leave. However, Sengoku's words stirred something in Garp's mind. He realized he already had a revolutionary and a pirate on his hands; he must ensure that Luffy becomes a strong force for justice.

Otherwise, his mentorship would be a complete failure!

Garp clenched his fist, filled with determination, and decided to return home soon to check on what Luffy and Ace were up to.

And that rascal Natsu, who's been making such a big splash lately—once he breaks his donut-eating record, he'll definitely head out to give him a proper lesson.

Ultimately, the Navy, under the leadership of Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru, completed the arrangements concerning the tribute and the current situation in the New World, while also adjusting the bounty for Natsu's crew, the Smiling Pirates.

Especially when Sengoku saw the emergence of Enel, a user of a natural-type Devil Fruit, he felt a tremor in his heart. Why are all these monstrous characters becoming pirates?

Isn't it better to uphold justice?!

"Monkey D. Natsu! Hahaha, interesting! In just a few months, he's defeated two Warlords; it seems he's the hottest topic in the news now," big news reporter Morgans said as he sat aboard the Sea Gull aircraft carrier, sipping tea and reading the news sent by the world government, his interest piqued.

In addition to the bounty notices for the Smiling Pirates, Morgans' praise of Natsu as a super rookie gained immense popularity, sparking curiosity among countless pirates.

"Five months, and a super rookie has defeated two Warlords!"

"The strongest rookie has emerged; who will be their next target? Warlords, are you ready?"

"Shock! The Smiling Pirates have a top natural-type Devil Fruit user!"

Across the world, pirates saw Natsu's faint smile on the news, while the remaining Warlords displayed various expressions—disdain, indifference, boredom, annoyance, concern, but not much more…

On the Smiling ship, when the bounty notices arrived, Kumo's reaction exploded again.

"Five hundred berries?!" Even if it was sold by the pound, it would be worth more than that! Kumo yelled in frustration, eventually finding a corner to draw circles, seemingly cursing the Navy for issuing the bounty.

The final bounties for the Smiling Pirates saw captain Natsu's bounty raised to three hundred million berries.

As a newcomer, Enel's bounty jumped directly to one hundred million berries due to his natural-type Devil Fruit powers.

Akin's bounty reached eighty million berries, and surprisingly, his bounty notice featured his ghost car form, leaving Natsu curious about who had taken that picture.

Hiro's bounty was set at fifty million berries, while fishman Noriyuki's bounty was at forty million berries. Karina was also wanted, albeit for only one million berries.

"Ah, I'm wanted too!" Karina gasped, clutching her chest, cold sweat pouring down. Her heart raced; she had just been a bystander, never fighting, so why did she have a bounty?

"One million berries?!" Kumo exclaimed upon hearing this, nearly fainting. Why did this weak woman have a bounty two thousand times higher than his?!

"Curse you! Curse you!" she shouted.

"Yahaha! The Navy does have an eye for talent; I'm starting with a bounty of one hundred million berries!" Enel rejoiced, especially seeing that his bounty was higher than Gin's.

The two had recently been sparring frequently, but due to Gin's beast form and Haki, Enel couldn't gain a decisive edge. Their battles often ended in a draw. With the animal-type's powerful recovery, Gin had the advantage in terms of endurance.

"Hmph, boring!" Gin shot Enel a glare and turned to enter the training room. Although he wasn't good at expressing emotions, he was determined not to lose. He thought it was just a matter of needing more training.

"Next time, I'll be the one to win," Gin vowed silently.

Five days later, the Smiling ship finally arrived in the waters of the Cardili Kingdom, heading towards Sound Island under Karina's guidance.

This was a unique island shaped like a piano, with mountains forming a keyboard across the island. At the easternmost edge was a small, independent island resembling a violin.

The Smiling ship continued at a steady pace, and after five hours, they discovered an unremarkable island, bringing smiles to everyone's faces.

Only Karina's expression changed when she saw the island; her face turned pale, and she trembled as if she had lost all strength.

She seemed to have seen something unusual.

"Are you feeling unwell, Karina?" Natsu asked, turning to her.

"It's nothing; just a bit dizzy. I'll be fine after resting a moment," Karina replied, holding her forehead, her voice hoarse.

"In that case, Hiro, you stay on the ship as well. You can take care of Karina," Natsu said. Hiro had recently developed a strong interest in the medical knowledge he purchased from the system, particularly about genetics, obsessively engrossed as if he were infatuated with an unparalleled beauty.

"Don't worry, Natsu!" Hiro replied, his gaze fixed on the medical book, not lifting his head.

"Ah~ forget it," Natsu shook his head helplessly. Staying on the ship posed no danger anyway.

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