Kizaru understood what Aokiji meant, but he didn't argue.
He just felt like trimming his nails, but seeing Sengoku's anger, he held back and hoped the meeting would end soon.
"Hmph! Pirates deserve to be eliminated! Kizaru must have been slacking off—otherwise, how could he fail to defeat a bunch of rookies?! Next time, I'll go myself! I'll wipe out the Straw Hat Pirates, and I'll personally take down that Straw Hat brat!"
Admiral Akainu was furious, as if the Straw Hats had some deep personal grudge against him.
But that was just how he was—he had zero tolerance for pirates. While Kizaru and Aokiji captured them, Akainu killed them on sight. To pirates, he was like a rabid dog, someone they instinctively avoided.
Garp, who had been dozing off, suddenly tensed and clenched his fists.
Then, he shifted positions and went back to sleep.
Both Aokiji and Kizaru glanced at Akainu, thinking that Garp must've been holding back—otherwise, Akainu wouldn't dare to run his mouth like that about killing Luffy right in front of his grandfather.
That was beyond reckless.
Sengoku sighed, rubbing his temples. "Sakazuki, you should head to the New World and focus on keeping the Four Emperors in check. The first half of the Grand Line will be handled by Kuzan and Borsalino. If necessary, we can even send Garp himself."
The strength of the Straw Hats was beyond what they had expected, and Luffy's identity only made things more complicated for Sengoku.
But as Fleet Admiral, he couldn't let personal ties interfere with Marine justice.
So, he made his decision.
"Increase the bounties of all the Straw Hat Pirates. Set Straw Hat Luffy's bounty at 500 million and Carl's at 300 million. However, do not mention anything about them fighting on par with a Marine Admiral. That would damage our reputation."
"Instead, charge them with crimes—say they destroyed Loguetown, kidnapped female Marines, anything to label them as dangerous criminals."
No one objected, but something about it felt off.
Wouldn't the "kidnapping female Marines" accusation also make the Marines look bad?
Vice Admiral Tsuru spoke up. "I'll inform Morgans and make sure the news doesn't get out of hand this time."
Everyone nodded, appreciating her attention to detail.
Last time, Morgans had dropped a bombshell, spreading the news of the Straw Hats' achievements without any warning. He had even exposed Captain Nezumi's corruption, which had put the Marines in an awkward position.
This time, they wouldn't let Morgans mess things up.
But they were already too late.
By the time the new bounty posters for the Straw Hats were issued, news of their battle against the Marine Grand Fleet in Loguetown had already made headlines and spread everywhere.
Sengoku was so furious that he smashed his desk, cursing Morgans for being a menace.
Then, his Den Den Mushi rang. Seeing it was Kong calling, he immediately braced himself for the inevitable scolding.
Out at sea, news birds soared through the sky, carrying the latest headlines and updated bounties for the Straw Hat Pirates. Morgans had gone all out this time. Not only would this news shake the world, but he was also set to make a fortune from it.
Morgans had a sharp nose for big stories. He knew that as long as he kept an eye on the Straw Hats, there would always be breaking news.
As the self-proclaimed "King of News," he had to keep delivering massive scoops. No small-time newspaper could ever compete with him!
And sure enough, the battle at Loguetown pushed the Straw Hat Pirates into the spotlight once again.
New and aspiring pirates were stunned to realize that the Straw Hats were already strong enough to fight on par with a Marine Admiral.
On top of that, their new bounties were jaw-droppingly high.
Meanwhile, the Straw Hats were sailing toward Whiskey Peak.
Having just entered the Grand Line, everything felt new and exciting—even the unpredictable weather.
Right from the start, they encountered violent storms and heavy hail that lasted for hours. If they hadn't been strong enough, they would have collapsed from exhaustion.
Along the way, Mr. 9 and Vivi had been captured but were fortunate enough to escape unharmed.
Nami, meanwhile, was gaining valuable experience as she navigated through the Grand Line's chaotic conditions. Given a few more days, her skills as a navigator would improve drastically.
As the weather finally calmed, the crew was left drained. Even Carl felt a little sluggish.
Just then, he spotted a news bird high in the sky. With a flick of his fingers, he sent a coin flying straight into the bird's pouch. The news bird immediately dropped a newspaper before continuing its flight.
Carl took one look at the front page and grinned.
Luffy stretched his neck over to peek at the newspaper. "Whoa! They actually reported our fight with the Marines in Loguetown! Hahaha, this is awesome!"
Luffy loved making a name for himself, so naturally, he was thrilled.
Hearing the commotion, the rest of the crew gathered around.
The front page featured a photo of Luffy clashing with Kizaru—a shot secretly taken by Carl.
The article itself stuck mostly to the facts.
Since Carl had personally submitted the photos, most of the report focused on the Straw Hats and their crew.
Morgans had likely added some embellishments and included Marine-related details to maintain a sense of balance.
It was clear—no matter how wild Morgans was, he still had a strong instinct for survival.
Not far away, Mr. 9 and Vivi read the news as well, their eyes widening in pure shock.
Mr. 9 and Vivi were in utter disbelief.
They never expected that the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates had fought Admiral Kizaru in Loguetown and still managed to enter the Grand Line without a scratch. That was beyond impressive.
At that moment, they both realized—they had boarded an extraordinary pirate ship.
"Huh? Looks like there's a new batch of bounty posters!" Usopp said excitedly, spreading them out for everyone to see.
As soon as they looked, their eyes widened in shock.
Captain Monkey D. Luffy – 500 million berries!
Lightning Swordsman Carl – 300 million berries!
Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro – 120 million berries!
Black Leg Sanji – 100 million berries!
Tengu Sniper King Usopp – 50 million berries!
Hypnosis Master Jango – 30 million berries!
Cat Burglar Nami – 20 million berries!
Lion King – 2 million berries!
Sea Beast Moo Moo – 1 million berries!
The entire crew—including their pets—had bounties, totaling 1.123 billion berries!
It was an astronomical sum, one that sent shockwaves across the seas.
This bounty alone made it seem like the value of berries had plummeted. But more importantly, it proved just how terrifying the Straw Hat Pirates had become.
Even Morgans wrote in his article, "If the Straw Hats enter the New World, there will be Five Emperors."
That statement alone turned heads worldwide.
Of course, many dismissed it as an exaggeration. How could a crew that had just entered the Grand Line be powerful enough to rival the Yonko?
Meanwhile, the Marines quickly released a statement, claiming the reports were overblown and inaccurate.
They insisted that the Straw Hats' high bounties were due to the numerous crimes they had committed, listing all sorts of fabricated offenses to justify the massive numbers.
------------------------
For Advance chapters visit : patreon.com/Mythic_Muse