It was the second day since leaving Little Garden, and the Going Merry sailed steadily towards Drum Island.
When they weren't training, the crew took turns looking after Nami.
Right now, Luffy was in the girls' quarters, trying his best to cheer her up, making funny faces and telling terrible jokes.
Nothing was working.
"Nami~," he whined, "please get better soon..."
Ray walked in to take over the shift and just sighed at the sight of Luffy.
Underneath the goofy exterior, the captain was clearly heartbroken.
"Luffy, go take a break," Ray said gently. "It's Chouchou's turn to watch her."
"Mm~" Luffy slowly walked out, taking the chopsticks and hairpins out of his hair, looking dejected.
He turned back to Ray.
"Ray... Nami will definitely get better, right?"
Ray nodded.
"Don't worry."
"Okay~"
Just then, Usopp yelled from the crow's nest.
"Ray! Luffy! News Coo! Should I shoot it down? Make some soup for Nami?"
Ray thought about it.
They weren't really short on food right now.
If they shot it down, they might miss out on news again.
Maybe let it go this time?
'After Alabasta,' he mused, 'I can track down Morgans and... persuade him to send a 'News Coo Suicide Squad' every day. News and bird meat. Win-win. Maybe eating their brains will help increase Luffy's IQ.'
But before he could answer, Luffy and Sanji both yelled, "Shoot it down! Bird soup is nutritious!"
Ray's lips twitched.
'Wasn't my idea.'
Oh well. He could always hunt Morgans down later.
A moment later, a very confused and unwilling News Coo plummeted from the sky.
Just before it hit the water, a rubbery arm snatched its still-warm body and the bag it carried.
Luffy tossed the bird corpse to Sanji and eagerly opened the newspaper, frowning like he was actually reading it.
After a minute, he lost patience.
"What kind of crappy newspaper is this?! I can't read a single word!"
"Huh?" Zoro walked over, glanced at the paper, and sweatdropped.
"You're holding it upside down, you idiot!"
As Luffy flipped the newspaper the right way, the wanted posters tucked inside fluttered out.
…
Cocoyashi Village
Nojiko's bump had mostly healed.
"Cold Prince?" she read Ray's new epithet, blushing. "It fits so well. Every time I see his photo, I'm freezing~ heehee~" Drool.
Genzo, standing nearby, was completely speechless.
She spent all her free time staring at Ray's poster.
He pulled out Nami's new poster.
"This one's not bad. Normal photo. But the name... 'Extremely Vicious Cat Burglar'? Are the Marines blind?"
…
Three days earlier, Marine HQ, Bounty Division
Brandnew was running the meeting.
Just as they finalized the Straw Hats' new bounties based on Sengoku's orders, Gion and Hina walked in.
"Vice Admiral Momousagi? Captain Hina?" Brandnew asked, completely surprised by their appereance.
Gion cut straight to the chase. "We're here to revise the Straw Hats' bounties."
Brandnew frowned.
He knew they'd fought the Straw Hats, but the details were classified.
All he knew was Sengoku wanted Luffy and Ray's bounties bumped up to Crocodile's level.
Gion showing up personally meant something big was hidden.
"Your instructions, Vice Admiral Gion?"
"First," she began, " 'White-Haired Swordsman' doesn't fit Ray. He's more than just a swordsman. Using that epithet will mislead Marines. Given his terrifying pressure and noble, handsome appearance—" She paused, sipped some tea, her eyes glazing over slightly.
"—I propose 'Cold Prince.'"
Everyone: ???
'Cold? Like... arrogance? Or... something else?' combined with his handsome photo, it looked more like a celebrity poster.
But hey, she was the boss.
Brandnew just praised her wisdom.
Gion continued, satisfied.
"The other change is for 'Cat Burglar' Nami. That woman is vicious, cruel, and heartless! Increase her bounty and change her epithet to 'Extremely Vicious Cat Burglar.' Those are my suggestions. Do as you will. Let's go, Hina."
The officers stared blankly after them.
"So... we agree?"
"Do we have a choice? Can you beat her?"
Brandnew sighed and finalized the list:
Captain - Straw Hat Luffy: 81,000,000 Berries
Cold Prince - Ray: 81,000,000 Berries
Pirate Hunter - Zoro: 45,000,000 Berries
Black Leg - Sanji: 40,000,000 Berries
Disgusting Tactics Sniper - Usopp: 15,000,000 Berries
Extremely Vicious Cat Burglar - Nami: 20,000,000 Berries
"Any objections?"
Just as everyone was about to agree, a captain spoke up.
"They have a dog, right? Should we throw it a bone?"
Brandnew considered it.
Just a small white dog, with no combat record... (Loguetown was classified, after all.)
Pet Dog - Chouchou: 50 Berries
"Agreed!"
…
Back on the Going Merry...
The crew saw their new posters.
Luffy laughed. "My bounty finally matches Ray's! Though I feel kinda guilty..."
Zoro smirked at Sanji.
"Hey you look as handsome as Ray here. HAHAHA."
Sanji ignore him as he was staring at his poster, then collapsed face-first onto the deck while muttering.
"How could it be so ugly? Who even is that guy?! Nooo~"
(Since Loguetown was covered up, the Marines didn't have photos. Nami's was from a shopkeeper. Sanji's was drawn from memory by a Marine... who apparently thought he looked like a chubby caricature.)
If Nami hadn't needed tending, Sanji might have stayed down there all day.
Usopp was both angry ("Disgusting tactics?! It's called high combat IQ!") and scared (15 million?! Bounty hunters will come after me!).
He cautiously crept behind Zoro for protection.
As for Nami's poster... the crew silently agreed to hide it.
Nami, in her current state, couldn't handle that shock.
Just then, Usopp's eyes widened as he read the article about the Warlords.
"Guys! Come look at this!"
…
Inside Nami's room, Ray heard all their bounties and the news about the government's Warlord replacement offer.
His expression darkened, barely suppressing his killing intent.
'Marines... are you trying to use me?' He snorted.
Anyone who tried to use him would regret it.
As for Chouchou? Hearing his measly 50 Berry bounty, he was devastated.
Curled up on Nami's blanket, paws over his head, he wailed.
"o(╥﹏╥)o I'm a dog demon, not a pet! You can't even buy a bone with that! Master, the Marines are so unfair! Waaah~~"
"Huh? Master, did you just laugh?! You totally laughed! ┭┮﹏┭┮ I don't wanna live anymore~"
Chouchou's accusations earned him ten lashings while dangling upside down.
Looking at the bruised and sulking dog, Ray sighed.
"Don't worry," he said dryly. "You won't be alone at 50 Berries. I'll find you a companion."
----------
Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator