Chapter 13: Wanted Posters and the Gacha Ritual!
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
The office of the Fleet Admiral was located at the highest point of the formidable fortress, overlooking the bay where battleships of Justice were docked in neat, intimidating rows. Inside, the atmosphere was thick with cigarette smoke and the heavy weight of command.
"Garp!"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku's voice thundered across the room, his round glasses glinting dangerously. He slammed his hand down on the desk, causing the stack of urgent reports to jump.
"Stop eating my okaki! And wipe that grin off your face! This is a serious diplomatic incident involving a Warlord!"
"Bwahahaha!"
Monkey D. Garp, the Hero of the Marines, ignored his superior completely. He lounged on the leather sofa, digging his hand into a bag of rice crackers with a loud crunching sound. Crumbs fell onto his pristine white suit, adding to the mess he had already made.
"Well, well, regardless of the politics," Garp said, chewing loudly, "the deed is done, Sengoku. Arlong was a nuisance. A newcomer pirate who just wiped out a Fishman crew with a 20 million Berry bounty... He has guts. I like him."
Garp tossed a cracker into his mouth.
"His strength doesn't seem weak either. To kill a Fishman of Arlong's caliber in melee combat... he can no longer be treated as an ordinary East Blue pirate. It's been a while since the East Blue produced a monster."
He stood up, dusting the crumbs off his pants.
"I think I'll take a trip back home. I need to check on... things. And maybe pay this kid a visit."
"You just want to go back to the East Blue to slack off and beat up your grandson!" Sengoku roared, a vein popping on his forehead. "I'm warning you, Garp, don't even think about it! I have enough headaches without you going rogue!"
"It's not just the boy," Vice Admiral Tsuru interjected calmly.
She was sitting quietly on a side chair, her hands folded in her lap. She pointed a slender finger at a second photograph attached to the file—a grainy, long-distance shot taken by a hidden Marine photographer.
It showed a petite girl with blue hair, dressed in a maid outfit, standing amidst the ruins of the 16th Branch. She was holding a massive, spiked flail that looked heavy enough to crush a tank, yet she held it as lightly as a feather duster.
"There is also this maid," Tsuru noted, her eyes narrowing in analysis. "Her fighting style is described as 'ferocious' and 'heavy impact.' The report states that the entire Marine branch was incapacitated by her alone before the Captain was executed. To provoke both the Marine and the Shichibukai's forces simultaneously... What audacity."
"Audacity?"
A deep, rumbling voice cut through the conversation like a flow of magma.
Admiral Akainu (Sakazuki) stood by the window, his back to the room. Smoke billowed from the cigar clamped between his teeth. He turned slowly, his face a mask of absolute, ruthless judgment.
"It is not audacity. It is evil."
Akainu walked over to the desk, looking down at the photos of Suzaku and Rem.
"No matter who it is... anyone who so brazenly tramples on the face of Justice must be completely eradicated. If we let them live, it sends a message that the Marines are weak."
He slammed a magma-encased fist onto the table, scorching the wood.
"Since they want fame, then let a bounty poster show the entire world the consequence of opposing the Marines! Crush them before they enter the Grand Line!"
A brief, heavy silence fell over the office. Even Garp stopped chewing for a moment.
Finally, Sengoku adjusted his glasses. He made his decision.
"Agreed," the Fleet Admiral said in a deep voice. "Regardless of Arlong's corruption, attacking a Marine branch and killing a commissioned officer is a capital offense. Furthermore, since the incident involves the dignity of Jimbei, we must show that we are taking action to pacify the Warlord."
He picked up his brush pen, dipping it into the inkwell.
"Immediately issue bounties for them! Robbing a branch office, executing a Captain, and annihilating a pirate crew worth 20 million... This arrogance must be reflected by a number that signifies the extreme threat they pose to peace."
He wrote a number on the document with a flourish.
"Notify all East Blue branches to heighten their vigilance! List these two individuals as high-priority targets for immediate elimination!"
The Grand Line. Two Days Later (News Travels Fast).
Back on the Vermilion Wing.
The morning sun bathed the deck in a warm, golden glow. The smell of tangerines and sea salt filled the air.
However, the mood near the helm was anything but peaceful.
"Suzaku... your bounty is... fifty million Berries! And Rem... Rem has twenty million!"
Nami's hands trembled as she held the wanted posters. Her face was pale, drained of all blood. She looked like she was about to faint.
"Fifty million... and twenty million..." she whispered, her voice cracking. "That's a combined total of seventy million Berries! In the East Blue! Do you understand what this means?! We are now super-wanted criminals! Admirals might come for us!"
"Let me see! Let me see!"
Suzaku snatched the bounty poster from her hands, his eyes shining with excitement rather than fear. He smoothed out the paper, eager to see his official debut in the world of One Piece.
[WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE]
[SUZAKU YAREON]
[ALIAS: THE MADMAN (KYOUJIN)]
[BOUNTY: 50,000,000 BERRIES]
"What the hell!"
Suzaku's smile vanished instantly. He yelled at the paper as if it could hear him.
"I clearly told those Marines my name was 'Suzaku'! Or 'Vermilion Bird'! I gave them a cool alias!"
He pointed at the bold text.
"What kind of utterly awful nickname is 'The Madman'?! Who came up with that? Was it that reporter hiding in the bushes?! I want to sue for defamation of character!"
"Rem is also dissatisfied."
Rem, who hadn't initially seemed to care about the bounty, leaned over Suzaku's shoulder to look at her own poster. Her single visible blue eye narrowed dangerously.
[WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE]
[REM]
[ALIAS: THE VIOLENT MAID]
[BOUNTY: 20,000,000 BERRIES]
"Violent Maid..." Rem read the text, her small face instantly puffing up with anger. "How could they write that Rem is 'violent'? Rem is a perfect, elegant maid who simply takes out the trash. This is truly too much. Rem demands a retraction."
"Now is not the time to worry about nicknames, you idiots!"
Nami grabbed her hair, looking incredulous at the duo's priorities.
"This is your first bounty, and it's already this high! A full fifty million! Do you know how many bounty hunters are going to be looking for us? We're like walking bags of gold!"
She paced back and forth on the deck, her anxiety spiking.
"The Marines will swarm us like sharks smelling blood! And I... I just joined the crew! I'm not on the bounty poster yet!"
She stopped, looking at the shore of the island they were passing.
"If I get off the ship now... it should still be in time, right? I can say I was kidnapped! I can claim duress!"
"What's there to be afraid of?"
Suzaku grinned carelessly, folding the wanted poster and stuffing it into his pocket. He walked over and patted his chest with a loud thump.
"Our strength is considerable, Nami. A mere fifty million is just the starting line. Don't worry. You are our important Navigator. Without you, we'd be sailing in circles."
He looked her in the eye, his expression softening.
"Rem and I will absolutely protect you. No bounty hunter will touch a single hair on your head."
"Yes, Lady Nami."
Rem nodded seriously, stepping forward. Her small face was filled with a solemn determination.
"Rem will protect you. Anyone who wishes to harm the Navigator will have to step over Rem's corpse."
Hearing Suzaku's confident assurance, and seeing Rem's cute yet earnest appearance, Nami's panic began to subside. A wave of warmth washed over her.
For eight years, she had been alone. She had been the one protecting everyone else. Now... someone was protecting her.
"Ugh..."
Nami bit her lip, her eyes watering. She was so touched that she couldn't hold back.
"Waaah! Rem! You're the best! I'm entrusting my safety to you!"
She rushed forward and threw her arms around the petite maid, hugging her tightly.
"Hey, hey! I said I'd protect you too..." Suzaku protested, feeling slightly left out.
But his protest died in his throat.
Nami, in her emotional outburst, had practically buried Rem entirely in her embrace. She pulled the shorter girl's head directly into her chest.
That overly "generous" bosom submerged Rem's face, creating a suffocating, soft curve of flesh.
Holy...
It was only then that Suzaku belatedly realized that the eighteen-year-old Nami had already developed such a "perilous" figure. The manga didn't do it justice.
While he was momentarily stunned, staring with wide eyes, Rem struggled to break free from Nami's suffocating affection.
"Mmph! L-Lady Nami... air..."
Rem gently pushed Nami away. Her small face was slightly red from the lack of oxygen. She straightened her ruffled maid headdress and smoothed her apron.
Then, she looked up.
She caught Suzaku staring.
Her eyes narrowed. The warmth vanished, replaced by a look of absolute zero.
"Lord Suzaku," she said, her voice dripping with ice. "Your gaze just now was extremely rude. You were calculating the volume, were you not?"
"I... I was just concerned for your safety!" Suzaku stammered, looking away and whistling.
"Please mind your manners," Rem scolded, placing a hand on her hip. "You must not act like a pervert in front of the new crew member. It lowers the dignity of the Captain."
Suzaku: "..."
Ten Minutes Later. Inside the Captain's Cabin.
To avoid Rem's gaze, which seemed capable of drilling through the deck and incinerating his soul, Suzaku quickly made an excuse about checking the inventory and slipped into the cabin.
He closed the door and leaned against it, letting out a long breath.
"Phew. That maid has a built-in scumbag detector."
He walked over to his desk and sat down. It was time for business.
"The bounties are out. The newspapers have spread the word. That means..."
He focused his mind.
[System Notification: Reputation Update Processed.]
[Total Legend Points: 3,365]
"Perfect. The Legend Points have arrived."
Suzaku rubbed his hands together. A thrill of anticipation shot through him. It was time to try this 'Summoning' function properly.
He brought up the pale blue system screen, his eyes scanning the numbers.
3,365 Points.
It sounded like a lot, but when he looked at the price list, his enthusiasm dampened slightly.
[Summoning Costs:]
Normal Summon: 100 Legend Points.
Advanced Summon: 2,000 Legend Points.
"Tsk. Two thousand for one Advanced Summon?" Suzaku clicked his tongue. "That is too much of a rip-off. After saving up so much, destroying a Marine base and a Warlord's crew, I barely have enough for one Advanced pull."
He sighed, shaking his head.
"Gacha games are a scam no matter what world you're in. The inflation is real."
He tapped his finger on the desk, weighing his options.
He could do one Advanced Summon and hope for a character. Or... he could do thirty-three Normal Summons.
But Normal Summons usually gave items, trash, or very weak characters. Advanced Summons guaranteed at least a B-Rank entity.
"Relying on my rich 'gacha' experience from my previous life..." Suzaku muttered, his eyes gleaming with the madness of a gambler. "I know the strategy."
The Gambler's Fallacy.
"If I pull an Advanced Summon immediately, the desire sensor will detect my desperation and give me trash. I need to trick the RNG."
He nodded to himself.
"First, I will do a ten-pull on the Normal Summon to 'prime the pool'—to get the bad luck out of the way. Then, I will painfully commit to one Advanced Summon! The rest I will save as strategic reserves."
It was completely illogical superstition, but to a gamer, it was law.
Subconsciously, Suzaku stood up and walked to the washbasin in the corner of the room. He grabbed a bar of soap and thoroughly washed his hands, scrubbing under his fingernails.
"Wash away the bad luck. Wash away the desire."
He dried his hands on a clean towel.
"Okay. I'm ready."
He sat back down and looked toward the ethereal summoning interface floating in the air.
[Select Summon Type]
"First, a normal ten-pull... to soften the blow!"
Suzaku pressed the button for [Normal Summon x10].
[Cost: 1,000 Legend Points. Confirm?]
"Confirm!"
VWOOM.
A field of illusory light appeared before his eyes. It wasn't just a text box; it was a full visual spectacle.
Ten orbs of light shot out from a central void, spinning and flashing rapidly. They wove into a familiar vortex, changing colors as they rotated.
White... Blue... maybe a flash of Gold?
Suzaku couldn't help but twitch his mouth, blurting out a complaint:
"Good heavens, this light effect, this spinning... It really has that familiar, predatory taste of mobile games! Are you going to ask me for my credit card next?"
The light before him began to slow down. The spinning orbs settled into a line, their colors solidifying.
Suzaku held his breath.
"Come on... give me something useful. Even if it's trash, give me useful trash!"
The first orb cracked open.
[Akarin Note:
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