Chapter 32 – Bounty 120 Million on Debut: The Devil Merchant Is Officially a Monster
"AND!"
Brannew slammed the table so hard the wood cracked.
"He suppressed the entire Loguetown base and kidnapped a Marine officer!"
"Every single one of these actions is a direct provocation—an insult to the Marines and to justice itself!"
As Aike's rap sheet was read out loud, the conference room erupted in killing intent.
Veterans who had fought on the front lines for decades leaked bloodlust so thick it made the air heavy.
Every officer wanted to personally lead a fleet and drag this bastard to Impel Down.
"But tonight's meeting isn't just about rage. This group is fundamentally different from normal rookie pirates."
Brannew's voice dropped.
"According to Smoker's report, every member of the crew may have awakened Haki."
"And the leader, the Devil Merchant himself, used Conqueror's Haki to knock out the entire Loguetown Marine force unconscious."
The room went dead silent.
A thunderclap would have been quieter.
"Conqueror's… in the East Blue?!"
"That's impossible!"
"No rookie in the last twenty years from the first half of the Grand Line had it!"
The officers shouted over each other.
"There's more."
Brannew's face was grim.
"Under that Conqueror's Haki, Smoker—a natural-type Logia user and former student of Zephyr—couldn't even speak. Zero resistance."
"And that was him holding back. The real thing could be far worse."
The revelation hit like a battleship broadside.
Smoker was HQ elite material.
If not for his personality, he'd already be Rear Admiral, maybe even Vice Admiral.
Yet he was utterly helpless?
The room finally grasped just how terrifying this crew was.
Leader "Aike": possesses all three types of Haki, carries a longsword → highly likely a Great Swordsman (skill level unknown).
Crew: likely every member has at least two-color Haki.
One fought Smoker and is suspected to be a natural-type Storm Logia user.
That lineup wasn't a rookie crew.
That was a budget Red Hair Pirates!
"This isn't something a random fleet can handle."
"Even if Headquarters sends ships, we need a detailed plan."
"I propose we escalate this all the way up."
Every officer agreed instantly.
This was beyond their pay grade.
Taking them down would require multiple Vice Admirals at minimum.
Admirals? No one even suggested it—still just rookies, not worth that level yet.
Brannew nodded and moved to the next item.
"Next: bounty amounts."
He slapped the first draft on the board.
Captain: Devil Merchant — Aike
Bounty: 120,000,000 Belly
"Isn't 120 million on debut a bit much?"
One Rear Admiral frowned.
No one in history had ever debuted over 100 million.
His doubt was immediately shot down.
"It's perfect."
"Even in the New World, outside the Yonko crews, almost no one could take them in a straight fight."
The others chimed in:
"High bounty will tempt the first-half supernovas and even the Warlords to hunt them."
"Even if they don't die, they'll be bleeding the whole way."
Less than ten minutes later, the vote was unanimous.
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE
Devil Merchant — Aike
Crimes:
Annihilation of the 16th Branch of the East Blue Marines
Assault on Loguetown Marine Base
Kidnapping of a female Marine officer
Abilities: Unknown; suspected life-stealing power, confirmed user of all three types of Haki, highly likely Great Swordsman
Bounty: 120,000,000 Belly
Extremely dangerous. Take dead or alive.
Meanwhile.
Having left Loguetown far behind, the Libra was sailing straight for Reverse Moun
tain.
The floating restaurant Baratie? Aike skipped it entirely.
They already had Tom for cooking—no need for Sanji this run.
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