Chapter 042 – Meeting Smoker & Collecting the Bounty
"Hahaha! How about it? This treasure is enough to buy back my freedom, right?"
Seeing the joy in Kai's eyes, Nico Bear laughed heartily while secretly feeling the pain in his heart!
"Mm! Not bad! Nico Bear! Are you interested in becoming my subordinate?"
Kai nodded slightly, then suddenly asked Nico Bear—leaving him stunned and bewildered!
"Ah…"
Nico Bear was completely dumbfounded. What did Kai mean by this?
"Kai my brother! It's not that I don't want to agree, but being a bounty hunter really isn't for me. Being a pirate is my true passion!"
Nico Bear then looked at Kai with a troubled expression, afraid that if Kai got unhappy, he would capture him again. He wouldn't even have a place to cry!
"Don't worry! I'm not asking you to become a bounty hunter!"
Seeing Nico Bear's reaction, Kai smiled calmly!
"In a few years, I will also form my own pirate crew!"
Then Kai dropped a bombshell that exploded in Nico Bear's ears!
"Wh-what…?"
Nico Bear truly hadn't expected that Kai also wanted to become a pirate!
"With your current strength, you won't be able to pass through the Grand Line, let alone adventure there! But if you're willing to become my subordinate, I have ways to increase your combat power and help you enter the dream-filled Grand Line!"
Ignoring Nico Bear's shock, Kai continued speaking calmly into his ear!
"Also, I don't need you to disband your pirate crew and join me. I only need you to become a pirate crew under my flag!"
Kai had already thought this through clearly. To reach the New World and stand at the peak of pirate power in the future, having a solid subordinate network was essential. He wasn't Luffy—he didn't have that kind of support. He could only rely on himself! So building a foundation was necessary!
But Kai didn't want to recruit just any trash. Nico Bear was undoubtedly one of the pirates he was most satisfied with! His Devil Fruit ability was even a branch of Kai's own Emotion Fruit. There was no reason not to recruit him as a subordinate!
Phew!!
It took Nico Bear quite a while to digest Kai's words. Then he looked at Kai seriously and asked:
"What can you show me to prove you can do everything you just said?"
Nico Bear didn't dare gamble with his life and fortune. Kai's words sounded nice, but he wouldn't believe them so easily!
"Heh heh! Time will be the best proof! Isn't that right? I don't need you to agree right now. At most, in 3 to 5 years, I will enter the Grand Line. When you see whether my pirate crew is strong enough, you can decide then!"
Kai chuckled lightly!
"Hahaha! Good! That's no problem!"
Hearing Kai put it that way, Nico Bear would be a fool not to agree. Who knew what would happen in 3 to 5 years? There was no need to offend Kai right now. And if Kai's pirate crew really became powerful enough by then, he would gladly join under Kai's flag. Entering the Grand Line and adventuring there had always been his dream! It was the dream of every man who sailed the seas!
Kai, who clearly sensed Nico Bear's emotional fluctuations, didn't say anything more. He simply taught Nico Bear the method of weighted training and clearly warned him not to enter Loguetown or try to pass through Reverse Mountain for the next few years. If he got caught by Smoker, there would be nothing Kai could do to save him!
"Remember, the weighted training method I taught you can only be taught to people you trust on your ship. If the method leaks out—especially to the Marines—no matter where you hide, I will kill you!"
Kai then gave Nico Bear a serious warning. At the end, both his Haki and killing intent erupted from his body, intimidating Nico Bear!
"Ah…"
Feeling the overwhelming aura bursting from Kai, Nico Bear felt as if the air around him had solidified. His heart was filled with shock. He hadn't realized that during their earlier fight, Kai hadn't used his full strength at all. Just this aura alone told Nico Bear he was no match!
"I will definitely remember!"
Nico Bear quickly agreed. At the same time, he secretly felt fortunate. It was good that he hadn't thought of tricking or harming Kai—otherwise, he wouldn't even know how he died. He also began to believe that if the young man in front of him switched to becoming a pirate, he would definitely be able to enter the Grand Line!
"Good! Leave Loguetown immediately! Right now, I'm not necessarily Smoker's match. If he wants to capture you, I won't be able to save you. A few years from now, when you hear news of me forming a pirate crew, you can come to Loguetown then!"
Seeing Nico Bear seriously agree, Kai finally relaxed. He then spoke again!
"As for your two subordinates, they are complete scum. You don't need to worry about them. In the future, try to recruit pirates who yearn for freedom on the seas, not garbage that only causes trouble!"
Finally, Kai gave Nico Bear an order in a commanding tone. Without realizing it, Kai had already begun treating himself as Nico Bear's boss. Under the influence of Kai's Emotion Fruit, Nico Bear obediently agreed!
Only then did Kai take the unexpectedly obtained Devil Fruit, leave Nico Bear's Explosive Bear Pirates, store the Devil Fruit in his Phantom, and turn toward the Marine branch!
"Wow! So the 'Maple Leaf Hunter' is that strong! I never expected someone so powerful to be a kid even younger than me!"
Inside the Marine branch, Tashigi curiously asked about everything related to Kai. After learning about Kai's legendary feats from Smoker, she exclaimed in amazement! Her eyes sparkled with excitement!
"Capturing over a hundred big and small pirates in a single year… that's really amazing…"
Tashigi murmured. Kai's strength and legends left her in awe!
"Mm! Kai kid is indeed very strong. It would be great if he were willing to join the Marines. Then the justice of the Marines could be spread even further!"
Smoker also smiled faintly!
"Report, Colonel! The 'Maple Leaf Hunter' has arrived! He says he wants to see you!"
Right after Smoker finished speaking, a Marine entered and reported to him!
"Heh heh! We were just talking about him and he shows up! Bring him in!"
Smoker smiled and ordered the Marine!
"Yes, Colonel!"
The Marine immediately responded and turned to leave!
Not long after, Kai's figure followed the Marine's guidance and entered the room. The moment she saw Kai, Tashigi's eyes lit up with excitement!
"White Hunter Smoker?"
Kai looked at Smoker and spoke calmly. In Kai's eyes, Smoker wasn't as fierce as he would become in a few years. He still looked young and quite handsome, with a cigar in his mouth!
"'Maple Leaf Hunter' Kai?"
Smoker also looked at Kai calmly. Then both of them laughed at the same time, realizing that both of their titles contained the word "Hunter"!
"I won't waste words. I'm here to collect the bounty. You won't go back on your word, right, Smoker?"
Kai then spoke directly to Smoker!
"Of course not! But what about 'Explosive Bear' Nico Bear? Why didn't you bring him? I even prepared his bounty money for you!"
Smoker smiled faintly. He didn't like people who beat around the bush. The Kai in front of him looked quite pleasing to him!
"I let him go!"
Kai answered directly. There was no need to hide it. The Marines had no reason to arrest him because Nico Bear wasn't captured by the Marines—Kai had let him go from his own hands!
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