Marineford. Fleet Admiral's Office.
Sengoku had delivered the final word. A staggering three-billion-berry bounty on Ace's head.
But that was only the beginning of this grim meeting.
Standing before the whiteboard, Great Staff Officer Vice Admiral Tsuru sighed and handed her pointer to the Marine intelligence officer who had been waiting with the prepared files. Commodore Brannew.
"The rest is yours, Brannew. The captain is not the only dangerous individual on that ship."
"Yes, Vice Admiral Tsuru."
Brannew swallowed hard. He picked up a thick stack of photographs and intelligence reports and walked to the whiteboard. Looking down at the imposing figures seated below, Sengoku, Garp, Admiral Kizaru, he felt sweat beading on his palms.
"Everyone. The reason the World Government has taken the unprecedented step of classifying the Eclipse Pirates as an Emperor-level threat goes beyond the terrifying individual strength of Portgas D. Ace. The primary factor is that this ship's officer lineup and combat capability have undergone an inexplicable collective explosion over the past few months."
Brannew picked up the first photograph and pinned it beneath Ace's.
The image showed a young blond man in a top hat, gripping a dark crimson staff.
"Eclipse Pirates Vice Captain and Chief of Staff. 'Flame Dragon' Sabo."
Brannew drew a deep breath. "His previous bounty was 820 million berries. But according to the combat assessment transmitted by Admiral Borsalino, this man has not only elevated his mastery of the Mera Mera no Mi to an entirely new level. He has also mastered advanced Armament Haki capable of internal destruction."
"More alarming still, the weapon in his hands, the Flame Dragon Staff, appears to have consumed some unknown Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit. In both encounters, at the Sabaody Archipelago and Punk Hazard, he demonstrated the ability to face an admiral in direct combat."
Brannew picked up a red marker and wrote a staggering number beneath the photograph.
"As the Eclipse Pirates' second in command, his strength has fully reached and even surpassed the level of an ordinary First Commander. After comprehensive evaluation, new bounty: 1.32 billion berries."
In the office, several vice admirals observing the briefing sucked in cold breaths. Less than a year at sea and his bounty had shattered 1.3 billion. These people were growing like monsters.
"Continue," Sengoku said, his face dark.
Brannew nodded and swapped in another photograph.
"Combatant. 'Thunder Calamity' Enel. Logia-type Goro Goro no Mi user. Previous bounty: 750 million berries. He possesses the widest-ranging Observation Haki on these seas. According to reliable intelligence, his Observation Haki has already brushed the threshold of future sight, and he has closed the gaps in his physical combat."
"New bounty: 1.18 billion berries."
"This crew has two officers with bounties exceeding one billion," Vice Admiral Tsuru remarked flatly. "A gathering of monsters."
Brannew moved on to Kuma's photograph.
"Former Revolutionary Army officer. Bartholomew Kuma."
Brannew adjusted his glasses. "A powerful crewmate personally recruited by Ace in the South Blue. Based on prior intelligence, this man not only possesses tremendous physical strength but also wields the Nikyu Nikyu no Mi, capable of repelling any attack. He provided support and defense during the Punk Hazard battle, demonstrating exceptional battlefield control. Given his existing notoriety among member nations and his current strength, the new bounty is set at 950 million berries."
"Next. The Eclipse Pirates' swordswoman."
A photograph of Leonora appeared on screen. She carried a heavy greatsword on her back, one hand resting on a quick-draw blade.
"'Wild Chef' Leonora. Previous bounty: 210 million berries."
Brannew's voice rose slightly. "According to the latest intelligence, the Eclipse Pirates killed Golden Lion Shiki, and she has since become the user of the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi. She is now the key to keeping the Eclipse airborne at high altitude. She has mastered Conqueror's Haki intimidation and specialized Observation Haki techniques, and she successfully locked down a CP0 agent in close combat. New bounty: 650 million berries."
Next, Brannew pinned up a photograph of a great white shark fishman with inverted-triangle eyes and a vicious face.
"'Demon Shark' Shark. A new face. Formerly a low-ranking crewman of the Sun Pirates, later worked as a bounty hunter on the Grand Line."
Brannew's voice grew heavier. "According to intelligence, he single-handedly annihilated the Arlong Pirates in the East Blue. On the outskirts of Punk Hazard, relying purely on physical combat and Armament Haki, he destroyed an astronomically expensive early-model PX test unit in a single punch. He even forced back one of our veteran vice admirals. Furthermore, intelligence indicates the bizarre sea beast he carries on his back is also a biochemically modified weapon."
"A pure hand-to-hand combat and Fishman Karate expert. First wanted bounty: 430 million berries."
Kizaru sipped his tea and added lazily, "That one is also a Conqueror's Haki user. If you run into him at sea, a standard battleship won't be enough for him to tear apart."
Brannew wiped his brow and swapped photographs.
"Combatant. 'Mad Monk' Urouge. Previous bounty: 380 million berries. In the Punk Hazard engagement, he withstood a vice admiral's slashes without retreating. His karmic conversion ability made him grow stronger as the fight wore on. Destructive power is staggering. New bounty: 580 million berries."
Brannew picked up the next photograph. His expression grew strange.
"Chief Steward. 'The Clown' Buggy. Previous bounty: 220 million berries."
"This man is… unsettling. He rarely engages in direct combat, but according to intelligence transmitted at the cost of their lives by CP0's undercover operatives, the poison gas shells, Sea Prism Stone concealed weapons, and liquid bombs that appeared on the Punk Hazard battlefield all seem to be his work. The Marines have classified him as a demolitions and assassination expert operating from the shadows."
"New bounty: 350 million berries."
"Chief Engineer. Jeno. Previous bounty: 90 million berries."
"Baku Baku no Mi user. By some unknown method, he has consumed and fused an indestructible Poneglyph into a subdermal armor suit, granting him absolute physical defense on these seas. He also participated in cracking the technical equipment looted from Vegapunk's facilities. The World Government considers him a dangerous scientist who must be eliminated."
"New bounty: 550 million berries."
"Intelligence Officer. 'Sly Fox' Carina. Previous bounty: 56 million berries."
"Her Devil Fruit ability is presumed to be a reconnaissance type, capable of precisely sensing all movement within several kilometers at a clarity far exceeding standard Observation Haki. Coupled with her subordinate, a parrot named Beli suspected of having consumed the Bari Bari no Mi, the two can construct a nearly impenetrable integrated offense-defense system. Her sniper rifle fires high-yield laser rounds, giving her extreme long-range suppression capability. She now serves as the Eclipse Pirates' intelligence officer and sniper. New bounty: 320 million berries."
Brannew produced a photograph of a skeleton.
"'Soul King' Brook. Fifty-year-old previous bounty: 33 million berries. He now wields a cursed blade capable of unleashing eerie green flames, suspected to be the legendary Seven Star Sword. His swordsmanship carries the freezing chill of the underworld. Targets the soul directly. Extremely dangerous. New bounty: 330 million berries."
Finally, Brannew pointed to the two men in white lab coats.
"And these two."
Irritation crept into Brannew's tone. "Former government scientist Caesar Clown. Stripped of his identity for treason. Bounty: 300 million berries. And Dr. Indigo, who has followed Ace from the beginning. Bounty: 200 million berries. They are considered the core figures enabling the Eclipse Pirates to arm themselves with science."
The wanted posters cycled across the screen.
"As for the ship's two pets, 'Blue-Nosed Reindeer' Chopper, bounty: 100 berries. 'Barrier Parrot' Beli, bounty: 100 berries." Brannew dismissed them in passing.
On the whiteboard, eleven wanted posters were arrayed in dense formation. The lowest among them exceeded 200 million berries. Three surpassed the one-billion mark. The terrifying strength on paper made every Marine officer present feel the air grow thin in their lungs.
Sengoku rose to his feet. He looked at the row of wanted posters, their combined total exceeding nine billion berries, and let out a long, heavy sigh.
"Send these bounties to Morgans. Use the title the Five Elders decided on."
The Fifth Emperor of the Sea.
Brace yourself for the mad dogs of the New World to come tearing at your throat, Portgas D. Ace.
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