Chapter 408: A Renown Spread Across the World
Chapter 408: A Renown Spread Across the World
East Blue, the archipelago beneath the Oceanic Kingdom, Cocoa Cia Village.
At this moment, the village was in the midst of a celebration.
"Oh!!!"
"Long live Lily! Long live Lily!"
"Long live Sage! Long live Sage!"
"Pfft! I won't bless him. That guy abducted our princess; he should be a great villain, and pirates are inherently evil!"
"But Lily is so beautiful!"
Most of the villagers held Lily's bounty poster, while a few clutched Sage's, toasting and celebrating both inside and outside the tavern.
"Hey, why don't we enlarge Lily's photo so I can worship her every day when I get home?"
"Nonsense! Is that even worship? I'm ashamed to even bring it up! Lily is to be admired, and it's an honor to catch a glimpse of her occasionally. Don't be like Jian, that sleazy guy!"
"Hey, what are you saying about me?!"
A scarred man wearing a windmill on his hat and a tanned beauty had just approached when they heard someone mention him. The scarred man's face immediately turned red, and he shouted in response.
But it only added to the ruckus inside and outside the tavern.
Some people laughed at him, while others called out that he had acquired a new scar on his face.
Some joked, asking how many inches he had enlarged Nami's bounty poster.
Jian's face turned red with anger. "How dare you slander an innocent person out of thin air?!"
"What innocence? You dare say you didn't secretly enlarge Nami's photo!"
"That's right! At your age, you're still doing such things. Shameless! I do it with the lights off!"
Jian's face changed from red to green, flashing like a traffic light, as he shouted, "I'm just making it easier to complain!"
Then he continued with incomprehensible words, like 'enlarging for clarity' and 'artistic'—obscure phrases that left everyone puzzled.
The crowd burst into laughter again, filling the tavern with a cheerful atmosphere.
"Hey! That's enough!"
Jian yelled, "Anyway, we can't celebrate with bounty posters here!"
"For Lily!"
"For the Cataclysm Pirates!"
Everyone in the tavern raised their glasses and cheered.
"Hehehe, a little excitement never hurts."
Nokki laughed heartily, "When Nami's bounty poster arrived, wasn't it also a lively affair?"
Jian sighed, "Keep it down; it's not a good influence."
"Here it comes! A giant fish!"
Just then, two men carrying an enormous fish rushed in, "We just caught it! Let's make sashimi! It's time for a feast!"
"Oh!!!"
The excitement intensified.
"Johnny! Joseph!" Jian shouted. "Why are you two joining in?"
"Call me Blade God!"
Johnny put down the fish and clenched his fist under his cheek.
"I am the Sword Saint!" Joseph covered his chin with one hand, his face solemn.
"Blade God, Sword Saint! Blade God, Sword Saint!" The crowd inside and outside the tavern continued to cheer.
"Hahaha," Nokki laughed heartily.
These people were originally destitute folks who couldn't make a living in the Oceanic Kingdom. After Sage entered the kingdom, they ventured out to sea, and some settled in the archipelago below.
Cocoa Cia Village was just one of them, and many found a new home here. The pain caused by Arlong was gradually healing as the population grew.
Jian was delighted to see this, so he welcomed everyone, as they all shared a common bond as people helped by pirates.
This included Johnny and Joseph, who, after the Arlong battle, gave up their bounty hunter lives and became dedicated fishermen, now living happy lives.
"Due to their exceptional fishing and fish-slaying skills, the people from the Oceanic Kingdom praised them as the 'Blade God Sword Saint', and they basked in the glory."
Nokki held up the wanted posters of Sage and Lily in her hand and said, "Speaking of which, Nami and I are subjects of Her Royal Highness the Princess. Even if the Navy finds out, they wouldn't dare do anything. Her Royal Highness remembers her subjects, and she is second only to the 'Four Emperors'. No one would offend us!"
Nokki and Nami were also from the Oceanic Kingdom. They were war orphans left behind after the great pirate war and were later adopted by Belmer, who was a Navy officer at the time, and brought here.
In a sense, Nami, who has now become a pirate, is legally a subject of Lily. However, now that they're all pirates, no one acknowledges this.
Ironically, the Navy couldn't protect them, and the people here were all saved by pirates. Even Her Royal Highness has become a pirate.
"Ah, the ways of the world," Jien sighed as he looked at the wanted poster of Sage in his hand and then gazed up at the sky.
"Another world-shaking figure has emerged in the East Blue, and I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing."
...
"Long live Lady Marika!"
In the East Blue, within the Forest Kingdom.
There were people cheering and celebrating there as well.
These people were originally from the Sandshallow Kingdom. After Sage's invasion, they returned here, and since the king was gone, they seized power in time and proclaimed Marika as their ruler, temporarily stabilizing the Forest Kingdom.
The throne now belongs to Marika, but with no one ruling, self-proclaimed officials are running the country.
The entire nation holds Marika in high regard, and the small minority who are dissatisfied are suppressed by the overwhelming public opinion.
They have been closely following Marika's bounty, celebrating each increase from the initial 30 million to the current 738 million.
With a bounty of 700 million, she is already a super-powerful pirate in the East Blue. In this region, having a bounty over 100 million is enough to become an idol for many.
Previously, a green-haired pirate's wanted poster had already caused many to grit their teeth.
Their nationwide celebration is no small matter! As for the nearby Navy, they can't and won't interfere.
Even if they ask, the people can simply reply that they are celebrating, and the wanted poster is just a coincidence, having nothing to do with them.
Moreover, this is the homeland of a high-ranking officer under a Four Emperor. They're just celebrating, not becoming pirates. What if something happens, and Marika comes after them?
They are just in the East Blue, unable to provoke the powerful pirates of the Grand Line, whose might they can't even fathom.
...
Also within the East Blue.
On a mountain peak.
Garp rose from the grass, holding the wanted poster that exuded a wild arrogance. He stared at it for a moment and then burst into laughter, "Hahaha! It's come to this, huh? Truly extraordinary, even surpassing that Red-Haired guy!"
The Red-Haired pirate only became the 'Pirate King' and established the title of 'Four Emperors' a few years ago.
But how long has it been since Sage set sail? It's only been a year and a half since the Great War.
And he's already secured the position of Pirate King.
"Luffy," Garp sighed and laughed, "Your path ahead is filled with formidable foes! Hahaha!"
(End of Chapter)
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