Ocean Calendar 1510.
Saint Charlos arrived at East Blue Goa Kingdom, where he encountered the notorious criminal 'Kari' and was tragically killed in an attack.
The World Government has now publicly issued a bounty for Kari.
The bounty is divided into multiple tiers:
1.
Anyone who can provide confirmed information about Kari will receive a reward of 200 million Berries from the World Government.
2.
Those who can pinpoint his hiding place or obtain information about his close associates will receive a reward of 550 million Berries.
3.
For intercepting him after an encounter: 10 million Berries per minute of direct combat, with no upper limit.
4.
For capturing and delivering him to the Holy Land: a reward of 2.08 billion Berries!
...
...
The World Government is furious!!
As everyone knows, bounty amounts don't solely reflect strength—the World Government sets bounties based on the level of threat posed to the world.
Take Nico Robin, for example. She was given a bounty of 79 million Berries at just eight years old, though her strength certainly didn't rival that of ten mountain bandit kings.
Even so...
This number is far too high.
Never before has there been someone whose initial bounty reached 2 billion. Even monsters like Roger and Whitebeard started with bounties in the hundreds of millions.
The reasons for this situation are...
First, the perpetrator broadcasted the crime live, making it impossible for the World Government to cover up the incident or minimize its impact.
Second, he chose to strike at the port of Goa Kingdom, killing a Celestial Dragon in front of tens of thousands of witnesses!
If it were an ordinary kingdom with just a few hundred thousand people, the Five Elders might have been able to silence them through execution or censorship.
But Goa Kingdom is the hometown of the Marine hero Garp...
Even if a Buster Call were ordered... who would dare carry it out?!
The repercussions are far too severe!!
...
On another note...
Since the Luo incident, the World Government has mobilized nearly all available forces. The Marines and CP Department have been deployed en masse, all in an effort to locate Kari.
Yet, the man seems to have vanished into thin air—no intelligence can be found through any channel.
Several crucial undercover agents, who had painstakingly infiltrated the Revolutionary Army and nearly reached cadre level, were exposed while trying to gather information.
They paid a heavy price... and gained nothing in return.
Under such circumstances, Kari reappeared, evading surveillance set up across various islands, and killed another Celestial Dragon in plain sight.
...
How much time has passed? Only a month!!
Celestial Dragons can't reproduce that quickly! If he isn't captured soon, will his mere existence prevent Celestial Dragons from descending to the lower world?!
What an utter disgrace!
This isn't just a challenge to the World Government—it's like taking a dump on the heads of the Five Elders!
Originally, the World Government didn't want to escalate the situation further and hadn't even issued a bounty for Kari, intending to resolve the matter internally.
But now...
They have no choice but to rely on the power of the masses.
Any human being is bound to have connections with others—food supplies, weapon purchases, ship repairs...
To accurately know a Celestial Dragon's itinerary, he can't possibly be a savage living on some uninhabited island!
——
——
East Blue, Polar Star Sea Region, an uninhabited island.
Griffin dug out a hollow at the center of the island and covered the edges with prepared explosive tags.
"You stay here until the appointed time... Never mind, what's the difference between this and talking to myself."
Griffin's consciousness detached from his body.
Kari slowly stood up, drawing his longsword in the darkness, his movements growing increasingly faster as he swung it.
——
——
——
Crossing the Red Line, in the latter half of the Grand Line.
This place is called the 'New World' - an arena for the strong, where great Pirates known as Sea Emperors exist.
The one closest to the throne of Pirate King is, of course, the man who was once considered equal to Pirate King Roger and first to be called a Sea Emperor.
The legendary great pirate, Whitebeard!
Following closely is the Queen of Totto Land, a natural-born destroyer, captain of the BIG MOM Pirate Crew, Charlotte Linlin!
The third is the one who emerged from among the silver medalists years ago, defeating countless great pirates...
Kaido of the Beasts!!
The strongest creature on land, sea, and air, who ascended to the position of Sea Emperor through absolute power!
...
——
Wano Country.
Once known as the Country of Samurai, it implemented a closed-country policy and never joined the World Government.
Now it serves as Kaido's territory.
...
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM——
After rampaging freely, Kaido returned from the distant sea. The massive shadow of his Azure Dragon swept over the capital, its tail flames illuminating the night sky like something out of mythology.
Kaido, user of the Zoan-type Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Zoan: Azure Dragon Form.
Approaching Onigashima, he transformed back into human form and landed in the hall.
The fire pits in the hall burned with black wood oil, their flames reflecting off Kaido's dragon-scale-like skin as if breathing.
Gulu gulu...
Leaning on his throne, he lifted his sake gourd and drank heavily.
From the shadows behind him emerged a tall figure clad in pitch-black armor, with a pair of dark wings growing from his back.
Standing over six meters tall, he didn't appear small even beside Kaido.
Executive of the Beasts Pirates, Kaido's right-hand man, the Fire Disaster among the Three Disasters - 'King'!
...
"So late... It's you, King."
"Lord Kaido..."
King's voice was deep, yet carried a rare fluctuation.
"I saw in the newspaper that person has taken action again."
Kaido raised his eyes, the firelight reflecting in his pupils, flickering uncertainly.
"Oh... Just as he said, he's still targeting those heavenly trash?"
King handed over the newspaper in his hand, showing a blurry photograph.
This wasn't due to poor photography - the intense flames surrounding that figure were distorting the atmosphere.
A luxurious ship was littered with corpses, blood serving as the backdrop of the scene.
In the center...
A decapitated Celestial Dragon.
East Blue - Goa Kingdom.
Dragon Hunter 'Kari' kills second Celestial Dragon! The world shakes!!
...
Morgans had completely let loose, playing cat and mouse with World Government agents while still managing to edit and publish newspapers.
The World Government had allocated some forces to capture him, but unfortunately, he always received advance information and escaped every time.
Kaido glanced at the newspaper, then lifted his sake gourd for another drink, the strong liquor flowing down his neck.
"Are you certain he's of your race?"
King nodded, then shook his head: "I'm not certain... but I want to go confirm it."
"If he really is... I want to bring him back here to serve you!"
Kaido stared at him for a long time.
"That guy would cause us quite some trouble if he came~"
Without hesitation, King stated firmly: "You are Kaido."
"Those troubles are no trouble for you."
...
"WORORORORORORORORORORO!!!!"
Laughter echoed through the halls of Onigashima, shaking loose debris from the ceiling.
Kaido grinned, his eyes filled with approval and recognition: "Go! King!"
"Do what you want to do! If anyone dares to lay a hand on you, feel free to use my name!!"
...
"Thank you... I'll return as quickly as possible!"
Dark wings soared through the night sky, piercing through the mists of Wano Country.