12. Kid, Apu, First Meeting

"The term 'supernova' refers to rookie pirates who have risen quickly and earned bounties of over 100 million Berries," Nami explained, her surprise evident.

"If you consider the timeline, these individuals have spent roughly the same amount of time at sea as Luffy, yet their bounties have already surpassed 100 million Berries," she continued.

"Luffy and Zoro are among them," Nami added.

"What? So there are still nine pirates like Luffy and Zoro on this island?" Chopper exclaimed, taken aback by the revelation.

Despite their numerous adventures and accomplishments—defeating two Shichibukai, infiltrating Enies Lobby, and defying the World Government—only Luffy and Zoro had earned the title of supernova among the Straw Hat crew.

It was hard to fathom that there were nine others with similar reputations.

"Nine," Nami confirmed, glancing at the newspaper. "But it's unusual for so many supernovas to be gathered in Sabaody. Normally, there are only two or three here on any given day."

"The fact that there are eleven this time is incredibly rare," she added.

"These bounties are the ones Ms Shakky managed to gather about the other nine supernovas," Nami explained, putting down the newspaper and picking up the reward list.

As the crew examined the list, they were once again shocked by the revelation of the Supernova Eleven.

"Zoro's bounty is surprisingly low among them," Nami noted.

Usopp set down the reward list, visibly surprised.

Given Zoro's undeniable strength and their daring exploits, it seemed perplexing that his bounty ranked so low.

"Interesting, a countdown?" Zoro remarked, taking a sip of wine with a sharp smile.

Even he couldn't deny feeling a twinge of competitiveness. While he didn't equate bounty with strength, being second to last among the supernovas still irked him.

"Three hundred and fifteen million, someone has a higher bounty than Luffy," Chopper exclaimed, astonished.

"Who's got a higher one?" Luffy leaned in eagerly. "Eustass Kid? Impressive. I think I've heard of him."

"No, this guy seems ruthless," Usopp muttered, covering his head.

Compared to Luffy, Kid's presence exuded a starkly different aura—one of brutality and bloodshed.

However, the excitement over the supernova bounties quickly faded from Luffy and the others' minds.

Sabaody's captivating bubble culture fascinated all newcomers to the island. Additionally, its proximity to Marine Headquarters ensured safety in areas such as sightseeing streets, shopping districts, and playgrounds, aside from the restricted zones. Being the final island in the first half of the Grand Line, Sabaody served as a crucial hub for nobles and businessmen awaiting approval for land deals from Mariejois. Consequently, tourism and commerce flourished on the archipelago.

Before long, Luffy and the others found themselves enthralled by the abundance of goods available everywhere.

Meanwhile, in the No. 1 mangrove area of Sabaody:

In the slave prison behind the population auction, an elderly man with silver hair delicately lifted an exquisite silver jug, giving it a slight shake before speaking.

"It seems that a few formidable individuals have arrived on this island. With the Marines reducing their presence, it appears the seas are about to quiet down once more."

"What are you muttering about, old man?" Beside him, a massive giant, his eyes slanting down to meet the elderly man's gaze, inquired.

"Oh, nothing, just the ramblings of a retired old man," Rayleigh replied with a smile, raising the jug to his lips and taking a sip.

"The wine's nearly finished, time to head out," Rayleigh remarked.

...

"What's this?"

Sabaody Commercial Street.

A red light caught Luffy's eye. Reacting instinctively, he leaned to the side just as a massive explosion rocked the area.

Seconds later, a thunderous boom echoed through the street. The nearby bar's wall exploded, sending a large stone hurtling towards Luffy. Remarkably, he didn't flinch.

Had he not moved, the stone would've struck him directly.

Amidst the thick smoke, a figure somersaulted through the air, landing behind Luffy.

"A pirate? Clearly not here by chance," Luffy mused, tilting his head in confusion.

"You're quite the nuisance. I've decided to end you here," a voice growled as the smoke cleared, revealing a man with a scarlet hedgehog's head emerging from the shattered bar wall. Tall and muscular, his features exuded ferocity.

With a pair of sunglasses perched atop his head, emanating a menacing aura, Apoo sauntered forward, drawing a dagger from his chest with a bloody scent wafting from it. Though he faced Luffy, his words were directed at the figures behind him.

"I don't like you either. Come at me if you dare, Kid," Apoo taunted, flashing a grin as he waved his long arms.

"Oh, by the way, Kid, I just remembered," Luffy interjected, standing between them and suddenly recalling the identity of the man with the scarlet hedgehog head before him—Eustass Kid.

With a bounty of around 300 million Berries, Kid was undeniably a supernova of higher standing than Luffy. Curious about Kid's placement on the bounty list, Luffy had specifically checked Chopper's copy.

It was only then that he recognized Kid.

"Who's this fool standing in the middle? Seems familiar," Kid remarked, eyeing Luffy with disdain.

Kid frowned as he observed Luffy standing between him and Apoo.

Though lacking Observation Haki, Kid's battle-honed intuition tingled with a palpable sense of danger emanating from Luffy. This potent aura flooded his keen fighting instincts, signaling that Luffy was no ordinary adversary.

"Captain Kid," Kid's younger brother spoke up, stepping forward with a look of alarm. He swiftly retrieved a reward list and presented it to Kid.

"This is Straw Hat Luffy, a supernova with a bounty of 300 million. Among the eleven supernovas gathered in Sabaody Archipelago, he's considered the most notorious pirate after the captain."

"Interesting," Kid remarked, a cruel smile curling his lips. "His bounty rivals mine? This just got more intriguing and irritating than that annoying Apoo."

With that, Kid's dagger levitated into the air, hurtling towards Luffy like a bullet, propelled by Kid's intent to engage in combat.

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