Chapter 24

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024: On the Eve of the Storm, the Latest Bounty of 4 Billion!!!

...

He began to faintly look forward to it.

Bai Ye gazed at the calm sea on the eve of a real storm that was about to break out, feeling the terrifying power contained within Ryūjin Jakka. Clouds covered the sun from high above in the sky.

Standing alone at sea, Bai Ye muttered:

"The Marines are also good..."

"It doesn't matter if it's a pirate..."

"Now I have nothing to worry about. Anyone who stands in my way..."

Everything is ashes...

Just as Ryūjin Jakka's Shikai will reveal its true inner power, this is Bai Ye's attitude towards what he regards as an 'enemy' now!

Even the level of Marine Vice Admiral Onigumo isn't worth the slightest bit of his time wasted!

...

New World.

Kingdom of Dressrosa.

As the news of the Marine fleet's demise spread like wildfire, the aftermath naturally hadn't calmed down for a long time.

Now.

"Do... Doflamingo... Do you think this kind of thing is really possible?!"

Trebol, a cadre of the Donquixote family, witnessed the aged yet robust figure displaying 'overwhelming' power on the projection in front of him and couldn't help but swallow his saliva.

For the development of their family, it is natural to hope that the world remains as chaotic as possible. After all, the more chaos, the better for the dark forces of the Donquixote family to thrive.

But if a monster regarded as a lunatic appeared on the sea—no, it should be an unprecedented monster—then one day in the future, such a monster could come to the New World.

The grip on Trebol's cane tightened as a cold sweat broke out in his palms.

That would definitely be an existence that no force would want to face!

Doflamingo remained silent for a long time, his eyes beneath the sunglasses fixated on the horrifying scene projected before him, like a burning cloud descending upon the sea.

After a pause, Doflamingo slowly exclaimed:

"To cause such destruction with a single blow is not an exaggeration to say it's monstrous. Its strength is as unfathomable as the abyss. There are indeed many hidden monsters in this world."

Looking up at the sky, Doflamingo, a Celestial Dragon—even one who had left Mariejois and could never return—naturally held much information that ordinary people did not know.

Even the World Government had many secrets unbeknownst to them in his hands.

So he knew at least a few legendary monsters.

However, none of those so-called 'monsters' could compare to the 'old man' currently projected.

This level of control was completely unexpected.

Doflamingo felt a deep unease.

"D-Doflamingo... what about the original plan?"

"Cancel it," Doflamingo said directly to Trebol.

"Cancel, but what about those who've already paid a deposit?!"

"What's the significance of their attitudes?"

A hint of disdain flashed in Doflamingo's eyes as he responded:

"We are mere merchants in the business of sales. We simply need to return the deposits that belong to them. That's how business works. When things go smoothly, accidents can still occur. Those who don't even grasp these basic principles will likely be the ones who end up slaughtered, even with weapons."

"Yes, Doflamingo," Trebol nodded. "I'll take care of it immediately."

"Wait," Doflamingo suddenly halted Trebol.

"What else, Doflamingo?"

After a moment of contemplation, Doflamingo gestured with his fingers, looking towards the distant sea where the Marine Headquarters lay.

"If the Marines ask the Shichibukai to go to the Marine Headquarters, just refuse. After all..." Doflamingo turned to look at the Den Den Mushi recording the event and murmured:

"With the man considered by the world to be the strongest already causing headaches, if the Marines provoke this monster now, nobody will want to face it head-on. If things don't go as planned, lives will literally be lost."

That's right.

Although Doflamingo had not personally experienced the sensation of being projected above like a flying squirrel, by recording the projection with a Den Den Mushi, Bai Ye, at this moment, had instilled a level of fear in the heart of Shichibukai Doflamingo almost equal to that of the Four Emperors.

That's why Doflamingo subconsciously referred to Bai Ye as "a monster whose strength is as unfathomable as the abyss"!

It's feared that the Marines have now discovered it too!

...

White Island.

Baltigo.

Revolutionary Army Headquarters.

"Dragon, monsters of such mighty power have slain the Celestial Dragons, and now they turn to the Marines."

"Look...?!"

After experiencing a huge shock, he looked at the terrifying figure of the man on the projection. The cadres at the Revolutionary Army headquarters suddenly turned their gaze to their leader!

That vaguely heated stare.

That's right, other forces are extremely fearful of Bai Ye's existence. The general reaction is that they do not want to face such a terrifying monster.

However, here at the Revolutionary Army...

They are contemplating a bold move.

That's right, the reason why the Revolutionary Army can only operate in secret is that they cannot confront the Marine Government and the World Government directly. The lack of like-minded allies and an extremely powerful force like a Marine Admiral are contributing factors.

And all of this...

It can be said that Bai Ye is a perfect candidate for everything!

Dragon felt the gaze in the meeting room.

There was no expectation on Dragon's face, only solemnity.

On one hand, he knows that the World Government's background is definitely not as simple as it seems. On the other, the Revolutionary Army knew nothing about Bai Ye.

Such an enigmatic monster suddenly making a move that was tantamount to declaring war on the Marine Government and the World Government naturally raised concerns.

But considering the power displayed by Bai Ye...

Dragon hesitated for a moment before an idea struck him.

Before he could be sure, perhaps he could try to make contact.

...

At the same time, various forces reacted differently, including the Big Mom Pirates and the Red Hair Pirates, among others.

Starting this day, all the forces in the Pirate World began to sense that a massive storm was brewing.

Whether it was the sudden activity of the Four Emperors, particularly Kaido in the New World, or the Marines, who had in a day made a move that shocked the world, all the Marine branches in the first half of the Grand Line had entered a state of alert!

Consider that the Whitebeard Pirates, seen as the Marine Government's greatest enemy, had not yet made a move!

One could only imagine the impact of these events!

Similarly, it was undeniable.

All these significant events, one after another, were brewing a colossal storm.

At its core, it was all because of one person!

It's also worth mentioning that before the Marine Government announced the combat readiness of all branches, Bai Ye's latest bounty had been released to the public: Four billion Berries!

Yes, this staggering number had been reached in just one day, from an initial bounty of one billion Berries to an unprecedented four billion Berries!