99. Celestial Dragons? Let's Kidnap him!

Situated at the junction of the Red Line and the Grand Line lies an island adorned with towering trees whose roots form the ground, releasing bubbles intermittently.

Among pirates, this place is known as the Island of Reckoning, where failures are redeemed and new beginnings take root. To most, however, it's simply called the Sabaody Archipelag.

Beneath a tree marked with a sign reading "No. 16," a group of men clamored in a tavern.

"Boss, another round?"

"Haha, sure, bottoms up!"

Despite the raucous atmosphere, a lone figure in the corner remained undisturbed, engrossed in a newspaper.

The man rifled through the newspapers with remarkable speed, barely pausing to skim the headlines before discarding the ones he'd perused.

His peculiar behavior drew curious glances from those around him, but none dared to engage him.

And for good reason.

He was none other than the infamous pirate currently making waves across the seas, known to the Marines as the most notorious of them all—Captain Al of the Al Pirates!

Following the events on Sky Island, the World Government had ceased its efforts to downplay Al's bounty.

The bounty, soaring from 100 Berries to a staggering 500 million Berries, sent shockwaves across the globe upon its announcement! (T/N: Finally)

What made it even more astounding was this:

While the bounties for all members of the Al Pirates skyrocketed, there were no accompanying reports to explain why.

This mysterious move sparked speculation worldwide!

Adding to the intrigue, three new wanted posters surfaced, featuring updated rewards for the entire crew of the Al Pirates, stirring up even more commotion!

[WANTED Al 500,000,000 Berries]

[WANTED Tom 420,000,000 Berries]

[WANTED Spike 400,000,000 Berries]

[WANTED Muscles 400,000,000 Berries]

[WANTED Merline 390,000,000 Berries]

[WANTED SpongeBob 389,000,000 Berries]

[WANTED Nico Robin 220,000,000 Berries]

[WANTED Carina 150,000,000 Berries]

[WANTED Carina 120,000,000 Berries]

[WANTED Carina 100,000,000 Berries]

[WANTED Patrick 50,000,000 Berries]

[WANTED Squidward 50,000,000 Berries]

This time, excluding Patrick and Squidward, all members boast bounties exceeding 100 million!

The reason Patrick and Squidward didn't boast bounties exceeding 100 million is simply because they haven't even been there yet.

Furthermore, they didn't pay much heed to their own bounty orders. After all, true strength speaks for itself; a single display of power is enough to warrant a hefty increase in bounty!

Having perused the newspapers on the table, Al promptly withdrew a handful of Beries from his pocket, tossed them onto the counter, and made his exit.

His visit to the Sabaody Archipelago was primarily to gather intel on the recent happenings in the Grand Line.

Moreover, Sabaody Archipelago's proximity to Marine Headquarters ensures swift response in case of emergencies.

Back on the Black Pearl, Vivi wasted no time in querying Al about any major incidents in Arabasta. Upon receiving a negative response, she couldn't help but exhale a sigh of relief before posing another question.

"Captain Al, how much time until the public execution?"

Al sighed in response to Vivi's inquiry, shaking his head.

"I'm not sure yet what's transpired."

"The last time the public execution date was mentioned was before we departed from Gaya Island for Sky Island," Al recounted. "But since then, despite Marine's extensive activities, there hasn't been any announcement regarding the execution."

"Marine's movements have been increasingly conspicuous lately, leading me to suspect they might push for an earlier public execution."

Vivi found herself even more perplexed after hearing Al's words. In her experience, once information is disclosed, Marine seldom alters it unless a major event occurs.

Lost in thought, Vivi blinked and regarded Al with a curious gaze.

"Captain Al, I believe I've figured out the root of the issue," Vivi exclaimed.

"I had a hunch as well, but I didn't anticipate Marine's resilience to be so lacking," Al replied with a hint of disbelief.

"Could it simply be that they're trying to withhold news due to the emergence of another Emperor and a slew of rookie pirates causing trouble?"

Al offered an awkward smile before swiftly changing the subject, inquiring about the whereabouts of the rest of the crew.

"Nami and Carina are out shopping, Tom is catching some Z's, as for Robin..."

Before Vivi could finish her sentence, Al stretched, offered some brief explanations, and departed from the Black Pearl.

After departing from the Black Pearl, Al swiftly navigated through the bustling streets of Sabaody Archipelago until he reached a desolate area. There, he spoke in a chilling tone, "You have been tailing me, it's time to show yourselves."

His words were met with the emergence of three imposing figures with steely gazes.

One of the men reached for a wanted poster in his pocket, poised to speak.

But before he could utter a word, Al swiftly drew his Western Sword from his system backpack and struck, swiftly dispatching him.

Caught off guard by Al's swift and decisive attack, the opponents scrambled to defend themselves, but it was too late.

With a grin, Al closed in on them, swiftly adjusting his stance. In a flash, he retrieved the sword from his system backpack and caught them off guard.

In the blink of an eye, the three men fell to Al's blade.

"You bounty hunters sure have keen senses," Al remarked with a hint of exasperation, despite having only just arrived at Sabaody Archipelago.

Targeted by bounty hunters, Al couldn't deny that even minor players like them could attract attention.

He knew that even the World Government's covert operatives, the Cipher Pol, were likely keeping tabs on them.

"What a nuisance," Al muttered under his breath, releasing a long sigh. With that, he returned the swords to his system backpack, resolved to locate Nami and the others before departing.

Their objective accomplished, Al aimed to steer clear of avoidable trouble from this point onward.

Al had no intention of stirring up trouble, at least not until the Summit War began. However, shortly after Al departed, a masked figure clad in white materialized at the scene of his recent skirmish.

Holding a Den Den Mushi in hand, the masked man swiftly reported Al's whereabouts.

"Moshi Moshi, Lord Charlos, we have located the Al Pirates!"

"Then waste no time and apprehend them, you bastad! I want a new mount!"

"Yes!"

Meanwhile, on Island 30 of the Sabaody Archipelago.

Unlike its counterparts, this island boasted prosperity and fame as a bustling shopping district.

Gazing upon the throngs of people, Al massaged his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

Locating Nami and Carina amid the bustling crowd was no easy feat. Yelling out would draw unwanted attention, potentially alerting the Marines and causing further complications.

Just as Al pondered his next move...

Suddenly, an enraged shout echoed nearby:

"You lowlifes, why don't you kneel!"

As the voice resounded, the crowd on the street parted like frightened mice, making way for a figure approaching.

Two women, however, remained in the center of the road, unfazed by the commotion, continuing their conversation and laughter.

"Why haven't you two knelt!" 

Observing the peculiarly dressed man with a fish tank atop his head, Nami cocked her head in confusion.

"Carina, do you recognize this guy?" she asked, puzzled.

Carina, scrutinizing the figure, shook her head. "No clue. And what's with the fishbowl? Is it some new trend?" she pondered aloud.

"Let's not dwell on it. He's nobody to us," Nami decided, dismissing the strange sight.

Meanwhile, from a distance, Al narrowed his eyes slightly, observing the scene.

What a stroke of bad luck!

Al couldn't help but grumble inwardly as he observed Nami and Carina standing directly opposite the Celestial Dragon, Charlos.

Originally intending to intervene, Al realized the distance was too great to reach them in time, even with Soru. Besides, he couldn't just shoot them on the spot and come up with a flimsy excuse like Boney did with Zoro.

At that moment, all Al could do was hope that Nami and the others wouldn't do anything foolish.

Charlos widened his eyes in disbelief.

"Oho-ho-ho, you two, you don't about this place!?" 

In response to Charlos inquiry, Nami gestured towards a sign hanging from a nearby tree and retorted with a touch of vibrato,

"If you want directions, just look for the signs above."

"In addition, I have only been here not long ago, and I am not very familiar with the road conditions."

Carina looked towards the kneeling crowd nearby, her senses tingling with a premonition of impending trouble.

With a gentle tug on Nami's arm, Carina directed her attention towards the quivering figures kneeling on the ground, inquiring,

"What's the deal with those folks?"

Nami shrugged nonchalantly, flashing a grin. "Beats me. Perhaps it's a local custom or something."

"Well, this island sure is a peculiar one. Let's just focus on our shopping."

Observing the two individuals who blatantly ignored him, Charlos seethed with anger. Yet, before he could utter a word, Nami interjected with a single sentence, blocking any further discourse from the enraged Celestial Dragon.

As Nami brushed past him, Charlos demanded, "Do not disrupt our shopping!"

"If you want to ask for directions, you should go to those residents kneeling on the ground, they should know," Nami retorted before departing without a backward glance.

Charlos stood dumbfounded, pondering the identities of these audacious individuals.

Slowly, he raised the firearm in his hand and aimed it towards them.

Bang!

The deafening sound of gunfire erupted, a bullet piercing straight through Nami's head!

Charlos couldn't help but sneer, "This..."

However, before he could utter another word, a bolt of lightning erupted from Nami's palm!

With a resounding crackle, the lightning struck not only Charlos but also his two bodyguards.

Engulfed in the electric onslaught, their bodies convulsed as black smoke billowed from their forms before they collapsed to the ground.

"Ugh, why must he be so bothersome!" Nami exclaimed in frustration, shooting a glare at the incapacitated trio before grabbing Carina's hand and swiftly departing from the unsettling scene.

Yet, Nami and Carina had barely made their way far from the scene...

Before Nami could utter a word, one of the masked figures in white clothes sneered, his voice dripping with disdain.

"How dare you assault Saint Charlos ! You shall perish!"

With that, the masked man's right leg darkened instantaneously as he lunged to attack Nami!

Witnessing the sudden aggression, Carina instinctively crossed her fingers, conjuring a barrier to intercept the incoming strike.

Already incensed by the demand to kneel earlier, Nami's fury surged even more at this unprovoked assault. Lightning crackled around her form as her anger ignited.

Without waiting for the masked figures to react, Nami issued a chilling command.

"30,000,000 V Hino (Thirty Million Volts Thunder Bird)!"

As her words echoed, a thunderbird formed from crackling lightning materialized behind Nami, swiftly hurtling towards the assailants!

Having upgraded her fitness equipment previously, Nami had become highly adept at utilizing her Rumble-Rumble Fruit powers!

With a resounding crack of thunder, the Cipher Pol operative who had attacked Nami was instantly engulfed in electricity!

"What a crew, daring to assault Celestial Dragon associates in this place!"

"Captain Kid, let's depart. The Marine Admiral will arrive soon."

"These fools are utterly mad. Don't they know the consequences of harming Celestial Dragons?"

Following Nami's electrifying retaliation, several shadowy figures lurking in the vicinity hastily made preparations to flee the island.

After this encounter, the Al group had cemented their reputation as daredevil lunatics in their minds.

However, as the captain of Nami and the others, Al couldn't help but pause at the sight.

This situation truly warranted concern.

Yet, after a brief contemplation, Al conceived a daring plan!

Since the Marines were unwilling to divulge the execution time, why not take matters into their own hands and capture a Celestial Dragon to extract the information?

Furthermore, with Nami and the others already engaged, it wouldn't make much difference whether they were apprehended or not, as the Marine Admiral would inevitably be alerted.

So, why not take a gamble?

With resolve, Al approached Charlos with Soru, swiftly lifting him up.

"Nami, Carina, it's time to go. Let's cease this game," Al declared firmly.

With that, Al turned on his heel and departed without a backward glance.

Al's unexpected action sent shockwaves through everyone present. Shooting Celestial Dragons was one thing, but kidnapping one? That was a whole new level.

Kid, who was on the verge of departure, couldn't help but grimace at the sight.

"Is he trying to drag us all into this mess?" he muttered incredulously.

And it wasn't just Kid who reacted strongly. Even the individuals lurking in the shadows, poised to escape, couldn't contain their astonishment.

"What a bunch of lunatics!" the individual exclaimed, cursing under their breath before making a swift dash towards the southern end of the island, intent on escaping as quickly as possible.

Others who had been contemplating fleeing were now at a loss. With the Celestial Dragons captured, the entire balance of power between the World Government and the Marine Headquarters was disrupted.

In this chaos, who would dare to interfere with this delicate situation?

As news of Al's audacious act of capturing the Celestial Dragons spread, the World Government issued strict orders to the Marine Headquarters: arrest Al and his crew, and prepare for their immediate execution.

Al's brazen actions had crossed a line, infuriating the World Government to its core.

Upon learning of Al's reckless behavior, Sengoku's fury knew no bounds. Slamming his fist down on a row of tables, he roared in anger,

"What in the world do those lunatics think they're doing?!"

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