Chapter 35: "The first Bounty"

The dawn at Marineford was anything but calm. Sengoku stood at the center of the command room, his expression dark and furious. Every inch of the room seemed to hum with tension as he watched the report screens showing the aftermath of the battle with Kael D. William. His fists clenched as the weight of his failures bore down on him. 

Akainu sat across from him, wrapped in bandages from head to toe, looking like a mummified war victim. His eyes were filled with rage, but it was muted by the pain that coursed through his body. The burns from William's dragon fire were still fresh, a harsh reminder that he had underestimated the mythical Zoan fruit user. The entire Marineford seemed quieter than usual, weighed down by the growing realization that they had allowed a potential world-shaking force to slip through their fingers.

Sengoku slammed his fist on the desk. "How did we let this happen?! Not only did William awaken his Conqueror's Haki, but even the girl—Hancock! She has it too! Two wielders of Conqueror's Haki in the same group! This is unacceptable!"

His voice echoed through the room, shaking everyone present. Some of the officers shifted uncomfortably in their seats, afraid to meet his gaze. The failure to capture William and the Boa sisters was a humiliation of the highest order. And it wasn't just them—Fisher Tiger, the infamous fish-man, had freed numerous slaves and escaped in the chaos as well. This wasn't just a defeat; it was a disaster.

Suddenly, a Den Den Mushi buzzed on Sengoku's desk, interrupting his tirade. He knew who was calling. His heart sank as he reached for it, already bracing himself for what was about to come.

The Den Den Mushi's receiver flickered, displaying the stern faces of the Five Elders. Their expressions were cold, and their words harsher than Sengoku had anticipated.

"You have failed us, Sengoku," one of them spat. "Not only did William escape, but you allowed Fisher Tiger to free a multitude of slaves. Two Celestial Dragons are dead, and the chaos is spreading."

Sengoku gritted his teeth, lowering his head in shame. "I understand, Elders, but—"

"There are no excuses!" another Elder interrupted. "Do you realize what this means for the world order? We cannot let this stand. We do not care how powerful William is—he must be hunted down and eliminated. And the same goes for those girls."

The Elder continued, "Issue bounties for all of them. Make the world understand the price of defying the World Government."

Sengoku could barely suppress the fury rising inside him. As much as he wanted to argue, he knew there was no point. Orders were orders, and the Elders would not accept anything less than immediate action.

"Kael D. William, The Tyrant," the first Elder declared, his voice cold and calculated. "Set his bounty at 3 billion berries. Make it clear to everyone that he is to be treated as one of the most dangerous enemies of the world."

"The Boa sisters are no less dangerous," the second Elder added. "Issue a bounty of 800 million berries for Boa Hancock, the so-called Gorgon Queen."

"And for the other two," the third Elder chimed in, "400 million berries each for Boa Marigold and Boa Sandersonia. They are all complicit, and they all pose a threat."

Sengoku clenched his fists as the list of bounties was relayed to him. These were enormous amounts, ones that would catch the attention of bounty hunters and pirates worldwide. But despite the gravity of the situation, there was one more order that the Elders made sure to emphasize.

"Do not, under any circumstances, allow the news of the Celestial Dragons' deaths to leak. Suppress it. The world cannot know that William and his companions killed them."

The call ended with the Elders' final command hanging in the air. Sengoku remained silent for a moment, the weight of their orders sinking in. Then, with a surge of anger, he smashed his desk with his fist, cracking the wood beneath him.

"Dammit!"

Akainu, sitting silently all this time, growled through his pain. "You think this is over? I will kill him, Sengoku. Next time I see William, he will not escape."

Sengoku didn't respond immediately. His mind was racing with thoughts of their next move. How could they let this happen? How could they allow someone like William, someone with such power and hatred, to roam free?

---

A few hours later, one of the officers rushed in Sengoku's office with a stack of newspapers, panic written across his face.

"Sengoku-san, you need to see this," the officer said, breathlessly.

Sengoku grabbed one of the papers and looked at the front page. His face paled, and his hand trembled as he read the headlines:

**"Tyrant Kael D. William Escapes Two Admirals—Akainu Injured!"** 

**"Boa Sisters and William Battle Admirals—Massive Bounty Issued!"** 

**"The Marines' Greatest Failure: The wrath of Kael D. William the Demon of Ohara!"**

"No... this can't be..." Sengoku muttered, his voice barely audible.

Despite the efforts of the World Government and the Marines to suppress the information, the truth had leaked. The news of the battle, of Akainu's injury, and of the bounty placed on William and the sisters had spread like wildfire across the world. 

In various parts of the world, the newspapers were being distributed to shocked citizens, pirates, and even other Marines. The entire globe now knew of William's power and his hatred for the World Government. And the fact that someone with a grudge this deep had injured Akainu sent a chilling message to everyone watching.

---

**In Sabaody Archipelago**, pirates and bounty hunters alike scrambled to grab copies of the paper, all eyeing the new bounties. The taverns were abuzz with talk of William and the Boa sisters, as well as the massive amount of money now being offered for their capture.

"3 billion berries for this William guy, huh?" one pirate muttered, taking a long drag from his drink. "And 800 million for Boa Hancock. Damn... this is gonna shake things up."

Another pirate nearby grinned. "The Marines are sweating now. Two admirals, and they couldn't stop them? This world is about to get a lot more interesting."

---

**In Fish-Man Island**, Fisher Tiger, who had recently escaped with the freed slaves, read the paper with a heavy heart. His own name wasn't in the headlines, but he knew that William's actions would have serious repercussions for the fight against the Celestial Dragons.

"That kid," Tiger said, shaking his head. "He's going to bring the whole world down with him."

---

Back at Marineford, Sengoku's grip tightened around the paper in his hand. His fury was palpable, but beyond his anger, there was something else: fear. William had proven himself a threat that couldn't be ignored, and the world now knew about him. Even worse, the Marines' failure to contain the situation had become public knowledge.

They would have to move quickly now. The hunt for Kael D. William and the Boa sisters had begun in earnest. 

Sengoku walked to the window and stared at the sea, wondering how much longer the world could keep its balance with monsters like William and Hancock threatening to tear it apart.

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