As the Free sailed over the horizon, those on shore finally withdrew their gazes, turning instead to Bada.
"Father."
Liya turned, looking up at Bada, and clasped his arm. "It's time to go back. The country and our people are waiting for us!"
"Mm!"
Bada turned his head, glanced at Liya, then turned to face his subordinates and the assembled citizens. He shouted, "Let's go back! Let's rebuild our homes, rebuild Bass, and let Bass's future be worthy of the banner the Silver Hair bestowed upon us."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The subordinates and citizens, looking at Bada, their King, raised their hands in unison and roared their assent.
Their voices were firmer than ever before.
...
On the Free, in the helm room.
With a creak, the wooden door of the helm room was pushed open by Alo from the outside.
He held a stack of papers and excitedly walked towards the sofa inside the helm room.
Seeing the figure standing before him, Ahua looked up and shouted, "Why are you coming in here instead of standing guard? Move aside, you're blocking my view."
At this moment, everyone on the ship had gathered in the helm room. They were all lounging on the sofas, watching with great interest. The image projected by the giant Den Den Mushi's eyes onto the white cloth on the opposite wall.
This projection Den Den Mushi was specially requested by Kotaro from Morgans. He had also requested other Den Den Mushi for communication.
As for this Den Den Mushi, it was naturally for alleviating the boredom of the journey.
Although they were all old news, concert videos of singing and dancing, for everyone who had never seen such a thing before, it was a magical and novel experience!
It was truly amazing how this projection Den Den Mushi could change channels like a television.
Aside from the limited programming, it was exactly the same as the television set from his previous life.
"What is it, Alo?"
Sensing Alo's emotions, Kotaro withdrew his gaze from the white cloth on the opposite wall and turned to look at Alo.
*Slap!*
Alo bent over and slapped the papers in his hand onto the coffee table in front of the sofa.
Looking up at Kotaro, he said, "Our new bounties."
"Oh..."
Upon hearing the word "bounty," everyone on the sofas turned their gazes to the coffee table.
Alo didn't prolong the suspense. He picked up the bounty posters, laying them out on the coffee table one by one, and spoke as he did so.
"Captain of the Silver Hair Pirates, 'Silver Hair Kohtaro,' bounty: 1.5 billion Berries."
"One point five billion?"
Ah Tao's smoking paused. He looked at Alo, his eyes filled with shock.
"One point five billion!"
"What's so shocking about that? This is Kotaro. I even think 1.5 billion is too low!"
Alo replied, giving Ah Tao a disdainful look.
He had completely forgotten that the first time he saw Kotaro's 500 million bounty, he was the most shocked one.
Ah Tao pouted, averted his gaze, and then glanced at Ahua.
When he saw Ahua's calm and collected demeanor, he quickly turned back and took a deep drag of his cigarette.
"So, only I was shocked!"
That's right, this was Kotaro!
1.5 billion, a small matter.
With that thought, his smoking became more fluid, and he relaxed completely, as if his spirit had suddenly been elevated.
"Nothing can shock him anymore."
Alo continued, unfolding the next bounty poster.
"Silver Hair Pirates, combatant, 'Blue Hair Kuina,' bounty: 250 million Berries."
Ahua's body trembled, and Ah Tao's smoking paused again.
The two of them turned to exchange glances, then quickly looked away.
"It's fine, it's just 250 million! For Kuina, it's a small matter."
Kuina's bounty hadn't increased by much. After Loguetown, her bounty had risen to 70 million, the same as Kotaro's first bounty.
Although the increase wasn't as dramatic as Kotaro's, it was still bound to shock the seas!
After all, Kuina was a year younger than Kotaro!
A 16-year-old great swordsman, and one who could fight evenly with an elite Vice Admiral of the Marines.
Even with the help of the restorative nanomachines, it couldn't negate the fact that Kuina was already a powerhouse.
"250 million?"
Kuina looked at her bounty poster on the coffee table and nodded, a hint of a smile in her eyes.
She didn't care much about the bounty itself, but such a high reward was, in a way, an acknowledgment of her strength by the Marines and the World Government.
Such recognition could not help but bring a sense of pleasure.
Alo glanced at Kuina, then quickly averted his gaze and continued unfolding the bounty posters. He looked up at Indigo and said, "This time it's Dr. Indigo."
"Oh! There's one for me too?"
Indigo was taken aback. He quickly sat up straight and looked at the bounty poster in Alo's hand.
Alo moved his hand away from the bounty poster, revealing its full appearance.
"Silver Hair Pirates, ship doctor, 'Dr. Indigo,' bounty: 20 million Berries."
"Kekekekeke!!"
Indigo looked at the bounty poster on the coffee table, chuckled, and then turned to Kotaro. "Captain, I wasn't even wanted on Shiki's ship. I never expected to be wanted just a few days after joining you."
He then grinned and laughed loudly, "Kekekeke!! You'll have to protect me well from now on!"
When he first joined the ship, he hadn't dared to joke with Kotaro. But after so many days of interaction, he had successfully integrated into the Silver Hair crew.
"Don't worry. With me here, no one will be able to harm any of you."
"Hahaha!!"
Kotaro picked up the teacup on the coffee table, brought it to his lips, took a sip, and then motioned for Alo to continue.
Since even Indigo, who hadn't really participated in the fighting, had a bounty, then Alo and the other two must have one too. This was probably why Alo was so excited.
"The next ones are the main event!"
Alo's eyes gleamed with excitement.
Ahua and Ah Tao also sat up straighter.
Having been prepared for this, being wanted was something they had long awaited.
Having a bounty meant they were no longer nameless weaklings on the sea.
Without making them wait long, Alo spread out the bounty posters and began to speak directly.
"Silver Hair Pirates, 'Momotaro,' bounty: 30 million Berries."
"What? Only 30 million?"
Momotaro, that is, Ah Tao. Their real names didn't start with "Ah," of course.
"Ah" was just a nickname used by those close to them since childhood.
Ah Tao looked at the bounty poster and waved his hand, feigning indifference. However, from the upward curve of his lips, it was clear that his mood was not as simple as it appeared.
"Arrogant."
Ahua shot Ah Tao a disdainful look, then turned to Alo, his eyes full of anticipation.
"Silver Hair Pirates, 'Loren Talo,' bounty: 50 million Berries."
"Huh!"
Ah Tao's smoking paused for the third time. He looked up at Alo and exclaimed.
"Why is your bounty so much higher than mine?"
"Hahaha!! Of course, it's because my strength is higher than yours!"
Alo looked at Ah Tao's surprised expression with a triumphant grin. He then continued with a laugh, "Don't you think about how many people I killed on the battlefield, while you..."
He looked at Ah Tao, but didn't finish the sentence.
"Are you trying to pick a fight, you punk?"
Ah Tao threw the cigarette in his hand into the ashtray on the coffee table and was about to stand up to challenge Alo.
However, just as his buttocks left the sofa, Ahua pushed him back down.
In the past, Ah Tao was usually the mediator among the three of them. Now, it was Ahua's turn.
Ahua patted Ah Tao on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Alright, alright. It's only 20 million. Next time, you'll definitely surpass him."
He then turned to look at Alo, presumably at the last bounty poster in Alo's hand, his eyes gleaming.
"Hurry up and say it. What about mine? How much is mine?"
"Yours..."
Alo picked up the last bounty poster, unfolded it, and as he looked down, he suddenly froze in place, as if he had seen something incredible.