The gentle rocking of the sea carried the Solar Rift Pirates forward, the distant shape of an island barely visible on the horizon. The excitement of their Marine base incursion had worn off, but tension still crackled in the air.
They had something new to celebrate today—or fear.
Jorin stepped onto the deck, holding a stack of bounty posters in his hand, his usual smirk twisting into a grin.
"Alright, listen up!" he called, gathering the crew. "The Marines weren't too happy about us robbing their base and wrecking their ships. And they definitely weren't happy about us taking down their lieutenant. So, congratulations—you're all officially wanted criminals!"
The crew erupted into cheers and laughter, except for Milo, who groaned. "Yeah, yeah. Let's just get this over with. Who's got the highest now?"
"We already know the top three." Jorin waved his hand toward Solian, Kael, and himself.
Solian → 65,000,000 Berries
Kael → 48,000,000 Berries
Jorin → 42,000,000 Berries
"But now," Jorin continued, pulling out fresh posters, "our newest members have their bounties too. Let's see what we've got."
He unrolled the first bounty, holding it up.
38,000,000 Berries
"Recoil King" Vance Rainer
"A fighter who can redirect force, turning enemy attacks against them. A lethal hand-to-hand combatant."
Vance scratched his head, reading his bounty with a bit of surprise. "Huh. Thought it'd be higher, considering I took out twenty Marines by myself."
"Guess you're not deadly enough yet," Jorin teased. "Give it time."
Vance shrugged. "I guess I'll just have to hit harder."
Jorin moved aside, revealing the twins' bounty.
22,000,000 Berries (Each)
"Twin Tempest" Rus & Ral
"Two warriors who fight as one, overwhelming foes with speed and teamwork."
Rus and Ral fist-bumped one another. "Hell yeah, we have the same bounty!" Rus exclaimed with a smile.
"We're finally famous!" Ral cried out.
"Famous for being annoying as hell to fight," Kael grumbled.
And finally, Milo's poster.
19,000,000 Berries
"Phantom Eye" Milo
"A pirate with an uncanny knack for gathering intelligence. Approach with caution."
Milo sighed. "Nineteen million? Seriously? I don't even fight!"
Jorin laughed. "I suppose the Marines think you're a threat just for knowing too much."
Milo groaned, shoving his bounty into his coat. "Great. That just means more bounty hunters trying to take me alive for questioning."
The Weight of a Bounty
As the excitement wore off, the reality of their fame began to sink in.
They were no longer small nobodies. They were rising threats.
Solian looked at his prize again, eyes narrowing. "This will bring more difficult enemies after us. Marines, bounty hunters… other pirates."
Vance nodded. "Yeah. We can't just celebrate. We need to become stronger."
Kael crossed his arms. "That's all right with me. Let them come."
Milo, ever the strategist, leaned forward. "If we're attracting attention, we need to be smart about our next step. The more we fight, the more our bounties will increase. And the stronger our enemies will get."
Jorin leaned back against the railing, smiling. "Then let's be ready for them."
The crew rode in reflective silence as the sun dipped itself down toward the horizon, the wind carrying them forward to their next quest.