C23 Bounty

"It's time to leave!"

On the shores of Xiluo Bu village, a massive ship lay at anchor. Beneath it, a young man with fiery red hair and three ten-centimeter scars crossing above his eyes, clad in a white shirt, gazed at Jesus.

"Got it, Captain."

Jesus gave a solemn nod, glanced back at his wife and son, then abruptly turned and boarded the ship.

That year, Shanks was 17.

...

Naval Headquarters.

"Summoner Ze!" Kong's profound eyes gleamed as he reviewed the dossier.

"In just a few days, you've nearly wiped out the pirates of the East Sea, sparing no one. Accompanied by a formidable dinosaur, your own strength remains a mystery."

"You harbor a fierce desire to kill. Unwilling to join the navy, solely driven by profit. But by killing a World Noble, you've left me no choice but to cast you as an adversary."

Kong seemed to be talking to himself as he dialed a number.

...

"Captain..."

Gaimon scurried into the cabin, his short legs nearly giving way beneath him.

Creak...

The door swung open, and Esaki stepped out.

Standing tall at 1.8 meters, he was dressed in a crisp white shirt paired with black jeans and Martin boots. His long silver hair cascaded down his back, giving him an ethereal air.

A small gorilla perched on his shoulder, clutching his hair.

Gaimon, craning his neck, looked up at him with a bounty notice in hand.

"Captain, there's a bounty on your head..." he said, his voice tinged with anxiety.

Esaki accepted the bounty notice, which bore his image seated atop an Australovenator, his handsome features stark against the beast's savagery.

Printed below were his name and the bounty price.

Summoner Ze.

Bounty: 30 million Belly.

"Looks like I'm destined to be a pirate after all..."

Esaki regarded the bounty notice with detachment.

"But this is an insult, a mere 30 million Belly."

"It seems the World Nobles aren't held in high regard by the Warring States."

He smirked dismissively.

Unbeknownst to him, the Warring States had not yet been appointed as marshal and was still an admiral.

"Well, since there's a price on my head, I might as well start my own pirate crew."

"Gaimon, can you draw a pirate flag?" he asked, turning to face Gaimon.

"Captain, I can't!" Gaimon replied, his head bowed.

"Never mind, we'll find someone to do it once we're on the Grand Line. You're dismissed for now."

"Yes, sir."

With that, Gaimon exited.

Esaki gazed at the bounty poster and spoke with a grave tone, "Looks like a trip to Empty Island is in order—to retrieve the gold from Gold Village. After that, I'll purchase a quality ship and recruit some logistics personnel."

"The name of our pirate crew... Dragon Flame Pirates it is, in honor of the dragon's lineage and the descendants of the Yellow Emperor."

He had no intention of seeking out crewmates; he was a one-man crew. With enough money, he'd summon an army of dinosaurs and conquer the seas.

"Yah~ Yah~"

A sudden cry echoed from outside.

Esaki's eyebrows lifted as he stepped out to investigate.

Above, he saw a Wukongopterus, signaling from the sky in a particular direction.

He looked that way and spotted ten warships approaching. Without a change in course, they'd encounter each other within minutes.

"Have they come for me?" Esaki wondered aloud.

The navy was on his tail just after his bounty had been issued—when had they become so efficient?

...

Aboard the warship a kilometer away.

"Vice Admiral Sakazuki, it appears we've located the new pirate summoner, Ze, up ahead."

An elite soldier lowered his binoculars and reported to the towering Sakazuki, who stood three meters tall, draped in a Justice Cape.