"Hey! Luffy, don't you dare mess up the plan!"
Seeing Luffy rush out the door, Ace immediately stood up and chased after him.
Luffy turned his head slightly. "Do we even have a plan?"
Ace scratched his head awkwardly. "Ahem… I guess not."
At that moment, Rolan and his crew stepped out as well, moving at a steady pace.
"Hey, Rolan! I don't care about any plan. I'm going to beat Orochi and Kaido right now!"
That was just how Luffy was. Once he decided to beat someone, nothing could stop him.
Rolan glanced at him, his expression calm and indifferent. "We came here to deal with them, that's true. But do you even know where they are?"
Luffy laughed as if the answer was obvious. "You're overthinking it. The easiest way to find someone is to shout."
Ace's face stiffened. "Shit…"
Before he could react further, Luffy inhaled deeply.
"Orochi…!"
Ace rushed forward and clamped a hand over Luffy's mouth.
"Mmph! Wuwuwu…!"
After a few seconds, Ace finally let go. Luffy's face had already turned red.
"Huff… Ace! What are you doing?!"
Luffy panted as he rubbed his chest, trying to recover.
"Idiot! Who looks for someone like that?" Ace snapped, knocking Luffy on the head.
Luffy pouted. "It's efficient. If you call them, they'll come out."
Ace sighed and shook his head. "This is the Flower Capital. It's full of Orochi's men. If you start shouting in the street, you'll scare them off or get surrounded."
Luffy suddenly slammed his fist into his palm. "I get it now!"
Before Ace could respond, Luffy jumped onto the roof in one smooth motion. He scanned the area, shielding his eyes with his hand.
"Hey! Ace! That building over there is the tallest. Orochi should be there!"
He dropped back down and pointed ahead with certainty.
Ace pressed a hand to his forehead. Luffy's recklessness never changed. Jumping onto rooftops in broad daylight could have easily exposed them.
Fortunately, it was the eve of the Fire Festival. The streets were crowded, and everyone was busy with preparations. No one paid attention to a figure briefly appearing on a roof.
"Move, or he might run," Luffy said as he started forward without hesitation.
Rolan followed behind at a measured pace, hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable.
The Flower Capital at dusk was filled with energy. The sky gradually turned a soft shade of purple as night approached, hinting at the coming festival.
People filled the streets, hurrying along. Some were preparing traditional kimonos, while others crafted delicate lanterns. Smiles were everywhere, as if the celebration had already begun.
Robin observed the scene quietly before speaking. "It's ironic. The people in Kuri are suffering, while the people here celebrate without a care. It feels like two completely different worlds."
Ace nodded. "It's a perfect illusion. Anyone who sees this would think everything is fine."
Hancock looked around, her brows slightly furrowed. "Strange. No one recognizes us."
Given their reputations, that should have been impossible.
Rolan reached out and lightly pinched her nose. "Isn't that better?"
His tone was casual, almost dismissive.
When they first arrived in Wano, his crew had disguised themselves as local samurai and noblewomen. Their clothing had changed, but their faces remained the same.
The isolation of Wano Country worked in their favor.
Hancock let out a soft sound, her cheeks turning faintly red. Her annoyance faded quickly, replaced by quiet satisfaction at his attention.
Under Luffy's lead, the group soon arrived at the General's residence.
Without hesitation, Luffy stepped forward and shouted, "Hey! Is Orochi in there? Get out here! I'm going to beat you up!"
The guards at the entrance immediately reacted.
"What nonsense are you shouting?! The General's name isn't something you can call! Leave now, or you die!"
Rifles were raised, all aimed at the group.
Their faces were filled with anger. No one had dared to call Orochi by name in years, let alone threaten him openly.
At that moment, a short guard with a curled mustache slowly pulled out a stack of wanted posters.
"H… he's Luffy! Monkey D. Luffy! Bounty, 1,050,000,000 berries!"
The other guards stared in disbelief.
"This brat is worth over a billion?"
"He looks so young. What could he have done?"
"I don't care how high your bounty is. If you dare to challenge the General, I'll kill you!"
The mustached guard continued flipping through the posters, his hands trembling.
"This is Ace, bounty 1,350,000,000 berries!"
"This is Nico Robin, the Demon Child, bounty 1,400,000,000 berries!"
"This is… Boa Hancock, bounty 2,150,000,000 berries!"
His voice began to shake even more as he reached the last one.
"And this… this is…"
He swallowed hard.
"Rolan… the man who took Kaido's title as the strongest… bounty… 6,660,000,000 berries!"
His entire body trembled as if he had seen something beyond comprehension.
The other guards fell silent for a moment.
Most of them didn't fully understand what those numbers meant. Wano's isolation had kept them ignorant of the outside world. To them, Orochi was absolute.
Only a few understood just how terrifying those bounties were.
Robin smiled faintly, resting her fingers against her chin. "Looks like our new bounties are already circulating. Interesting that Wano received them so quickly."
Inside the General's residence, tension quietly began to rise.
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