336-340

Chapter 336: This Is No Ordinary Pirate Crew! 

"…I understand." 

In an office, the Gorosei, Saint Marcus Mars, hung up the Den Den Mushi with a grave expression and turned around. Behind him, the other four Gorosei had the same serious look on their faces. 

"Their target... was the Heavenly Tribute?" 

And what's more... 

"Aokiji was defeated, too?" 

To the Gorosei, the "Dimensional Pirates" were a very new concept. The World Economic Journal had reported on Uchiha Hikari's crew's encounter with Jack the Drought and their victory, but Jack was just one of Kaido's subordinates, an All-Star with a bounty of just over a billion. While not many pirates could defeat him, it wasn't unheard of. This news wasn't enough to catch the attention of the Gorosei. 

The first time they heard of the "Dimensional Pirates" was the day of the Sabaody Archipelago incident. Punching an Admiral, kicking the Marines, and then destroying the gate to Marijoa with a single energy blast on their way out... any one of those feats would have shaken the world. 

But they never expected that after such a short time, the crew would cause an even bigger sensation in a completely different sea! 

How did they do it? It's thousands of miles away. Even a rocket couldn't get there that fast! 

Or... 

Was this latest incident unrelated to the real "Dimensional Pirates," and just someone impersonating them? 

"This is no ordinary pirate crew! We must act decisively!" Saint Mars declared loudly. "If we don't do something quickly, the Celestial Dragons and the World Government will lose all face!" 

"...That's true, but this pirate crew's power is truly unlike anything we've seen before. If we act recklessly, we'll only repeat the same mistakes." Saint Topman Warcury said in a low, steady voice. 

"He's right. According to the reports from the Marine branch in the West Blue, the person who defeated Aokiji and stole the Heavenly Tribute wasn't Bulma, Uchiha Hikari, or Esdeath. It was a newcomer we've never seen before, whose weapons, techniques, and appearance are very similar to Kaido... No matter who she is, if she can defeat an Admiral, she must be close to the level of a Yonko. A single pirate crew with four Yonko-level members! That has never happened before!" 

"No... it has, actually." Saint Saturn, the Gorosei with a long gray beard, sighed. 

He was talking about the Rocks Pirates, a crew that had been a nightmare for the World Government for over half a century. They were indeed a "Yonko crew": Whitebeard, Charlotte Linlin (Big Mom), and Kaido were all members of that crew. With Rocks D. Xebec himself, that made four Yonko-level pirates. 

However... at that time, Big Mom and Kaido hadn't reached their full potential. 

And even that Rocks crew wasn't as audacious as this one. The "Dimensional Pirates'" actions were like stomping the World Government's face into the ground and grinding it in. 

"There's nothing for it." Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro proposed a plan to deal with the fallout. "First, we'll contact Morgans and tell him not to publish any news about the Heavenly Tribute. This just happened, and not many people know about it yet. If we can keep the news contained, the World Government's dignity will be preserved for now. 

Second, we'll quickly summon Vice Admirals Garp and Tsuru. With two of our Admirals severely injured, they must return to Marijoa to ensure the safety of the World Government. 

Third, we will immediately take this intelligence and meet with Imu-sama to ask for a final decision." 

"..." 

After a brief silence, the five men voted and unanimously approved all three proposals. In all honesty, they didn't want to involve Imu-sama. After all, they had been negligent in their duties, and if Imu-sama were to hold them accountable, even as Gorosei, they wouldn't be able to escape punishment. But the situation was clearly spiraling out of their control. If they waited any longer, things would only get worse. At that point, a few of the five of them might have to die to atone for their failure. 

"Wait a minute..." 

Before they left, the silent Saint Jaygarcia Saturn suddenly spoke. "Do you think... this 'Dimensional Pirates' crew could be connected to... that?" 

"That?" 

"You know... Joy Boy!" 

This year was the 800th anniversary of Joy Boy's death. According to ancient prophecies, a new child of destiny would be born this year and cause a great storm—which perfectly aligned with what the "Dimensional Pirates" were currently doing! 

"...When we report to Imu-sama, we'll include this theory." 

If the mysterious Captain Bulma was indeed the new "Joy Boy," then all her actions could be explained. 

"Achoo!" 

At that moment, Bulma had no idea that her identity in the eyes of the World Government had changed again. She had gone from being the "Fifth Empress of the Seas" to the "reincarnation of Joy Boy" and the "user of the Nika Fruit." Or rather, even if she did know, she wouldn't have cared. 

She was busy studying Aokiji's blood samples. 

This was supposed to be Tamayo's job, but since she and Kikyo were not there, Bulma had to fill in. She had been studying a lot of medical books recently, and while she wasn't as specialized as Dr. Gero, she had no problem doing some basic scientific analysis. 

As for Uchiha Hikari and the others, they were using an open space on Amazon Lily to count the Heavenly Tribute they had stolen. 

The "Heavenly Tribute" wasn't just cash, like Berries—which were useful to others but to the World Government were just paper they could print more of whenever they wanted. The Celestial Dragons never had to pay for anything. So, this "Heavenly Tribute" was actually a collection of various goods that the World Government received from 170 allied nations. 

From all sorts of precious gems and stones to gold and silver, and rare minerals... the items packed in the countless boxes were truly a motley assortment. The sheer amount of goods was even a surprise to Uchiha Hikari, who had been prepared for a lot. After counting for a while, she decided to give up. 

"Okay, let's stop looking at all this." 

"We need to figure out what to do with all this Heavenly Tribute." 

Chapter 337: The "Second Revolution" Plan and Blackbeard's Intel 

First off, Uchiha Hikari had no intention of keeping the "Heavenly Tribute" for themselves. This was something she had decided when she first planned the operation. 

The "Heavenly Tribute" is essentially a tribute from various affiliated nations to the World Government. Its source comes from the common people of these countries; it's their "blood and sweat," possibly even tainted with the blood of some. She, Bulma, and the other members of the "Dimension Pirates" aren't short on money, so there's no need to covet this sum. 

However... 

It's also impossible to return it. 

Putting aside how monumental a task it would be to return this "Heavenly Tribute" to the hundreds of millions of people in the pirate world, the World Government, if they could extort it once, could do it again—and perhaps even more thoroughly than before. 

Unless the hierarchical structure of this world changes, simply distributing money won't solve anything. 

"Well, we'll just have to find a safe place to store it for now," Uchiha Hikari thought. "Once those nations are liberated in the future, then we can consider returning it to them..." 

She then casually asked for the opinions of Bulat and the others. 

"...I have no objections," Bulat nodded, his expression somewhat complex. "However, Akame and I have recently had some new thoughts about the 'second revolution' that you and Ms. Bulma mentioned earlier. I wonder if we could discuss them?" 

"Oh?" Uchiha Hikari looked at the muscular man with a hint of surprise, then at Akame and Leone standing nearby, her face showing curiosity. "Do tell?" 

She and Bulma had indeed mentioned the idea of "starting another revolution" to Bulat and the others, both in reality and in their chat group. 

At the time, she and Bulma had mostly been speaking on a whim, without much thought. 

Bulat, however, knowing the gravity of a "revolution," hadn't given a clear answer, only saying he wanted to observe and understand first, to do something for the oppressed people of the pirate world. 

But now... it seems he's made up his mind? 

"You could say that," Bulat nodded. "Akame, Tanjiro, and I encountered some things when we carried out the 'Heavenly Tribute' heist this time. We also saw firsthand how many nations and people in this world are living in misery. Corrupt rulers, usurpers, and powerful local tyrants and nobles are practically everywhere. 

What these oppressed people lack most isn't power, but a belief, a flag—a flag that can unite them and make them believe they can control their own destiny. 

Perhaps the 'Dimension Pirates' could be that very flag." 

"Many people now know that we defeated a Celestial Dragon and a Marine Admiral in the Sabaody Archipelago and even blew open the World Government's gate. Soon, the 'Heavenly Tribute' incident will spread throughout the four seas. If we can raise the 'Dimension Pirates'' flag now, it should be able to rally a significant portion of the populace and ignite a revolution from the ground up, just like we did in the Akame ga Kill! world." 

"Hmm..." Uchiha Hikari rubbed her chin, pondering slightly. 

It seemed Bulat and the others had indeed given serious thought to the "second revolution." 

In that case... 

As the vice-captain, she certainly had to show her support. 

Anyway, she wouldn't have to worry about the specifics; Bulat and the others could handle it. 

"Alright, let's try it your way. You can use the name 'Dimension Pirates' as you see fit, and these 'Heavenly Tribute' funds can serve as startup capital for this revolution, a case of 'taken from the people, used for the people.'" 

"As for Bulma, I'll talk to her." Uchiha Hikari made her decision. 

At present, Bulat and the others, along with Tanjiro, began discussing the specifics of the "second revolution." 

Uchiha Hikari, after listening in for a bit, then pulled Eriyi, Naruto, and the recently returned Nezuko, and leisurely walked towards the beach, intending to catch some Sea Kings for ingredients. 

Honestly... 

The number of Sea Kings near Amazon Lily was truly immense, and because it's located in the Calm Belt—a place inaccessible to most ships and humans—they were all incredibly plump and well-fed. A few days ago, Esdeath, on a whim, caught two and had the chefs on Amazon Lily prepare them. The taste was apparently quite good. 

So, these past few days, the "Dimension Pirates" had been bringing back Sea Kings almost daily, improving their meals. 

As for Esdeath... 

She was currently on another beach of Amazon Lily, taking on a challenge from Yamato. 

After her recent clash with Kizaru, Yamato had gained some confidence and wanted to prove herself by fighting Esdeath. 

But the result... 

Naturally, she still couldn't win. 

However, after the fight, Esdeath took a few moments to acknowledge Yamato's improvement, which greatly excited the latter. 

Consequently, Yamato began to look forward to her own bounty poster. 

"Although my strength isn't as good as Ms. Hikari's or Esdeath's... even Jack has a bounty of 1 billion Berries, so I should at least have over 1.5 billion now, right?" 

However... 

Even three days after the "Heavenly Tribute Raid Team" returned, Uchiha Hikari and her group still hadn't seen any reports about the incident in the newspapers. Yamato's bounty also hadn't appeared. 

"It seems this news was suppressed..." 

It makes sense. The sudden emergence of a "Three Emperors Crew" in the Grand Line was already a terrifying development. If this "Three Emperors Crew" were to become a "Four Emperors Crew," not only the Celestial Dragons in Mary Geoise, but perhaps all the higher-ups in the pirate world would lose their sleep. 

Yamato was a bit displeased with this outcome. 

In response, Uchiha Hikari could only offer a few words of comfort, then focused her attention on another piece of intelligence. 

This information came from Hancock: 

"Lady Hikari, that Blackbeard Teach you mentioned earlier has appeared in the Calm Belt." 

"Do you wish for me to send someone to capture him?" Hancock asked politely. 

Because of their feat of killing a Celestial Dragon, Hancock's attitude towards the "Dimension Pirates" members, especially Uchiha Hikari, had been exceptionally good recently. If they weren't both women, the Pirate Empress would likely have become infatuated with Uchiha Hikari, just as she was with Luffy in the original story. 

"...No need." Uchiha Hikari stood up, stretching her shoulders and neck. "That man is dangerous for you. Just tell me his location, and I'll go meet him myself." 

Chapter 338: One-Shot Kill, What Else Is There to Say? 

After getting Blackbeard's exact location from Hancock, Uchiha Hikari activated "Shangri-La," instantly teleporting herself, Eriyi, and Naruto right in front of Hancock. Then, using the Sky Dance technique, she hovered hundreds of meters in the air, scanning the surrounding sea carefully until she spotted a suspicious ship. 

It was a crude, raft-like pirate ship, being rowed by several crew members, speeding towards their location. 

"Hikari-neechan, look over there..." Naruto tugged at Hikari's sleeve. 

Hikari nodded. "Yeah, I see it. It's him, alright!" 

Theoretically, the Calm Belt is a "no-sail zone" in the world of One Piece. Ordinary ships powered by sails can't move an inch there; only Marine battleships equipped with Seastone devices can navigate freely. Without Seastone, manual rowing is one way to get by. However, Blackbeard wasn't using a manually rowed ship because he had to enter the Calm Belt; he simply had a fondness for such vessels. In the original timeline, he apparently sailed on such a broken ship for a long time, even after becoming a Warlord of the Sea. 

"That distance... it's a bit far. Might not hit," Hikari mused. "Let's wait a bit longer." She roughly estimated Blackbeard's ship speed, then decided to hold her move, instead leisurely stretching as she hovered high in the sky, enjoying the breeze. 

Meanwhile, Blackbeard sat on his dilapidated ship, cheerfully chugging from a bottle of booze, looking absolutely thrilled. He had every reason to be. After all, not everyone could decide to kill their own captain and seize their Devil Fruit after living with them for over a decade. And exchanging the head of a Whitebeard Pirates division commander for a Warlord of the Sea title? Blackbeard considered that a stroke of genius. 

With this plan: 

• He could use his Warlord status to enter Impel Down and recruit crew members from the most heinous criminals. 

• The World Government could use Ace as bait to lure and deal with the Whitebeard Pirates. 

• The Whitebeard Pirates would be entangled with the Marines, unable to pursue him, the traitor. When both sides fought to a draw and were mutually exhausted, he could then seize the opportunity, and just as Whitebeard was on his deathbed, take the Tremor-Tremor Fruit from him. 

Killing three birds with one stone—it was a perfect plan! 

However... a recent piece of information from the Barona Island area had left Blackbeard feeling a bit uneasy. 

"What's the deal with that 'Dimensional Pirate Crew'? I heard they've had contact with that old man Whitebeard?" 

And... 

The crew members of that group had appeared around Barona Island recently, asking about Ace's whereabouts? 

Both pieces of news gave Blackbeard a bad feeling, a sense that they might find him and confront him over Ace and Whitebeard. But at the same time, he was also somewhat excited—he had read the news published in the newspapers and had learned the full story of the "Sabaody Archipelago incident" through special intelligence channels. 

In his opinion, that "Ice Woman's" abilities were nothing special, nothing to write home about. But the strength of Uchiha Hikari, the 'Dimensional Crew's Vice-Captain,' was a different story. She had probably approached—no, she had already surpassed—the current Whitebeard. As for how she compared to a young, full-strength Whitebeard, it was hard to say for now. But regardless, her feat of shattering Mariejois with a single Kamehameha was undeniably impressive. 

That certainly wasn't something that could be achieved with just Haki. It was most likely the effect of some powerful Devil Fruit. If that were the case... as long as he could steal her Devil Fruit, along with Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit, and his own already possessed Dark-Dark Fruit... Blackbeard couldn't even imagine how powerful he would become. 

"Captain!" Laffitte's voice came from beside him. 

Blackbeard's thoughts were interrupted, slightly annoyed, but he restrained himself. "What is it?" 

"Look..." Laffitte pointed in a direction. 

Following his finger, Blackbeard squinted into the distance and faintly saw a few small black dots suspended in the distant sky, like birds temporarily hovering as they passed by... Wait! This is the Calm Belt! Where would birds come from?! 

Blackbeard instantly sobered up, scrambling to his feet on the deck. He grabbed his binoculars and looked through them. He saw several figures standing in the air several kilometers above the sea, looking directly at him. Two women, one child, none of them appearing very old. 

But, the face of one of the black-haired girls was a face Blackbeard had seen before! 

At this moment, through the binoculars, the black-haired girl raised her right hand, waved with a smiling gesture, then brought her hands together, her slender fingers splayed open like a blooming flower. A faint white glow was gathering in her palms, like power compressed to its absolute limit, ready to burst forth at any moment. 

"That's...!!!" Blackbeard's eyes widened, just about to shout something to those beside him. 

Then, that white speck of light suddenly expanded, instantly forming a brilliant beam of light that shot down like a meteor, plummeting directly towards them! In a single moment, it slammed into view, engulfing the entire Blackbeard Pirates crew! From a bystander's perspective, it was like a bolt of lightning falling from the heavens, tearing through the air in an instant, illuminating a vast expanse of the surrounding world in a blinding white! 

—KAMEHAMEHA!! 

Without even a chance to resist, the wooden raft under Blackbeard's feet exploded. He himself, along with Laffitte and the others around him, were sent plunging into the sea simultaneously. Before they could even swim up, they were swallowed by the blinding white light and the monstrous waves it generated, and none of them surfaced for quite a while. Around them, Sea Kings, having smelled the blood, were already gradually gathering, seemingly ready to make a meal out of the wreckage. 

High in the sky, Uchiha Hikari relaxed her hands and let out a soft breath. She had to admit, the technique developed by Master Roshi was quite effective. The last time, at Sabaody Archipelago, she had aimed for the gates of Mariejois and hadn't tested the technique's effect on humans. Now, with the entire Blackbeard Pirates as a reference, the power of her "Light-Style Kamehameha" was clear to see... 

I cast a spell, and it's a one-shot kill. What else is there to say? 

Chapter 339: The Latest Progress on "S-Cells" 

With a flash of light purple, Uchiha Hikari activated "Shangri-La" once more in mid-air, arriving not far from the shipwreck site. From above the surging waves, she scanned the surroundings. 

By now, some people had already started surfacing from the sea. They were Jesus Burgess, the helmsman of the Blackbeard Pirates who had eaten the "Riki Riki no Mi" (Power-Power Fruit), and Van Augur, who had eaten the "Wapu Wapu no Mi" (Warp-Warp Fruit). Both of these guys were quite weak. They couldn't withstand the Kamehameha's barrage and were already barely clinging to life when the raft sank. After being tossed by the seawater, triggering their Devil Fruit weaknesses, they were essentially dead. Their appearance, with blood oozing from all seven orifices, was quite gruesome. 

Uchiha Hikari timely covered Naruto's eyes. Such violent and bloody scenes were best kept away from children. Although Naruto was already seven or eight years old, much more mature than a four or five-year-old, she didn't want him to be traumatized and start thinking like Itachi Uchiha, "with Hokage-level strategizing," potentially developing some psychological issues. It would be hard to explain to the Fourth Hokage later... 

The surrounding Sea Kings were initially about to rush forward and devour the bodies. But they were deterred by the aura Uchiha Hikari casually released, stopping their movements. After looking over with hesitant or fearful eyes for a while, they began to retreat in the direction they came from. 

After waiting for a little while longer, Blackbeard surfaced from underwater, clutching a log. Although his injuries didn't look light, he was still far from dead. He was loudly complaining about the pain. 

Soon, he sensed Uchiha Hikari's gaze, then suddenly looked up, his expression distorted by the pain of his injuries. 

"...It's you!" 

"The vice-captain of the 'Dimensional Pirate Crew'... How are you here?!" 

"Oh, you know me?" Uchiha Hikari was a little surprised but didn't pay it much mind. She simply smiled faintly: "Good, then I don't need to introduce myself. You look quite uncomfortable; do you need help?" 

"..." Blackbeard gritted his teeth, glaring at Uchiha Hikari with a venomous expression, as if fire would erupt from his eyes. 

But Uchiha Hikari wasn't going to give him a chance to speak. After closing and opening her eyes, she directly cast a Kanashibari no Jutsu (Body Paralysis Technique) on Blackbeard, firmly restraining his body. Then, she activated "Shangri-La" once again, teleporting everyone present back to Amazon Lily. 

After the group's presence gradually faded, the surrounding Sea Kings returned, setting their sights on the remaining members of Blackbeard's crew. Screams accompanied the grim scene, echoing across the vast sea... 

The Day of Blackbeard's Capture 

On the very day Blackbeard was captured, Uchiha Hikari took him back to Whitebeard's location. To be precise, she returned to the island protected by the Whitebeard Pirates, where Kikyo and Lady Tamayo were temporarily staying. 

Whitebeard was also there at the moment. Upon suddenly seeing Blackbeard, Whitebeard was immediately enraged, grabbing his bisento and rushing forward to deliver justice to this traitor who had killed his crewmate. However, before that blow could land, Uchiha Hikari spoke up, dissuading him. 

"...The deceased are gone; killing him won't change anything. It's better to spare his life and let him contribute something valuable in his remaining years." 

If these words had come from anyone else, they likely would have been useless. But it was Uchiha Hikari who spoke. So Whitebeard genuinely stopped. After a moment of adjustment, he gradually calmed his emotions: "Alright. Since Miss Hikari says so, then I, this old man, will spare his life for now... Regardless, thank you, Miss Hikari, for capturing this traitor. From today onwards, the Whitebeard Pirates will become the 'Dimensional Crew's' most loyal allies! This is my promise, Edward Newgate!" 

"You're too kind." Uchiha Hikari herself was indifferent about the "alliance." Besides, due to Ace and Yamato's friendship, the "Dimensional Crew" and the "Whitebeard Pirates" were natural allies anyway. However, since Whitebeard was so formal about it, she played along a bit, then pinged Bulma in their group chat. 

—"Alliances" are matters between captains; what does it have to do with a mere vice-captain like her? 

Compared to that... she was more interested in the research progress of Kikyo and Lady Tamayo. 

"...The first phase of clinical trials for 'Demon Transformation Potion 2.0' is almost complete. The collected results are largely as expected, and the probability of curing Mr. Whitebeard is estimated to be over seventy percent." 

"Furthermore, through analyzing the blood of others, particularly Mr. Marco, we have isolated a special lineage factor that has excellent compatibility with 'Demon Transformation Potion 2.0.' It should further enhance the potion's effectiveness." 

"In addition..." 

"Lady Kikyo and I have also conducted some other experiments, specifically adding 'Saiyan' cell extract to the 'Demon Transformation Potion' to observe subsequent changes. From this experiment, we've discovered some new information." 

In the laboratory on the island, Tamayo handed a stack of documents to Uchiha Hikari, explaining them as she did so. Uchiha Hikari wasn't surprised by the preceding information, but when she heard "Saiyan cells," her brow twitched. 

"You mean..." 

"Yes, it's the cell extract taken from your and Miss Bulma's friend, young Mr. Goku." Lady Tamayo nodded, confirming her statement. 

The matter of "Saiyans" was no secret to everyone in their chat group. Outside of the group members, Uchiha Hikari had previously shared this information, mostly verbatim, with Dr. Briefs, and selectively revealed some of it to Dr. Gero. Due to her and Bulma's intervention, these two top scientists from the Dragon Ball world had begun to collaborate on scientific research. As for Lady Tamayo... she likely learned this information from Kikyo, and perhaps from Dr. Gero as well. 

"...I understand, Miss Hikari, and Miss Bulma, you are searching for a special kind of 'S-cell.' Lady Kikyo and I have also discussed this issue recently. Although we haven't fully identified which specific 'S-cell' it is, we now have a general idea and scope. Please take these documents to Dr. Gero, Mr. Briefs, and Miss Bulma; they should be able to provide some assistance." Lady Tamayo said. 

"Understood," Uchiha Hikari nodded. "I'll make time to deliver these as soon as possible." 

Chapter 340: "The Blue Witch" - Bounty: 4 Billion! 

After receiving the research data from Tamayo, Uchiha Hikari returned to Amazon Lily to brief Bulma, then left the pirate world to go to West City in the Dragon Ball world. 

Dr. Brief welcomed her warmly. "Hikari! It's been a while. Is this Tamayo's latest research?" 

"Hmm... The approach is excellent and aligns with my own theories. If these experimental data points are accurate, I believe the secret of S-Cells will be revealed soon." 

"Is that so..." 

Unlike Dr. Brief's excitement, Hikari felt a bit uneasy. To be honest, she had been worried about this for a long time. 

Her concern was about S-Cells and the secret of becoming a Super Saiyan. If Dr. Gero found out, it was hard to say if he would use the cells on himself, turning into Android 20 as he did in the original story. He might then find a way to bypass Hikari's defenses, like the "Yatsukahagi" and "Kotoamatsukami," and become the devious main villain again. 

To prepare for this, Hikari had a two-pronged plan. 

First, once the research was complete, she would closely monitor Dr. Gero. The moment he showed any signs of losing control, she would kill him. 

Second... 

"It's simple, I'll become a Super Saiyan myself!" 

Hikari had already visited Kami and Mr. Popo and had received the spaceship Kami used to travel to Earth. Now, after spending more than half a year in Dr. Brief's lab, most of the ship's functions were repaired. In theory, it was ready to fly to Planet Namek again. 

With the three wishes from the Namekian Dragon, Porunga, combined with Dr. Brief and Bulma's research on S-Cells, it was theoretically possible to create a Super Saiyan. 

—Maybe even more than one. Goku could also be artificially turned into a Super Saiyan, and it would probably be easier for him than anyone else, since he was the first Super Saiyan of this era to begin with. 

The problem was, Goku was only a teenager. Doing so would be more than just "forcing growth"; it would be like pulling up the plant by the roots... 

"...So, that's the situation." 

"Maybe I'm overthinking it, but in the future I've seen, Dr. Gero did cause a lot of destruction to this world. Please, Doctor, keep an eye on his movements. If anything seems off, let me know immediately." 

Hikari explained everything to Dr. Brief. Afterward, she went to the Red Ribbon Army's base and told the same thing to Yukichi. 

Having seen the complete Dragon Ball series, Yukichi knew the situation well and readily agreed. With those two backup plans in place, Uchiha Hikari felt a little more at ease. 

She then began to listen to Dr. Gero's report on his recent work, while also keeping an eye on the group chat. 

[Bulma @ Nameless: Hikari, Hikari, look! Our bounties went up again!] 

[Bulma: [Wanted Poster.jpg]] 

[Nameless: ...So, what was it for this time?] 

[Bulma: Probably Blackbeard...] 

In the original pirate timeline, Blackbeard broke into Impel Down to recruit new crewmates. After defeating the warden, Magellan, and recruiting Shiryu of the Rain, he effectively severed ties with the World Government. When he later appeared at the Marineford War and stole the Tremor-Tremor Fruit from Whitebeard, it was a formal declaration of war. 

But now, because of Uchiha Hikari's interference, Blackbeard never made it to Impel Down. Instead, he was defeated while still a Shichibukai. This gave the incident a different spin: "The Dimensional Pirates ambushed a current Warlord of the Sea!" 

Compared to defeating a Marine Admiral, stealing the Heavenly Tribute, and destroying the Marijoa gate, defeating a mere Shichibukai wasn't a huge deal—the Straw Hat crew had even done it. But this incident still caused a significant stir. 

Hancock had already received an inquiry call from Marine Headquarters. Blackbeard had disappeared in the Calm Belt, and as one of the few nations located there, Amazon Lily was the most likely to have information. Of course, Hancock had no intention of selling out Uchiha Hikari's crew, so after giving a few quick excuses, she hung up. 

For Hikari and the others, the most immediate effect of this incident was an increase in their already sky-high bounties. 

Now, "The Blue Witch" Bulma's bounty is 3,994,000,000, just shy of the lowest-bountied Yonko, Shanks. "The Witch of Light," Uchiha Hikari's bounty is 3,500,000,000. Below her is "The Ice Queen" with 3,000,000,000. 

And then there's "The Dog Oni Princess" with 1,000,000,000... 

Yep, you guessed it, that last one is Yamato. 

While the World Government had suppressed the news of the Heavenly Tribute theft, preventing Yamato from getting the credit she deserved, they did acknowledge her strength by giving her a billion-berry bounty, positioning her as a Yonko's top subordinate. Yamato was thrilled about this for days. 

[Nameless: I get all of that, but... Yamato, don't you think the name "The Dog Oni Princess" sounds a little... lame?] 

[Oni Princess: Hmm... Nah, it's fine. My name in the group is "Oni Princess," and I ate the Dog-Dog Fruit, so the name fits pretty well. It just bugs me that my bounty is 5 million lower than Jack's. Why does he get a higher one?] 

[Nameless: ...] 

Right. Uchiha Hikari had been planning to mention Minato Namikaze to come up with a cooler, more "chuunibyou" nickname for Yamato, but since Yamato herself didn't see a problem, she dropped it. 

On a side note, aside from the main crew members, other members like Ieyasu had also been given bounties, though the amounts were a bit confusing. For example, Naruto, as a key figure in the "Celestial Dragon incident," got a bounty of 100,000,000 at only seven years old. Meanwhile, Ieyasu, who participated in the "Heavenly Tribute" raid and was now actively leading a revolution, only had 60,000,000. 

This was actually a good thing. For what Ieyasu was doing, the later the World Government noticed him, the better.