Chapter 24: Chapter 24: The Aftermath
The morning after the battle, Solian was sitting in a small tavern, sipping a glass of water. His body still ached, but the pain was manageable. He had won. And now he was stronger than ever.
But the win had its cost.
A wanted poster was put on the wooden table in front of him.
WANTED: SOLIAN FLARE
Bounty: 30,000,000 Berries
For assaulting Marine forces and defeating a Marine Lieutenant
Solian sighed. "Well, I expected this."
The Marines weren't about to let him get away after all that. Now he was wanted officially. There was no going back.
He tucked the poster away, folded up. No sense in worrying about it now.
His thoughts were in the future.
The fight had revealed something to him—he was getting stronger. His Plasma Strike had a bit of real power behind it, and Solar Afterimage provided a new kind of movement. But he was still far from the true monsters of the world. The Yonko, the Admirals… he needed to keep pushing.
He needed allies.
He couldn't do this alone. Not forever.
But assembling a crew wasn't easy. He needed to find the right people, strong and loyal. This world was rampant with backstabbers, and he wasn't about to let someone into his inner circle just so they could stab him in the back.
He downed his drink as the System Notification popped up.
New System Quest: A Crew of Legends
A pirate is nothing without his crew. Gather powerful allies and make a name for yourself.
Optional: Call a warrior from another world (Unavailable).
Summoning Ticket Requirement: Defeat an 80,000,000 berry pirate or a Marine Captain.
Solian's eyes widened. "Summoning… another world?"
He had almost forgotten about this option. The system had mentioned it before but said he wasn't ready. Now it was offering him a portal to it.
If he could defeat an 80-million bounty pirate… he could summon someone.
His enthusiasm increased. Whoever he called would be bound to him, so betrayal would not be a concern. A sure-fire powerful ally.
Exactly what he needed.
He rose to his feet, extending his arms. "Alright. Time to move."
His next objective was determined.
Gain powerful allies.
And pursue an 80-million pirate.
The actual adventure was just getting underway.