One Piece: The Deadly

The sun rose brightly over the Thousand Sunny as Kikidori sat on the figurehead, staring out at the endless expanse of water. Life felt almost normal again after the tension of the previous day. Kikidori leaned back, enjoying the breeze, when suddenly, a loud squawk echoed in the sky.

"MAIL CALL!" yelled a News Coo as it dropped a bundle of newspapers and wanted posters onto the ship's deck.

"Looks like we've got news!" Nami said, picking up the bundle and flipping through it.

"Anything interesting?" Luffy asked, already munching on some meat.

Before Nami could respond, Chopper spotted something in the pile. "Hey, there's a new bounty poster here!"

"Oh, is it mine? Did it go up?" Usopp asked, leaning over eagerly.

"No…" Chopper said, his voice trailing off. "It's for… Kikidori?"

Everyone turned toward Kikidori, who blinked in surprise. "Me?" he asked, hopping down from the figurehead.

"Here, take a look," Chopper said, handing the poster to Kikidori.

Kikidori stared at the paper in disbelief. His face was plastered across the poster, but what caught everyone's attention was the bounty amount: **150,000,000 berries.**

The crew gasped.

"150 million?! For Kikidori?!" Sanji exclaimed, nearly dropping the cigarette from his mouth.

"Look at the title…" Zoro muttered, pointing to the poster.

Printed beneath Kikidori's bounty was his new epithet: **The Serpent King.**

"Serpent King?!" Kikidori repeated, his eyes wide.

"Guess they've noticed your Viper Viper no Mi and your sword," Robin said with a small smile.

"But 150 million? That's insane!" Usopp said, his jaw dropping. "I only have 500 million and I've been doing this for years!"

Nami read the fine print aloud: "'Wanted for slapping Yonko Straw Hat Luffy, wielding the cursed blade Ophiophagus Hannah, and possessing the Viper Viper no Mi.'"

Luffy burst out laughing. "They gave you a bounty for slapping me? That's hilarious!"

"Not just a bounty," Franky added, "a *big* one. That's crazy, considering you're still just a kid."

"But… but why Serpent King?" Kikidori asked, still in shock.

"Probably because of your devil fruit," Zoro said, leaning against the mast. "And that cursed sword. Makes you sound more dangerous than you actually are."

Kikidori pouted. "Hey! I *am* dangerous!"

"Sure you are," Zoro said, smirking.

Ere'ana looked over his shoulder at the poster. "I think it suits you, Kiki-san," she said with a shy smile.

Kikidori's cheeks turned red, but he quickly looked away.

As the crew continued their day, Kikidori kept the poster tucked under his arm, glancing at it every now and then.

"That's a huge bounty for someone so young," Robin said, walking up beside him. "You should be careful, Kikidori. People will come after you for it now."

"I know," Kikidori said, gripping the poster tightly. "But… it's kind of cool, right? Having a bounty like this?"

Robin smiled. "Just don't let it go to your head."

---

Meanwhile, on a nearby Marine ship, officers gathered around Kikidori's new wanted poster.

"150 million for a 13-year-old?" one Marine said, shaking his head. "What's the world coming to?"

"He's not just any kid," the captain said, studying the poster. "He's a Straw Hat. And now he's got a title that makes him sound like a legend. The Serpent King…"

The captain smirked. "This boy is going to make waves in the pirate world. Mark my words."

---

Back on the Sunny, Kikidori sat on the deck with Ere'ana, showing her his poster for the tenth time.

"'The Serpent King'…" she said softly, smiling. "It really does suit you."

"Y-You think so?" Kikidori stammered, scratching the back of his head.

Ere'ana nodded. "You're strong, brave, and… well, you're kind of like a king already."

Kikidori blushed, but before he could respond, Luffy's voice boomed across the deck.

"Alright, guys! Let's celebrate Kiki's new bounty!"

The crew cheered as Sanji brought out a feast, and Kikidori couldn't help but smile. He was officially a wanted man now, with a bounty higher than he ever imagined.

But deep down, he knew this was only the beginning of his journey as the Serpent King.

End of Chapter 27