Yamato signed it without much suspicion and also asked Dragonite why it was working in the express delivery business.
Even after Dragonite's explanation, she didn't quite understand, but it seemed quite important. After all, if this was arranged by Arceus, it had to serve some purpose.
"So, delivering a letter to me is part of your test too? Sounds like you guys are pretty capable. But isn't making a phone call more convenient than writing a letter…?"
After signing, Yamato tore open the envelope—only to quickly shove the letter back inside before Dragonite could even react.
"Uh… how about this? Let's pretend you never found me, okay?"
Dragonite reached into its bag again and pulled out a small piece of paper—Yamato's Vivre Card. As she watched the slip of paper slowly point toward her, Yamato knew there was no escaping this.
If Dragonite couldn't find someone even with their Vivre Card, it might as well quit being a courier. Not to mention, she had already signed the delivery receipt…
Regret was starting to set in for signing.
The envelope didn't contain anything unusual—just an ordinary letter. But the name at the bottom… was Kaido's.
[Return to Onigashima. There's a surprise.]
Just one short sentence, yet it weighed on Yamato like a mountain. Kaido's idea of a "surprise" could never be anything good.
[Lord wants you to call him after receiving the letter.]
Dragonite's words reignited a tiny spark of hope within her. Maybe—just maybe—things weren't as bad as she feared.
As Rotom connected the call to Onigashima, Yamato immediately asked Arceus, "Dad, what's up with this letter?"
"Just a little test. Where exactly are you now?"
"Uh… some island in the East Blue. Not too far from Reverse Mountain, I guess."
"I see. That's decent speed. There's nothing important—just keep an eye out. The Marines have been pretty active lately."
"Wait, Dad, what does the content in this letter actually mean?"
The test was over, and Arceus didn't seem interested in small talk. But before he could hang up, Yamato quickly stopped him.
"The contents?"
"Yeah, Dad. You don't know what's in it?"
"No idea. I was just going to write something random, but it looks like your father had other plans."
Her last hope was shattered. Of course. She knew Kaido would never just let her be. Her mind was already racing, imagining what kind of terrifying scheme he was plotting this time.
But Yamato didn't let herself go down the negative spiral for too long. Whatever was coming would come—there was no avoiding it. Worrying endlessly wouldn't change a thing. It would only waste her precious leisure time.
This was also a lesson she had learned from her experiences.
"Phew… Let's go, Pay-tan, Ul-chan. Let's enjoy the rest of our journey."
"There's something wrong with what you're saying. That idiot Kaido is clearly after you, so why do you make it sound like Pay-tan and I are also going to suffer with you?"
"Because I'm dragging you both along, of course. We're friends, aren't we?"
"Can you not show your sense of camaraderie in such a bizarre way! Who the hell wants to be tortured by that guy along with you!"
"Not bad, Ul-chan. You're not denying that we're friends anymore, and you didn't even complain about the nickname. That's a big step forward."
"That's enough from you! Can't you be a bit smarter at crucial times and not always use your brains in such odd ways! "
For some reason, Ulti always felt like Yamato could break through all her defenses—effortlessly and without warning.
"Alright, alright, let's get moving. First, we need to get an Eternal Pose to Alabasta. If I remember correctly, the next island's specialty is potato twisters."
After deciding on their next destination, Yamato and the others prepared to set off. Dragonite also made ready to leave—this was just a test of its speed, after all, so there was no reason to linger. However, before departing, it handed them a stack of newspapers, which just so happened to include their latest bounties.
It had bought them from a News Coo, though the poor bird had been so startled that it took off in a panic, not even daring to take the money.
Dragonite was known in legends for its gentle nature. In fact, it was said that it evolved from Dragonair into this form specifically to gain hands capable of helping others.
But the News Coo didn't know any of that. To the News Coo, this big, fat dragon that had chased it down was nothing short of a terrifying apex predator.
Thanks to their activities in the East Blue, Yamato's bounty had finally broken the two-billion mark, making her bounty the fourth highest in the Beasts Pirates. Ulti and Page One also saw small increases in their bounties, but neither of them paid it much mind.
Some people, however, were sweating bullets over their bounties.
...
Aboard the Going Merry, Nami was angrily yelling at a News Coo.
"Why is today's newspaper 200 Berries?! That's blatant price gouging! I'm filing a complaint!"
Even after having a gold mine at home, her greedy nature hadn't changed. It was a habit she'd developed long before the gold mine was discovered.
The News Coo flapped its wings in exasperation and flew off. It was just an employee—what was it supposed to do about price hikes from the boss?
At least this time, the extra charge was worth it. Alongside the usual news, the paper also came with a serialized special comic strip and an additional set of bounty posters.
Usopp had originally just wanted to check out the comic strips, but the next moment, he flopped down on the ground in a daze.
"What's wrong, Usopp? What did you see? Get up quickly and steer the ship!"
"B-bounty…bounty…"
Seeing Usopp sprawled on the ground, Nami was about to mock him—until she caught sight of the bounty poster herself. The next instant, she also joined him, forming a trembling duo.
Page One and Ulti's bounties were still buried under the stack, but the one on top alone was enough to shatter their views.
Oni Princess – Yamato – Bounty: 2,470,000,000 Berries.
"Two… two billion…"
"Luffy! Luffy! Come look at this! That woman… she's a total monster!"
Luffy, who had been sitting at the ship's bow, walked over at their shouts. But instead of fear, he broke into a grin as he looked at Yamato's bounty.
"She really is strong, huh? But even so, the one who will become the Pirate King will definitely be me! I can definitely defeat her..."
"Snap out of it, will you!"
Nami's "Fist of Love" came crashing down on Luffy's head, though it was less about knocking sense into him and more about venting her own fear.
"Your bounty isn't even a fraction of hers! And she mentioned having a father, who's probably even more terrifying... Why are you picking fights with people like this... I regret this, is it too late for us to turn back now?"
"What are you talking about, Nami? We've come this far—there's no turning back now! Even if her dad is ridiculously strong, I'm not gonna back down!"
Luffy was brimming with confidence—until Hercules shattered it with a single sentence.
[Her father is a monster even stronger than your grandpa.]
Although he didn't say anything, everyone noticed that Luffy's legs seemed to be trembling slightly. They couldn't fathom what Hercules said to instill a sense of fear in Luffy.
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