A few days later.
In the middle of Namikaze Town, there stood a building specifically built, meticulously designed and constructed as the official HQ of the Uzukage. The structure was circular in design, featuring a large sign proudly proclaiming 'Uzukage Office' above its entrance. The building itself spanned two stories, with the second floor exclusively dedicated to the Uzukage herself.
Here was the 'sacred' place where Naru, as the ruler of the kingdom, would conduct her official duties.
Inside this office, Naru's workspace was modest by most standards, yet undeniably functional. The arrangement of the furniture bore a subtle resemblance to the Hokage's office she remembered from her past, providing a sense of familiarity and structure despite the new circumstances she now found herself in.
At that moment, Naru sat behind her desk, thoroughly engrossed in the newly released wanted posters for herself and her team. These posters had just been released that morning, and she couldn't help but to take note of the dramatic increased in their bounties. After a few moments, she laid the posters down on her desk, her gaze shifting to the four individuals who stood before her, awaiting her reaction.
"Our bounties have gone up since the last time we checked," Naru remarked calmly, her voice carrying an undertone of both amusement and slight surprise.
Previously, Naru's own bounty had been a staggering 800 Million Beri. However, following the war, that figure had soared to an astonishing 1.2 Billion Beri, reflecting her heightened notoriety and the magnitude of her accomplishments. The others had once hovered around 200 Million Beri, but after the events that had unfolded during the conflict, their bounties had risen dramatically as well, each gaining an additional 300 Million Beri. Yuzu, however, was an exception, standing apart from the rest with a bounty that exceeded the others by a full 100 Million Beri, marking her as a figure of unique significance and notoriety in the eyes of the world.
Nikolas was the first to reach out, his hands grasping his own wanted poster with a gleam of excitement in his eyes. A wide grin spread across his face as he whistled appreciatively, exclaiming, "If I have to praise the World Government, then it has to be for their impeccable photographing skills!"
Up until now, their true appearances had remained concealed from the public. The people of Uzu had been cooperative in keeping the identities of their beloved Uzukage and her Generals a well-guarded secret. Thus, their previous wanted posters had depicted only their masked faces. Now, with their new posters, taken during the war, the group finally saw what the World Government had captured.
Nikolas, ever the confident one, could not help but express his satisfaction with the angle chosen for his image, particularly the one taken during his skirmish with Smoker. He was certain the photo had captured him at his most handsome.
Barlow, in contrast, appeared entirely unbothered by the selection of his image. He cast a brief, indifferent glance at his wanted poster before letting out a small grunt of acknowledgment. His bounty was listed at 500 Million Beri, accompanied by the title "Iron Fist Barlow," which seemed to suit his imposing and steadfast presence perfectly.
Meanwhile, Yue's expression lit up with awe as her gaze fell upon her own poster. The image captured her mid-action, utilizing her Devil Fruit powers while hovering gracefully in the air. Her majestic wings were fully unfurled as she launched arrows at her enemies, a breathtaking combination of beauty and lethality. Her bounty was also set at 500 Million Beri, with the label "Yue, the Lunar Angel," which seemed to capture both her elegance and her formidable abilities.
Her eyes then moved to Naru's poster, and they widened in sheer admiration. Naru's image was nothing short of extraordinary, depicting her in her 'God Mode,' an ethereal glow surrounding her figure as Kurama's shadow loomed in the background, imposing and powerful, a visual testament to her unparalleled strength.
Yuzu, in contrast, allowed herself a scoff as she examined her poster. She noted, with a hint of irritation, that the World Government had chosen to use the name she had selected for herself rather than her true birth name. Her poster read, "Yuzu, the Demonic Reaper, 600 Million Beri," a title that both acknowledged her power and yet obscured her true identity.
Nikolas noticed her reaction and tilted his head curiously. "Hey, they didn't put your real name? Didn't they recognize you? Even if they didn't, your cousin surely would have noticed, right?"
Yuzu's origins traced back to Mary Geoise, where she had been born Dorothy of the Donquixote Family. Her late father had been the younger brother of Donquixote Homing, who was, in turn, the father of Doflamingo, making Yuzu and the Shichibukai cousins. A decade prior, she had encountered Naru and, captivated by circumstances beyond her understanding, had chosen to abandon her life as a World Noble to follow a stranger she had only just met.
Not wanting the World Government to go crazy over her 'mysterious' disappearance of false kidnapping, she left behind a letter that directly state her intention of wanting to escape.
Therefore, no known action was taken by the World Government to search for the missing heiress of the Donquixote Family. Though, Yuzu was sure that they had been secretly trying to locate her whereabouts all these years. Unfortunately for them, she had been with someone who could move from one place to another as she pleased.
Those World Nobles in Mary Geoise were bound to never find her.
Those in Mary Geoise, bound by their arrogance and sense of entitlement, had little hope of ever finding her. That was, until a few days prior, when she had finally revealed her face to the world and confronted her cousin, the very person responsible for the deaths of her parents and numerous relatives eleven years ago.
Yuzu had a thought, since she had decided to reveal herself to the world, surely her identity would also be exposed, right? However, looking at her wanted poster and the lack of news that spoke of her, it seemed that those old farts did not want the world to know of her.
At least not yet.
Or never.
Who knows?
"Knowing my cousin, I'm sure he has said whatever that he could say to those old farts," Yuzu said.
"Then, why didn't they use your real name like they did to Naru?"
Previously, Naru was only known as the 'Uzukage' on her wanted poster, but that title was no more, replaced by her real name, Monkey D Naru.
"Who knows? It's not like I have the ability to read their minds," Yuzu replied, shrugging with casual indifference.
"In any case, just pay attention to whatever movement that may arise in the future. Since we have already decided to reveal ourselves, more eyes will be on us. More people are coming to Uzu, so we need to make sure that everyone stays alert of troublesome people."
Suddenly, rushing footsteps could be heard from outside, distracting the people in the room.
Then, someone urgently knocked on the door.
Naru quickly signaled the person outside to enter.
A young warrior burst into the room, his face etched with anxiety. After offering a respectful salute, he hurriedly reported, "Naru-sama, we've spotted a ship believed to belong to a World Noble! It has just passed through the Whirlpools Sea and is now heading toward the northern port!"
The northern port was where the Great Eagle Town was located.
"World Noble, huh? Bold of them to come here," Nikolas muttered, clearly intrigued by the news.
Naru frowned. "Just one ship?"
"Yes, Naru-Sama!"
Moving her gaze away from the young warrior to Nikolas, she said, "Well, the northern port is under your command."
Figuring out her hidden meaning, Nikolas grinned. "Let me see who is so bold to cause a commotion at my place!"
Naru's eyes shifted to Yuzu next. "Yuzu, go with him. There's a chance this person may be someone you know. If we can avoid unnecessary conflict, then we should. Everyone who comes here is a guest, but of course, we don't tolerate rude guests."
Yuzu flashed a smirk, her expression a mix of excitement and curiosity. "Very well, Leader-San."
Regardless of who this World Noble might be, Yuzu had no intention of letting them believe they were important enough to warrant Naru's personal attention.