Rengoku left Shakky's bar and immediately met up with Kizaru in the middle of the city.
"Hoeeh~ so that's what happened, Rengoku-kun~,"
Kizaru drawled in his usual lazy tone.
"I'll need to report that the Pacifista units may have a malfunctioning core processor," Rengoku replied.
"That last incident could've been catastrophic."
The laser that had nearly hit Rengoku earlier turned out to have come from one of the Pacifistas—the navy's cyborg weapons modeled after Bartholomew Kuma, and powered by Kizaru's light-based technology.
Following the trajectory of the beam, Rengoku discovered that several pirate crews had managed to damage the machine's head, corrupting its cognition.
The pirates had been too busy dodging the berserk machine's laser fire to notice Rengoku's approach—and he eliminated them all in an instant.
The rogue Pacifista itself was sliced neatly in half by Rengoku's flaming blade.
Physically, its durability was impressive but not exceptional. Yet its beam weapon was nearly identical in destructive power to Kizaru's own.
"Hm~ I see~" Kizaru said, scratching his chin lazily.
"By the way, Rengoku-kun~"
"Yes, Admiral, sir?"
"Have you happened to see Sentomaru anywhere~?"
"No, sir, I haven't."
"Hmmm~ that's troublesome. He should've reported in by now~"
"Are you sure you're not talking into one of the listening den den mushi again?" Rengoku asked dryly.
Kizaru blinked, then reached into his coat and pulled out a second snail.
"Oh dear~ seems I really was~ my mistake, my mistake~."
....
Meanwhile, at Shakky's bar…
"Luffy, don't let what he said get to you," Nami said quietly. "We're still here. We'll find a way."
"Yeah, Luffy! To hell with what that guy said! If there's going to be a war, then we'll join it—and save Ace!"
Usopp shouted, forcing a grin.
They had never met Ace themselves, but for Luffy's sake, they were ready to fight.
Rayleigh, however, raised a hand to stop them.
"Don't be rash. What Rengoku told you wasn't a taunt—it was a warning, and a sincere one."
"Rayleigh-san…"
"I'll start coating your ship now," he said, already gathering his tools. "Even if I rush it, it'll take three days. Use that time to lay low and clear your heads."
"Then… we'll see you in three days," Luffy said, nodding.
Rayleigh handed him a small piece of his Vivre Card.
"Here. If anything happens, this will lead you to me."
He turned and left, heading for the shipyard.
But just as the Straw Hats began to disperse, a massive shadow blocked their path.
A towering man stepped out of the mist—his presence cold, yet calm.
"...The Warlord of the Sea, Bartholomew Kuma!" Robin gasped, eyes widening.
"No way—another Warlord? Here?!" Sanji cursed, immediately readying for battle.
They had fought one Warlord before—Crocodile—and barely survived.
Now another stood before them, one allied directly with the Navy.
"Do not worry," the giant said softly. Despite his size, his voice was almost gentle.
He removed one of his gloves, revealing the strange paw-shaped pads on his hands.
"I am the user of the Nikyu Nikyu no Mi. Anything I touch, I can repel. That includes all of you."
"So what?" Sanji spat.
Kuma's eyes met his. "Because this may be our first and last meeting, I will tell you the truth. Everything I do now… is for Dragon's sake."
"Dragon? You mean—Luffy's father?!" Nami gasped.
Kuma nodded once. "Good. Then understand this clearly: you must not take part in the war that's about to begin. If you do… you will all die."
"What the hell are you talking about—?!"
FWAP!
Before Sanji could even finish speaking, Kuma raised his hand—and in an instant, Sanji vanished into thin air.
"SANJI!!!" Luffy screamed.
Everyone froze, horror spreading across their faces.
"My investigation of your crew is complete," Kuma said calmly. "You are all too reckless. I won't let you throw your lives away."
"What do you mean by that—?!"
FWAP!
Nami disappeared next.
"NAMI!!!"
FWAP! FWAP! FWAP!
Usopp, Chopper, and Brook vanished one after another.
"'For Dragon'?!" Zoro roared, drawing his swords. "You call erasing our friends helping Luffy's father?!"
He lunged—but Kuma simply raised his hand again.
FWAP!
Zoro was gone.
"ZORO!!!"
FWAP! FWAP!
Robin and Franky vanished next—leaving Luffy completely alone.
Trembling with rage, Luffy burst into Gear Second.
"Gomu Gomu no… Jet Gatling!!!"
His fists blurred into hundreds of strikes, but every blow was harmlessly deflected by the paw-shaped pads on Kuma's hands.
"What the hell are you?! Why are you doing this?! Did my father order this?!"
Kuma didn't answer. His expression didn't change.
He simply raised his hand one last time.
In fury, Luffy launched himself at Kuma once more, his movements even faster and more desperate than before.
"Gomu Gomu no... Jet Pistol!"
He vanished in a blur, appearing behind Kuma to throw a full-power punch — but the towering cyborg dodged effortlessly.
"Gomu Gomu no... Jet Bazooka! Jet Bullet! Jet Rocket!"
Luffy's fists became a storm.
"WAAAAAAH!! Jet Gatling!!!"
Every ounce of emotion burst out — the fear of losing Ace, the sting of Rengoku's harsh truths, the shock of seeing his crew vanish before his eyes, and the silent, infuriating calm of the man in front of him.
All of it fueled his rage.
But no amount of rage could save him.
Kuma moved. No devil fruit power this time — only pure, overwhelming speed and strength.
In a blink, he appeared behind Luffy, his punch imbued with Haki. The impact crushed through the air itself, slamming into Luffy's side and hurling him into the ground.
"Why," Kuma asked calmly, looking down at the trembling pirate, "do you want to save Ace?"
"Ghh...! Let me go!!" Luffy spat, struggling.
"Answer me. Why do you want to save him?"
"I don't have to tell you anything, bastard!"
At that, Kuma released him.
Luffy stumbled, confused — why would he just… let go?
"Hmph. Because he's my brother," Luffy growled, forcing himself to stand. "That's all there is to it. Saving family — that's what anyone would do."
Kuma's expression didn't change.
Luffy continued, glaring up. "Then what about you? What are you to my father?"
The Warlord said nothing.
"Fine," Luffy shouted, inflating his arm. "If you won't talk, I'll just beat it out of you! Gear Third!"
His arm ballooned to giant size as he filled the bones with air.
"This is the fist of a giant! Gomu Gomu no... Gigant Pistol!!"
BOING!
The massive punch connected — but instead of impact, it was repelled. The attack simply bounced back, harmlessly.
A power mismatch — his elasticity versus Kuma's repelling force.
A losing battle.
"Gigant Gatling!!!"
Both arms turned gigantic as Luffy unleashed a hurricane of blows. But every hit was deflected, every strike returned.
He couldn't land a single one.
"Do you truly wish to save him that badly?" Kuma asked. "Even if it costs your life?"
"Of course!" Luffy shouted hoarsely. "I'd stake my life for Ace!"
Kuma's eyes softened just slightly. With his left hand, he gathered a shimmering sphere of compressed air — no larger than a soccer ball.
By then, Gear Third had ended. Luffy's body shrank, leaving him tiny and panting.
"…Then go," Kuma said quietly. "Go and try to save him, Monkey D. Luffy."
He pressed the air bubble against the small boy's chest. The world warped — and Luffy disappeared.
Kuma lowered his hand.
"…Dragon," he murmured, his voice barely a whisper.
"That boy truly is your son."
Those words were the final ones spoken by Bartholomew Kuma — back when he was still himself.
---------------
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