"Ren never said they were all your prey."
Nami stuck out her tongue and gave a playful wink. But unlike the coquettish looks she often gave Ren, this one wasn't flattery—it was provocation.
This time, she wanted that vice-captain for herself!
Having repaired her Magical Clima-Tact, Nami brimmed with confidence. After all, she'd witnessed firsthand yesterday just how terrifying Ren's bone powder was.Though the price was a full week of massaging his legs and shoulders…
Still, the results in her Weather Plantation were changing every single day!
That woman…! Zoro's expression darkened, just as he was about to speak—
A furious shout split the air, followed by a sharp gust and the sound of slicing wind.
"What did you do to my crew!?"
A shadow leaped from the enemy ship, diving down like a hunting hawk.
Nojiko's eyes gleamed as she grabbed a talisman, ready to summon fire and burn the enemy captain to ash, hoping to prove her worth. Nami and Zoro reacted instantly as well—
Until a flash of thunder lit the deck!
Boom—!
Violent blue arcs of lightning crackled through the air as Ren's Cursed Blade Thousand Edge clashed against the intruder's iron fist. The deck beneath his feet split into spiderweb cracks from the force.
The attacker flipped backward midair and landed lightly, her gaze sharp and serious.
She had long, straight pink hair, a golden half-ring piercing below her right eye, wore denim overalls over a white shirt, brown high boots, and lipstick shaped like a heart. Her outfit matched the Wild West style of her crewmates—the Bonney Pirates.
"To answer your question," Ren said coldly, "it was your crew who attacked first."
He held the Cursed Blade Thousand Edge, staring indifferently at this familiar face.He remembered who she was—but if she turned out to be an enemy, he wouldn't hesitate to kill her.
"Huh?"
It was only now that Bonney realized something was off. She turned and saw her crew strewn across the deck.
"Captain, forgive me—it was my call," groaned Dery, dragging himself up through the blood to stand before her, sword in hand.
But Bonney pushed him back roughly.
"Enough. I know why you acted on your own. Leave this to me."
Her glare hardened as she stepped forward. "You'll pay for this."
"Then let's see who's right and who's wrong—by strength," Ren said coolly.Golden lines glimmered across his palm as he stepped forward and vanished from sight.
Zoro frowned but didn't intervene. This was a fight between captains.Nami and Nojiko both retreated, guarded by the Iron Knights, for anyone who could face Ren head-on was no ordinary opponent.
On the deck, Bonney roared. A pair of heavy metal knuckle guards gleamed on her fists, each swing booming like a cannon blast.
Though she looked slim and delicate, anyone treating this twenty-million-Beli pirate like a frail girl would soon learn the meaning of monster-level strength.
Ren, of course, didn't underestimate her.Azure arcs flashed as his blade clashed against her steel fists, each collision sending violent wind rippling across the deck. Sparks scattered—dozens of strikes exchanged in seconds.
Her bounty might have been lower than it would later rise to in Sabaody, but her power was not to be trifled with.Her voracious appetite granted tremendous strength—even Arlong would have struggled against her raw power.
And that wasn't the worst part.Bonney was also a Devil Fruit user.
Even Ren had to rely on superior speed and precision to keep her pinned down while watching for an opening.
"Ahhh! I'll kill you!" Bonney roared, her monstrous strength driving her fists faster and harder.
The shockwaves shredded afterimages—until blue lightning burst outward!Searing heat rolled through the wind as the air itself split apart.
Third Form: Gathering Thunder!
Lightning surged around him, the flashing azure arcs tracing dozens of blade paths encircling Bonney.She roared and swung, but she couldn't break through the storm.
Bolts intertwined with swordlight, filling the space like a rumbling volcano ready to erupt.Bonney's scalp tingled—she could feel the pressure, but it was too late to stop him.
In the next instant, the flickering thunder patterns converged into a single glowing vein—and exploded outward like a tree of lightning.
Blue thunder wrapped around Ren's sword as he swung down sharply.
Fifth Form: Scorching Realm Thunder!
Boom—!
The air quaked.A blinding blue arc, hotter than fire, split the sky like the wrath of a thunder god.
Bonney crossed her fists to block—but the sound of tearing metal screamed through the storm.Her steel knuckles shattered into fragments, scattering across the deck.
Her eyes widened.A blast of scorching air hit her face, and before she could react, a cold flash of steel bit into her shoulder.
"You fell for it, slippery bastard!" she snarled, driving her shoulder into the gale. Her other hand shot out to grab him.
Even as Ren caught her wrist, she twisted her arm—just one touch was all she needed.If she made contact, she would win.
Devil Fruit power—activate!
But before she could celebrate, Ren opened his mouth.
Swallowing Rivers and Flooding Lakes!
A torrent of seawater gushed from his throat, crashing directly into her face. The sudden tide drowned her momentum—and her ability.
"You're the one who fell for it, Bonney."
Ren's mocking voice followed as he twisted his wrist and slammed the hilt into her stomach.
"Gah—!"
Bonney doubled over, coughing violently.
Cold steel pressed to her neck; the violet-glinting tip drew a thin line of blood.
"Don't move," Ren said calmly, "or your crew dies with you."
She froze.Nami hurried over and tied up the battered pirates under Ren's orders.
Their defeat had been too swift; none were killed—Ren had forbidden lethal force.All of them were gravely injured, but still alive.
Dery was the first to come to.He looked around at his fallen comrades, then at his captain bound like a caterpillar.
Dropping to his knees, he bowed low until his forehead hit the deck.
"Every decision was mine alone! If you want revenge, take my head!It's worth eight million Beli!"
Nami leaned on her staff, smirking. "Fast thinker, huh?"
Ren ignored him, but when he turned, he found Nami and Zoro standing like two gatekeepers at his back—and Nojiko laughing quietly behind them.
He sighed and looked back at Dery.
"If I wanted revenge, none of you would be alive. And your head? What's that worth? Isn't your captain's bounty over twenty million?"
Dery stiffened, glancing nervously at the bound Bonney.
He gritted his teeth and kowtowed again.
"You can take our lives if you want, but please… spare the captain. She didn't know!"
Ren chuckled. "What use would I have for you? The useful one is clearly your prettier—ow!"
Before he could finish, Nami kicked him with a blank expression.
Dery looked even more despairing, not sure whether to beg or faint.
"Fine," Ren said at last, waving a hand. "Shut up. I'll talk to your captain."
He crouched before Bonney.
"You saw how much your crew cares about you, right? If you curse again like earlier, I promise—one insult, one head."
He pulled the gag from her mouth. Bonney inhaled sharply—then coughed as the foul taste hit her tongue. Her glare, however, stayed sharp as ever.
"Who the hell are you? What was that just now? You knew my Devil Fruit power?"
Ren rested his chin on his hand and smiled lazily.
"What a boring question. You're too famous, Glutton Girl. Isn't it common knowledge that Devil Fruit users fear seawater?"
He'd recognized her instantly—Jewel Bonney, wielder of the Age-Age Fruit, a Paramecia-type ability that manipulates age itself.She could make herself or others older or younger at will.
Had she touched him successfully, Ren might have turned into a child—or an old man.A terrifying power indeed.
She had pretended to be enraged and careless to bait him in, planning to use her power mid-attack.But Ren had already anticipated it.
The moment he realized a pirate worth over twenty million was fighting below her full power, he knew something was off.So he'd set a trap—using seawater to nullify her ability, then finishing her decisively.
That was the power of information.
And Bonney realized—he hadn't actually answered her at all.
"You bastard! That's not an answer!" she shouted. But when Ren casually pressed his blade against Dery's neck, she deflated like a balloon, glaring helplessly.
That expression of forced submission reminded him of Nami's early days.
"So," Ren asked lightly, "how do you want to settle this?"
"What do you mean? You're… letting us go?" she said, startled.
"That depends on your sincerity," Ren replied, sighing as Nami and Zoro exchanged puzzled looks.
It wasn't because Bonney was attractive or her outfit was… distracting.The real reason was her father.
The Tyrant Bartholomew Kuma—one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, wielder of the Paw-Paw Fruit. A powerhouse on par with a Marine Vice Admiral—not the weak kind, but someone near Garp's level. Some even said he could fight an Admiral head-on.
And his Devil Fruit made him perhaps the most mobile being on the sea. He could appear anywhere—Marineford, Mary Geoise—whenever he wished. From the New World to Marine Headquarters in half a day, if he wanted.
If Ren killed Bonney here, Kuma would inevitably come for vengeance. No Totem of Undying could save him from that.
Once was enough after what happened with Buggy and Shanks.
"There's treasure in our ship," Bonney offered through gritted teeth. "You can have all of it."
"Really? How much!?"Nami's eyes turned into $$, her voice trembling with excitement.
This woman… she's even greedier than before. Is this what getting close to Ren does to people? Zoro sighed, black lines forming on his forehead. No way Ren would let an enemy go for money.
"No, Nami," Nojiko said, covering her sister's mouth and pulling her back. "Let him handle this."
Ren merely chuckled. "From the moment you lost, your treasure became ours. You're offering me my own spoils as compensation?"
Bonney clenched her teeth. "Then what do you want? If you're not going to kill me, say it straight. If you are…" She trailed off.
Because if it came down to death, she knew she would beg to live. She still had someone she needed to see—just one more year until she recovered, until she could live under the sun with him again. She couldn't die here.
"You look like someone who has a reason not to die," Ren said softly, understanding dawning.
He remembered how Bonney had once chased her father across the seas—a stubborn daughter pursuing the runaway parent.
Considering Kuma's power, his mysterious nature, and Ren's need for leverage against the Warlords—plus the World Government's apparent order that the Marines not harm Bonney—Ren came to a decision.
"Work for me, Jewelry Bonney."
She froze. "What… what did you just say?"
Ren's offer hung in the air.
Recruiting a defeated pirate wasn't uncommon. Many captains took in former enemies to strengthen their crews. But—these people were traders! Merchants!
Zoro frowned, puzzled by his captain's motive. Still, out of respect for Ren's judgment, he said nothing.
Nami and Nojiko, however, exchanged a suspicious glance at the pink-haired beauty. Something told them this was going to get complicated.
(End of Chapter)