The Kingdom of Sorbet, located in the South Blue, is one of the World Government Affiliated Countries. The land of this nation is extremely barren, so even if the entire country were planted with crops, it would not be enough to keep its citizens fed. As a result, any young person unwilling to endure constant hunger has taken to the seas to seek other opportunities, leading to a severe aging population in this country.
Forty percent of the impoverished are elderly people. Compounding this issue, King Beckley, who ascended the throne of Sorbet Kingdom just last month, is an extremely greedy and stingy man. Immediately upon taking power, he began increasing various taxes, exhausting the meager vitality that the previous king had painstakingly preserved.
On this particular morning, a three-masted sailing ship slowly approached the port of the Sorbet Kingdom. The ship was entirely black, with a ferocious beast head pattern painted on its sails—this was the pirate ship of the dreaded "Hundred Beasts" Kaidou and his crew. When this vessel appeared on the horizon, the docks immediately descended into chaos.
"It's... it's the flag of the Beasts Pirates!" a sharp-eyed fisherman cried out in terror.
Merchants hurriedly packed up their goods, fishermen quickly hauled in their nets and returned to shore, while guards urgently assembled to prepare for potential threats. The port area soon became deserted, leaving behind only hastily abandoned cargo and fishing nets.
"Finally, we're arriving," Enel stood at the bow, watching the panicked commotion at the distant docks, a playful smile curling at the corners of his mouth. His golden earlobes glinted in the sunlight as he lightly tapped his golden scepter against the deck.
"Yes, we've finally arrived," Kaidou's deep voice echoed across the deck. The burly pirate captain stood at the stern, his gaze burning intently as he watched the approaching port. Since recruiting Kuzan in the North Blue, their pirate ship had been sailing through the South Blue for nearly twenty days. Throughout this time, Kaidou had been patiently waiting for this moment to come.
Kuzan stood silently by the ship's railing, watching the gradually approaching port with complex emotions. Since being completely defeated by Kaidou, he had fallen into unprecedented confusion. Although he still hadn't agreed to join the Beasts Pirates, having spent so much time on the ship as a prisoner, he had clearly understood Kaidou's purpose for this journey—to recruit someone from the Sorbet Kingdom.
According to Kaidou, this person's strength and potential were in no way inferior to his own.
Though Kuzan had been defeated by Kaidou, he had a clear understanding of his own potential. He believed that given enough time to grow, he would eventually become a powerhouse who wouldn't lose to anyone. Precisely because of this, he was even more curious: what kind of person could command such respect from Kaidou?
The pirate ship slowly docked, the crowd on the pier having long since scattered and fled. A few brave guards hid behind distant barricades, nervously watching the terrifying pirate ship.
Kaidou's towering figure was the first to step onto land, his heavy footsteps seeming to pound in everyone's hearts.
He wore his signature black leather pants and red cape, with a massive spiked club hanging from his waist. Enel and Inuarashi followed behind him.
Nekomamushi and the others followed closely behind. Kuzan walked at the rear, his expression still gloomy, but a complex light flickered in his eyes.
"Let's go," Kaidou said without turning his head. "Let's go meet that interesting fellow."
Surprisingly, Kaidou didn't head toward the bustling town but instead turned onto another small path.
"Brother Kaidou, isn't the person you mentioned over in the town area?" Enel asked curiously, his golden staff pointing toward the distant town buildings.
"No, my Observation Haki has already detected the other party," Kaidou said as he walked straight toward the church. He remembered clearly that Kuma should have become a priest this year, and would use his Devil Fruit ability every week to help elderly people relieve their pain for free, while bearing all that suffering himself.
Just as Kaidou and the others were heading toward the church...
In a simple church in the Sorbet Kingdom, Bartholomew Kuma was intently treating a sick elderly man. Sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows, casting colorful patterns on the floor and adding a warm, peaceful atmosphere to this sacred place.
"Please relax, old man," Kuma said in a deep yet gentle voice. He extended his right hand, the distinctive bear paw pads gently pressing against the elderly man's hunched back. As he did so, a translucent bubble slowly emerged from the old man's body, its surface clearly imprinted with the pattern of a bear paw.
The moment the bubble completely separated from the old man's body, the elderly man's pale complexion immediately regained color, and his violent coughing stopped.
Kuma gazed at the bubble floating in the air and reached out to touch it without hesitation.
In that instant, all the pain and suffering contained within the bubble transferred to him. The tall man's face instantly turned pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, yet he still maintained his gentle smile as if he weren't the one bearing the pain.
"Kuma, are you okay?" Ginny, who had been standing nearby, immediately stepped forward, her eyes filled with concern. She was a lively young girl with strikingly vibrant orange hair that now trembled slightly due to her anxiety.
"I'm fine," Kuma turned and gave Ginny a reassuring smile. The sunlight illuminated his face, outlining his resolute features, while his eyes remained as gentle as water.
Ginny put her hands on her hips and muttered discontentedly: "Really, Kuma, why do you have to do such things! You always transfer other people's pain to yourself." Her voice carried both heartache and reproach, her eyes slightly reddened.
Kuma looked toward the bright sky outside the church and softly replied: "As long as I can see everyone's smiles, I feel incredibly happy." His voice was deep and gentle, like a comforting hymn softly echoing within the church.
Just then, the church doors were suddenly pushed open. A white-haired elderly man rushed in breathlessly, his face filled with terror. "T-terrible, Kuma!" the old man gasped, his voice trembling with fear.
"Grandpa Korli, what happened?" Kuma immediately turned around, his broad shoulders blocking the incoming sunlight and casting a shadow before him.
Ginny pursed her lips: "Old man Korli, what scary things are you going to say again?" Though her tone was light, she had already subconsciously tensed up her body.
The old man paid no attention to Ginny's teasing, his voice trembling as he said: "There... there are pirates... pirates heading our way!" His hands gripped the church pew tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.
Upon hearing this, Bartholomew Kuma's expression turned serious. In the poor kingdom of Sorbet, though pirates rarely visited, they weren't completely absent. Over the p
ast eight years, he had repeatedly repelled invading pirates, protecting the residents of this land.