Chapter 83: Jewelry Bonney
"By the way, Sabo, I really like Kuma," Ace suddenly said, his tone serious. "Even though Bartholomew Kuma is a commander in your Revolutionary Army, I want him as my crewmate. I'm going to steal him from you!"
Sabo blinked in surprise before bursting into laughter. "Hahaha! Kuma is a man of unshakable will, Ace. If you think you can win him over, then try it. But don't expect it to be easy."
No one understood Kuma's unwavering loyalty more than the leaders of the Revolutionary Army. In Sabo's view, not even Ace could change that.
"We'll see. I'm serious about this. I want Kuma on my crew." Ace grinned with determination.
---
After spending the day reminiscing about the past and sharing their experiences, Ace and Sabo said their farewells at the edge of the Sky Kingdom three days later. Ace departed aboard a custom-built speedboat crafted by Cybot Yaki, waving to Sabo and Koala at the port.
"Take care, Sabo!" Ace shouted.
"You too, Ace. Don't die on me!" Sabo replied, tears glistening in his eyes.
Their reunion had not gone unnoticed. Spies from the World Government had reported their meeting to the highest authorities, setting new dangers into motion.
---
Instead of returning immediately to the New World, Ace sailed to the Sorbet Kingdom—Bartholomew Kuma's homeland. Though now a Warlord of the Sea (Shichibukai), Kuma had once been its king. Rumors of his cruelty had earned him the epithet "Tyrant Kuma," but his transformation from ruler to pirate, and eventually to Revolutionary Army commander, remained mysterious.
To recruit a man like Kuma, Ace knew he had to understand him first.
Upon arriving in the Sorbet Kingdom, Ace quickly discovered that Kuma's name had become taboo. Locals reacted with visible fear and discomfort at any mention of him.
That was when Ace encountered someone unexpected—a woman with long, straight pink hair, denim overalls, and heart-shaped lipstick. One of the Eleven Supernovas: Jewelry Bonney.
"Hey, I heard you've been asking about that man. Who the hell are you?" Bonney asked coldly, eyes narrowed.
Ace was surprised. "You... you're Jewelry Bonney. One of the Worst Generation."
Before Bonney could answer, one of her crewmates blurted out nervously, "B-Boss... this guy... he's Fire Fist Portgas D. Ace!"
"The same Ace who defeated Jinbe, Charlotte Cracker, and Vice Admiral Vergo in the New World recently! He's the captain of the Spade Pirates! His bounty just got raised to 880 million Beli!"
"880 million?" Ace raised an eyebrow. "Looks like my bounty went up again."
Bonney's crew member pulled out a recent newspaper. "Not just you. After the Sun Island incident, your entire crew's bounties were updated."
He read aloud:
Seba: 123 million Beli (up from 73 million)
Barry: 115 million Beli (up from 67 million)
Vores (Fish-man): 165 million Beli (up from 88 million)
Cybot Yaki: 125 million Beli (up from 85 million)
Kukai the Bounty Hunter: 108 million Beli (up from 68 million)
Aleksandr Karkus (Elf): first bounty set at 300 million Beli for rivaling Cracker
Eberly Gambi, the "Crazy Swordsman": 350 million Beli
"Even the lower-ranked members received increases," the crewman added, "but... yesterday, Donquixote Doflamingo attacked Sun Island. Karkus, Seba, and Barry were injured."
Ace snatched the paper and read quickly. His expression darkened. "Doflamingo... It must be because of Vergo. I let my guard down."
He clenched the newspaper tightly but relaxed when he saw that none of his crewmates had suffered serious injuries.
"Doflamingo... when I get back to the New World, I'm coming for you," Ace muttered, his voice low and threatening.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you like the story please give it some power stones and reviews. And if you want to read 30+ advance chapters or just want to support me please join my patreon at [email protected]/Translatingfanfics