The CP's infiltration.
Jin was no fool. The message was clear—while the World Government pretended to turn a blind eye, their invisible hand was always on the throats of the kings who bent the knee.
Silent control. Subtle supervision.
He would have to find a way to push back.
Shuraiya, with no family left in the open and no close ties to Jin, was perfect—an expendable piece on the board.
…
The celebrations ended. Hannabal returned to calm.
The people laughed, feasted, and forgot. The memory of fish is a few seconds long. Humans, Jin thought, aren't much better.
Life goes on.
Wilson came in private, hat in hand. "Your Majesty… I think Hannabal deserves a better mayor. I can fight, I can kill, but managing this place is choking the life out of me."
He looked ashamed. It was his inexperience that had left cracks open for enemies to creep through.
But Jin shook his head.
"No. Right now, this city doesn't need brilliance—it needs loyalty. You failed once, but after the purge, it will be easier. If I replace you, who do I put in your place?"
Wilson lowered his eyes, chastened.
Jin comforted for a while before dismissing him
…
Hanafuda didn't disappoint. With a single call, his lackeys delivered.
One Devil Fruit.
Two hundred and fifty million Berries in cash.
Two hundred and fifty? Jin tilted his head.
Hadn't it been two hundred flat?
Oh. Right. The extra fifty was medical fees.
Medicine wasn't cheap. Especially not the "best medicine" Jin had ordered for his "brother."
Hanafuda lay in bed, watching the hospital bills pile higher by the hour. For the first time, the tyrant who had terrorized seas learned the truth of life's greatest pain.
Illness was expensive.
His body hurt, yes. But his heart… his heart bled harder.
If this went on, he thought grimly, he'd have to sell a kidney.
So when the ransom was delivered, Hanafuda didn't even wait for Jin's "celebratory banquet." He hauled himself onto a ship under cover of night and fled, terrified that even a single shrimp at Jin's table might be priced at a million Berries.
Extortion. Pure, black-hearted extortion.
"Ah… Brother Hanafuda," Jin said, caressing the fruit in his palm, "what a righteous, generous man you are."
The fruit shimmered in his hand.
The Dragon-Dragon Fruit. Ancient Zoan. Triceratops form.
Not a bad haul.
And who knew? If Hanafuda's pride stung hard enough, he might return with more men—only to die again, leaving behind yet another Ancient Zoan for Jin to pocket.
…
With Hannabal settled, Jin set sail for Winterhan.
Dalton's call had promised a "heavyweight guest."
A giant shadow awaited him.
The Tyrant. Bartholomew Kuma.
…
"Tall," Jin muttered, craning his neck.
Before him loomed the bear of a man, towering, broad, his figure like a mountain wrapped in shadow. A heavy cloak hung from his massive shoulders. Upon his head sat a trapezoid white cap, mottled with brown spots.
And the ears—round bear's ears that softened his savage bulk with an oddly comical touch.
Beneath his curls of black wool-like hair was a solemn face, framed by rimless glasses.
His chest bore the image of a great crosshair. Brown gloves encased his hands, each palm marked with the soft pads of a bear's paw—proof of his cursed power.
In one hand, he held a Bible.
His legs were clad in white pants spotted brown, his boots heavy and brown leather.
This was no ordinary man.
"This is the king of the Drum Kingdom?"
The voice came not from Kuma's mouth, but from the small figure beside him—a hooded child whose eyes carried far too much fire for her age.
"I am," Jin answered simply.
The girl thrust out a newspaper, her small finger stabbing at the classifieds. "This job ad. You wrote it, didn't you?"
Kuma had come to Drum Island under the pretense of seeking work. A place to rest. A reason to be here. But the truth was darker—he had brought Bonney, chasing any chance, any miracle for her illness.
The Sapphire Scales. A disease so rare even doctors whispered its name. They said ten years. At ten years old, she would die.
But Bonney believed. Believed her father's lie—that she only had to live until ten, and then she would be cured.
And one lie births another.
Jin's eyes flicked to Kuma, then back to the girl. He nodded. "Yes. You're here for the job? Tell me… what skills do you have?"
At last, Kuma spoke. His voice was deep, almost too calm. "I am a priest. I can… ease pain."
Jin's smile sharpened. "A priest, eh? Then I will need to test your abilities. Alone."
Kuma inclined his head. He had been waiting for this chance—to separate from Bonney, to speak the truth. "Agreed."
"Chopper!" Jin called.
The little reindeer, who had been peeking nervously from behind a tree, jumped so high his hat almost flew off.
This was the biggest man he had ever seen. Bigger than the forest bears. Could it be—had this one eaten a Devil Fruit too?
Jin's voice startled him out of his thoughts.
"Me?" Chopper stammered, scratching his head nervously. "Heh… hehe… did you call me?"
"A talking deer?" Bonney's eyes went wide.
"I'm not a deer!" Chopper protested instantly. "I'm a reindeer! A reindeer!"
"Reindeer?" Bonney's eyes sparkled. "So fluffy! You're so cute!"
Chopper turned scarlet, squirming. "Idiot… even if you call me cute… I-I'm not happy about it!"
Bonney tilted her head. "I wonder how you taste?"
"…Taste?"
Chopper nearly fainted, flailing his hooves. "I'm not food! Don't look at me like that! You can't eat me!"
"Eh?" Bonney sighed. "What a disappointment."
"D-d-disappointment?! What's wrong with you?!"
"Enough," Jin cut in, his patience thin. "Chopper. Take her out to play. I need to speak with him."
Chopper huffed, pouting, but nodded. "Fine. You—come with me. I'll show you the Snow Park. We have slides!"
Bonney hesitated, glanced at her father.
Kuma gave a small nod.
She ran after Chopper, her laughter trailing behind.
Kuma watched her vanish, then turned back to Jin.
For days he had walked this island, watched the people. He had seen something different here. Not the corruption of Sorbet. Not the cruelty of tyrants.
This king was not like the others.
That was why he had stayed.
Jin smiled thinly. "Now then. The Tyrant. Bartholomew Kuma. A pirate with a price on his head, a man hunted by the World Government… what brings you to my kingdom?"
Kuma's eyes flickered, light catching behind his lenses.
"You know I'm wanted. And yet you don't fear me?"
"Why should I fear?" Jin spread his hands.
"I am a tyrant," Kuma said slowly. "I led a revolution alone. Any king who recognizes me would report me to the Government."
Jin chuckled.
"What the papers write—are they truth? Are you the oppressor… or the oppressed? What is the real story?"
"I've heard… a little of the Sorbet Kingdom."
Jin leaned forward, voice low.
"And I think you made a mistake."
Kuma blinked.
"Your mistake wasn't in rising against them. Your mistake… was in not finishing the job. You should have killed King Bekori outright."
Kill the king?!
Kuma froze. The thought had never even crossed his mind.
Even in his rage, even when he stormed the palace and struck down the monarch, he had only driven him out.
Never killed.
...........
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