High above a certain stretch of the Grand Line, a golden airship sailed through the skies.
On the deck, little Bonney, Aisha, and Man Shirley ran about laughing and chattering, their voices echoing as they played freely.
Meanwhile, Souta Kiryuu, Enel, and Trafalgar Law stood wrapped in bandages. None of them had accepted Man Shirley's complete healing. The pain lingering in their bodies served as a reminder of just how vast the gap still was between them and the Revolutionary Army's elite.
Souta's wounds came from being brutally beaten down by Dragon's mastery of advanced Haki techniques—an outcome that was only natural given Dragon's strength.
Enel had also been injured, struck by the overwhelming Armament Haki of the revolutionary commander known as the Crow. Yet, with the speed granted by his Goro Goro no Mi (Rumble-Rumble Fruit), the Crow ultimately failed to defeat him.
"You knew full well your close-combat skills and Armament Haki are far inferior to the Crow's, yet you still rushed in to fight him head-on. Were you trying to get yourself killed?"
Capone Bege muttered at Enel, unimpressed. "Throwing away the advantage of your lightning fruit just to clash at your weakest point against your opponent's strongest—that's the definition of wasted potential."
"You know nothing, shorty!" Enel snapped, sparks of lightning flickering across his body. He sneered at Bege, the man who hadn't even dared step onto the battlefield. "This god is training to overcome his weakness!"
"Hopefully, you really do manage to polish your body and Haki." Souta crossed his arms, speaking coolly. He could tell Enel had been reckless, which was why the Crow had managed to gain the upper hand.
Still, perhaps Enel had a point. Only by turning his shortcomings into strengths could he truly step beyond his current limits.
"I'll surpass that Crow for sure!" Enel declared with blazing confidence. If he trained his Haki and close-combat skills while still wielding the devastating speed of the lightning fruit, then beating the Crow—the commander of the Revolutionary Army's Northern Forces—was only a matter of time.
"Belo Betty… she's formidable."
Law finally spoke up, his voice cold but his face dark with frustration. He had lost to her, the commander of the Eastern Army.
Not in a clash of power, but by being whittled down, his stamina drained until defeat was inevitable.
"Don't belittle yourself, Law. You're still young." Bartholomew Kuma's voice was gentle as he spoke words of comfort. "Betty may be a woman, but among the four commanders, she has the highest bounty. Her Cheer-Cheer Fruit is terrifying—it grants strength, speed, and unyielding willpower not just to herself but to everyone within range."
Combined with her mastery of both Armament and Observation Haki, it was only natural that she had outlasted him.
Law's Ope Ope no Mi (Surgery Fruit) demanded that he activate his ROOM before unleashing any techniques. It drained his stamina far too quickly, making prolonged combat nearly impossible.
"You need greater physical endurance," Souta told him calmly, not with criticism but with clear direction.
"I understand." Law's tone was as aloof as ever, but inwardly flames of determination blazed. If he couldn't even defeat Betty, how could he ever hope to take down Donquixote Doflamingo—a man who wielded all three forms of Haki?
As for Bonney and Sabo's clash, it had been nothing more than a friendly sparring match. Kuma stepped in before it grew serious. At only eight or nine years old, Bonney was no match for an already grown Sabo.
"Captain, where are we heading now? Are we going after the Celestial Dragons?"
Laffitte's eyes gleamed with excitement. He knew Souta's next objective was tied to the Revolutionary Army's upcoming assault on the Flower Country and Sang Country in the West Blue. But until the revolutionaries committed their main forces, Souta's crew wouldn't move.
The Kiryuu Pirates had no obligation to serve as the revolution's transport fleet.
For Laffitte, once a lawman of the West Blue, the thought of chaos erupting there filled him with anticipation. If war spread, perhaps he could finally take revenge on the allied kings who had cast him out.
"We're hunting." Souta's voice was casual, almost indifferent. "I need to capture more Paramecia users—those powers will fuel my Seraphim army."
"Who caught your eye, Boss?" Bege asked, already pulling out a stack of freshly printed wanted posters.
"A few fools who've squandered their abilities." Souta unfurled a detailed Grand Line route map, obtained from Vegapunk's laboratory, and began plotting their capture path.
The moment they made their move, the World Government and Navy Headquarters would notice. Speed was essential. Souta planned to tie up his capture mission with something far bigger, so the order of operations mattered immensely.
Thanks to the permanent log poses they'd received from the Revolutionary Army, they now had even greater freedom. Soon, with Kuma's markers added, they'd be able to travel anywhere they pleased.
"Hoho! This'll be my first official campaign!" Bonney transformed into her adult form, twirling as she dressed herself up for her grand debut. "I'll make sure the world remembers my name!"
Kuma sighed helplessly, though he didn't stop her. If Bonney wanted to earn her first bounty, so be it. As long as she grew up healthy and happy, that was enough for him.
Long Ring Long Land – Grand Line
On one of its scattered islets, a brutal contest was underway: the infamous Davy Back Fight.
Pirates wagered not only their crew but even their ships, flags, and captains in these games. Victory meant seizing the opponent's comrades, pride, and future. It was said that this cruel game originated from Pirate Paradise, Hive Island.
"Rumor has it that Whitebeard Newgate, Big Mom Charlotte Linlin, Captain John, even former leaders of the Kuja Pirates—all of them were forced to join Rocks' crew through the Davy Back Fight," Kuma murmured as he gazed down from the Ark Maxim.
The mention of the Rocks Pirates dragged his memory back more than thirty years, to the God Valley Incident.
If not for the appearance of the Rocks crew, he, Ivankov, and Ginny would have been slaughtered by Saturn of the Five Elders.
Back then, he had witnessed Charlotte Linlin clash briefly with Saturn, and saw firsthand the terrifying might of Rocks' top officers. Not a single one came to their captain's aid as Garp and Roger cornered him.
Kuma could still hear Whitebeard cursing Rocks as a fool, refusing even to acknowledge him as captain. Shiki the Golden Lion and Captain John had only cared about plundering the Celestial Dragons' treasures and Devil Fruits.
It was chaos—every man for himself, no unity, no loyalty.
That was the only reason Kuma had been able to escape with Ivankov and Ginny, rescuing five hundred slaves and islanders by sending them flying to safety with his powers.
"There are really rumors like that?" Souta stroked his chin, intrigued. Whitebeard, Big Mom… in their youth, both had led their own crews. No one truly knew how they'd ended up serving under Rocks.