Back to the video.
Just as the "Paw-Paw Fruit" belonging to Bartholomew Kuma was causing heated discussion over in the Bleach world thanks to the ranking video's broadcast…
On-screen, the overwhelmingly one-sided battle was still going on—
After that,
there was no surprise at all.
As the Straw Hat Pirates' only remaining figure on the scene—and their captain—Luffy…
in the end…
couldn't escape being sent flying either.
"Whoosh—!!!"
In the blink of an eye,
the figure beneath the straw hat
vanished from the camera's view.
At this point, facing Kuma's assault, in practically no time at all,
the entire Straw Hat Pirates had been dismantled.
The members were flung in different directions, tearing through the air at high speed, scattering off to every corner of the world, completely separated.
And after doing all of that,
as the person serving as the "second act backer" for Luffy in this round of the ranking…
Bartholomew Kuma then left the scene!
And he even deliberately went to
Shakky's Rip-off Bar in the Sabaody Archipelago.
There, he told the Rayleigh he had just met face-to-face—
as well as Rayleigh's partner, Shakky—
his true identity:
a Revolutionary Army officer!
One of Dragon's most trusted companions!
What's more…
Kuma was considerate enough
to clearly explain, in detail, the general direction and approximate location Luffy had been sent flying toward,
so that later on it would be convenient for Rayleigh to come knocking
and find Luffy!!!
Right after that,
the ranking video sped up.
After the Sabaody Archipelago incident ended,
because he had privately let the Straw Hat crew go, Kuma had crossed the line and, as agreed, received punishment from the World Government!
Not only was he stripped of his title as one of the "Seven Warlords of the Sea,"
not long after that, even his self-awareness was erased!
He was thoroughly reduced to…
a machine!
A cold, ruthless slaughter-and-war machine that would only obey the World Government's orders!
Afterward,
the footage kept fast-forwarding.
Over the next two years,
the Kuma who had become PX-0
followed the program set in his body and stayed on the Sabaody Archipelago.
He fought with everything he had, continuously, at the port,
protecting the Thousand Sunny!
Anyone—so long as they tried to get close,
and harbored ill intent—
would be met with Kuma's unconscious attack!
And that entire process lasted for as long as two whole years!
Until one day,
when one of the Straw Hat Pirates,
the shipwright Franky,
returned to the Sabaody Archipelago…
what he saw—
and what the camera presented—
was a Kuma covered in wounds,
his body riddled with slashes from blades and swords, bullet scars, and damaged parts,
yet still…
unbelievably loyal!!!
And this sense of righteousness—
this act of keeping faith and honoring a promise—
once the ranking video exposed it all in full, in meticulous detail…
instantly caused a massive uproar across the entire pirate world!
The viewers boiled over!
And they went completely wild, endlessly typing barrage comments into the viewing screen:
"Holy shit?!"
"This Bartholomew Kuma… he's way too loyal, isn't he?!"
"He's clearly been modified into a machine, and even his self-awareness was wiped clean!"
"And yet even like that—under an unconscious state—he still fought like hell to protect the Straw Hat crew's ship?!"
"Bartholomew Kuma… what he did… it's just too great!!!"
"He really is worthy of being Straw Hat Kid's second backer!!!"
Shock.
Uproar.
Astonishment.
When the scenes exposed by the ranking video
made it clear what Kuma had truly suffered—
and what his past had really been like—
the pirate world erupted in one collective roar!
Everyone was so stunned their jaws practically hit the floor, finding it unbelievable!!!
This was way too outrageous…
Seriously,
Luffy and Kuma had no blood relation whatsoever!
No family, no ties—
and yet purely because of his bond with Dragon,
and because he was a Revolutionary Army officer…
Kuma went that far for him!
Not only at the most critical moment,
forcing his way in under Admiral Kizaru's nose
to save the entire Straw Hat crew…
but he was even considerate about it—
using his Devil Fruit ability—
to send them flying to different, specially chosen locations,
so they could train…
and later regroup!
And in the end,
even before his consciousness was erased,
he had deliberately made a deal and an agreement with Vegapunk,
setting up a "protection order" program.
So that, for a full two long years,
he would never leave,
guarding the Thousand Sunny's side—
until that pirate ship
was returned again
to the hands of the Straw Hat crew.
Only then,
as Kuma—now the Pacifista with the code name "PX-0"—
finally left.
And only then did he truly bring to an end
his "second backer" role,
and the mission that belonged solely to him!
And this entire sequence of clips
made the world change its view completely—
shattering the fixed old impressions people had always held about Bartholomew Kuma.
So it turned out…
the so-called "Tyrant"…
the most cruel of the Seven Warlords of the Sea…
seemed to have been nothing more than a misunderstanding.
A rumor that had spread for years and years!!!
The real Bartholomew Kuma was flesh and blood.
Not only was he powerful—
his stance was clear—
and he valued bonds deeply!
And most importantly…
if not for his intervention and protection,
the Straw Hat Pirates—
and Luffy as their captain—
because of the incident of punching a Celestial Dragon,
would have inevitably been forced to stop at the Sabaody Archipelago.
Their adventure would have ended right there!
And after that, in the New World,
there would have been no place for him at all!
So,
based on this part of the story—
if Luffy were to shout "Uncle Kuma!"
or even call him "godfather"…
that really wouldn't be over the line one bit!!!
———
And at this moment,
no one noticed that
on a certain island not far from the Sabaody Archipelago…
Jewelry Bonney—
this young woman who had eaten the "Age-Age Fruit,"
and who—like Luffy—was also known to the world as a Supernova—
right then,
together with her crewmates,
stared at the images on the towering transparent light screen before them…
Her once clear, bright eyes
turned in an instant into a blur of tears, her emotions completely collapsing beyond control!!!!
"Dad…"
"Why… why in the world… why did you choose this kind of fate?!"
"You were… you were a good person to begin with!!!"
After she said the last words,
Jewelry Bonney's voice was thick with sobs.
She could no longer hide
how much she missed her father—
and that urgent desire,
that desperation,
to rewrite his fate for him!
Yes.
Because right now,
those scenes that had just been exposed
were things that would happen in the near future.
And at this time,
Bartholomew Kuma's will still existed!
He still hadn't had his consciousness erased—
there was still a chance to save him!
So Bonney couldn't help but hope…
If this ranking video—
this mysterious thing that was about to change the world's course—
could perhaps
find a brand-new way…
or, through means within the pirate world,
restore Kuma's body
and avoid that tragic ending?
For this,
deep inside, Bonney
yearned for hope more than anything.
No matter what, she didn't want to despairingly wait
for her father to "die"—
to have his consciousness erased,
and become nothing but an empty shell,
a walking corpse!!!
(End of Chapter)
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