Sea Circle Calendar Year 1520
Eight Months After Ace's Visit
The New World was a sea that never slept.
Storms moved like living beasts.
Islands shifted.
And the shadows of Emperors stretched longer with every passing day.
On the deck of the Oro Jackson, the morning sun dimmed behind dark clouds as the first newspaper of the day landed with a wet slap.
Perona snatched it instantly. "Another News Coo! Morning chaos!!"
Bullet groaned. "You don't have to be so excited about it, ghost girl."
Lilith adjusted her goggles. "Considering the current rate of global anomalies, daily updates are essential."
She unrolled the paper—
—and froze.
"Uh… Captain. You need to see this."
Ada, leaning against the mast with crossed arms, glanced over lazily. "What now?"
Lilith turned the paper so everyone could see.
WORLD GOVERNMENT LAB DESTROYED — PUNK HAZARD IN RUINS
"Vegapunk Blames Caesar Clown for Sabotage"
Facility Lost in Massive Chemical Explosion
The crew leaned forward as Lilith read aloud.
"'Punk Hazard, one of Dr. Vegapunk's classified research islands, suffered catastrophic destruction. The leading scientist states that fellow researcher Caesar Clown deliberately sabotaged experimental reactors—'"
Bullet snorted. "That bastard Caesar again? I knew he was shady the moment I saw his smug face in a pamphlet."
Perona puffed her cheeks. "Sooo a whole island blew up because Vegapunk hired a walking disaster?"
Lilith's eyes narrowed. "Punk Hazard housed facilities capable of altering weather patterns, genetic engineering, biological weapons… If Caesar mishandled even one experiment, the consequences would be catastrophic."
Okiku shivered. "An island dying in fire and poison… how tragic."
Hiyori folded the paper, frowning deeply. "Vegapunk blaming him publicly… there must be a reason."
Bullet cracked his knuckles. "The reason is that the World Government wants a scapegoat. It's how they operate."
Ada hummed, soft and thoughtful. "Vegapunk rarely comments publicly. If he's willing to expose Caesar… then Caesar must have crossed a line even he couldn't tolerate."
Mihawk spoke from his quiet corner near the railing. "A scientist that reckless will resurface. Chaos tends to crawl back."
Perona shuddered. "Wonderful. Another lunatic to worry about."
Lilith pouted. "He better not steal my research ideas again."
The crew stared.
"…He WHAT?"
She huffed. "My quantum-frequency diffusion design was leaked three years ago. The signatures match his style. I just didn't have proof."
Bullet blinked. "…We're keeping an eye on Caesar from now on."
Ada agreed silently.
But before they could dwell further, Perona flipped the page to the next headline—
—and shrieked.
"WHAT?! NO WAY!!"
Ada raised a brow. "What now?"
Perona pointed dramatically.
PORTGAS D. ACE DEFEATS A WARLORD OF THE SEA
Warlord Hanafuda — Allied with Kaido — Falls After Three-Day Battle
The paper continued.
"Ace Declines Offer to Replace the Fallen Warlord Position."
The entire deck went completely still.
Then—
Bullet HOWLED with laughter. "The kid actually took down Hanafuda! BAHAHAHA!"
Perona spun in the air. "A-A-A-A warlord?! He beat a WARLORD?!!"
Okiku's eyes widened. "Three days of continuous battle… such unyielding spirit."
Hiyori smiled softly. "He was kind when he visited. But also strong."
Lilith scanned the text rapidly. "Hanafuda was one of Kaido's earliest enforcers. His debil fruit made him nearly impervious to blunt force. For flame to overwhelm him—Ace's haki output must be increasing exponentially."
Bullet smirked. "The brat's haki is mutating fast. Same as any born monster."
Ada said nothing.
Behind her stillness was warmth.
Pride.
And something older, deeper.
Mihawk spoke calmly. "Defeating a Warlord at his age is… remarkable."
Perona tugged Mihawk's coat. "He refused the Warlord seat!! Does he have a death wish?!"
Mihawk gave a rare shrug. "No. He simply values freedom over title."
Lilith nodded. "And joining the Warlords would put him under the World Government's influence. Ace is too straightforward for political titles."
Hiyori added gently, "He has Roger's spirit. And a D's stubbornness."
A tiny smile tugged at Ada's lips.
"Of course he refused," she finally said.
The crew turned.
Ada continued softly. "He doesn't want protection from the Government… or authority over others. Ace wants strength on his own terms."
Bullet snorted. "Kid wants a fight with Whitebeard. He's got the ambition of a sea king."
Perona gasped. "He's STILL planning to take down Whitebeard?! He's crazy!"
Mihawk corrected lightly. "Ambitious. Though… reality will humble him soon."
Ada's eyes darkened.
"Ace is still searching," she murmured. "For who he wants to be… and how far his will can take him."
The crew fell silent.
Even the wind stilled for a moment, as though the sea itself listened.
Then—
Ada exhaled, letting the last threads of worry slip through her fingers like sand.
"…He'll find his path," she said softly.
And with that, the world shifted.
—————————
Sorbet Kingdom
The Sorbet Kingdom basked beneath a pale winter sun.
Children played in the streets, their laughter echoing between cracked rooftops and worn wooden homes—
because even poverty had joy, so long as kindness lived among it.
But behind the church, beneath the gray shadow of its steeple, joy felt far away.
Bartholomew Kuma knelt in the snow-dusted alley, his massive figure hunched over a small wooden crate.
Wrapped in thick blankets, little Bonney sat atop it.
Her breaths were shallow.
Her fingers trembled.
And faint, shimmering blue flecks were beginning to appear along her neck and collarbone—
Sapphire Scales.
Just like Ginny once had.
But worse.
Far worse.
Ginny stood beside them, clutching her coat. Even layered fabric couldn't hide how violently her hands were shaking.
"Kumachi… it's spreading faster," she whispered, voice cracking. "She's only a child… how can she already—?"
Kuma gently placed a huge hand on Bonney's forehead, brushing aside her pink hair with infinite tenderness.
"She's strong," he murmured. "Stronger than anyone I have known."
Bonney blinked up at him, her eyes glassy, feverish. "Daddy… it hurts…"
The words stabbed him deeper than any blade.
Ginny bit her lip hard enough to bleed.
"You remember what Kureha said years ago," she said, her voice unsteady. "If Bonney inherited my disease… Sapphire Scales… it wouldn't be like mine."
Kuma nodded slowly.
He remembered every word.
Kureha's gravelly voice had been merciless.
"If that child gets Sapphire Scales… hers will be worse. Much worse.
At the time, Bonney was healthy.
They prayed it would never come to pass.
But now—
Blue flecks shimmered like cruel jewels beneath her skin.
Ginny's voice broke.
"Kuma… Kureha was right. Bonney… she won't survive without Vegapunk's materials. She said she doesn't have the tools. That if we want her cured—"
Kuma finished quietly.
"We must go to Egghead."
Ginny grabbed Kuma's arm.
"Kumachi, he lives in Government territory. Egghead is one of their most secure islands! If you go with Bonney—"
"I know the risk," Kuma said quietly.
Bonney tugged on his sleeve.
"Are… we going… Daddy…?"
Kuma looked down, heart breaking.
He cupped her tiny hands in both of his.
"Yes, Bonney. You're coming with me. I won't leave you here to suffer."
Ginny choked back a sob. "You're taking her yourself?"
"I won't risk sending her alone," he replied. "Not when every hour counts."
He rose slowly, lifting Bonney into his arms with impossible gentleness.
He held her as though she were made of light.
Ginny stepped forward, grabbing Kuma's coat tightly.
"Kumachi… you better come back. Both of you."
Kuma bowed his head deeply—not as a pirate, not as a revolutionary,
but as a father entrusting everything he loved to the uncertain future.
"Thank you, Ginny… for being her family when I could not."
"Idiot…" Ginny whispered through tears. "Don't say that like you're saying goodbye."
But Kuma knew.
The world rarely granted miracles freely.
He turned toward the narrow path leading to the harbor, Bonney cradled against his chest.
She pressed a tiny hand to his cheek.
"Daddy… will I… get better?"
Kuma pressed his forehead gently against hers.
"Yes," he said—because he needed to believe it. "We will find Dr. Vegapunk. We will get the materials. We will cure you. I promise."
Her tiny fingers reached up, pressing to his cheek. "I trust you… Daddy…"
Snow drifted softly around them like fragile blessings.
Kuma tightened his grip around his daughter.
And together—
father and child—
they walked toward a future that would wound him, bind him, hollow him…
all so that she could live.
———————
The voyage to Egghead was brutal.
Winds from the New World hammered Kuma's small vessel, but he never once loosened his grip on the tiny blanket-wrapped girl in his arms.
Bonney trembled against him, her breathing shallow.
"Daddy…" she whispered weakly. "Are we… there yet…?"
"Soon," Kuma murmured, brushing her hair. "Just a little longer, my brave girl."
Doctor Kureha's words echoed in his mind.
"If anyone has the tools to treat this disease, it's that blasted genius Vegapunk."
And so Kuma sailed — without message, without appointment, without hope except the one he clung to.
Egghead finally rose over the horizon like a city from another world.
Floating walkways.
Skyscrapers of transparent metal.
Machines shaped like giant eggs rotating silently in the air.
It was a future the world had not earned.
The moment Kuma stepped onto the island's primary platform, alarms chirped.
A floating spherical drone projected a holographic eye.
"IDENTITY CONFIRMED. BARTHOLOMEW KUMA. NON-HOSTILE. ACCESS GRANTED."
Kuma glanced at Bonney, then stepped forward.
Footsteps approached.
Dr. Vegapunk appeared around a curve of shining steel, lab coat fluttering, his giant head gleaming with neon lights.
He stopped dead when he saw Bonney.
"O-Oi… Is that the child Kureha mentioned years ago?" he muttered, eyes wide. "Good heavens—bring her here!"
Kuma rushed forward, lowering Bonney so Vegapunk could gently examine her.
Vegapunk paled. "…This disease… it's far worse than I expected."
Kuma's breath shook. "Doctor Kureha told me you may have materials that could help treat her."
"Materials?" Vegapunk snorted. "Kuma, this illness requires far more than herbs and tonics."
He stood, adjusting his helmet. "I don't just have the materials. I have the means to cure her directly."
Kuma froze. "You… you can save her?"
Vegapunk nodded firmly.
"Yes. But—"
His voice grew heavier.
"—I need something in return."
Kuma stood straighter.
"What is it you want?"
Vegapunk turned, pressing a button.
A hologram appeared — a towering metallic soldier with Kuma's silhouette.
Lights flickered, showing rows of identical bodies.
Kuma stared.
"…Clones?"
Vegapunk elaborated. "Yes clones. I want to clone you."
Kuma froze. "Clone… me?"
Vegapunk nodded eagerly. "You are the perfect template! A giant among men, physically unmatched, a former king, a man with a unique devil fruit —imagine mass-produced soldiers with even a fraction of your power."
The hologram shifted toward a mechanical silhouette. "And with this deal, I gain the political leverage to demand research freedom. In exchange, I will personally create the medical equipment needed for Bonney's treatment."
Kuma looked at the projected machines.
The glimmering metal.
The threat hidden beneath the promise.
"…Clones," he repeated quietly.
"Yes!" Vegapunk beamed. "Robotic soldiers, enhanced with your DNA. It will revolutionize defense, warfare, everything!"
Kuma braced his jaw. "If this is the price… I will pay it."
Vegapunk's relief was palpable.
The temperature dropped.
Not from a presence in the room—
but from the sudden, shrill click of a Den Den Mushi's eyes snapping open.
Vegapunk froze.
"…No."
His face drained of color.
Kuma turned.
The Den Den Mushi on the wall—a secure line he had forgotten was active—
twisted into a new expression.
Cold.
Ancient.
Merciless.
A voice slithered through the receiver.
"Vegapunk…"
Vegapunk's spine stiffened.
"Saint Saturn…" he whispered.
Jaygarcia Saturn, one of the Gorosei, stepped forward with the slow precision of a spider approaching prey.
"I overheard your negotiations with Bartholomew Kuma."
Vegapunk stumbled forward, hands raised toward the snail in panic.
"W-Wait—this line wasn't supposed to be—"
"Silence, Vegapunk."
The command alone shut him up.
Saturn's voice grew sharper.
"I approve of the Pacifista project. But only if Kuma accepts an additional role."
Kuma did not speak.
"Kuma will become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
Kuma stared.
A warlord.
A dog on a government leash.
"…If that is what is required to save Bonney," Kuma said slowly, "then I—"
"I'm not finished."
The room seemed to constrict around them.
Through the snail, Saturn's eyes narrowed into slits.
A chill crawled up Kuma's spine.
"You will undergo a procedure," Saturn continued coldly,
"to erase your free will."
Vegapunk's teeth clenched.
"Saint Saturn—!"
"Silence, scientist."
Saturn stared into Kuma's eyes. "You will become the perfect obedient weapon. No emotions. No thoughts. No rebellion. A hollow puppet to command."
Kuma's heart stopped.
Erase his will?
Become a mindless machine?
He would never see Bonney smile again.
Never speak to her.
Never hold her.
Never see Ginny again.
His life would end the moment the procedure began.
And yet Saturn said. "Your daughter will be healed. That is the deal."
The world buzzed in Kuma's ears.
Bonney… cured.
At the cost of his soul.
Kuma lowered his gaze.
"…I cannot agree to losing my will."
A long, icy pause. "You do not have the privilege of refusal."
Vegapunk tried to step between them.
"Saint Saturn, wait—"
Kuma's pupils narrowed.
He understood now.
They would take the deal by force.
They would use Vegapunk.
Use the Pacifista program.
Use him.
And discard him like trash.
Vegapunk stepped toward Kuma, desperation rising. "Kuma, wait—"
But Kuma's hand lifted.
The air warped.
Pressure spiraled outward—
tools rattled, glass cracked, the very floor trembled.
A shockwave swelled in his palm, growing, tightening, ready to explode.
Kuma's voice rumbled.
"If you try to force this…
I will destroy Egghead."
Saturn's eyes widened.
The entire lab froze.
Vegapunk's eyes widened in horror.
"KUMA! This facility—my life's work—!"
"I know," Kuma said.
His gaze remained locked on the snarling Den Den Mushi. "But I will not allow you—or anyone—to take my will."
Saturn's jaw twitched.
"You dare threaten a Gorosei?"
"I dare," Kuma said, "because Bonney needs me. A father. Not a corpse."
The pressure sphere tightened around his palm.
Machines creaked.
Glass cracked.
"I will not be enslaved."
Silence followed.
Cold. Lengthy. Unwilling.
The snail's pupils shrank.
Vegapunk whispered, terrified. "He means it, Saint Saturn…"
Silence.
Horrible, heavy silence.
Then—
A low, furious hiss.
"…Very well."
Vegapunk collapsed against a railing, trembling with relief.
"You will join the Warlords," Saturn continued, "but your consciousness will remain intact. For now."
Kuma remained tense.
"And Bonney?"
"She will receive the treatment," Saturn said.
"Vegapunk may proceed."
Another click—
The Den Den Mushi fell asleep.
Connection severed.
The room exhaled.
Kuma dropped to one knee, exhaustion crashing through him.
Vegapunk rushed over, voice cracking.
"Kuma—are you crazy?! Threatening a Gorosei—!"
It was victory.
A bitter, fragile victory.
And a promise of chains yet to come.
Kuma managed a faint smile.
"I am a father."
Vegapunk stopped.
Then… slowly… nodded.
"…Then I will cure her," he said softly. "No matter what."
Kuma bowed his head.
"Thank you… my friend."
He didn't know the full weight of what he had just agreed to—
or the chains the World Government would one day wrap around him.
But for Bonney—
He would pay any price.