In the central plaza of the Sorbet Kingdom, former brothers stood ten meters apart, confronting each other.
"Didn't you always yearn to become a Celestial Dragon?" Shamrock's voice held bewilderment. "Why betray us?"
Shanks laughed. "My foolish brother, didn't you see through my disguise?"
Beside the plaza, Yasopp shrugged. "Why does our Captain seem more like a villain now?"
Shamrock was silent for a moment, then said. "Honestly, your performance was clumsy."
He raised his eyes, his gaze sharp as a knife. "Celestial Dragons' contempt for the lower world is engraved in their bones. That superficial arrogance of yours couldn't mimic the true essence."
Shanks laughed heartily. "It really was hard to act!"
He scratched his head. "Then why didn't you expose me?"
"I just felt it was unnecessary," Shamrock's voice suddenly turned low. "No one who has experienced life above would willingly return to the dust. I thought... given a few more years, you'd become a true Celestial Dragon."
Shanks's smile gradually faded. "I was afraid too... afraid of losing my humanity in such a place. That's why I escaped."
Shamrock's long sword rose accordingly. "Regardless, let us brothers settle it here!"
Two Conqueror's Haki forces collided with a bang. The stone slabs on the ground cracked inch by inch.
"Sorry to interrupt your brotherly bond."
A flippant voice suddenly interjected. Setsuna stood on the plaza fountain, having appeared no one knew when.
Shamrock smiled bitterly. "Even you are on the other side... it seems the situation is completely out of control."
"Hey!" Shanks frowned unhappily. "This is our family matter. Don't interfere."
Setsuna waved his hand with a smile. "I have no interest in fraternal strife..."
His gaze locked onto Shamrock's sword. "I'm here for his weapon. Hand over the sword, and I won't disturb your fight."
"I never heard you, [Gluttony King], were a swordsman?" Though saying so, Shamrock promptly threw his weapon to Setsuna.
Given his strength, he couldn't handle both Shanks and Setsuna, so he might as well be decisive.
Setsuna caught the long sword, nodding with satisfaction. "Efficient."
His figure vanished instantly, leaving only a sentence. "Have fun."
After leaving the plaza, Setsuna went to Zephyr waiting nearby, casually tossing the saber to him.
Zephyr caught it with one hand, exerting force slightly. The blade snapped in response.
The next second, his arm was enveloped in pitch-black shadows. The Yami Yami no Mi's ability activated, pulling out the [Cerberus] Mythical Zoan parasitizing the sword, making it re-inhabit.
"The fourth Mythical Zoan," Setsuna tossed the Devil Fruit in his hand. "Only Saturn remains."
Before this, he had already secretly captured the other Four Elders and Killingham, who possessed the [Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Kirin].
However, to avoid alerting Imu, he didn't kill them directly for the fruits. Instead, he knocked them all unconscious, then had Uta use the Uta Uta no Mi to pull them into the Uta World.
...
On the urban ruins of Sorbet Kingdom, Saturn's eight spider legs pierced deep into the ground.
Surrounding debris trembled under his furious Haki. Rubble floated into the air.
"Bartholomew Kuma!" Saturn's voice was like a judgment from hell. "I already cured Bonney's incurable disease! You dare break your promise?! Not only were you not modified into a Pacifista, you actually dared betray us?!"
Kuma stood quietly amidst the ruins, a Bible spread open on his palm. His once-gentle eyes now held only cold fury.
After learning Bonney was almost captured as a 'blood bag', he held no expectations for the so-called promise.
He said gravely. "If I were my former self, I might truly have been deceived by your words. But now I understand... Bonney's pain was originally the evil fruit you sowed!"
Saturn's spider legs suddenly lengthened, stabbing Kuma like spears. "Ungrateful lowly commoner!"
Boom!
A huge paw-shaped air blast collided with the spider legs. The shockwave overturned ruins within a hundred meters.
Saturn sneered amidst the dust. "You think this ridiculous hatred can harm us?"
His body began to twist and deform. A more non-human form gradually appeared. "We Celestial Dragons have ruled the world for eight hundred years, relying on absolute power!"
Kuma's eyes were firm. "Power is never the reason for tyranny."
"Hahaha, how naive," Saturn laughed. "I won't just annihilate you, a traitor. I'll make all related to you… vanish completely from this world!"
"Ursus Shock: Tenfold!" Kuma drew strength from hatred, not hesitating to squeeze his body's potential to compress an air cannon.
Air collapsed in his palm. The instantly erupted shockwave crushed most of Saturn's spider body.
Flesh and blood splattered, but those severed limbs turned into black mist upon hitting the ground, re-aggregating into form.
"Useless, lowly commoner," Saturn's compound eyes flickered in the mist. "I am immortal!"
Kuma remained silent, simply releasing Ursus Shock relentlessly.
Amidst the space-distorting booms, Saturn's just-reassembled head shattered again.
Black mist churned, repairing the wound, only to see Kuma flash to the regeneration point. A kick imbued with Haki scattered the black mist forcefully.
"Endless..." Saturn's voice came from all directions. "Can your hatred last until my stamina is exhausted?"
Kuma remained unmoved, his assault unrelenting. Each time Saturn was about to regenerate, a new strike landed precisely.
But at that moment, the black mist suddenly swelled explosively.
Saturn's eight spider legs shot out like spears, piercing through Kuma's limbs.
"Lowly commoner, your hatred is just like this..." Saturn mocked, suddenly realizing Kuma clutched tightly to his spider legs.
"I may not have completed the Pacifista experiments, but certain body parts were still modified. Dr. Vegapunk implanted Mother Flame inside me. This energy's power is enough to destroy all darkness!" Kuma's voice was calm, clearly already resolved to die.
Saturn had been calm, but upon hearing [Mother Flame], also began to fear. "Let go, you fool! You'll die too!"
Kuma's tone was firm. "As long as I can kill you, demon, dying is worth it."
"Bastard! Let go!" Saturn furiously slammed Kuma around, but Kuma locked tightly onto his body.
Just then, a figure as if teleporting appeared behind Kuma, delivering a knife-hand strike to knock him out.
Seeing the newcomer, Saturn was overjoyed. "Chiaki Setsuna! You came just in time!"
"I think so too," Setsuna smiled, removing Kuma and walking toward Saturn. "How does Saint Saturn wish to deal with him?"
Saturn said through gritted teeth. "Of course, torture him to death in the most cruel way..."
Before his words finished, he was knocked unconscious by Setsuna's fist as he approached.