Storm stepped in the air, executing Moonwalk to propel himself toward the Marine battleship at the fastest speed possible. His figure flickered as he closed the distance in an instant.
On the deck of the warship, the massive figure—a hardened shell of clay encapsulating Bartholomew Kuma—was trembling violently. The thick layers of clay cracked and bulged as if something inside was struggling desperately to break free.
Clearly, the Tyrant wasn't willing to accept defeat so easily. His strength was monstrous—far beyond that of any ordinary Marine or pirate.
And to make matters worse, his Paw-Paw Fruit possessed the ability to repel anything, meaning even a prison made of hardened clay could not hold him forever.
The moment Storm set foot on the deck—
Crack!
A dense web of fractures spread across the clay figure's right palm.
Boom!
The next moment, the clay exploded outward, sending shards of hardened clay flying through the air like deadly projectiles.
Without its outer shell, the Tyrant's massive, padded bear-like palms were now visible. They looked soft, but those who knew better understood their terrifying power. With those very hands, he had once repelled entire battleships with a single slap.
Storm didn't hesitate.
He reached into his coat and pulled out a Seastone Baton—a weapon crafted by the Marines' Equipment Department specifically for capturing Devil Fruit users.
With a swift, precise movement, Storm hurled the baton like a spear. It cut through the air in an instant—
Thunk!
The Seastone Baton struck Kuma's massive palm dead center.
The moment the Seastone made contact with his skin, the Tyrant's struggling ceased. His body froze in place, his once-monstrous strength seemingly vanishing in an instant.
Storm manipulated the clay to keep the Seastone in contact. Afterward, he peeled away the clay from Kuma's head, revealing his face.
Kuma's sharp eyes glanced at the Seastone Baton. With his vast experience, he immediately understood what had happened.
"As expected… Seastone," Kuma murmured.
As a Paw-Paw Fruit user, he could not escape the fatal weakness that plagued all Devil Fruit users. The moment he touched Seastone, his abilities were completely negated.
His only option was to rely on his raw physical strength—but even that was significantly weakened by the draining effect of the Seastone.
Kuma exhaled deeply. He had realized something.
He could not escape.
He had been defeated.
Storm stepped forward, standing before the immobilized Kuma. His eyes gleamed as he asked in a calm, enigmatic tone.
"Bartholomew Kuma… Do you believe in fate?"
Kuma's brows furrowed slightly at the sudden, cryptic question. He studied Storm's expression before answering in a low voice.
"…I do."
Storm almost stumbled at that completely unexpected response.
'Wait… what?! He actually answered seriously?!'
Storm had been prepared to deliver a dramatic, convincing speech to recruit Kuma—something along the lines of...
"Our meeting was guided by fate!"
However, his perfectly planned speech had died before it could even begin. Kuma's simple, straightforward answer had completely thrown him off.
For a brief moment, there was only silence.
Then, Storm sighed.
He had never been the type to convince others with words.
If he couldn't recruit Kuma through conversation...
Then he would simply subdue him by force.
Storm clenched his right fist, allowing a dense, jet-black Armament Haki to envelop it.
Iron Body: Armament!
With a single, devastating blow, he struck the Tyrant's head.
BOOM!
The sheer force of the attack sent a shockwave rippling through the warship, shaking the very foundations of the ship beneath them.
A few moments later, a new trophy emerged in front of Storm.
[Diamond Trophy: Bartholomew Kuma]
[Star Rating: ★★★★★★]
Storm frowned slightly as he inspected the floating trophy.
"Six stars?" he muttered. "That's… lower than I expected."
He had originally believed that Bartholomew Kuma would be ranked at seven stars, considering his incredible power and abilities. Yet, his trophy was only at the same level as Patrick Redfield the Aloof Red.
Storm shook his head. Regardless, he had defeated Kuma and that was what mattered.
He glanced toward the sky, sensing the approach of a massive presence.
In response to his silent call, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon let out a
resounding roar and swooped down toward the Marine warships below.
As it descended, the dragon suddenly halted mid-air, causing the two figures on its back to be flung off.
"AAAAHHH!"
"DAMN IT, WHY SO ROUGH?!"
Two loud thuds echoed across the deck as Eustass Kid and Killer crashed into the soft, clay-covered surface of the warship.
Luckily, the clay absorbed the impact, preventing them from suffering any real injuries.
Without needing to be reminded, the two quickly scrambled to their feet.
Having just witnessed Storm's battle with Kuma firsthand…
Their awe and fear toward their new "boss" had reached an all-time high.
"Boss!!" Kid shouted.
"Boss!!" Killer echoed.
Storm raised an eyebrow, silently gazing at the two before shifting his focus back to the battlefield. Without wasting time, he controlled the clay on the warship once more.
Long chains of white clay extended from the ship, wrapping around the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, allowing it to drag the three captured Marine warships toward the Sorbet Kingdom.
On the coast of the Sorbet Kingdom, a large gathering of elderly citizens had assembled. Their faces were lined with both age and worry as they gazed toward the sea.
At the center of the crowd stood an old, weathered man—short in stature but carrying an aura of wisdom and experience.
He was Bulldog, the former king of Sorbet Kingdom and the current ruler in Kuma's absence.
Over a decade ago, their tyrannical former king, Bekori, had been overthrown and exiled.
However, Bekori had returned—backed by the Marines.
Now, with Kuma's defeat seemingly imminent, the people of Sorbet feared the worst.
If Bekori reclaimed the throne, there was no telling what atrocities he would commit.
Bulldog clenched his fists, his gaze locked onto the horizon.
"Kuma…" he muttered.
"We must win..."
Just then—
A shadow loomed over the sea.
Bulldog squinted, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.
There, in the distance, were three massive ships approaching the kingdom.
But something was different.
These were not iron-gray Marine warships.
And in front of them… was a colossal beast with wings—pulling them forward.
"W-What is that?!" Bulldog gasped.
"A dragon…?"
The Blue-Eyes White Dragon soared across the sky, dragging the captured Marine warships toward the shore.
And aboard the lead ship, standing at the bow, was the man responsible for it all.
Storm.
The dragon dragged the three Marine warships all the way to the shore before finally coming to a stop. Storm, using his clay manipulation abilities, began transferring all the living people aboard the ships onto solid ground. Among them was Bartholomew Kuma—also known as the Tyrant—along with King Bekori and several Marine soldiers.
Once the last of them had been moved, Storm himself disembarked from the warship. As soon as he set foot on land, his gaze fell upon a gathering of elderly men standing near the shoreline.
"Boss!"
Kid and Killer were already there, standing on either side of a gray-haired old man, watching over him like hawks.
"This old man is the current ruler of the Sorbet Kingdom!" Kid announced, motioning toward him.
"I am no king," the old man corrected, his voice steady and calm despite the situation. "I am merely the kingdom's regent, Bulldog."
"What's the difference?" Kid scoffed, arms crossed over his chest. His impatience was clear. "You run the country, right? If you're not the king, then who is?"
"Bartholomew Kuma is the rightful king of Sorbet Kingdom," Bulldog replied in a firm tone. "At least… he still holds the title."
Storm listened in silence, then raised a hand dismissively. "Alright, Kid, Killer—go count the supplies on the warships."
Kid grumbled but didn't argue. With Killer following closely behind, the two young pirates made their way toward the docked warships to inspect their newfound loot. Meanwhile, Storm approached Bulldog, a friendly smile on his face.
"Mr. Regent, may I ask where the 'palace' of the King Kuma is?"
Bulldog narrowed his eyes at the pirate standing before him. His gaze briefly flickered to the massive clay figure standing nearby. Something about it felt… oddly familiar.
"Who are you, exactly?" Bulldog asked, suspicion lacing his tone.
Storm placed a hand on his chest and introduced himself with exaggerated flair. "Storm, a pirate captain who wishes to invite Kuma to set sail. Unfortunately, I haven't had much success so far."
Bulldog arched a brow. "Pirate captain? A pirate?" His expression turned quizzical as he examined Storm more closely. "You don't look like a pirate…"
Storm smirked. "Old man, isn't there a saying? 'You can know a man's face but not his heart.'" He then turned toward the clay-covered bear and, with a casual flick of his fingers, peeled off the hardened layer of clay encasing it.
The massive figure of Bartholomew Kuma was finally revealed, unconscious but otherwise unharmed.
"Look at this 'tyrant' of yours," Storm said with amusement. "He looks mighty and majestic, but deep down, he's just a soft-hearted man."
Bulldog's eyes widened in shock as he immediately recognized the fallen figure. "King Kuma !" His voice trembled slightly as he hurried toward Kuma.
"Pirate!" Bulldog turned back to Storm, anger flashing across his aged features. "What did you do to him!?"
Storm rolled his eyes. "Old man, you sure change your tone quickly." He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Relax. I only tested the Tyrant's strength. I didn't go overboard—he should wake up soon."
Despite Storm's words, Bulldog was unwilling to take his assurance at face value. Leaning on his cane, he quickly made his way to Kuma's side and pressed an ear to the unconscious man's chest. After a few tense moments, he exhaled in relief upon hearing the steady, strong heartbeat.
Storm watched with mild amusement. "Satisfied now?"
Bulldog, however, remained silent. His gaze flickered between Storm and Kuma, his expression growing even more complicated.
"You," Bulldog finally spoke, his voice laced with uncertainty. "Are you really a pirate?"
Storm placed a hand over his heart, looking as solemn as possible. "Though I have no fame, no flag, no ship, and no subordinates…" He then broke into a dramatic grin. "I swear I'm really a pirate!"
A long silence followed.
Finally, Bulldog sighed, shaking his head. "I am finding this world increasingly incomprehensible…"
Storm chuckled. "Well, old man, let's set that aside for now. What's more important is why I'm here."
Bulldog turned back to him. "And why exactly have you come to Sorbet Kingdom?"
Storm spread his arms. "I'm here to recruit subordinates… and maybe do a little looting while I'm at it."
Bulldog's pupils contracted slightly at the mention of looting, but he remained outwardly composed. "The Sorbet Kingdom is very poor," he said carefully.
Storm's grin widened. "And what does that have to do with me?" He turned and pointed toward the three massive Marine warships anchored just offshore.
"See those three ships?"
Bulldog followed his gaze. "Yes…"
Storm leaned in slightly, his tone turning playful. "Old man, do you know how much a large Marine warship costs?"
Bulldog blinked, not immediately responding.
Storm chuckled. "Well, let me tell you… a single Marine battleship is worth several hundred million Berries." He gestured toward the three vessels. "And now I have three of them."
Bulldog remained silent, but the subtle twitch of his brow showed that he understood the implications.
Storm spread his arms theatrically. "So, even if Sorbet Kingdom is poor, that doesn't mean I am." He tapped his temple. "It's all about perspective."
Bulldog sighed again, rubbing his temples. He was getting a headache.
"Fine," he muttered. "Do what you will. But what exactly do you want from Kuma?"
Storm's expression turned serious. "I want him to join me."
Bulldog narrowed his eyes. "And if he refuses?"
Storm crossed his arms and smirked. "Then I convince him."
At that moment, a deep groan echoed through the air.
All eyes turned toward Bartholomew Kuma, who was beginning to stir. His massive frame shifted, his brows furrowing slightly as his consciousness returned.
Storm's grin widened.
"Looks like the Tyrant is finally awake."
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