"Ahhh—!"
Miserable wails echoed across the sky above the South Blue.
Two figures flailed helplessly as they were carried through the air.
Kid and Killer were both firmly grasped by the mighty claws of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, soaring high above the ocean.
The powerful winds howled, slapping against their faces like icy knives. The force was so intense that neither of them could keep their eyes open properly.
"This is a test," Storm's voice rang out calmly, cutting through the roaring wind.
"Start from the dragon's claw and climb upwards."
"When you two succeed in getting on the dragon's back, you can ask me a question."
After delivering this statement, Storm shifted his attention to the nautical chart and compass laid out in front of him.
This was the chart that Kid and Killer had voluntarily handed over, a map containing the precise coordinates of their destination—
The Kingdom of Sorbet.
Clinging tightly to the dragon's claws, Kid and Killer exchanged a brief, determined glance. Without a word, they gritted their teeth and started climbing.
The experience of scaling a living, moving creature mid-flight was nothing short of brutal. Every gust of wind threatened to tear them from the dragon's grip and send them plummeting into the ocean below.
Sweat mixed with the cold mist in the air as their muscles strained with each pull. Their fingers ached from gripping the dragon's tough scales, but they forced themselves to keep moving.
By the time they finally hauled themselves onto the dragon's broad back, they were gasping for breath, their limbs screaming in exhaustion.
Storm didn't even look back.
"If you have anything you want to ask, just ask," he said casually, still focused on the compass.
Killer remained silent, giving Kid the chance to speak.
Panting heavily, Kid finally found his voice and blurted out the first question that came to mind.
"This dragon! What's up with this dragon? And that nine-tailed demon fox from before?!"
Storm answered without hesitation.
"It is called Blue-Eyes White Dragon. And it's an important partner of mine."
Before Kid or Killer could process the information, the dragon suddenly lurched, making a sharp, dramatic turn mid-air.
Caught off guard, the two of them were thrown off the dragon's back.
"Ahhh—!"
They screamed as they tumbled toward the sea.
Just when it seemed like they were about to plummet to their deaths, the dragon's tail flicked out gracefully, curling around them and stopping their fall.
Both Kid and Killer clung to each other for dear life, their faces pale with shock.
Heart still pounding, Killer turned to Kid with a solemn expression.
"Kid... are you sure we should go to the sea?"
Kid swallowed hard before forcing out an uneasy chuckle.
"Ahahaha… yeah. I guess we are."
Before they had time to recover, Storm's voice rang out once more.
"This time, the route is from the dragon's tail to its back."
Kid and Killer inhaled deeply, bracing themselves for yet another grueling climb.
Having gained experience from their first climb, the second attempt took much less time.
Once they reached the dragon's back again, Kid immediately seized the opportunity to ask another question.
"The stick you poked me with before… what the hell was that?!"
For some reason, saying it out loud made him feel oddly uncomfortable, but he pushed forward anyway.
"What exactly is that stick made of?"
Storm's response was simple yet revealing.
"Seastone."
Kid frowned. "Seastone?"
Storm nodded.
"You're a Devil Fruit user. That means the sea, and all bodies of water, are your natural enemies."
"Seastone contains the essence of the sea itself."
"Any Devil Fruit user who touches Seastone will be unable to use their abilities."
Despite the intense physical strain of their climb, Kid felt a rush of excitement at the new knowledge.
Everything Storm said was like a key unlocking a brand-new world—
a world that had been completely out of reach in the isolated confines of Belfast Island.
This was exactly why he had chosen to follow Storm.
Originally, he and Killer had already planned to set sail on their own.
But those so-called "subordinates" of his—who had run away in fear the moment they faced a powerful enemy—had proven to be utterly worthless.
Loyalty had to be absolute.
Otherwise, it wasn't loyalty at all.
If they couldn't even stand by him in a time of crisis, then he had no need for them.
At first, Kid had envisioned himself as the captain, with Killer as his right-hand man.
But before they had even left the island, they had been completely crushed by Storm—
Or rather, by a casually created white-haired clay gorilla.
In Kid's simple, straightforward "gangster brain", there was nothing shameful about acknowledging a powerful figure as a superior.
And if Storm was that powerful... then Kid would just follow him.
After all, riding a dragon across the sky—
Was a million times better than rotting away on Belfast Island.
Storm, of course, had no idea what was going through Kid's mind at that moment.
Having shared a basic lesson about Seastone, he turned his focus back to their journey and let the two climb yet again.
If they were going to tag along with him, they needed to become stronger.
This was his way of ensuring that their growth would not be stunted.
Kid had potential. Immense potential.
Among the rising stars of the future—dubbed the Worst Generation—there were only a few who stood out.
Leaving aside the two most infamous figures, "Sun God" and "Blackbeard",
Kid and Trafalgar Law were undeniably among the most promising supernovas.
Their only problem?
They weren't lucky enough.
After another grueling climb, Kid and Killer managed to return to the dragon's back once more.
They wasted no time bombarding Storm with more questions.
"Are there a lot of Seastones?"
Storm scoffed.
"Do you think these things grow on trees? Stop talking and climb again."
Kid groaned but obeyed, his frustration evident.
Then, after yet another climb, Kid asked something else.
"This dragon is so cool! Can I make a mechanical Tyrannosaurus myself?"
"That depends on how well you've developed the Magnet-Magnet Fruit," Storm said indifferently. "Though, I doubt you've developed it at all! Now, climb!"
Kid gritted his teeth, feeling his arms tremble from exhaustion, but he still couldn't suppress his curiosity. "...Huff, huff... How do I improve the power of the Magnet-Magnet Fruit?"
Storm smirked. "How am I supposed to use your right and left hand? Do you want me to cut them off and test them myself? Now climb!"
Kid twitched. He knew that arguing was useless. He took a deep breath and started climbing again. But as he struggled upward, another thought struck him.
"...You carry a sword with you, but I've never seen you use it. Why?"
"Because I'm not good at swordsmanship," Storm replied bluntly. "Now, start again!"
Another round of high-altitude climbing.
By the time it was over, Kid collapsed onto the broad back of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, his limbs sprawled out as he gasped for air. His entire body was drenched in sweat, the howling wind of the sky doing little to cool him down.
Staring at the endless blue sky above, he suddenly asked in a hoarse voice, "Hey... The Pirate King... What does it take to become the Pirate King?"
Storm, who had been sitting cross-legged at the dragon's head, finally turned his gaze toward Kid upon hearing this question.
"The Pirate King?" Storm repeated, raising an eyebrow. He crossed his arms and studied the young man with an unreadable expression.
"Eustass Kid," he said at last. "That's your full name, right?"
"Yeah."
"Is that all of it?"
"Yeah, so what?" Kid frowned, confused by the sudden change in Storm's tone.
Storm scoffed. His previous indifference disappeared, and his voice turned cold.
"Then there's no hope for you. No hope at all."
Kid, despite his exhaustion, sat up sharply. His face twisted in anger. "What the hell do you mean by that?! Why!?"
Storm smirked at his reaction. "Gold Roger became the Pirate King. Why can't I?" Kid demanded. His voice was filled with frustration and determination.
Storm narrowed his eyes. "Why can't you?" He let out a chuckle.
"The Great Pirate Era has been raging for nearly twenty years," he said. "If someone has to become the next Pirate King... why can't that person be me?"
Kid's breath hitched. He felt a fire ignite in his chest at those words. If you ignored Storm's condescending tone, the statement itself was incredibly inspiring.
But then Storm burst into laughter, his tone turning mocking. "Pirate King? Gold Roger? Ha!" He turned away from Kid, shaking his head.
"You don't even know his real name," he said flatly.
Kid blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"It's Gol D. Roger," Storm said sharply. "Not 'Gold Roger' or whatever nonsense you said."
Kid's mouth opened slightly, but before he could speak, Storm continued.
"Eustass Kid," he said, his voice lowering slightly. "Are you a member of the D. Clan?"
Kid and Killer froze.
"The... D. Clan?" Kid echoed. He glanced at Killer, who looked just as confused as he was.
"You think you can become Pirate King without even carrying a D. in your name?" Storm sneered.
Kid clenched his fists. He didn't understand what Storm was talking about, but he could tell that it was important.
"...What is the D. Clan?" he asked.
Storm, however, simply turned his back to them, signaling that he was done answering questions.
Kid gritted his teeth, but he knew he wouldn't get anything more out of Storm for now. He exchanged glances with Killer before lying back down on the dragon's back, his mind spinning.
The D. Clan...
Without them realizing it, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon had already reached the waters near the Kingdom of Sorbet.
Kid, lost in his thoughts, was suddenly jolted back to reality when he caught sight of something below.
"Whoa! Is that a warship?! It's massive!"
From his vantage point on the dragon's back, he saw three large Marine warships cutting through the waves.
"I've never seen a warship like that before," he murmured. "Not once in all the years I spent on Belfast Island."
"Because Belfast Island isn't a World Government affiliate," Killer replied quietly. He was staring at the ships as well, his voice carrying an edge of bitterness.
"The so-called 'righteous' Marines don't give a damn about the lives of people who aren't part of their alliance," he continued. "The only time they'd set foot on Belfast Island would be if they were searching for something—or someone."
Kid frowned. "Searching for what?"
Killer's hands curled into fists. "Pregnant women. Babies."
Kid's breath caught. He turned to face Killer fully. "What...?"
"The World Government turned the South Blue upside down," Killer said coldly. "All because of one man—Gol D. Roger."
Kid fell silent.
"Any baby born within ten months of his capture was investigated," Killer said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Even pregnant women were screened. If there was even the slightest suspicion... they were executed."
Kid's stomach twisted. He had heard stories, but he had never truly understood.
But before he could respond, a commotion broke out on one of the warships below.
On the central Marine warship, a noble-looking old man in extravagant robes was barking orders at the soldiers around him.
"Dragon! It's a dragon!" a panicked voice rang out.
The observers on the watchtowers had spotted the Blue-Eyes White Dragon soaring above them.
The old man's eyes widened in greed. "Quickly! Bring that dragon down at once! I will present it to the Celestial Dragons as a gift!"
The Marine officer beside him remained unmoved. His expression was calm as he replied, "King Bekori, the dragon is flying too high. It's beyond our attack range."
King Bekori's face twisted in fury. "You can't even do this much?! Useless! Absolutely useless!" He slammed his cane against the wooden deck.
"The World Government funds your entire operation with my kingdom's heavenly tribute!" he bellowed. "And this is what I get? A bunch of incompetent fools?!"
Just then, something else caught his eye—a small boat, drifting alone on the sea.
His entire demeanor changed in an instant. His face twisted in hatred.
"That man...!"
King Bekori's voice rose to a near-hysterical shriek.
"Marines! Kill him!" he howled. "That filthy bastard stole the Kingdom of Sorbet from me!"
The Marines on deck turned toward the small boat floating silently on the waves.
A massive figure sat at the stern, his imposing frame casting a dark shadow over the wooden planks. His face was unreadable, his broad shoulders steady despite the ocean's movements.
The Marines' faces paled.
A name passed through their lips in hushed, fearful whispers.
"The tyrant... a monstrous pirate..."
"Bartholomew Kuma!"
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