The turbulent sea stirred beneath the weight of the impending confrontation.
Standing alone on a small, unassuming sailboat, Bartholomew Kuma remained motionless. His towering frame loomed against the backdrop of three massive Marine warships, their hulls lined up in a menacing formation. Despite the overwhelming odds, there was not a single trace of fear on Kuma's resolute face.
On the deck of the largest warship, a man dressed in extravagant royal garments stomped forward, his face twisted with fury.
"Marines! Kill him now!"
King Bekori's voice rang out over the waves, shrill and commanding as he pointed a trembling finger at the lone figure below. His opulent robe fluttered violently in the ocean breeze.
"I am the King of the Kingdom of Sorbet!" Bekori roared as if repeating his title would give weight to his demand.
The wind carried the self-proclaimed king's words across the sea, reaching Kuma's ears. His head dipped slightly, allowing the brim of his gray felt hat to shadow his expression.
"King Bekori..." Kuma muttered, his deep voice barely above a whisper.
A grim silence settled over the sea.
Then—
"How dare you return!?"
Bekori's voice cracked with rage, but his fury did little to move the calm and unreadable Kuma.
The Marines stationed on the warships couldn't hear the soft-spoken words of the so-called "tyrant." Yet, King Bekori's relentless prodding forced them into action.
The cannons, lined up in rows on all three warships, slowly adjusted their angles, their dark muzzles locking onto the lone figure on the sea below.
Bekori's eyes burned with hatred as he lifted his hand high into the air and swung it down with all his might.
"FIRE!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The cannons erupted in unison, their muzzles spewing fire and smoke. The warships shuddered from the sheer force of the bombardment, sending waves rippling outward.
A rain of black cannonballs tore through the sky, forming an inescapable web of death, all directed toward the solitary figure in the boat.
Yet, Kuma did not move.
His calm gaze lifted as he watched the deadly projectiles descend.
A faint hint of pity flashed across his expression.
Then, with deliberate slowness, Kuma raised his right hand. The soft, fleshy pad of his palm—shaped like a bear's paw—faced the incoming bombardment.
BOOP!
A strange, almost comical sound echoed through the battlefield.
In an instant, every single cannonball that should have detonated on impact vanished the moment they touched his palm. Instead of exploding, the projectiles seemed to sink into the invisible force Kuma controlled.
Then—
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The cannonballs shot backward at blinding speed, moving several times faster than when they were fired.
And their new targets were none other than the very warships that had launched them!
"THE SHELLS!"
"THEY'RE COMING BACK!"
"THEY'RE MOVING TOO FAST! BRACE FOR IMPACT!"
A wave of panic erupted among the marines.
Chaos swept through the decks as officers shouted frantic orders. Some marines tried to take cover, while others leaped overboard, throwing themselves into the churning sea below.
King Bekori—who had been boasting just moments earlier—fell backward onto the deck, his entire body trembling. His face had lost all color, and his legs refused to move.
'I-Im gonna die...!'
He was paralyzed with fear.
Just as the shells were about to obliterate the warships, something unexpected happened.
ROOOOOOAAARR!
A thunderous dragon's cry shook the skies. The air itself seemed to vibrate, sending shockwaves rippling through the sea.
A violent gust of wind descended at supersonic speed, howling like an invisible storm.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The deflected cannonballs slammed into a powerful force, detonating mid-air before they could hit the ships.
The explosions painted the sky in fiery orange, illuminating the terror-stricken faces of the Marines.
Yet—no damage had been done to the warships.
The survivors trembled in confusion.
"What... just happened?!"
Amidst the lingering flames, Kuma's gaze lifted toward the sky.
There, amidst the swirling smoke and wind—
A dragon soared.
Its majestic scales shimmered against the firelight, its enormous wings slicing through the sky with ease.
"A... dragon?" Kuma murmured, his sharp eyes narrowing behind his glasses.
Standing atop the dragon's head, Storm slowly rose to his feet.
Without hesitation—
He leaped off the dragon's back.
Kid and Killer, who had been resting on the dragon's back, jolted upright in shock.
"Oi! Did he just jump!?"
"From that height?! Over open water?! He's insane!"
Their eyes widened in disbelief.
Storm plummeted toward the ocean, his body in a freefall dive.
Then—
White clay flowed out from his back, expanding outward in a brilliant transformation.
A pair of crystalline wings unfurled behind him.
Storm angled his body, allowing his wings to catch the air, and in an instant, he was soaring once more—flying like a bird.
With swift movements, he descended between the warships and Kuma's sailboat, positioning himself at the heart of the confrontation.
Kuma's gaze flickered toward the new arrival.
"Wings... an angel?"
The thought crossed his mind before he immediately dismissed it.
'No... it's a devil fruit user.'
Kuma, having been part of the Revolutionary Army, was no stranger to the powers of Devil Fruits. He quickly realized that Storm's wings were a result of some kind of ability.
On the deck of the largest Marine warship, King Bekori gasped in awe.
His fear-stricken face suddenly lit up with delusion.
"An angel?! A divine angel has descended to save me!"
He scrambled forward on his hands and knees, crawling toward the edge of the ship.
With desperation in his eyes, he stretched out his arms and pleaded toward the sky.
"O great angel! Slay the tyrant! Destroy him at once!"
Even while begging for help, his voice remained arrogant, as if he were giving an order.
Storm glanced down at the trembling man.
He blinked once.
Then—
With absolute disdain—
"You're annoying."
Heavenly Clayfall!
A strange ripple distorted the space above King Bekori's head.
Suddenly, clumps of white clay poured from the void like a cascading waterfall. Before King Bekori could react, he was completely engulfed, his entire body coated in a thick layer of clay. His limbs froze in place, his mouth sealed shut. Only his eyes remained mobile, darting about in sheer panic.
On the warship, the marines expressions twisted in alarm as they witnessed their supposed employer being immobilized in an instant.
"King Bekori has been attacked!"
"Enemy ahead! Prepare your weapons!"
"Get ready for battle!"
Storm furrowed his brow, his gaze sweeping over the assembled marines standing on deck. From their uniforms and formation, they weren't just ordinary sailors.
'These warships… they're far beyond what a standard branch should have.'
Ordinary Marine branch bases in the Four Seas wouldn't deploy such heavily fortified ships. That left only one likely explanation—these vessels belonged to the G-series branch, an elite force trained within the Grand Line.
Storm didn't particularly enjoy fighting the Marines, especially those who weren't corrupt or actively opposing him.
Still, he had no intention of backing down.
"You all need to calm down as well!"
With a casual wave of his hand, ripples formed in the sky above the warships.
A torrential downpour of white clay erupted from the void, forming a towering cascade that stretched between the heavens and the sea. The thick, flowing substance engulfed the decks, covering the three Marine warships in an instant.
The sailors had no time to react before they were transformed into clay statues, frozen in place mid-action.
Within mere seconds, three fully armed warships had been neutralized
.
"Not bad at all," Storm muttered to himself, admiring the power of his new ability.
[Name: Heavenly Binding: Clayfall]
[Star Rating: ★★★★★]
[Effect: Summons an immense amount of clay, wrapping the enemies and immobilizing them.]
[Remark: Justice rains from above!]
This was a five-star ability that Storm had gained from the System Forge using the trophy obtained from the Apport-Apport Fruit user. Testing it in real combat, he found the results satisfactory.
Bartholomew Kuma stood on his small boat, watching the "angel" who had suddenly appeared and neutralized the warships without harming anyone.
His sharp instincts told him one thing—this man was no ally of King Bekori or the Marines.
That realization brought a slight sense of relief.
Although Kuma had resolved to fight against the Marine blockade, he had never wanted needless bloodshed. The fewer lives lost, the better.
Now that the Marine warships were neutralized without casualties, his goal had technically been achieved—without the need for battle.
Storm turned his gaze toward the towering figure on the sailboat.
"Are you Kuma the Tyrant?" he asked.
Kuma nodded. "I am."
His voice was deep and composed, but beneath the calm exterior, he was already analyzing the stranger's strength.
"Who are you?" Kuma asked.
"Storm," Storm replied, hovering just above the water with his clay wings spread wide. Without hesitation, he made an offer.
"I saw your name in the newspapers. Kuma, how about it? Want to set sail with me and become a pirate?"
"Not interested."
Kuma's answer was immediate and firm.
His fate was already decided. He knew that, by taking a stand against the Marines, he would inevitably become a wanted criminal. The world government would brand him a pirate whether he liked it or not.
But that didn't mean he had to embrace it.
His priority was still the same—to protect Bonney.
Storm wasn't surprised by Kuma's rejection. If anything, he expected it.
"What a shame," he mused. "But... I figured words wouldn't be enough."
Snap!
Storm snapped his fingers, and the clay covering the three warships instantly vanished.
The Marine ships returned to their fully armed state as if they had never been immobilized in the first place.
Kuma's sharp eyes narrowed slightly.
"Please—start your performance," Storm said, flashing a bright grin.
"Tyrant."
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