Chapter 173: The Supernovas' Utter Defeat
The setting sun hung low on the horizon, its fading light piercing through the dense tree shadows.
On Grove 34, a giant red mangrove tree lay toppled on the ground.
Sanji, covered in scars, sat on top of it with one leg dangling down, his expression one of utter exhaustion. It was clear he had been through a bitter fight.
Click!
A small flame flickered from his lighter, igniting the cigarette in his mouth as he took a drag.
He silently glanced down. Half of Drake's body was pinned under the massive tree trunk. He was motionless with his mouth agape, clearly having lost consciousness.
"A fallen Rear Admiral, huh? Feels like I just fought a Vice Admiral."
Sanji slowly exhaled smoke, the image of his battle with Momonga on Enies Lobby appearing in his mind. He murmured to himself, "If I were to fight him again now, I wonder if I could win."
Just then, a commotion from the grassy clearing in the distance pulled his thoughts back.
"You two damn women! Let me go!" Bonney yelled, lying on the ground.
Countless arms had sprouted from her body, tightly locking her joints. And behind her, a large group of her subordinates were kneeling on the ground, disheartened and demoralized.
Several ghosts floated in the air, lined up and waving their hands up and down smugly.
Perona and Robin had teamed up, defeating her entire pirate crew with almost no effort at all.
"Hororororo~~, even a Supernova is nothing before me."
Carrying her small red umbrella on her shoulder, Perona covered her mouth with her fingertips and giggled, spinning on her tiptoes with a smug expression:
"Until I find Lord Moria, I'll let the name of the Ghost Princess ring throughout the Grand Line."
Although she was temporarily staying with the Straw Hat crew, and Luffy had invited her to join, Perona had refused after some hesitation.
She had been taken in by Moria since she was a child, and he had always taken care of her like a father.
It was only when she witnessed Moria being taken away by Kuma that she realized she had unknowingly come to regard him as family.
Later, she left Thriller Bark with the Straw Hat crew to search for news of Moria.
After they finish their coating and leave, she would stay on the Sabaody Archipelago and continue to find a way to find him.
Besides, there's that infuriating Moss-head on the ship, hmph!
Always wearing a sour face. Just thinking about him made Perona angry. She pouted, stomped her foot, then leaned down with a wicked smile.
"What should I do with you? Let's have Reiner turn you into an undead. Hororororo~~."
"Hey! Wait a minute! What do you mean, turn me into an undead!" Bonney exclaimed in shock. Seeing the other's insidious expression, her face couldn't help but turn pale.
However, just at this moment...
A cold voice suddenly appeared.
"If you were to travel, where would you like to go?"
Hearing the sudden voice, Robin jerked her head up.
A tall figure stood behind Bonney, a bible tucked under his arm, currently taking off the glove on his palm!
The arrival of Kuma made all three of them stare with wide eyes, their faces filled with disbelief.
"Kuma?!!"
"How did he appear here!!"
"Hey! Where did you take Lord Moria?!"
Bonney, Robin, and Perona cried out urgently, each with different thoughts in their minds.
"Let me go, you bastard!!" Bonney struggled fiercely, trying to get up. She had so many questions she wanted to ask the man before her.
However, Kuma remained silent, merely extending his hand.
Perona's pupils constricted. That paw-padded palm was about to land on her.
She had seen it with her own eyes; that was the move that sent Moria flying!
Just then, a black figure flew over at high speed.
"Who gave you permission to lay a hand on our ladies, you bastard!!"
Bang!
Sanji, filled with rage, kicked Kuma's arm away.
However, the intense pain from his foot made him gasp in shock. He gritted his teeth and muttered, "This guy, how is he as hard as steel?"
Bang!
Another pitch-black, square, long shield appeared abruptly, slamming into Kuma and sending him flying into the tangled roots of a tree in the distance.
Seeing Sanji and the fanged, green-faced War Ogre, Robin and Perona sighed in relief.
"Kuma!!"
Only Bonney shouted desperately towards the distance, her eyes unable to hide her worry.
Noticing her reaction, Robin was puzzled. The two seemed to know each other, and their relationship looked anything but shallow.
And within the tangled roots, Kuma walked out of the dust and smoke. The previous attack seemed to have caused him no harm.
Brushing the dust from his chest, he spoke faintly to the enraged Sanji who was charging at him:
"Wait, Black Leg Sanji. I have no intention of starting a war with the Straw Hat crew. Let's make a deal."
"Hah? Who wants to listen to your nonsense, you Warlord!" Sanji didn't stop.
Although the Warlords were pirates, they stood on the side of the World Government. Making a deal with them was like asking a tiger for its skin. What good could come of it?
"Release that pirate, and I can trade you some information. It's related to your captain."
However, Kuma's next words made Sanji's figure halt.
He looked back at the captured Bonney, his gaze grave as it returned to Kuma. "Related to Luffy?"
"...Tell me the information first. If it's useful, we'll let her go," Sanji said coldly.
In truth, they had no intention of doing anything to Bonney in the first place. After all...
How could he lay a hand on such a great beauty!!
But getting some free information wouldn't be bad.
"We Warlords have received a mandatory summons from the World Government. The Marines are preparing for a war that could change the structure of the world."
Kuma nonchalantly revealed the information he knew. "Ace is your captain's brother, right?"
"What do you mean? Luffy is connected to the war? And what happened to Ace?" Sanji's face was grim.
They knew that Ace had been captured.
Although Luffy had said that Ace had his own comrades and didn't need him to rescue him, how could Sanji not see the struggle in Luffy's eyes?
Ace was his brother, but he wasn't related to the others. Rescuing Ace was not part of their planned adventure.
Luffy probably said that for this reason.
Hearing Kuma's words, could it be that something major was about to happen to Ace?
Sanji's mind had always been sharp. With just a few sentences from the other, he had almost guessed the truth.
"The Marines are about to engage in an all-out war with the world's strongest man, the Whitebeard Pirates. The trigger for the war is..."
Kuma's expression was blank as he said in a low voice, "Ace will be publicly executed, worldwide. The location: Marineford!"
"What did you say!" Sanji's pupils instantly dilated. He stood there stunned, lost in silence.
Luffy's brother... is going to be executed?!
Suddenly, a figure jumped down from a tree.
Reiner walked straight towards the two of them. "When is the specific time?"
"It's currently set for eight days from now. It should be in the newspapers in the next two days. However, if you're planning to take action, knowing in advance is always beneficial."
Kuma looked at the newcomer with a grave expression. "I've given my information. Can you release her now, Black Snake?"
It was because he had noticed his presence that he needed to negotiate with them. Otherwise, he could have just swatted them away one by one.
"Let's go. We're going back to regroup with everyone."
Reiner ignored Kuma, simply speaking to Sanji. He had no intention of doing anything to Bonney anyway. After all...
She was just a child!
The conversation between the three under the tree was not heard by the others.
Robin only saw them chat for a few sentences, after which Reiner and Sanji walked back with serious faces, as if something bad had happened.
"What's wrong?"
"We'll talk when we get back. Let her go, Robin-sis," Sanji said faintly.
Releasing her ability, Robin freed the struggling Bonney on the ground, and the group left.
"Kuma!!" Bonney roared towards the distance. The moment she was freed from her bonds, she struggled to her feet and rushed desperately towards the figure under the distant tree.
However, she had only taken a few steps.
Pop!
"Please don't go!"
Before her pleading eyes, Kuma's figure vanished from the spot...
"Why!!"
Bonney collapsed to her knees, her entire head buried in the ground as she roared continuously.
"You bastard!!"
Her hands went mad, grabbing and pulling up handfuls of grass.
"Why!!"
He was right there. Why are you so cold to me?
"Why..."
Tears streamed uncontrollably from Bonney's eyes, her voice gradually becoming choked with sobs.
"Why won't you see me..."
Under the setting sun, the bubbles rising from the ground flew endlessly, popping one by one in the air.
The setting sun gradually sank below the sea, leaving only a streak of rosy clouds on the horizon, stretching all shadows long.
The chaotic battle on the Sabaody Archipelago also slowly subsided, leaving behind countless towns reduced to rubble.
The last battlefield. In a stretch of ruins, two people stood dozens of meters apart.
Behind Zoro, one figure after another emerged from the ruins.
"Straw Hat Luffy, Black Snake Reiner, Black Leg Sanji..."
Trafalgar Law panted heavily, looking at the full complement of the Straw Hat crew that had surrounded him, standing on various pieces of rubble.
His sword tip rested on the ground, barely supporting his body. He no longer even had the strength to lift his blade.
"It seems this is our utter defeat."
Thump.
Law let out a self-deprecating, dry laugh. After speaking, his body went limp, and he collapsed forward.
And so, on the Sabaody Archipelago, the battle of nine Supernova pirate crews, with the Straw Hats fighting 1 vs 8, ended in a great victory...
"Hee hee hee, let's go back and have a party!"
"Party, party!"
"I'm telling you, Chopper, Franky and I teamed up to defeat a Supernova! The fight back then, it was earth-shattering..."
The group left this place with a swagger, heading towards Shakky's bar.
Reiner left a few slips of paper behind, then turned and left with the others.
Being called the Worst Generation for this? I'll take you guys to do great things!
(End of chapter)
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