Chapter 157: World, Are You Ready for My Return?
In front of the ancient castle, Shane quickly got the full story.
After parting ways with him on Drum Island, Kuma had, as per Kureha's advice, gone straight to Dressrosa in the New World. He had met with Doflamingo and had made a deal.
The terms were simple.
—Help Doflamingo with three tasks, and he could temporarily take Mansherry with him to the South Blue to treat Bonney.
The first two tasks were manageable, just dealing with two pirate crews that had a grudge with Doflamingo.
But the third was to go to an island called "Agassia," slaughter the local civilians, and steal their sacred treasure.
This went against Kuma's conscience.
In the end, he couldn't bring himself to do it.
Not only did he let the innocent civilians go, but he also helped them escape from the pursuit of the Donquixote family.
And he had seriously injured Diamante, a user of the Flutter-Flutter Fruit, who had been sent to pursue them.
From then on, Kuma had completely broken ties with the Donquixote family.
Using his flexible fruit ability, he had snuck into Dressrosa several times.
He had finally found the imprisoned Mansherry and, breaking through heavy security, he had rescued her.
But after all, he was in the enemy's main base.
Although Kuma was strong and could have easily defeated Doflamingo in a one-on-one fight, he was outnumbered against the entire Donquixote family.
And with having to protect Mansherry, he had eventually been seriously injured in a trap set by Doflamingo and had been on the run ever since.
As for why Mansherry, the user of the Heal-Heal Fruit, couldn't heal his wounds…
"No wonder you kept telling us to find a doctor,"
Shane said, lifting Mansherry's skirt a little. His gaze fell on her ankle, which was bound by a miniature Seastone shackle. "I see…"
"The key is still with the Donquixote family. I can't open it," Mansherry said pitifully. "I can't use my ability anymore, waaah…"
Before the tears could fall, Shane squeezed his right hand, and the Seastone shackle, with a crack, broke in two.
"Huh?"
Mansherry was dumbfounded.
In her understanding, Seastone was supposed to be indestructible. How had this big human managed to break it so easily, without even using a weapon?
"My brother is not a fruit user, you know,"
Nami said proudly from the side. "The world's greatest master swordsman, breaking this thing is a piece of cake for him! With a flick of his finger, the sword energy he releases is enough to tear through all darkness and… ouch, ouch, ouch! What are you doing, Big Bro?!"
Shane's face was impassive as he released the ear he had been twisting.
Fourteen years old, the peak of chuunibyou.
Fingers as swords, what nonsense…
The reason he had been able to break the Seastone with his bare hands was because his body was strong enough, and he had used the tearing power of his Conqueror's Haki Infusion.
"Heal Kuma,"
Shane said, looking at Mansherry. "You should be able to heal him quickly, right?"
"Mmm! Thank you, Lord Shane! Leave it to me!"
Mansherry nodded vigorously and then, holding her skirt, she rushed over to Kuma.
The others also gathered around curiously, wanting to see for themselves how the Heal-Heal Fruit worked.
Especially the girls, their eyes were wide with anticipation.
The Heal-Heal Fruit sounded so magical.
In their eyes, Mansherry should have, like a magician from a fairy tale, raised her hands and chanted some magical spell, and then a holy, golden light would have bloomed, dispelling all sickness and pain.
But instead…
Mansherry took a deep breath, her small face tensed. She climbed onto Kuma's body and… suddenly pinched her own thigh!
"WAAAAAH—!!!"
Large tears instantly welled up in her eyes and pattered down on Kuma's chest.
"Huh?!" Nami's eyes widened. "Wait, what is she doing?! Why did she suddenly start crying?"
"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts…"
Mansherry sobbed, rubbing her reddened thigh. "I don't want to, but… but if I don't, I can't activate my ability!"
Why isn't it working yet? She pinched herself again, even harder, and the tears began to fall like a broken string of pearls.
It must be because Kuma is not a normal human! He's a super, super big giant! I must need more tears!
"Mr. Kuma, p-please hang in there!"
Finally, a pale green healing light bloomed from her tears and spread out like a ripple, enveloping Kuma's entire body.
In just a few seconds, his gruesome wounds began to heal at a visible rate, and the paleness in his face was replaced by a healthy, rosy glow.
"Although it's a little different from the 'healing magic' I imagined, this ability is still amazing," Kuina couldn't help but exclaim.
"And it's very cute," Robin said, a smile on her face as she watched Mansherry, her eyes full of tears, still desperately pinching herself.
"Kind and cute, with such a powerful healing ability, and most importantly, as a non-combatant from the Tontatta tribe, her bounty will probably never be very high. I've decided!"
Nami's eyes lit up, and she slapped her fist into her palm. "Our ship's doctor is her!"
"You're not the captain! You don't get to decide!" Nojiko roared, chopping her on the head.
Just then, Kuma's eyelashes fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes.
"Mr. Kuma!" Mansherry cried out in joy.
Kuma's gaze was a little dazed, but it quickly focused. He looked at Shane, his voice hoarse. "...Lord Shane?"
"It's me," Shane said with a smile. "How are you feeling?"
"I've almost completely recovered."
Kuma tried to sit up. Although he was still a little weak, he could move without any problems. He looked around and, understanding a lot of things, he also began to smile. "It seems my luck isn't so bad after all. To have had the good fortune to run into you in such a desperate situation."
He stood up, placed his right hand on his chest, and bowed deeply to Shane. "Thank you for saving my life, my lord. I will never forget this kindness."
To help him up at a time like this would have been too hypocritical. Shane stood his ground and accepted the bow with a smile.
Kuma then looked at Mansherry and smiled gently. "And thank you too, Mansherry."
"You're welcome! It's what I should do!"
Mansherry wiped the sweat from her brow and, hugging Kuma's arm, she forced a bright smile—the tears from before had been half from the pinching and half from the genuine pain of seeing Kuma's pathetic state.
Waaah, Kuma was hurt so badly because he was protecting me! If only I could be like that Lord Shane and break the Seastone shackles with my bare hands!
CLANG, CLANG!
A dull, metallic sound suddenly rang out, startling everyone.
"Alright, that's enough of the touching reunion! If you keep thanking each other, this old man is going to lose his appetite!"
Zeff stood at the castle gate, banging a ladle on a pot lid, annoyed. "None of you have even finished your breakfast! Are you just going to stand there and talk?! Get your guests inside! They must be starving!"
What a rude old man.
I'm not that hungry! Why is he banging so loudly?! It's so scary!
Mansherry covered her ears, annoyed. She was about to protest when her stomach let out a loud grumble. She quickly covered her stomach, her small face flushing red.
Everyone burst out laughing. Kuma also smiled gently and, bending down, he placed Mansherry on his shoulder and led her to the dining hall.
…
At the dinner table, when everyone had more or less finished eating, Kuma and Shane had caught up. He had also learned of Doflamingo's death.
This was not surprising.
Not to mention the reputation Shane had built for himself, when they had met on Drum Island, Kuma had already considered Shane a powerhouse on a higher level than himself.
But for the vice-captain of the Curtain Call Adventurers, Kuina, to be able to fight Doflamingo to a standstill, that was a little surprising. He couldn't help but look at the young woman with new respect.
"What do you plan to do now?" Shane asked. "Are you going to take Mansherry back to the South Blue?"
Kuma shook his head. "No, my lord. I don't plan to go back just yet."
"Huh?" Nami's eyes widened. "Weren't you in a hurry to go back and treat your daughter? How come now that you finally can, you're…"
"Bonney's condition is stable. In comparison, the situation in Dressrosa is more urgent,"
Kuma said in a low voice. "When the news of Doflamingo's death gets back, there will undoubtedly be chaos. The civilians might be retaliated against by the remaining Donquixote family officers, and Mansherry's people, the Tontatta dwarves, might become the target of a massacre… all of this is because of me. I must get there as soon as possible and take responsibility before the situation gets out of control."
Is this just who Kuma is?
Shane sighed, drank the last of his soup, and wiped his mouth.
There were probably very few people in this world who, like Kuma, would, after just having been saved from the brink of death and finally being able to fulfill their lifelong wish of healing their daughter, still be able to remain rational and worry about the safety of strangers a thousand miles away.
This man was someone to be admired.
But at the same time, it was precisely because of this personality that Kuma's fate was filled with so much tragedy that he did not deserve.
"Then we'll part ways here,"
Shane said. "I was originally thinking of going to Dressrosa to check on the situation after we get to the New World, but that would be at least a month from now. If you go directly, it will be much faster. Be careful of Sugar's ability. The rest of them should be easy for you to handle."
"Mmm, don't worry, Lord Shane,"
Kuma said with a nod.
The Donquixote family with and without Doflamingo were two completely different things.
Those so-called top officers were a joke to him.
"This will probably take about half a month,"
he said, thinking for a moment. He looked at Shane, his gaze warm but firm. "My lord, after Bonney's illness is cured, I will come and find you again."
"Oh?"
Shane raised an eyebrow, a little surprised, and spread his hands with a laugh. "What for? You're not thinking of repaying my kindness, are you?"
"Yes,"
Kuma said, nodding seriously. "Although you and your comrades, with your current strength, do not need my help, I still hope to do my part. After all, you and I, in some ways, are kindred spirits, are we not?"
Shane remembered what he had heard from Kuma about Dragon's plan to recruit him, and he nodded, noncommittal.
Dragon's approach was from the bottom up, while his was from the top down.
Their paths were different, but as Kuma had said, their goals were more or less the same.
"Also…"
Kuma paused, and then, as if he had just remembered something, he smiled. "That child, Bonney, she's never been one to sit still at home. She's always longed for adventure. If, after her illness is cured, she could go and see the wide world, she would be very happy."
"Huh?!"
Nami's eyes lit up, and she excitedly chimed in, "Uncle Kuma, are you saying that you'll bring your daughter and join us?"
"Hey, hey, don't make decisions for other people," Nojiko said, tapping her sister on the head.
"No, Miss Nami is right," Kuma said with a gentle smile. "If Lord Shane and all of you are not averse, I do have that intention."
Averse?
Shane looked at Kuma and couldn't help but let out a laugh.
How could I possibly be averse?!
Kuma's combat strength is, among the Warlords, second only to Hawkeye. He's on par with a Yonko commander.
For such a powerful being to offer to join, even one of the Four Emperors would be grinning from ear to ear. Where else would I find such a good deal?
Speaking of which, back on Drum Island, Shane had had the thought of recruiting Kuma. After all, he had been separated from the Revolutionary Army for several years now.
But at the time, he had been busy searching for a cure for his daughter, and he hadn't had much of a connection with him. So, in the end, he had given up on the idea and hadn't even mentioned it.
"Alright, it's settled then,"
Shane said with a laugh, readily agreeing. "When Bonney is all better, you two can come and find us anytime. Also, you're welcome to join us too, Mansherry, if you can bear to leave your people!"
He winked at the Tontatta princess, who had eaten herself into a ball.
The latter had just let out a satisfied burp and was lying on a plate, rubbing her belly like a hamster. When she saw him looking at her, her face flushed red, and she scurried behind Kuma's arm.
The great Lord Shane is inviting me to join! I want to say yes right away, but what about Leo… ahhh, I'm so conflicted!
"This is my Vivre Card!"
Nami, on the other hand, had already handed over a piece of paper at lightning speed. "Take it, Uncle Kuma! Don't get lost and not be able to find us! A man's word is his bond! You can't go back on it! Bring Bonney over soon!"
After so many years of being a little sister, she was finally going to have a little sister of her own!
Kuma carefully took the Vivre Card and, looking at the expectant faces of the girls, he couldn't help but smile.
Bonney, who had been treated like a monster and bullied in her hometown, if she could come here, she would probably be smiling every day, wouldn't she?
…
A dozen or so minutes later, Kuma, with Mansherry, flew into the sky and, after waving goodbye to the crew, he once again headed for Dressrosa.
And after watching him go, the crew returned to the castle. Nami impatiently raised her hand. "Big Bro! When are we leaving?! Are we still going to wait for two more days?"
"In such a hurry to leave?" Shane glanced at her.
"Of course!"
Nami pursed her lips. "This stupid island is so cold and gloomy, and there's nothing to do! Every day here is torture! I'd rather just be floating on the sea!"
"No patience,"
Nojiko said, poking her on the forehead. "Why don't you think about our brother? He stayed at the bottom of the sea for a whole month."
"That's because he's him! And I'm me!"
Nami said, puffing out her chest. "One has a bounty of a billion, and the other has a bounty of 80,000! Of course our endurance levels are different!"
"Heh, so you're finally able to joke about your own bounty…"
Looking at his bickering sisters, and then at his other comrades, Shane grinned. He could see the anticipation for the outside world in their eyes.
It's true.
This island is so boring and gloomy. Even Hawkeye couldn't stand it after living here for so long and had to adopt a loli and a moss-head.
Not everyone is like him, who learned to be alone all day without getting lonely in his past life.
And besides, everyone has gotten so much stronger. They're all eager to face the unknown challenges of the New World.
"Then we won't wait. We'll leave today and head for our next destination!"
Shane announced his latest decision.
The crew immediately broke into cheers. Nami even rushed to her bedroom and began to pack her things.
And Shane went to the window, his deep gaze looking out at the distant horizon through the mist.
He gently clenched his fists, and black and red lightning instantly appeared, swirling around his fingers like a living thing.
He was ready.
And what about you?
World, are you ready for my return?
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