The next moment,
Ron felt ten crystal test tubes, identical to the one in Nami's hand and flowing with liquid resembling a brilliant starry river, appear out of thin air in his system space!
Even with Ron's vast experience and calm disposition, upon clearly perceiving the majestic life energy contained within these ten potions—an energy that seemed to defy rules—and their terrifying effect of being able to 'revive the dead and regrow flesh on white bones,' his pupils couldn't help but slightly contract, and a rare look of shock appeared on his face!
"Miracle Potions, and ten bottles at that—this is equivalent to having ten extra lives!"
He instantly understood the immense value of this reward. As long as they weren't instantly annihilated, no matter how severe the injury, how bizarre the curse, or how fatal the disease, it could likely be reversed with this medicine!
However,
Before he could fully savor this immense surprise, a much more violent and unusual energy explosion suddenly erupted from the direction they had come from!
The commotion far exceeded the scale of the previous fight with Moriah, and it even contained a familiar, heart-pounding sense of pressure!
Ron's expression instantly became solemn and strange. He listened intently to the distant commotion, his brow tightly furrowed:
"A collision of this magnitude... and this unique shockwave... Moriah has already been taken care of. Could it be... the 'Tyrant' Bartholomew Kuma has actually arrived?!"
His gaze sharpened immediately, and he quickly said to Nami beside him: "Nami, there's no time to study this! The battle over there might have a new participant! Something has happened! We have to rush back immediately!"
With that said,
Ron unhesitatingly grabbed the wrist of the still somewhat stunned Nami, and his figure instantly transformed into a swift shadow, dashing toward the direction where the explosion and energy fluctuations originated with astonishing speed!
Nami also reacted, tightly clutching the precious Miracle Potion, and followed Ron as they sped through the forest.
With ten bottles of God-tier potions in hand, Ron felt no lessening of the urgency in his heart. He knew deeply that if it truly was Kuma acting personally, then his crewmates left behind were facing an unprecedented, huge crisis at this moment!
After all, Kuma's Devil Fruit ability was a truly God-tier fruit!
As Ron pulled Nami along, the closer they got to the battlefield, the more intense the smell of blood and the suffocating pressure permeating the air became.
When the two finally burst out of the forest and returned to the courtyard, which had already been reduced to ruins, the scene before them made even Ron's pupils slightly contract.
There stood the gigantic 'Tyrant' Bartholomew Kuma, silently rooted in the center of the battlefield like a motionless mountain, as if he hadn't moved at all.
The moment Ron appeared, Kuma's gaze locked onto him precisely; he had been waiting here for a long time.
And surrounding Kuma was a scene of tragic defeat:
Luffy lay sprawled in a shallow pit. Although covered in wounds, he was snoring soundly, clearly in a forced coma due to exhaustion and injuries, but thankfully, his life signs were relatively stable.
Zoro's situation was much worse. He was leaning against a broken stone pillar, drenched in blood, his three swords scattered on the ground. He was barely using wado ichimonji to support his body and keep himself from completely collapsing, but his rapid breathing and vacant eyes showed he had reached his limit, holding on purely by an unyielding will.
Most astonishing was Sanji. He was actually swaying, relying on the tenacious physique and willpower of a Cyborg, struggling to rise from the pool of blood!
Although every attempt caused blood to trickle from the corner of his mouth due to his wounds, the fire of refusal to yield still burned in his eyes.
Further away, Robin was kneeling with a pale face. Chopper was diligently bandaging Usopp in an emergency, while Usopp lay sprawled on the ground looking utterly dejected.
Franky had also exhausted his energy, and Brook's bones were shattered...
In short, the entire Straw Hat Pirates, except for the newly arrived Ron and Nami, were completely wiped out!
Seeing this scene, Nami covered her mouth in fright, tears instantly welling up: "Everyone...!"
Ron's gaze swept across the field quickly, instantly assessing everyone's condition. Finally, his gaze returned to Kuma standing motionless in the center of the area.
Although he knew Kuma's purpose for doing this, this was still too brutal.
At this moment, Kuma looked back at Ron without a ripple of emotion, and his deep voice slowly sounded, breaking the silence:
"You have finally arrived, 'Captain' Ron. It seems I waited for the right time."
"If you don't come soon, all my crewmates will go traveling."
Nami's eyes quickly swept over her fallen comrades—the unconscious Luffy, the bloodied Zoro holding on, the struggling Sanji, and the in terrible condition Robin, Chopper, Usopp, Franky, and Brook... Boundless rage instantly drowned out her fear!
She suddenly took a step forward, her eyes burning with fury. Her slender finger pointed directly at Kuma, who stood like a mountain, and her voice sharpened with extreme anger:
"You damned big guy! How dare you... how dare you beat my comrades like this?! Unforgivable! Watch me strike you down with lightning!!"
Before her words faded, intensely dazzling blue lightning erupted from her hand!
Vast lightning energy rapidly converged, emitting a heart-pounding crackling sound!
"Thunderous Might: Divine Punishment!"
With Nami's angry shout, a terrifying pillar of lightning—thicker and more violent than any before, as if divine judgment itself—tore through the air, carrying all of Nami's rage, and savagely struck toward the top of Kuma's head!
Its might seemed intent on utterly purifying him!
However, facing the rampant lightning capable of instantly vaporizing ordinary pirates, Kuma calmly raised his palm toward the incoming lightning. In the center of his palm, the paw-pad-shaped Devil Fruit ability activated slightly.
Buzz!
The terrifying lightning pillar, capable of destroying warships, upon contact with that invisible barrier, seemed to have struck an absolutely smooth, impenetrable mirror, and was forcefully and completely deflected away!
Boom!!!
The deflected lightning pillar fiercely struck a half-collapsed tower in the distance, instantly blasting it into a sky full of charred debris!
Kuma, however, remained standing in place, not even the hem of his coat disturbed. He slowly lowered his palm and looked at Nami with emotionless eyes.
The anger on Nami's face instantly froze, replaced by extreme shock and disbelief. She subconsciously took half a step back, her voice completely changing pitch:
"Wh-what?! What kind of joke is this?! My lightning... was actually... actually bounced back?!"
....
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