<div> Chapter 42: Chapter 42
 Dante felt a jolt of surprise as he spotted the burly figure standing on the ship’s deck, a wooden box carefully held on his back.
 ’Kuma? What’s he doing here?’
 That’s right, the man standing before him was none other than The ’Tyrant’ Kuma, recently a hot topic in the World Economic Journal. Of course, Dante, with his knowledge of the ’plot’, knew Bartholomew Kuma wasn’t truly a tyrant.
 He was... a gentle, unlucky guy? Even unlucky wouldn’t be enough to describe his life. But definitely strong, though not physically rather mentally. Misery seemed to follow him, yet he clung to hope, using his unique power to help others and shield his child.
 Misery seemed to follow him everywhere, but he clung to hope, using his powers to help others and protect his child.
 Dante looked at Kuma.
 Just then, Kuma was frowning, still regarding the bald ’East Blue Overlord’ with a grave expression. Even facing someone who’d only hailed from the weakest sea, Kuma remained wary, his hand instinctively shielding the wooden box on his back.
 To him, that box seemed more precious than any treasure on the seas, perhaps his own ’One Piece’.
 Dante’s gaze flicked to the box. He knew who was inside. Whatever the circumstances of this girl’s birth, to the burly man standing there, she was everything.
 Just as Kuma was watching, Mock, ever mindful of Dante’s instructions, had already struck the ’East Blue Overlord’s’ signature pose. Meanwhile, the specially trained underlings, at the first sign of an enemy, wheeled out the Overlord’s exclusive banners:
 Left: Master of My Own Tides.
 Right: Challenge Me And Drown.
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 </div> Above: Overlord of the East Blue.
 The scene shattered the tense silence, creating an even awkward silence.
 Robin and Kuina, who’d never witnessed such a spectacle, exchanged utterly baffled looks. After a moment, comprehension dawned.
 They turned their heads slowly, fixing Dante with questioning stares.
 A collective thought seemed to pass between them: ’Did he orchestrate this? Thank goodness Mock didn’t pull this stunt back at Conomi Archipelago. He’d have been arrested by a Marine Admiral for sure! This is... utterly ridiculous! Even the Pirate King Roger probably wasn’t this cocky back in the day!’
 Dante, catching their suspicious glares, could only manage a wry smile. He hadn’t expected Mock to nail the performance so perfectly after just one training session.
 The ’East Blue Overlord’ aura was apparently already on full display. He’d even donned his exclusive gear: the Golden Lion Mane Cloak.
 When Mock dramatically flicked his cloak, fixing Kuma with an intense glare, even the formidable ’Tyrant’ seemed taken aback. He tightened his grip on the box behind him, becoming even more cautious.
 Kuma, a man who’d seen the world, likely hadn’t anticipated running into such a bizarrely arrogant figure right at the entrance to the Grand Line.
 As the two powerful figures faced off, Mock radiating exaggerated confidence, meeting Kuma’s wary gaze, a soft, childish voice called out from behind Kuma.
 "Papa, what’s wrong?"
 At the sound, Kuma seemed to snap back to reality. The wariness in his eyes melted into immediate tenderness. He replied softly, "Bonney, Papa’s fine. I’ll take care of it soon."
 "Okay~ Papa, do your best!"
 Receiving the childish encouragement, Kuma raised his head again, still regarding Mock with vigilance.
 He faced Mock, the self-proclaimed ’East Blue Overlord’ and captain of the Mock Pirates. Kuma, being the sort who kept up with the news, knew a little about him.
 Though news from the weakest sea rarely made headlines in the Grand Line, Mock’s name seemed to pop up in every report coming out of the East Blue lately.
 A pirate still stuck in the weakest sea, who hadn’t even entered the Grand Line, already carried a massive 50 million Berry bounty from Marine Headquarters.
 While 50 million Berries might not raise eyebrows in the Grand Line or the New World, it was an astronomical sum for someone who hadn’t even left the East Blue. Marine Headquarters clearly saw him as a significant threat.
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 </div> There were even rumors that he’d escaped from the Hero of the Marines, Vice Admiral Garp himself, causing Garp considerable trouble. It was said the 50 million Berry bounty was proposed by a Marine Captain who witnessed what happened.
 If even the Hero of the Marines treated him with such caution, then despite being stuck in the weakest sea, the Mock Pirates clearly possessed the strength of a supernova among the new generation.
 ’And this guy... is he really this arrogant?’ Especially after hearing about the ’Pirate Feast’ he’d recently thrown in the East Blue, essentially a planned massacre of a Marine Branch.
 Though the ’feast’ seemed to have failed, rumors persisted that in a bid to protect the next generation of East Blue pirates, he’d single-handedly held off two Marine Captains before escaping completely unscathed.
 This ’Overlord’ might not be his match, but with Bonneyright behind him, he wouldn’t take any chances. As a father, failure wasn’t an option.
 Kuma, solemn, studied Mock, who remained cool and collected, arms crossed, even in the face of the ’Tyrant’. Pushing up his frameless glasses, Kuma spoke flatly, "Captain of the Mock Pirates!"
 Finding a cure for Bonney. That was his mission. Since leaving Sorbet Kingdom, he’d carried her, seeking out famous doctors across the seas, keeping his promise to Ginny to protect her child, and his promise to Bonney to show her the world.
 Even though she stayed hidden in the box, unseen, the fear was constant: what if he failed? What if he couldn’t find a cure, couldn’t let her see the beauty of this vast ocean with her own eyes? He had to find a way, even if it cost him his life.
 He hadn’t expected... to run into attacking pirates right near the Red Line. After quickly dealing with that group, he saw this massive ship and assumed it was related, so he’d rushed over, intending to finish things swiftly. And that’s how he’d ended up here.
 Kuma fixed Mock with a stern, imposing glare. Seeing the younger pirate remain unfazed, he repeated his question, "East Blue Overlord. Are you here to capture me, like those pirates?"
 Mock, mid-pose, blinked. He looked genuinely confused. He scratched his head, gave a little cough, then quickly snapped back into his ’Overlord’ stance, fixing Kuma with that intense gaze again.
 "What’s your bounty?"
 ’Why ask about my bounty?’ Kuma wondered. ’Does he not recognize me?’ Mock’s strange question seemed to catch the serious Kuma off guard.
 A flicker of understanding crossed his face, but he quickly regained his composure. Without answering, he simply turned his back, preparing to leave.
 "Hey, hey, hey! What’s going on?" Nami, hurrying out of the helm with Vivi in her arms, called out, "Did we run into pirates? Did you take care of them?" She turned to Dante, her face etched with worry. "Dante, Vivi’s sick! What do we do?"
 Nami’s words instantly drew everyone’s attention. Dante looked at Vivi in her arms, pale, weak, her eyes unfocused, struggling to stay open.
 Surprise crossed his face. "Sick?" he murmured. ’She was fine when we set sail, wasn’t she? Why would she get sick the moment we hit the Grand Line?’
 "I... I’m fine!" The weak Vivi forced out a strained smile. "Please, don’t, don’t go back, as long as Alabasta can be saved..."
 Before Vivi could finish, Nami cut her off sharply. "Don’t be ridiculous! You look terrible. Any illness on the sea can be deadly for a crewmate," she said seriously. "Forget about Alabasta for now."
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 </div> Vivi, touched by Nami’s words, tried to lift a hand to reassure her, "Nami, I..."
 Nami wasn’t having it. "There’s still 1 billion that hasn’t been paid! What if something happens to you?" she exclaimed, ignoring the stunned Vivi. Her eyes darted around frantically. "A doctor? Where are we going to find a doctor out here?! That’s one billion Berries!"
 Dante watched Nami’s panicked display, was she more worried about Vivi or the money? And was about to open his mouth to tell her not to worry, to tell her that, surprisingly, there was a doctor right here...
 Then, a deep, steady voice cut through the panic.
 "May I take a look?"
𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖 Everyone turned. Kuma, who’d been moments from leaving, had somehow reappeared behind them. After a brief hesitation, he added, "Perhaps... I can help her feel better."
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Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Dante felt a jolt of surprise as he spotted the burly figure standing on the ship’s deck, a wooden box carefully held on his back. ’Kuma? What’s he doing here?’ That’s right, the man standing before him was none other than The ’Tyrant’ Kuma, recently a hot topic in the World Economic Journal. Of course, Dante, with his knowledge of the ’plot’, knew Bartholomew Kuma wasn’t truly a tyrant. He was... a gentle, unlucky guy? Even unlucky wouldn’t be enough to describe his...

One Piece: Marine to Warlord to Conqueror

Chapter 42

One Piece: Marine to Warlord to Conqueror - Chapter 42