The battle had barely begun… and already Usopp was proving that he wasn't the protector of Syrup Village for nothing.He leapt, rolled, slipped beneath the massive arms of Bear King with near-feline agility.Each time the colossus's fists slammed into the ground, the entire room quaked.
BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!
Usopp looked tiny compared to him… but completely untouchable.With a swift motion, he spilled a vial onto the floor—a slick, nearly invisible oil.The ground became a living trap; Bear King instantly lost his footing, his massive legs skidding across the slick surface as Usopp seized every opening to fire.
PIU!PIU!PIU!
Magical arrows exploded on the pirate's hardened body, crackling with light across muscles toughened by his unbreakable Devil Fruit.Bear King growled—irritated, but not truly injured.
"IT'S USELESS! YOU CAN'T HURT ME, WORM!!!"
He slammed his hands into the floor.A brutal wave of heat spread outwards.The oil evaporated instantly in a sharp psssshhhht.The heat was so intense the walls themselves seemed to ripple.
Usopp didn't flinch.He advanced steadily, his gaze hardened by determination.
"I don't believe your defense is invincible," he said calmly—almost coldly.
He fired another arrow—then a second—then a third—without even pausing to breathe.Each one aimed at a joint, a weak point, a flaw he had already spotted.
Suddenly, my Haki pulsed sharply.A sneak attack was coming.I was about to intervene, but—
CLING! CLING! CLING!
Zoro was faster.He stepped between Usopp and a rain of dagger-shaped feathers, slicing each one mid-air before it could reach its target.The metallic shards clattered to the floor in a sharp, ringing chime.
A thin figure stood perched on a railing, dressed like a jester, spinning his daggers.His smile was twisted, split by a fresh scar.
"YOU… I'm going to get my revenge!" he growled, pointing at Zoro.
Zoro raised an eyebrow, his expression perfectly calm.
"Do I know you?" he replied, slipping into a standard sword stance, one hand resting on Wado Ichimonji's hilt.
The man cackled.
"I'm Pin Koker! And YOU gave me this scar!"
He unleashed another flurry of feather-daggers, each one whistling through the air like a metallic bird.Zoro deflected the first volley with a swift circular motion, then engaged in close combat—blade against blade—in a fierce and elegant duel.
Meanwhile, Usopp continued harassing Bear King, circling him like a furious wasp, never giving the colossus a chance to breathe.
But behind him…A massive threat was closing in.Boo Jack.The bovine giant crept up behind Usopp, muscles tensed, ready to crush him in a single blow.
"Sanji!" I called out simply. "Your opponent's here."
Sanji grinned—a sharp, wolfish smile.
"I got this."
He leapt into the air, his knight boots shining with a metallic gleam.With a flawless spinning kick, he struck Boo Jack square in the chest.
BOOOOM!!
The blue colossus was sent crashing through a wall, leaving a beast-shaped dent in the stone.
"I'm not moving. No way I'm letting some thug get past me," said Sanji, calmly lighting a cigarette as debris rained down around him.
Higher up—A breath of poisonous smoke drifted from the roof.A flying figure appeared, gliding in with dark wings.
Luffy looked up…His still-developing Observation Haki immediately alerted him.
"I see you!"
He launched himself onto the roof with superhuman force.
There, perched on the edge, stood a grotesque figure.Grayish skin, a twisted grin on his face… and most of all—A massive, fleshy jetpack on his back spewing toxic fumes.
"Skunk One, at your service!" he croaked in a nasal voice, cackling wildly.
A moment later—PHWOOOOOOOOSH!
A wave of thick purple gas, foul as a tide of rotting smoke, burst from Skunk One's grotesquely modified rear.But Luffy dodged it effortlessly—his Haki showing him the attack's path even before it launched.He rebounded off a wall, ran along the railing, and positioned himself above Skunk One with a cocky grin.
I left Luffy to deal with his opponent and made my way toward Kaya and Koby.As I got closer, a deep anger burned in my chest: their wounds were only bruises, yes… but that didn't mean I could ignore them.I extended my hands, and a soft green glow enveloped them both.Their bruises faded, their pain dulled, and their breathing calmed.
Kaya gave me a trembling smile.Koby, however, clenched his teeth, still frustrated at not being able to do more.
At that moment, a figure appeared at the stairs.Honey Queen.She was holding her throat—right where Bear King's fingers had crushed it earlier.The mark was awful: a bruised violet-blue, nearly black in some places, swollen like a snake bite.She hesitated, trembling.Her eyes scanned the scene: Usopp keeping Bear King at bay, Zoro slicing through Pin Koker with ease, Sanji sending Boo Jack flying, and Luffy dancing through the poisonous gas of Skunk One.
Then Bear King's voice tore through the room."YOU IDIOT!! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, AN INVITATION?!"His fury made the walls tremble.
Honey Queen jumped so violently she nearly slipped down the stairs.Panicking, she lunged toward Usopp, arm outstretched, ready to trap him in a prison of honey.
ButBAM!Koby surged forward like lightning and collided with her.She fell into his arms, too surprised to react.Too shocked to liquefy.They hit the ground together, her eyes wide.
"Why are you still listening to him?" he asked, his voice trembling but firm.His hands held her waist gently, as if afraid to hurt her further."He hurt you…He disrespects you…Why obey him anymore?"
Honey Queen stared at him, stunned.And for the first time in a long while… she cried.Silent tears, glistening, carving paths through her painted cheeks.
Her voice came out in a broken breath:"I… I can't defy him… He's too strong…"
Koby shook his head."That's not true.Look.Usopp is holding him off—pushing him back."
They looked up.At that exact moment, Usopp loosed an arrow with explosive force.It struck Bear King in the shin, knocking him off balance.Then Usopp leapt forward, grabbed Clayton's rifle, and—
Boom!He fired point-blank.The colossus howled, clutching his face, groaning like a wounded beast.
Honey Queen froze.He wasn't some invincible monster.Just a tyrant who'd never faced real resistance.
Across the room,Zoro finally cut down Pin Koker with a single clean strike.The jester collapsed, his expression frozen in surprise.
"Tch… not even a warm-up," Zoro muttered as he sheathed his blade.
Sanji, with a flurry of surgically precise kicks, launched Boo Jack through a wall.The giant tumbled off the castle, vanishing into the void.His fate uncertain… but judging by the crash, not pleasant.
Then—BOOOOOOM!!!A monstrous impact shook the castle's top.
I looked up.A humanoid shape was embedded in the ceiling, limbs spread like a star—unconscious.Skunk One, apparently.
Luffy landed beside us seconds later, wiping gas from his vest."All done! He stank, but he was weak!"
Honey Queen stared at him, shocked, mouth slightly open.Monsters.That's what they looked like to her.Monsters…on the side of good.
She swallowed hard and slowly stood back up.
Koby, standing before her, puffed out his chest and declared loudly:"See?He's not strong.He's a coward who rules over the weak to feel invincible."
Honey Queen stopped cold.Her gaze fell on Bear King—unable to even approach Usopp.On her former comrades—crushed, unconscious, reduced to rubble.On Luffy, Zoro, Sanji…And on me, still lurking in shadow.
She realized something no one had ever told her before.She had a choice.
And she thought:"These men… they haven't even used their full strength yet…And they just crushed the world Bear King built…Maybe… maybe I don't have to stay a prisoner."
The fear began to melt away.Usopp still trembled with adrenaline, bow drawn, eyes locked on Bear King like a predator savoring long-overdue vengeance.
I stepped forward, placing my hand on his shoulder."Usopp… mind if I finish this?Go comfort Kaya.I'll owe you a nice gift for it."He nodded.In his eyes, the rage faded, replaced by a fierce protectiveness.He turned away and rushed toward Kaya, wrapping her in his arms as Koby kept watch over Honey Queen.I turned to face Bear King.
The floor trembled beneath me as I activated my full transformation.My body expanded, muscles swelling, my scales darkening to a black deeper than night.An aura of violet flame rose from my back, writhing like serpents of shadow.My eyes took on that glacial glow born only in the depths of darkness.
Bear King, despite his colossal size, stepped back.For the first time… he was afraid.He struggled to his feet, still dazed from Usopp's shotgun blast.His unbreakable fruit had shielded him from visible wounds, but the pain was real."Don't come any closer…" he growled, trying to ignite his hands.
The heat surged suddenly—his palms glowing red, almost white.A living furnace.I stood still.Within my shadow, tiny nocturnal red lights flickered.
Complete immunity to fire.Complete immunity to heat.
The fear in his eyes turned to panic.I raised my hand.My Armament Haki activated in silence—unseen, yet denser than steel.My claws sank into his chest.Not a mere slash.A clean, surgical puncture.
His unbreakable skin split like paper beneath my claws.Bear King screamed—a guttural cry that shook the entire floor.He tried to burn my forearms—But his heat slid over my scales like a lukewarm breeze.
I seized his entire torso, tightening my grip."Your reign ends here."I yanked him back violently.
We crashed through his own King Cannon, shattering the supports.We fell behind the throne, into a mechanical shaft filled with gears and burning steam.Dust settled.
Bear King made one last move.I pressed my claw against his skull.Crack.He collapsed.
I summoned a shadow—it leapt onto the dying man.A black line unraveled from his chest, like a serpent abandoning a corpse.Then a figure materialized, growing, solidifying, until it took form.
The Heartless appeared.And it was unlike anything I had seen before.
Thick armor, black as forged steel, covered its bulky frame.Its massive shoulders looked carved from stone.At the center of its chest, a bright blue symbol pulsed like an inverted heart.Its eyes were just two glowing slits—cold, triangular streaks of spectral blue that pierced the darkness.
Its body was heavy, armored—each step echoing like a siege ram hitting a fortress wall.A modified Guardian Dark.But heavier. More massive.A Heartless born from a pure Paramecia:The first I had ever forged directly from a living human.
The one gifted by the Tuna Pot to Sanji had been just a small orb of blue fire.Nothing like this two-meter colossus.
I placed my hand on its head.It bowed its torso like a knight before his master."You… will be useful."
As I climbed back up alone, I witnessed a rather troubling sight: Honey Queen had become very clingy with Koby, who was blushing furiously.And out on the balcony, Charles had some tears in his clothes as he filmed the scene with a huge grin—surrounded by a dozen knocked-out men at his feet.
"Luffy, do we have a new crew member?" I asked, just as the battle had ended.Luffy, still splattered with some of Skunk One's gas, scratched his chin."I don't know... Even if Koby likes her and her power's interesting, we should think about what she can bring to the crew, right?"
I froze for a second.That version of Luffy… he was more mature than his canon self.A smile caught me off guard.
I turned toward Honey Queen—or rather, the woman whose eyes were still red from crying."So, Honey Queen… Do you have any skills besides your Devil Fruit?"
She flinched slightly, then took a breath."You can call me Elise. That's my real name. And… aside from producing honey as long as I can endure it, or scenting bathwater… I don't really have any useful skills.My Devil Fruit is the only thing that matters about me."
She looked down, ashamed.Luffy stared at her, puzzled, arms crossed.Elise, nervous, trembled slightly.
It was Sanji who broke the silence.He stepped forward with confident ease, hands in his pockets, a serious look on his face."Luffy… we never reject someone who can provide resources.Honey can be used as an ingredient, a preservative, a base for sauces… it's valuable on a ship.At sea, you gotta think about supplies."He flicked his lighter, as if to underline his point.
Luffy nodded."Yeah… makes sense.OK! You're in!You'll join the crew, and you'll be assigned to the kitchen with Sanji and Kazuki as an assistant."
Elise's eyes widened.Koby clenched his fists subtly, clearly pleased.Luffy pointed at her."But just so you know: every crew member trains.Even if you're a Logia… you're gonna go through it too!"Then he turned to me."Up to you for the next part."
I nodded, amused."Alright. But first… don't you want to explore this place a bit?There's probably some cool stuff in a mechanical island like this."
Luffy threw his arms up in an X."Naaah. I've had enough. And it reminds me too much of my village… windmills everywhere.No need."
I chuckled and turned to Charles.Before opening the portal, I gently pulled his blindfold from my pocket, healing him with a touch.He gasped, surprised, then smiled as he instinctively slipped it back on.
I opened a portal of darkness.A spiraling rift of black and blue unfolded with a cold gust.The crew passed through without hesitation.
Elise stood frozen for a moment."What… what is this…?"I put a finger to my lips.She swallowed, nodded, and let Koby guide her into the shadows.
Before stepping through, I released five elite Heartless, which climbed up the walls like hungry beasts.Their mission was clear: handle the remaining Trump pirates.All the strongest had already fallen.
I stepped into the portal—unaware that a unique Heartless had just emerged from the chaos:born from Skunk One's transformation.
I then took care of the lock, discreetly hidden in the heart of the coral pillar.A key, a burst of light, a pulse of darkness…And the sealed energy was released.
Then I returned to the Merry, which resumed its course, orchestrated by little Merry.
"So, Charles… did you handle things up there too?"He nearly jumped forward, photo-den den mushi still in hand."Mr. Heartless! I want to keep training!Thanks to your training, I managed ten grunts all by myself!"He beamed.Literally.
I chuckled softly."Call me Jordan. And that's the point of training.Actually… I wonder if we shouldn't do another little session right now…"
Groans erupted behind us.Usopp whimpered.Kazuki turned pale.Kaya instinctively grabbed Usopp's hand and gave me pleading puppy eyes.Even Luffy made a face.
I laughed, a deep, satisfied laugh."I'm kidding. We're celebrating our new crewmate instead."Everyone stood up immediately and began preparing the banquet.
(Author's note: That's my little bonus for the week — I'm leaving Bear King's Heartless here.)