Aboard Bonney's pirate ship—
"Captain Bonney! That ship's too fast—we can't shake them!" a crewmember shouted, staring at the rapidly approaching vessel from the Five Seas Merchant Guild.
"They're getting closer and closer!"
"They're about to catch up!"
Jewelry Bonney ground her teeth in fury at the report and snapped, "Adjust the cannons! Blast those bastards!"
She hadn't expected the ship labeled as part of the "Five Seas Merchant Guild" to be so unbelievably fast. Despite the initial distance, it had caught up with them in less than thirty minutes.
This speed was even faster than a Navy battleship!
The same crewmember shouted again, "Captain, they're attacking!"
"What?!" Bonney turned in alarm to see what was happening.
From the deck of the Five Seas ship, a sudden bolt of lightning surged forth, racing straight for her vessel.
"We're under attack!"
"Prepare for battle!"
Bonney roared her command.
Zzzzzap!
The bolt of lightning struck the rear deck of Bonney's ship and exploded into a storm of electricity, instantly incapacitating all the nearby crew within a twenty-meter radius.
As the lightning dispersed, a figure emerged—Sora.
"You bastard!" Bonney snarled from the front deck as she saw her crew lying motionless. She rushed straight toward him.
Sora frowned slightly at the charge.
In the next second, an overwhelming and terrifying pressure erupted from his body, sweeping outward and enveloping everyone aboard Bonney's ship.
『Ding! Conqueror's Haki has leveled up to four-star.』
After countless uses and intense honing, Sora's Conqueror's Haki had finally reached four-star—crossing the threshold into intermediate territory.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
In an instant, Bonney's crew dropped like flies.
"Conqueror's Haki?!"
Bonney stopped in her tracks, shocked as she looked around at her fallen comrades.
She had never imagined that someone from the Five Seas Merchant Guild could possess such a power.
Was this really just a merchant group?
Seeing her freeze, Sora casually formed his fingers into the shape of a gun and pointed them at her.
Ten Thousand Volts: Lightning Arrow!
A lightning-forged arrow formed at his fingertip and shot toward Bonney.
She instinctively dodged to the side, barely avoiding a direct hit.
However, the arrow struck the deck beside her and exploded into a burst of electricity, engulfing her in a shocking field.
"Ahhh!"
The jolt surged through her body, and she screamed in pain.
Snap!
A ghost appeared with a finger snap.
Bonney dropped to her knees, hands on the deck, muttering weakly, "I'm so useless… Might as well just turn into a pizza and get eaten…"
"Heh." Sora chuckled.
This negative ghost really was perfect for subduing people effortlessly.
Lifting Bonney by the collar, he slammed her against the mast and conjured an iron bar using the Cage-Cage Fruit, binding her to it.
Then, from thin air, he pulled out a thickly wrapped Seastone collar and locked it around her neck, removing the cloth afterward.
Only then did Sora gently pat her cheek to rouse her from the ghost-induced despair.
Bonney's aging ability was tricky, so Sora had to be extra careful.
As she snapped back to awareness and realized she was restrained, her expression changed drastically.
"You bastard, what the hell do you want?!"
Tied to the mast and unable to move, Bonney glared at him with bared teeth.
Because Sora was still using his Palette ability disguise, she hadn't recognized him.
Sora pinched her cheek with a smirk.
"Miss Bonney, you really are beautiful."
"That pink hair of yours… really draws the eye."
"And these alluring curves are equally hard to ignore…"
Bonney's rage burned under Sora's leering stare.
Just as she was about to unleash a string of curses, Sora added, "Alright, Miss Bonney."
"If you agree to follow me, I'll help you fulfill your wish—I'll take you to Vegapunk."
"What do you say?"
He smiled as he said it, kneading her cheek between his fingers.
Bonney had been searching for Vegapunk for years—ever since her father, Bartholomew Kuma, was turned into a cyborg. She wanted to find the scientist on Egghead Island and kill him.
As it happened, Robin also wanted to go to Egghead to investigate Saul's fate, so helping Bonney was something Sora planned to do anyway.
Hearing him mention her true purpose for going to sea, Bonney was stunned.
That was a secret buried deep in her heart. No one should've known.
She shook her head and shook off his hand. Staring him down, she sneered, "You? Just some guy from a merchant group? You're planning to go after Vegapunk—the World Government's top asset? You're insane."
Her meaning was clear—don't sell me dreams. Show me something real.
Sora just smiled. "And what if I really can find Egghead Island?"
Bonney scoffed, "If you can really take me to Egghead and get that bastard, then maybe I'll follow you."
"But talk is cheap. How are you going to prove you can find Vegapunk?"
Sora grinned again. He pulled a bottle of water from the air and soaked a handkerchief, then wiped his face.
As his disguise faded, he looked at her with his real face.
"Now, Miss Bonney… do you believe me?"
"You… you're Godslayer Sora!"
"You're really here, on the Sabaody Archipelago!"
Bonney stared at him, wide-eyed in shock.
Earlier today, she'd planned to sneak into Area 18 to scavenge tech from his ship—never expecting she'd be captured by the man himself.
And in this humiliating way.
But if it really was Godslayer Sora—if he truly had that kind of ship and power—then maybe he really could help her find Vegapunk.
Still, she remembered the rumors about Sora abducting princesses and beautiful women, and she hesitated.
Because now she knew—following him wouldn't just mean going along for the ride.
He might expect her to follow him into his bed too…
But if she refused—would he let her go?
That was the question.
As a pirate, Bonney knew very well what this sea was like. She clenched her jaw in silent frustration.
Sora didn't pressure her—he just watched patiently, waiting.
Willing submission always bred more loyalty and was easier to control.
After wrestling with herself for a while, Bonney finally looked at him and said:
"…I'll go with you."