"I know exactly who you are," Bardock said calmly, his voice echoing slightly in the dim church. "You are the former Commander of the Revolutionary Army's East Army, Ginny. You vanished without a trace two years ago, and now you've finally resurfaced... suffering from the terminal, incurable disease known as Sapphire Scales."
Bardock's words struck a raw nerve, violently dragging up the horrific, unspeakable memories Ginny had endured. Her face paled significantly under the heavy bandages, though none of the crew could see it.
"What are you trying to say?" Ginny asked, her voice dripping with absolute, freezing hostility. If her current physical condition had allowed it, given her fiery temperament, she would have already launched a lethal attack the moment they cornered her.
"What I'm trying to say is that we know exactly how to cure your disease," Bardock replied evenly. "However, in exchange, we need—"
"Save your breath!"
Before Bardock could even finish his sentence, Ginny viciously cut him off. "I don't care what you want from me! Whatever your demands are, I will absolutely never agree to them!"
"Really? I find that incredibly hard to believe," Bardock shook his head slowly, his expression softening just a fraction. "Your child is going to be born very soon, isn't she? You probably don't realize this... but Sapphire Scales is a hereditary disease. When your baby is born, she will be afflicted with the exact same condition. And you, of all people, know exactly how agonizing this disease truly is."
"Hereditary..."
That single word echoed in Ginny's mind like a death knell.
Thud.
Her legs gave out. Completely unable to support her own weight anymore, Ginny collapsed to her knees on the cold stone floor. The absolute, unyielding fire in her eyes was instantly extinguished, replaced by a hollow, crushing despair. Her heart turned to ash.
She had long since accepted her own impending death; she was fully prepared to die. But her innocent, unborn child... her baby absolutely did not deserve to inherit this horrific, agonizing torture.
However, Ginny was a hardened Revolutionary Army Commander who had weathered countless storms. She didn't wallow in despair for long. Forcing herself to suppress her shattering emotions, she looked up at Bardock.
"What... what exactly do you want from me?"
"Actually, compared to you, we are far more interested in securing a promise from Bartholomew Kuma," Bardock answered honestly. "Give him a call. We've been waiting around this island for him for nearly a month, and he still hasn't returned."
Internally, Bardock was actually incredibly curious about the highly classified intelligence Ginny had gathered during her two years of captivity in Mariejois. He knew that one of the Five Elders, Saint Jaygarcia Saturn—the Warrior God of Science and Defense—had personally conducted horrific experiments on her. However, the exact details of those experiments remained a mystery.
But asking her about that now would be far too cruel. Ginny absolutely wouldn't want to relive those agonizing memories, and Bardock had no desire to violently rip open her bloody, psychological scars just to satisfy his own curiosity.
Hearing Kuma's name, Ginny fell into a long, heavy silence.
According to her original plan, she had only intended to contact Kuma in her absolute final moments to say goodbye. She felt overwhelmingly ashamed and didn't know how to face him after what she had endured. More than anything, she refused to become a heavy, agonizing burden on the man she loved.
"You don't need to worry about us meaning Kuma any harm," Bardock added gently, sensing her hesitation. "Generally speaking, we stand on the exact same side as you: against the World Government."
"...Alright. I agree to your terms."
Ginny didn't completely trust Bardock's words, but after a fierce internal psychological struggle, she decided to place the final decision in Kuma's hands. If these strangers truly had a cure for her baby, it was a risk she absolutely had to take.
Reaching into her heavy cloaks, Ginny pulled out a small, specialized Den Den Mushi and dialed the number she hadn't called in two years.
Kacha.
The snail connected.
"Kuma-chi..."
The moment that single name left her lips, her ironclad emotional dam completely shattered. Ginny broke down, sobbing uncontrollably into the receiver.
"Ginny?! Is that really you?!" Kuma's frantic, desperate voice instantly blasted through the Den Den Mushi. "Where are you?! Where have you been?!"
But Ginny couldn't answer him. The agonizing tears choked her throat, and she wept so fiercely she couldn't form a single word, leaving Kuma utterly panicked and entirely at a loss on the other end of the line.
Seeing that she was completely overwhelmed, Bardock gently reached out and took the Den Den Mushi from her trembling hands.
"Ginny has contracted a very severe, terminal illness," Bardock spoke clearly into the receiver. "She is currently waiting for you in your hometown."
Click.
Bardock abruptly hung up the Den Den Mushi.
It was infinitely better for them to discuss the terms face-to-face. Given Kuma's Devil Fruit abilities, he could fly across the ocean in a matter of minutes anyway. Furthermore, Bardock didn't trust Ginny's Den Den Mushi; it had been in the possession of the World Government, and he had a sinking suspicion that if the call dragged on too long, Marine Intelligence or CP0 might intercept the signal and trace their exact location.
Meanwhile, at the hidden headquarters of the Revolutionary Army.
When Kuma received the call, Supreme Commander Monkey D. Dragon and Emporio Ivankov happened to be in the exact same room. When they heard Ginny's voice crackle through the receiver, their faces lit up with absolute, overwhelming joy.
Ever since she was abducted by the Celestial Dragons two years ago, they had utilized every single intelligence network at their disposal to find her, but to no avail. The trail had gone completely cold. Secretly, many within the Army had already assumed she had been tortured to death.
However, because Ginny was sobbing so violently, neither Dragon nor Ivankov knew what to say to comfort her.
Then, an unknown man's voice suddenly spoke through the receiver, delivering the grim news before abruptly hanging up.
Instantly, their joy morphed into intense, hyper-vigilant suspicion.
Without a single word, Kuma aggressively turned on his heel and strode toward the door.
"Wait, Kuma!" Dragon barked, stepping forward to block his path. "Think about this logically. This is highly suspicious. It could easily be a World Government trap designed to lure you out."
"No," Kuma shook his head, his gentle eyes filled with absolute, unwavering resolve. "The pain and sorrow in Ginny's voice was completely real. I have to get to her as fast as possible."
He reached down and began to unbutton his glove, preparing to use his Paw-Paw Fruit to repel himself across the ocean.
Dragon stared at Kuma's determined face for a second before his expression hardened. He firmly grabbed Kuma's shoulder.
"I'm going with you," Dragon stated.
"Hee-haw! Count me in too, boys!" Ivankov declared loudly, stepping up beside them. "We aren't letting you walk into a potential ambush alone!"
"Alright!"
Kuma didn't hesitate. He raised his bare hands, the soft paw pads gleaming.
POP! POP! POP!
With three distinct, sharp impacts, the three highest-ranking leaders of the Revolutionary Army instantly vanished from the room, rocketing through the sky toward the South Blue.
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