Setsuna, who had been enjoying the music, turned his head, slightly surprised. "Why bring this up so suddenly?"
Kuma's eyes were full of tenderness and pain. "Bonney suffers from a rare illness. Every time it flares up, she endures unimaginable agony. She's a good child. She always grits her teeth through the pain, trying not to worry me."
"That kind of pain is hard even for adults to bear. I hope Uta-san can use her ability to bring Bonney into the song world whenever she has an attack, so at least the pain can be temporarily alleviated."
Setsuna narrowed his eyes sharply. "And what about you?"
Kuma's eyes held resolution and relief. "I've found a way to cure Bonney's illness. Now… it's time to face my fate…"
Before he could finish, Setsuna suddenly threw a punch, sending Kuma flying.
The tremendous impact made Kuma bounce across the ground like a ball, skidding for over a kilometer.
This sudden turn of events left everyone dumbfounded.
'What was going on? Weren't the Captain and the new Warlord getting along well just moments ago? Why attack him all of a sudden?'
The Warlords' pictures had been published in the newspapers long ago, so everyone knew Kuma's identity.
Although they were about to become enemies with a Warlord, no one panicked.
After all, even their vice captain, Ace had once defeated a Warlord, not to mention their own Captain.
Bonney rushed to Setsuna, angrily spreading her arms to block him, her little face flushed red. "Bad brother! Don't you bully my Daddy!"
Setsuna shook his head slightly. "What if your father is determined to go to his death? I'm trying to knock some sense into him!"
Bonney turned her head in disbelief, tears welling in her eyes. "Daddy, that's not true, is it?"
Kuma didn't answer directly, instead looking at Setsuna with some surprise. "Can the ability to hear the voices of all things also hear my heart? Truly an incredible power."
This indirect response said it all.
Bonney threw herself forward, clinging tightly to Kuma's leg, crying her heart out. "I don't want Daddy to die! Let's go home, okay?"
Kuma ruffled her hair, his voice gentle but firm. "Daddy wants to stay with you forever too. But only this way can your illness be cured."
"I won't get treatment. I don't want the treatment," Bonney sobbed, tears streaming down her face like a puppy abandoned by its owner. "Let's live like we used to, okay? I promise to be good from now on!"
Kuma shook his head heavily. "If you don't get treatment… the doctor said… you have at most three years left."
"But if I don't have Daddy…" Bonney buried her face against Kuma's leg, crying softly. "I won't be able to live even a single day…"
"I'm sorry, Bonney," Kuma could only repeat his apologies over and over, his voice choked with emotion.
Setsuna first waved his hand, signaling the surrounding pirates to back off. Then he let out a rather weary sigh. "Why are you so… straightforward? Couldn't you have pretended to accept the modifications?"
Kuma was stunned upon hearing this, his face full of shock. "That's an option?"
Now it was Setsuna's turn to be shocked. "You never thought of resisting? Your misfortune was entirely orchestrated by those people."
Kuma looked hesitant. "But what if my resistance costs Bonney her chance at treatment…"
Setsuna cut him off. "Have you considered that once you lose your usefulness, they might not keep their promise, but simply discard Bonney?"
At this point, Setsuna actually felt a bit helpless inwardly.
Saturn was actually the only hostage-using villain who kept his promise.
However, that didn't stop him from using the worst-case scenario to warn Kuma.
Kuma remained silent for a long time, finally letting out a long sigh. "I don't know. I tried to resist before. But every time I resisted, it seemed to lead to an even darker outcome. Perhaps… accepting one's fate is the right choice."
Setsuna shook his head, his gaze sharp. "The most tragic thing for a person is to give up what shouldn't be given up too easily, while stubbornly clinging to what shouldn't be held onto. You've been living in self-blame… all because of Bonney's mother, right?"
"You feel you changed the course of her life, only to plunge her into deeper darkness. But have you ever thought that if you had mustered the courage to save her back then, the outcome might have been completely different?"
"You stopped in the darkness just before dawn, so you no longer believe in light. But if you accept your fate like this, the same fate will befall Bonney!"
Kuma's body trembled violently. "Yes… I didn't dare to save her. I was a coward! I was afraid my resistance would subject Ginny to even more terrible torment. But even if I failed… could it have been worse than the outcome that followed?"
Setsuna said gravely, "Live joyfully, die without regrets. Constantly fearing loss will only make you lose more."
Kuma looked up at the moon in the night sky, tears silently streaming down. "Yes… I saved many people, taught them to resist. But when it came to myself… I didn't even have the courage to resist fate. I wasn't there for Ginny when she needed me most, and arrogantly thought that was for her own good."
Setsuna didn't say much more. After all, he hadn't experienced Kuma's suffering. It was easy to spout pretty words from an observer's position.
Therefore, he simply emphasized, "People must rely on themselves!"
"Thank you. I understand!" Kuma's voice regained its strength, the confusion in his eyes completely gone. "From today on, I will never bow my head to fate again!"
Bonney blinked her eyes. Although she didn't fully understand the adults' conversation, she grasped the main point… Her Daddy wasn't going to die!
"That's wonderful!" Bonney first cheered, then launched herself at Setsuna with a rocket-like headbutt. "Setsuna-sama is the best!"
Setsuna chuckled, teasing her. "So I'm not the bad guy anymore?"
Bonney immediately widened her eyes, putting on an innocent, clueless act. "Whoever said such a thing? I don't remember anything like that!"
Kuma smiled with relief, then hesitated again. "But how do I pretend? The one who will modify me is the world's greatest scientist, Dr. Vegapunk. I probably can't deceive his intellect, can I?"
Setsuna smiled. "Once you come into contact with Dr. Vegapunk, you'll know. He is a very reasonable person. But remind him to be careful of his own creation, the Seraphim. That one may have already betrayed him and become a spy for the World Government."
Kuma was shocked. "You even know about Dr. Vegapunk's creations betraying him? Is this also part of hearing the voices of all things?"
"Exactly. That's right," Setsuna decisively pinned it on the ability to hear all things. If people didn't believe it, they could go verify it with Roger themselves.
"Truly incredible. As expected of the Pirate King's ability!" Kuma believed without a doubt, after all, he was someone who could believe the Five Elders at first glance.
After this revelation, Kuma looked at Bonney, his eyes full of tenderness. "Bonney, you stay with Setsuna-sama for now. Daddy promises you, I will definitely come back alive. For my dearest daughter, I will strive to live more fiercely than anyone else!"
Hearing Kuma say this, Bonney didn't protest, instead nodding obediently.
"Setsuna-sama, please forgive me for deciding so unilaterally to have Bonney join your crew," Kuma bowed solemnly. "Once I complete the experiments and return, I will definitely serve you to repay this kindness."
"Don't worry," Setsuna nodded in promise. "Bonney will be very safe on my ship. No one can harm her."