Location: Skies above the South Blue
Storm was enveloped in a cute-looking "Paw-Print Bubble" of compressed air. He shot into the sky, leaving the ground far behind.
Below him, the small chapel and the island of the Sorbet Kingdom shrank rapidly until they were nothing more than black dots on the azure sea.
He was traveling alone to Alabasta.
Kid and Killer, the two punks he had "picked up" on Belfast Island, were temporarily handed over to Kuma.
The vast fortune Storm had extorted from the Navy—the billion Berries and supplies—was also left with Kuma.
The reason was simple: Germa 66.
The Vinsmoke family ran a mercenary kingdom. They didn't do charity. If Kuma wanted Judge to heal Bonney, he needed money. A lot of it.
'Hopefully, a billion is enough. If not... I'll have to rob another Warlord,' Storm thought, watching the island vanish completely.
He turned his attention to his mode of transport.
'This Paw Bubble is comfortable, but the speed is... underwhelming.'
Kuma's Paw-Paw Fruit could repel air to launch objects. While it was faster than a ship or even his clay dragon, it wasn't instantaneous teleportation. Crossing the Calm Belt and the Grand Line at this pace would take days.
'From the South Blue, across the Calm Belt, to the Grand Line... It's a long trip.'
Storm pulled out a map he had swindled from the Navy.
'Time to speed things up.'
Storm placed his hand on the translucent wall of the air bubble. A faint pink glow emanated from his palm.
[Ability: More-More Fruit (Momo Momo no Mi)]
[Effect: 100x Speed]
WHOOSH—!
The air bubble accelerated instantly.
It didn't just go faster; it tore through the sky. The air around the bubble was violently displaced, creating a series of ring-shaped vapor cones.
BOOM!
A sonic boom shattered the silence of the high altitude as the bubble broke the sound barrier, racing toward the Grand Line like a meteor.
'That's much better.'
Location: Sorbet Kingdom
Kid and Killer stared at the sky where their boss had just "vanished."
For the first time, they realized the terrifying gap in strength between them and the man standing beside them.
Storm was a monster, yes. But Kuma...
Kuma had launched Storm with a casual wave of his hand. If he had hit a person with that force instead of a travel bubble, they would have been vaporized.
Kuma ignored the boys' awe. He turned to Bulldog.
"Bulldog, I leave the country to you."
"Yes, King Kuma," the old regent replied, gripping his cane. He hesitated, then spoke softly. "That man... the one riding the dragon. He is trustworthy."
Bulldog had seen many "saviors" come and go. The Revolutionary Army had liberated them once and left. But Storm? He felt different. He was a pirate, but he was decisive.
"I know," Kuma smiled gently. "Storm saved Bonney. I will keep my promise to him."
Kuma picked up his travel bag. He looked at Kid and Killer.
"We are going to the East Blue."
Kuma raised his hand, the paw pads glowing.
"Are you ready?"
"Ready!" Kid and Killer stepped forward, eager for the new adventure.
POOF!
Kuma slapped the air. The group vanished instantly.
Destination: East Blue. Target: Germa 66.
Location: The Grand Line, Alabasta Kingdom
After traversing the Calm Belt at supersonic speeds, Storm arrived over a vast, sandy continent.
Alabasta. The Super-Desert Nation.
As he approached the coastline, Storm deactivated the [100x Speed] effect. The bubble slowed rapidly, drifting over the port city of Nanohana and crossing the endless dunes.
It descended toward a vibrant oasis in the northwest.
Rainbase. The City of Dreams.
And the headquarters of Sir Crocodile.
BOOM!
The massive paw-bubble crashed into the center of the city. Dust and sand exploded outward, leaving a giant paw-shaped crater in the street.
The impact shook the ground like an earthquake.
"Run!"
"It's a bomb!"
"Enemy attack!"
Panic erupted. The citizens of Rainbase scattered, thinking the city was under siege.
Dust cleared.
Storm stepped out of the crater, brushing sand off his coat. He looked around at the chaos with an amused expression.
"The landing was a bit louder than I expected. But this works."
He scanned the area.
Storm had chosen Alabasta for a specific reason.
'Crocodile...' Storm thought. 'A man who thinks the Ancient Weapon Pluton is here. He's been playing "Hero" in this country for years, hunting pirates to build his reputation.'
'It's funny. A pirate playing hero. I wonder if he'll appreciate a Marine playing pirate?'
Storm waited. He expected Baroque Works agents to arrive. Maybe Mr. 1? Or at least some Millions or Billions?
But the streets remained empty. The citizens had fled, and no one came to challenge the intruder.
'No welcome party?'
Storm frowned. 'If the mountain won't come to Muhammad...'
The ground beneath his feet rippled.
Roar!
A white clay dragon erupted from the pavement, lifting Storm into the air. He circled the city, his Observation Haki expanding like a radar net.
He sensed thousands of voices, but one "sound" was louder and stronger than the rest.
It was coming from the center of the city. A massive pyramid structure made of gold and green stone.
Atop the pyramid sat a golden statue of a "Banana Crocodile."
Rain Dinners Casino.
'Found you.'
Storm steered the dragon into a dive.
"Hey look!"
"A dragon?!"
"It's going to crash into the Casino!"
Below, the citizens pointed and screamed as the white beast plummeted from the sky, heading straight for the Warlord's lair.
CRASH!
The dragon slammed into the pyramid.
But there was no explosion. No rubble.
Instead, the moment the clay dragon touched the building, a strange ripple spread across the structure.
[Ability: Clay-Clay Fruit (Nendo Nendo no Mi) - Assimilation]
The stone and gold of the casino softened instantly. The dragon didn't break the building; it merged with it.
Under Storm's control, the entire Rain Dinners Casino began to warp. The walls turned white. The golden crocodile statue on the roof twisted, reshaping itself into the roaring head of a Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
Storm stood on the roof of the newly transformed fortress, looking down at the city.
"Knock, knock, Crocodile."
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