The lawless zone.
Lightning left afterimages amidst the ruins as Enel barely managed to dodge the sweeping Impact Wave. The Airwave grazed past his shoulder, reducing half a collapsed wall behind him to dust. Amidst the flying debris, his signature golden hair was thoroughly disheveled.
"Bastard..." Enel tightened his grip on his golden staff, his knuckles turning white from the force. Crackling electricity surrounded him, but it couldn't mask the gravity in his eyes.
This "bear" before him was truly troublesome. His lightning abilities were being repelled by the opponent's palms, rendering them completely ineffective.
Though the opponent's movements weren't particularly fast, every Impact Wave he unleashed carried devastating force, forcing Enel to rely solely on his lightning speed to evade.
"Who the hell are you?" Enel shouted, his voice filled with incredulous anger.
The opponent's attacks were unusually vicious, as if fueled by some immense rage. He couldn't understand why this person, whom he was meeting for the first time, would immediately try to kill him.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Bonney not far away. The pink-haired woman was staring intently at the battle, her nervous expression seeming genuine, which suddenly made Enel's heart skip a beat.
Was it because of her?
As he pondered this, Kuma raised his paw-like hand again, the pad on his palm slightly bulging, clearly preparing to release another Impact Wave.
Enel's pupils contracted sharply. Just as he was about to transform into lightning to evade, ripples suddenly appeared in the space behind him.
"Boom!"
Bahr stepped out from the ripples. His gaze swept across the battlefield and immediately caught sight of the Impact Wave Kuma had unleashed. Instinctively, he raised his hand and deployed a Space Barrier. The Airwave collided with the barrier and exploded, sending up a cloud of dust.
As the dust settled slightly, Bahr got a clear look at Kuma's appearance—the signature bear-like fur, the expressionless face, and the pads on his palms...
"Bartholomew Kuma?" Bahr's voice carried a hint of shock.
No wonder Enel was in such a sorry state—he'd run into him.
Though Enel's abilities were on par with the Seven Warlords of the Sea, there were still differences in strength among them. Bartholomew Kuma was among the top-tier Warlords, and with his bizarre Paw-Paw Fruit abilities, it was only natural for Enel to be at a disadvantage.
But... how did Enel end up fighting him?
Seeing Bahr arrive, Enel relaxed slightly but deliberately straightened his back, his tone stiff: "What are you doing here?"
Though inwardly relieved, he refused to show any weakness, as if the one being forced into a desperate dodge earlier wasn't him.
Bahr had no time to indulge his tsundere attitude, his gaze still locked on Kuma, his frown deepening: "How did you end up fighting him?"
Enel raised his chin, glancing toward Bonney's direction, his tone carrying a hint of justification: "Don't you always like pretty women? That woman is quite the looker by Blue Sea standards. This god was planning to capture her as a 'reward' for you, and then this guy attacked me."
The corner of Bahr's mouth twitched imperceptibly, and his look at Enel grew increasingly strange.
Since when did this guy develop an interest in "rewarding" people?
Following the direction Enel indicated, Bahr soon got a clear look at the so-called "pretty woman."
Her long, straight pink hair cascaded softly over her shoulders, swaying gently in the wind. The golden half-moon stud under her right eye glinted faintly in the sunlight, adding a touch of wildness.
She wore a white half-sleeved shirt with a slightly open collar, revealing her wheat-colored skin, exuding a casual and unrestrained vibe. Her denim overall shorts hugged her toned legs, the cuffs slightly rolled up for a more carefree look, paired with brown ankle boots with short heels.
At the moment, her heart-shaped lipstick-clad lips were tightly pressed together. Her tall figure and striking curves were accentuated by her simple attire—her ample bust, slender waist, and long, straight legs combined into a wild, bold beauty.
This was none other than Jewelry Bonney!
No wonder Kuma was acting like an enraged beast. That man might appear to be a cold-blooded tyrant, but at his core, he was a father who would protect his daughter with his life. For Enel to target his precious daughter, it was lucky he hadn't been smashed to pieces on the spot.
Seeing Bahr's increasingly strange look, Enel couldn't help but frown: "What?"
Bahr was utterly speechless. He shot Enel a sidelong glance, thinking to himself: You targeted the beloved daughter of a doting father and didn't get killed—you should be thanking your lucky stars.
He couldn't be bothered to explain to this clueless idiot. Stepping forward, he turned his attention back to Kuma, keeping his tone as calm as possible: "Bartholomew Kuma, this is a misunderstanding. I apologize on his behalf."
Enel's brows furrowed immediately upon hearing this.
So this "bear" was called Bartholomew Kuma. But Bahr's submissive attitude displeased him. Even if the opponent was strong, there was no need to lower himself like this.
Kuma slowly turned his head, his lifeless eyes shifting to Bahr. The pads on his palms glowed again—clearly, the appearance of a third party wasn't going to stop him.
"Are you sure you want to fight?" Bahr's expression darkened. "I'm only being polite out of respect for you as a father."
"Father?" A faint ripple appeared in Kuma's dead eyes. He stared at Bahr, his voice low and hoarse: "What do you know?"
This statement left Enel stunned... This "bear" and that pink-haired woman were father and daughter?
Bahr met Kuma's gaze, his tone calm but sharp with insight: "Your consciousness... it's almost completely erased, isn't it?"
The words struck like thunder. Kuma's pupils contracted violently, the air around him growing heavy. For the first time, clear shock appeared in those lifeless eyes.
"What's going on?" Bonney, who had been silent until now, suddenly clenched her fists, her voice trembling with disbelief and panic: "What did you say? Consciousness erased? What happened?"
Her gaze at Kuma now held not just her long-standing obsession but also a deeper layer of fear.
Kuma's expression darkened completely. He glanced swiftly at Bonney, his eyes filled with unbearable complexity—pain, helplessness, and a fleeting struggle.
Then he turned back to Bahr, his voice dropping to a near-whisper, carrying an undeniable plea: "I don't know how much you know, but I hope you'll keep this secret."
"This has nothing to do with me. I have no interest in getting involved." Bahr glanced at the bewildered Bonney beside them, then back at Kuma: "My advice? While you can still call yourself 'yourself,' take your daughter and disappear. The world is vast—there's always a place for you."
"Father?" Bonney whirled toward Kuma, her eyes wide: "What's going on? Tell me!"
She rushed forward, trying to grab Kuma's arm, her voice shaking with urgency. All the details she'd deliberately ignored now flooded her mind, making her heart pound like a drum.
Kuma's lips moved slightly, but no sound came out. He looked deeply at Bonney, his eyes swirling with unspoken words, but in the end, all that escaped was an almost inaudible sigh.
Before Bonney could press further, he raised his hand and slapped the air. The power of the Paw-Paw Fruit activated instantly, and his figure blurred into a streak as he vanished into the sky.
"Father!" Bonney screamed desperately, no longer caring about anything else. Her pink figure stumbled after him, her long straight hair whipping wildly in the wind, her boots crunching urgently over the rubble, her eyes fixed only on that resolute, retreating back.
Bahr watched Bonney disappear into the distance and sighed softly.
In the end, she was just a little girl stubbornly searching for her father, unaware of the countless constraints hidden behind it all.
Turning to the still-dazed Enel, Bahr jerked his chin: "Let's go. Time to head back."
Enel frowned, clearly still puzzling over the earlier exchange, but in the end, he asked no further questions. With a cold snort, lightning crackled around him as he transformed into a blue streak of lightning, following Bahr's footsteps.