Chapter 14: The Shadow of the Bible
The emerald afterglow of Charlotte Katakuri's "Donut Ballad" still lingered in the air, a sugary sweetness that felt mockingly out of place. Across the Grand Line, from the snowy peaks of Drum Island to the desert sands of Alabasta, billions of people were still wiping tears of laughter—or terror—from their eyes.
Then, the screen died.
The vibrant green faded into a heavy, oppressive Lead Grey. The transition wasn't smooth; it felt like a door slamming shut. A rhythmic, mechanical clack-hiss began to pulse through the speakers of the world, sounding like a giant's heartbeat.
[System: Initializing Rank 47 — Part 1]
The mist on the screen cleared, revealing a silhouette that made the citizens of Sabaody Archipelago—who were currently watching from the giant monitors in the plaza—freeze in their tracks.
It was a man of impossible proportions. A massive, bear-like frame draped in a dark coat, holding a small, leather-bound book with the word "BIBLE" embossed in gold.
The Global Chat: The "Squeaky" Pride
The chat, previously a mess of "Mochi" jokes, suddenly felt the weight of the World Government's authority.
> [Fleet Admiral Sengoku]: "SQUEAK! (Finally, a man of order. Rank 47... it is lower than I expected for our ultimate Pacifista project, but a respectable showing for a Government Asset.)"
> [Admiral Kizaru]: "Oh... how scary... SQUEAK! Kuma-kun is appearing. I wonder if the screen will show how many times he's saved the Marines' reputation... SQUEAK!"
> [Moria]: "KISHISHISHI! The Tyrant! He was just on my ship! If he's Rank 47, then the World Government really does have monsters in their pocket!"
> [Monkey D. Luffy]: "THE PAW-MAN! I know him! He has paws on his hands like a cat! Hey, Paw-man! Why are you so quiet?!"
>
The View from Sabaody: A Present Terror
While the rest of the world watched the screen, a few people on Sabaody were looking at the literal horizon.
"Nami... isn't that him?" Usopp pointed a trembling finger toward a distant grove. "The guy on the screen... isn't he actually here on the island?"
Nami clutched the four Golden Coins they had managed to hoard. "The screen says he's a 'Sovereign.' If he's Rank 47 and Katakuri was 48... we need to get to the Sunny. Now!"
The Title Reveal
The grey mist on the screen suddenly ignited with a cold, blue electric current. The silhouette stepped forward, and the text burned into the sky:
[Rank 47: Bartholomew Kuma]
[Title: The Tyrant of the Sorbet Kingdom]
[Status: The Living Weapon]
The screen didn't show him fighting. Instead, it showed a close-up of his eyes—cold, robotic, and devoid of light. But then, the image flickered. For a split second, the "Live" feed glitched, showing a younger version of Kuma. He wasn't made of metal. He was smiling, holding a small child's hand in a field of flowers.
> [Whitebeard]: "Gurarara! 'Tyrant,' they call him. The Marines love their labels. But look at those hands... those aren't the hands of a man who likes to hurt people. Roger, do you see it?"
> [Gol D. Roger]: "I see it, Newgate. A man who carries a Bible in one hand and the weight of the world in the other. This isn't going to be a fun story, is it?"
>
The First Feat: The Ghost of Thriller Bark
The screen shifted to a memory from only a few days prior. The ruins of Thriller Bark. Kuma stood alone against the remaining members of the Straw Hat crew.
[System Analysis: Concept of Repulsion]
[Ability: Pad Ho — The pressure of the air pushed at light speed.]
With a single, casual flick of his palm, a shockwave in the shape of a bear's paw blasted through a stone wall as if it were tissue paper. The sound on the broadcast was deafening.
> [Eustass Kid]: "Light speed?! You're telling me that big guy moves that fast? That's cheating! How are you supposed to dodge a palm that's already hit you before you see it?!"
> [Buggy]: "Aha! I knew it! My Observation Haki predicted that! I saw the paw! I saw it... uh... five seconds after it happened! That's my 'Delayed Mastery' technique!"
>
The Shadow Deepens
The grey light on the screen began to darken, turning a bruised purple. The mechanical clack-hiss grew louder.
[System: The story of the 'Tyrant' is one written in blood and sacrifice. Prepare yourselves.]
[Next: The King of Sorbet — The Lie that Fooled the World.]