The Man Judging Kuma

"I'm the target, Bonney, let's go."

Kuma pushed Bonney toward Kizaru's path of light, but the fleshy ball in his palm was locked by Red Mark before it touched her shoulder. Garling's Main Unit Seal unfolded at the entrance, and the previously dispersed Judgment Arena instead wrapped around Kuma's arms.

Bonney grabbed the bear's wrist, her nails digging into the now-warm skin.

I'm not leaving.

The bear looked down at her, its voice deeper than the sound of metal scraping together.

You promised Ginny you'd see the sea.

"Mom also said that you're not allowed to shoulder everything alone."

Bonney pushed the child behind her to Sabo, then turned and stood back next to the bear.

"Garling, if you want to judge my father, state the charges first."

Garling's sword tip touched the ground, and Red Mark spread out from the tip to form a circle of ancient characters.

"Bartholomew Kuma, a descendant of the Buccaneer, a weapon modified with permission from the World Government, once accepted the Pacifista agreement, once regained his personality without authorization, once assisted the witnesses in their evacuation, and once sabotaged the Holy Knights's mission to destroy the witnesses."

Sabo sneered, flames swirling in his palm.

You're reciting achievements.

Kizaru stood at the other end of the path of light, his fingers resting on the edge of his sunglasses.

"It doesn't sound like a crime to me."

Garling did not look up.

"To disobey the Throne is a sin."

The Sky Screen immediately lit up.

[Public trial forcibly initiated]

[The person on trial: Bartholomew Xiong]

[Trial initiator: Figarland Garling]

[Trial Question: Does Bartholomew Xiong's assistance in the evacuation of witnesses constitute treason?]

[A. constitutes, because it violates the commandments of the Holy Land]

[B. Composition, because it is a weapon modified by the government]

[C. Not valid, due to the priority of witness protection duties]

[D. This does not constitute a crime, and the order from the Holy Land is suspected of being a crime of destroying evidence.]

Upon seeing option D, Akainu immediately placed his hand on the control panel.

"Marine Headquarters, option D."

The crane looked up at him.

"Sakazuki, this will sever the connection between the Navy and the Holy Land."

Akainu did not remove his hand.

"The cable was worn out long ago."

During the Sengoku, the official seal was affixed to documents for review.

"Navy Independent Review Group, option D."

Garp grinned, but it was an ugly smile.

"I choose D. If anyone's being held accountable, we'll all be held responsible."

Somewhere in the Holy Land, Ka Mi Er, supported by Parker, leaned against a wall. Hearing the question of judgment, he raised his blood-stained hand.

"The Gatekeeper's testimony, choose D. The bear saved the living witness, while Garling killed the testimony."

Parker said urgently, "Stop talking! The Red Marks on your body haven't been completely removed yet."

Ka Mi Er wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.

"If I don't speak up, Red Mark will have suffered for nothing."

At the exit of Sabaody, Luffy shouted across the Sky Screen, "D! Kuma is a good guy!"

Zoro slung his sword over his shoulder.

"Do you need to shout this question out?"

Sanji kicked the last guard away and exhaled smoke towards the Sky Screen.

"Choose D. Whoever calls saving the child treason, I'll kick them."

Robin looked down at the texture of the Straw Hat's Inner Compartment, his brow furrowed.

"Garling changed the focus of the trial to the bear in order to circumvent the child's right to protection. If D passes, his Main Unit Seal will be attacked in return."

When Shanks heard this on the outer ring, his eyes darkened as he looked at the red line on the back of Garling's hand.

He'll make the bear bite back.

Benn Beckman turned his gun towards the Old Wing entrance in the Sky Screen.

Can I interrupt?

Shanks shook his head.

"Interrupting the trial is tantamount to admitting that the power of judgment is still in his hands."

The votes for Sky Screen surged toward D, but Garling didn't stop it; he simply raised his knife to the bear's chest.

"You can absolve him of his sins."

Bonney immediately sensed something was wrong.

"What you up to?"

The red thread on Garling's hand burrowed into the bear's paw.

"The trial is dismissed; the agreement is revoked."

Vegapunk yelled from the Future Island, "Oh no! He's linked the trial with the Old Protocol Pacifista protocol! Option D will disqualify him, but the Old Protocol will find the bear out of control!"

Bonney snapped, "Then how do we choose?"

Vegapunk was grabbing his hair, the instruments behind him flashing incessantly.

"The connection between the Old Protocol and the Judgment Arena must be severed first, but the point of connection lies with Garling's Main Unit Seal."

Sabo looked at Garling, the flames pressing down to his feet.

Cut off his seal.

Kizaru shook his head.

"That's what he's been waiting for. Attacking the Main Unit Seal will trigger a counterattack, and not all the kids from the Old Wing have been eliminated yet."

Lumi stood by the roadside, holding her youngest child, her face still bearing the marks left by the refrigeration tube.

Can we help?

Bonney turned around and shouted, "You guys go!"

Lumi shook her head, her voice trembling but not faltering.

"The door opened when we said our names earlier, do we have to say them again this time?"

The Sky Screen flickered, seemingly having caught a keyword, and new small text appeared on the screen.

[Detection of witness participation]

[Supplementary testimony channel available]

[Question: How should Bartholomew Kuma's identity be registered in this mission?]

[A. Government-controlled weapons]

[B. Buccaneer's Experimental Subject]

[C. Witness evacuation facilitator]

[D. Protector of Minor Witnesses]

When Bonney saw D, tears almost welled up in her eyes, and she grabbed the bear's paw.

"Dad, did you hear that? Protector, choose D!"

The bear didn't answer immediately; he was pressing his other hand against the Red Mark on his chest, the Old Protocol digging into him like a hook, his body already bent over.

I choose D.

Garling thrust his blade forward, and Red Mark rose from the bear's chest.

You do not have the right to self-register.

Bonney rushed to the bear and shouted towards the Sky Screen, "I am Jewelry Bonney, I register Bartholomew Bear as my father and protector, I choose D!"

The Little Bear raised its hand.

"S-Bear, registered, Bartholomew Bear, protector, choose D."

Lumi stepped forward and spoke with the Nine Children in tow.

"Lumi registered, Mr. Xiong is the protector, choose D."

"Aino registered, choose D."

"Toran registered, choose D."

"Register with Miiru, choose D."

The children's voices mingled in the Old Wing Well Corridor, the Sky Screen was unedited, and every name was recorded.

Bear propped himself up, looked at Bonney, and his lips moved slightly.

"Thanks."

Bonney angrily raised her hand to slap his chest, but the force was so light it didn't sound like a reprimand.

"Don't thank me now, you have to live."

Golden Light descended from the Sky Screen.

[Supplementary testimony is valid]

[Bartholomew Bear's role has been corrected to: Protector of Minor Witnesses]

The connection between the Old Protocol and the Judgment Arena has been severed.

The red line on the back of Garling's hand was severed by the Golden Light, and the Main Unit Seal cracked. He finally took a step back, and the blade left a long mark on the ground.

Sabo seized the opportunity and slammed his Fire Fist into Sabo's side.

"Now it's your turn to get beaten up."

Garling raised his sword to block, the flames were suppressed to both sides, and the bear also took a step forward, its paw slapping towards Garling's chest.

Garling didn't take the blow head-on; instead, he slid the blade aside and remained standing at the doorway.

"You saved the bear, but you also exhausted Kizaru's light path."

The light in Kizaru's hand did indeed dim slightly. He muttered, "Things aren't looking good for me. There are too many frozen children; the light path is almost overloaded."

Vegapunk immediately shouted, "Move the children first! Kuma can't use his powers anymore. The Old Protocol was just broken, and his neural pathways are still burning!"

Bonney turned her head. "Daddy, you're not allowed to move."

The bear looked at Garling.

He won't give way.

Shanks' voice came from the Sky Screen.

"Bear, don't fight him. He's not here to win the battle; he's here to stall until the third command of the Throne."

Akainu frowned.

What is the third order?

Shanks didn't answer; he stared at the Main Unit Seal on Garling's hand, the cracked red line stitching itself back together.

Upon hearing Shanks' words, Garling looked up at the Sky Screen and said, "You remember."

Shanks gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.

"The Figarland Family's Main Unit Seal, judgment, recall, and name removal—three orders issued in quick succession. The third order is not murder, but erasure of identity."

Lumi's face turned pale.

"Erase the name?"

Robin's voice immediately followed.

"If he uses Identity-Erasure Order on a newly registered child, they will become unregistered again, and the protection rules will be invalid."

Bonney stood in front of the child, her voice hoarse.

"Garling, how dare you?"

Garling held the knife upright in front of him, and the third stripe on the Main Unit Seal began to light up.

"I'm just revoking an incorrect registration."

The Sky Screen turned red.

[WARNING: High-risk permissions detected, Identity-Erasure Order in progress]

[Target: Nine underage witnesses from the Old Wing, Lumi, Bartholomew Bear Protector Registration]

[Interception conditions unknown]