Bonney's Judgment

Why did they capture Bonney?

Sabo kicked aside the knight blocking his way, and flames followed the black markings along the ground, only to be blocked by the back of Garling's blade. Bonney's black markings on the back of her hand had already connected to Kuma and Lumi, and the names of the three flashed simultaneously in the Sky Screen.

Vegapunk stared at the data, his face grim.

"Because she just hugged Lumi and is a direct descendant of the bear, the Blood Adjudication ruled that she was a key witness in the ownership dispute."

Bonney tried to pull her hand back, but the black markings crawled up her hand to her wrist. She didn't cry out in pain, but simply pushed Lumi to the Little Bear.

"Take her away."

Lumi shook her head, crying.

"I'm not leaving; I dragged you in here."

Bonney glared at her.

"If you say that again, I'll beat you up."

The Little Bear caught Lumi, but the robotic arm did not move backward.

"Protect, Bonney."

Bear reached out and pressed Bonney's wrist, attempting to use his fleshy power to flick out the black markings, but the markings flipped up under his palm, turning around and gripping his protector's registration.

Garling stood at the entrance, the tip of his knife lowered.

"Once the Blood Adjudication begins, family law takes precedence; the Sky Screen can only observe."

Shanks spoke through the Sky Screen, his voice much deeper than before.

"Garling, you used the Blood Adjudication of a collateral branch on someone outside the family; even the rules of the Figarland family can't stop you now."

Garling looked at him.

"Their involvement in family affiliation disputes is enough."

Shanks said, "You want to convict Bonney of being an unlawful accomplice, then register Bear's Protector as an out-of-control weapon, and finally bring Lumi back to the main team."

Garling did not deny it.

"You know the process, so I don't need to explain."

Luffy's face darkened as he listened at the exit of Sabaody.

"What kind of ridiculous procedure is this? Who approved it?"

Robin pressed his hand against the pattern on his Straw Hat and quickly said, "Blood Adjudication rely on three criteria: bloodline, affiliation, and witness. Bonney doesn't have Figarland blood; the only way to capture her is through witnessing her identity."

Nami immediately asked, "Can't we just tell her not to be a witness?"

Ka Mi Er coughed in the maintenance corridor, and Parker tried to stop him, but he pushed the other's hand away.

"No, the witness cannot be withdrawn; withdrawing them would render the testimony invalid."

Bonney smiled when she heard this.

"Then I won't leave."

The bear whispered, "Bonney."

"Dad, don't try to persuade me."

Bonney raised the back of her hand, allowing the dark stripes to be clearly seen in the Sky Screen.

"I am a witness. I saw Lumi refuse, I saw you protect her, I saw Garling try to steal the name, and when that failed, he tried to steal the person instead."

Garling raised his sword, the black markings tightened, and thin cracks appeared in the ground beneath Bonney's feet.

"Witnesses must undergo verification of the Blood Adjudication's authenticity."

Vegapunk cried out urgently, "He's going to use pain to extract information, Bonney! We can't let him ask closed-ended questions!"

Bonney gritted her teeth. "What do you mean?"

Robin immediately chimed in, "He'll ask you if you admit to interfering with the family's decision. If you answer yes, you'll be accused of illegal aiding and abetting."

Bonney glanced at Garling and sneered.

"Then I won't answer."

Garling raised his hand, and the black markings lit up, leaving a burn mark on Bonney's hand. Xiong's expression changed instantly.

"Garling."

Garling said, "First question, Jewelry Bonney, do you admit to interfering in the Figarland Family's decision regarding Lumi's ownership?"

Bonney's shoulders trembled with pain, but she bit her lip to keep from letting out a sound of agony.

Sabo retorted angrily, "You're using a child as a defendant, and you want her to admit to involvement?"

Akainu spoke in Marineford.

This question is illegal.

The Sky Screen immediately began to flicker.

[Induced Blood Adjudication issue detected]

[Should we initiate a contest for the right to ask counter-questions?]

[Currently contestable champions: Jewelry Bonney, Bartholomew Kuma, Shanks, Ka Mi Er, Lumi]

Bonney's eyes lit up.

I will fight for it.

Vegapunk hurriedly shouted, "The right to question can only be seized once; the question must be directed at the core of Blood Adjudication!"

Bonney looked at the bear, then at Lumi.

What is the core?

Shanks said across the Sky Screen, "Ask him, what right does the family have to dismiss someone who doesn't belong to the family?"

Robin added, "Further prioritize witness protection."

Ka Mi Er straightened up, leaning against the wall.

"It is also necessary to inquire whether the original registration was legal; illegal registration cannot produce a ruling."

Lumi clung to the Little Bear's arm, and her crying subsided somewhat.

Ask him if I said yes.

Bonney nodded and turned to Garling.

I countered with a question.

The Golden Light from the Sky Screen fell upon her, temporarily suppressing the black markings.

[The battle for the right to ask questions begins]

[Please ask a question]

Garling said coldly, "You are not qualified to interrogate me."

Bonney raised her blackened hand and began to speak, word by word.

"Figarland Garling, by what right do you use family Blood Adjudication to judge someone who has no Figarland bloodline, no voluntary affiliation, and who has already been registered as a minor victim by Sky Screen?"

The well corridor fell silent, with only the sound of water dripping from the cooling pipes.

The Sky Screen paused for a while, then the Golden Light transformed into a new theme.

[The rhetorical question is valid]

[Review of the legality of the Blood Adjudication]

[Question: Is the basis for Saint Garling's Blood Adjudication against Lumi, Bonney, and Kuma legal?]

[A. Legitimate; the Holy Knights has absolute authority.]

[B. Partially legal, because Lumi was registered with the Holy Land]

[C. Illegal, as the original registration involved suspected slavery and the individual refused to submit.]

[D. Illegal, and the initiator is suspected of using Blood Adjudication to cover up crimes such as destroying evidence, arresting suspects, and forcibly assigning ownership.]

Bonney saw D and immediately shouted, "D!"

The bear then said, "D."

Lumi cried out, "D!"

Shanks looked up. "The Red Hair Pirates, D."

Luffy pressed his Straw Hat to his chest, the old index pattern gleaming between his fingers.

"D! Bonney, don't be afraid!"

Bonney heard his voice and cursed.

"Who's afraid?"

Nami breathed a sigh of relief, then immediately shouted, "She's in so much pain, don't upset her!"

Sanji looked at Bonney in the Sky Screen and whispered, "Choose D, hurry up."

Zoro didn't say much, only sheathed his sword and stared at Garling.

Marineford's channels lit up almost simultaneously, with Akainu, Sengoku, Tsuru, Garp, Koby, Tashigi, and confirmations from various branches pouring in.

Revolutionary Army Headquarters, Dragon's Mouth.

"All members of the Revolutionary Army, D."

Emporio Ivankov's voice was choked with sobs and anger.

"Bonney, hang in there! Ginny's watching you! Choose D!"

Upon hearing Bonney's name, Ginny's fingers, which had been bracing themselves on the ground, slowly tightened, and she looked up at Garling.

"My mother was captured and used for experiments, my father was turned into a weapon, and now you want to put my child in the 'return to your family' category."

Garling did not answer, but the black stripes began to tremble.

Bonney continued, "Your rules were stolen, robbed, and written on people from the very beginning."

The Golden Light from the Sky Screen finally subsided.

[Answer: D]

[The basis for the Blood Adjudication is illegal]

[Blood Adjudication Suspended]

[Additional elements to the criminal chain: evidence destruction, stigmatization, forced attribution, and illegal Blood Adjudication]

The black stripes peeled off Bonney's hand, and she fell forward, but the bear caught her immediately.

Bonney.

Bonney nestled in the bear's arms, not forgetting to look up at Garling.

"The cuts are done, it's your turn."

Garling's Main Unit Seal cracked open, blood dripping onto the hilt of his knife. He stared at the crime chain in the Sky Screen, his face finally darkening completely.

Sabo lifted the hose, and the flames returned to their source.

Do you want to continue?

Kizaru sent the last child onto the path of light, and when his arm hung down, the light had dimmed considerably.

"The children have all left the Old Wing."

Lumi, supported by the Little Bear, stood by the light path and looked back at Bonney.

"Can I leave now?"

Bonney leaned against the bear and gave a slight smirk.

"Hurry up, don't give him a chance."

Lumi nodded and led the children into the path of light, where a golden light belt transported them to the safe zone of the Scrap Platform.

Garling didn't give chase. He looked down at the cracked Main Unit Seal and suddenly plunged his knife into the ground.

Shanks' expression changed.

"Everyone retreat; he needs to invoke the Lord's seal."

Benn Beckman immediately shouted, "Turn the ship outwards, ignore the gunfire!"

The ground at the entrance to the Old Wing began to collapse, revealing a black disc beneath the rubble. It was engraved with the complete coat of arms of the Figarland Main Unit, older than the mark on the back of Garling's hand.

Vegapunk jumped up from his chair in surprise.

"That's not personal authority; it's the Chief Adjudication Platform in the outer ring of the Holy Land. He's brought the battlefield to the Chief Adjudication Platform!"

Robin's voice was strained.

What can the Chief Adjudication Platform do?

Shanks didn't answer immediately; he watched as Garling drew his blood-stained sword and pressed his split hand onto the disc.

Garling looked up, not at Shanks, nor at the bear and Bonney, but at the whole world behind the Sky Screen.

"Since the Sky Screen wants to judge me, then let the Holy Knights Chief Adjudication Platform and judge all the participants."

The entire Sky Screen turned red.

[WARNING: The outer ring of the Holy Land's Chief Adjudication Platform has been activated]

[Expansion of Trial Scope]

[Target: All participants in the Holy Land Witness evacuation mission]