VS Shichibukai Bartholomew Kuma

"CP9?"

"Defectors of the World Government, are you trying to stop me from doing my job?"

Bartholomew Kuma stepped off the ruined castle, pulled off his gloves, and gave himself a light tap, instantly launching himself down to the ground.

There was almost no sound at all.

Kaku and the others wore grave expressions; this was completely different from what they had anticipated. After all, they had expected to deal with Gekko Moria, not to have an additional Shichibukai show up.

"My goal is also to hand him over to the World Government, just not to kill him right now."

"The others don't matter, but this guy must be left to me."

Uchiha Tamaharu continued.

He had activated his Sharingan the moment he appeared, only to find that when he tried to track Bartholomew Kuma using his Devil Fruit ability to move, he could only capture afterimages.

It wasn't teleportation; it was simply that his speed was too fast.

However, that speed was so extreme it was nearly identical to teleportation, yet it still couldn't escape the observation of the Sharingan.

Furthermore, this ability had a pause—the moment he used his hand to tap himself—which was enough for Uchiha Tamaharu to react.

"Are they about to fight?"

"Should we take this chance to run away?"

Usopp whispered, his voice extremely low.

Nami and Chopper, standing nearby, both agreed with this plan.

Sanji and Nico Robin, however, felt that things were not that simple.

Only Zoro hated himself for having no combat strength at the moment; otherwise, he wouldn't have to suffer such humiliation!

"In that case, I'll just clear out a few more people."

It's not that much trouble anyway!

Bartholomew Kuma's tone remained cold, almost devoid of any inflection.

"Leave those guys to you to handle; just don't interfere with the battlefield."

"As for Straw Hat Luffy, I want him alive."

Uchiha Tamaharu said to the members of CP9.

He just needed them to keep an eye on the Straw Hat crew.

"We don't need to deal with him?"

Kaku asked, feeling somewhat puzzled.

He had assumed these people intended to use them as cannon fodder.

But now, it didn't seem that way at all.

"You are too weak."

"Even with him added, you would only be a distraction to me."

"Let's begin."

Uchiha Tamaharu sneered.

This reaction made Kaku and the others flush with anger.

Rob Lucci felt a deep sense of humiliation.

He had never been treated this way; in the past, he was always regarded with importance by everyone, but now, he was standing on the sidelines like a mere lackey.

This sense of loss was something he found hard to accept.

"Then let's begin, Bartholomew Kuma."

Zzzzt.

Uchiha Tamaharu looked up at this monster, whose frame was nearly three times his size.

Yet, there was not a hint of fear in his eyes.

Arcs of electricity surged across his body; this was Lightning Style, used to activate his cells and enhance his physical reaction speed and strength.

The reason Bartholomew Kuma hadn't made a move yet was that his mind was racing.

He was wondering if the World Government had guessed his true identity and arranged for these CP agents to test him.

Had he been exposed?

Were there ambushes hidden in the surroundings?

Should he take Dragon's son and run now, or continue to pretend he was Qiu Hai, a member following the orders of the World Government?

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique."

Uchiha Tamaharu unleashed a torrent of flames.

Meanwhile, the members of CP9 immediately charged toward the direction of the Straw Hat crew.

The pirates who had been saved by Straw Hat Luffy did not abandon him, choosing instead to extend a helping hand.

"A Devil Fruit user?"

Bartholomew Kuma asked in confusion.

However, with a single slap of his right hand, he dispersed the nearly three-meter-long fireball directly.

Uchiha Tamaharu, meanwhile, had already vanished from his sight.

"Such incredible speed."

Bartholomew Kuma was somewhat surprised.

But he immediately sensed attacks closing in on him.

Three Shuriken flew toward him from the left, right, and behind.

Bartholomew Kuma slapped himself, shifting his position to the ruins where he had appeared earlier, successfully dodging the attack.

From here, he felt he could see further and locate his opponent's hiding spot.

"Standing on the wall!!!"

But he was immediately shocked.

Because he saw the target he was looking for had, at some unknown moment, already appeared on the wall beneath the ruins where he stood.

Less than two meters away, blood-red eyes stared straight at him.

He raised his hand, intending to unleash a Pressure Cannon, but Uchiha Tamaharu's attack was faster.

"Chidori Sharp Spear!"

The Chidori forming in Uchiha Tamaharu's right palm underwent a transformation, instantly extending outward.

Like a sharp spear, it thrust straight toward Bartholomew Kuma.

Bartholomew Kuma felt that his Pressure Cannon would be unable to block this surge of electricity, so he chose to abandon the attack and instead used his paw to slap at the incoming strike.

He did not understand why the user who had just unleashed Fire Style could suddenly switch styles and use lightning.

But he could not afford to take this attack head-on.

He chose to use his right hand, which had been preparing the attack, to slap the current.

The Chidori Sharp Spear collided with the paw pad and was immediately deflected, rebounding at nearly a ninety-degree angle.

"Boom!"

The Chidori Sharp Spear struck the wall, blasting a hole straight through it.

"So you can reflect elemental attacks!"

"That is truly a powerful ability."

Uchiha Tamaharu, having caught the moment his Chidori Sharp Spear was deflected, immediately used Body Flicker to retreat.

Tyrant Kuma, on the other hand, began to grow angry.

He sensed that these people did not seem to have been sent by the World Government to test him.

Their attacks were ruthless, showing no sign of probing whether he was with the Revolutionary Army.

"If you like to hide, then let's see just how far you can run!"

"Pressure Cannon!"

Bartholomew Kuma lowered his body slightly, taking a stance like a sumo wrestler.

Then, he pushed his hands forward repeatedly, launching pressure cannons shaped like paw pads from his palms.

His target was the entire ground beneath his feet.

This included the pirates, CP9, and the Straw Hat Luffy crew.

He knew that blunt force could not harm Luffy, as Luffy was a rubber man; only slashing attacks or attacks imbued with Busoshoku Haki would have a direct effect.

Therefore, he could use his Pressure Cannons without restraint, covering the entire area to force his opponents out.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

Each Pressure Cannon acted like a shell, exploding the moment it touched an object.

The castle grounds were carpeted by the blasts, creating one crater after another.

A large number of pirates previously hoarded by Moria were caught in the crossfire and began to flee.

The members of CP9 were also terrified; Kaku hoisted Rob Lucci onto his shoulder and began to run.

"Lightning Sword Transformation."

However, Uchiha Tamaharu was not content to just keep hiding.

Finding a suitable position, he opened the hidden scroll on his wrist and began throwing projectiles, attacking Bartholomew Kuma.

The projectiles, flying with the speed of a machine gun, swarmed Bartholomew Kuma from all sides, not just from one direction.

Trying to block so many with only two hands was nearly impossible.

"Found you!"

However, Bartholomew Kuma had no intention of blocking.

With a light tap of his hand against himself, he appeared directly in front of Uchiha Tamaharu.

He then raised his hand and swiped directly toward Uchiha Tamaharu.

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