Guernica and Saint Saturn had both assumed that Kuma had obediently flown to Vegapunk to undergo a complete transformation.
Yet even as the day of execution drew near, Vegapunk never saw Kuma arrive.
Believing Kuma had fled, Saint Saturn angrily activated Kuma's self-destruct device, presuming him dead.
The Shichibukai were once again down one member.
Time and the scene returned to the period after Houka had intercepted Jewelry Bonney and Kuma.
Houka did not bother with the fleeing Straw Hat Pirates.
He was going to see what the Pirate Empress, the most beautiful woman in this world, was really made of.
Akainu Sakazuki and Dracule Mihawk both wanted to find Kozuki Houka.
But was Houka a man they could meet whenever they pleased?!
They were dreaming!
Aboard the Kuja Pirates' ship.
Boa Hancock held a telescope as she searched everywhere for Houka.
After searching for a while, she dejectedly gave up on her obsession with seeing Houka again.
It seemed she could only see Kozuki Houka again at Marineford.
"Big Sister, since we're already at the Sabaody Archipelago, Granny Nyon told us to go check on Shakky and Rayleigh."
"Shakky hasn't contacted Granny Nyon for several days."
Sandersonia and Marigold had wanted to visit Shakky and Rayleigh just now, but their sister Hancock had insisted on looking for Houka.
Now that they could not find Houka, they could finally go see Shakky and the others, right?
The Pirate Empress could only heed her two sisters' suggestion and pay a visit to Shakky and Rayleigh, their benefactors.
However, just as they prepared to return to the Sabaody Archipelago, a bolt of lightning appeared atop the Kuja pirate ship.
The Kuja warriors all turned in panic toward the terrifying man, raising the snake bows in their hands.
"Fate tells me you were