A Big Bear

After reassuring his fellow tribesman, Nereus looked at Kuma, the tyrant who had saved all his gentleness for others.

Nereus had noticed Kuma using his ability, which was why he had come over. He had intended to use Kuma's power to help send people away.

But judging by Kuma's current state, he seemed to have consumed quite a bit of stamina as well.

"You must have only recently eaten your Devil Fruit, so you're still not very skilled at using its power. I have a way to help you recover some stamina and make your ability easier to use.

"It'll hurt a little, though. Want to try it?"

Kuma's ability was currently the safest way for ordinary people to leave this island. In the original timeline, Kuma had also saved many people with his power.

"If it can save more people, then I can do it."

"Hey, Kuma, you're just going to believe him? What if he does something to you..."

Ivankov looked somewhat nervous. Living in such an environment for so long had left him under constant pressure, and he was still suspicious of the suddenly arrived Nereus.

"Ivankov! Lord Nereus would never lie to us. With his strength, if he really wanted to do something, he wouldn't need to go through all this trouble!"

"It's all right, Little Ivan. He's a good person who saves people too, isn't he?"

Both Nereus's fellow tribesman and Kuma had given their answers. Ivankov said nothing more and instead lowered his enormous head toward Nereus.

"My apologies. Please forgive me. This island is simply too dangerous..."

"It's nothing. Being cautious is only natural. There really aren't many trustworthy people on this island. And you don't need to worry—I'm only taking something from him for now. I'll return it to him afterward.

"How old are you this year?"

Nereus turned his gaze toward Kuma and asked a question that no one present understood.

"Nine."

"Nine? Then... ten years should be about right. If you're ready, relax. It won't take long."

Kuma nodded, then closed his eyes. As long as he could not see it, he would not be afraid. That was also one of humanity's instincts.

Nereus casually placed a hand on Kuma's body, then activated his ability.

A strange sensation instantly spread throughout Kuma's body. A dull ache came from his bones as well, but it had not yet reached the point Kuma could not endure.

Compared to the suffering the Celestial Dragons had inflicted on him over the years, this pain was nothing at all.

Riiip...

The vest on Kuma's body tore apart, revealing the sturdy body beneath. Nine-year-old Kuma had already been a big boy, but he could not compare to the Kuma he was now.

"I... got bigger?"

Feeling the shift in his perspective, Kuma looked at his hands and sensed the changes in his body.

"Hee-haw... Kuma, you've become... so huge..."

Ivankov could only look up at Kuma now. He gestured at their heights and realized that he did not even reach Kuma's waist.

"Not bigger—older. I took ten years of his lifespan, but don't worry. I'll return it to him later."

The Vampire Fruit did not simply take a portion from the end of someone's lifespan while leaving their body unchanged.

Those whose lifespans were forcibly drained would become extremely aged, experiencing the passage of time in an instant.

As long as he slowed down that process, Nereus could make the body of someone whose lifespan had been extracted continue developing along its predetermined path, only much faster, thus achieving a ripening effect.

That was Kuma's current situation. Nereus had advanced Kuma to the age of nineteen, helping him finish his growth phase early.

But this method was ultimately an unconventional one, far inferior to letting someone grow naturally. It was only being used as an emergency measure under these circumstances.

"You can feel it, right? The strength contained within your body now is far greater than when you were still a child. Using your Devil Fruit power will also become much easier."

No matter the race, childhood was a stage of incomplete development. An adult body could also make better use of Devil Fruit abilities than a child's body.

After all, activating Devil Fruit powers consumed physical strength to some extent, and adults had a greater advantage in that regard.

This was even more apparent with Zoan-type Devil Fruits. If the user was a child, then the transformed animal would likewise be in its juvenile stage, leaving many abilities unusable.

An adult, meanwhile, could directly wield more complete power—provided they were not Momonosuke, who was rather useless in comparison.

A nineteen-year-old young man was at the peak of his vigor. In this state, Kuma could naturally accomplish much more.

"I can feel it. Thank you for your help. This way... I can save even more people."

Just moments ago, Kuma had only been sending people off the island group by group. After Nereus used this method to turn him into a young adult, Kuma immediately began working with both hands, sending people off the island at a much faster pace.

The Buccaneer Tribe itself was a race with Giant Race blood. The racial traits they displayed were exceptional recovery and endurance, and those abilities became even more outstanding after adulthood.

"Little Ivan, Ginny, come on. I'll send you two away too."

Originally, Kuma had wanted to send the two of them away first, but both had chosen to stay with Kuma until the end.

"Kuma, be careful too. Hurry and send yourself away."

"Yeah, Kumabear! We'll wait for you over there!"

Thump! Thump!

Accompanied by two muffled impacts, compressed bubbles enveloped Ginny and Ivankov's bodies and sent them toward a safe island.

"Mr. Nereus, let me send you away as well. But I've never been to Fish-Man Island, so I can only send you to the South Blue."

The anchor point for the Paw-Paw Fruit's transportation had to be somewhere the ability user had personally visited. If the user had never been there, then naturally they could not transport anyone there.

"No need. I came to this island because I have something to do. Just send this kid away."

This teenage Kuma matched Nereus's impression of Kuma more closely, though his clothing was quite different. Kuma's current outfit made him look more like a superhero in shorts.

"Lord Nereus, I..."

"My ship is a little far from here, and I don't have time to take you there right now. Go to the safe island first. We'll come pick you up and take you home later."

At an ordinary Fish-Man's speed, it would take quite some time to swim to the area where Nereus had arranged for the others to hide. Moreover, large numbers of Marines and Pirates were currently rushing toward God Valley.

Using Kuma's ability to send away those with little fighting strength was more convenient instead.

Though it would take some time to come back for him afterward, that was nothing. Nereus had often sailed abroad over the years, and he would handle other matters along the way as well.

This was also one way Nereus intended to change the mindset of Fish-Man Island's residents. The main point was to show them that no matter where they were, as long as they remained members of this race, the race would never abandon them.