Escape from Danger

Before long, Kizaru led a fleet of warships into the area, relentlessly searching for Experiment Subject 88. Some Marines even dove into the sea to search the ocean floor.

However, even after support units from Marine Headquarters arrived and joined the large-scale search, they still couldn't find any trace of Subject 88.

This left Kizaru's lewd face filled with worry and helplessness.

As expected, the incompetent Kizaru was quickly berated by the Five Elders.

Satan ordered Kizaru to continue the search and expand the scope to nearby islands.

In short, they wanted him found alive or his body recovered!

Meanwhile, Vegapunk and his scientists, based on the massive size of the Artificial Azure Dragon, deduced that the failed Ancient Giant bloodline in Subject 88 had likely been reactivated.

They had to admit that this Experiment Subject 88 was truly special, possessing incredible compatibility and brimming with miracles!

Therefore, the failed Fish-Man modification bloodline in Experiment Subject 88 might also be reactivated.

This meant that even if Subject 88 had fallen into the sea, he wouldn't die easily.

Furthermore, the Lunarian Tribe bloodline, the Fish-Man bloodline, and even the Artificial Fish-Fish Fruit: Azure Dragon Form abilities would allow Subject 88 to survive underwater.

Thus, the Marines absolutely had to find him.

This information caused Sengoku the Buddha and Admiral Tsuru to frown deeply.

What kind of monster had these scientists created?

The intelligence also stated that this experiment subject possessed bloodline factors for poison and transparency.

Coupled with the special Conqueror's Haki reported by Kizaru.

Just thinking about it was chilling.

If Experiment Subject 88 truly escaped alive and grew up, what kind of terrifying monster would he become?

The most unsettling part was that Experiment Subject 88 harbored extreme resentment towards the World Government and those scientists.

With this in mind, Sengoku immediately elevated the search for Subject 88 to the highest priority.

They had to recapture or eliminate him before he could grow.

Now, they even hoped that Subject 88 had been severely wounded, fallen into the sea, and eaten by sea beasts, just to avoid them gaining a super-sized problem.

On the boundless sea.

"Finally escaped!!"

Dongye Huanglong gasped for air, his wounds wriggling and healing. The significant depletion of his stamina left his face extremely pale.

"Can't sleep, can't sleep..."

Dongye Huanglong, transformed into a Divine Dragon, continued to fly unsteadily across the sea in his transparent state.

Utterly exhausted physically and mentally, he just wanted to find an island to land on and take shelter.

If he fell into the sea now, all his struggles and efforts would be in vain.

After escaping Kizaru with such difficulty, how could he collapse on the path of escape?

After flying for more than half a day, the sky had already darkened.

Dongye Huanglong, with his weary, injured body, felt his muscles aching terribly. In the darkness, he repeatedly nearly plunged into the sea, and his transparency ability failed time and again.

However, the painful experiences of the past two years kept him gritting his teeth and persevering with sheer determination.

Just as he was about to collapse, he finally saw the silhouette of an island.

He mustered his last ounce of strength and, with a sense of immense relief, plunged headfirst into a primeval forest.

His fall created a massive crater on the ground. The invisible Divine Dragon form rapidly faded, and he reverted to his human form.

Extremely exhausted, Dongye Huanglong lacked the strength to observe his surroundings and promptly lost consciousness.

Several tens of minutes later, small figures appeared on the nearby trees and bushes.

These figures cautiously observed and probed the sudden appearance of this large human.

"Is he dead?"

"Is he a pirate?"

"He seems to be injured?"

"He's bleeding a lot, his clothes are all stained with blood..."

"Should we let the Princess save him?"

Chattering voices exchanged rapidly, each unsure of what to do.

Until a small figure with golden hair appeared.

The next day.

The Marines' large-scale search operation in the waters of Punk Hazard has deployed nearly a hundred warships, attracting the attention of many factions.

Big News Morgans was the first to follow up and investigate the truth behind this matter, hoping to get some inside information for a major exposé.

In Dressrosa, Doflamingo grinned and looked in the direction of Punk Hazard.

Through secret messages from Vergo, he learned that Caesar, the second scientist, had been imprisoned, which presented him with an opportunity to pick up the pieces.

As for the escaped Experiment Subject 88, Vergo didn't have much intelligence.

However, the fact that the World Government was taking it so seriously also greatly piqued Doflamingo's interest.

If he had the chance, he too would want to find this Experiment Subject 88.

Even if he couldn't recruit it, he could sell it to the World Government for maximum profit.

Other dark forces and powerful pirates were all inquiring about the Marines' movements, trying to gather information about the waters of Punk Hazard.

Several days later, on Baltigo, an island of white soil in the Grand Line.

Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, learned through some secret channel that Vegapunk had moved to a new laboratory.

He immediately contacted Bartholomew Kuma, who had already left the Revolutionary Army.

The two reunited aboard Dragon's ship, the Gram.

Dragon informed Kuma about the imprisonment of Ivankov and Inazuma, as well as the news regarding Vegapunk.

He also suggested that Kuma, while Vegapunk's new laboratory's defenses were weak and Kizaru was not present to protect him, should quickly take eight-year-old Bonney to Egghead Island in the New World to seek Vegapunk's help.

During their conversation, Betty, a cadre of the Revolutionary Army, also received Kuma's approval and officially inherited Ginny's position as commander of the East Army.

Afterward, Tyrant Kuma, along with the news about Vegapunk and Egghead Island, rapidly returned to South Blue's Sorbet Kingdom. He placed Bonney, who was suffering from Jade Scale Disease, into a light-proof box and set off for the New World.

Since the Paw-Paw Fruit could not directly teleport him to distant places he hadn't visited, Kuma could only take Bonney, fly to islands he had visited in the New World, and then find a way to get a small sailboat to make his way to the mysterious Egghead Island.

To cure Bonney's terminal illness, Kuma was willing to pay any price, even his own life.

This was his endless guilt towards Ginny.

Ginny had once proposed to Kuma, but he, due to his Buccaneer Tribe bloodline, cowardly chose to evade and rejected Ginny.

Yet, Ginny remained devoted and joined the Revolutionary Army with him. Later, Ginny was abducted by Celestial Dragons, subjected to inhumane treatment, and gave birth to Bonney.

Failing to protect Ginny, this guilt was something Kuma could never atone for in his lifetime.

Therefore, Bonney, now suffering from a terminal illness, was the entire meaning of his life, more important than the Revolutionary Army.