South Blue.
Located outside the Calm Belt of the Grand Line waters.
The scenery here had always been quite pleasant.
Among the future Worst Generation Supernovas,
Kidd, Killer, and Bonney all came from this region.
Tyrant Kuma, one of the Shichibukai, had once been one of the kings here as well.
According to the Vivre Card, Kidd and Killer's hometown was actually a kingdom occupied by pirates.
That alone showed the situation here.
Tyrant Kuma had also joined Vegapunk's Pacifista and Seraphim projects by now.
His daughter Bonney was still causing minor trouble throughout this area.
She had yet to truly gain the strength needed to set sail.
After crossing the Red Line.
And passing through the Calm Belt.
Ye Zhuo had not even gotten the chance to make a move.
Shirahoshi, who had gradually mastered her own power, had the Sea Kings clear a path.
They also pushed the Demon King forward.
After leaving the Calm Belt.
Ye Zhuo's mood improved considerably.
"Keep training!
The Six Naval Powers, marksmanship, and swordsmanship!
Those are all mandatory subjects for you!
Awaken your Haki only after you break through!"
The vice-captain, the Empress, taught Haki, while Kalifa taught the Six Naval Powers.
Rebecca and Tashigi taught swordsmanship as well.
Momousagi could only fake a cough when she saw this.
All day long, she could only sit in a corner of the Demon King, waiting for new newspapers and information.
It was another late night.
Ye Zhuo was sleeping soundly.
A graceful figure suddenly launched an attack.
Bang!
Ye Zhuo sent Momousagi flying with a single punch as she tried to ambush him.
"Damn it, he's this strong even without Armament Haki?"
Momousagi fell furiously onto the Demon King's deck.
Feeling as though her bones were about to fall apart, she could only lean on her sword and slowly recover her strength.
"Have some."
Tashigi placed a serving of roasted meat before her.
The scene looked remarkably like Phoenix Marco persuading Fire Fist Ace.
"The captain is a monster. You can't defeat him."
"You used to be a Marine too. How can you say something like that!"
Momousagi took deep breaths, calming herself down.
"I still am. Many people on this ship have a three-year agreement.
If you want to leave the ship after three years, that guy definitely won't stop you.
But before then, if you dare leave, you have to die. How are you supposed to uphold justice like that!"
Leaning against the wall, Tashigi's words brought Momousagi back to her senses.
"That guy needs you to become one of his Seven Warlords of the Sea."
Tashigi revealed the final piece of information.
"One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea?"
Momousagi picked up the roasted meat and began eating in huge mouthfuls.
It seemed she was still the first.
Was that luck?
What strange Destiny.
For the first time, Momousagi, dressed in a dancer's long gown, found food delicious.
Three years?
More than a thousand days would not be too long, right?
She was even more curious about what had happened to Marine Headquarters.
Why had no Marine Admiral been dispatched after the Celestial Dragons were attacked?
Momousagi also despised the Celestial Dragons, but the fact that even the Five Elders had agreed made it all the more bizarre.
A tall figure wearing a cloak emerged from the cabin.
He extended one hand and stared at Momousagi.
"Momousagi! Become one of my Seven Warlords of the Sea!
Roam the seas under the Demon King's name!
Grow stronger to your heart's content, and let your justice resound across the sea!"
For some reason, Ye Zhuo's words made Momousagi's heartbeat quicken slightly.
"What justice is a pirate like you talking about?"
Momousagi continued gnawing on the roasted meat.
"When I wipe out the Celestial Dragons.
And take the Four Seas, the Grand Line, the New World, and the Red Line for myself.
I will be justice! I will be fairness! I will be freedom!"
Ye Zhuo laughed heartily, making Momousagi's heart race even faster.
"Demon King, as long as I'm here, don't even dream of ruling the world!"
"Is that so? Then my Seven Warlord of the Sea had better work hard.
Also, address me respectfully as Captain."
Ye Zhuo knocked Momousagi on the head again. This time, she did not retort.
Because Momousagi had fainted.
Ah!
The sea was always full of romance!
Sorbet Kingdom.
The kingdom once ruled by Tyrant Kuma.
Ye Zhuo stepped onto the island.
The Demon King's pirate flag brought countless conflicts to a standstill at that moment.
"What a shame. Tyrant Kuma is in the New World. The Paw-Paw Fruit would have been so fun."
Ye Zhuo swept the kingdom with his Observation Haki, searching for Gluttony's whereabouts.
Bonney was difficult to find. Her Devil Fruit allowed her to shift freely between different ages.
Unless one possessed portraits of Bonney at every age, finding her would be difficult.
Of course, sufficiently powerful Observation Haki could also memorize her aura.
Unfortunately for her, Ye Zhuo was exactly that kind of person.
Once the Shadowkhan made their move, they swiftly began searching the streets and alleys for Bonney.
One day later.
Winter Domain Port of the Sorbet Kingdom.
Inside a tavern.
Gluttony Bonney was stuffing herself.
She looked over seventy years old, yet she ate exceptionally fast.
As she ate, she also read a newspaper in her hand.
Her identity could originally have qualified her as the princess of this kingdom.
Yet because of the World Government's slander, she had no choice but to become a pirate.
Just like Tyrant Kuma, an incomparably gentle man who had been called a tyrant.
Think back to Cobra of Alabasta, who had been framed for using Dance Powder.
Or King Riku of Dressrosa, who had been manipulated by Heavenly Yaksha into slaughtering civilians.
Bartholomew Kuma had most likely suffered the same fate.
"Demon King Ye Zhuo kidnapped an esteemed Celestial Dragon in Gold City?
Trash. Every Celestial Dragon deserves to die.
But this guy actually came to South Blue.
And he wants to find me? In this vast sea of people, how does he think he'll find me?"
As soon as Bonney finished speaking, the sound of blades rang out behind her.
Ye Zhuo tapped with his Supreme Grade Blade.
It rested against her neck.
"Boss, bring me a crate of your strongest liquor."
The tavern owner immediately began searching after seeing this scene.
"How did you find me?"
Bonney had changed her age seven times in the past day. No one should have been able to recognize her.
"Nothing much. I just have a lot of eyes."
As Ye Zhuo spoke, dark figures emerged from the shadows inside and outside the building.
The Nine Shadowkhan were enough to blanket the sky and cover the earth.
Together with the Sea Kings controlled by Shirahoshi, they were the strongest force across land, sea, and air.
"Your ability is as freakish as the rumors say.
But I won't submit.
Don't even think about making me your woman!"
Bonney swiftly rose to her feet, moving lightly as she dodged the blade.
She immediately turned into a little girl and hid beneath a table.
As she moved forward, she appeared behind the liquor cabinet.
"Damn it, why don't those black-clothed subordinates of yours turn into babies?"
Bonney discovered that her Devil Fruit ability had no effect on Ye Zhuo at all.
"Is that so? I don't know."
Ye Zhuo waved a hand.
Bonney, who had been about to flee through the tavern's back door, was kicked back by the tall Empress.
From every direction.
Figures emerged one after another.
"What exactly do you want?"
Bonney saw that there was no way to the heavens and no door into the earth.
"Bonney, come to sea with me and become my cook!"
Bonney, who had been searching for a way out, froze for a moment.
She had thought he would abduct her and make her his bandit wife, but he wanted a cook!
"Do you think that's possible?"
"No fight, no friendship. Let's start by exchanging greetings!"
Ye Zhuo rubbed his fists and flicked out a finger.
Before you continue