The Gentle Man, Bartholomew Kuma

"Your turn to step in, Dark King Rayleigh?"

Kizaru tugged at his sleeve and calmly watched the old man approach.

"I can't let you snuff out these youngsters before they've even had a chance. Their era is only just beginning!"

Rayleigh smiled as he stepped in front of Jiang Lin. He had originally meant to protect only the Straw Hat Pirates. Now there was one more person on that list: Jiang Lin.

"Old man!"

Luffy rushed over to Rayleigh, thrilled to see him again.

"I'd heard all about what you were doing on this island, but I never thought it was true!"

"I never expected you to take these brats' side. Even after falling so far, you're still a pirate, aren't you, Mr. Rayleigh?"

Kizaru stood with his hands in his pockets, looking casually at Rayleigh.

"Looks like you won't let them go."

Rayleigh's voice was low. The threat in his words was unmistakable.

"Let them go?"

Kizaru chuckled without answering, but his expression said enough. Luffy had struck a Celestial Dragon. How could Kizaru possibly let him go?

"I see. In that case..."

"Old man, leave this one to me!"

Just as Rayleigh was about to take on the Admiral, Jiang Lin stepped forward with a smile and stopped in front of him.

"You..."

Rayleigh looked at Jiang Lin, then held his tongue. He had watched the entire fight and knew Kizaru had never used his full strength. But he could not bring himself to say it and crush Jiang Lin's confidence.

"I know he's been holding back, so I'm not trying to get myself killed. I'm doing this because I have to."

Jiang Lin spoke to Rayleigh with a solemn expression. He knew Kizaru was strong—far too strong for him to defeat as he was now.

But so what? Should he refuse to fight because he was afraid? Should he hide in the rear and cling to life because he feared dying? No. Jiang Lin could not do that.

"All right! Fight without holding back. I'll watch your back."

Moved by Jiang Lin's resolve, Rayleigh did not stop him. Instead, he stepped behind Jiang Lin with an appreciative look.

"Choosing to fight me yourself is a grave mistake."

Kizaru sounded almost angry. His gaze kept drifting toward Rayleigh. Clearly, Rayleigh was the one he feared most.

"Is that so?"

Jiang Lin smiled without committing himself. He knew he was no match for Kizaru right now, but being weaker did not mean he could not win—or at least make Kizaru pay.

"Kizaru! What does justice mean to you?"

Jiang Lin slowly raised his hands. Two flashes of yellow light gathered rapidly in his palms.

"Justice? Brat, you don't deserve to know!"

At the sight of Jiang Lin's hands, Kizaru crossed his own and formed the Ama no Murakumo Sword, ready for battle.

"My justice is... to protect and to pursue! To protect everyone I want to protect, and pursue everything I want to pursue!"

"That is my justice!"

Jiang Lin roared, but the lasers did not fire from his hands. Instead, they spun rapidly in his palms, forming a tiny, whirling sphere of light.

Compress light energy far enough, and it became a black hole.

The sphere in Jiang Lin's hand was no black hole, but it held far more energy than his earlier beams.

"They may both be light, but they don't hold the same amount of energy!"

With a sharp shout, Jiang Lin fired two invisible rays from his hands straight at Kizaru.

Pfft! Pfft!

Two faint sounds of penetration came from Kizaru's body, one after the other.

As the light pierced him, shock and disbelief filled Kizaru's face. He possessed the Glint-Glint Fruit, yet he had never thought to use its power this way.

"That's the power of science!"

Jiang Lin smiled faintly, then looked toward Kizaru, his face drained of strength. He knew he had reached his limit. At best, he could teach Kizaru a lesson. With his current strength, killing him was far beyond reach.

"You... brat! Now you've really made me angry!"

His wounds swiftly healed, Kizaru flashed forward with the Ama no Murakumo Sword in hand, charging straight at Jiang Lin.

"Enough! Leave the rest of this fight to me!"

Rayleigh could see that Jiang Lin had reached his limit. As Kizaru charged, he unleashed his Haki without hesitation and stepped in to meet him.

"My body's still too weak."

Jiang Lin gave a bitter laugh and sank heavily to the ground. He knew his body had reached its limit, so he did not stop Rayleigh from taking over.

After a short rest, Jiang Lin got back to his feet and prepared to head toward Luffy and the others. Then a familiar figure suddenly appeared in front of Nami.

The man stood before Nami, removed his glove, and struck her with his palm. She vanished from the Sabaody Archipelago.

"Bartholomew Kuma!"

Jiang Lin looked up at the huge, expressionless figure holding a book, his own expression conflicted.

"Nami! Where did you send Nami?"

Luffy charged forward, fury written across his face.

"Anyone struck by his power flies through the air for three days and three nights. Where they land... only he knows."

Jiang Lin spoke slowly as he watched Bartholomew Kuma.

"We can't beat him! He'll kill us all!"

Usopp stared at Bartholomew Kuma, his lips trembling. He knew just how strong Kuma was. The moment Kuma appeared, Usopp's hope of winning had crumbled.

"I won't let this..."

Jiang Lin tried to force himself up and stop Bartholomew Kuma, but he was in worse shape than anyone there. He had fought PX-4, then Sentomaru, and finally Kizaru. Those battles had exhausted him long ago. Even though he still had his Devil Fruit power, he no longer had the strength to use the Glint-Glint Fruit.

"Where would you like to go on a trip?"

Bartholomew Kuma's gentle voice reached him. The moment Kuma's palm touched Jiang Lin, his body was repelled by Kuma's power and vanished from the Sabaody Archipelago.

"Jiang Lin!"

Luffy and the others' cries still rang in his ears, but Jiang Lin was already flying away, unable to control his body.

"Farewell."

Kuma's warm voice echoed through the empty sky. Jiang Lin felt the depth of emotion in that single word.

"Farewell, Bartholomew Kuma! You're a gentle man, and a powerful one!"

Sorrow filled Jiang Lin's voice. He had read the original story and knew things Luffy and the others did not. That was why seeing Bartholomew Kuma left him so sad. He knew that after today, he might never see Kuma as he was now again.