At this moment, Kuma had already departed from the Holy Land of Mariejois. He was currently in the waters of the New World, standing upon a pirate ship he had commandeered along the way.
In the center of his massive palm sat a Den Den Mushi, tiny compared to his fingers. A voice drifted from it: "I'm counting on you, Kuma-san!"
It was the voice of Sabo! Had Ace been there, he would have recognized it instantly.
"If I do not return, proceed with the plan as established. Do not concern yourself with anything else," Kuma said, his tone characteristically detached.
On the other end, Sabo remained silent for a long while before stiffly uttering a single word: "Understood."
Kuma tossed the Den Den Mushi into the sea. With the resolve of a man prepared for a one-way mission, he held his Bible and the three canisters of Dyna Stones retrieved from Firs Island in his right hand. He peeled the glove off his left hand and struck his own body, vanishing from the ship in an instant.
On the other side of the transmission, within a gloomy ancient castle, Sabo hung up the receiver. He tried to reassure himself: "He's just planting the Dyna Stones and leaving immediately. It'll be fine... it'll be fine..."
…
Approximately five hundred nautical miles away from Arderay, five warships were anchored.
In addition to the core Vice Admirals of Marine Headquarters led by Momonga and Onigumo, the most striking sight was on Momonga's ship: hundreds of soldiers clad in dark red armor, each possessing wing-like flight apparatuses resembling dragon wings. This was the Air Force.
"Is that the rumored Air Force? The one from the other two branches besides our Navy and the Army?"
"Can those things really fly?"
The Air Force was the most recently established and most mysterious branch of the World Government's military. Many Marines involved in this mission scrutinized Vice Admiral Yako's unit with curiosity, their eyes lingering mostly on the specialized armor.
"Only three hundred men to infiltrate Alucard's nest? Isn't that a bit too risky?" Momonga asked as he approached Yako.
The two had known each other since Kong's tenure as Fleet Admiral.
"We aren't going there to wage a war. We are there to reclaim Dr. Vegapunk. This is about precision, not numbers."
Yako adjusted the gauntlet of his armor. "The Air Force's greatest asset is this gear. It allows us to fly freely. Although mass production has begun, Dr. Vegapunk holds the core secrets. His significance to the Air Force cannot be overstated; we must get him back."
…
BOOM!!
An explosion shook the beach of New Amazon Lily. As the sand settled, the truth was revealed: a massive, paw-shaped crater.
Kuma's hulking silhouette gradually emerged from the smoke.
Judging by his hunched posture, his landing had been clumsy. In truth, he had landed awkwardly specifically to protect the three items in his right hand—the Dyna Stones.
These stones were sealed in containers filled with a specialized biochemical fluid. Upon impact or exposure to oxygen, they would instantly trigger an explosion capable of obliterating an entire island. An impact like the one Kuma just made could easily have shattered the containers; protecting them was no small feat.
Kuma inserted the three canisters into the sands of New Amazon Lily. They were equipped with miniature controllers. The moment he departed, the containers would shatter, triggering a shockwave that would blow the island off the map.
However, just as Kuma finished the installation and prepared to use his ability to warp away, he felt something stirring deep beneath the earth, as if something were about to burst through the surface.
A veteran of countless battles, Kuma didn't hesitate. His first instinct was to use the Paw-Paw Fruit's power to instantly teleport several miles away to a rocky cliff overlooking the jungle. From there, he looked down at the spot where he had just stood.
CRASH!!!
In Kuma's vision, he saw a mouth. A mouth so unimaginably vast that its upper and lower jaws burst through the beach's soil. It swallowed the three Dyna Stone canisters whole before sinking back into the earth.
In those few seconds, the mysterious entity never fully revealed itself. Kuma saw only its mouth, and likely only a portion of it. From its appearance, it looked like a... dog.
Based on that scale, how gargantuan was that dog?
But that question paled in comparison to the immediate problem: the Dyna Stones, the lynchpin of the entire operation, had been eaten!
This meant... every subsequent action was now meaningless. It had all gone up in smoke.
The deployment of the Air Force, the raid on Arderay, the Gorosei's plan to spark a war between Alucard, Kaido, and Big Mom...
Everything depended on the successful destruction of New Amazon Lily.
"Don't worry, Kuma."
Suddenly, a voice drifted from behind him. It was a relaxed chuckle. "Soon, you'll never have to worry about such things ever again."
Kuma's massive frame stiffened. After a long pause, he slowly turned around. "It has been a long time, Dr. Vegapunk."
Standing behind him was indeed Dr. Vegapunk. Alucard had made an exception and brought him from the research labs on Arderay to New Amazon Lily. However, even Vegapunk was barred from entering the interior of the nation, as it remained a land strictly for women.
"Have you... completely defected to Alucard?" Kuma asked after several seconds of hesitation.
If Vegapunk weren't here, Kuma might have assumed his presence was detected by Viola's Flare-Flare Fruit or some other trick of Alucard's.
But Dr. Vegapunk's presence changed everything.
"I am merely loyal to science," Dr. Vegapunk replied with a thin smile.
At that moment, the ground beneath their feet was rapidly covered by a pool of blood filled with countless eyeballs. Alucard's body rose from the gore like sludge, gradually solidifying into his normal form. "Everything happened exactly as you predicted, Vegapunk."
Alucard stood between Kuma and Vegapunk, meeting Kuma's gaze. "The answer is simple: Vegapunk chose me because I stand above the Government."
Dr. Vegapunk retreated a dozen meters, not forgetting to offer a final reminder: "Capture him alive. Don't forget that."
"And who is the superior here, Vegapunk?" Alucard replied coldly.
Vegapunk's expression stalled for a second before he held up his hands. "Fine. Please capture him alive, Captain. Is that better?"