"Where would you all like to travel?" Kuma asked, his voice gentle as he looked at Ryuuto with a smile.
"Using your Paw-Paw Fruit ability?" Ryuuto asked, guessing Kuma's intention immediately.
Kuma nodded, not at all surprised that Ryuuto knew about his Devil Fruit.
It was true, though. It was time for them to leave.
With Kizaru injured, Marine Headquarters would be furious. They might dispatch a massive force to annihilate them, and it wouldn't be just a single Admiral Kizaru next time. Besides, he had only survived the fight with Kizaru because the admiral, out of respect for Bonney, hadn't gone all out from the start.
If Kizaru had used his full power from the beginning, Ryuuto wouldn't have lasted long enough to unleash the World-Destroying Divine Thunder.
"You're right, it's time for us to go," Ryuuto said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. He then turned to Kuma. "Kuma, we'll be in your hands!"
Ryuuto gave a wide smile to Kuma and Bonney.
Bonney returned an equally big smile.
"Buggy, Fox, is there anywhere you want to go?" Ryuuto asked, turning his attention to them first. They needed to be relocated; the Sabaody Archipelago was certainly not going to be safe for a while.
"Ah... Us?" Buggy's eyes went wide.
There were so many places he wanted to go, legendary islands rumored to hold vast treasures. But those were just legends... even Buggy himself didn't know where the treasure was.
Fox was about to declare his undying loyalty—something along the lines of 'wherever the captain goes, I go'—but he stopped short when he saw the serious look in Ryuuto's eyes.
"Me? I don't think I have anywhere I particularly want to go," Fox finally stammered.
"Captain Ryuuto, I want to go home!" Suddenly, a tiny figure darted out and shouted at Ryuuto. It was Lole of the Tontatta Tribe.
"Hahahaha, I almost forgot about you, little guy!" Ryuuto laughed, then turned to Kuma. "Kuma, you've been to Dressrosa, haven't you?"
Kuma, holding his book, nodded at Ryuuto.
"Then I'll leave it to you," Ryuuto said, stepping aside to give Kuma space.
Kuma slowly walked toward Lole, calmly removing his glove. He bent down, raised his hand, and in an instant, a sharp sound cut through the air.
Swish!
When the others looked again... Lole had vanished.
"What? He's gone!" Vivi was the first to cry out in shock.
"He... he was slapped away?" Buggy, Fox, and the others stared with wide eyes.
Seeing their confusion, Ryuuto had to explain that Kuma had used his Paw-Paw Fruit to send Lole flying all the way back to Dressrosa.
"How amazing!" Vivi's and Bonney's eyes instantly sparkled.
"That's so cool!" they both exclaimed excitedly. This was the first time Bonney had ever seen Kuma use his Devil Fruit ability.
"As for you guys," Ryuuto said, turning back to Buggy and Fox, a perfect idea striking him. "Go to Beehive Island! Turn that place completely upside down!"
"Beehive Island?" Kuma's eyes narrowed, and he gave Ryuuto a strange look. That was not a pleasant place, though fortunately, he had been there before.
"Beehive Island is a paradise for pirates. There is no government, no trust, only endless chaos," Kuma explained slowly in the calmest of tones.
Buggy and Fox exchanged a glance, but they weren't intimidated by Kuma's words. Each was privately trying to guess Ryuuto's true intentions, but neither had any objection to the arrangement. In their minds, Ryuuto wouldn't set them up for failure.
"What a crazy place," Crocus remarked, as if recalling something.
But it was a place that seemed exceptionally well-suited for Buggy and Fox. As a crucible for wicked pirates, perhaps Buggy would undergo some sort of transformation there.
"I'm looking forward to it," Ryuuto thought to himself. At this time, Beehive Island was still under the rule of Ochoku. It was all up to Buggy now... he was just a remnant of the Rocks Pirates, nothing more!
"Alright, Captain Ryuuto!" the two answered in unison.
The rest of the crew, like Cabaji, had no objections either. If their captain was going, so were they. At that moment, they had no idea what they were about to face; their minds were filled only with the intense anticipation of wreaking havoc.
"If you get the chance, you can start up the auction house again. Here's a Den Den Mushi to contact Umit," Ryuuto said, patting their shoulders encouragingly. He handed them a Den Den Mushi that was wearing a tiny captain's hat.
"No problem!" The two grew even more excited at the prospect.
The auction house has to continue, that's where the fast money is! Buggy and Fox thought.
Once Buggy, Fox, and their men were ready, Ryuuto glanced at Kuma, signaling him to begin.
Kuma removed his glove again and began slapping the dozens of men, one by one.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The air was filled with the sound of them being sent away.
After a while, the only ones left in front of Ryuuto were Vivi, Crocus, Jean Bart, Kuma, and Bonney.
"And then there were us," Ryuuto said with a sigh, looking at the now-empty Mangrove 18.
"Yeah," Vivi agreed.
"I have to say, it's suddenly strange. I'm not used to it. Maybe I'm just getting old," Crocus added with a yawn.
"Captain Ryuuto, now it's your turn," Kuma said, turning to him. Bonney also fixed her curious gaze on Ryuuto.
"Us?" Ryuuto grinned. "Crocus, Vivi, Jean Bart, how about we take a trip to the Sky Island?"
"There's countless gold there!" Ryuuto announced his plan with a booming laugh.
"Sky Island? Isn't that a legendary island?" Kuma asked, looking at Ryuuto with uncertainty.
"Countless gold? Nami would be so happy if she knew!" Vivi's thoughts immediately went to her friend.
"No... it truly exists," Ryuuto explained gravely.
As for Crocus, he had already been there once. For him, it would just be a return trip.
But there was a problem. Kuma had never been to the Sky Island, so he had no idea where it was. Fortunately, Kuma had traveled to enough places...
"Kuma, in that case, please send us to Jaya Island," Ryuuto said.
Crocus looked at Ryuuto, his eyes filled with astonishment.
How does the captain know everything? Back then, Roger only managed to reach the Sky Island by pure chance! Crocus thought to himself.
"No problem," Kuma replied. "Captain Ryuuto, I hope our paths cross again in the future."
With that, Kuma raised his great paw of a hand and brought it down on Ryuuto and the others.
Swish