"Bonney... do you remember the Thunder God Form?" Ryuuto asked her softly.
Vivi and the others watched the trio, looking confused. What illness did Bonney have? She looked perfectly fine to them.
"Mhm!" Bonney's mind flashed back to the image of that colossal thunder god, and she nodded at Ryuuto with a serious expression.
Kuma didn't know what secret code the two were exchanging, but seeing Bonney's absolute faith in Ryuuto, he decided to let him try. His trust in his daughter outweighed his own apprehension. Still, the drop of purple liquid in Ryuuto's hand gave Kuma an intensely dangerous feeling. He was conflicted again. It felt like he was in the middle of a monumental gamble.
He looked at Bonney and saw only excitement and anticipation on her face. Resigned, he took her left hand, trying to give her strength.
"Alright... let's begin!" Ryuuto clenched his fist around the pulsating droplet of Annihilation Thunder and then... slapped it onto the back of Bonney's hand.
"It's up to you, Bonney! Use your power to distort the future!" Ryuuto roared as a powerful shockwave erupted from her hand.
Boom!
Immense purple lightning shot out from the droplet, frantically burrowing into Bonney's body.
"Ahhh..." Bonney screamed, her face contorted in agony.
The wave of destructive energy was so intense it burned Kuma, forcing him to release her hands. Now, everything was up to Bonney.
Boundless violet lightning crackled and roared, quickly engulfing her entire body.
You have to rely on yourself! Ryuuto shouted in his mind, his gaze fixed on her.
Kuma watched, his heart pounding with anxiety and his eyes filled with worry. Even now, he didn't know why he hadn't stopped it. Maybe it was the joy of seeing Bonney again. Maybe it was the man's sheer power, enough to face a Marine Admiral head-on. Or maybe it was just Bonney's unwavering trust in him. Kuma himself didn't have the answer.
Bonney was lost in a world of unimaginable pain. She could feel the tyrannical lightning rampaging through her, destroying everything. Her bones, her skin, even her flesh and blood were being torn apart. Soon, her entire body was covered in blood. It was a gruesome sight.
Kuma's fingers dug into his palms as he clenched his fists, his body tense with stress. Vivi, Fox, and the others watched with horrified concern.
"Bonney, hang in there!" Vivi pressed her hands to her chest, whispering words of encouragement.
"No, I can't let this go on!" Bonney screamed inwardly. "I'm going to die if this continues!"
In her mind's eye, a single, majestic figure appeared. It was the Thunder God, towering over the world, its eyes swirling with the essence of destruction.
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, the violet lightning erupted outward!
"Distorted Future!" A cry echoed from within the storm of lightning. As she shouted, the chaotic energy seemed to find a leash, frantically converging and contracting.
Vwoom...
A massive wave of energy swept out. Bonney levitated in the air, her hair and clothes whipping about an invisible wind, her body wreathed in tendrils of Annihilation Thunder. A look of pure exhilaration was on her face.
"Bonney's Devil Fruit ability is incredible! To think it can even mimic the captain's lightning power!" Buggy thought, stunned by the scene.
"Lightning?" Jean Bart stared at the purple electricity, his mind racing.
"Looks like it worked!" Ryuuto felt a wave of relief. "I may be a gambling man, but at least I won this time," he thought to himself.
"Bonney!" Kuma finally let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, calling out her name with joy.
"Father, I feel... different!" Bonney grit her teeth against the lingering pain and slowly walked over to Kuma, dispersing the Annihilation Thunder around her as she spoke. Seeing her in such a state broke his heart.
Ryuuto didn't waste any time. He opened his System and redeemed two vials of Regeneration Factor, tossing them to Bonney. "Bonney, catch! Inject these!"
Her current state was truly awful. She was drenched in her own blood from head to toe.
"Okay, Captain!" Bonney said softly. With a flick of her right wrist, the two vials appeared in her hand. She didn't hesitate for a second, immediately injecting the contents. Such was her trust in Ryuuto.
Kuma gave Ryuuto another long, searching look. Vivi also rushed over, her face etched with concern for Bonney.
As the Regeneration Factor entered her body, the red liquid within the vials transformed into countless crimson threads that coursed through Bonney's damaged tissues.
"Emmmm..." A tingling, numbing sensation spread through her as she felt her body rapidly repairing itself.
"What amazing power!" Bonney looked at Ryuuto, awestruck.
Just as she'd said, a few moments later, the blood on her skin began to form scabs that quickly fell away, revealing pristine, fair skin underneath. Everyone watched in amazement.
"Captain, I'm alive again!" Once the crimson threads from the Regeneration Factor vanished, Bonney leaped into the air, shouting happily at Ryuuto.
"Don't get too excited just yet," Ryuuto reminded her. "Check your wrist!" The most important thing now was to see if the Sapphire Scales were gone.
"Right!" Hearing this, Bonney immediately looked at her bandaged wrist. The few azure scales that were once there had completely vanished. Kuma's gaze followed hers.
"Father, they're gone! They're gone!" Overwhelmed with joy, Bonney threw herself into Kuma's arms.
"Bonney!" Kuma held her tight, his eyes growing moist with tears of happiness.
Ryuuto nodded in satisfaction. His plan to use the destructive power of the Annihilation Thunder to eradicate the Sapphire Scales had worked. By compressing the lightning into a liquid, he had amplified its destructive force more than tenfold. The most difficult part of the plan was ensuring Bonney survived the ordeal, but her Devil Fruit ability had made it possible.
Perfect! Ryuuto thought.
After Kuma and Bonney shared their moment, Ryuuto approached Kuma again.
Now that Bonney's Sapphire Scales were cured, Kuma had no intention of honoring his agreement with Saint Saturn. All he wanted was to return to the Sorbet Kingdom with Bonney and live a quiet life.
Ryuuto expressed his understanding. He looked at the heartwarming pair and thought, Finally, with my help, Kuma gets a happy ending.
"Bonney, grow up strong!" Ryuuto said, his expression serious. "Remember our promise. Become powerful enough to protect the people you want to protect! And don't forget, you're a member of the Soaring Dragon Pirates!"
"Captain!" Bonney nodded at Ryuuto, showing that she understood.
"Captain Ryuuto, thank you for your help," Kuma said, stepping forward. "I would like to offer you a gift."