Summary:
Kuma saves as many people as possible from Bekori’s cruel deeds, even though everyone else fears for his own life. As the fire rages from afar, Bekori says he was inspired by a kingdom in the east that did something similar to gain the favor of the world’s nobles. He also says that the only way a kingdom can become rich and powerful is if someone is willing to do the devil’s work. He is met with resistance from the people, but Bekori simply says that he doesn’t see the bigger picture, so he orders some of them killed. However, Kuma eventually arrives at the castle and completely demolishes it despite Bekori’s warning of possible consequences. As a result, this night will go down in history as Sorbet’s “Solo Revolution”.
In the Holy Land, Saturn is informed that Sorbet is accepting a new king. It is said that Kuma himself is the king, as the people desperately wanted him to be and he did… but in name only. In fact, the kingdom is ruled by the previous king before Bekori, a bulldog who was very fond of the people. Kuma still resided in his church and healed the old people with his powers, even though the people still called him their king.
One day, Kumo and a few others see a grown Bonney running around, which shocks everyone as she is supposed to be ten years old. Bonney says she was trying to build up the stamina to sail with her father, but she wasn’t aware of her current state either. When she looks in the mirror, her own shock causes her to change back to a little girl, and Gyogyo realizes that Bonney has eaten the Devil Fruit, which they learn is Toshi Toshi no Mi. Bonney tries to train herself to look old, but Kuma doesn’t want her to exert herself too much. That’s when Bulldog appears in the church and asks for an audience with Kuma. At the same time, he brought his mother, Queen Dowager Conney, whom Gyogyo mistakenly thinks is Bonney, who has successfully turned herself into an old woman.
Bulldog’s reason for meeting Kuma was to inform him that Bekori was making another comeback based on this demonizing propaganda that claims Kuma is an evil tyrant by taking the throne by force and starting fires himself. The people are outraged by Bekori’s corruption, and Bulldog says that Bekori still has the support of the World Government and will most likely play a game with them to take the throne by force. The people tell Kuma they don’t want Bekori back, which he retorts, and he says he will fight back even if it means he won’t be able to stay in the country because the government will label him a criminal. Based on this, Kuma asks Bulldog to become Sorbet’s official king and to take Bonney into his safety, which Bulldog accepts. Kuma then breaks up with Bonney, saying that he will return as soon as he can.
Sure enough, Bekori returned with an army of naval ships, all of which Kuma sank. He then set out to sea and became a pirate whose incredible strength led him to a bounty. During his voyage around the world, he visited places where he later sent the Straw Pirates, such as the Kingdom of Turin, Kuraigana Island (where he was attacked by Abdullah and Jeet, who tried to collect the bounty and failed miserably), Karakuri Island, Weatheria, and the Boin Archipelago, where he tried to get some clue to rescue Bonney, but his attempts failed.
Eventually, Kuma crosses paths with the revolutionary army and is reunited with Dragon, whom he catches up with. Kuma is asked by Belo Betty if she could become the commander of the Eastern Army, as the Dragon would not let anyone else be commander without Kuma’s blessing, which she does. Dragon tells Kuma that Sabo and Koala have come a long way since he last met them and it would be nice for him to see that for himself, and Kuma admits that he would like to return to the Revolutionary Army one day. This is when Dragon tells Kumo about Dr. Vegapunk, who recently had to leave Punk Hazard due to Caesar’s actions, so the security around him may be lax. Kuma immediately heads to him and thanks Dragon for telling him, who tells him to let the winds of fate take him wherever he goes.
Kuma returns home and is reunited with Bonney, who has learned to fight. They both go to Marines Science Division: Lab 8 (the future Egghead), where Dr. Vegapunk tells Kumo that he can cure Bonney using a technique that has never been used before, which is a stem cell transplant. He runs a check on Kuma and discovers that he is a pirate, prompting him to ask Kuma to be a template for his clone troopers, saying that this will be the price paid for Bonney’s cure. Kuma accepts, but asks what the clones will do, and Dr. Vegapunk tells him that they will have bodies so strong that they can repel bullets, and be so powerful that they can subdue pirates and protect the weak and helpless. Touched by this, Kuma agrees to the offer (though he knew Dragon himself would not be happy with the arrangement) as long as Bonney can live, and Dr. Vegapunk calls him a saint. Kuma corrects him that he is a pacifist who wants peace, leading to Dr. Vegapunk called the soldiers “Pacifista”.
However, in the Holy Land, Saturn says that Dr. Vegapunk is a fool, that he is not doing more with the project than in his eyes, the soldiers are supposed to be weapons and the more people they can kill, the more powerful they are. As such, he says he has his own plans for the project.