Summary:
The newly formed Bonney Pirates sail to the island where they believe Kuma is. They are attacked by marines who believe they are a bad bunch due to reports that the towns they attacked were full of injured children and elderly people, who were actually people who had been changed their age by Bonney’s power. Kuma, who was actually on the island, overhears Bonney trying to find him, but knows he can’t make contact with her because of her, though he never expected her to become a pirate. After he leaves, Bonney’s pirates continue sailing to look for him, but Bonney says they can take their time as she wants to find Nika as well, imagining how happy Kuma would be if he found him.
Meanwhile, word of Luffy’s victory over the Arlong Pirates began to spread and his first reward poster began to circulate. This prompted Dragon to head to Loguetown after learning that Smoker was in charge of the area, and Ace informed Jinbe about Luffy, who was surprised that he shot down Arlong. Kuma also sees Luffy’s poster and ponders how both his and Dragon’s children became pirates. As for Bonney, he tells his crew that they will only steal from the bad people and ignore calls for help unless they really need it. Bonney puts on lipstick to claim she’s grown up and anti-eyebrows where her sapphire scale stones used to be, thinking it will make it easier for Kuma to recognize her and make a name for herself to get his attention. .
On Egghead, Kuma sees his pacifist clones and calls it disturbing, but Dr. Vegapunk says their creation goes as smoothly as Kumo’s own edits. Kuma tells Vegapunk about Luffy, which surprises him that Dragon has a son, and Kuma says that Luffy’s declaration of war against the World Government in Enies Lobby reminds him of Nika, especially since Luffy has rubber powers. Later, Kuma goes to Thriller Bark and confronts the Straw Hats after Moria’s defeat to capture Luffy, though he decides to abandon him after seeing his crew’s loyalty.
Afterwards, Kuma sails to the Sabaody Archipelago where he is informed of Ace’s upcoming execution and the war with Whitebeard, with Kuma saying he will be there. However, he briefly sees Bonney eating at a restaurant and tells himself that this is the last time he will ever see her face before he loses his free will. He is then informed of someone attacking a World Noble at the Human Auction House, and is shocked to find that someone would dare to do such a thing, especially when they were so close to Marine HQ. Arriving at the scene, he is particularly surprised to see that the culprit was none other than Luffy in response to his defense of Hachi. When he later confronts them and separates them, he mentally apologizes to Drak and Ivankov for leaving like him, but feels that through Luffy and Bonney, he can leave his own silent mark on the world. As Luffy screams that he couldn’t save his crew, Kuma tells himself that he is wrong; Kuma separates them because he knows Luffy and his crew is not yet ready to venture into the New World and must first grow stronger and eventually declare Luffy as the one who will one day save the world.
Back on Egghead, Vegapunk is outraged by Saturn’s order to install a self-destruct mechanism in Kuma if he ever gets outside the Five Elders’ presence, but is unable to go against his orders. Instead, Vegapunk begs to keep a piece of his ego intact, even claiming to have invented something that can give a person a split personality. However, Saturn coldly orders that Kuma must lose all of his free will, and even threatens to punish Vegapunk if he finds out that he disobeyed him, being a scientist himself. When Vegapunk said that this meant that Kuma would never be able to reunite with his daughter, Kuma stated that it was good to know how Vegapunk felt; this sent shockwaves through Vegapunk as he didn’t want the warlord to hear it while Kuma reminded him that he was the one who gave him superhuman hearing. As Vegapunk prepares Kuma for surgery, Kuma thanks Dr. Vegapunk for taking such care of him, and in return Vegapunk tells Kumo that he’s had fun knowing him for the past two years. Kuma asks Vegapunk to program him to protect the Thousand Sunny after the war with Whitebeard ends, until one of them returns, calling it a trade-off for not being able to see them grow anymore. Vegapunk asks what he has planned for Luffy and Kuma says his actions remind him of Nika and he believes he can change the sea for the better.
Before the operation, Vegapunk asks Kuma to push his memories of the studio, to which Kuma agrees. He explains that the bubble is a copy of his memories, but when you touch it, it disappears. Vegapunk tells him that he has a device that will preserve the bubble and allow him to study it without disturbing it. As Kuma thinks about all the people in his life and wonders if he has hurt anyone with his actions, Vegapunk, who is drenched in tears, tells him that his life didn’t hurt anyone, but his “death” will hurt everyone. who love him. He calls Kuma a hero to everyone who meets him, and Kuma thanks him for it.
Before the edits are complete, Kuma thanks Dr. Vegapunk for saving Bonney’s life and wishes her a happy tenth birthday for him if he ever sees her again. Back in the present, it is revealed that Bonney was able to see everything from a copy of Kumo’s memory bubble, which has now disappeared as he said, completely disintegrating in tears.