One Piece: Starting in God Valley as a Slave

Akainu approached Kizaru, his expression stern.

"Why are you here?" he demanded.

Kizaru tilted his head slightly, a small smile playing on his lips. "But it's not just me who's here..."

Boom!

A massive shockwave, shaped like a bear's paw, erupted on the battlefield, sending a large number of pirates flying. Blood poured from their eyes, ears, noses, and mouths as they collapsed, lifeless.

Kuma, maintaining his palm-forward stance, set his gaze on Momonga and the others, who were locked in battle with Bullet.

The situation for Momonga and his allies was looking grim. Vice Admirals Onigumo and Dalmatian were already down, their fates uncertain.

Bullet, the Clank-Clank Fruit user, had merged his Armament Haki with his devil powers to transform into his monstrous "devil form." In this form, he was like a living, breathing Tyrannosaurus Rex. Momonga and the others were struggling to withstand his relentless assault, the battlefield one-sided in Bullet's favor.

Onigumo looked the most desperate. Bullet had disarmed him of seven out of eight swords, leaving him clutching a single, chipped blade that was cracked when he attempted to slice Bullet's back.

Kuma wasted no time. He used his abilities to launch himself forward, appearing directly in front of Bullet.

Bullet, caught off guard by Kuma's sudden presence, paused for a moment. Without uttering a word, Kuma swung his massive paw, slapping Bullet's face with immense force.

Though Bullet's Haki prevented him from being sent flying across the battlefield, the impact of Kuma's Paw-Paw Fruit ability was undeniable. A thunderous "snap" echoed through the field, and Bullet spun several times before regaining his stance.

Momonga and his companions, who had been relentlessly pursued by Bullet, felt a surge of relief. Their bodies bore the bruises and welts from Bullet's previous attacks, the marks of his brutality evident on their reddened skin.

But Bullet, always the battle-hungry beast, grinned instead of growling in anger.

"Good, finally, a real opponent!" he exclaimed.

Kuma's expression turned serious as he spread his hands, revealing the soft pads on his palms. Bullet's eyes glinted with a twisted amusement.

"Bartholomew Kuma, I know you. Your fruit power is quite the oddity," Bullet sneered.

Ignoring Bullet's taunts, Kuma raised his hand again, aiming to strike. In response, seven black blades shot out from Bullet's back, each one aimed at Kuma's paws.

These blades, stolen from Onigumo, were infused into Bullet's body using his fusion ability.

Seeing his attack blocked, Kuma immediately pulled back and prepared to counter. Bullet retracted the black blades into his fists, then lunged, aiming both fists at Kuma's chest. Kuma raised his paws to block, but Bullet's speed was overwhelming; his blades pierced Kuma's chest before he could react.

Luckily, Kuma's massive frame absorbed most of the impact, sparing him from critical injury. He forced Bullet back with a powerful swipe and then slapped his own chest, causing a red bubble to form on his body.

Kuma took a deep breath, and in a flash, he unleashed a flurry of bear-paw-shaped bubbles that hurtled toward Bullet.

These bubbles, compressed with air pressure, shattered under Bullet's iron-like fists. But among them, a red bubble quietly merged into Bullet's skin. At first, Bullet felt nothing, but then his chest seized with sudden pain.

Momonga and his fellow Marines, seizing the moment, attacked from above, their swords slashing down at Bullet. Yet, Bullet's endurance proved nearly invincible. His skin darkened to a metallic purple hue, the blades leaving barely a scratch.

"Impossible!" Momonga gasped, eyes wide in disbelief, only to be hurled aside by Bullet with a flick of his wrist. Kuma rushed to catch the thrown Momonga, while the remaining Marines fell back, severely outmatched.

Bullet, unstoppable in his rage, grabbed Onigumo by the hair, lifting him off the ground. Dalmatian and Onigumo were beaten to the point where they could no longer see straight, collapsing from the sheer power of Bullet's onslaught.

After dispatching the Marines, Bullet once again turned his attention to Kuma. Kuma braced himself, using his paw-pads to deflect the incoming flurry of fists. Yet, despite Kuma's strength and the unique abilities of his Paw-Paw Fruit, he found himself struggling against Bullet's relentless offensive.

As the battle raged on, Bullet absorbed weapons from fallen Marines, his form growing until he towered like a steel giant over Kuma.

Momonga, lying on the ground, could only watch helplessly, his injuries rendering him immobile. The Navy's forces were spread thin, each soldier locked in combat with no room for respite. The pirates, led by Whitebeard's elite crew, were overwhelming the battlefield.

Lucia was bruised and battered under the combined assault of Jozu and Thatch, while Ginny and Gion stood back-to-back, surrounded by the Whitebeard Pirates led by Vista. Gion's arm bled from a deep sword wound, her normally pristine white sleeve stained with crimson.

Ginny's eyes darted to Gion's injury, guilt flooding her face. Gion forced a smile, despite the pain.

"Don't worry, Ginny. This injury is nothing," she said, her voice steady even though her arm trembled slightly.

But before they could catch their breath, the pirates pressed their attack once more. Carl, seeing Ginny and Gion in dire straits, wished to rush to their aid. However, Whitebeard's presence loomed over the battlefield, a force that couldn't be ignored.

Carl knew he needed someone to hold Whitebeard at bay, if even for just a moment, to give his comrades a fighting chance.

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+115 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg