Chapter 243: Kuma Insists on Leaving

Words : 1185 Updated : Oct 15th, 2025

Chapter 243 - 243: Kuma Insists on Leaving Nighttime at the Dream Pirates' villa. After hours of feasting, everyone was full and satisfied. Bonney, in particular, had eaten enough food for hundreds of people all by herself. It was the happiest day she had experienced in years. She found her father, joined a joyful banquet, and for the first time ever, ate until she was completely full. The girls had all gone to rest, leaving only Ryuen, Hog, Kuma, his daughter, and the members of the Bonney Pirates still present. The Bonney Pirates were already fast asleep on the grass, having eaten their fill. Kuma held the now-sleeping Bonney in his arms, his eyes filled with fatherly love as he gazed at her. Ryuen noticed that Kuma's eyes were slightly wet, and beneath it, there was a hint of sorrow and reluctance. "Captain Ryuen, can I ask you for a favor?" Kuma looked at Ryuen and asked softly. "You're leaving, aren't you?" Ryuen's brows furrowed the moment he heard Kuma's words. "I have no choice. If I stay with Bonney, she'll be in danger. That's why I've stayed away from her all this time," Kuma said gently. Hearing this, Ryuen's frown deepened. "Are you... about to lose your consciousness?" Ryuen asked. Kuma was momentarily stunned but quickly regained his composure. Given Ryuen's ties to the Celestial Dragons, it wasn't surprising that he knew. "Yes... after multiple modifications, it's getting harder and harder for me to stay aware of myself," Kuma admitted, his voice filled with sadness. Ryuen clenched his fists. He wanted nothing more than to kill Saturn. That man had torn Kuma away from Ginny, experimented on Ginny, made Bonney's childhood miserable, and condemned Kuma to a tragic life. Among the Five Elders, if anyone deserved to die the most, it had to be Saturn. But Ryuen knew he still wasn't strong enough to take on the entire world. Otherwise, he would've stormed Mary Geoise already and slaughtered those monsters himself. "You want me to take care of Bonney?" Ryuen asked. "Yes... I know it's a lot to ask, but there aren't many people I can trust. Everyone on the sea knows that Captain Ryuen cares deeply for children. And... I don't have much time left..." Kuma's voice trailed off, and his eyes dimmed with sadness. Ryuen's mouth twitched slightly. Even Hogg, standing nearby, had a strange look in his eyes. Ryuen loves kids? Sugar was the first to disagree with that! "I don't get it. Why don't you send Bonney to the Revolutionary Army? I'm sure Dragon would take good care of her there," Ryuen asked, puzzled. "I already feel guilty enough about what happened with Bonney. I can't burden them any further. Besides, Bonney wouldn't want to stay with the Revolutionary Army—she longs for freedom," Kuma said gently. Ryuen stayed silent, waiting for Kuma to continue. "Bonney will probably choose to be a pirate again, especially after I'm gone. So, after I leave, I hope you can look out for her on the seas," Kuma said, almost pleading. "That's not the issue here, Kuma. Have you thought about what Bonney will feel when she wakes up tomorrow and realizes you've left again?" "Not to mention, you promised her today that you wouldn't leave again," Ryuen said, a bit speechless. Just hearing Kuma's words, Ryuen could already imagine how Bonney would react when she found out he was gone. Kuma fell silent for a long time before finally saying, "I'll leave her a letter." "Alright, I promise. If anyone bullies Bonney out on the sea, I'll step in," Ryuen said softly. "Thank you, Captain Ryuen." Kuma seemed to relax after hearing Ryuen's agreement. He looked down at the daughter in his arms, the warmth and reluctance in his eyes becoming more apparent. thing more than a slave to the Celestial Dragons. Ryuen absolutely would not let that happen! During the Summit War, he would snatch the unconscious Kuma and hide him in Nami's alternate space. "Kuma!" "Waaah! X_X Kuma, where are you..." Early the next morning, Bonney's cries echoed throughout the entire villa, waking everyone up instantly. Ryuen rushed downstairs to find Bonney already about to run out the door. "Bonney, wait a second!" Ryuen called out urgently. "Ryuen!" "You know where Kuma is, don't you? Tell me! Where is he?" Bonney ran up to Ryuen, her voice full of desperation. "Kuma left a letter for you before he went. He said you'd understand once you read it," Ryuen said quickly, pulling a letter from his pocket and handing it to Bonney. By then, everyone else had come downstairs as well, all aware that Kuma had already left. "A letter?" Bonney hurriedly tore it open. The members of the Bonney Pirates gathered around her, all eager to know why Kuma had left. The Dream Crew didn't say anything. They just waited quietly for Bonney to finish reading. "Waaah! X_X Kuma..." The moment she finished, Bonney collapsed onto the ground, crying her heart out. "Bonney..." Her crew surrounded her, worried. The Dream Crew members also felt sorry for her. After all, she was just a nine-year-old girl. She hadn't seen her father in years, had gone through so much to escape from a place filled with World Government agents, and had struggled to survive. After all that hardship, she finally found her father... Only for him to leave again after spending barely half a day with her. How could a nine-year-old girl handle that? Looking at the devastated Bonney, Ryuen felt terrible too. This whole family had been completely ruined by the Celestial Dragons. "Bonney, don't worry. Within two years at most, I promise I'll bring Kuma back to you," Ryuen said firmly. Bonney's teary eyes widened as she looked at him, her voice shaking with hope. "Really? Ryuen?" "Of course," Ryuen said, meeting her gaze seriously. "Waaah! X_X... Thank you, Ryuen! I knew you were the best!" Bonney threw herself at Ryuen, hugging him tightly as she sobbed. Ryuen's body stiffened. Another "good guy" moment... But... Because of Kuma, he had no choice—he had to go to Marineford during the public execution. Kuma's consciousness would likely be completely erased within the next couple of days. After that, he would become no After calming Bonney down, just as Kuma had said, she left the Dream Crew's villa and decided to continue her adventure. Ryuen didn't know what Kuma had written in the letter to Bonney that made her stop desperately searching for him. But this was for the best. Along with Ryuen's words, at least from now on, Bonney wouldn't be blindly running around looking for her father like before. **P.S.: Guys, taking a day off today—got an event!** --- You can read 10 Chapters ahead on my pat reon.com/GMadman

Chapter 243: Kuma Insists on Leaving

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