"L-Let himself get eaten?! Are you sure?!" Bambous asked.
"Good riddance if you ask me!" Wilmot yelled.
Cyl just continued to stare at the sand, completely lost for words.
Dubois slowly walked over to Cyl.
"Princess.. I'm sorry I came to this island.. there's been so much trouble.." Dubois said.
Cyl shook her head. The Barbarios princess looked up at Dubois.
"It's not your fault at all, Mr. Ubois.. this is that idiot Richart's screw up.. we expected you last night.." Cyl said, "But I see now you had more important matters to attend to.. I-I'm the one who's sorry, for not being a part of the escort group.." Cyl said.
"P-Please don't blame yourselves Princess!.. Richart played a great roll in defeating the Demonspawn.. if I hadn't gotten bit.. none of this would have ever happened.." Dubois said.
"But if you didn't get bit we probably would have never found out Mr. Burusu was the source of Life Force and saved him!" Bambous said.
Dubois smiled at Bambous and looked at Burusu.
"Yes.. that is also true!" Dubois smiled.
Cyl sighed stood up.
"I guess it can't be helped.. you can fill me in on what exactly has gone on since your arrival at our camp Mr. Ubois." Cyl said.
"We'll rest there for a moment then leave out for Joy Boy's Kingdom. He's been expecting you since last night.. your guest room in his castle had already been set up and prepared for you, as well as the grand feast." Cyl said.
Dubois was admittedly surprised.
"O-Oh?.. Really? He did all that for me?" Dubois asked.
Cyl smiled warmly.
"Of course! He wouldn't stop talking about you, he's excited to meet you!" Cyl said.
Dubois made an uncomfortable face.
"O-Oh.." Dubois said.
"Hm? What's wrong?" Cyl asked.
Bambous looked at the two with a confused face.
"It-It's just... the man who called himself "Val.." he's the leader of the Undead.. and the one who found me when I escaped Ae'zeon.. he said Joy Boy.. watched him die.." Dubois said.
Cyl's eyes shot open.
"V-Val.. is the leader of the undead!?" Cyl said nervously, "But.. he.." Cyl stopped.
"We're going to need to get to Joy Boy's Kingdom.. ASAP!" Cyl stressed.
Cyl quickly grabbed her spear.
"Alright things have changed! We've gotta go! Now! Everyone ready?" Cyl asked.
"I'm ready!" Bambous said.
"As am I, Princess!" Dubois said, "I'll follow behind you guys.. to avoid any potential threats from my curse.."
Cyl nodded and Bambous smiled.
The group began to walk.
"Wait!" Bambous yelled.
Cyl and Dubois turned back.
"What is it panda?" Cyl asked.
Dubois looked around.
"Where did Wilmot go?" Bambous asked.
"That's what I was just about to ask.. has anyone heared anything?" Dubois asked.
"Wilmot?" Cyl asked herself while staring at Bambous.
Cyl walked up to Bambous.
"Panda, did you say Wilmot? Former knight of the Crimson Order?" Cyl asked.
Bambous looked at Cyl nervously.
"Y-Yeah! Did you see where he went Princess?" Bambous asked.
"He-He died... ten years ago.." Cyl said seriously.
"Oh! We forgot to mention, the undead skeleton with us is Wilmot! Isn't that crazy?" Bambous laughed.
Cyl's eyes widened as she thought about the skeleton that was just with them.
"That skeleton.. was Wilmot?" Cyl asked.
Cyl bit her lower lip softly and tightly gripped her spear.
Bambous noticed, but before he could speak Dubois noticed something strange about the dust storm.
"Um.. excuse me you both.." Dubois said.
Bambous looked at the dust storm with fear and shock. Cyl turned to look at the dust storm and gasped.
The storm had originally come from the east and was traveling westbound but now.. the storm was moving south.. away from the group, and rapidly!
"Wh-What? I don't understand.. the wind direction has not changed!" Cyl yelled.
Bambous squinted and his mouth was agape as he shook nervously.
"M-Mr. Dubois look! In the storm!" Bambous yelled, pointing at the storm.
Dubois and Cyl looked at the storm and became shocked as the storm revealed Wilmot holding on to his sword as it was stuck in the ground.
Wilmot's body was flailing around like he was trying to avoid being sucked back into the storm!
"H-HELP ME!" Wilmot yelled, "It's-It's sucking me in! In the storm!"
"What is?! What's sucking you in?" Bambous asked.
"THE WORM!" Wilmot yelled.
Instantly, the dust storm retreated even faster and Wilmot held on tighter as Lord Wyrm was revealed to be sucking in the entire storm!
"WH-WHAT THE?!" Bambous yelled.
Cyl couldn't believe her eyes.
Dubois was completely shocked!
Slowly, everyone realized they too were being sucked in!
"HE'S-HE'S SUCKING US IN!" Bambous yelled.
Cyl became angry.
"I COMMAND YOU TO STOP THIS ATTACK NOW LORD WYRM! OR FACE JOY BOY'S WRATH!" Cyl yelled.
Every other time Cyl had threatened Lord Wyrm with the threat of an attack from Joy Boy the worm hesitated.. not this time.
"HE-HE'S NOT STOPPING!" Bambous yelled.
Cyl's eyes widened big.
"OH GOD! I-I CAN'T HOLD ON MUCH LONGER!" Wilmot yelled.
"Mr. Ubois!" Bambous yelled.
"R-Right!" Dubois yelled back, transforming his arm into a long black arm with long fingers.
Bambous held up his bamboo staff until it glowed a bright green.
"Go!" Bambous yelled, spinning and stretching his staff to Wilmot as Dubois send his arm to grab the skeleton man.
Dubois grabbed Wilmot and Wilmot grabbed Bambous's staff, the two attempted to pull Wilmot towards them but couldn't, not while they were being sucked in themselves.
Cyl raised her winged spear as if she was going to throw it.
"P-Princess!" Bambous yelled.
"Y-Yes! Throw your spear at it! Surely it will feel it and stop this attack!" Dubois said.
Cyl looked at Lord Wyrm with anger and launched her spear...
CLINK!
Cyl's spear bounced off Wilmot's armor as the skeleton was knocked out of Dubois's grasp and made to let go of Bambous's staff.
Cyl's staff ricocheted back to her.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Bambous and Dubois yelled in unison.
Time seemed to slow down as Wilmot looked at Cyl with regret and sadness.
Cyl stared at Wilmot with extreme rage and anger in her eyes, as well as tears. Cyl mouthed something that made Wilmot gasp.
"Die." Cyl mouthed.
Wilmot yelled as he was sucked into the giant mouth of Lord Wyrm.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Wilmot yelled, until he couldn't be heard anymore.
Dubois and Bambous looked back at Cyl with anger.
Dubois looked back at Lord Wyrm and raised his foot.
"ICE TRAP!" Dubois yelled, slamming his foot.
Ice immediately spread from Dubois's foot, trapping his feet, as well Bambous and Cyls' feet, in ice, preventing them from being sucked towards Lord Wyrm.
"Wh-What?" Cyl asked out loud.
"Great thinking Mr. Ubois!" Bambous said, before becoming angry.
Dubois and Bambous looked back at Cyl.
"PRINCESS! WH-WHAT ON EARTH?! I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY!" Dubois yelled.
"I KNOW WHAT TO SAY! YOU'RE A JERK! YOU JUST KILLED OUR FRIEND!" Bambous yelled.
Cyl looked up at the two angrily.
"Friend? FRIEND?!" Cyl snapped, "DO YOU IDIOTS REALLY THINK I DIDN'T HAVE A MOTIVE FOR THAT!?" Cyl yelled.
Bambous grit his teeth, Dubois listened angrily.
Lord Wyrm noticed the group was no longer moving towards him and slowly closed his giant mouth.
"WILMOT ABANDONED HIS POST IN THIS DESERT TEN YEARS AGO! DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE OF THAT BETRAYAL?!" Cyl yelled.
Dubois's eyes shot open as he gasped.
"Wh-What?..." Dubois said.
Bambous couldn't believe it.
"N-No.. That's not true! He told us-" Bambous was interrupted.
"DO YOU JUST BELIEVE WHATEVER COMES OUT ANYONE'S MOUTH?! IT WAS ALL EVERYONE TALKED ABOUT! HE RAN OUT ON HIS FRIENDS, ON JOY BOY! And he!.. he!..." Cyl choked on her words and her voice cracked.
"HE'S THE REASON OGRES TOOK MY BABY SISTER AWAY FROM US!" Cyl yelled, in tears.
Bambous and Dubois were both speechless.
Cyl continued to cry, eventually wiping her tears.
"I-I'm sorry.. you had to learn who he really is this way.." Cyl said sincerely.
Dubois and Bambous' eyes were shadowed out.
Dubois Castle (Present day)
"Th-That didn't change how you guys felt about him.. did it, Mr. Dubois?" Luff asked.
Kraken smiled softly at Luffy's question.
Dubois was silent for a moment, then smiled warmly.
"Of course not." Dubois said, "The man she told us about.. was not the man we met in that snowy forest." Dubois said.
Everyone aside from Akainu smiled at Dubois's words.
"It is wrong to hold the sins of a man against him.. especially when he wants to change.." Dubois said.
Unwelcoming Desert (903 Years ago)
Cyl continued wiping her eyes as Dubois and Bambous remained silent.
A familiar, deep, and bellowing voice broke the silence.
"One pest down. Three to go." A voice said.
Everyone's eyes shot open as the group slowly looked up at Lord Wyrm, who stared down at them sinisterly.
Bambous noticed something immediately.
"H-Hey... has-has Lord Wyrm.. always had that scar?" Bambous asked.
Cyl's eyes widened even further as she noticed the "X" scar over Lord Wyrm's face and thinking of Ju Peter's chest wound from the mast.
"N-No... this can't be! He didn't!" Cyl yelled to herself.
Lord Wyrm continued to stare at the group.
"That horse-man told me the truth..! I've done it!" Lord Wyrm boomed.
Cyl gasped.
"Horse-man...Marcus?! So... he did do it... oh my god.." Cyl said to herself.
"Ubois..." Lord Wyrm said, "Do you think if I attack you right now, I still have to fear death? I mean, what misfortune could I possibly face in this state?"
Dubois stared up with fear at the giant worm.
"He-He sounds like!" Dubois yelled, thinking of Ju Peter.
Ju Peter, in his new giant sand worm form, roared across the desert. The group covered their ears.
Ju Peter stopped roaring and looked at Cyl.
"You've done a number on me, but that stops now. That horse fool already told me defeating a Lord of the Land one on one is impossible!" Ju Peter boomed.
Cyl grit her teeth.
Dubois and Bambous continued to stare up at Ju Peter, wondering how in the world this was even possible.
Ju Peter focused his intense, red eyes on Burusu's body.
"Now.. on behalf of the World Government, I order you to hand over that corpse. NOW!" Ju Peter boomed.
Dubois looked at Burusu and back up at Ju Peter who looked completely demonic.
Cyl looked at Dubois as well as Bambous.
"There is NOTHING you can do against me now! Just DIE already!" Ju Peter yelled.
Dubois closed his eyes tightly, thinking of Tore.
"I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHY! WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?! I WOULD HAVE DONE EVERYTHING YOU SAID ALREADY IF I WASN'T KILLED BY THE DEMONSPAWN!" Dubois yelled to Ju Peter.
Ju Peter continued to stare at Dubois through his red eyes.
"That was.. indeed the deal you made with the other elders.. but since we were told of the king's body on this island.. with that power.. our real plans can begin." Ju Peter said.
Dubois gasped.
"R-Real plans?.." Dubois said softly.
Ju Peter stared intensely at Dubois.
Ju Peter's grumble rumbled the ground. Dubois's body trembled.
"T-Tore... I-I just wanted to do this all for you! To bring you here!" Dubois cried.
"And you can empty your mind of any thoughts of that boy coming here.." Ju Peter said.
Dubois's eyes widened.
"He already suffers from an incurable disease.. he will be dead in a few years... so die, knowing you will see him soon!" Ju Peter boomed.
Dubois's eyes shot open as his heart thumped heavily.
BOOOOOOOOOOOM!
A massive wind bursted over the desert, blowing sand away and knocking Bambous on his butt.
Cyl blocked her face from the wind as she opened an eye with shock as an evil, black energy, mixed with ice escaped Dubois's body.
Burusu's eyes shot open and glowed a bright white.
"You did what to Tore...?" A distorted, demonic voice said.
Bambous's eyes widened as hs gasped.
Flashback
"Old King Cold..." Dubois said with a demented voice.
Bambous was terrified by the momentary personality change!
End of Flashback
"That's-That's the same voice we heard before Mr. Ubois's crazy ice attack in the snowy forest!" Bambous said.
Cyl had looked at Bambous, then back at Ubois as she gasped at his transformation!
Dubois had become completely black, his missing arm not only grew back, but Dubois had grew two extra arms and legs! The legs grew out of Dubois's lower back, giving Dubois four legs to stand on.
An ice chain, manifested in Dubois's hands and slowly extended, becoming incredibly long, the slack having to be held up by two of Dubois's lower demonic hands.
Dubois's upper hands held up more of the ice chain, which held up two giant ice cages.
Finally, Dubois's head had changed shape, to a sharp, crescent shape, with an opening for his mouth, tiny, sharp teeth inside.
Dubois breathed out ice as he made the chains and cages black with life force hardening.
Dubois and Cyl were terrified. Ju Peter stared with slight shock.
"Is this the power those Demonspawn gave to you? You really think some transformation is enough? And what could you possibly expect to trap in those cages?" Ju Peter boomed as Dubois threw one of the chains far back.
The cage leaked black and red lightning as Burusu's body continued to stare at Ju Peter through glowing white eyes.
"YOU THINK I'LL JUST LET YOU ATTACK?!" Ju Peter boomed, sucking in the air again.
Bambous and Cyl thought they were for sure going to be sucked into Ju Peter's mouth this time, they looked down to see their feet frozen again, an ice trail leading from one of Dubois's feet and over to Cyl and Bambous respectivley.
"M-Mr. Ubois!" Bambous cheeered.
Cyl gasped softly.
"There's-There's still has a heart in that demonic form?..." Cyl asked as Dubois looked over at the two and back at Ju Peter.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Dubois blasted the life force enhanced cage straight for Ju Peter who watched with shock as the cage came straight for him.
CRASHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
The cage blasted into Ju Peter's worm body, shaking the ground and blasting red and black lightning all over the desert.
"Wh-What power!" Bambous yelled, blocking his face.
Cyl blocked her face from the wind as she watched the fight with shock.. and respect, as Ju Peter spit up something!
Ju Peter spit up blood and mucus, proving the blow was indeed heavy!
But something else flew out of the worm's mouth!
Bambous's eyes widened with excitement and happiness.
"WILMOT!" Bambous cheered.
Cyl's eyes widened.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! DON'T JUST YELL HAPPILY YOU FOOL! CATCH ME! I'll DIE!" Wilmot yelled, "Wait.. I'm already dead.. so how would that work?!"
Dubois blasted a cage at Wilmot, instantly trapping the skeleton man.
"Wh-What?!" Wilmot asked.
Dubois snatched the chain back towards himself and the cage landed, opening and letting Wilmot out.
Wilmot looked up at Dubois with shock.
"Is-Is that you, Ubois?!" Wilmot yelled.
Dubois, still in demon form, smiled, showing his small sharp teeth.
"I see..." Ju Peter grumbled, "So the curse is still active.. just in a different way.." Ju Peter said.
Dubois's Castle (Present Day)
"When the curse is activated before or during a fight, the damage the person who activated the curse receives is multiplied by one thousand.. and any random misfortune you can think of such as an attack just wasn't powerful enough, or constant missing of vital attacks, are common.." Dubois said.
Flashback
"None of you are even remotely on my level. And with my latest upgrade..." Cyclone said.
"I can do whatever I want with you.. after I kill all of you, the old man is next..." Cyclone said.
End of Flashback
Everyone in the room had their head down. Cyclone was under the handicap of their attacks doing a thousand fold and misfortunes the entire time, and still almost killed them all.
Unwelcoming Desert (903 years ago)
Wilmot turned around quickly.
"HE CAN TALK?!" Wilmot yelled.
"Yeah! When Lord Wyrm ate that marine guy he did someting and became Lord Wyrm!" Bambous said.
Wilmot couldn't believe what he just heard, thinking about Marcus.
Ju Peter leaned back with his head in the air.
"RRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH" Ju Peter roared, charging the group.