Hellfire

by Crossovernaru

My tribe, who once called the Redline home, endured 800 years of suffering thanks to the World Government and those damn Celestial Dragons. If these so-called "gods" and their stupid followers insist on continuing down the dark path they find themselves on, then I will gladly become the devil that drags them down into hell and show them what "true" justice really means!

3. Chapter 3

Hey all, welcome back to another exciting chapter of Hellfire.

Now as I previously mentioned, this chapter marks the exciting conclusion of the Escape from God Valley Arc. Admittedly, it ended up being longer than expected and part of me was thinking of dividing it into a two-parter. Then I thought what the heck and left it all as one, action-packed chapter.

Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this new chapter.

Also, for those of you who have not yet caught up on the Egghead arc, please be warned that the following chapter will contain some major spoilers.

If you are all caught up with One Piece, then enjoy the show.

Also shoutout to 3rd Dragneel for helping out with edits.

Disclaimer: Aside from the OCs I created, I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/elements from other fictional genres that may appear in this story.

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Hellfire Chapter 3: Escape from God Valley

"Sometimes the strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws" -Barbara Kingsolver

While amid a life-and-death struggle for survival, Belindo had prepared himself for a variety of situations. However, he can honestly say that what he was witnessing at this moment was not one of them.

After saving the tall child named Kuma and beating up the slaves who were forced to round him up, the attention of Belindo and everyone else present is captured by the arrival of the unusual boy before them.

It was not long before the boy had amassed a crowd of spectators, at which time he started preaching to them and giving them all a rundown of the situation.

"In all my life, I have never vitnessed so many ships gathered around an island like this. As many of you may have noticed, ve have become trapped in this hellish nightmare that nobody vill be able to escape from! And vhen it is all said and done, the events of this day vill be forgotten and forever lost to history!" the young teen preached loudly as all eyes were on him.

Belindo and his mother couldn't help but be impressed by just how charismatic the young man before them was. He certainly needed it in spades to steal the show like that. Then again, with a face like his, they doubt anyone would be able to ignore it.

"These tyrants have chosen to host their murder festival on this island vith the intent to claim its natural resources. As a result, they've captured 10,000 civilians and branded them as their prey for this godforsaken hunt." Proclaimed the boy.

In the distance, the sounds of explosions, gunfire and screams echoed throughout the valleys of the island in a macabre sonata of despair. Belindo's eyes became shadowed as he clenched his fists tightly. Iris watched her son from the corner of her eye while also observing the other slaves that had gathered around them. They ranged from men, women, and children, and some were even of different species.

"By the time this horrible festival ends in three veeks, not a single soul vill be left alive to tell the tale! I mean seriously, how is this game, no how is this vorld fair?!" He cried out causing many slaves to gasp in horror.

"But… they promised we would be freed if we managed to survive until the end of the festival…" a random slave muttered in disbelief.

"LIKE HELL YOU VILL! In all their previous hunts, they vere no survivors!" The large-headed boy cried out causing an uproar from the slaves.

"W-what? Why would they give us false hope like that?" Another random man asked with a horrified expression.

"For the thrill of the hunt." Iris speaks up catching everyone's attention. "A hunter thrives in the joy of hunting down their prey, especially if it puts up a fight. However, it is pointless for a hunter to hunt prey that has resigned itself to an inevitable end. By giving hope to desperate people, they will run and try to survive, which in turn allows them to indulge in their sick pleasures." Iris finished with a dark look in her eyes.

"It is exactly as the beautiful lady says! This vhole festival of theirs is rigged in their favor and none of us vill vin if we continue to play their rigged game! That includes turning on each other! Instead, ve most focus on escaping this game altogether!"

Belindo narrowed his eyes at this statement. He looked around and saw that even with the boy's passionate speech, people were still scared and hesitant. He took a deep breath and spoke up.

"He's right!" He yelled catching the attention of everyone present. "If we don't take action to save ourselves and escape from this hell hole, we'll just be playing into the hands of those monsters! I would rather fight and die a free person than become a slave and indulge these sick bastards!"

He may have been only a child to many of them, and yet his words carried such charisma and magnitude that the people couldn't help but feel swayed.

The big-headed boy smirked as he saw the crowd's reaction to Belindo's words. 'This guy… he's got the qualities of a leader!'

"You've got guts, my friend! Vhat is your name?" the boy said as he jumped down from the boulder he was on and ran up to Belindo.

The young Lunarian blinked at the question before answering, "My name is Belindo. This is my mother, Iris." He said as he gestured to his mother, who smiled at the boy.

"Belindo, huh! That's quite the name! I Like it! Mine's Ivankov, but you can call me Iva!" The boy said as he shook his hands which were held in chain cuffs.

After asking a nearby shark Fishman to free everyone from their cuffs, as well as have Iris give emergency care to any who needed it, Iva gathered all of the people they could find and had them gather around the young girl, who Belindo learned was named Ginny, who was playing with some transponder snails that had the World Government's symbol on their shells.

"All right then, Iva. Spill it. How are we planning to escape? If you're hoping we can fly everyone out, you'd better think again." Belindo said as he flexed his small wings for emphasis.

"Yeehaw, my friend! Vorry not, ve vouldn't have raised your hopes if ve didn't have a plan." Iva reassured. "Though if I am being honest, Ginny is the one who came up vith this brilliant idea."

Everyone turned to the girl who was too busy with her work to notice people staring at her.

"Yup, the key to our escape is the prizes in the festival!" She said with a smile.

"The prizes?" A random man asked.

"That's right! One of them is considered the strongest class of Devil Fruits and when you eat it, it gives you the power to turn into an Azure Dragon!" She said earning awestruck looks from everyone present.

With a knowing smirk, Iris glanced at Belindo who, for some reason, had a low rumbling reverberating from his throat, almost like a growl. Of course, barely anyone noticed this, so Ginny continued with her explanation.

"Another one of the prizes they've got is the Paw-Paw fruit! Don't let its cute name fool ya. It has the power to blast yourself and other people to distant islands!" Ginny said.

"It doesn't matter vhich Devil Fruit we get. Either one vill helps us to escape this hell and the Marine's siege. And vhile there are only a few of us, ve can do this!" said Iva.

"But it's impossible…" Another random civilian exclaimed. "Even if these prizes can grant us the power to escape, they're kept at the center of the island. We'd be killed before we can get close."

"I hate to be pessimistic, but he raises a good point." Said Belindo as he walked forward. "While my mother and I are the strongest people here, even we have limits. I mean we can easily beat the crap out of those Celestial Dragons, but it's a whole other story for the people guarding them. If we can't avoid them, then we're dead for sure." Belindo thought back to the two strongest and frankly darkest presences on the island. They sent a literal chill down his spine, which was saying something.

"You really should not underestimate me little bro!" said Ginny with her trademark grin. Belindo blinked and was slightly caught off guard by Ginny's comment.

'Little bro?!' He thought with bewilderment, causing Iris to laugh.

"Yup. I just so happen to be a pro thief and wiretapper. And about two weeks back, I leaked all of this info to the outside world." Says Ginny, causing everyone to look at her in bewilderment.

"You leaked out information to the outside world?! Is that what you have been doing this entire time? That is amazing indeed, Ginny." Iris praised, causing Ginny to blush at the praise.

"Aw shucks, you're making me blush." Ginny bashfully said. "While I doubt this message will be picked up by any public channels, I suspect that it will definitely bring in some pretty infamous characters eager to get their hands on the prizes."

"I get it. You're planning to cause a commotion and distract the Marines and the Celestial Dragons' guards by attracting outside forces to the island. By using them as decoys, we can increase our chances of getting our hands on those Devil Fruits without risking a fight with any dangerous enemies. That's brilliant!" Belindo summarized with an impressed look on his face.

"The only thing is, there are an awful lot of Marine ships here, so even if someone does manage to break through, we have no idea what kind of numbers could be assisting us. After all, a plan like this is gonna require plenty of luck and decoys running around." Ginny's last comment caused quite a few people to gasp as they understood exactly what she was implying.

Naturally, there were plenty of people who seemed afraid and nervous about risking their lives to distract their captors. After a tense period of silence, one brave soul stood up to break it.

"I can help with that." Said Kuma.

Suffice it to say, Kuma volunteering to risk his life by serving as a decoy shocked everyone. Especially Belindo and Ginny.

"Kuma… You do realize what you would have to do right?" Iris asked with a concerned expression on her face.

Kuma nodded his head and for the first time since they met him, he was smiling.

"My size and bulkiness will help me survive longer than other people." Said Kuma. "I… I hate to see anyone here risk their lives when we attempt this. So, if doing this means I can help other people survive, then I'll do whatever I can to help."

Belindo closed his eyes and walked next to Kuma before, raising his fist and placing it right over Kuma's big heart, surprising the young boy.

"The idea of a big-hearted crybaby like you risking his life to save everyone here without help doesn't sit right with me. So I'll be joining you to make sure you stay alive." Said Belindo leaving Kuma awestruck at his blunt, yet kind words. "After all, this world can't afford to lose any more gutsy guys like you." Belindo grinned raising his fist to Kuma. The boy wasn't sure what this meant, so Iris helped him make a fist with his hand and gently had him tap Belindo's hand.

"Ummm…" Belindo and Kuma blinked as they turned and saw the injured forms of the slaves that had been beating Kuma not too long ago. "W…We would like to help any way we can too… we… we want to make up for our horrible mistake." The former leader of Kuma's capture party stated.

All the while, Ginny was also looking at Kuma with an expression of respect and admiration at what he had just brought about.

"HEEE-HAWWW!" Iva called out. "Vell said, everyone! Come Hell or high water, ve're escaping God Valley together! Now let's do this!" Iva cried out, followed by the united shouts of dozens of slaves, who finally felt genuine hope for the first time in weeks.

As everyone cheered and prepared for the operation, Iris watched everything take place with a sad expression. A few hours passed as everyone prepared for the upcoming operation that would determine whether they live or die. Iris took this opportunity to walk toward Belindo who was hanging out with Iva, Kuma and Ginny.

Despite only meeting recently, the four were quickly developing a strong bond with each other. And while they all looked happy on the surface, she could easily tell that on the inside they were quite nervous about what was coming. At this time, their whole future was uncertain and for all they knew, they could very well die soon.

"Everyone." Said Iris getting their attention as all four looked at her inquisitively.

"What is it, mother?" Belindo asked his mother. For a few seconds, she remained silent. When he was about to ask again, Iris beat him to the punch.

"I will be frank… I do not like the idea of any of you taking such dire measures for this plan. Much less sending you on your own to deal with threats that you should never have been exposed to in the first place. If it were up to me, none of you would be going out there." Said Iris.

Naturally, this caused all four of them to start protesting, which she quickly silenced with a raised hand.

"However, I also understand that's not possible with our current situation. Everyone on this island faces overwhelming odds. The longer we stay here, the more dangerous it becomes. I know that you all must do your part to ensure our escape from here and I know I can't stop you. That said, I will also do my part as well." Iris said earning them confused looks.

"You and the other people here will focus on serving as decoys for the weaker people on this island. But under no circumstances are you to confront the more dangerous enemies. I'll handle them myself." Iris said with a firm expression.

"But mother! In your condition, that will-" Belindo was about to protest, but Iris was having none of it.

"Don't you dare!" Iris yelled causing Belindo to stop talking and making him and the others flinch. "You have the nerve to risk your own lives for everyone here, but won't allow me to risk my own for your sake?! DON'T YOU DARE GIVE ME THAT CRAP!" Iris yelled out.

A sudden pulse coursed through her body, causing her to collapse and cough violently into her hand. Belindo quickly acted while his friends watched with concern. He went through his mother's satchel around her waist and took out his mother's medicine and her special salve.

When her coughing finally subsided, Iris' mouth and hands were stained with blood. He handed her the vial, which she quickly gulped down. Her breathing improved and then she proceeded to remove her cape and clothing to expose her back to her son. At first, the others were confused and blushing at seeing Iris disrobe. However, when her back was finally exposed, Kuma, Ginny and Iva looked on with horrified shock as they saw the wounds on Iris' back.

As Belindo was applying the salve onto his mother's back, Iva's mind was in overdrive.

'I see… I vas pondering vhy she didn't try to fly away vith her son when this whole mess started. It vasn't that she didn't vant too, but rather she couldn't.' Iva thought as he watched Belindo take care of his mother. He also did not fail to notice that Belindo was trembling more than his mother was, even though his face remained impassive.

Belindo was panicking internally as he looked at the empty salve container and bottle that once contained his mother's medicine.

'That was the last of mother's emergency supply.' Belindo thought sadly. Unless they could leave this island to find more of it, his mother's condition would only grow worse.

"As you can see, I'm a far cry from the warrior I used to be. But even so, I still have more than enough fire left within me to put up a fight." Iris said as she got dressed and turned back to Belindo and his friends. "No matter what may come our way, at the very least I will make sure you all survive."

All four looked at her with surprise and awe. Belindo gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

"Don't talk like that!" He cried. "You're making it sound like you're gonna die! Like hell I'll let that happen! You are the strongest person I know. If you're helping us, then all of us leaving this island alive is a sure thing!" Belindo yelled with a determined expression.

"DAMN RIGHT!" Iva called out alongside him. "After seeing such remarkable displays of courage and devotion, there is no vay in hell I'll allow any of you guys to be killed!"

"Y-Yeah! I'll use every last bit of my bulkiness to keep you and everyone else safe!" Kuma cried out with his best attempt at a determined expression.

"That's right! We are all going to escape God Valley together!" Ginny cried out confidently while throwing her arms into the air.

Iris couldn't help but smile at the determination shown by the four wonderful youths in front of her. Before her son and his friends could say anything else, Iris wrapped them all as best she could into a big hug. The action caught them all off guard, especially for the three young slaves. For them, the action felt foreign due to the harsh environments they were forced to grow up in… and yet they did not dare shy away from this embrace, which felt strangely pleasant and comforting.

"You kids really are something else." Said Iris as she tightened the hug, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

"Brave and confident little, Ivankov." Iva grinned at her praise.

"Ginny, the young genius with a brilliant smile." Ginny's eyes widened and got a little brighter from Iris's words.

"Little Kuma, so big and strong and filled with so much kindness." Kuma's eyes started tearing up as he once again felt a mother's love wash over him.

"And finally Belindo. My son whose will and strong heart burns brighter than the sun… my little Morning Star." Belindo could not remain impassive as he returned his mother's hug.

"All four of you have helped to give us something truly valuable amidst our darkest hour… the miracle of hope." She said while tightening her embrace and her words causing all of them to shed tears of joy.

As they prepare to enter the literal fight for their lives, Iris looks forward with resolution in her eyes.

'These young ones… I can feel it… all four of them have the potential to change the world. No matter what happens, I will ensure that these children make it off this island alive!'

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Time passed and everyone waited with bated breath for the promised hour to arrive. Belindo and Iris sat patiently overlooking a cliff, their eyes closed as they focused their senses to their limit. After what felt like hours, both Belindo and Iris' eyes snapped open, and they jumped to their feet brandishing their respective weapons.

"Everyone get ready!" Belindo yelled just as loud explosions rocked the East and West coastlines of God Valley. What followed was an intense pressure as his Haki allowed him to sense the overwhelming presence and aura of the individuals that just made landfall. The sheer number and strength of the new arrivals was enough to send chills down his spine.

However, it was the strongest of them all which made him pause for a few seconds. The sheer willpower and commanding presence they exuded were beyond anything he'd felt before. So much so, that for a brief moment, all other presences disapeared as he focused solely on this one individual.

It was in that moment of intense focus, that his other ability kicked in and the voice of that person entered his mind.

'I will… BECOME THE KING!" The voice cried out with a drive and conviction so intense, it reverberated throughout Belindo's being. This moment, forever ingrained into Belindo's spirit, did not last long, as his senses picked up a familiar voice calling out to him.

"BELINDO!" the young man blinked when he heard his mother's voice reaching out to him. Looking around he saw that he and the small group he was a part of were already on the move. He had not even realized that they had started running toward their objective.

"Don't let their presence overwhelm you! Focus on what matters!" Iris urged her son as they ran through the forests and small valleys toward the center of the island. Fortunately, by this point, all of the World Nobles had been evacuated to another part of the island where he could sense their personal guards and Marine forces surrounding them, much to his displeasure.

As they ran towards the island's center, he felt hundreds of presences as they bypassed the blockade on both sides of the island and made landfall before heading towards the center as they clashed with the forces of the Marines and the Holy Knights.

Belindo blinked as he sensed something new. "Mother!"

"I know!" said Iris.

"What's wrong?!" Kuma asked as he kept up with the others.

"I am sensing even more people arriving on one of the coasts. From what I can tell they are fighting the pirates that just made landfall. They must be Marine reinforcements!" Belindo yelled.

Upon finishing his statement, huge explosions started to erupt all over the island, followed by intense tremors that shook the ground under their feet.

"Holy crap! It's absolute mayhem out here!" Iva cried out with his eyes popping out of his head. "This is perfect! Ve couldn't have asked for a vetter opportunity!" he announced triumphantly.

"Less yapping, more running! We're almost there." Iris yelled as they finally arrived at the city square which was already filled to the brim with both pirates and world government forces fighting one another.

"Stay behind us, guys!" Belindo yelled as he and his mother started to clear a path toward the area where the prizes were being held, cutting down any pirate, Marine or knight that got too close. They also had to deal with plenty of cannon fire heading toward them, but thankfully Belindo and Iris managed to cut them down with flaming slashes.

After a lot of dodging weaving and slashing, the group finally arrived at the chests containing the prizes. Among them were some large chests containing a variety of items and treasures ranging from exotic clothing to gold and jewels. However, they were only focused on the two smaller chests at the back.

"Stand back!" Belindo said as he slashed the locks open, allowing the contents to spill out. One was a fruit that was round and had the form of a three-digit paw print. The other was spherical with a slightly oblong shape, closely resembling a pinecone with its exterior-coloured blue and in the form of overlapping scales with orange leaves at the top. Like the Devil Fruit he had consumed, they both had unusual spiral-shaped patterns.

Kuma and Iva quickly picked them up. "Is this it?" Kuma asked

"Yes indeed, though I don't know vhich is vhich." Iva said with a smile.

Belindo blinked as he focused on the oblong-shaped fruit Iva was holding. He could feel that familiar rumbling sensation again as he stared at the Devil Fruit. He narrowed his eyes at the unusual feeling, but pushed it to the back of his mind. They had bigger problems to deal with.

"I think that one is the Devil Fruit that turns you into an Azure Dragon. Which means that the one Kuma is holding is the Paw-Paw Fruit." Belindo explained.

Before Kuma could ask how he knew that, Ivankov interrupted him.

"No time for questions my friends. Eat now and talk later." Iva practically ordered. However, just as they were about to eat the Devil Fruits, Iris' eyes widened.

"Everyone move!" She warned.

Unfortunately, Iva was too slow and was unable to move in time as the wall in front of him shattered open as a freakishly tall woman with pink hair smashed through the walls and grabbed Iva by the throat with one hand and snatched the fruit with the other.

"That was a close one. Sorry brat, but this Devil Fruit is mine!" the woman yelled with a grin.

"IVA!" Kuma and Belindo yelled.

The woman then turned towards Kuma who was next to Iva. "Now hand that one over to me too you little…" the woman never got to finish her statement before Iris appeared in front of her, her eyes glowing red with fury and the flames on her back burning brightly, causing the woman's eyes to widen with astonishment.

"GET AWAY FROM THEM, YOU BITCH!" Iris yelled before slamming her fist into her face. Iris grunted as she could sense how durable the woman in front of her was. However, empowered with the strength that only comes with a mother fighting to defend her child, Iris powered through and put enough force in her punch to send the woman flying back.

Unfortunately, it was not enough to knock her down as she quickly recovered and landed on her feet, her heels skidding across the ground before coming to a stop. She gave an eerie smile as she looked back up, a thin drop of blood going down her lips as she stared at Iris.

"Well, well. This is a surprise. Dark skin, silver hair, red eyes and flames coming out from your back. I admit I wasn't expecting to find a Lunarian on this trip. All that's missing are the wings." The woman sneered before her eyes wandered to Belindo, who stood protectively in front of Kuma, sweating nervously at the sheer power this woman's presence was emitting.

"Ah I see now. So, is that your brat?" The woman asked, causing veins of rage to appear on Iris' forehead. "I will take that as a yes. Listen up! Once I'm done with you, I'll be taking both that Devil Fruit and that little Lunarian brat! I plan to make a country one day where all races can live in harmony, and he would be a perfect addition."

Despite how wholesome that dream sounded, something about the way the female pirate said it put Belindo on edge. Iris jumped forward and brought her spear down on the woman who brought up one of her arms coated with Haki to block it. From the point of contact, black lightning manifested around them as the force of their clash resulted in a powerful gust of wind.

"BELINDO! KUMA! RUN FOR IT!" Iva yelled loudly as he tried to pull himself from the rubble he found himself stick under. "KUMA, EAT THE FRUIT! DON'T GIVE HER OR ANYONE ELSE A CHANCE TO TAKE IT BACK! YOU HAVE TO EAT IT TO SAVE THEM! EVEN IF VE ONLY MANAGE TO HELP A SINGLE PERSON ESCAPE THIS ISLAND ALIVE…" Iva raised his fist into the air. "VE CAN CALL THIS OPERATION A VICTORY OVER THEM!" He concluded with a triumphant yell.

As Iva told him, Kuma put the entire Devil Fruit in his mouth with a single bite, chewing the foul-tasting fruit as fast as he could. The female pirate cried in frustration as she tried to chase after Kuma and Belindo.

"You damn brats! When I'm done with you, I'm gonna…" She did not have a chance to finish her statement as Iris delivered a powerful kick to her stomach pushing her back before closing in and reengaging her.

"Didn't you hear me?! I told you your fight is with me!" Iris yelled as she and the pink-haired pirate clashed once more. Thanks to her motherly fury, Iris summoned enough power to match her opponent blow for blow, despite the latter being so much stronger than her.

As for Belindo and Kuma, the two of them were already running as fast as they could while dodging one explosion after another.

"Did you finish eating it?" Belindo cried out over the explosions and roaring flames.

"Yeah." Kuma said looking at the palm of his hands, which had suddenly grown paw pads. "But how exactly am I supposed to use it?"

"Only one way to find out!" Belindo said. "Let's head back to the others and…!" Belindo was cut off mid-speech when an ominous presence suddenly made itself known and for a second it made him freeze with fear.

"KUMA, LOOK OUT!" Belindo cried out as he turned around to confront the threat. Kuma, alerted by his friend's yell, turned around just in time to see an elderly man suddenly appear behind them.

Before either of them could make a move, an invisible force struck them both and sent them flying away, rolling along the ground before coming to a stop, blood leaking down both of their heads.

The old man slowly approached them till he was only a few feet away. Getting a better look, Belindo saw that the man had a white coat over his shoulders and was wearing a formal and expensive-looking black suit. He had some kind of hat on his head and a large white beard with a scar over his eye. He was holding himself up with a walking stick. Belindo frowned as he noticed the way he was looking at them. He looked at them as if they were beneath him, like how most people look down on insects. Needless to say, that look pissed Belindo off.

"You… you are that buccaneer brat." The elderly man spoke with a deep and apathetic tone and a cold look in his eyes. "Not only that but a lunarian as well. It seems there are still some of your kind crawling on the surface after all." The man's words earned a growl from Belindo who did not realize this his teeth had changed to sharpened fangs. He tried to get back to his feet, but it felt like some kind of invisible force was holding him down.

"… In the end, it matters not what you do. You can either live as slaves or die. Nothing else will be tolerated for someone of either of your ilk. Such is the will of the tides of time."

"... Are you somebody important?" Kuma asked while in pain and gasping for breath.

"I…I don' understand how someone can be born as either more or less important." Kuma said as he slowly struggled to his knees. "If you're born to be a slave… then what's the point in being born then?!"

The old man calmly observed as Kuma continued his speech. "If I've gained some new power now… then I'm gonna use it… to save as many people as I can… just… just like Nika!" Kuma proclaimed and in that instant, Belindo once again felt respect for Kuma as he also struggled to get to his feet.

'Kuma… You're one hell of a badass.' Belindo thought while smirking with mad glee.

However, Belindo also took note of the older man's expression. When Kuma finished speaking, he immediately noticed the dark look in his eyes.

"And that… is exactly why your people needed to be erased." He said calmly while his expression screamed with malicious intent. However, before he could do anything, Belindo appeared over him with his sabre raised high with the intent of bringing it down. Unfortunately, the elderly man was unphased and used his cane to parry Belindo's blow and grabbed him by his throat with both speed and a grip that did not seem possible for a man his age.

The elder narrowed his eyes at the boy. 'He overcame his restraints? Regardless of his lunarian heritage, he is still a child. He should not have been able to overcome it so easily.'

Belindo, meanwhile continued to struggle against the elderly man with a look of rage on his face.

"As for you, as troublesome as your kind have been to us in the past, I may still have use for you." Said the old man while Belindo continued to glare at him. "I will deal with you properly once I finish exterminating this buccaneer pest." The old man declared while Kuma adopted a fighting stance, ready to jump in to help his friend despite his injuries.

As Belindo struggled to free himself, his eyes darted to Kuma. One look at that face filled with anger and terror and something flared up from within him as his whole body pulsed as he felt something stir deep within him.

He then stopped struggling, which got the elder's attention. "You have plans for me...?" Belindo said getting his captor's attention. "To hell with that you old bastard! I'm the only one who decides what my destiny is." The man frowned at his defiance and tightened his grip, but Belindo ignored it and slowly raised his arms, placing them on the elder's arm.

"Also, didn't you say something about the tides of time deciding this or that or whatever?" Belindo asked with a grin. "Well, I could not help but notice that when Kuma mentioned Nika, that ugly-ass poker face of yours slipped. If that name can cause a reaction like that in one of the so-called rulers of this world, who don't have to worry about anything… then I guess this means that there's still something out there that terrifies the crap out of you. Which means…" Belindo raised his head and looked down at the Elder Star with a manic shit-eating grin.

"... that the tides of time still haven't decided on a victor yet!" the old man had become livid by now and started to raise his cane with the intent of silencing Belindo. In that moment, time seemed to slow down as the old man's cane rose slower than normal and Kuma was already trying to charge at the old man to help his friend.

"If that's the case, then there's no way I can just sit back and let you have your way. If you gods are so intent on treating the people's lives like nothing, then I'll become the devil that rises up to punish you." At that moment, not only did the strength of Belindo's grip suddenly increase, but his hands also ignited with fire, causing the man to flinch for a second from the force of Belindo's grip and the intensity of his flames.

And that second was all Belindo needed for his fury to explode.

"So do us all a favor and…. SHUT UUUUUUUPPP!" Belindo yelled as the flames on his back ignited growing thrice as large and their color changed from orange to pitch black unleashing bolts of red lightning all over the place and kicking up an intense burst of wind.

Suddenly, for the first time in years, the old man's expression adopted a look of utter surprise.

"BLACK FLAMES?!" He yelled incredulously before the hands gripping his arm also ignited with black fire, causing him to cry out in pain, releasing Belindo who fell onto his knees. Meanwhile, the normally apathetic old man cries out in pain and agony as the dark flames slowly eat away at his arm. Acting quickly, he made a chopping motion with his hand, severing his burning limb before the flames could progress any further, leaving him with a stump covered by a wicked burn.

He watched with horror as the severed limb he threw away was consumed by the black flames until it was nothing more than ash. As for Belindo, he was still on his feet hunched over, while the black fire burned between his wings. His face was covered in shadow, his eyes glowing white as a cloud of steam exhaled from his fanged mouth. All in all, he looked absolutely terrifying.

As for the old man, he watched the scene and for a moment, the boy's image was replaced by another figure. A large figure who was far taller than the average man, wearing tribal attire and had giant black wings on his back with a large black flame nestled between them. Aside from his white eyes, his face was not visible but one thing that stood out was how he looked down at the old man.

A thought that made him freeze with shock at the sheer absurdity that he, one of the Five Elders, the second highest authority in the world, was being looked down upon for a change. And that thought enraged and terrified him. The figure soon disappeared and was replaced by the boy again and the old man's gaze quickly darted to his damaged limb. He could feel that his arm was regenerating, but it was moving at a much slower rate than it should be.

"This… this is impossible! You… you can't possibly exist! Everyone from that cursed bloodline was wiped out!" He yelled while slowly backing away from the boy who was slowly advancing towards him. Even though the flames on his back had returned to normal, the old man remained nervous.

The way he moved, hunched over and growling like that with his eyes glowing white with fury. There was no way this boy was normal. However, at that moment, both the man and Kuma noticed a group of Cipher Pol agents heading toward them.

"Saint Saturn!" The leader of the unit called only for him to pause in shock at the state of the Elder Star and the demonic-looking lunarian boy advancing toward him who barely acknowledged the new arrivals.

The agent's shock quickly transformed into a fearful rage, and he unholstered his weapon, an action mirrored by his comrades, before pointing them at Belindo.

"THAT LITTLE BRAT HAS HARMED ST. SATURN! THIS IS A TRAGEDY THE LIKES THE WORLD HAS NEVER SEEN!" The lead agent yelled, causing Belindo's ears to twitch. "KILL THEM!"

The group of agents soon fired their weapons at Belindo and Kuma. The latter attempted to shield Belindo, while the lunarian looked on without fear. An explosion soon occurred as the ammunition bombarded them with a series of loud explosions. When they finally stopped firing, a cloud of dust obscured their targets.

However, when the dust cloud started to dissipate, their eyes widened when instead of bodies or their remains, they saw two large, scaled limbs of some kind shielding two figures behind a wall of membrane. By the looks of things, their weapons did not even scratch it.

"W-what the hell is this?!" the unit leader cried out.

The limbs then parted ways, abruptly generating a burst of wind that caused their hats to go flying. When it dissipated, they witnessed an awestruck Kuma looking at Belindo whose body was now covered in scales, his hands and feet replaced by red claws, red horns extending out of his head and a red tail swaying behind him. He also seemed to have undergone a growth spurt and was now twice his usual height. When he looked back up, the agents felt their blood freeze at the sight of two red-slitted eyes with black sclera glaring bloody murder at them.

"Wh-what the hell is that thing?!" One agent yelled.

"I-it's a monster!" Another cried out fearfully.

At the last statement, Belindo growled furiously before flexing his wings and bending his knees. Before anyone could act, Belindo kicked off the ground with enough force to crack the earth as his form disappeared from view. By the time the agents realized where he was, Belindo had already gotten in front of Saturn again.

The elderly man, still stunned by Belindo's earlier actions, barely had time to act as the young lunarian glared at him, smoke steaming from his mouth. As for Belindo, he let his instincts take over as he started sucking in large amounts of air. At the same time, he could feel a literal fire burning within his gut, generating more and more power as he sucked in more air to fuel it.

When he felt he had accumulated enough power, Belindo felt it rise within his gut and slowly make its way up his throat.

"You little…!" Saturn yelled regaining his senses and was about to take action to stop Belindo. However, before he could, Saturn's head recoiled back as he felt something collide with his face with incredible force. Ignoring the pain, Saturn glared at the source of the attack and saw that the culprit was none other than Kuma whose arm was raised in a thrusting motion.

"The buccaneer brat?!" Saturn yelled. His eyes widened as his attention returned to Belindo. A bright red glow emanated from the lunarian's mouth and Saturn could feel the intense thermal energy about to be released. And at such close range, with his body still in a state of shock from Kuma's attack, there was nothing he could do to stop it.

And with that, Belindo unleashed his fury.

"INFERNAL BREATH!" Belindo yelled as he unleashed a massive beam of red fire from his mouth that completely enveloped Saturn, sending him flying back through a building and straight into the mountain behind it.

The agents and Kuma watched with their eyes bulging out of their heads as Belindo moved his head dragging the stream of fire over the mountain, carving through the rocks and generating a stream of explosions.

"ST. SATURN!" The agents cried out. However, before any of them can take action to deal with this new development, the lead agent's face is grabbed by a red-scaled hand. As the red-hot scales burn his flesh, the agent cries out in pain as he is forced to his knees.

"Earlier… you mentioned that me attacking that old bastard was a tragedy the likes the world has never seen, right?" Belindo asked with a low voice while increasing the force of his grip, causing the agent to cry out while the others fumbled to re-arm themselves.

"You seriously have the nerve to say that? After what these bastard nobles did?! They claimed the lives of so many innocent people and treated them like animals, and somehow you have the balls to say that I'm the monster?!" Belindo couldn't help but laugh sardonically.

The lead agent finally had enough and fighting through the pain he was in, he thrust his arms forward, pointing his index fingers at the lunarian youth in a desperate attempt to harm him. However, Belindo didn't even bother to dodge the strikes as the moment they came into contact with his scale-covered body, the man's fingers broke on contact causing him to scream in pain. Eventually, he had enough of his captive's screaming and threw the agent towards his underlings causing them to tumble on the ground.

A loud battle cry caught Belindo's attention as he saw a swarm of knights and Marines heading his way.

"What is going on over here?" The knights called out. They all stopped with shock at the sight of Belindo. Along with the flaming shadows cast by the inferno behind him, his glowing red eyes and the smoke coming out of his mouth, Belindo's current form looked like an infernal demon that crawled straight out of hell.

"And what the hell is that?!" the head knight called out.

It was at that moment that the head CP agent that Belindo just tossed finally got back up, clutching his face in pain.

"Hurry up and kill that thing! He just attacked St. Saturn!" He called out earning gasps of shock and horror from the new arrivals. A moment later, they all brandished their weapons at Belindo, their murderous intent all but clear and frankly, it pissed Belindo off.

"I'm getting sick and tired of these guys." Belindo stated while raising his arms in an attack stance and cracking them menacingly. "Fine then. If that's how you want to play it, I will take you all on!"

Belindo blinked as he felt someone walk up next to him. Turning to look, he could not help but smile as he saw Kuma take up a defensive stance. Despite the boy's apparent fear, he still stood tall alongside his friend with a determined, expression.

"I-I got you back Bel!" Kuma cried out.

Belindo's grin grew even more feral as he laughed, which frightened the enemy even more.

"And I got yours, Kuma!" said Belindo.

And with that, the enemy forces quickly recovered from their stupor and finally launched their attack, charging toward Belindo and Kuma with the intent to kill.

"BRING IT ON!" Belindo and Kuma cried out as they met their opponents head-on.

---

Iris was panting in exhaustion, blood leaking down the side of her head. Her whole body was shaking as she tightly gripped her spear, pointing it at the female pirate in front of her, who did not look the least bit concerned by her opponent.

"Mamamamama, seems like you got more bark to your bite than I thought." The pink-haired woman laughed as she stared down the lunarian. Unlike Iris who was covered in injuries, her opponent only had a few scratches and did not even look like she had broken a sweat during their battle. Furthermore, hovering above her was an evil-looking fireball with slanted pupil-less eyes and a sinister-looking mouth.

"You should feel proud of yourself, my dear. It's not every day that you meet someone capable of surviving this long against Charlotte "Big Mom" Linlin. Tell you what. Why don't you accept my offer from before?" Big Mom asked Iris.

"What?!" Iris asked incredulously.

"Even without the wings, you're still a lunarian. It would be a waste for you to die here. The same goes for your boy. I told you before, didn't I? I want to create a country where every species in the world can live harmoniously with one another." Charlotte explained with a big grin. "Your race is a dying breed so it would be wasteful for it to end today when you and your boy can create an eternal legacy at my side. Plus, I bet it must get pretty tiring hiding from the world, right? Well, in my country you and he won't ever have to worry about that. After all, speaking as a mother myself, you gotta do what's best for your boy after all. So, what do you say?"

Iris remained quiet for a few seconds, her hair shadowing her eyes. Just as Big Mom was gonna ask her again, Iris started to laugh. It started as a low chuckle before quickly erupting into full-blown laughter.

"Me and my boy… join you?" Iris asked lightly swaying on her feet. "That's such a tempting offer… but I'm afraid I'll have to pass." Iris said with a cocky grin.

"…What?!" Big Mom asked with a tense tone as she narrowed her eyes.

"You see, I don't have a lot of time left in this world. So when I finally do kick the bucket, there won't be anyone left to protect my son from you. Sure you may be a mother, but just from fighting you, I can tell right away that our parenting styles are different and honestly… I do not approve." Iris said while looking at Big Mom with a calm expression, while the latter was looking more and more infuriated.

"For me, my son is more precious than anything in the world. But in your case, I can tell that your children are nothing more than a means to an end for you. And I will be damned if I let you anywhere near my boy. So no, I will not be accepting your offer, so I'm afraid our little dance will have to drag on just a little longer." Iris spoke with confidence, completely unbothered by the waves of anger radiating from her opponent.

Meanwhile, Iva, who had managed to free himself from the rubble he was under, was observing the battlefield from a close, yet safe as possible distance. As he observed their conversation, he could not help but feel awed by the lunarian mother's incredible will.

"Miss Iris… such an amazing, strong-villed voman!" Iva uttered with awe.

Big Mom, however, was far from amazed by Iris's proclamation. As she finished gritting her teeth furiously, she adopted a sinister smile, and the fireball above her grew in size, and glowed ominously.

"Well then, it seems like negotiations have broken down. If you are so insistent on refusing my generous offer, then so be it." Haki coated Big Mom's arms as she got into an attack stance. "This island will be your tomb! I'll just take your brat with me by force!"

Despite the dangerous situation she now found herself in, Iris grinned with excitement. "Bring it on you sad excuse for a monarch!" Iris yells as she brandishes her weapon and prepares to charge.

However, it was at that moment when fate chose to intervene. Before they could charge a flash of red light lit up above them, followed by a series of explosions.

"Vhat the hell vas that?!" Iva cried out. Looking up, he saw that the explosions had caused major damage to the mountain overlooking the center of the island. Large cracks started to form from the areas damaged by the explosions, which quickly spread all over the mountainside.

"LOOK OUT!" Iva yelled out to the two women who looked up just in time for part of the mountain to start collapsing, sending flaming debris rolling down the mountain. This forced both female fighters to disengage from their brawl and jump back. In Iris' case, she quickly jumped back and snatched Iva in the process, just as the debris crashed behind them. When the smoke finally cleared, Iva and Iris looked up to see a mountain of flaming debris had filled the area in front of them, effectively cutting off Big Mom's pursuit. At least for the time being.

"Do you think this is enough to stop her from pursuing us?" Iva asked hesitantly.

Iris panted as she looked up at the wall. "Honestly, I have no idea. In any case, let's not look this gift horse in the mouth. We'll use it to put as much distance between us and her." Said Iris to which Iva swiftly nodded in agreement.

Their attention was then diverted to another explosion that happened not too far from them. Looking up with shock, Iris' eyes widened as she realized the direction the explosion took place.

"Belindo!" She cried as she started running towards the location where the sounds of screams and beastly roars echoed ahead of them. As they ran, Iris was in deep thought, before she suddenly spoke up.

"Iva." The young slave looked up to Iris as she continued to stare forward, her gaze unflinching, "I need you to do me a favor."

Meanwhile, Big Mom looked up at the fallen debris that blocked her from her target. She gritted her teeth in frustration.

"Tcchhh, how annoying." She said angrily and looked like she was gonna get ready to charge through. However, she hesitated for a bit before cancelling her attack, causing the massive fireball above her to shrink in size, transforming into a cartoonish-looking sunl that hovered next to her. "Ah screw it. Chasing down a dying Lunarian is not worth my time."

She brought her hand behind her back and pulled out the Devil Fruit she had robbed from Iva. "In any case, I accomplished my original goal, so it's not like I'll be leaving empty-handed." She said with a chuckle. "Still, it's a shame I already have a Devil Fruit power. Otherwise, I would eat this… Then again I could always give it to that brat Kaido in exchange for a life debt. With a power like this, there is no way that upstart would dare to refuse, mamamama!"

She turned around and started running back to where she last saw her crewmates, she could sense that they were all engaged in battle against the forces of the Marines, Holy Knights and the Roger Pirates.

"I better get going or those bastards are going to have all the fun! Come, Prometheus!" Big Mom yelled to the sun which followed close behind her.

"Yes, Mama!" It replied with a jubilant tone.

---

"Shoot them!"

"Look out!"

"The lunarian's moving too fast and the large boy is hitting us with some kind of Devil Fruit power!"

"Hold strong! We can get them if-AGGHHHH!"

Despite being older and outnumbering them, the combined force of the Marines, Cipher Pol agents and Knights that challenged Belindo and Kuma soon found themselves outmatched by the unique powers of both young boys.

Although Kuma did not have much fighting experience, his huge bulk and natural strength allowed him to take care of any foes that got too close and send them flying, while using his DF powers to keep long-range fighters on guard.

As for Belindo, he was already a threat before, but since he manifested his Devil Fruit powers, his physical abilities have grown by leaps and bounds. With his enhanced strength and speed, he easily cut through the enemy ranks and also took advantage of his powerful new defensive abilities to tank any gunfire, as well as protect Kuma from any stray shots.

As he thinned out the weaklings of the enemy's forces, the more experienced opponents began to adapt to his fighting style and used their desperation as motivation to push past their limits.

"Converge now!"

Belindo's eyes widened when he saw a group of Cipher Pol Agents burst out from the piles of debris around him. As they converged on him, Belindo lashed out with kicks, punches and tail strikes.

"Tekkai!" all the agents yelled as they braced their bodies to withstand the impact of his blows. However, even with their enhanced defense, the blows still hurt, but this sacrifice left Belindo open for the second wave of enemies to rush in.

"We got him now! Hit him with everything you got!" One member of the mob cried out as they started striking and kicking at Belindo with a wave of attacks.

"BIG BRO BELI!" Kuma yelled out horrified at seeing his friend get mobbed. Of course, his worry further escalated as he saw more enemies start to surround him.

Back with the mob attacking Belindo, it seemed like they finally got a leg up on the young lunarian.

"We got him! We actually…!" A knight tried yelling out before his cry of victory ended when the mob started getting pushed back. With surprised gasps and a loud cry, the mob soon tensed as a loud growl reverberated through them and a bright red glow emanated from the center of the pile. Then without warning a large explosion sent them all flying back.

As they all landed and rolled on the ground, suffering from painful burns, the fallen World Government soldiers all looked up with anger at their foe. But that rage soon turned to fear as they observed the sight before them as the smoke and dust cleared up.

In the spot where Belindo had previously been, now stood a large beast standing on four legs. Its serpentine body was covered almost entirely with red scales, except for those on its underbelly which were a tan color. A bright yellow flame burned brightly at the center of its spine between its large bat-like wings, followed by a large tail that flicked back and forth as the tip struck the air and nearby surroundings with the force of a whip strike, generating sparks with each blow.

As the creature's long neck rose up to tower over its enemies, they saw a reptilian face topped with a crown of five horns looking down at them with a ferocious snarl as smoke crept out of its gaping maw filled with sharp teeth. However, it was its large red-slited eyes with black sclera looking down at them with primal fury that made them realize one thing: that they were completely and utterly screwed.

Before they could even scream, the red dragon in front of them unleashed a powerful roar that forced them all to cover their ears. Before they had a chance to recover, Belindo unleashed a stream of fire, reducing them to ash instantly. When he was done unleashing his flames, Belindo unleashed a series of claw and tail swipes that sent numerous enemies flying into the air.

As he looked up and saw more men surrounding Kuma, Belindo growled before charging toward his friend. As he galloped towards Kuma, the soldiers in his path did their best to get out of the way. As for those unlucky enough to escape in time, they were trampled underfoot with a sickening crunch.

When he finally arrived, Belindo lunged with his jaws, latching onto one of the larger knights. The knight screamed in fear as Belindo brought him up in his jaws before rapidly shaking his head, and thrashing the poor bastard like a dog with a rag doll. When he was done, he tossed the poor soul over his shoulder before turning his attention back to the men around Kuma. As he chased and smashed them away, he made sure to use his tail to gently wrap around Kuma and throw him on his back.

Kuma cried out in surprise before he stuck the landing and regained his bearings. As he held on and looked around him, he could see that Belindo had started to tuck his wings close into the side of his body, allowing him to see more soldiers with guns attempting to fire at them, while the remaining close-quarter combat fighters prepared to rush them one last time.

"Kuma!" Belindo bellowed with a deep and distorted voice. "I strike, you shoot!"

While initially confused, Kuma quickly caught on to what Belindo meant as he nodded in confirmation.

Thus, Belindo continued his attack on the soldiers closing in on them while Kuma used his Devil Fruit power to send condensed air bubbles at soldiers trying to snipe them from a distance. As Belindo stomped around, crushing any unfortunate soldiers while roaring, Kuma was screaming like a madman as he thrusted rapidly in all directions sending as many paw bubbles as he could produce.

After a while, both Kuma and Belindo stopped their rampage with Kuma slumping forward on Belindo's scaly neck, breathing heavily, while Belindo's body slumped forward as he also took in large gulps of air to calm down from the primal rage that had been driving him since he transformed.

It wasn't until after a few tense moments of silence that the two boys realized something. No one had tried to attack them. They looked back up and realized that at long last, every last enemy had been defeated.

"ha…ha…ha…w-we did it…" Kuma silently said while Belindo silently nodded. Kuma's body trembled a bit before he raised his arms in the air. "WE DID IT!" he yelled victoriously.

"Ha…ha… yeah, we sure did Kuma." Belindo said slightly exhausted, but still filled with a sense of euphoria.

"A-and not only that big bro, but I was able to stand up for myself!" Kuma cried out with the excitement of a child. Something Belindo doubted that his friend had been able to feel for most of his life.

"Heck yeah, you did! You were really awesome Kuma!" Belindo said with a hint of excitement as well.

"R-really?" Kuma asked.

"Damn straight! You showed those guys who's boss and your power is frickin cool too!" Belindo said causing Kuma to blush as he looked at his palms with awe.

"… thanks." Kuma said overwhelmed with joy as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

Belindo smiled at his friend's innocent reaction. Looking at him, he could not help but wonder how long it had been since Kuma had felt this happy. The thought brought a frown to his face. Suddenly, his head snapped in a certain direction. One where he last saw his mother holding off the female pirate.

"Come on, we have to hurry! My mom and Iva are still back there. We have to help them!" said Belindo.

Kuma nodded as he held on tight to Belindo's neck.

"Once we find them we can go back to the others and use my ability to get us all to free-!" Kuma attempted to say before he was suddenly cut off by an intense pressure that suddenly assaulted them.

Belindo cried out in shock as his whole body suddenly stopped moving without warning. He could feel some kind of ominous force bearing down on him, making it very difficult to move. Despite his best efforts, he could not break free. Likewise, Kuma was trapped as well.

Then without warning, from the remains of a burning building destroyed by Belindo's first fire blast. A large spider-like leg emerged before crashing down to the ground. This was followed by another, then another and another, until finally, a large figure rose from the burning remains of the building, looming over Belindo and Kuma who could only watch with shock and horror at the sight before them.

"You annoying gnats have been a thorn in my side long enough!" The familiar voice of St. Saturn echoed around them as he fully rose over Belindo and Kuma. Unlike the frail-looking old man they first saw not too long ago, standing before them was a monstrous being the size of a giant with the lower body of a spider and the upper body of a human only with horns coming out of his head and his beard also seemed to have a grown as well. They saw that one of his arms, the one burned by Belindo's black flames, was still in the process of regenerating, but that hardly mattered when his other one was clenched tightly into a fist. Finally, a ribbon made of a dark, flaming-smoke-like substance had manifested around his shoulders and torso.

But what was even more terrifying than his appearance was the overwhelming presence he exuded. Coupled with his appearance, Saturn had left Belindo and Kuma petrified with fear.

"You may have caught me off guard before, but I assure you that starting now, you have my full, undivided attention!" Saturn said while glaring at Belindo and Kuma with his dark gaze.

Belindo's body shook as he tried but failed to tear his eyes away from Saturn's gaze. His whole body was shaking as it desperately tried breaking free of the invisible bonds keeping him in place. Not even Kuma whimpering in fear, was enough to motivate him to break free.

'W-what the hell is he?!' Belindo thought as his whole world slowed down around him.

He watched with wide eyes as Saturn slowly made his way towards them.

'W-we have to move. We have to get out of here!' Belindo thought as he continued to struggle. 'What the hell are you doing? You have to go now!'

However, Belindo's body refused to budge, and the fact that he was forced to watch as Saturn slowly advanced towards him only caused him to panic even more. Eventually, Saturn got close enough to be within striking distance and slowly raised one of his spider-legs and raised it high. After reaching a sufficient height, Saturn started to bring down his limb towards Belindo.

'MOVE! DAMN IT! MOOOOOVVVVEEEEE!' Belindo cried internally, but deep down, he knew he could not evade it. Deep down, Belindo prayed deeply for salvation.

'Someone… anyone… please help!' Belindo cried internally and closed his eyes waiting for the end.

Fortunately, someone answered.

One moment, Saturn was about to impale the lunarian and his buccaneer partner, and the next thing he knew he felt something fly through the air and cut into his flesh as one of his back legs was severed, followed shortly by one of his front spider legs. Both Belindo and Kuma's eyes opened wild with shock as they witnessed Saturn lose his balance, causing him to stumble. They saw that his severed limbs had already nearly grown back, but it was enough to buy some time.

Their gazes soon landed on the one responsible for attacking Saturn and a sense of relief flooded Belindo's body as he saw none other than Iris herself running towards them. All of a sudden, the flames on her back, which had been out until now, suddenly manifested and Belindo could not help but notice that they were burning more intensely than he had ever seen before.

Flipping in mid-air Iris slammed feet first into Belindo's scaly chest. The force of her impact was enough to knock the breath out of Belindo and even raise his much larger dragon body slightly off the ground. Just before she kicked off, Belindo looked down at his mother with shock, which only continued to grow as he saw the serious look she was giving him.

"FLY AWAY, BELINDO!" She cried out before kicking off, which sent him crashing farther away while she flew up and above Saturn, whose eyes widened at the unexpected interruption.

"There's another one?!" Saturn yelled in disbelief. He narrowed his eyes which glowed red, before Iris' body seemed to freeze while in mid-air. However, to Saturn's shock, Iris gave a massive battle cry and released a powerful burst of Haki, forcing herself free from her invisible bindings, and with a powerful kick she propelled herself full force toward Saturn.

"IMPERIAL FLAMES: PYRONADO!" Iris yelled loudly while spinning her body like a top creating a small tornado of flames. Saturn reacted by sending two of his legs to meet Iris's attack head-on, but at the last second, the tornado deviated around the strikes before resuming course right into Saturn's gut. The flames drilled into his body and pushed Saturn back.

Meanwhile, Belindo and Kuma, stared with awe as they witnessed Iris attack her foe with terrifying force, seemingly immune to whatever force he was using to keep them immobile.

"Big bro, your mom is amazing!" Kuma said with awe, a feeling Belindo could not help but reciprocate. Suddenly, he heard movement coming to his side and turned around in time to see Ivankov land on his back next to Kuma.

"Iva what are you-?" Belindo tried to ask but Iva cut him off.

"No time for vords, Beli-boy! Ve got to haul ass now!" Iva said.

Before Belindo could ask him what he meant, his enhanced hearing picked up the sound of several objects falling to the ground in front of him. Turning around, his eyes widened when he saw several stick hand grenades land in front of him. Before Belindo could even think, his body reacted instinctively and had already started to jump back and use his wings to fly away as fast as possible from the grenades, which exploded only seconds later.

The force of the explosion was such that the wind current it produced forced Belindo further away. By the time he regained his bearings, he was quite a distance away from Iris and Saturn, who was using her small size to her advantage to avoid the Elder Star's furious attacks.

"MOTHER!" Belindo yelled and was about to fly towards her when he felt something pulling on his wing. Looking behind him he saw Iva, in a surprising show of strength, wrestling with his wing and forcing it in the other direction, causing him to fly erratically.

"Iva, what the hell are you doing you idiot?!" Belindo yelled. "Let go, I need to help my mom!"

"I'm sorry Beli-boy, but I can't let you do that!" Iva yelled surprising him.

"Are you serious?! You're just gonna let my mother fight that thing by herself?! She'll die!" Belindo cried out.

"YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT?!" Iva retaliated with a shout of his own. "You think I don't vant to help her too and ensure ve all leave here together?! Vell of course I do! But as long as that monstrosity is here, there is no vay our plans to escape here alive vill come true. And your dear mom knows that all too well, which is vhy…" Iva shouted before he broke out into sobs. "Vhich is vhy she made me promise, as the oldest kid here, to make sure that you got out of here no matter vhat!"

Belindo was shocked to hear that.

"Iva, I can't just…" Belindo tried to argue.

"You saw vhat happened when you tried to confront that monster! He had you dead to rights and if ve stay here then our demise is all but assured." Iva cried out with tears running down his face. "I know you vant to help her, but as ve are now, ve vill only be an inconvenience to her. She knows this and she's doing everything she can, even burning avay at her life force to make sure ve get away! Now, are you gonna tell me that you are villing to throw that sacrifice avay?!"

Belindo looked like he was going to have a panic attack. He stared back and forth from where his mother was fighting to the location of the island where Ginny and the other slaves were waiting.

"I-I…I don't…" Belindo started to say but then a large burst of power erupted from where his mother was fighting Saturn causing a massive explosion. When he sensed it, Belindo felt a chill go down his spine. The feeling of this power, this Conqueror's Spirit, was so dark and corrupted. It felt inhumanely evil.

In his heart, Belindo wanted to fight and protect the woman who gave him life and raised and nurtured him. But his instincts, both as a dragon and a living creature, were telling him to run and survive another day. Unfortunately, unlike that time with Kuma, Belindo knew he could not deny them this time. With a heavy heart, Belindo turned around and flew away.

As he did tears fell from his eyes, turning to steam from the heat of his body. And his friends joined him in mourning with their tears and cries of pain.

---

Back with Iris and Saturn, the smoke from the explosion started to clear, revealing the current status of their battle. Unfortunately, things were not going well for Iris.

Iris glared weakly at her enemy with blood leaking from her lips, gazing down at the tip of Saturn's leg which had pierced her abdomen and was now holding her in the air. Saturn stared apathetically at the dying woman who was doing her best to hold back a scream from escaping her throat as the venom from the tip of Saturn's leg coursed through her body.

"A valiant effort, but lunarian or not, no matter how loudly an insect buzzes around a giant, they still remain insects." Said Saturn as he stared darkly at Iris. "The fact that you, a broken lunarian, thought that you could hold a candle to me is nothing short of absurd."

Despite her situation, Iris could not help but chuckle. "Then I guess, it must be pretty pathetic that this "broken lunarian" forced you to exert yourself so much. I can only imagine the shame that awaits you for this." Said Iris with a cocky smile.

Naturally, this only infuriated Saturn as he threw her down to the ground, hard. Iris's body skipped across the rocky surface like a stone over water before coming to a stop by crashing against a wall.

"You think you hold any value girl? You are nothing more than damaged goods. I have no problem with making sure you die a dog's death. Your boy, on the other hand, has the potential to be a credible threat. Once these other insects are dealt with, I will nip that bud personally." Saturn proclaimed before turning around and walking away.

Meanwhile, Iris was barely able to keep her eyes open. As she watched Saturn's giant figure walk away, she felt her eyes close.

'Belindo… I'm sorry…' Iris thought as her eyes finally closed. But as she did, memories started to play in her mind.

---

Somewhere in the East Blue – 10 Years Ago

A storm raged loudly overhead as a younger Iris ran through the forest, dodging gunfire and explosions that rang behind her. Glancing over her shoulder she saw a small army of Marine and Cipher Pol agents running after her.

"Shoot her down!" One of the agents yelled as they resumed firing at her. Iris turned back to focus on her escape, ignoring the bullets that grazed her body. Normally, she could easily fight them, but she could not risk it with the precious cargo she was carrying as she looked down at a small container.

Looking up, she finally broke through the treeline of the island she was on which was being battered by the torrential rain and winds. Fortunately for her, the winds were blowing in her favor and would aid in her escape. Normally, flying in a storm like this, even for a lunarian, was practically suicide. Unfortunately, she no longer had any options.

As she reached the edge of the cliff she kicked off and large black wings unfurled behind her as she took off into the air. For added measure, she turned off her flames, giving her an added burst of speed. From behind her, her pursuers finally reached the cliff.

"She's escaping!"

"Damn it, shoot her!"

With desperation driving them forward, they all started shooting at the fleeing lunarian hoping to land a lucky shot. Sure enough a few large rounds made contact, exploding on her bare back, causing her to cry out in pain. And yet despite this, Iris clenched her teeth and bared the pain as she renewed her efforts to fly higher and higher.

Eventually, she outflew her pursuers as she heard the loud explosions and sounds of gunfire fading behind her. But this was hardly the time to relax, the wind started to shift and churn wildly trying to throw her off. But that wasn't the worst of it.

No, the worst, was desperately flying through the disorienting sound of thunder echoing all around her and avoiding the lightning bolts that tried to strike her. Even for a lunarian, such a task was impossible and eventually, Iris's lucky streak came to an end.

As she encountered a pocket of turbulence, Iris was thrown into the path of a lightning bolt that struck her in her already damaged backside, which she just barely managed to cover with Haki to protect herself and the container she was carrying.

As the bolt struck, Iris screamed in agony. Her cries going unheard amidst the roaring thunder.

---

Hours later, daybreak was about to rise over the island of God Valley. In an isolated part of the island, something fell out of the sky and crash-landed into one of the island's isolated canyons. As the dust cleared, Iris stumbled forward before collapsing onto her knees, and eventually her side, but not before gently setting the package down next to her.

Iris cried silent tears as she drew in laboured breaths to try and quell the pain her body was in. Her once glorious wings were now burned and smoking, damaged beyond repair as they twitched from her futile movements to move them.

"I…I got away…" she cried out with tears flowing from her eyes. As the events of that night finally caught up to her, she started to collapse from exhaustion.

'No… this place is too exposed… I… I have to keep…going… I… I can't…" Iris thought desperately as she tried and failed to keep her eyes open.

Just as they were about to close, a muffled sound reached her ears. Suddenly, the desire to fall asleep disappeared as something called out to her. She crawled forward to the container and undid the bindings holding it closed.

When she opened it, she was greeted with the sight of something that filled her with hope and new strength. In it crying his head off and waving his limbs all over the place was a young lunarian infant. By the looks of things, he could not have been more than a couple of weeks old.

Fighting through her pain, Iris gently picked up the infant and cradled it in her arms, shushing it calmly.

"There there little Beli. It's alright, the bad men are gone. You're safe now." She gently cooed with a smile as she kissed his forehead. Sensing his mother's presence, the infant Belindo started to calm down. For the next several minutes, iris gently rocked her child back to sleep.

Iris calmly stared at her son's sleeping face, before looking at the canyon walls surrounding her. She then looked at the sun rising overhead and how its light banished the shadows on the canyon's walls. As the sun's rays spread through the valley, they eventually exposed a hole in the valley walls.

Unsure of where it led, Iris decided to take yet another gamble. When she was sure Belindo was calm and relaxed, Iris gently placed him back in his container. She then slowly got to her feet, ignoring the pain of her dying wings and slowly walked into the tunnel. She did not know how far she had walked, but by the time she stopped, she came to a room filled with weapons and materials. If she had to guess, this may have been a mine or a base of operations for some historical event at one point.

Looking around her and at her broken wings and then at her son hidden in his special cradle, Iris knew what she had to do. After gently setting him down, Iris looked around for some materials. When she found what she needed, she disrobed her upper body, walked up to a wall and placed her hands on it, calling on her flames to superheat the rock.

When she was confident about the temperatures the rock could sustain, she turned her back on it. She took a swig of some old booze she found lying around and then poured the rest on her back, hissing a bit at the stinging sensation this caused. Once that was done, Iris picked up the handle of a stick wrapped in leather and placed it in her mouth. Then she grabbed the base of her wings behind her back. After taking a few deep breaths and steeling her resolve, Iris pulled with all of her might.

Her muffled screams of pain echoed around the walls of the cave, followed by a sickening ripping sound, an explosion of flames and the scent of burning blood.

---

Iris cried silently as she held her fussing baby to her breast, nursing him and holding his little hand. Iris looked even more dishevelled than before with her hair now matted with sweat and tears on her face. Most noticeable of all was her back where her once majestic wings used to be, now replaced with two freshly made scars.

And yet, despite all that she had been through, she still looked happy gazing at her son who had finished nursing and was now sleeping soundly with a smile on his face.

"I don't know what the future has in store for us… but know this my son, Morningstar D. Belindo…" Iris said soothingly before kissing her baby's brow. "No matter what comes our way, your mommy will always protect you."

Flashback End

---

As the memories flowed through her mind Iris's eyes snapped open. Gritting her teeth, she grabbed her spear and took off running after Saturn, the flames on her back burning more brightly than ever before.

As she slid under Saturn's massive body, she cut off one of his back legs, followed by one of his frontal limbs, with a burning slash. This caught the Elder's attention as he collapsed from the sudden lack of support once again. As he looked down, he was shocked to see Iris, glaring up at him with a crazed look on her face.

"Impossible! How is she still able to move?!" asked Saturn.

Even as blood sprayed out of her mouth, Iris unleashed a massive battle cry as she jumped into the air, her spear raised high overhead. Saturn tried to strike her with his arms, but Iris saw the attack coming with her Observation Haki. With movements that defied her current state, she successfully avoided the blows and even used the back of one of Saturn's hands as a springboard, propelling herself at insane speeds by unleashing a burst of flame from her back.

This sudden burst of speed made it impossible for Saturn to stop her next attack as Iris plunged her flaming spear coated with Haki through his upper brow and out the back of his head. Saturn growled out in pain from the strike and attempted to swat Iris off his face, but was shocked to find that his limbs were twitching wildly and failing to respond to his commands. As Iris pushed forward, Saturn found himself tripping over a destroyed home and into a mountain.

All the while his other eye glared with absolute hatred at Iris who was smiling with a mouth full of blood. A sight that made even someone as ancient as him feel on edge.

"You may be able to heal from any wound, but 'god' or not, your body still works like the rest of us mortals!" spat Iris.

Saturn's eyes widened as he finally registered where Iris had stabbed him. 'Her spear's piercing through my frontal lobe and out my cerebellum! My motor functions have been impaired!' He thought angrily as he tried to throw her off by thrashing his body wildly, but this proved difficult as Iris just dug her spear in deeper, pushing herself even closer to Saturn's field of vision.

"You crazy wench! You do realize this won't kill me. All you are doing is delaying the inevitable. After what you and your bastard offspring did today, there is no conceivable future where you live through this!" Saturn roared.

However, Iris just laughed. "You are some kind of idiot. Of course, I know I am going to die today!" She proclaimed with a manic grin causing Saturn to stop his flailing.

"I am well aware that what little time I have left in this world is slowly running out, but I don't give a damn! So long as my sacrifice helps my son escape this godforsaken island, then I will gladly lay my life on the line." Iris declared.

She then channelled the heat of her dying flames into her Haki-coated spear, along with a little more force for good measure. Saturn roared angrily and thrashed around again from the pain this action was causing him. Despite the bucking and thrashing sending waves of pain through her dying body, Iris refused to give up even an inch.

"If I have any regrets, it's that I won't be there to see my son grow up and shake this world to its core. Not to mention making your lives hell in the process!" She proclaimed as she slowly released one of her hands from her spear and placed it around the cloak covering her front.

"Before I meet my maker, give that Devil who lives atop the Redline a message…" Iris said causing Saturn to stop his thrashing and stare at her with shock. "Tell them and those other old bastards, that from the depths of the hell you created on Earth for my people, my son will rise up and pave the way for Nika's return. And together, they will tear you down from your ivory towers and liberate this world from your tyranny." Iris proclaimed as she unfurled the front of her robe with a dramatic flourish, and once again Saturn found himself shocked at what he saw.

Wrapped around her shoulders were two large belts packed with dozens of containers with hand-sized egg-like stones floating in pink liquid.

'Dyna Stones?!' Saturn thought as he silently watched Iris place her free hand over one.

"I know this won't kill you, but I bet it's still going to hurt!" Iris said as she applied pressure on one of the containers causing it to crack, causing Saturn to renew his efforts to try to throw her off once again.

"RELEASE ME AT ONCE!" Saturn bellowed.

But Iris did not relent, if anything she seemed all too pleased with herself.

"Once this nightmare is over, enjoy what little time you have left on this earth," Iris said as she gazed at Saturn with a smile that sent chills down his spine. "Because your Judgement day, and all those you serve with, is coming."

And with that Iris completely broke the container spilling the liquid and exposing the Dyna Stone to oxygen causing it to glow brightly with power.

"I will see you in hell, Saturn!" Iris declared with a proud yell.

As the light grew brighter, Iris smiled and closed her eyes, preparing to send one final message. She could only hope he heard it.

"Belindo…" she whispered. A great distance away from her battle, Belindo was still flying as fast as he could, but he faltered in his wingbeats when a familiar voice reached his ears.

"Mother?!" he cried out.

Iris started to cry as she had so much left that she wanted to say to him. But for now, three words came to her that she knew would suffice.

"…I love you." Iris declared with a proud voice before a bright light consumed her and Saturn.

A massive explosion rang out across the island as a dome of pink energy expanded from the area where Iris fought Saturn. All over the island, people ceased their fighting to observe the gigantic explosion. Miles away, Belindo, Kuma and Iva watched the explosion with looks of horror.

For Belindo, the whole world had gone silent, and he cried out for his mother with tears running down his eyes. He tuned out the rest of the world, including Kuma and Iva's voices, the only thing he could hear was his heartbeat as images of his past with his mother started to run through his mind.

With each laboured breath he took a new memory popped up. From his earliest memory of listening to his mother tell him stories of their tribe, to his regular training sessions with her, to their sharing meals together, as well as the both of them dancing and singing Nika's tune. With each new memory, his heartbeat grew louder and faster, until finally, all went silent as he recalled his mother's smiling and laughing face as she mouthed her final words to him.

And with that Belindo unleashed all of the pain he was feeling into one massive emotional explosion.

"ROOOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR!" Belindo roared with the loudest dragon cry he could muster. Unknowingly, he had also infused his roar with Conqueror's Haki, sending out massive shockwaves infused with red lightning that echoed all over the island. Not only did it cause weak-willed enemies to pass out, but the sheer magnitude of the roar also left even the strongest warriors temporarily stunned.

When he was done roaring Belindo looked down at the island where he lived his whole life and growled furiously at its current state. Belindow growled and his eyes glowed red, terrifying Iva and Belindo who could not even fathom what Belindo was thinking of doing next.

"B-big bro?" Kuma asked nervously, although if Belindo heard him he did not show it.

"W-what are you going to do Beli-boy?" Iva asked nervously.

Then to their growing astonishment, Belindo started to suck in large amounts of air, causing his chest to expand slightly. When he stopped swallowing air, Belindo's body started to rumble and Kuma and Iva watched as the flames on his back turned black and his whole body rumbled and hummed with energy. When the humming started growing louder they looked down and gasped as the black flames on his back shrunk in size, just as a black glow slowly travelled up his spine, growing in brightness and intensity.

When it finally reached the base of his skull, Belindo's mouth started to emit a dark glow as he prepared to unleash a dangerous amount of energy.

"BRACE YOURSELF, KUMA!" Iva declared loudly as he and Kuma clung tightly to Belindo's body, just as the lunarian-turned-dragon unleashed the accumulated energy.

From his jaws, a high-pressure beam of black flames flew from his mouth and flew straight towards the ground. When the beam finally collided with the ground, followed by a massive explosion. Belindo moved his head to the side, causing the beam to carve a path of destruction across the island, resulting in the black flames spreading all over the island, sending everything into chaos.

"HOLY CRAP!" Iva responded with his eyes bugging out of his head. "I knew this guy had an insane amount of firepower, but this is just nuts!"

Suddenly, Iva's rant was cut short as he and Kuma could feel themselves losing attitude.

"I-Iva, we are falling!" Kuma cried out as he and Kuma desperately hung onto Belindo's body as the dragon boy quickly lost altitude and was heading towards the ground. All the while, he was breathing heavily as he desperately tried to maintain altitude.

"Crap! That attack must have drained him of all the energy he had!" Iva cried out as he desperately slapped at Belindo's scaly neck. "Oi, Beli-boy listen up, we're gonna crash soon so make sure you crash somewhere close to our allies!" Iva cried out.

As Belindo fought a losing battle to maintain his consciousness, he could just barely make out Iva's words. Fortunately, he easily deduced the meaning behind them, so he maneuvered his body to glide in the direction towards where they last met their allies.

As he faded in and out of consciousness, Belindo managed to register the damage he had done to the island and its invading forces.

'W-what happened here? Did I… do this?' Belindo thought to himself.

With his enhanced senses, he could see and hear a lot of people who were severely injured or burnt to death by his attack. Thankfully, it looked like the area where their allies were located was not in the path of destruction he caused.

"…I'm sorry guys… I think I may have over done it." said Belindo gaining Kuma and Iva's attention.

"No shit!" Iva cried out.

"Are you gonna be ok big bro?" Kuma asked nervously as they flew closer and closer to the ground.

"I- I thinks so, but… I feel tired… That last attack took a lot out of me. Once I land… I won't be able to help you guys anymore. So.. you and Iva need to take charge and … get everyone to safety… I know it sounds scary, but I know you guys can do it…" Belindo said in between large breaths.

Kuma looked a little nervous at first, but he swallowed his fears and gave Belindo a determined look. "We'll take care of everything from here big bro! I'll make sure to get everyone to safety."

Belindo smiled, "Good to hear it. Anyways, you guys may wanna get ready… I think I'm about to…" Belindo wanted to finish before suddenly going silent.

"Big bro?!" Kuma asked.

Suddenly, the air around them started to pick up speed, and the ground got closer and closer.

"Oh, crap! I think he just passed out!" Iva screamed. "Hold on, Kuma!"

The buccaneer boy did as he was told just as Belindo's body collided with the ground, creating a trench through the ground until he finally stopped a few meters away.

After a few seconds of silence, Iva raised his head gasping for breath. "Holy crap, I thought I was gonna die!"

Then much to his surprise, Belindo's dragon body started to shrink and Iva and Kuma quickly got off and watched as Belindo's dragon form slowly transformed back into his usual appearance as he lay in a hole in the ground ten times too big for him. He did not remain there for long as Kuma quickly picked him up.

"Alright then Kuma, let's get going and leave this godforsaken place already!" Iva said with Kuma nodding in agreement. As he took off running, Kuma was in close pursuit, Belindo securely held in his gentle grip.

As they did so, the battles all over the island had once again resumed. Some of which were being fought on a scale so massive, it would greatly change the course of history.

As for the few noteworthy individuals who survived the events that occurred in God Valley, they would go on to change the world in ways none could imagine. Especially, a young lunarian who would become one of the greatest threats the World Government has ever faced.

---

Belindo looked around, gazing at the world below from the cliffs of God Valley. Instead of a war-torn country ravaged by monsters in human skin, it was silent and peaceful. Almost like the attack never happened.

Belindo blinked as he heard flapping behind him. Looking back, his eyes widened when he saw none other than his mother appearing behind him. With beautiful black wings extended behind her.

"Mom!" Belindo cried out as he ran towards her and embraced her which she happily accepted. "I-I thought I lost you!" Belindo cried out with tears of joy.

Iris chuckled happily as she gently patted her son's head. "It's alright Belindo. You are safe now." Iris spoke with a soothing voice.

Then she gently took him by his chin and lifted it so he could meet her gaze.

"I need you to do something important for me ok?" said Iris.

Belindo quickly nodded while smiling and hugged her again. "Sure mom, anything you name it."

"… Please wake up." Iris said with a sad tone.

As Belindo heard the request, he remained in his current position but his whole body was now shaking. If anything, his grip tightened around her, as she slowly returned his embrace.

"I… I can't do that… If I do, then…" Belindo whispered with tears streaming down his eyes which were firmly closed. "Please mom, don't go…" Belindo begged.

All of a sudden, the feeling of his mother's body vanished and he stumbled forward looking back up his eyes widened in panic as he saw God Valley in flames.

"NO!" Belindo cried out as he looked around him with desperation. "MOM! WHERE ARE YOU?! COME BACK!"

"WAKE UP!" A loud voice boomed from behind him.

Belindo turned back and his eyes widened when he saw his dragon form standing over him shrouded in flames while glaring at him with glowing white eyes.

"WAKE UP NOW!" the dragon cried out with a massive roar that sent Belindo flying back.

---

Belindo gasped as he woke up with a jolt, breathing heavily. After calming down a bit, Belindo finally registered his new surroundings, which was a room he did not recognize. Looking to the window at his left, he walked towards it and carefully peered out of it.

His eyes widened as he stared at a shoreline he was not familiar with. He did not recognize any of the landmarks and from what he could see there was no sign of any major battles having occurred here. Expanding his senses, he could feel the presence of a few people in the building he was in, as well as thousands of others farther inland.

Suddenly, the door behind him opened and he prepared to attack, but stopped when he recognized the familiar face.

"Iva." Belindo exclaimed as he stared at his big-headed friend who walked into the room with a new set of clothes while carrying a food tray.

"Ah, Beli-boy you're avake!"Iva said with excitement. His proclamation was so loud, that he soon found himself knocked off his feet when Kuma and Ginny came bursting through the door, having heard Iva's declaration.

"Big Bro Beli!" Both Ginny and Kuma cried with tears in their eyes. They enveloped him in a massive hug, causing Belindo to grunt as it took all of his strength to hold back Kuma and his bulkiness while Ginny hugged him from his side.

"I'm so glad you are ok!" Kuma sobbed as he tightened his grip causing Belindo to grunt from the intensity of Kuma's bear hug.

"You've been asleep for four days! You had us worried sick the whole time you dumbass!" Ginny cried out as well slamming her fists cutely against his side.

Belindo looked at his friends' crying faces and despite his current emotional state, it felt good to have someone worry about him besides his mother.

"Sorry to make you worry like that guys. I honestly had no idea I exerted myself so much like that. But I feel better now so rest assured I won't succumb like I did before." He said with a confident grin as he flexed his bandaged arm with a smile.

This seemed to do it as both Ginny and Kuma nodded in confirmation. Suddenly, Belindo's confident grin fell as he registered what Ginny said.

"Wait, did you say four days?! I've been asleep for four whole days! Holy crap what the heck happened?!" Belindo cried out with so much shock his eyes bulged out of his head and his teeth became fangs.

And so, the trio quickly summarized the events they experienced since he got knocked out. As predicted, thanks to Kuma's Devil Fruit ability, he was able to get them off of the island, along with 500 other people. And while he wasn't entirely sure where they ended up, they all knew that after what they endured, any place was better than God Valley.

They flew for about three days, before crash-landing on the shores of the Sorbet Kingdom, Kuma's place of birth. Thankfully they landed in the kingdom's southern section which was filled mostly with elderly individuals who were familiar with Kuma and his family, allowing them to live peacefully in his family's church.

As for the events of God Valley, all three admitted that they had no idea of what had happened after they left. The closest they were able to learn about it was via an article mentioned in a newspaper.

As Iva handed it to him, Belindo took his time reading it, carefully examining every line and taking in as many details as possible. However, as he absorbed the information, Belindo's curiosity gave way to silent rage as he clenched the sides of the newspaper so tightly that his hands were shaking.

Iva, being the most observant of their little group, quickly picked up on it.

"In the end, we don't know vhat really happened on that island after ve left. The only thing that hack Morgans seems to mention is that a large group of pirates attacked some world nobles on some random island and that they vere defeated and driven avay by Garp the Fist." Iva narrated though he lacked his usual flair.

All the while Belindo did not show his face which remained glued to the paper. "Aside from that, they don't mention anything else… nothing about God Valley, its people… nor even vhat those Celestial Dragons really did. In the end, the only noteworthy thing they report on is Garp's heroism." Said Iva.

As Iva said that, Belindo's gaze fell on the photo depicting an extremely buff, broad-chested and muscular man wearing a suit. He also had a scar over his left eye and had a very cocky grin on his face. A grin that only increased Belindo's fury.

'Monkey D. Garp… Hero of the Marines?… What a sick joke!' Belindo thought with narrowed eyes. Eventually, he took a deep breath and removed his gaze from the paper before handing it back to Iva.

Suddenly, a loud gurgling sound echoed through the empty church. Simultaneously, Kuma, Belindo and Iva all turned their heads towards Ginny who was pursing her lips while blushing up a storm as she held her stomach.

"Sorry, all this explaining got me a little hungry." Ginny said as she laughed nervously.

At first none of her friends said anything. Then the silence was broken by Kuma who stared off with a chuckle before erupting into joyful laughter. It proved infectious as Iva and Ginny also joined in as well.

As for Belindo, he was a little surprised by how the tense situation suddenly turned into a joyful one. Looking at his friends' joyful and hilarious expressions, Belindo could not help but join in on the fun. Eventually, the laughter ended and Iva walked up to Belindo while wrapping his arms around his shoulders.

"Sounds like this is the perfect time to enjoy a meal celebrating our friend Belindo's miraculous recovery." Iva declared. "Kuma do you mind cooking up one of your fabulous meals for us?"

Kuma nodded fervently. "Sure thing, Iva!" Kuma said before leaving to prepare their meal.

"I will help you Kumichi!" Ginny said catching Belindo off guard by the nickname she used for Kuma. He had to admit it was adorably accurate.

As the two left, Iva motioned for Belindo to follow him and they sat down at the front pew while looking at the altar, illuminated by the rays of the afternoon sun.

"How are you feeling?" Iva asked catching Belindo's attention. "You know vith your power and all?"

Belindo blinked as he placed his hand over his stomach. "Well aside from a major craving for meat, I feel fine. But every now and then, I feel this intense rumbling from my gut. Almost like a kind of growling sound. I only ate my Devil Fruit recently, so it is still taking some getting used to. Although it kind of feels like something is… well living inside me." He explained.

Iva hummed in curiosity, "Hmm, that's interesting. Some people say that Zoan-type Devil Fruits have a vill of their own. Perhaps that sensation you're feeling is the Red Dragon's vill burning within you." Iva surmised.

"You think so?" Belindo asked before he remembered what happened in his dream. "Actually, there may be some truth to that."

Iva laughed at his friends' reaction. "Vell, in any case, you now have plenty of time to get the hang of that ability of yours." He said.

Belindo nodded eagerly at that. "So what's your plan, Iva? You gonna stick around here with Ginny and Kuma?" he asked.

Iva shook his head. "Honestly, as much as I'd love to continue hanging out vith you guys, I've been cooped up for far too long. So I'm gonna head off to sea and bask in my freedom." Iva said with a smile raising his fist into the air.

"Sounds like fun!" said Belindo matching his enthusiasm.

"And vhat of you my friend? Vill you go to sea as vell?" Iva asked.

"Honestly, before I met you guys I probably would have said yes. But now... I think I'll stick around to keep an eye on Kuma and Ginny. I'd feel bad leaving them alone to fend for themselves. Sure, Kuma is tough and has a strong Devil Fruit power and Ginny is smart and resourceful, but they spent their whole lives as slaves and weren't taught to survive like I was. So I think I'll stick around for a while. At least until I know they can fend for themselves."

Iva nodded at his answer. "A truly noble endeavor my friend! In that case, vhen the day finally comes that you spread your vings and go out to sea, I hope ve can meet again!"

"Likewise, Iva, the next time I see you, we'll both have become strong enough to bring change to this corrupt and chaotic world!" Belindo said as he raised his fist to Iva which the latter happily fist-bumped with his own.

---

After Iva enjoyed one final meal with his comrades, he took off to explore the world on his own. Greatly relishing in the freedom that had once been denied to him. Meanwhile, Kuma and Ginny resumed their task of cleaning up Kuma's old home. As for Belindo, he told them he was still tired and decided to get some more sleep. Of course, this was also an opportunity to be alone with his thoughts.

From there, day transitioned to night and everyone soon went to bed, eager to rest up for the brand-new day that awaited them. Or at least almost everyone.

In the darkness of the church, illuminated only by the moonlight, Kuma slowly made his way to Belindo's room. When he reached the door, he seemed hesitant to disturb him at first, but then gently knocked on Belindo's door.

"Big bro Beli… you awake?" Kuma asked gingerly. When he got no response, he knocked again. Once more, no response. He then slowly opened the door to peer inside. Instead of Belindo, he found his sheets cast aside and the window open. Poking his head out, he looked around and saw some moss on an old pipe that had been disturbed. He followed the direction of the imprints and saw that it was leading up to the roof.

Having an idea where Belindo went, Kuma quietly ran to a closet on the opposite side of the church and pulled out a ladder, which he took outside and placed at the side of the church. When he finally got to the top of the roof, he was met with an interesting sight.

He saw Belindo sitting on the roof, but he wasn't alone. Perched on his arm and staring at him with curiosity while he fed it some meat, was a hawk. Kuma was entranced by the sight, he had never seen a hawk up close before and he could not help but think about how majestic it looked. The hawk did not look the least bit nervous and was very calm and comfortable perched on Belindo's arm. Heck, it even leaned in when Belindo brought his hand forward to pet it.

As Kuma watched the sight, he accidentally brought his arm to the roof, causing a sudden noise which startled the hawk, causing it to take off. As Belindo and Kuma watched the bird fly away, Kuma carefully made his way to Belindo and sat next to him.

Kuma could not help but look sad. "Sorry, for scaring the birdy away big bro." said Kuma while he twiddled his thumbs nervously.

Belindo smiled and merely tapped his big friend on the lower back. "Don't worry about it, she had places to be anyway."

"How do you know it's a girl?" Kuma asked with curiosity.

"It's pretty obvious when you know what features to look for." Said Belindo. "Back home, I got to interact with birds like that a lot. For some reason, most birds like being around me more than people."

"Is it because you have wings and can fly?" Kuma asked.

Belindo pondered the question for a bit, "I guess that's part of it. But at the same time, I don't think it's just that. Sure we have similar physical features, but our connection goes deeper than that. It's almost like we have a spiritual connection that allows us to understand each other on some deeper level, even if we are different species." Said Belindo.

Belindo's gaze soon turned skyward as he looked up at the star-filled sky above them which Kuma mirrored.

"I mean it's the same for people of different races too, isn't it? If people don't forge connections with others through mutual understanding and empathy… then we'll just continue to fight and hurt each other until only one side is left standing." Said Belindo while Kuma listened to him with rapt attention.

"Take you, me and the others for example. We all endured some form of trauma during a horrific event that moulded us into who we are. And on some deep level, the pain we experienced along the way made us look for others who went through the same thing. So even though we are all different, we still managed to become friends and understand each other, because of what we went through … Though if I have to be honest, the connection I feel with you is probably stronger."

Kuma seemed shocked by his statement. "What?" he asked.

Belindo quickly waves his hands in front of him. "Not that I don't consider Iva and Ginny my friends, I do. Hell, I would die to protect them. But, when it comes down to it, the both of us have experienced a form of pain only we can understand." Said Belindo.

Kuma blinked as he listened intently, which Belindo took as a sign to continue. "We both lost our families to the cruelty of the World Government. Not to mention that we are probably both the last members of our respective races, who were hunted down simply because of who we were born as… the loneliness and pain that feeling creates… it's the worst feeling in the world Kuma." Said Belindo as he placed his head between his hands as his shoulders shook.

"And when my mom… when she died… I… I felt like I was truly alone…" said Belindo as tears fell from his eyes and his whole body shook. Meanwhile, Kuma looked at his friend with his own tears rolling down his face as he remembered his parents and the love they had for him and how horrible it felt when he lost them. Of course, he also remembered Iris as well who reminded him of what that love and care felt like. Even if they were from different races, that did not stop her from caring and protecting him like he was one of her own.

"I am sorry you had to feel like that Beli." Said Kuma as he gently tapped Belindo on the back. "And you're right. No one deserves to feel like this. Especially, someone like you. You risked everything to help us escape… If I had been a little braver like you, then maybe I could have saved more people like your mom."

Belindo shook his head and wiped his eyes. "No, don't say that Kuma. The fact is, you're probably the bravest person I've ever met." Said Belindo. "I mean, after all the horrible things you've experienced, you probably have more reason than anyone else to hate the world and the people who live in it. But instead, you go out of your way to fight for others who are suffering. Even if they hurt you or even when the enemy is a lot bigger and stronger than you, you'd still risk your life for them." Belindo praised his friend causing him to blush. "There is a word for people like that. Do you know what that is?"

Kuma shook his head and Belindo answered him with a smile.

"A hero!" Belindo grinned as he gave Kuma a thumbs up.

Kuma stared at Belindo with awe, his eyes going wide and shining brightly with hope.

"I-I… thanks, Beli. I mean I don't like bullies or people that hurt others. Like I told that scary old man, I'm not gonna stand by and let people get hurt. I'll use my power to help those in need and liberate them from their suffering. Just like Nika would do." Said Kuma with a smile and puffing his chest out proudly.

Belindo chuckled at his friend's enthusiasm. "And that's another thing. You're also a believer in Nika. My mom told me stories about him and the cool stuff he did to fight bad guys. But how exactly do you know about him, Kuma?" he asked.

"My papa would always tell me stories about Nika when I was hurt or scared. He told me that no matter how bad and scary things got, once Nika appears and plays his drum, he brings smiles to people's faces and makes them laugh." Said Kuma with a smile. Suddenly, Kuma's eyes started to tear up, but his smile still held. "... Before he died, papa said that one day, Nika would come and take me out to sea one day. Where I will be free under the sun."

Kuma wiped his tears as he looked at Belindo with a smile. "And he was right." He said.

Belindo blinked as he processed the implication behind Kuma's words. "Huh?... Wait, what? you think I'm Nika?!" He asked with a surprised expression to which Kuma nodded with an innocent look on his face.

Belindo was silent for a bit before he burst out laughing. "Wow, that's a pretty big compliment. But nah. As much as I would love to be Nika, I have a feeling it's not me." He said earning a pout from Kuma.

"If anything, you're probably more likely to be Nika than I am." Said Belindo.

Now it was Kuma's turn to be shocked. "WHAAAATTTT?" Kuma cried with a comical expression on his face.

"B-but I can't be Nika I-" Kuma tried to deny but Belindo beat him to the punch.

"You stood up to the most evil old bastard I've ever met, saved 500 people from a death tournament run by selfish greedy assholes… and most importantly, your voice inspired me to take action to save someone in need." Said Belindo making Kuma tear up again at his praise.

"Sniff, you gotta stop making me cry like this big bro." Kuma sniffled.

"Plus, you heard what Iva said earlier, that power within your palms, they're like Hands of Liberation." said Belindo with a smirk.

Kuma blinked as he stared at his palms with a pensive look. "It's true, my power did help me save people. But you still did your part too big bro."

Now it was Belindo's turn to appear confused. "I did?"

Kuma nodded. "Yeah, when you unleashed that super awesome fire blast, you scared away all of the bad guys. When the people saw them run away, it gave them hope and the courage to escape. Thanks to that, I was able to help so many people run away from there."

"I did that? I don't remember?" Belindo cocked his head to the side trying to recall but failing.

"The way your fire got people moving to run to freedom, it's almost like they were Flames of Liberation!" said Kuma.

Belindo was silent for a few seconds as he mulled over what Kuma just said.

"Flames of Liberation, huh? That sounds so badass." Said Belindo, causing Kuma to grin as well.

Belindo then gazed at Kuma with a serious expression. "Well if we really are the Hands and Flames of Liberation, then we need to do our part to help Nika make his big comeback." Said Belindo.

Kuma looked confused and did not seem to understand what Belindo was trying to say. "Remember back when you talked about Nika to that old bastard? He didn't seem to care about anything, but the moment you talked about Nika he lost it. When I saw him react like that, I could tell he was worried about something."

Realization dawned on Kuma's face as Belindo continued. "That's right! If those guys are so pissed off by anyone that mentions Nika, a myth that most people don't know about, it just means that there is some truth to his existence." Said Belindo "What it is I have no idea, but one thing's for sure, the idea of Nika coming back scares people like that evil geezer."

"B-but if Nika really does exist, then why hasn't he returned yet?" Kuma asked.

"It could be because he's too weak right now." Said Belindo. "Mother often told me stories when I was younger, about a Devil that forced our ancestors out of our homeland and who rules the world in secret. At first, I thought she was just exaggerating, but after fighting that guy and living to tell about it, the idea of something that strong and evil existing doesn't sound so far-fetched."

Belindo hopped to his feet, perfectly balancing himself on the roof of the church. "The world is filled with corruption and chaos, Kuma. With the control it has over the world, the World Government rules with an iron fist. But if we get stronger, we can do our part to break the system down and eventually help Nika make his big comeback."

Belindo looked at his giant friend. "It won't be easy, and we may even die along the way. But one thing's for sure. I don't have any intention of bowing my head to those idiots in power and letting them run the world into the ground while using people like stepping stones."

Belindo raised his arm towards Kuma, "Listen up Kuma. Whether we eventually walk the same path or go on different ones, I, Morningstar D. Belindo, swear to you, that no matter what, we will give it everything we've got to make this world a better place for everyone regardless of who they are."

Kuma puffed his chest and grasped Naruto's hand with his large one. "You got it big bro! We'll give it everything we've got so that one day, everyone can live happily together, laughing under the sun."

Belindo and Kuma smiled warmly as they affirmed their voices to one another.

"By the way, if you are a follower of Nika, that must mean you know about his special dance too, right?" Belindo asked curiously.

"Of course, I do. Papa taught it to me and told me that people always laugh at the sound of his funny drum beat." Said Kuma as he started doing a little dance.

"Dondo-to-to! Dondo-to-to!" Kuma started to chant while doing a funny dance, causing Belindo to burst out with laughter as the dance reminded him of the one his mom would do for him when he was upset or feeling down.

However, while dancing, Kuma missed a step causing him to lose his balance and almost topple over the roof, causing Belindo to freak out with his eyes bulging out of his head.

"AH! KUMA!" He yelled while quickly taking action to save his friend.

After pulling him back up, Belindo was quick to berate his friend for what happened. "What the heck were you thinking dummy? Dancing on a roof like this?! Even you could have seriously gotten hurt! Don't ever do that again, got it?" Belindo berated with his eyes white and his teeth sharp like a shark's while exhaling smoke from his mouth.

"Ok, ok I got it, sorry!" Kuma said while rubbing his head, feeling embarrassed by his little slip-up.

After a few tense seconds of silence, where Belindo playfully glared at Kuma, the two friends suddenly started to laugh, as they sat on the roof watching the stars dazzle overhead. Enjoying the present, before facing the trials of tomorrow.

---

…

…

"You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." – Harvey Dent, The Dark Knight

…

…

34 years later

Chaos spread throughout Marineford as explosions rang throughout the island followed by the sounds of clashing blades, gunfire, cannon blasts and lots of screaming.

As the flames danced around the island, the shadows of people fighting were displayed on the walls and now and then, images appeared showing someone getting brutally stabbed and mauled by a crowd of enemies.

However, in one part of the island, the fires were burning with even greater intensity. A small explosion occurred in said area, creating a large dust cloud in the process. As the wind picked up, one part of the area was cleared, revealing a recently destroyed building with rubble scattered all over the place.

Suddenly, the rubble moved for a bit, before a large explosion of fire and strong winds scattered the debris. From the center of where the building once stood, an adult man walked out. He was over six feet in height, with shoulder-length white hair and was shirtless showing off his impressive muscular figure that was covered in various scars and only a pair of baggy black pants for modesty.

On his back were two giant black feathered wings with a flame burning at the center. The figure walked forward, disregarding the carnage around him, choosing to focus on the man who sent him flying.

The man brought his hand up to the right side of his face which was covered in blood from a wound he previously received. The man brought his hand to the wound before moving it away and looking at the substance on his hand. Narrowing his red eyes, he looked up at the person responsible for his current condition.

The man's appearance, which had been covered by the dust cloud, was slowly being revealed.

"…What the hell do you think you're doing…?" the man inquired in a calm tone laced with venom, his closed fists shaking with barely restrained fury, as he glared at the man before him.

"KUMA?!" the figure roared out with unbridled rage.

As he looked up, Morningstar D. Belindo glared at Bartholomew Kuma with the fury of a thousand suns.

Kuma, dressed in his signature outfit jacket, only had one arm free, while his other tenderly held someone in a supportive embrace. His appearance was obscured, but Belindo could easily pick up the sounds of a dying man as he released several gasps of pain while trying desperately to breathe, while coughing and choking on their blood. He had one arm dangling on the side, limp and broken with blood flowing down the limb.

As for Kuma, his eyes were obstructed by the mirrored lenses of his glasses, which reflected the light of nearby flames, giving him an even more foreboding appearance. While he appeared stoic on the outside, the shaking of Kuma's clenched fist spoke volumes about what he was truly feeling. As for his charge, judging by the sound of his ragged breathing, it was clear that he had been severely beaten to the point of immense agony.

As the two friends stared each other down, the pressure they were giving off was on a level very few could fathom. As the wind picked up again, a rustling of cloth was heard as a navy coat soared through the air before getting caught by a broken flag pole. As it dangled and waved in the wind, its appearance became fully displayed, revealing a vice admiral's coat.

The coat, its formerly pristine state now ruined due to traces of blood, soot and claw marks that scratched over the kanji for justice, was flapping furiously in the wind as the world around it burned to the ground.

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And that's a wrap on the first arc of this story. And what a way to end it.

Curious to hear your thoughts on this massive chapter and its conclusion. So please make sure to leave a review and let me know your thoughts.

Next chapter will feature a timeskip, as well as the next phase of Belindo's journey.

Until next time! Happy Halloween!