He watched as Gerard's hands transformed into two streams of hydraulic fluid, which rapidly coiled around his chain weapon. Encased in the pressurized water, the massive chain took on the appearance of a water dragon's spine.
"Hydraulic Water Dragon!" Gerard roared, thrusting the chain toward Bonney.
Umit stared in shock at Bonney, who was crackling with lightning. "Is that a Devil Fruit ability?"
Umit had never seen a Devil Fruit that could not only enlarge a user's arm but also generate such immense electrical power. "Is that even possible?"
It certainly wasn't logical. The power of sheer belief was simply too absurd!
Ryuuto watched with a satisfied smile. "Bonney... she really did it!"
Vivi shouted with excitement.
"She's got a few tricks up her sleeve! That Devil Fruit of hers is something else!" Crocus's eyes glinted as he watched the two clash, a thoughtful expression on his face.
As Bonney's version of the "Fist of the Thunder God" collided with Gerard's Hydraulic Water Dragon, a massive explosion erupted.
Boom!!
Sizzling arcs of electricity surged forth, relentlessly consuming the roaring water dragon. For the moment, the lightning had the upper hand.
But Gerard, a man with a bounty of 520 million, was far from finished. "A truly bizarre Devil Fruit! But this is not the extent of my power!"
The vertical eye on Gerard's forehead snapped open, and a powerful aura exploded from his body. He tightened his grip, and his massive chain was instantly coated in Armament Haki, crackling with arcs of black lightning.
Vwoom!!
It was as if the water dragon had been infused with immense power.
It reared its head, instantly overwhelming Bonney's attack, extinguishing her lightning before slamming into her.
"Damn, I might have overdone it!" Gerard thought, catching Umit's disapproving glare. He immediately tried to pull back the chain to halt the attack, but he was a fraction of a second too late.
Bang!!
With a startled cry, Bonney was swallowed by the Hydraulic Water Dragon.
"Aah! No!" Bonney let out a shriek as the torrent of water sent her flying.
"Well done, Lord Gerard!"
"That's our Lord Gerard!"
"He's invincible!"
A chorus of cheers erupted from Gerard's bodyguards.
"Aah... someone save me!" Bonney cried out as she sailed through the air like a broken kite. Fortunately, Gerard had managed to pull back some of his power at the last second, otherwise, she would have been seriously injured.
Under the golden sun, her soaked clothes clung to her as droplets of water scattered like tiny jewels, her cries echoing through the air.
Just as she was about to crash into the ground...
Ryuuto was about to dash forward and catch her when Umit calmly clenched his right fist. The entire ground rippled like the surface of the ocean, beginning to roll in waves.
Rumble...
It was an incredible sight. The once-solid ground had become soft and malleable under Umit's control, rolling gently.
"There it is! Lord Umit's Flow-Flow Fruit ability!"
"Lord Umit is the Flow-Flow Fruit user who can make anything flow!"
"Lord Umit!!"
Thump!
Bonney landed directly on the rolling ground. The soft surface absorbed the impact, allowing her to settle safely. The moment she was stable, the ground ceased its movement, becoming solid once more as if nothing had happened.
"Huh, I'm totally fine!" Bonney patted herself down, then placed her hands on her hips with a light laugh.
"A Flow-Flow Fruit user?" Vivi mused, her expression thoughtful. "To affect the environment like that... his fruit must be Awakened."
"Phew, thank goodness she's okay." Umit let out a sigh of relief, wiping away sweat that wasn't there before shooting a reproachful glare at Gerard.
"I told you to go easy on her! Why are you so reckless?!" Umit mentally cursed Gerard, whose brain seemed to be made of pure muscle.
Umit then turned to Crocus, offering an apologetic expression. It would have been terrible if his savior's companion had been injured.
Ryuuto observed Umit, intrigued. He hadn't expected the so-called "King of the Underworld" to have this side to him. The man known as the "Deep Sea Current" clearly had a past he cherished and a debt of gratitude he could never fully repay.
Of course, what captured Ryuuto's attention most was Umit's Devil Fruit ability. "A Paramecia-Type Flow-Flow Fruit? It can make anything flow!" Ryuuto murmured, looking at Umit.
That Devil Fruit was a perfect match for him. In the Calm Belt, an ability like that would solve the problem of ships being stranded without wind.
It really was true... the Devil Fruit chooses its user.
"Umit, I never thought you'd find a Devil Fruit so perfectly suited for you!" Crocus said with a smile, stroking his beard.
"Gurururururu, it was pure coincidence, really..." Umit replied, tilting his head back as his thoughts drifted elsewhere.
"Ryuuto, I don't think I'm cut out for using a sword," Bonney said, walking over to him after glancing at the old man and the giant. She pointed to the Sandai Kitetsu at her waist.
"Hmm... I suppose that's normal," Ryuuto replied after a moment's thought. It seemed Bonney just preferred fighting with her fists.
"Does that mean... I'm not a very good teacher?" Ryuuto wondered, rubbing his chin.
Meanwhile, the massive Gerard stood awkwardly to the side, feeling completely ignored. He quickly reverted to his human form and re-wrapped the chain around his body.
And then came the much-anticipated feast.
Perhaps because he was reunited with Crocus, Umit was in an excellent mood. Not only did he bring out several large barrels of fine liquor, but he also gifted Ryuuto a considerable amount of munitions free of charge.
After an inspection by the connoisseur, Vivi, the liquor was confirmed to be perfectly aged and incredibly rich in flavor.
"This is great stuff!" Vivi exclaimed to the crowd, her face flushed after downing a large mug.
Buggy and Foxy were also drinking, and as they grew more intoxicated, they had their arms slung around each other's shoulders.
As for the giant Gerard, he was sitting across from Bonney. An enormous spread of food was laid out between them. It seemed that after their battle, they had moved on to an eating contest.
"Go, Lord Gerard!"
"You can do it, Bonney!"
Cabaji and the others cheered for Bonney, while the bodyguards Umit had brought were rooting for Gerard.
Ryuuto, Umit, and Crocus sat together, enjoying the food and swapping stories of their adventures on the sea. Amidst the revelry, they also finalized the details of their future partnership.
In the future, Umit would supply Ryuuto with weapons and munitions at near-cost prices, and even provide Devil Fruits. These items would then be sold at auction.
Everything was falling into place.
The party flew by in a whirlwind of boisterous laughter.