Bartholomew Kuma
A/N: If you want to see more chapters and support my work, go to my Patre@n to see more chapters ahead.
You can see more chapters ahead of everyone on my Patre@n:
WWW.patre@n.com/RK98
------------------------------
Brontes had just left the island and his next task was to return to Mariejois to speak with the Five Elders. He also needed to make arrangements for two additional pirates to join their ranks.
Brontes had some candidates in mind, but he expected that the remaining two would likely seek him out on their own. Brontes preferred to wait for them to come to him rather than actively searching for them.
"He's here." Brontes muttered in low voice.
"Who's there?!" The marine soldiers were startled to see a tall figure suddenly appear on the deck.
"Don't move!"
It was too dark to see clearly who the intruder was, so they could only grab their weapons and point them at the figure.
"Stand down, everyone. You, come here." Brontes called out to the mysterious person on the deck.
"Yes, sir!" The marines quickly put away their weapons, and with the illumination from the warship's lights, they could finally see the face of the newcomer.
"It's Bartholomew Kuma, the Tyrant!" One marine soldier exclaimed.
"The Tyrant?!" The name sent a shock through the naval soldiers.
"A pirate with a bounty of 296 million Berries, infamous for his cruelty. He's killed countless people, a ruthless pirate who doesn't hesitate to take a life." The marines murmured among themselves, looking at Kuma with eyes wide with fear.
"Quiet! You're embarrassing the Marines! When we return, I'll have new orders for you." Brontes scolded, he had had enough of these incompetent soldiers these days.
"Woosh! Boom!"
Suddenly, Brontes's anger triggered his Conqueror's Haki, which exploded outwards. The powerful aura swept across the warship, knocking all the marine soldiers to the deck, unconscious.
"Hmph, useless fools." Brontes muttered disdainfully.
"Brontes-dono." Kuma approached and spoke in a low voice.
Brontes glanced at the fallen soldiers, shook his head, and then looked at Kuma: "Bartholomew Kuma, have you come to get a position among the Seven Shichibukai?"
"Yes." Kuma responded without hesitation.
"I see. Your strength and reputation certainly qualify you to become one of the Seven Shichibukai. I'll grant you the sixth seat." Brontes decided on the spot.
"Thank you, Brontes-dono." Kuma said.
"Don't thank me. The fact that Dragon has allowed you to join the Seven Shichibukai says a lot about you." Brontes replied with a cunning grin.
Kuma tensed up at Brontes's words, ready to either fight or flee.
"There's no need for that look. I know more than you might think. If I had wanted to capture you, I wouldn't have offered you a seat. I would have just taken you straight to Impel Down." Brontes said, his eyes gleaming slyly.
"How much do you really know about us, Brontes-dono?" Kuma couldn't hide the curiosity mixed with a touch of panic in his voice.
"You don't need to worry about what I know. Just focus on your role. The position of Shichibukai is an opportunity for you. How you use it is your business, not mine." Brontes replied, shaking his head dismissively.
"I understand." Kuma said, no longer pressing the issue. He nodded in acknowledgment and then turned to leave the warship.
Brontes watched Kuma's retreating figure, lost in thought.
He was well aware of Kuma's affiliation with the Revolutionary Army and his objectives. Kuma's quick approach had been unexpected, but Brontes had no intention of revealing Kuma's true identity to the World Government.
With only one position left to fill, the Warlord system was nearly complete.
Brontes anticipated that Doflamingo would soon make his move, but he suspected that Doflamingo would approach the World Government directly, not him. The outcome would be clear soon enough.
....
Back in Mariejois, Brontes had barely settled into his office when a marine officer entered.
"What is it?" Brontes inquired.
"Sir, the Five Elders request your presence." The officer informed him respectfully.
"I understand." Brontes responded and promptly headed out to meet with the Five Elders.
The Five Elders usually convened in a large conference hall, furnished with just a few simple sofas and plenty of space.
Brontes pushed open the door and entered, immediately drawing the attention of the five senior men.
"What do you need from me?" Brontes asked without preamble.
"How many Shichibukai positions have you filled?" The Five Elders were eager to know the progress Brontes had made, as three months had passed since he began.
"Five have accepted, and I've just confirmed the sixth, Tyrant Bartholomew Kuma. His strength and reputation are more than enough. Only one seat remains." Brontes reported confidently.
"Do you have someone in mind for the last seat?" inquired the elder with the long beard.
"There are several possibilities, but I haven't made a final decision." Brontes replied, though he was aware that the seventh seat was likely already determined.
"What about Doflamingo?" The bald elder interjected.
"If you've already made a choice, why ask for my opinion?" Brontes responded flatly.
"Indeed, we have decided he will be the seventh Shichibukai." The long-bearded elder confirmed.
"Should I formally extend the invitation, or have you already agreed to his appointment?" Brontes asked.
"You should go and present the World Government's intentions to him. And give him a 'reminder'—he tends to be overly bold." One of the Five Elders instructed.
"I understand. Also, I need to make some changes to our personnel." Brontes nodded, then said.
"Which aspect?" One of the Five Elders inquired, his voice carrying a note of interest.
"My personal troops. You've assigned me a group of useless trashes. They've been in Mariejois too long and have forgotten what it means to be marines. I've decided that all marine soldiers in Mariejois will be rotated every three years. Those who don't meet the standards will be reassigned to the New World and other dangerous islands to fight pirates. They've grown too comfortable here." Brontes stated plainly.
"Handle it as you see fit. This is a minor issue for you to manage." The bald elder with the big beard responded, giving Brontes the go-ahead to deal with the matter as he deemed appropriate.
Brontes's influence was significant; he even had sway over the actions of the Celestial Dragons, a situation they had inadvertently created in their attempts to diminish his influence within the Marines.
Brontes nodded in acknowledgment and exited the room.
...
Once the door closed behind Brontes, one of the Five Elders pulled out six wanted posters and began: "We've extended the invitations. He clashed with Hawkeye in the New World and emerged victorious with ease. His strength clearly surpasses that of the New World's most formidable pirates."
"He's a beast in his own right. It's no surprise he bested Hawkeye so effortlessly. With Hawkeye's consent, it's settled. Kuma's power certainly fits the bill. The sixth seat is his. The last one is a bit unruly, but we needn't concern ourselves with his behavior. With Brontes overseeing this operation, his capabilities are more than sufficient to keep Doflamingo in check. Now, we simply await the opportune moment to make the announcement."
....
After leaving the Five Elders' office, Brontes sought out Commander-in-Chief Kong to discuss the personnel changes he intended to implement, including the rotation of the marines stationed in Mariejois.
Kong had also recognized the problem and, with Brontes bringing it to the forefront, he agreed to the changes, acknowledging the necessity of a rotation.
The order's issuance sent a wave of dismay through the marines of Mariejois. They had become too comfortable, and the prospect of being sent to the front lines, where they would face pirates daily, was daunting.
Their replacements were drawn from the lower ranks stationed at Sabaody. The displaced Mariejois marines were reassigned there, to an island rife with pirate activity and frequent fights everywhere.
With these changes in place, the soldiers surrounding Brontes were entirely new, all of them veterans from his time in the New World.
These men had been personally trained by Brontes, each capable of serving as a Marine Captain and proficient in at least one form of Haki.
"Fleet-Admiral Brontes!"
Upon seeing Brontes again, they greeted him with bright smiles, standing tall and exuding a vigorous spirit.