Atop the royal castle.
Kuma held a Bible, gazing toward the battlefield outside the city, locking eyes with Gurd from afar. He knew he had been spotted.
He had been closely monitoring the situation in the North Blue and had aided the Revolutionary Army multiple times before. But now, bound by circumstances, he could only act in secret.
He had heard about Gurd from Stussy and had long wanted to meet him. Yet, upon finally facing him, Kuma felt fear.
This war had claimed countless lives.
All at the hands of this man, who could have chosen better methods but slaughtered without hesitation.
It was something Kuma struggled to accept.
"Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea, Bartholomew Kuma."
The voice that reached his ears made Kuma stiffen. He realized the man from the battlefield had appeared nearby.
Kuma turned to see Gurd standing atop a spire a dozen meters away, a girl clinging to him.
The Teleportation Fruit!
Kuma spoke calmly.
"If you could travel, where would you go?"
"Travel..."
Gurd pondered seriously.
"The entire world."
"..."
Kuma fell silent.
Just as the rumors said—a man of overwhelming dominance.
Gurd studied Kuma but soon lost interest. In the man's aura, he sensed no fighting spirit.
Only cowardice.
And fear!
Huh?
Gurd suddenly paused.
Since when could he perceive others' emotions? While many strong fighters carried emotions in their auras, Kuma's was steady, his feelings well-hidden.
It reminded him somewhat of Otohime.
Thinking back, it seemed that after arriving in the North Blue, as his territory expanded, his Haki and presence had grown continuously.
Quantity had led to quality.
Perhaps one day, he too could hear the Voice of All Things.
Gurd spoke coldly, "Get lost. This isn't your place. And take those fools out of the North Blue. If I see them again, no one will be left to save them."
"..."
After a long silence, Kuma clapped his hands together.
"Poof!"
His massive figure vanished, leaving only a small puff of white mist.
An incredibly formidable ability.
Unless Kuma fought to the death, there was almost no way to stop him in this world. In terms of retreat, his power was even more convenient than Kizaru's.
A pity such an ability was wasted on its owner.
Gurd sighed regretfully before returning to the battlefield with Speed.
The surviving kingdom soldiers had all dropped their weapons, their eyes vacant. A power akin to divinity had shattered their morale and faith.
This was no foe humans could oppose!
Gurd walked to the edge of the great fissure, observing the destruction he had wrought with ease. It reminded him of Aokiji's Ice Age—freezing an entire sea for seven days.
A single gesture from the strong was enough to plunge the weak into despair.
Such were the rules of this world.
"Rise."
Gurd lifted his palm!
The ground trembled as earth and rock surged forward, forming a massive arched bridge over the fissure.
For aesthetics, two colossal Groudon statues were erected at either end, standing like guardians over the bridge.
"A bit rough!"
Gurd narrowed his eyes and clenched his fist.
The bridge and statues compressed and solidified, their surfaces taking on an obsidian sheen under intense heat.
Reinforcement complete!
"Our enemy is... a god!"
The kingdom soldiers fell to their knees, pressing their foreheads to the ground.
Only a god could create such a miracle.
Under the kneeling of the kingdom's soldiers, Gurd led his subordinates across the bridge, advancing toward the royal castle.
The war had ended.
Gurd rode the king's white steed.
"Give the order—have those soldiers rescue any survivors."
"Yes!"
Tens of thousands of soldiers had fallen into the great chasm. There had to be some lucky ones who survived, and the bodies of the fallen needed to be retrieved as well.
A small act of mercy could settle the hearts of the people.
Upon hearing the command, the fear among the kingdom's soldiers dissipated significantly. Their emotions surged, and some even felt gratitude.
"Fetch the tools!"
"Rescue them!!"
"Hurry up!!!"
Ropes were lowered into the great chasm one after another, and the rescue soldiers anxiously slid down, searching for survivors and the bodies of their comrades.
Central Avenue, Royal City.
The once-bustling streets were now deserted. All residents had retreated into their homes, peering through cracks in doors and windows to observe the outside.
The Hoenn army advanced steadily through the heart of the royal city, their overwhelming military presence making it clear to the citizens that the nation had changed hands once again.
Panic spread rapidly.
At the palace gates, the doors stood wide open.
Guards and ministers knelt on the ground, not daring to offer the slightest resistance.
"Form ranks!"
The soldiers immediately stepped forward, raising long spears adorned with the banners of the Beasts and Hoenn, while quickly laying out a red carpet.
Amidst the reverence of all his warriors, Gurd strode down the Warrior's Path, stepping through the palace's grand entrance one deliberate step at a time until he reached the throne hall. With a flourish of his wide cape, he turned and seated himself upon the throne.
Leaning slightly, he rested his chin on his right hand.
His imperious gaze swept over those below.
"All hail the Supreme Commander!!!"
The soldiers knelt on one knee, loudly proclaiming Gurd's new title.
"Earth Calamity" was what the outside world called him, but within the Hoenn Conglomerate, his official rank was Supreme Commander—equivalent in nature to Kaido's title of Beasts Governor.
The New World was the domain of Pirates.
And the North Sea would, for now, become the foundation of the Hoenn Empire.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
The flags of Hoenn and the Beasts now flew over every city in the Rune Kingdom. Any sporadic resistance was met with brutal suppression.
The kingdom had officially changed hands.
That same day, a victory banquet was held in the palace.
Within the palace's picturesque gardens.
"Lord Gurd, the overview of the Rune Kingdom has been compiled."
"Good."
Gurd took the documents and began reviewing them.
Like most kingdoms, the Rune Kingdom was a traditionally medieval state, with vast plains and exceptionally fertile farming conditions. Its economy relied heavily on agriculture and foreign wars.
It also had the typical pyramid power structure—church, lords, knights—all exploiting the common folk at the bottom.
Such a kingdom was clearly unsuitable for the Nation of Labor model, and its people would struggle to adapt to industrialization in a short time.
Moreover, under the interference of the church, most of the populace was illiterate, lacking the necessary educational foundation.
They wouldn't even be good at screwing bolts.
Much like Wano Country, the Rune Kingdom was better suited for land enclosure, rent collection, and military training. Other aspects would have to be addressed gradually.
Gurd quickly reached a decision.
"Announce this—from today onward, the feudal land and nobility policies are abolished. All arable land is to be reclaimed!"
"And burn down every church!"
"My domain has no need for divine interference."
The greatest issue with feudalism was territorial control. Lords and nobles held vast tracts of arable land with high autonomy, allowing them to exploit those beneath them layer by layer.
Rent and taxes were skimmed at every level by the nobility.
So what profit would he make?
No more middlemen!
All the land belongs to him!
The privileged class of the entire nation—only the ruler is needed!
And the Church, with power almost greater than the king's, severely interferes with progress. During the previous war, we didn't see them step forward to protect the country.
They must all be purged!
Chikara hesitated and whispered, "Lord Gurd, doing this will surely cause massive upheaval."
"Then sharpen the blades!"
Gurd's gaze was icy.
"Kill one if one resists, kill ten if ten resist!"
"If any nobles are foolish enough to try rallying the people in protest, then exterminate their entire Nine Lineages!"
Disobey? Then it's Nine Lineages Elimination!
"And control the ports!"
"Set up a row of gallows at the harbor. If any nobles try to flee the country with their wealth, hang them all as a warning!"