Ivankov was the backbone of this entire squad. As soon as he stopped, everyone else stopped too.
Looking at York, who radiated holy light like a divine child descending to the world, Ivankov gulped audibly.
"Y... Who are you?!"
"Me? I'm a pirate!"
York smiled and reached into the sack, pulling out a Devil Fruit shaped like a bear paw.
"You were heading to the central plaza; were you looking for this?!"
"The Paw-Paw Fruit!!"
Ivankov exclaimed, and the others with him followed suit with cries of surprise.
"That's the Paw-Paw Fruit?!"
"Hope!"
"The hope to leave this island!!"
York raised his hand, dodging Ivankov's pouncing hands, and laughed: "Want it?"
Ivankov, who had missed and landed on the ground, didn't speak. The others just swallowed their saliva secretly.
York continued to smile: "If you want it, you have to come with me! I can take you off this island!"
The group of kids looked hesitant. Ivankov's eyes flickered, but in the end, he was the one to make the final decision.
"Okay! We'll go with you! As long as you can take us off this island!!"
A trace of gratification appeared in York's eyes.
He suddenly discovered that this kid Ivankov actually had quite decisive judgment and leadership charisma.
But thinking about the future where he not only became the Queen of the Kamabakka Kingdom but also thrived in Impel Down Level 5.5, it seemed he ought to have such ability.
Thinking of this, York searched through the crowd and quickly locked onto a chubby little boy with a burly build.
"I heard that among the 'rabbits' hunted by the Celestial Dragons, there's a rare Buccaneer child. Who is it? Is he among you?"
"I... I am..."
The chubby boy raised his small hand nervously.
"If... If you want to kill someone, just kill me, take the others away from this island..."
York chuckled.
"Who said I wanted to kill anyone? Tell me, what's your name?"
"Kuma... Bartholomew Kuma..."
"Very good! Kuma-boy! This fruit is yours now!"
York tossed casually, throwing the Paw-Paw Fruit directly into Kuma's arms.
The latter caught it, overwhelmed by the favor. The others also looked surprised.
"Of course, it's not without a price!"
York pointed at Ivankov beside him.
"After you eat the fruit, you can save the others as you wish!"
"But you and him! Both of you have to become my subordinates!"
"Oh right, I heard the intelligence on this island was leaked by a little girl. Who did it? Step forward! You have to stay too!"
As his words fell, a pink-haired little girl with freckles walked out from the crowd.
"Me... It was me..."
"What's your name?"
"Ginny..."
"Very good! Kuma-boy! Ginny! And this leader! You three have to stay! The others can be saved as you wish!"
York grinned.
"This deal is fair, right?"
The group of slaves looked at each other, seeming unable to make a decision.
Finally, it was still Ivankov who gave the answer: "Okay! We promise you!!"
Then he stood up and looked at Kuma.
"Kuma! Hurry up and eat the Devil Fruit! Then use the fruit ability to send everyone else away!"
"Save as many as you can! As long as one person escapes from this hell! That is our victory!!"
Hearing this, Kuma-boy finally stopped hesitating, opened his big mouth, and swallowed the Paw-Paw Fruit in his hand in one gulp.
"Ugh~~~ It tastes terrible..."
The disgusting taste of the Devil Fruit made Kuma stick out his tongue.
After recovering, he looked at the paw pads resembling cat paws that suddenly appeared on his palms and patted a stone lightly.
The stone instantly shot up and flew away, disappearing quickly into the distant horizon.
"So... So amazing..."
"No time to marvel! Kuma! Hurry and use the ability to save people!"
Ivankov shouted urgently, knowing deeply how precious time was at this moment.
Kuma nodded honestly. The others, having seen the stone fly away just now, cast expectant gazes on Kuma-boy.
Kuma carefully patted the others with his palms, thinking of safe places in his mind. One slave after another disappeared before him.
In the blink of an eye, only Ivankov, Ginny, and Kuma remained on the scene.
York smiled and spoke: "Let's go! Take me to find other slaves and 'rabbits'. The child of a friend of mine is among them."
Ivankov and the other two exchanged glances, roughly guessing the reason York suddenly helped them.
So without a word, they turned around directly and led the way.
Shakky watched York's actions silently all along.
Until the three little ones started leading the way and York took her to follow, she finally spoke: "I didn't expect you to have such a side. These children are truly pitiful."
"A person's good and evil are never determined unilaterally. I have many secrets; you can discover them slowly in the future."
Hearing this, Shakky glanced at York and didn't respond further.
She was actually still conflicted inside.
She wished the person rescuing her right now was Rayleigh, but she never expected reality to be York.
At the same time, regarding the future, she didn't know where to go.
Continue back to Hachinosu to open the tavern?
York probably wouldn't agree. He wasn't the kind of man who would obediently listen just because she gave him a wink.
But if she really followed York all along, she might very well become like Gloriosa in the future...
Shakky didn't want to become like that right now, but it seemed she had no choice.
...
Led by the three little ones, York and Shakky found many hiding slaves and local residents of God Valley.
All these people were sent out of God Valley by Kuma using the Paw-Paw Fruit's ability.
Of course, before sending them away, York never forgot to ask: "Is anyone among you named Teach? Or does anyone know Teach?"
Unfortunately, none of these people knew him.
Until a certain moment, terrifying Conqueror's Haki pierced through the clouds.
"Ahhhh!!! Alice!!!"
Rocks' painful roar resonated through the island. York's gaze sharpened.
"Something happened!"
He exchanged a glance with Shakky, who nodded firmly.
"Rocks took care of me quite a bit on Hachinosu; I won't just care about running for my own life!"
York then looked at the three little ones.
"You guys find a way to escape on your own first. A terrifying battle might erupt on this island next; even I might die if I'm not careful!"
"Remember! Having accepted my Devil Fruit, you are already my subordinates!"
"Even if you flee to the ends of the earth, I will definitely find you!!"
With that, York left the three little ones behind and, leading Shakky, rushed rapidly toward Rocks' direction.
Watching their retreating figures, the three little ones exchanged glances.
Ivankov spoke: "Save people first! We'll repay this pirate's favor when we have the chance in the future!"
"The coming battlefield isn't something we can participate in! No one is allowed to be impulsive!!"
...
Meanwhile.
The Rocks Pirates, who were striding murderously toward the Grand Canyon, also saw the Haki erupted by Rocks and heard his scream.
Whitebeard's eyes sharpened.
Wielding Murakumogiri, he swept a full-power slash directly forward.
Trees, buildings, rocks, and the Marines and pirates blocking the way were all split in two by this slash.
Terrifying power swept in all directions. Within a 180-degree range in front of Whitebeard, everything except the Rocks Pirates' own people was swept clean.
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