Chapter 157

"A moment ago, you said the scenery along the journey surpasses the final destination, didn't you?"

Discussing philosophy?

Isn't that just what one mouth says?

"Everyone seeks different things; I want to see the scenery along the way, but others go solely for the final result."

Tyrant Bear stood silently there.

After several seconds,

he turned back to look at Sima Di and said: "Why did the person you mentioned abandon you and return to the North Sea?"

Abandon?

Listen to the word Tyrant Bear used,

and you'll know that in his subconscious, he values the Straw Hat Pirates' cohesion deeply.

Luffy is truly the "strongest heir" of One Piece—connected to the Revolutionary Army, the Marines, and pirates alike.

"No!" Luffy shouted in protest: "Ku Li Kai has a necessary reason to return to the North Sea! If there's a chance, all of us support him leaving!"

"Yes!"

"That's right!"

"Ku Li Kai must return to the North Sea!"

"The ship's too crowded—Ku Li Kai, make room!"

Although they didn't know what ability Tyrant Bear had to send Ku Li Kai back to the North Sea,

the Straw Hat Pirates all trusted Sima Di's judgment and spoke up in Ku Li Kai's defense.

This deeply moved Ku Li Kai; he clenched his fists, head bowed, as if struggling to suppress something.

Tyrant Bear said nothing, merely stared at Ku Li Kai, waiting for his reaction.

Finally!

Ku Li Kai cried out: "Everyone! Even if I can return to the North Sea, walking alongside you all is still my dream!"

Unconsciously,

Ku Li Kai had placed his companions on the same level as avenging his ancestors.

Think again,

although Ku Li Kai is usually low-key, he is tireless—always on watch, enduring the toughest training, never refusing to help others.

Everyone smiled.

Isn't that precisely what companions are—thinking of each other?

"What are you thinking?" Luffy grinned, pressing his straw hat: "I'm only allowing you to temporarily leave the crew—hurry back soon, we'll wait for you along the way!"

"Exactly! You can never leave the Straw Hat Pirates—not in this lifetime," Sima Di also smiled.

"Hurry up, or you'll miss a lot of fun adventures," Zoro said.

"With Ru Shi here, he should return quickly, right?" Nami looked at Sima Di.

Only then did they remember.

Of course!

Ru Shi can teleport directly back to the Going Merry—so after Ku Li Kai avenges his ancestors, won't he be able to rejoin at lightning speed?

Too bad...

Sima Di sighed and shook his head.

Ru Shi...

also has its limits.

He had once thought Ru Shi could teleport anywhere globally, but later tests revealed: the farther from the Going Merry, the longer it takes to construct the Teleportation Magic array—and beyond a certain distance, it fails.

"The maximum range of Ru Shi is about two or three islands away," Sima Di said directly.

He didn't care about Tyrant Bear's presence.

—He's one of us.

Ku Li Kai felt a pang of regret, then his gaze hardened.

"Once I've accomplished it, I'll catch up to you all as fast as I can!"

They had settled the return issue—but forgotten...

Tyrant Bear hadn't agreed yet!

Sima Di looked at Tyrant Bear and said: "Ku Li Kai's ancestor is the world-famous braggart Roland, but he was a misunderstood great sea hero—the Sky Current..."

After briefly explaining the full story, Tyrant Bear looked again at Ku Li Kai.

"The Sky Island? I haven't been there yet—I'll go take a look."

Tyrant Bear removed his gloves, revealing his pink, fleshy pads.

He believed Sima Di's words outright.

"I've never been to the North Sea's Rubnil Kingdom—what about the Fugian Xianyou Kingdom?" Tyrant Bear asked gently.

"No problem! It's only three adjacent islands away—very close!" Ku Li Kai said calmly.

"The flight will last ten days and ten nights—won't you bring some rations?" Tyrant Bear kindly reminded.

Although they didn't know what Tyrant Bear meant by "flight," Ku Li Kai still nodded.

Everyone had stored some food and water in the space pouches Sima Di provided.

But...

"As for food, I've got plenty," Sanji reached into his inner pocket.

"I've got a lot of grilled meat—I'll share some with you," Luffy said reluctantly.

"Just in time, Sanji made a huge batch of drinks!" Chopper said joyfully.

Everyone took a little here and a little there, quickly piling them into a small mountain.

Kureha simply silently stuffed everything into his pocket, even discarding some miscellaneous items.

These were the love of his comrades; he could not bear to refuse.

Bartholomew Kuma looked surprised that every member of the Straw Hat Pirates possessed the ability of a "2D pocket."

There must be a special Devil Fruit within the team?

Seeing Bartholomew Kuma's interest, Sima Di casually tossed something.

"For you."

Bartholomew Kuma instinctively caught the spatial pocket Sima Di threw, but did not rashly test it.

"This is a spatial pocket, the same kind they use. Consider it payment for you sending Kureha back to the North Blue," Sima Di said.

Bartholomew Kuma nodded,

still not rashly testing it, but instead lifting his white cap with bear-ear spots, placing it inside, and covering it again.

Kureha, fully ready, nodded to the many members and walked straight to stand before Bartholomew Kuma:?! 1.

Bartholomew Kuma did not delay,

and between the raising and striking of his palm, Kureha vanished on the spot, launched by his Meat-Meat Fruit ability toward his destination—the North Blue.

【Ding! Congratulations on signing in at the famous scene "A Journey That Starts with a Pop!" Obtain sign-in reward: "Bartholomew Kuma's...】

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"Bartholomew Kuma's body is tightly bound by the Straw Hat Pirates' trap, and his heart is filled with regret."

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Physical constitution and Armament Haki increased by about one and a half percent, which was not bad.

As for "suitability for 907 modification adaptation"...

Sima Di would most likely never use it in his lifetime.

Only Sima Di, Clover, and Franky, who had electronic eyes, witnessed Kureha's departure trajectory.

"He's gone!"

"Where did he go?"

"Did he fly away? But I didn't see anyone?"

"He flew away." Franky gazed into the distance, shocked: "Kureha was wrapped in a bear-paw-shaped mass of air and flew toward the North Blue at great speed, over 20 times the speed of sound... truly a wonderful ability for travel!"

A wonderful ability for travel?