The power represented by 'Justice' is immense; that much is undeniable. The desire for a peaceful, stable life is an instinct ingrained in the vast majority of humankind. If this world weren't so utterly chaotic—if people lived peaceful, prosperous lives free from war and massacre… would Bellamy still have become a pirate after arriving here? Perhaps not.
Raise high the banner of true Justice, and naturally, countless capable individuals yearning for peace will flock to your side. But shout 'Justice' while wielding a butcher's knife stained with hypocrisy… then naturally, a backlash will follow. Why else did Kizaru constantly slack off? Why did Aokiji ultimately defect from the Marines? Why did Garp adamantly refuse promotion to Admiral? Why did Dragon start the Revolutionary Army? Why did Zephyr become so radicalized he sought to destroy the New World itself? These individuals represented the absolute pinnacle of Marine strength and ideals. Their actions spoke volumes about how laughable the Marines' proclaimed 'Justice' truly was.
Seeing Smoker still lost in his self-doubt, Bellamy instantly lost all interest in the Marine. A man who couldn't even clearly define the 'Justice' he'd supposedly dedicated his life to? He was just a pitiful fool. Fighting someone like that now would just leave a bad taste in his mouth.
Leaving Smoker to his existential crisis, Bellamy leaped across the wreckage to the nearby Germa warship, easily finding the crippled Yonji amidst the chaos. The youngest son of the Vinsmoke patriarch... worth more alive than dead, for now. The Germa Kingdom operated in both legitimate and illicit spheres; they had connections everywhere. Bellamy intended to leverage those connections to acquire something he'd coveted for a while.
"Why didn't you kill me?" Yonji asked, his voice flat, devoid of inflection. Though surrounded by a phalanx of his loyal clone soldiers, Yonji knew perfectly well they offered no real protection against someone of Bellamy's caliber. A hundred clones or a thousand—it made no difference. His only curiosity stemmed from why the pirate had merely crippled him instead of finishing the job. With Germa's advanced medical technology, injuries like his, while severe, weren't necessarily permanent.
"Because you're still valuable," Bellamy stated simply. Even now, captured and maimed, the lineage factor-enhanced human showed no trace of fear. It was as if he possessed no human emotions at all. Creepy.
"Is that so? Understood." Yonji accepted this with unnerving calmness. "What do you require?"
Seeing Yonji's straightforward cooperation, Bellamy decided to be direct as well. "Contact your father, Judge. Tell him I want the secret of the King Punch." He added, "He can trade the technique for his son's safe return."
Yonji gave no outward sign of recognition. The 'King Punch' wasn't a widely famous technique. Bellamy knew it was relatively obscure, so he provided specifics. "Prodence Kingdom, New World. King Elizabello II. The King Punch. A kingdom like Germa surely has the means to acquire it." Of this, Bellamy felt quite confident. The Germa Kingdom often acted as one of the World Government's 'black ops' units, handling dirty work behind the scenes. With access to World Government resources and channels, obtaining the King Punch technique shouldn't be insurmountably difficult, provided the right price was paid or the right leverage applied.
The real question was whether Yonji's own value, in his father's eyes, outweighed the cost or effort required to obtain the King Punch. Vinsmoke Judge was known to be ruthless and pragmatic, not sentimental. If the price was deemed too high, he wouldn't hesitate to abandon one of his 'failures'.
"Understood." Yonji, fully grasping his precarious situation, immediately began contacting his family via Den Den Mushi as instructed. Soon, a calm female voice responded from the other end. "We are eight hours out from your position."
So, he'd already called for backup earlier.
"That won't be fast enough," Bellamy stated flatly, overhearing the conversation. At this point, there was no one left on the immediate battlefield capable of truly challenging him. By the time Germa reinforcements arrived, Yonji would be long dead if Bellamy wished it.
The woman on the other end of the line went silent for a moment, clearly processing the unexpected demand and the implication. The request seemed to trouble her. After a considerable pause, the woman finally responded. "Understood. Keep him occupied. Stall for time."
The call ended. Yonji looked back at Bellamy, his face still an emotionless mask. "I have relayed your request." Bellamy gave a noncommittal nod. Their detached attitudes didn't surprise him. These genetically modified Vinsmoke children were notoriously lacking in normal human emotion.
"Alright then," Bellamy said. "Let's go. You can accompany me while I clean up the rest of this mess." Effortlessly swatting aside the surrounding clone soldiers, Bellamy grabbed the crippled Yonji and leaped into the air, heading back towards the wider battlefield. Now, it was time to retrieve his crewmates.
——————
Somewhere else, aboard another Germa vessel rapidly approaching the battle site: "You're telling me Yonji was captured? By some unknown pirate?" Vinsmoke Judge's voice was cold, betraying none of the complex emotions churning beneath. "And this pirate has the audacity to demand ransom?" Judge had lived many years, but this situation was unprecedented. The Vinsmoke family, with over 300 years of history as infamous assassins and underworld brokers, renowned throughout the Grand Line and even parts of the New World, the undisputed underground emperors of the North Blue... was now being held ransom by some upstart pirate nobody had ever heard of? Who dared kidnap a member of their royal family?
Judge took a deep, steadying breath, suppressing his complex mixture of fury and calculation. This situation needed to be resolved swiftly and decisively. Failure to do so would significantly damage the Vinsmoke family's prestige and authority.
"How much money is he demanding?" Judge asked curtly.
"He doesn't want money, Father," Reiju reported calmly, relaying Bellamy's demand via her own Den Den Mushi.
"The King Punch?" Judge repeated, surprised. He'd heard whispers of it. Some inherited secret technique from a minor royal family in the New World, wasn't it? The Prodence Kingdom? "He only asked for that martial technique? Nothing else?"
"Yes, Father."
Interesting. So this Bellamy is a martial arts fanatic, Judge mused. In that case... perhaps there might be opportunities for... cooperation in the future. Moments ago, Judge had been contemplating the most excruciating way to punish the insolent bastard who had dared offend his family. Now, sensing potential value, his pragmatic mind immediately shifted gears, calculating Bellamy's potential utility. As for the family's 'face'? Prestige was merely a tool. If Bellamy could ultimately provide sufficient strategic benefit, temporary loss of face was an acceptable cost.
Judge was, above all else, ruthlessly ambitious. This entire North Blue 'Grand Fleet' operation had been his brainchild. The Vinsmoke family had invested considerable resources, manipulated various factions, and gathered this massive pirate force for two main reasons. Firstly, to gain immense prestige and notoriety throughout the North Blue. This would serve as crucial groundwork for their ultimate goal: the military conquest and unification of the entire North Blue under Germa rule. The bigger the spectacle of this 'Great Hunt,' the greater the subsequent renown and fear they would command. Secondly, the gathering provided an excellent opportunity to scout and recruit promising combatants from the assembled forces, bolstering their own ranks. He had never, ever anticipated such a colossal failure. That some completely unknown pirate whelp could single-handedly shatter their meticulously planned Grand Fleet... it was unthinkable.
But now... a new possibility emerged. "Contact the King of Prodence Kingdom," Judge ordered decisively. "Tell him... I wish to discuss a business proposition." After weighing the options, Judge had made his decision. Acquiring the King Punch it was.