LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 7: Chapter 7 11 Months later
Eleven months have passed since my fight with the Marine soldier.
POV: Teddy the Bear.
For days, my crew and I have been adrift on the sea, our supplies dwindling to nothing. Hunger gnawed at their resolve, and whispers of mutiny crept among the ranks. Not that they stood a chance against me. Thanks to the powers of the Bear-Bear Fruit, I am untouchable. The devil fruit made me a hybrid of man and beast—a half-bear with the strength and agility of a predator, the endurance of an unstoppable force, and regenerative powers that rendered me nearly immortal.
I've always felt invincible, a king walking among mortals. The power within me was intoxicating, like a drug that clouded reason with unshakable confidence. No challenge seemed too great, no foe too formidable. That belief carried me for years. At least, until that day.
That day, we docked at Shelltown.
It wasn't a place we planned to stay long. Captain Morgan ruled over this town with an iron fist, and his reputation left no room for doubt about what might happen if we lingered. But even Marines have their price, and I was prepared to pay it. A little "donation" here, a few coins there, and I was certain we'd have no trouble.
What I didn't know was that this town would become my grave.
The moment we stepped onto the cobbled streets, I felt it—an unease that slithered into my gut and refused to leave. It was subtle at first, the sense that we were being watched. But every step into the city sharpened that feeling until it was impossible to ignore. My men sensed it too, their laughter and bravado fading as we pushed deeper into town.
We found a tavern to regroup, hoping a warm meal and strong drink would ease our nerves. The hours passed in a haze of food, drink, and the hollow laughter of men too proud to admit their fear.
Then night fell.
The streets were deserted, the air unnaturally still. It wasn't just quiet—it was a silence that pressed down on us, thick and suffocating, like the town itself was holding its breath. My instincts screamed at me to leave, but I couldn't let my men see weakness.
And then we heard it.
Footsteps. Slow, deliberate, echoing through the stillness.
A man emerged from the shadows, walking toward us with an eerie calm. His presence was suffocating, every step sending a shiver down my spine. He was tall, with a massive sword strapped to his back that seemed almost absurd in size—until you felt the weight of the aura it radiated. His long, dark curls shimmered in the moonlight, the tips dyed a striking red, like embers glowing in the night. His smile chilled me to my core. It wasn't the grin of a man; it was the smile of death itself, come to collect what was owed.
I couldn't show fear. Not in front of my crew. I roared, my body shifting as I unleashed the full power of the Bear-Bear Fruit. Fur rippled across my skin, my muscles swelling as claws extended from my hands. I charged at him with all the force of a beast, my massive paws aiming to crush him in one blow.
But then he moved.
His sword rose with a grace and ease that belied its size, and when my strike met it, the impact felt like hitting a mountain. The force jarred through my arms, and I stumbled back, stunned. How could anyone wield a blade of that magnitude so effortlessly?
Before I could recover, he struck back.
A single swing of his sword sent me skidding across the cobblestones.He Dropped his Sword leapt into the air, his movements impossibly fluid, and landed a kick to my face with such precision that I crumpled under the blow. Pain exploded across my skull, and humiliation burned in my chest. I hadn't even been deemed worthy of his sword.
He landed lightly on his feet, his movements mocking me with their elegance. And then he disappeared, vanishing into the darkness as if he had never been there.
I barely had time to react before I felt it—a sharp, cold pain piercing my chest.
I looked down, my breath catching as I saw the hilt of a small kitchen knife buried in my heart. It was simple, unassuming, with the word Mai engraved on its hilt . It felt like a cruel joke—Teddy the Bear, a pirate feared across the seas, brought down by a kitchen knife.
Blood poured from the wound as my strength ebbed away. My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. I forced my eyes upward, meeting his gaze one last time.
There was no humanity in those eyes. They were calm, cold, and utterly devoid of mercy. I realized then that this wasn't just a man. He was something else entirely—an agent of destruction, a force that could not be reasoned with or stopped.
As my vision dimmed and the darkness closed in, I understood one thing: wherever this man walked, chaos would follow.
And so ends the story of Teddy the Bear, not with a roar, but a whimper. My legend, my power, my life—all snuffed out in an instant.