Liam’s true emotions

"But once I fix this, I can't come back. There is no future for me in this world. The world might even erase me from your memories."

"So, imagine what would happen to them if I told them this. You are the only one who can understand me the best. Do you remember what I told you when I invited you, Kuma?"

"I want to help you because I can. Straw Hats can protect Bonney. I made that promise because we could do it."

"No one can say the same for me. Not because they don't love me but because they don't have that power."

Hearing his words, Kuma became a bit agitated and asked.

"What if you are wrong?"

"Huh? You think I'm wrong?" Liam asked as he pointed at himself.

"I used to think just like you. I made myself a cyborg to keep my daughter safe. Couldn't she live with Dragon? No, she could. But that's not the life I wanted her to have."

"I wanted her to be free. I wanted her to make her own choice. But I never gave her that. I never succeeded. My choice only made things worse for her. Yeah, she lived, but did she live the way I wanted her to?"

"Liam, you are thinking just like the old me. You can't make choices for others. You have to believe in them. You gave me a choice to choose a better future."

"You did it not because of your power. You did because of your compassion towards people like me. You said you wanted to save ordinary people, right?"

"If you didn't have the power, if someone was dying in front of you, would you have run away?"

"Or, would you have saved that person even if you died in the process?"

Kuma gave him a serious look, barely making this kind of look through his non-expressional face.

"I think you would've saved that person, Liam. When a person tries to cover the reason behind his action, he is either a fraud or he doesn't want you to know the truth."

"You are not a fraud, Liam. You just don't want others to know that you are a kind person. After living in your ship, listening to your conversation, I understand why."

"Your vision, your ideas are different from people who were born in this world. We are like frogs stuck in a well."

"Unless someone dumps some water on top of us, we can never float above the surface."

"You are that person, Liam. You gave us information. You gave us wisdom and ideas. You represent the best of Marines, the best of pirates, and the best of revolutionaries."

"So, Liam, this world needs you. Your crew needs you. They won't stop until they get you back."

"No matter how hard it becomes, no matter what they have to go through, they won't stop until they bring you back."

Hearing his words, Liam didn't speak.

He turned around. His eyes were red as he tried to control his tears.

But, at this moment, a warm hand embraced him, bringing him into a gentle embrace.

Underneath the metal body, a beating heart was revealed. And that heartbeat broke Liam.

Tears flowed like rain, and Liam gripped Kuma.

"I don't want to go back. I want to be with my friends. This is my life. I don't want to go back, Kuma."

"It hurts so much, every time I feel emptiness in my body, I am reminded of my time in this world. I want it to be forever, but it can never be that."

"I didn't train my friends to destroy the world. I trained them to keep them from suffering. So, why? Why does this world want them to suffer so much?"

"Why can't I even help those people? Why does this world like suffering? Why does it reject kindness? Why doesn't want it me, Kuma?"

"I want to be with my friends. I just want to go on adventures with them. I just want to laugh with them. I just want to play with them."

"I don't want to go back."

"Waaaaaaaaa!"

Liam roared as he released all of the frustration built up inside of him. His eyes were red and his face was covered with tears.

During the entire time, Kuma said nothing.

He just held Liam and let him release his frustration. Because in his heart, Liam was a gentle boy.

Unlike him, Liam wanted to save the innocent people and punish the guilty.

He was afraid of messing up, but he still wanted to prepare himself to face any situation.

But along the way, Liam never truly enjoyed his life.

Maybe he did during the start of his journey. But as they sailed towards a stronger opponent, he stopped enjoying his life.

He started training so that he could save his friends.

He started training so that he could help them face any miserable situation.

He began training to save more people.

After a long silence, Liam slowly left Kuma's embrace, looking a bit embarrassed about what he had gone through.

After all, it wasn't every day he cried like a child.

Even Luffy hadn't cried like this.

Then again, he went through all that so he could keep their smiles.

Soon, they resumed their journey, and this time, Liam started talking.

"Kuma, you know there are a lot of evil people in this world. This world is fucked up beyond repair. For ordinary people, danger can come at any moment, and they can't do a single thing about it."

"Marines work for the biggest Pirate group, while smaller pirate groups control even more people. In a New World, many people are suffering because of the pirates."

"I am not a God. I don't know everyone's suffering, but when I see someone, I want to help. And right now, I want to save two girls. They are even younger than your daughter."

"I don't want to go back. At least, my depressed self is living a normal life. Those girls! They are living in hell. One is only six, and she sells hats to earn enough food for herself."

"But she can never eat till she is full. Another is only four. Because she was hungry, she ate a fruit that only made her life worse, making it impossible to even show her negative emotions."

"Two years from now, they will be eight and six. Will they live? I think they will. But our life is already miserable enough, isn't it, Kuma? What makes it perfect is the small moment of joy and happiness we get."

"If I can give those two a bit more time to be happy, save them from two more years of misery, should I not do that?"

"When I came to this world, I thought god brought me here to do exactly that."

Liam clenched his fist. His fingernails pierced through the skin and were leaking blood.

"If I didn't come here to save those people early, what's the point of sending me here? Luffy will save them anyway. He will free those people. So, why send me? Why give me this life?"

"WHY?"

At this moment, Kuma pointed at himself and said.

"For me, for people that Luffy can't save. For people whom Luffy can't protect. For people, Luffy can't rescue."

Hearing his answer, Liam's emotions calmed down as he shook his head.

"Maybe I made things worse."

"No, you never made things worse."

Kuma said as he continued.

"You killed Eustache Kid. You said he would've been a perfect rival for Luffy if he were as talented as Luffy, right? But, do you still remember what kind of person Kid is?"

"Who knows how many more people will die at his hands? Who knows how many islands will suffer because of him?"

"Not just him! Whether it was Crocodile from Alabasta or Moria, you fought them for different reasons, only to eradicate people who treat human lives as livestock."

"They are no different than Celestial Dragons. The only thing that differs from them is the identity of the Celestial Dragon itself."

"So, tell me, Liam! Do you still believe that you made things worse?"

Liam became silent for a while.

Several thoughts were going through his head. His frustrations were released, but he still felt bitter for leaving his friends.

He knew he couldn't change this. It's not that he didn't want to.

But how could he possibly change something that was out of control?

Just like how he was brought to this world.

He didn't choose that. He just appeared in a completely different body.

He became a murderer from that moment onward.

Because the moment his soul returns to his real body, this body would simply cease to exist.

He not only took this man's identity but also killed him in the process.

Liam shook his head and bitterly smiled.

"I can't do it, Kuma. This time, I can't help my friends. I know my friends more than you do. They will search for me. They will do everything they can to find me."

"But this is beyond them, beyond everything that this world has. But now, I know what I need to do. I won't give up on them so easily. I will do only thing that I can do in my world."

"Pray! Pray that they will find me."