"Who do you think has the red nose?!"
Buggy's face turned crimson with fury after Mira's jab. In a burst of reckless rage, he forgot all about the power difference between them and charged right up to her, roaring in her face.
"…Huh?"
Mira's eyes narrowed dangerously as she stared him down.
"You dare… yell at me?"
Her voice dropped cold, and in an instant, her body shifted into her demonic form.
Black wings unfurled, her right arm darkened with Armament Haki, and her gaze sharpened like a predator's.
Buggy froze on the spot. Cold sweat ran down his face as reality caught up to him.
What the hell is wrong with me?! Did my brain break?! Why would I shout at this witch?!
"Apologize quickly, Buggy."
Rain's calm voice cut through the tension, his words carrying the subtle edge of advice.
"Oh! Oh oh oh!" Buggy snapped back to his senses and bowed frantically.
"Sorry! I was wrong! Totally wrong!"
Mira leaned forward, a bloodthirsty smile curling across her lips.
"What's the matter? Not going to yell again?"
This was the first time she'd seen a Devil Fruit user up close, and the thrill sparked something inside her.
She wanted to test him to see if his strange powers could actually hold up against her strength.
"N-No! How could I dare?!"
Buggy stammered, waving his hands wildly, desperate to defuse the situation.
"Too late."
Mira's grin widened. "Let's see if Rain's trust in you is actually worth anything."
Before Buggy could resist, she grabbed him by the collar with her left hand. Her right hand flared with dark energy, blasting open the ceiling of the underground palace.
The impact carved a passage to the surface. Without hesitation, Mira shot upward, dragging the screaming Buggy along.
"UWAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"
Buggy's cries echoed across the island as he was hauled into the sky.
"Good luck, Buggy."
Watching from below, Rain shook his head, almost pitying the man.
I hope you can hold out against Mira's temper. If she isn't satisfied… this fight could last a while.
With that thought, Rain turned his back on the chaos.
"…I'd better move the treasures out."
Buggy's life wasn't in danger... not really. Mira wouldn't kill him. So Rain focused on the more practical matter: securing all the wealth piled up in the place.
When Rain finally hauled all the treasure out of the tunnel, the battle above was already over.
And Buggy… was lying flat on the ground, beaten like a dog.
His limbs were sprawled out, his body trembling weakly. His makeup was smudged, his nose redder than ever and his pride in shambles.
"Seriously? You call yourself a member of the Pirate King's crew?"
Mira frowned, kicking his side with her foot.
"Why are you so weak? Don't tell me you were just a handyman, right?"
Her tone dripped with disappointment. She'd expected so much more out of her first fight with a Devil Fruit user. But this? This was just sad.
"…"
Buggy turned his face to the dirt, refusing to answer. Handyman…? Tch. She hit the nail on the head…
The truth was too embarrassing to say out loud.
After Buggy was "convinced" in both body and spirit Rain, Mira, and their new unwilling recruit set sail once more.
Their ship soon left the East Blue behind, carrying them straight to the City of Spring Queen.
There, Rain and Mira unleashed their fury.
In only three days, they swept through the city, crushing every pirate crew that dared to linger.
By the end, the entire port was silent save for the groans of bound captives.
Delivering them to the naval base earned them a staggering bounty of two billion berries in one fell swoop.
And almost all of it… was handed straight to Buggy as startup capital for his "business empire."
"I said… you're really going to pick a fight with that monster?"
At the port, Buggy stood with his new clothes draped proudly over his shoulders, watching Rain and Mira prepare to depart. His expression flickered with unease.
After hearing who Rain's next target was, Buggy couldn't help but worry.
"That guy is… truly a monster," he muttered, almost pleading.
Rain, however, only smiled. His confidence was unshaken.
"Buggy… that guy may be a monster. But how can you look at the two of us" he gestured to himself and Mira
"...and not see monsters as well?"
Rain's hand clapped firmly onto Buggy's shoulder. His grin was fearless.
"That's right," Mira added with a bright smirk.
"You've seen our strength. And you've seen how fast we're growing."
"…"
Buggy blinked, caught off guard. Images of Rain's overwhelming Haki, his terrifying speed of growth, and Mira's frightening devil form flashed in his mind.
Buggy knew that Rain's current strength still couldn't compare to Captain Roger's.
But in other aspects, this boy was far from weak.
His Conqueror's Haki alone was already overwhelming, carrying a weight that shook even Buggy's heart.
Maybe… maybe this really was different.
"Could it be… I actually joined up with a future big boss…?"
The thought made his eyes gleam.
"Just wait for the news, Buggy," Rain said, stepping onto the ship.
"You'll see it in the papers soon enough."
With that, Rain and Mira pushed off, their boat vanishing into the horizon.
Buggy stood at the port, staring after them until the ship was gone.
"…I hope you succeed."
This time, the thought was genuine.
For the first time, Buggy didn't feel coerced or pressured. Instead, he found himself… expectant. Hopeful.
Because only with powerful monsters like Rain and Mira leading the way… could his business empire truly flourish.
Otherwise… he'd forever just be holding someone else's purse.
Navy Headquarters
The reports had shaken the seas.
Rain and Mira's rampage was impossible to ignore... they had completely wiped out the bounties across two entire naval bases in the first half of the Grand Line.
Such destruction couldn't be brushed aside.
The matter was immediately delivered to Marine Headquarters.
In this new chaotic era, two unknowns with that level of strength demanded attention.
"Review the files on these two."
Fleet Admiral Sengoku handed the dossier across the table to the Vice Admirals and staff officers gathered before him.
Inside were detailed reports from the bases, with witness accounts, sketches, and attached intelligence notes.
"…Roger's sword?!"
Almost instantly, the first thing everyone noticed leapt off the page.
The blade Rain wielded was unmistakable Ace, the saber of Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King himself.
The room grew tense.
Anything connected to the Pirate King was worth immediate scrutiny.
"Could he be Roger's heir?" someone muttered, frowning as they read further.
--
PS: Who do you think Rain's targeting? Take a wild guess!
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