The Blue Sea, the Grand Line.
The sky was clear, the air was crisp, and not a single cloud marred the horizon. It was a rare, beautiful day.
A pirate ship sailed slowly across the calm waters. Its design was incredibly peculiar—flashy, gaudy, and colorful, it looked less like a pirate vessel and more like a ship belonging to a traveling circus. The Jolly Roger on the sail was even more bizarre: a clown-like skull sporting a massive red nose. It was a truly comical sight.
If Roronoa Zoro and the others (excluding a certain dense captain) were here, they would instantly recognize this crew. These were the Buggy Pirates, the bunch that had clashed with the Straw Hat crew twice back in the East Blue.
After escaping from the "White Hunter" at Loguetown, Buggy's crew had made their way to the Grand Line. From the looks of it, these pirates—despite their meager strength—seemed to be doing quite well in these treacherous waters, thanks to their absurdly high luck.
At that moment, a banquet was in full swing aboard their ship, the Big Top. Pirates were feasting on roasted meat, guzzling fine wine, and performing drunken somersaults. The atmosphere was boisterous and lively.
"Yahahaha! As a pirate, the most important things in life are treasure and banquets! Am I right, boys?!" A clown with a hilarious red nose spread his arms wide and shouted toward the sky.
"You're absolutely right, Captain Buggy!!!" the crew cheered in unison, their faces flushed with excitement.
"Hmph, exactly. Who cares about becoming the Pirate King or chasing the One Piece..."
Buggy sat back down in his chair and took several large gulps of wine. He let out a loud burp before continuing, "How could any of that compare to the carefree life of sailing the seas and hunting for treasure wherever we please?"
It had to be said that while Buggy the Clown's dreams weren't exactly grand, he was a traditional pirate to his very core.
"Um, Captain Buggy..."
The speaker was a black-haired woman with a unique hairstyle that resembled cat ears. She wore a sharp, professional lady's suit that perfectly accentuated her graceful figure. Her clean, elegant features gave off an immediate sense of approachability.
"That great treasure you mentioned earlier—the one buried in the deep sea—could you tell me more about it?" Miss Carter gave a sweet smile, her charming eyes full of curiosity.
Buggy glanced curiously at the mysterious female passenger who had literally dropped from the sky on the back of a giant dog not too long ago. "Eh? You're interested in that, Cat Ears?"
(Good grief, you've got a death-wish red nose and you have the nerve to give other people nicknames? If it weren't for the fact that this was the only ship I could find after leaving Mock Town, I would have stabbed you bunch of idiots to death a long time ago...)
The corners of Carter's mouth twitched slightly. The two tufts of black hair atop her head, styled like cat ears, flickered slightly, making her look quite adorable. In truth, this special agent and professional scammer wasn't actually interested in the treasure; her job simply required her to gather intel of this nature.
"Yes, yes! I've always been fascinated by legends and treasure. Please tell me more, Captain Buggy~"
"Ohho! You want to hear a story? Hahaha, well, you asked the right man! I, Captain Buggy, am a great pirate who has been galloping across the Grand Line for years!"
Perhaps it was the wine, perhaps it was Carter's harmless appearance, or perhaps Buggy's "chatterbox" attribute had simply been triggered. Regardless, the red-nosed buffoon didn't hold back. He began a long-winded lecture, spittle flying everywhere, leaving the black-haired beauty beside him feeling utterly speechless.
Ten minutes later...
"...Anyway, I'm not sure exactly what's buried in that treasure hoard. But judging by the shocked expression on my former captain's face when he saw the map, it's clearly something massive!"
Recalling that tragic bit of history, Buggy slammed his fist onto the armrest of his chair, his face contorting with phantom pain. "It's all that idiot Shanks' fault! If it weren't for him, I never would have accidentally eaten a Devil Fruit and become a 'hammer' who can't swim! I wouldn't have lost that treasure map either! Argh! That red-haired bastard!!!"
(Shanks? Red-haired?) Carter froze.
(Wait... which Shanks is he talking about? Don't tell me he means Red-Haired Shanks...)
Ignoring the fuming clown, she silently combed through her memories. As a specialized intelligence operative for the World Government, Miss Carter was privy to classified information that ordinary people could never dream of knowing.
(How could this hilarious, red-nosed idiot be connected to one of the Four Emperors? Besides, if it really is that Shanks, then the former captain he just mentioned would be...)
At that thought, Carter felt even more inclined to dismiss the absurd hypothesis. She stole a glance at Captain Buggy, who was currently chugging wine, and a look of deep disdain flickered in her narrowed eyes.
(What a joke. How could a clown like this have been a crew member of the Pirate King?)
(Still, if I remember correctly, the target the 'Iron Rooster' is investigating involves an underwater ruin...)
Carter took a bite of roasted meat and pondered for a moment. Then, acting as if nothing were wrong, she asked, "Since the treasure map is lost, do you still remember what was on it, Captain Buggy? This ocean is full of possibilities; maybe we'll come across it again someday."
"Tsk, you make it sound so easy. What do you think treasure and legends are?"
Buggy finished his bottle of rum with an annoyed huff. "I only remember that the treasure should be in the waters near Water 7. But that sea is too vast, and the treasure is deep underwater... Anyway, I've given up on that one."
"After all, my current goal is Captain Jack's Treasure! Hahahahaha!" As he spoke, the red-nosed clown burst into laughter. The speed at which his mood shifted left Carter stunned.
"Hey, Buggy, that's not what you said back at Loguetown."
A stunning woman with skin as smooth as a mirror and a curvaceous figure sat on a lounge chair. She rolled her eyes at the red-nosed captain and said softly, "Isn't our goal that Straw Hat kid?"
(Wait, Straw Hat?! They know each other? I just ran into them in Mock Town not long ago...) Carter complained silently to herself, thinking about how small the world truly was.
"Mama-mama, don't worry about the details, Alvida." Buggy wore a wicked grin. "I'll take that Straw Hat kid's head eventually, just not right now."
At that moment, a man with a scarf and long hair covering half his face walked over to join the conversation. "But Captain Buggy, according to yesterday's newspaper, Straw Hat and that damn Pirate Hunter are already making a name for themselves on the Grand Line."
"And..." Cabaji suddenly looked terrified. He swallowed hard and continued, "That 'Sorcerer' who destroyed a Marine base all by himself... he actually joined the Straw Hat crew!"
To an average pirate like him, anyone bold enough to openly attack the Marines was a complete lunatic—a terrifying existence that one should never provoke.
Buggy, however, remained unmoved. He glanced at his Chief of Staff and said with an air of composure, "What's the panic, Cabaji? So their bounty went up and they got a strong subordinate? What's there to be afraid of? Haven't you ever heard of 'playing the long game to catch a big fish'?"
"Eh?" Cabaji and the surrounding pirates looked at him with confusion.
"The Straw Hat crew's bounty is only going to keep rising. That way, when you defeat them, your own fame and bounty will skyrocket instantly." Alvida took a sip of red wine and set her glass down with a light chuckle. "That's your plan, isn't it, Buggy?"
"Oh! I see!"
After hearing Alvida's explanation, the crew reached a collective epiphany. They looked at Buggy with eyes full of worship.
"As expected of Captain Buggy! Such foresight!"
"Long live Captain Buggy!"
"That's right! They're just stepping stones for me! Once I take their heads, I'll be the great pirate who shocks the entire Grand Line! Yi-hahaha!" Completely lost in the flattery, the red-nosed captain stood with his hands on his hips and laughed boisterously.
(Like I said... how could a clown like this be a former crew member of the Pirate King? Unless the Pirate King himself was a total moron!)
Recalling Mock Town—which had recently been leveled by that "Sorcerer"—Miss Carter's expression became extremely strange. She steadied herself and whispered, "But you don't even know where the Straw Hat crew is right now. How are you going to take them down?"
"Hahaha, don't sweat the details, Cat Ears. This ocean is a mysterious place. Maybe we'll bump into them at the very next island."
But as soon as Buggy finished speaking...
"Oh? Is that so? So you guys want to see Luffy? Do you want me to tell you where they are?"
A slightly lazy male voice rang out from the crowd. The voice was incredibly abrupt—so sudden that it lacked even the slightest hint of a warning.
Carter felt like she'd been struck by lightning. Her body tensed instantly. For a split second, her dark eyes transformed into the orange-yellow pupils of a beast before returning to normal in the blink of an eye.
(Who is he?!)
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