In October, Year 1497 of the Sea Calendar, Kaoru Tsubasa withdrew his physical clone and returned to Redoria.
"It's the same thing again… How come I never win anything good?"Kaoru grumbled, staring at the lottery shop before him.
He had spent every lottery ticket he had saved over the years, hoping to draw an item capable of reviving Gol D. Roger. Yet after all that effort, not a single resurrection item appeared—only a pile of random rewards.
Still, several of them were worth keeping—abilities that could significantly boost his power. Among them were Grace of the Sun (Enhanced Version) from The Seven Deadly Sins and Full Counter (Enhanced Version), a powerful ability belonging to Escanor.
But the one that excited Kaoru most was the Fountain of Life from the Fairy Forest—a miraculous treasure that grants immortality. Once consumed, the body would not die, no matter the damage, unless sealed away by some higher power.
When Kaoru drew it, he didn't hesitate; he drank it immediately.
As for the other rewards—
Grace of the Sun (Enhanced Version):The divine gift bestowed by the Supreme God upon the Lion Sin of Pride. The power grows stronger as the sun rises, reaching its peak at noon.
However, the system had enhanced it. Kaoru's body would no longer shrink at night or swell with muscle at noon; his form would remain stable, and only his ability would transform when activated.
For now, Kaoru decided not to use it. Perhaps, one day, he'd find someone worthy of inheriting it.
Full Counter (Enhanced Version):Reflects all offensive attacks back at the enemy, amplified several times in strength.
In The Seven Deadly Sins, this ability was formidable—but in the world of One Piece, it bordered on broken. Kaoru chuckled to himself.If Ace had possessed Full Counter in the original timeline, he could have rebounded Akainu's deadly punch with ease.
Kaoru had drawn several other abilities as well, but he didn't bother checking them for now.(Author's Note: Haven't thought of those yet.)
The next day, Kaoru learned from the news delivered by a seagull that his bounty had risen to 53 billion berries.
By 1498, after months of sailing, Buggy finally arrived in Redoria.
"Hey! Brother Tsubasa!" Buggy called out.
Kaoru had sensed Buggy's ship entering Redoria's waters long before it docked, so he was already waiting at the shore.
"Yo, Buggy."
"Brother Tsubasa! Brother Tsubasa!" Buggy shouted the moment he saw him. "Where's the treasure you promised me?"
Before Buggy could pester him further, Kaoru's fist came down hard on his head.
Bam!
"Too noisy," Kaoru said flatly.
Buggy froze. The punch shut him up instantly—his obsession with treasure really was unmatched.
"Come with me," Kaoru said, leading the clownish pirate toward a hidden clearing where he had stashed away heaps of gold drawn from the lottery.
"Okay!" Buggy cried eagerly, separating his legs and flying after Kaoru using his Chop-Chop powers.
Kaoru sighed, picked up Buggy's detached legs, and sprinted toward Redoria at full speed.
"Keep up, Buggy. If you lose me, you'll never find your treasure," he called over his shoulder.
"Nani?!" Buggy's heart jumped. "My treasure! My treasure!"
Fueled by greed, he accelerated through the air, chasing Kaoru like a madman.
When Kaoru finally stopped before a massive crater glittering with gold, he turned back."Not bad, Buggy. You managed to keep up."
"Huff… huff… Brother Tsubasa, where's my treasure?" Buggy gasped, collapsing to the ground.
Kaoru frowned. "You flew here. Why are you tired?"
Buggy blinked. "Yeah… wait, why am I tired?"
The two stared at each other blankly for a moment before Buggy broke the silence."Never mind that! Where's the treasure?"
"There." Kaoru pointed to the crater.
Buggy floated over—and froze.
"T-This… this is—!"
"A mountain of gold," Kaoru said casually.
Buggy's jaw dropped at the sight of the pit overflowing with golden coins and jewels."Brother Tsubasa… are you really giving all this to me?" he asked hesitantly, terrified Kaoru might change his mind.
"Yeah. It's all yours," Kaoru replied with a shrug. He had plenty more in his system space—these were just leftover bronze-level rewards that no longer interested him.
"Wha—" Buggy's eyes rolled back.Thud!
He fainted from sheer excitement.
Kaoru sighed, twitching at the corner of his mouth. "It's just gold. No need to pass out."
He picked Buggy up and carried him to the small wooden hut nearby, laying him gently on the bed.
Night fell.
Kaoru sat outside the hut, grilling fish over a crackling fire. A pot of hot fish soup simmered beside him, sending a savory aroma through the air.
As for the pot itself—well, let's just say Kaoru's resourcefulness was… impressive.
"Mm…"
A faint groan came from inside. Buggy was waking up.
Kaoru extinguished the fire, grabbed the pot of soup, and stepped inside.
"Where's my treasure?!" Buggy shouted before Kaoru even entered fully. "Was it a dream?! No—"
"You're too loud, Buggy," Kaoru interrupted.
"Brother Tsubasa… am I dreaming?" Buggy muttered, pinching his cheek.
"Ow—wait, it doesn't hurt. So I am dreaming!"
Bonk!
Kaoru's Iron Fist of Love smacked him square on the head.
"You're pinching your own face, idiot."
Bonk! Bonk!
Two more fists landed before Kaoru finally set the soup down on the table.
"Here. Drink this fish soup."
Buggy rubbed the growing lumps on his head. "Got it… but Brother Tsubasa, maybe use a little less strength next time?"
"Stop whining. Who told you to start screaming the moment you woke up?" Kaoru said. "Drink that, and tomorrow I'll give you something else."
At that, Buggy's eyes lit up. He turned so fast he slammed his head into the wall.
"Ow!"
Kaoru sighed as Buggy howled. "I swear… you're hopeless."